https://www.scmp.com/rss/523304/feed The latest news and top stories on Greta Thunberg, the Swedish political activist. Known for initiating the global 'Fridays for Future' school strike movement in 2018, she challenges world leaders to take urgent climate action. Born in 2003, she was named by the Time magazine as the Person of the Year in 2019. She has received multiple Nobel Peace Prize nominations. Thunberg, who is autistic, maintains a vegan lifestyle and avoids air travel. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse London police on Tuesday arrested Swedish activist Greta Thunberg at a demonstration in support of pro-Palestinian hunger strikers, Palestinian campaign groups said. Thunberg’s arrest makes her the highest-profile person to be detained by police since the government banned the Palestine Action group under anti-terror laws. Prisoners for Palestine, which organised the protest, said in a statement that Thunberg was arrested under the UK Terrorism Act. Thunberg, 22, was holding a sign reading: “I... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3337538/swedish-activist-greta-thunberg-arrested-uk-pro-palestinian-protest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3337538/swedish-activist-greta-thunberg-arrested-uk-pro-palestinian-protest?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Dec 2025 13:52:32 +0000 Hadi Azmi Hadi Azmi Malaysians who joined a multinational flotilla seeking to break Israel’s sea blockade of Gaza have returned home with disturbing allegations of mistreatment in Israeli custody, including the confiscation of hijabs and being forced to drink toilet water. The group of 34 Malaysians, ranging from musicians and actors to rappers and influencers, had joined hundreds of international activists in the Global Sumud Flotilla, which set sail this summer on a humanitarian mission to the besieged... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3328204/toilet-water-snatched-hijabs-malaysian-gaza-activists-recount-israeli-detention?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3328204/toilet-water-snatched-hijabs-malaysian-gaza-activists-recount-israeli-detention?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Oct 2025 05:38:17 +0000 Reuters Reuters Israel said on Monday it deported campaigner Greta Thunberg and another 170 activists from an international flotilla it prevented last week from delivering aid to Gaza, sending them to Greece and Slovakia. Earlier, Swiss and Spanish activists from the flotilla said they were subjected to inhumane conditions during their detention by Israeli forces. Monday’s expulsions brought to 341 the total number deported from 479 detained. Israel’s foreign ministry issued a statement, accompanied by photos... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3328045/thunberg-among-171-deported-israel-gaza-activists-allege-mistreatment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3328045/thunberg-among-171-deported-israel-gaza-activists-allege-mistreatment?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Oct 2025 13:48:25 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Some of the activists detained while trying to reach Gaza by sea have returned to their home countries to describe mistreatment at the hands of Israeli guards, claims that Israel denies. Some 450 activists were arrested as Israeli forces intercepted the Global Sumud Flotilla, a fleet of 42 boats seeking to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza and deliver a symbolic amount of aid to the famine-stricken territory. Those detained between Wednesday and Friday were brought to Israel, where many... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3327939/released-gaza-flotilla-activists-allege-mistreatment-while-being-detained-israel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3327939/released-gaza-flotilla-activists-allege-mistreatment-while-being-detained-israel?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Oct 2025 21:17:03 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Malaysian activists detained by Israel while on a humanitarian aid mission to Gaza have been released and deported to Turkey. “All 23 of our heroes have safely arrived in Istanbul, Turkey,” Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said in a social media post on Saturday, after days of efforts to secure their release. Malaysia and Israel do not have diplomatic relations. The prime minister said that the released individuals, who were detained last week, would undergo health assessments before... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3327902/23-malaysian-heroes-held-israel-gaza-aid-mission-are-released-anwar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3327902/23-malaysian-heroes-held-israel-gaza-aid-mission-are-released-anwar?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Oct 2025 04:40:40 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Israel said on Thursday it would deport pro-Palestinian activists on an aid flotilla intercepted at sea as they headed towards Gaza, adding that none of the vessels had successfully breached its maritime blockade. The Global Sumud Flotilla of around 45 vessels began its voyage last month, with politicians and activists including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg heading to Gaza, where the United Nations says famine has set in. The Israeli navy has intercepted vessel after vessel at sea... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3327648/israel-deport-intercepted-gaza-aid-flotilla-activists-including-greta-thunberg?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3327648/israel-deport-intercepted-gaza-aid-flotilla-activists-including-greta-thunberg?