ReportWire

Tag: United Arab Emirates

  • UN committee deadlocked on climate disaster recovery fund

    UN committee deadlocked on climate disaster recovery fund

    [ad_1]

    Sultan Al Jaber, chief executive of the UAE’s Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and president of this year’s COP28 climate summit gestures during an interview as part of the 7th Ministerial on Climate Action (MoCA) in Brussels on July 13, 2023.

    Francois Walschaerts | Afp | Getty Images

    United Nations representatives failed to secure a deal during late-night talks on how to implement a reparations fund for climate disaster recovery in developing nations.

    The “loss and damage fund” would call on rich countries to finance the recovery of climate disasters that have wrecked developing nations and set them behind on their sustainability goals.

    The commitment to establish the fund was one of the highlight announcements of last year’s UN Climate Conference, or COP27, after a series of down-to-the-wire negotiations. Part of the agreement at COP27 was the creation of a Loss and Damage Transitional Committee, which would be in charge of negotiating the details on how to set up and operate the fund.

    The group was made up of representatives from developing nations like Pakistan, Egypt and Venezuela, as well as rich countries like the United States and the United Kingdom.

    The 24-member committee met four times over the past week to settle on official recommendations for how to implement the fund. Those recommendations have been in dispute over the past year and are due to be completed in time to be adopted at this year’s COP28, which is set to take place at the end of November in Abu Dhabi.

    At the beginning of the fourth meeting, Sultan Al-Jaber, the director of COP28 and a United Arab Emirates minister, pressed the representatives to pick up the pace of their negotiations: “I don’t want this to be an empty bank account. This committee has to deliver its recommendations.”

    However, the talks slowed with representatives unable to reconcile their differences on how to operate the fund and who would pay for it.

    The fourth meeting bled into the late hours of Friday night and early Saturday morning, as committee members grew increasingly frustrated by the lagging progress.

    “I spent all day with a cold working on this, feeling like crap and I want to see it affected somewhere,” Diann Black-Layne, an environmental director for Antigua and Barbuda, said at the meeting.

    The meeting ended with no solid resolution and a plan to set up a fifth meeting on the issue, as the COP28 deadline inches nearer.

    “What message do I take back home?” said Ali Waqas Malik, representing Pakistan. “You came empty-handed. There is nothing on the table. No recommendations.”

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • US, EU blamed as climate fund talks break down over World Bank push

    US, EU blamed as climate fund talks break down over World Bank push

    [ad_1]

    Recriminations were spreading Saturday morning after the failure of talks on the creation of a new fund to help vulnerable countries rebuild from climate disasters.

    During fraught talks that were partially webcast, negotiators from developing countries blamed the U.S. in particular for insisting on housing the proposed fund in the World Bank, an institution dominated by highly developed economies.

    “If wealthy nations do not come to the next meeting prepared to let go of this unrealistic proposal, meet their international obligations, and set up a stand-alone, rights-based and resourced fund, they might as well not show up at all,” said Lien Vandamme, an observer at the talks for the Center for International Environmental Law.

    Vandamme accused the EU, which also backs the idea of the World Bank as host, of hiding behind the U.S. 

    A European Commission spokesperson said the 24-member committee of government officials from rich and poor countries tasked with designing the fund “was unable to complete its work this week but made some good progress in certain areas, and the EU remains committed to taking the work forward.”

    The headquartering of the fund was among a host of contentious issues that were left unresolved after this week’s meeting in Egypt, which was supposed to be the final round of technical talks on setting up a so-called loss and damage fund.

    Developed and developing parties both expressed disappointment in the final hours of the talks, which wrapped up in the early hours of Saturday. 

    “What message do I take back home? There is nothing on the table. No recommendations,” said Pakistani negotiator Ali Waqas Malik. German negotiator Heike Henn pleaded with colleagues to not give up, saying: “We are failing the process, the mandate, people, expectations.”

    The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    Another meeting is now likely to be scheduled for early November in Abu Dhabi to try to find a deal before the world’s governments gather in the United Arab Emirates for the COP28 global climate talks, which start on November 30.

    Earlier in the meeting, the Emirati president of the COP28 talks, Sultan al-Jaber, urged governments to make early financial contributions to the fund to demonstrate good faith.

