Gulfnews

US President-elect Donald Trump discussed the issue of illegal immigration through Mexico in a phone call with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.According to Trump, the Mexican President 'agreed to stop Migration through Mexico,' while Sheinbaum denied responsibility for immigration, stating that she had no intention of closing Mexicos borders.In a post on the social media platform X, Sheinbaum said, 'we reiterate that Mexicos position is not to close borders but to build bridges between governments and between peoples.'She added that she discussed the issue of migration and informed Trump that migrant caravans were not reaching the northern border with the United States. She also spoke about enhancing cooperation on security issues.Trump stated in a post on his Truth Social account that the conversation with the Mexican president was 'very productive,' emphasizing that 'she has agreed to stop Migration through Mexico, and into the United States, effective...

Pro-European Social Democrat Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu was leading in Sunday’s first round of Romania’s presidential election, according to two exit polls released soon after the end of voting.Ciolacu scored 25% of the vote while the centre-right former journalist turned small-town mayor Elena Lasconi was on 18%, according to the polls. Two far-right candidates scored 15% and 16% .Voting finished at 9pm.In the absence of an outright winner in the first round — scoring more than 50% — the top two candidates go through to a second-round run-off on December 8.Romanians voted on Sunday in the first round of a presidential election amid a surge in inflation and fears over the war in neighbouring Ukraine that could favour far-right leader George Simion.The vote kicks off two weeks of elections in the poor Nato member country, including a parliamentary vote and a December 8 presidential run-off.Social democrat Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu is leading a field of 13 contenders in the race t...

The world's largest fully steerable radio telescope is under construction in northeast China's Jilin Province.Located in Huadian, Jilin, the radio telescope will be 120 meters in diameter and help scientists in understanding planets and asteroids more accurately.What is special about the new telescope is that it can send electromagnetic waves to celestial bodies and receive the return waves to measure the distances between the planets and the Earth accurately.Head of the project office for the radio telescope Luo Xuejiu said the site for the telescope was chosen in May this year and preliminary work had started since then.The pile foundation work has been finished, said Luo, adding that the installation, as well as adjustment and testing of the telescope, are expected to be completed in 2028.To explore the universe, China has built the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST), the world's largest single-dish and most sensitive radio telesc...

UN human rights' experts urged full compliance with the International Criminal Court's (ICC) arrest warrants issued against Israeli entity's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former War Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity.In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, the experts said that ICC arrest warrants can help save lives, and they must be enforced, urging full compliance with the ICC's arrest warrants.'The ICC's decision marks a historic step towards justice and accountability, offering hope for ending decades of impunity for long-standing serious violations of international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT),' the experts said.Israel's protracted lack of accountability has been an enabling factor to the increasing and untenable violence in the region, they said.Since Oct. 7, 2023, and the military aggression on Gaza and the rest of the OPT, the independent experts have received...

South African opposition party the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) brought a case to the country’s top court yesterday to try to revive impeachment proceedings against President Cyril Ramaphosa over the scandal dubbed “Farmgate” by local media.The scandal centred on the alleged theft of millions of dollars hidden in furniture on Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala game farm, which a former intelligence official revealed to police.An independent panel report found evidence Ramaphosa may have committed misconduct over the incident.But in late 2022 lawmakers from Ramaphosa’s African National Congress (ANC), which had a majority in the National Assembly at the time, voted to reject the report and prevented an impeachment committee from being set up to probe the allegations. source https://www.gulf-times.com/article/695399/international/sa-opposition-seeks-to-revive-impeachment-proceedings-against-ramaphosa

Thousands of protesters calling for the release of Pakistan’s jailed ex-prime minister Imran Khan defied roadblocks and tear gas to march at the gates of the nation’s capital late night.The government said one police officer had been killed and nine were critically wounded in two days of clashes with demonstrators as they closed in on Islamabad.Khan was barred from standing in February elections that were marred by allegations of rigging, sidelined by dozens of disputed legal cases which he claims were confected to prevent his comeback.His Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has defied a government crackdown with regular demonstrations aiming to seize public spaces in Islamabad and other large cities.The capital has been locked down since late Saturday, with mobile Internet sporadically cut and more than 20,000 police flooding the streets, many armed with riot shields and batons.Last week, the Islamabad city administration announced a two-month ban on public gatherings.But PTI convoys...

