A deadly shooting Monday at a Damascus club, days after another attack on the capital's nightlife, has sparked fears, adding to concerns that personal freedoms may be restricted under Syria's Islamist authorities.

Since the fall of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December, the international community has been pressing the new authorities to respect personal freedoms, protect minorities and include all components of society in its transition.

Israel's plan for the "conquest" of Gaza has sparked renewed fears, but for many of the territory's residents, the most immediate threat to their lives remains the spectre of famine amid a months-long Israeli blockade.

The plan to expand military operations, approved by Israel's security cabinet overnight, includes holding territories in the besieged Gaza Strip and moving the population south "for their protection", an Israeli official said.

The top United Nations court on Monday threw out Sudan's case against the United Arab Emirates over alleged complicity in genocide during the brutal Sudanese civil war.

Sudan had taken the UAE to the International Court of Justice over its alleged support for the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), saying it was contributing to a genocide -- accusations denied by the Emiratis.

But the ICJ said it "manifestly lacked" jurisdiction to rule on the case and threw out it out.

The Druze are a prominent religious community of more than a million people spread mainly across Syria, Lebanon and Israel, who for centuries have sought to preserve a distinct identity.

In Syria, Druze fighters recently clashed with forces loyal to the country's new Islamist rulers, highlighting the struggles they and other minority groups have faced with shifts in regional power dynamics.

"The Druze are a kind of an ultra-tribe which transcends space and geography," said Makram Rabah, assistant professor of history at the American University of Beirut.

Before his death, Pope Francis donated one of his popemobiles to be converted into a children's clinic in war-torn Gaza, Catholic charity Caritas said on Monday.

The iconic open-sided vehicle, designed to allow the pontiff to greet crowds of well-wishers, has been transferred to Caritas Jerusalem and will head to Gaza if and when Israel opens a humanitarian corridor.

The car, a converted Mitsubishi, was used by the pope during a 2014 visit to Bethlehem and had since been on display, gathering dust and rust. It has now been repaired and refurbished as a mobile clinic.

Israel struck Yemen on Monday in what the Huthis said was a joint raid with the United States, a day after the Iran-backed rebels claimed missile fire at Israel's main airport.

The Huthi-run Al-Masirah television said six air strikes hit the port of Hodeida, on Yemen's western coast, and reported an attack on Bajil district in the same province, blaming "US-Israeli aggression" for both.

Israel confirmed it had carried out the strikes, while a US official denied any part in the raid.

Shares in US film studios slid on Monday following a threat by US President Donald Trump to impose 100 percent tariffs on foreign-made productions.

Meanwhile oil prices slumped after OPEC+ countries announced an output hike despite oversupply concerns and growing fears that Trump's trade war could weaken demand.

Globally, stock markets were mixed in holiday-thinned trading ahead of central bank decisions on interest rates later in the week.

On Wall Street, the Dow edged higher in midday trading but the S&P 500 was down, putting a nine-day winning streak in peril.

Israel's military said on Monday that expanded operations in Gaza approved by the government would include displacing "most" residents of the Palestinian territory, with the UN chief expressing alarm at the plan.

The Israeli security cabinet approved overnight the plan, which an Israeli official said will entail "the conquest of the Gaza Strip and the holding of the territories".

All 133 Catholic cardinals who will vote for a new pope have arrived in Rome, the Vatican said on Monday, two days before they gather in a conclave to elect the next head of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.

Hailing from 70 countries across five continents, the group -- summoned following the death of Pope Francis on April 21 -- is the largest and the most international ever.

Malta offered on Sunday to repair an aid ship and send it on its way to Gaza after pro-Palestinian activists said the vessel had been hit by a drone strike.

But Prime Minister Robert Abela said the Freedom Flotilla Coalition must first allow a maritime surveyor on board to inspect the "Conscience" and determine what repairs are needed.

The pro-Palestinian activists had pointed the finger at Israel, which has blockaded the Gaza Strip throughout its military campaign against Hamas, for the attack.