UNITED NATIONS  — The United Nations (UN) Security Council on Monday backed a proposal outlined by President Joseph R. Biden for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip and urged the Palestinian militants to accept the deal aimed at ending the eight-month-long war.

Hamas welcomed the adoption of the US-drafted resolution and said in a statement that it is ready to cooperate with mediators over implementing the principles of the plan “that are consistent with the demands of our people and resistance.”

Russia abstained from the UN vote, while the remaining 14 Security Council members voted in favor of the resolution supporting a three-phase ceasefire plan laid out by Mr. Biden on May 31 that he described as an Israeli initiative.

“Today we voted for peace,” US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the council after the vote.

The resolution welcomes the new ceasefire proposal, states that Israel has accepted it, calls on Hamas to agree to it and “urges both parties to fully implement its terms without delay and without condition.”

Algeria, the only Arab member of the council, supported the resolution because “we believe it can represent a step forward toward an immediate and lasting ceasefire,” Algeria’s UN Ambassador Amar Bendjama told the council.

“It offers a glimmer of hope to the Palestinians,” he said. “It’s time to halt the killing.”

The resolution also goes into detail about the proposal, and spells out that “if the negotiations take longer than six weeks for phase one, the ceasefire will still continue as long as negotiations continue.”

ISRAEL’S GOALS
However, it did not contain enough detail for Moscow. Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia asked what Israel had specifically agreed to and said the Security Council should not be signing up to agreements with “vague parameters.”

“We did not wish to block the resolution simply because it, as much as we understand, is supported by the Arab world,” Mr. Nebenzia told the council.

Israel’s UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan was present for the vote, but did not address the council. Instead, senior Israeli UN diplomat Reut Shapir Ben Naftaly told the body that Israel’s goals in Gaza had always been clear.

“Israel is committed to these goals — to free all the hostages, to destroy Hamas’ military and governing capabilities and to ensure that Gaza does not pose a threat to Israel in the future,” she said. “It is Hamas that is preventing this war from ending. Hamas and Hamas alone.”

The council in March demanded for an immediate ceasefire and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas.

For months, negotiators from the US, Egypt and Qatar have been trying to mediate a ceasefire. Hamas says it wants a permanent end to the war in the Gaza Strip and Israeli withdrawal from the enclave of 2.3 million people.

Israel is retaliating against Hamas, which rules Gaza, over an Oct. 7 attack by its militants.

More than 1,200 people were killed and over 250 taken hostage by Hamas on Oct. 7, according to Israeli tallies. More than 100 hostages are believed to remain captive in Gaza.

Israel launched an air, ground and sea assault on the Palestinian territory, killing more than 37,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities. — Reuters

PARIS — In a glossy video released days before the European Parliament elections, France’s far-right double act appeared side by side in brilliant white shirts to deliver their final address.

“Do your patriotic duty,” said Marine Le Pen, the leading figure of the National Rally (RN) party and de facto frontrunner for the 2027 presidential election. “I ask you to go to vote for Jordan Bardella. Offer France the most beautiful victory.”

The video has notched nearly 5 million views since it was posted on Mr. Bardella’s wildly popular TikTok account two days ago. It’s part of a slick political rebrand, overseen by Ms. Le Pen and her 28-year-old party president Mr. Bardella, that has allowed the RN to shed its racist reputation as the former National Front, and storm to victory in Sunday’s vote.

The RN’s strong showing, which forced Mr. Macron into calling a snap legislative election that could finally hand the far right real power in France, is partly due to the formidable political tag team that Mr. Bardella and Ms. Le Pen have formed, experts said. They have fused youthful enthusiasm with battle-hardened experience to devastating electoral effect. “They’re very complementary,” said Philippe Marliere, a French politics professor at University College London.

The sharp-suited Bardella, son of an Italian immigrant mother who grew up in the rough outskirts of Paris, has polished the RN’s reputation, Mr. Marliere said. Mr. Bardella also broadened its appeal by attracting younger, blue-collar voters hit by inflation and job insecurity to a party once known for an older, middle-class and arch-conservative clientele, he added.

