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As sirens sound and missiles fly in Israel, tourists are stranded.
The conflict between Israel and Iran has thrown thousands of Israeli tourists' holiday plans into chaos. They have been woken by air raid sirens or rushed to bomb shelters. Israel attacked Iran unexpectedly in the early morning hours of Friday. The airspace was shut down and the people were told to stay put as the Middle East's arch-foes exchanged deadly blows. According to the Ministry of Tourism, around 40,000 tourists have been blocked from entering Israel due to violence. The airlines have cancelled flights until further notice. Travellers are left to decide whether they want to wait or take expensive detours to neighbouring countries. Justin Joyner from California is in Jerusalem on vacation with his Nevada-based father John and son. Israel's months-long war against Hamas militants on the Gaza Strip had caused some disruption. Like most locals they didn't foresee an entire new war. "We didn't expect Israel to attack Iran. "That is a totally different level of escalation," Joyner told reporters from his East Jerusalem hotel, where Iranian missiles have been flashing overhead for the last two nights like meteorites. It's unsettling for your family to be able to feel the shockwaves from intercepted missiles and then have to go to a shelter. "That's something we just don't consider in America," said he. Dr. Greer Glazer from Cleveland, who was in Jerusalem to attend a nursing program, has to race down 10 flights in her hotel in order reach the shelter every time sirens are heard. This has been happening regularly since Friday. She said that she felt safe, but waking up from a dead-sleep and running into the safe room was the most difficult part. My family is terrified to death... "They think that it is a constant destruction, but it is not like this." THE JORDAN ROUTE Glazer was due to leave for home on 29 June, but she wants to move her departure up. The easiest way to leave is by land crossings in Jordan, followed by a flight from Amman Airport which operates during daylight hours. Israeli media reported the transgender U.S. Influencer Caitlyn Jennifer, who flew only into Israel on Thursday to attend Tel Aviv's now-canceled Gay Pride Parade had left via Jordan. She had been photographed hours earlier drinking red wine in an underground bomb shelter. She wrote, "What a wonderful way to celebrate Shabbat," on X. Not everyone rushes to leave. Karen Tuhrim, a Londoner, is in Tel Aviv to visit her daughter. "Israel attacked Iran within two days of my arrival here." "I'm now stuck," she said. Tel Aviv, unlike Jerusalem, has been directly hit by Iranian missiles. Tuhrim had to go in and out the shelter of her hotel. She said that she felt safe, and she was glad to be with her daughter. "For myself, personally, right now, I'd rather be here in London than watching the news and knowing that my daughter is there. For now, everything is fine. The Israel Ministry of Tourism set up a virtual help desk for travellers who are stranded, available 24 hours a day in both English and Hebrew. For those stuck in Jerusalem, the Old City of Jerusalem remains closed to non-residents, and many shops are still shuttered. Anwar Abu Lafi of Jerusalem said, "The streets are empty and the shops are closed." He saw no end in sight to this gloom. "People yearn for a change, they want to find some light in the darkness. He said that we are deluding ourselves into believing the future will be brighter. (Additional reporting from Steven Scheer in Jerusalem and Sinan Abu-Mayzer in Tel Aviv, with Sophie Walker editing)
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Protesters in southern Europe protest against overtourism
On Sunday, thousands of people marched through the streets in cities across southern Europe to protest against overtourism. They fired water pistols into shop windows, and set off smoke in Barcelona where the main demonstration took place. Protesters in Barcelona chanted "Your holidays, My misery" while holding banners with slogans like "Mass tourism kills the City" and "Their greed brings us ruin". The SET alliance – Sud d'Europa contra la Turistitzacio or Catalan "Southern Europe Against Overtourism" – brought together protesters from Portugal and Italy to argue that uncontrolled tourism is driving up housing prices and forcing residents out of their neighborhoods. Last year, 26 million tourists visited Barcelona, which has a population of 1.6 millions. Around 600 people participated in the demonstration, according to authorities. Some fired water pistols, others set off colored smoke, and some put stickers on hotel windows and shop windows saying "Neighbourhood Self-Defense, Tourist Go Home". A agitated hotel worker confronted protesters outside the venue, saying that he "only worked" and wasn't the owner. Similar demonstrations were held in other parts of Spain, including Ibiza and Malaga. In Italy, protests were held in Genoa, Naples Palermo Milan and Venice. Locals opposed the construction of 2 hotels which would add 15,000 beds to each city. Barcelona's city council announced last year that it would ban apartment rentals for tourists by 2028 in order to make the city more livable for its residents. "I am very tired of being an inconvenience in my own town." "The solution is to propose that the number of tourists visiting Barcelona be drastically reduced and that we adopt another economic model which will bring prosperity to the city," Eva Vilaseca (38), said at the demonstration held in Barcelona on Sunday, dismissing the counterargument, that tourism creates jobs and prosperity. Spain and France are expected to see record tourism numbers this year. Lisbon protests were scheduled to take place later in the afternoon on Sunday. (Reporting from Guillermo Martinez, Ana Cantero and Giulio Pieovaccari in Madrid; editing by Susan Fenton).
