Gaza activists say aid ship struck by drones off Malta

Gaza activists say aid ship struck by drones off Malta.

Trump budget slashes spending for housing, health, education, NASA.

Just after midnight local time Friday morning, the crew of a ship called the Conscience sent out an SOS after explosions damaged their vessel off the coast of Malta. The vessel was being operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition(FFC), a humanitarian organization seeking to challenge Israel’s 2-month-long total blockade of Gaza by bringing in food and other life-saving aid for the 2 million people trapped there.

According to FFC, the vessel came under attack from two drones. Explosions can be heard in videos of the incident taken by the crew. This has not yet been independently verified, but images of the ship show significant damage from an explosive impact. Maltese authorities responded to the incident, helped put out the flames, and rendered aid to about 30 volunteers on board. There were no reported injuries. The ship is currently disabled.

Several hours before the Conscience was attacked, an Israeli Air Force C-130 Hercules had flown to Malta from Israel. The C-130 never landed on Malta, but flew back and forth over the island’s territorial waters for several hours, maintaining a low altitude. The C-130 was out of the area several hours before the Conscience was attacked. Nevertheless, many suspect there is a connection between the Israeli C-130 flight and the attack on the Conscience. Maltese authorities are investigating.

Greta Thunberg and other activists from 21 countries were due to board in Malta before the ship set sail for Gaza. FFC organizers say they have sailed under a total media blackout, anticipating sabotage from Israel or supporting governments.

Breaking the blockade

Israel has imposed a blockade on Gaza to one degree or another since 2006. The blockade has been declared a crime against humanity under international law. The UN and various humanitarian organizations have demanded it be lifted for years, to no avail.

In 2010, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition operated another humanitarian flotilla, headed by the ship MV Mavi Marmara. Like the Conscience, the Mavi Marmara was bound for Gaza. It was attacked by Israeli commandos in international waters and 10 people on board were killed, several of them in summary executions.

Since March 1st, 2025, Israel has imposed a total blockade of Gaza, meaning no food, water, medical supplies, or other items have been allowed to enter the Strip. While the Israeli military continues daily bombardment of the Strip, killing mostly women and children, the enclave’s 2 million inhabitants are also facing starvation and dehydration.

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Trump budget slashes spending for housing, health, education, NASA

Russell Vought, the director of he Office of Management and Budget, has delivered the White House’s budget proposal to the Senate Appropriations Committee. These proposals typically lay out what priorities a president wants to see in a budget bill from Congress. Trump’s budget priorities included a 23% cut ($163 billion) in discretionary domestic spending, and a 13% increase in military spending. The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), would also have their budget increased.

The cuts included:

nearly 50% cut from the Department of Housing and Urban development
a 15% cut to Department of Education.
$2.49 billion cut to the IRS, which experts say would hurt tax collection and increase the deficit.
$50 billion cut from the State Department.
a 40% cut to the National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
24% ($6 billion) cut for NASA, with directives to axe key parts of NASA’s Artemis lunar landing and moon station program.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-MA), who chairs the Senate appropriations Committee, also had “serious objections” to Trump’s budget proposal. Collins does not believe that the 13% increase in the Pentagon budget is sufficient, and also has concerns about cuts to funds that help people heat their homes in the winter.

Meanwhile, Republicans in the House are still facing an internal battle on their budget bill, which includes many of Trump’s policy and budget priorities. A proposed extension of Trump’s 2017 tax cuts (which analysts say largely benefited the wealthy) would increase the federal deficit by over $4 trillion over the next decade. Even the severe cuts that Trump has proposed to the domestic budget come nowhere close to covering this massive shortfall.

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