President-elect Donald Trump promised that he will impose an additional 10% tariff on goods coming from China and a 25% tariff on all products entering the country from Mexico and Canada.'On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States,' Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform.He also said that the US will be imposing an additional 10% tariff on China, on top of any additional tariffs, on all its numerous products coming to the United States.Trump will be inaugurated as President of the United States on January 20, 2025. source https://www.gulf-times.com/article/695352/international/us-president-elect-promises-additional-tariffs-on-china-mexico-and-canada

Protesters clashed with police yesterday with at least two people killed in riots sparked by a survey investigating if a 17th-century mosque was built on a temple.Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the BJP-led government of orchestrating the unrest to distract from allegations of electoral malpractice in recent bypolls.“Two persons were confirmed dead,” Pawan Kumar, a police officer in Sambhal in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, said, adding that 16 police officers were “seriously injured” during the clashes.The Press Trust of India news agency quoted officials saying three people had died.Street battles broke out when a team of surveyors entered the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal on orders from a local court.Protesters yesterday hurled rocks at police, who fired tear gas canisters to clear the crowd.“The Supreme Court should immediately take cognizance of the conspiracy to spread tension in the name of survey and a case of disturbing peace and harmony should be regist...

Indian billionaire Gautam Adani’s feverish push to expand his global energy and infrastructure empire has been knocked by US bribery charges, but analysts believe the tycoon will bounce back.The bombshell indictment in New York on Wednesday accusing Adani and his associates of paying more than $250mn in bribes to secure lucrative government contracts sparked a frenzied sale of stocks.Within hours, India’s opposition leader Rahul Gandhi demanded Adani’s arrest and Kenyan President William Ruto scrapped airport and electricity deals worth about $2.5bn.The Adani Group dismissed the bribery charge as “baseless” but Shriram Subramanian, founder of corporate governance advisory firm, InGovern Research Services, said it has “huge” implications.“They will defend themselves by appealing, or go for a settlement,” Subramanian told AFP from Bengaluru.“It is a big blow to their reputation and corporate governance practices,” he added. The meteoric rise of Adani, once the world’s second-richest man,...

India’s government plans to clamp down on polluting farm fires by measuring the areas burnt instead of live blazes, after reports that farmers were burning paddy waste or stubble at times when satellites were not passing overhead.India currently uses data from Nasa satellites that pass twice a day over the northern states of Punjab and Haryana to monitor farm fires, which are a major contributor to the smog that envelopes the national capital region (NCR) each winter.The Commission for Air Quality Management, a government body responsible for air quality in the NCR, said on Friday that India’s space agency had been asked in January to develop a system to study burnt areas to count farm fires. “That protocol has actually been developed and is currently being tested,” additional solicitor general Aishwarya Bhati told the Supreme Court after an adviser to the court said on Monday that the current system counted fires over a limited time.Some experts suspect that farmers have, over time, b...

London’s Gatwick Airport, the second busiest airport in Britain, reopened a terminal on Friday after a security alert earlier in the day forced its evacuation and caused travel disruption for thousands of people.Police sent a bomb disposal team to deal with a suspected prohibited item that they said had been found in luggage at the airport’s south terminal, 30 miles south of London.“The earlier security alert has now been resolved and cleared by police,” Gatwick said in a statement.The incident disrupted weekend travel plans for thousands of passengers, with more than 600 flights due to land or take off on Friday from Gatwick, amounting to more than 121,000 passenger seats, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium.Thousands of passengers were seen outside the terminal and the surrounding area in videos posted online after the terminal shut for several hours. Emergency foil blankets were distributed to some of the passengers who were waiting in the cold, social media pictur...

The British government indicated on Friday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could be arrested on an International Criminal Court arrest warrant if he travelled to the UK.The ICC on Thursday issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and ex-defence minister Yoav Gallant in response to accusations of crimes against humanity and war crimes in Israel's war on Hamas in Gaza, triggered by the militant Palestinian group's October 7, 2023 attack.Prime Minister Keir Starmer's spokesman refused to be drawn specifically on whether UK police would detain Netanyahu, telling reporters he would not 'get into hypotheticals in relation to individual cases'.But he added: 'The UK will always comply with its legal obligations as set out by domestic law and indeed international law.'Britain signed the Rome Statute, the international treaty that created the ICC, in 1998 and ratified it three years later.The UK's ICC Act 2001 stipulates that when a ...