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Britain's Finance Minister signals possible support for Israel during the Iran conflict
The UK could support Israel's conflict with Iran. However, the decision to send more military jets into the Middle East is primarily to protect British bases, personnel and equipment, British Finance Minister Rachel Reeves stated on Sunday. Israel and Iran have launched new attacks against each other over the weekend. Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, said that the Israeli attacks so far are nothing compared to what Iran will see in the next few days. Reeves, speaking to Sky News in an interview with the network, called for the deescalation of the conflict. He also said that the decision to send more jets into the region was "a precautionary move". Reeves responded: "We've supported Israel in the past when missiles were coming." She said: "We are sending in assets both to protect ourselves as well as to potentially support our allies." Last year, Britain helped protect Israel from Iranian missile attacks. In April, British planes destroyed Iranian drones headed for Israel. In October, it was reported that two fighter jets as well as an air-to -air refuelling aircraft were trying to intercept Iranian rockets. The jets didn't engage any targets. Since then, Britain and Israel have clashed repeatedly over Israel's war in Gaza. Last week, Britain Sanctions are imposed Two far-right Israeli cabinet members, Itamar Be-Gvir, and Bezalel Schmotrich, were accused of inciting violence repeatedly against Palestinians. Israel called the decision 'outrageous' and said that the government is deciding on how to react. Separately on Sunday, the British Foreign Ministry updated its advice against all travel to Israel. The foreign ministry issued a warning on Friday against any travel to Israel other than essential. (Reporting and editing by Andrew MacAskill)
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Boeing offices in Ukraine were damaged by a Russian air strike, according to FT.
The Financial Times reported that a building used by Boeing was severely damaged by a large-scale Russian aerial attack. It cited six sources familiar with the situation and photos seen by the paper. Ukraine's Air Force reported on Tuesday that Russia used 315 drones, seven missiles, and other weapons to launch air strikes on Kyiv in the early hours of last week. The newspaper reported that Boeing's building had been among the targets of Sunday night's attack. It cited two Boeing employees, as well as three Ukrainian officials, and the head of American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine. Andriy Korayagin, the deputy general director for Boeing's operations in Ukraine, said that despite the damage done to the building, "there was no operational disruption". A second official Boeing spokesperson refused to comment on the attack to the Financial Times, other than to state that the U.S. aircraft maker prioritizes the safety and security its employees. None of them were injured during the bombardment. Boeing employs over 1,000 people in Ukraine, according to a report. Could not confirm immediately the report. Boeing and the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.
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Britain's Finance Minister signals possible support for Israel during the Iran conflict
The UK could support Israel's conflict with Iran. However, the decision to send more military jets into the Middle East is primarily to protect British bases, personnel and equipment, British Finance Minister Rachel Reeves stated on Sunday. Israel and Iran have launched new attacks against each other over the weekend. Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, said that the Israeli attacks so far are nothing compared to what Iran will see in the next few days. Reeves, speaking to Sky News in an interview with the network, called for the deescalation of the conflict. He also said that the decision to send more jets into the region was "precautionary". Reeves responded: "We've supported Israel in the past when missiles were coming." She said: "We are sending in assets both to protect ourselves as well as to potentially support our allies." Last year, Britain helped protect Israel from Iranian missile attacks. In April, British planes destroyed Iranian drones headed for Israel. In October, it was reported that two fighter jets as well as an air-to -air refuelling aircraft were trying to intercept Iranian rockets. The jets didn't engage any targets. (Reporting and editing by Andrew MacAskill, Sophie Walker).
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Families continue to wait while U.S. officials examine the crash site of Air India
Sources said that officials from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board surveyed the crash site of the Air India plane that killed 271 people on Sunday. Families are still waiting for the DNA profiling results in order to identify the charred remains. One source said that officials from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration were also in Ahmedabad, Gujarat State in western India, surveying the crash scene, along with the NTSB. After takeoff, the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner carrying 242 passengers bound for Gatwick Airport in south London started losing height. It exploded in a massive fireball when it struck buildings below. The worst aviation accident in a decade has claimed the lives of all but one passenger. About 30 people were killed on the ground. Air India and the Indian Government were investigating several aspects of this crash, including the engine thrust and flaps. They also looked at why the landing gear was left open when the plane took off. Sean Duffy, secretary of the U.S. Department of Transport said that he is in the process of sending a team of FAA and NTSB officials to India. Boeing and GE (whose engines were in the plane) were also sending teams. Duffy stated that "we'll act if any recommendations are made by the NTSB investigation." Outside of regular business hours, the FAA and NSTB didn't immediately respond to questions. The FAA announced that India would lead the investigation. However, the NTSB, as the official representative of the United States, is providing technical assistance while the FAA offers the official U.S. support. First source: Boeing officials will investigate this matter by looking at different parameters, such as the landing angle, and other parameters. The second source said that around 10 officials, including those from the NTSB were on the scene Sunday. India's aviation regulator ordered that all Boeing 787s operated by Indian carriers be inspected. Boeing is also facing a new challenge as it tries to rebuild trust in the public after a series safety and production problems. In Ahmedabad doctors struggled to identify the bodies that had been charred by the incident. They resorted to DNA profiling and dental samples. Rajnish Patel said that the DNA samples of 32 crash victims have been matched successfully, he added. He said that the bodies of those whose DNA samples had been matched were being given to their families in a respectful manner. (Additional reporting from Sumit Khanna, Ahmedabad. Editing by Raju Gopikrishnan.)