    “I don’t want this to be an empty bank account. This committee has to deliver recommendations. The COP has to make the decision of activating the fund,” he said.

    [ad_2]

    Karl Mathiesen and Zia Weise

    Source link

  • U.S. College Student Freed From Dubai Detention

    U.S. College Student Freed From Dubai Detention

    [ad_1]

    American college student Elizabeth Polanco De Los Santos was freed from Dubai prison on Tuesday after being detained for five months because she allegedly touched an airport security officer’s arm.

    “We are of course thankful that Elizabeth is on her way home but is that really a happy ending,” Radha Stirling, CEO of Due Process International, a nonprofit focused on lawful due process and fair trials, and Detained in Dubai, which provides legal help to foreigners in Dubai, said in a news release.

    “She should have been home in May,” Stirling continued. “Instead, she has been left with the scars of an incomprehensibly traumatic experience for a young student, she has lost $50,000 that she will never be compensated for. Furthermore, she’s been convicted on the basis of mere allegations, sentenced to a year’s prison, fined and deported. That in itself is a disgrace.”

    Polanco, a business arts student at Lehman College, was in the Dubai airport on May 14 during a layover from Istanbul to New York. When a Dubai airport security officer told her to remove a waist compression device that she was wearing after having surgery, she tapped an officer on the back of the arm to ask for help putting it back on.

    Polanco was then detained and “kept in the room for several more hours” while the airport security officer filed a complaint against her, according to a news release from Detained in Dubai. The release said she was “forced” to sign paperwork in Arabic and then left the airport. When she returned to board her flight to New York, she was told there was a travel ban against her.

    In August, a judge in Dubai ordered Polanco to pay a $2,772 fine. Meanwhile, she racked up legal fees and was told she would be detained for a year, according to the news release.

    “They either want her in jail or they want to pressure her into making a compensatory payment to them,” Stirling said. “Tourists have long been exploited by locals who seek to punish and extort them as a secondary form of income. Compensating complainants only exacerbates the situation. The government of Dubai should stop this type of corruption by banning government employees from being able to accept out of court settlements for criminal complaints. It is too much of an incentive to people in positions of power, resulting in incidents like this which damage the reputation of the UAE as a safe transport and tourism hub.”

    A U.S. State Department spokesperson told HuffPost that the U.S. Embassy in Dubai “provided consistent consular assistance on this case.”

    “The U.S. Department of State and our embassies and consulates abroad have no greater priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas,” the statement reads.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Interpol fights for survival on its 100th birthday

    Interpol fights for survival on its 100th birthday

    [ad_1]

    Press play to listen to this article

    Voiced by artificial intelligence.

    LYON, France — A century after it was founded, the world’s only global crime-fighting organization faces an existential question: Does the world still need it?

    Rising geopolitical tensions including between the United States and Russia and China are challenging the agency’s operating model, which relies on voluntary information-sharing among its members’ police forces. 

    Add to that persistent claims that its famed Red Notice alert system is subject to political manipulation and accusations of complicity in torture against Interpol’s Emirati president, Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi, and the crime-fighting organization faces a perfect storm.

    In an interview with POLITICO, Interpol Secretary General Jürgen Stock said the institution faces numerous difficulties, including over its funding situation. But he argued an agency that spans the globe is needed now more than ever amid international child sexual abuse, environmental crime and mafia groups like Italy’s ‘Ndrangheta.

    “The challenges are huge. I cannot say we are sufficiently resourced,” Stock said as the agency marks 100 years since it was founded in Vienna.

    “We are overwhelmed by cases of online child sexual exploitation. We are overwhelmed by cases of cybercrime … We are overwhelmed by drug trafficking,” he said. Such international operations are extremely resource-intensive, added the German former high-ranking police official.

    His pitch is that the global community can only tackle these kind of crimes through cooperation. “That is why a global platform is more important than ever. Can you consider if Interpol would not exist? People would say, we need such an agency.”

    He cited looming recession and the energy crisis as the main drags on Interpol’s funding push. Asked how much Interpol seeks, Stock did not name a figure, but said tens of millions of euros would be needed to sustain new systems for data and biometric analysis that have not been fully funded.