Russia notified the United States before its experimental launch of an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) targeting Ukraine, the Pentagon confirmed.'The United States was pre-notified briefly before the launch through Nuclear Risk Reduction channels,' Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters.The IRBM was based on Russias RS-26 'Rubezh' intercontinental ballistic missile model, she said.Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that his country struck the Pivdenmash aerospace plant in Dnipro in central-eastern Ukraine with a new hypersonic medium-range ballistic missile.Putin updated Moscow's nuclear doctrine on Tuesday.The escalation came amid reports that the Biden administration authorized Ukraine to use long-range US missiles to target deep within Russia.Asked about Putin's remarks that Russia could strike countries who let Ukraine use their missiles, Singh said Washington has observed no changes in Moscows nuclear ...

Japanese Formula One driver Yuki Tsunoda said he was interrogated in his pyjamas for several hours by U.S. border control officials before being let into the country for Saturday's Las Vegas Grand Prix.The racer for Red Bull-owned RB told reporters on Wednesday he had no issues on his two previous visits this year for races in Austin and Miami.'Luckily, they let me in after a couple of discussions,' he said. 'Well, a lot of discussions, actually ... I nearly got sent back home.'Tsunoda said he had been travelling with his physio but had to go through immigration on his own and was then taken to a room for questioning despite having the correct paperwork.The Las Vegas race comes after a three-week break following a round in Brazil and Tsunoda had flown in ahead of the team for a promotional event.'I was wearing pyjamas, so maybe I didn't look like an F1 driver,' added the 24-year-old. source https://www.gulf-times.com/article/695025/internatio...

The US Senate on Wednesday voted down an effort to block US weapons sales to Israel.The failure of the long-shot effort highlights that despite criticism from the left that the Biden administration and Israel are not doing enough to protect civilians in Gaza, there remains widespread bipartisan support on Capitol Hill for US military assistance to Israel, the (CNN) said.The Senate failed to advance three separate measures known as resolutions of disapproval aimed at halting certain arms sales announced by the Biden administration in August.A resolution to block a sale of tank rounds was rejected by a vote of 18 to 79. A second resolution to block a sale of high-explosive mortar rounds was rejected by a vote of 19 to 78, and a third resolution to block a sale of joint direct attack munitions, otherwise known as JDAMS, was rejected by a vote of 17 to 80.The resolutions were backed by a group of independent and Democratic senators.The White House actively lobbied against the effort to blo...

The United States has vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that called for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, on the grounds it would not have secured the release of hostages.Despite having secured 14 votes in favour, the draft resolution put forward by the 10 elected members of the Security Council (E10), failed to pass owing to the negative vote by a permanent member, the US.The text also reiterated the Council's demand for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.'We made clear throughout negotiations we could not support an unconditional ceasefire that failed to release the hostages. Because, as this council has previously called for, a durable end to the war must come with the release of the hostages,' Deputy US Ambassador to the UN Robert Wood said following the veto Wednesday.'These two urgent goals are inextricably linked. This resolution abandoned that necessity, and for that reason, the United States could not s...

The United States has vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that called for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, on the grounds it would not have secured the release of hostages.Despite having secured 14 votes in favour, the draft resolution put forward by the 10 elected members of the Security Council (E10), failed to pass owing to the negative vote by a permanent member, the US.The text also reiterated the Council's demand for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.'We made clear throughout negotiations we could not support an unconditional ceasefire that failed to release the hostages. Because, as this council has previously called for, a durable end to the war must come with the release of the hostages,' Deputy US Ambassador to the UN Robert Wood said following the veto Wednesday.'These two urgent goals are inextricably linked. This resolution abandoned that necessity, and for that reason, the United States could not s...

United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Rule of Law and Security Institutions Alexander Zouev praised the State of Qatar's dedication to honoring global efforts in combating corruption through the HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani International Anti-Corruption Excellence Award.In his speech during the ceremony honoring the winners of the eighth edition of the award, hosted by the Republic of Costa Rica, His Excellency emphasized that Qatar's initiative significantly contributes to raising global awareness and fostering international cooperation to combat corruption. He noted that such efforts support justice, peace, and sustainable development. He also expressed his gratitude to Qatar, Costa Rica, and the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Center for organizing and hosting this timely global event.The UN official highlighted the close connection between corruption and organized crime, illicit exploitation of resources, human trafficking, and smuggling of goods. H...