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Canteen worker in Air India crash hopes for "second miracle"
Thirty minutes before the Air India plane crashed into the college hostel, Ravi Thakor and his wife, who worked in the hostel's canteen, went out to deliver the lunchboxes, leaving behind his two-year old daughter and her mother. The grandmother and the child are missing. Thakor hopes for a second miracle, like the miraculous survival of the only passenger out of 242 on the plane. Thakor initially thought that the loud bang heard by him when the plane crash on Thursday, in the western city Ahmedabad, was the explosion of a gas-cylinder. But he soon realized the building he just left had been engulfed in fire. He has been looking for his mother and daughter in hospitals and morgues without success for days. The police said they were treating the case as one of missing persons. Thakor, visibly upset, told a crowd outside one hospital: "If only one plane passenger survived the crash there would be a miracle. My mother and daughter might also be safe." Lalita, his wife, stood with a stone-faced expression beside him. Thakor stated, "We know that the odds of finding them alive is slim but we are not giving up on hope." The crash killed at least 271 individuals, including the 241 passengers, crew, and people on the ground - mainly in the hostel. Thakor and his spouse have provided samples of their DNA for hospital authorities, but they have yet to learn if there are any matches among the deceased. The DNA profiling process and other identification checks take time. Families have been waiting for their loved one's remains to be returned for days. Rajnish Patel said that only 32 DNA samples have been matched to date. Many students were having lunch when the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plane struck the hostel canteen Thursday. When the site was visited later, steel tumblers and dishes still holding food were found on the few tables left intact. He said that Thakor's mom was still cooking lunchboxes when he left with his wife to deliver them. His daughter had been rocked to sleep by him on a swing. He said that it was possible someone had taken his daughter during the chaos. Viswashkumar, Ramesh (40), was the only survivor of the 242 passengers on the plane. He squeezed through a broken hatch and emerged from the crash with minor injuries. (Writing and editing by Raju Gopikrishnan; Aditya K. Kalra)
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WestJet investigates cyber incident that affected app and internal systems
WestJet Airlines, Canada, is investigating an incident involving a cyber-attack that disrupted the mobile app, as well as some internal systems. The incident affected a number of users who were not disclosed, according to a Friday statement. WestJet has said that specialised teams within the company are working with law enforcement agencies and Transport Canada in order to determine the extent of the incident and minimize its impact. The company stated that it is too early to speculate about the cause or scope of the incident. WestJet spokesperson said that the operations of the company remain safe. Cyber threats have increased in Canada's critical infrastructure. In April, the energy provider Emera disclosed that unauthorized access was made to their business servers and network. (Reporting and editing by Franklin Paul in Bengaluru; Bipasha dey, Surbhi misra)
Israel's El Al cancels many flights between and within cities until June 23,
El Al Airlines, Israel's national airline, has announced that it will cancel flights from and to many European cities and Tokyo as well as Moscow and Moscow up until the 23rd of June due to the conflict between Israel & Iran.
Israel's airspace is still closed, and all flights up to June 17 have been cancelled by the Israeli flag carrier.
El Al stated that once the necessary approvals have been received, it will be possible for as many Israelis to return to their homes, resume its regular flight schedule, and begin operating rescue flights to destinations close to Israel.
Israel's National Security Council warned against traveling to Israel via Egypt and Jordan, despite the fact that their borders were open.
"We want to stress that both Sinai in Egypt and Jordan are under Level 4-travel warnings, which indicate a high level of threat. We recommend avoiding travelling to these areas." The NSC stated that these warnings were especially important during this period of increased tension.
We recommend that Israelis who are currently abroad and plan to return to Israel wait for the latest updates from the Ministry of Transportation.
El Al shares fell 3.5% during afternoon trading in Tel Aviv.
El Al is the only airline that has operated flights into Tel Aviv since October 7, 2023. Many other airlines had cancelled their flights due to the Israel-Gaza Conflict. Several carriers have recently resumed flights into Israel prior to the missile attacks between Israel and Iran on this weekend.
(source: Reuters)