The RN won in every major age group in Sunday’s election, except among the over-65s, where it was tied with Mr. Macron’s ticket, according to a BFM TV exit poll.

Overall, the RN won 31.37% of the vote, the official tally showed, more than double the Macron coalition’s 14.6%.

Emile Chabal, professor of contemporary history at the University of Edinburgh, said Mr. Bardella and Ms. Le Pen had detoxified the RN by retooling it as the party of the working class.

“While they have retained many aspects of the party’s DNA — especially its anti-immigration policies and a hostility to Islam — they have managed to wrap these up in a protectionist language … (that) appeals particularly to a younger middle-aged demographic,” he said. “In 2024, the RN can fairly lay claim to being the party of the French working classes.”

Mr. Bardella will be the party’s candidate for prime minister in the upcoming early election to be held on June 30 and July 7, RN deputy chairman Sebastien Chenu said on RTL Radio on Monday.

On his TikTok account, where he has 1.5 million followers, Mr. Bardella often posts videos of himself with adoring young fans. In acerbic TV appearances, he has distinguished himself as Le Pen’s clean-cut attack dog, Mr. Marliere said.

“It’s a convenient arrangement for political purposes to let Marine Le Pen fully concentrate on the big prize, the (2027) presidential election,” he said.

However, alongside his pugnacious media presence, Mr. Bardella has often let himself down with unforced errors and gaps on the nitty gritty of policy, Mr. Marliere said. Ms. Le Pen might fret that as prime minister, Mr. Bardella’s inexperience could lead to charges of incompetence, potentially dooming her 2027 chances, he added.

And even before the snap vote, Mr. Bardella is likely to face a grilling on issues outside his comfort zone, especially on economic policy and Ukraine, a source close to Mr. Macron said.

“For legislative elections, he will be more exposed,” the source said. “He will be asked: Who do you name for finance minister? What do you do for your first 100 days?”

Alternatively, if Mr. Bardella shines, Ms. Le Pen, 55, may fear being eclipsed by her young protege.

“If he looks more appealing or successful, there might be attempts to make him the 2027 presidential candidate,” said Sudhir Hazareesingh, a French politics expert at Oxford University, especially as Ms. Le Pen has already lost three presidential elections, two of them to Mr. Macron.

“But Bardella is still very young so he can afford to wait a little, and let her fail rather than look too ambitious.” — Reuters

SINGAPORE Airlines has sent offers of compensation to passengers on board a flight last month that encountered severe turbulence that led to dozens of injuries and one death, the carrier said on Tuesday.

Passengers with minor injuries have been offered $10,000 and those with serious injuries can discuss an offer to meet their specific needs, the airline said.

“Passengers medically assessed as having sustained serious injuries, requiring long-term medical care, and requesting financial assistance are offered an advance payment of $25,000 to address their immediate needs,” that will form part of any final settlement, it added.

A 73-year-old passenger died of a suspected heart attack and dozens were injured after flight SQ321 from London to Singapore encountered what the airline described as sudden, extreme turbulence while flying over Myanmar. It diverted and landed in Bangkok, Thailand.

Passengers said crew and those not strapped in left the floor or their seats and slammed into the cabin ceiling, cracking it in places. A Bangkok hospital treating passengers said there were spinal cord, brain and skull injuries.

As of June 4, more than two weeks after the May 20 flight, 20 passengers were still receiving medical care in hospitals in Bangkok, according to the airline. It did not respond immediately to a request for an updated figure.

Singapore Airlines said it would refund airfares for all passengers on board the flight and they would receive delay compensation in accordance with regulations in the European Union or Britain.

A preliminary report by Singapore’s Transport Ministry said a rapid change in gravitational force and a 54-meter (177-foot) altitude drop likely caused passengers and crew to become airborne.

It said the plane was likely flying over an area of “developing convective activity,” a term referring to developing bad weather.

There were 211 passengers, including many Australians, British and Singaporeans, and 18 crew members on the flight.

The incident has put seatbelt practices in the spotlight, with airlines typically allowing passengers to undo belts during normal cruise conditions, while recommending they keep them on. — Reuters