Negotiators toiled yesterday to break a deadlock at UN climate talks after G20 leaders acknowledged the need for trillions of dollars for poorer nations but left key sticking points unresolved.With three days left in the COP29 conference, ministers haggling in Azerbaijan had been waiting for the G20 meeting in Rio de Janeiro to issue a declaration that might jump-start the stalled negotiations.Activists and diplomats gave the text a mixed verdict, saying the statement lacked enough direction on climate finance and failed to explicitly mention the need to transition away from fossil fuels. The lead negotiator of COP29 hosts Azerbaijan, Yalchin Rafiyev, said the G20 statement sent “positive signals” to the efforts in Baku. “G20 delegations now have their marching orders for here in Baku,” UN climate chief Simon Stiell said in a statement.“We urgently need all nations to bypass the posturing and move swiftly towards common ground, across all issues,” he said.Brazil is host of next year’s ...

Two telecommunications cables cut in the Baltic Sea in 48 hours prompted European officials to say yesterday that they suspect “sabotage” and “hybrid warfare” linked to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.The four countries affected by the cuts — Finland, Germany, Lithuania and Sweden — have all launched investigations, with Berlin and Swedish police saying they suspected “sabotage”.Finnish telecoms operator Cinia reported Monday that the “C-Lion1 submarine cable” connecting Helsinki and the German port of Rostock had been cut south of Oland island in Swedish waters, some 700km from Helsinki.“These kinds of breaks don’t happen in these waters without an outside impact,” a Cinia spokesperson said.The foreign ministers of Germany, Annalena Baerbock, and Finland, Elina Valtonen, said it hinted at foul play.“The fact that such an incident immediately raises suspicions of intentional damage speaks volumes about the volatility of our times,” they said in a joint statement late Monday.“Our European ...

Leaders of the Group of 20 (G20) called for comprehensive ceasefires in both Gaza Strip and Lebanon, in line with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.In a joint declaration at the conclusion of the 2024 G20 Rio de Janeiro summit on Monday, the leaders of the worlds biggest economies expressed their 'deep concern about the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the escalation in Lebanon.'They emphasized the need to expand humanitarian aid and protect civilians in affected regions.Moreover, G20 Leaders underlined their commitment to the 'vision of the two-state solution.'On the Russia-Ukraine crisis, G20 leaders welcomed all initiatives that support a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine. source https://www.gulf-times.com/article/694847/international/g20-leaders-call-for-comprehensive-ceasefire-in-gaza-and-lebanon

Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva opened the summit of the Group of 20 major economies yesterday with the launch of a global alliance to combat poverty and hunger that more than 80 countries have agreed to back.As G20 leaders met at Rio de Janeiro’s Modern Art Museum for two days of talks, their agenda highlighted a shifting global order as US president-elect Donald Trump returns to power.Their discussions of trade, climate change and international security will run up against the sharp US policy changes that Trump vows upon taking office in January, from tariffs to the promise of a negotiated solution to the war in Ukraine.In his opening remarks, Lula said the devastating effects of a changing climate can be seen around the world, calling for action by leaders on hand to address global warming and poverty.The alliance he launched, co-ordinating global efforts to eradicate hunger and poverty, is backed by the African Union and European Union, international organisations, dev...

India’s capital New Delhi switched schools to online classes yesterday until further notice as worsening toxic smog surged past 60 times the World Health Organisation’s recommended daily maximum.Various piecemeal government initiatives have failed to measurably address the problem, with the smog blamed for thousands of premature deaths each year and particularly impacting the health of children and the elderly.Levels of PM2.5 pollutants — dangerous cancer-causing microparticles that enter the bloodstream through the lungs — peaked at 921 micrograms per cubic metre at midday yesterday, according to IQAir pollution monitors, with a reading above 15 in a 24-hour period considered unhealthy by the WHO. Individual monitoring stations noted even higher levels — one government-run monitor recorded PM2.5 pollutants at 1117 micrograms, 74 times the WHO maximum.“My eyes have been burning for the last few days”, said rickshaw puller Subodh Kumar, 30.“Pollution or no pollution, I have to be on the...