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Oct 2025 09:18:12 +0000 Hadi Azmi Hadi Azmi At least 12 Malaysians on a humanitarian aid trip to Gaza have been detained by Israeli forces who stopped their flotilla outside the blockaded Palestinian enclave early on Thursday morning, triggering condemnation from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. The Global Sumud Flotilla, which set sail in August, is seeking to break Israel’s naval blockade and spotlight the siege of a territory where 65,400 people have been killed according to the United Nations, which last month called Israel’s actions a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3327581/israel-detains-12-malaysians-board-gaza-aid-flotilla-anwar-vows-legal-action?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3327581/israel-detains-12-malaysians-board-gaza-aid-flotilla-anwar-vows-legal-action?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Oct 2025 03:39:48 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Israeli naval forces on Wednesday intercepted a flotilla carrying aid to Gaza, ending its latest bid to break an Israeli blockade of the war-battered Palestinian territory. The Global Sumud Flotilla - involving around 45 vessels carrying politicians and activists including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg - left Spain last month, aiming to break Israel’s blockade of the Palestinian territory, where the UN says famine has set in. Thunberg’s ship was among those the Israeli navy... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3327541/gaza-aid-flotilla-sails-amid-israeli-intimidation-ready-military-interception?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3327541/gaza-aid-flotilla-sails-amid-israeli-intimidation-ready-military-interception?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Oct 2025 12:40:00 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Italy’s Defence Minister Guido Crosetto sent a navy frigate to assist a Gaza-bound flotilla on Wednesday, after organisers said several of their boats had been targeted by multiple drones off Greece. The Global Sumud Flotilla said more than a dozen explosions were heard around the flotilla as it sailed off Greece late on Tuesday, with damage caused by “unidentified objects” dropped on deck. “To ensure assistance to the Italian citizens on the ‘Flotilla’ … I spoke with the Prime Minister and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3326720/italy-sends-navy-ship-protect-gaza-aid-flotilla-after-drone-attack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3326720/italy-sends-navy-ship-protect-gaza-aid-flotilla-after-drone-attack?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Sep 2025 11:33:52 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Organisers of a Gaza-bound flotilla carrying aid and pro-Palestinian activists said late Tuesday that another of their boats had been struck in a suspected drone attack off Tunisia’s coast. Aiming to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza, the flotilla was due to resume its voyage on Wednesday after being delayed multiple times by weather and other issues. “Second night, second drone attack,” Melanie Schweizer, one of its coordinators, said. The British-flagged Alma was docked in Tunisian waters on... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3324966/gaza-aid-flotilla-says-second-boat-hit-suspected-drone-tunisian-waters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3324966/gaza-aid-flotilla-says-second-boat-hit-suspected-drone-tunisian-waters?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Sep 2025 02:11:42 +0000 Reuters Reuters The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) for Gaza said on Tuesday that one of its main boats was struck by a drone at a port in Tunisia, though all six passengers and crew were safe. Tunisia’s interior ministry said that reports of a drone hitting a boat at its Sidi Bou Said port “have no basis in truth”, and that a fire broke out on the vessel itself. The Portuguese-flagged boat, carrying the flotilla’s steering committee, sustained fire damage to its main deck and below-deck storage, the GSF said in a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3324852/tunisia-denies-gaza-aid-flotilla-boat-was-hit-drone-port?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3324852/tunisia-denies-gaza-aid-flotilla-boat-was-hit-drone-port?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Sep 2025 06:10:53 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A flotilla carrying activists and humanitarian aid for Gaza left Barcelona’s port on Monday for a second time after the vessels were forced to return a day earlier because of bad weather. The Global Sumud Flotilla had departed on Sunday under much fanfare only to return a few hours later after a storm hit parts of Spain overnight. Facing winds of more than 56km/h (35mph), some of the smaller boats taking part in the mission would have been at risk, organisers said. It was not immediately clear... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3323960/gaza-bound-flotilla-carrying-aid-forced-turn-back-barcelona-due-storms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3323960/gaza-bound-flotilla-carrying-aid-forced-turn-back-barcelona-due-storms?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Sep 2025 14:22:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Aid flotillas such as the one preparing to leave for Gaza would not be necessary if governments upheld international law, rights activist Greta Thunberg said on Saturday. “It should not have to be up to us,” said the 22-year-old Swedish campaigner, who will join the flotilla when it sets off from Barcelona on Sunday. “A mission like this should not have to exist,” she added. “It is the responsibility of countries, of our governments and elected officials to act to try to uphold international... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3323786/gaza-aid-flotilla-should-not-have-exist-says-rights-activist-greta-thunberg?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3323786/gaza-aid-flotilla-should-not-have-exist-says-rights-activist-greta-thunberg?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 Aug 2025 17:50:40 +0000