US President Joe Biden began an historic trip to the Amazon rainforest yesterday to promote his record on fighting climate change amid fears Donald Trump will tear up his environmental policies.Biden landed in the Brazilian city of Manaus, in the heart of the world’s largest jungle, on the penultimate leg of a valedictory South American tour before handing the keys of the White House to Trump in January.The 81-year-old is the first sitting US president to visit the Amazon.Dressed casually in a blue shirt and pants, Biden chatted on the tarmac with local dignitaries, including Brazilian Nobel-winning climate scientist Carlos Nobre before boarding a helicopter to fly over the rainforest.Biden, who was accompanied by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his daughter Ashley and granddaughter Natalie, will also visit a museum and meet Indigenous and local leaders working to protect the Amazon.Ahead of his visit, part of the Democrat’s attempt to cement his legacy in his last weeks in offic...

Around 1,500 supporters of Russia’s exiled opposition marched yesterday through central Berlin — led by Yulia Navalnaya and chanting “No to war!” and “No to Putin” — in a demonstration against Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.Organisers had called on supporters to take to the streets of the German capital to denounce the war, as well as show solidarity with political prisoners in Russia.The war in Ukraine has turned Berlin into a refuge for many anti-Kremlin Russians and Ukrainian refugees.The march saw a smaller turnout than expected and was seen as a credibility test for the movement — weakened by years of repression and thrown into disarray since the death of its main leader Alexei Navalny in prison earlier this year.Unable to protest at home, the opposition wants to mobilise some of the hundreds of thousands of Russians who left their country since the Kremlin launched the 2022 invasion.President Vladimir Putin has been in power for almost 25 years in Russia, and all of his significant...

UNESCO the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has announced that it will organize an event to explore Arabic's future in AI at its headquarters in Paris on Dec. 18.In a report published on its official website about the World Arabic Language Day, which is observed annually on Dec. 18, UNESCO said that this event gathers top scholars, industry experts, and cultural leaders to explore how AI can bridge this digital gap, enhancing Arabic representation online and fostering both innovation and heritage preservation.This year the event starts with opening remarks from distinguished speakers, leading into sessions on Arabic AI innovation, cultural and linguistic preservation, and digital empowerment, it added.'Arabic, spoken by over 450 million people and holding official status in nearly 25 countries, is a global language with immense cultural significance. Yet, only 3% of online content is available in Arabic, restricting access for milli...

A powerful typhoon wrecked houses, caused towering tidal surges and forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee to emergency shelters as it cut across the northern Philippines on Sunday in the sixth major storm to hit the country in less than a month.Typhoon Man-yi slammed into the eastern island province of Catanduanes on Saturday night with sustained winds of up to 195 kilometers (125 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 240 kph (149 mph).The Philippines' weather agency warned of a 'potentially catastrophic and life-threatening situation' in provinces along its path.There were no immediate reports of casualties from the typhoon, which was forecast to blow northwestward on Sunday across northern Luzon, the archipelago's most populous region.The Philippines is battered by about 20 typhoons and storms each year, bringing heavy rainfall, strong winds and deadly landslides. source https://www.gulf-times.com/article/694694/international/typhoon-man-yi-strikes-p...

Donald Trump’s Republican allies in Congress showed up at UN climate talks to tout natural gas and nuclear energy, but they tiptoed around the elephant in the room: a looming US withdrawal from the Paris agreement.President Joe Biden’s climate envoys have sought to reassure delegates in Baku this week, telling them that Trump’s planned pullout from the pact would have little impact on the global battle against climate change.The handful of Republican lawmakers who made the trip to Azerbaijan’s capital yesterday represent states that are home to oil fields, coal mines and auto manufacturing.Morgan Griffith, a congressman from Ohio and member of the House energy committee, told AFP that he has supported the Paris agreement in the past.Asked if he would back a withdrawal, he said: “We don’t want get in front of the president.“It just depends on, you know, what we deem is in the best interest of the United States,” he added.Under the Paris agreement, signatories aim to achieve net-zero emi...

Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr yesterday directed authorities to stock up on food and other supplies in advance as Typhoon Man-yi threatened to hit the capital region.Marcos warned of potential storm surges that meteorologists estimate could reach up to 3m and told residents to seek safe shelter ahead of heavy rain in eastern provinces and Metro Manila over the weekend.Man-yi, locally known as Pepito, is the sixth tropical cyclone to enter the typhoon-battered Philippines in a month.“We have to do a little extra here. We are already in bad shape because of the saturation, the damage done to infrastructure, homes and other infrastructure,” Marcos told a situation briefing.“Watch out for the storm surge and continue what you are doing on the relief goods.”The National Capital Region (NCR), a dense urban sprawl of 16 cities and home to more than 13mn people, is at risk of flooding from heavy to intense rains starting tomorrow at noon, data from the state weather agency showed.“...

Canada's foreign minister on Thursday expressed deep concern about 'catastrophic' humanitarian conditions across Gaza and warned about 'the life-threatening levels of acute malnutrition.'Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly cited a Nov. 8 report by the Famine Review Committee that found a strong likelihood that famine is occurring or imminent in areas within the northern Gaza Strip. The committee has previously found that 133,000 people in Gaza were facing catastrophic food insecurity.'This means that civilians - men, women and children - are dying because of the lack of humanitarian assistance allowed into Gaza,' she said in a joint statement with International Development Minister Ahmend Hussen.The statement said not enough aid is reaching those who rely on it for survival and humanitarian agencies and humanitarian workers continue to face preventable impediments.Israel must abide by its obligations under international humanitarian law and provide a ...

US President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to build a strong military and bring an end to wars in the Middle East and Ukraine.In his first major address since winning the presidential race last week, Trump spoke at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, asserting, 'We need to restore our greatness as a low-tax nation with a powerful military. Weve done it before, and we will do it again,' while also criticizing the substantial spending in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2021.Trump also promised to work toward ending conflicts in the Middle East, Russia, and Ukraine, stating that 'this has to stop.'The president-elect praised his recent appointments in health, justice, and defense departments, as well as the Department of Government Efficiency, which he has entrusted to businessman Elon Musk.Trump assigned Musk to propose strategies for reducing federal government spending, including a possible downsizing within the Department of Defense.Last week, Trump secured the presidential elec...

Nadezhda Grishaeva, a former professional basketball player and owner of Anvil Fitness Club, is expanding her influence beyond sports and fitness. With the success of Anvil Café, which promotes a healthy lifestyle through balanced meals, Grishaeva is taking her wellness philosophy into the Middle East, setting new trends in the regional dining scene. Healthy Eating on the Rise in the Middle EastThere has been a growing interest in healthy eating across the Middle East in recent years. People are becoming more aware of what they are eating, paying attention not only to how food tastes but also to where it comes from and how it benefits their health. According to a 2023 report from Statista, the health and wellness food market in the Middle East has seen consistent growth, driven by increased awareness of lifestyle diseases like diabetes and heart disease.This shift toward healthier eating habits has prompted the opening of restaurants like Anvil Café. Grishaeva offers nutritious meals ...

An entire generation of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip would 'be denied the right to education' if the United Nations Palestinian relief agency UNRWA collapses in the enclave under new Israeli legislation, the head of UNRWA warned on Wednesday.Israel's parliament passed a law last month that will ban UNRWA from operating in the country when it takes effect in late January. UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said its implementation 'will have catastrophic consequences.' source https://www.gulf-times.com/article/694543/international/entire-generation-in-gaza-would-lose-education-if-unrwa-collapses-says-un

Russia escalated its attacks on Kyiv early yesterday, launching waves of drones and missiles in its first combined aerial assault on the capital in more than 70 days, authorities said.The attacks came as Washington and Seoul echoed warnings from Ukraine that North Korean troops had begun “engaging in combat operations” alongside Russian forces on the border between the warring countries.Ukraine’s air force said its units had downed four missiles and 37 drones launched by Russia over eight regions of Ukraine overnight and into last morning.“It is important that our forces have the means to defend the country from Russian terror,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said in response to the attack.Ukraine has for months been appealing to its Western allies to provide more air-defence systems to fend off Russian attacks on cities and critical infrastructure.The large-scale bombardment comes at a critical moment on the battlefield. Russian forces are advancing in the east and concerns are growing ...

Thirty-five people were killed and 43 others injured in a car ramming accident at a sports center in Zhuhai City, southern China's Guangdong Province.The Zhuhai Public Security Bureau reported Tuesday that the accident occurred last night when a number of people were exercising at the center.The bureau said that shortly after the accident, the 62-year-old driver was taken under control. source https://www.gulf-times.com/article/694467/international/35-killed-43-injured-in-car-ramming-accident-in-southern-china

Mauritius opposition leader Navin Ramgoolam was confirmed as prime minister yesterday following a thumping election victory for his coalition that took every parliamentary seat on the main island.One of Africa’s most stable and prosperous democracies, the Indian Ocean island chain has been dominated by a handful of political dynasties since independence from Britain in 1968.Ramgoolam was confirmed as the new prime minister, a post he has held twice before, by the president’s office.“The court of the people has delivered its verdict and a new Mauritius awakes,” the 77-year-old said to boisterous cheers and blaring horns.The outgoing premier Pravind Jugnauth resigned. He had been in office since 2017, having inherited the job from his father.The election commission said Ramgoolam’s alliance had won 62.6% of the vote while Jugnauth’s Lepep Alliance took 27.8%. Thanks to its winner-takes-all system, it is the third time Mauritius has seen a 60-0 result for parliamentary seats, though four ...

North Korea has ratified a landmark mutual treaty to establish a strategic partnership with Russia stipulating mutual military aid, state media has announced, as international concern grows over increasing military cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang.Kim Jong Un, the leader of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea - North Koreas official name - has signed a decree to ratify the 'Treaty of Comprehensive Strategic Partnerships' with Russia. The agreement will take effect when both sides exchange the ratification instruments, according to North Koreas official news agency (KCNA).The treaty, first signed in Pyongyang on June 19 during a lavish state visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin, obliges both countries to provide immediate military assistance to each other using 'all means' necessary if either faces 'aggression'.Russias parliament ratified the treaty on Nov. 6. source https://www.gulf-times.com/article/694387/international/n-korea-ratifies-comp...

New lawmaker Saria Hino took her seat yesterday as one of a record number of women in Japan’s parliament, but while campaigning ahead of the recent election, a voter asked her: “Who’s looking after your children?”The mother-of-four was among 73 women elected to the 465-seat house of representatives in October’s vote — the most ever, but still a small minority at 16% .Having won in central Japan’s Aichi region, the 36-year-old is on a mission to “deliver a message from the front lines” of those raising children or caring for the elderly.“The responsibility for children’s growth should not lie solely on their parents’ shoulders,” said Hino, who was elected to the opposition Democratic Party for the People.“I want to develop policies based on the overwhelming amount of information I have — personally — of what’s going on” at preschools and nursing homes, she told AFP.Japan has the world’s second-oldest population after Monaco and its birth rate has been stubbornly low for decades.There ar...

Japanese lawmakers voted for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to stay on as leader yesterday, after his scandal-tarnished coalition lost its parliamentary majority in a lower house election last month.Ishiba, who called the snap poll after taking office on October 1, must now run a fragile minority government as protectionist Donald Trump returns to office in main ally the United States, tension rises with rivals China and North Korea, and domestic pressure mounts to rein in the cost of living.His Liberal Democratic Party and coalition partner Komeito won the biggest bloc of seats in the election but lost the majority held since 2012, leaving him beholden to small opposition parties to pass his policy agenda.“In light of the very challenging election, we must transform into a national party that serves the people, that empathises with the peoples’ struggles, their misery, and their joy,” Ishiba said at a press conference after parliament voted to keep him in his job.Underlining his party’...

US President-elect Donald Trump announced that Tom Homan will be in charge of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the incoming administration, describing him as 'border czar'.'I am pleased to announce that the Former ICE Director, and stalwart on Border Control, Tom Homan, will be joining the Trump Administration,' Trump posted on his social network Truth Social late on Sunday.Homan will be 'in charge of our nation's borders ('The Border Czar'), including, but not limited to, the Southern Border, the Northern Border, all Maritime, and Aviation Security,' Trump added.'Ive known Tom for a long time, and there is nobody better at policing and controlling our Borders,' he wrote, adding that Homan will be in charge of deporting illegal immigrants.Trump also announced the appointment of Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik as US ambassador to the United Nations.'I am honored to nominate Chairwoman Elise Stefani...