    With 195 member countries as of 2022, the agency’s total revenue in 2022 was €195 million, of which €86 million was “voluntary contributions” — money that member countries contribute to support certain projects.

    One of the complaints dogging Interpol is that its funding model is heavily reliant on members’ goodwill. Corporations including Philip Morris and associations like FIFA used to also donate large sums until Stock put an end to the practice in 2014 — a decision he said led to a “difficult couple of years.”

    Yet Interpol remains beholden to its government donors including the European Union, its largest single contributor, to pony up cash to support projects or bolster the agency’s capacity to analyze large data sets, for example.

    In March 2017, the agency received €50 million from the United Arab Emirates. Months later, its members elected as its president Emirati Major General Ahmed Nasser al-Raisi, who faced complaints lodged in France and Turkey a few months before his nomination over accusations of torture, which allegedly took place in 2018. The UAE’s foreign ministry rejected the complaints as “without foundation.”

    Asked about the claims against al-Raisi, Stock said they “are aware of the accusation,” adding that it is an “ongoing matter” and that it would be “inappropriate and immature” to comment further. He also defended the UAE donation, saying Interpol was “not a rich organization” and that the UAE did not decide precisely how the money would be spent.

    In March 2017, the agency received €50 million from the United Arab Emirates | Warren Little/Getty Images for XCAT

    In addition, Red Notices — which signal that a person is wanted by a member country, but is not an arrest warrant — face criticism that they can be manipulated by repressive regimes pursuing political opponents. A 2022 report from the European Parliament said political use of Red Notices was a persistent “problem,” citing the example of a Ukrainian opera director who was arrested in Italy following a Red Notice issued by Russia.

    Stock acknowledged that Russia’s war against Ukraine has “had an impact on police cooperation,” but argued the Red Notice system was sound. “We are checking intensively whether the request is in line with Interpol’s procedures,” he said, adding that Interpol is not a “quasi-court.”

    While critics say Interpol is hamstrung by its inability to pursue state-backed criminals and terrorists, Stock argued that it’s precisely the agency’s studied neutrality — which does not allow any member to compel any other to do anything — that allows it to be effective in what it can do.

    Stock’s term as Interpol secretary-general, essentially its chief executive, ends in late 2024. Stephen Kavanagh, Interpol’s executive director for police services and, as of Wednesday, a candidate to be Stock’s successor, argued that Interpol’s staying power through 100 years was due to its low profile.

    “The reason we are surviving despite the scale of global conflict is because we don’t try to exert power over our members. We can’t order countries to investigate or not investigate — which allows us to be effective in bolstering cooperation,” Kavanagh said.

    [ad_2]

    Nicholas Vinocur and Elisa Braun

    Source link

  • Saudi Arabia, UAE and Iran among six countries invited to join BRICS group | CNN Business

    Saudi Arabia, UAE and Iran among six countries invited to join BRICS group | CNN Business

    [ad_1]



    CNN
     — 

    Oil powers Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have been invited to become members of the BRICS group of developing nations in its first expansion in over a decade.

    Also invited are Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and Argentina, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Thursday as he wrapped up the annual summit of the group in Johannesburg.

    Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said the kingdom was awaiting details from the BRICS group on the nature of the membership, and would take an “appropriate decision” accordingly.

    All six countries invited had already expressed an interest in joining. The BRICS group currently includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

    “The membership will take effect from the first of January, 2024,” Ramaphosa said.

    In a video message, Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated the new BRICS members, adding that the bloc’s global influence would continue to grow.

    “I would like to congratulate the new members who will work in a full-scale format next year,” Putin said.

    “And I would like to assure all our colleagues that we will continue the work that we started today on expanding the influence of BRICS in the world,” the Russian president added.

    China’s President Xi Jinping called the bloc’s expansion “historic,” reflecting its determination to “unite and cooperate with developing countries.”

    “[It will] inject new impetus into the BRICS cooperation mechanism and further strengthen the power of world peace and development,” Jinping said.

    Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also welcomed the expansion, saying his country had always believed that adding new members would strengthen the bloc.

    Speaking to Saudi TV channel Al Arabiya, the Saudi foreign minister added that the bloc had “proven itself to be a useful and important channel to strengthen economic cooperation with countries of the so-called Global South.”

    Bin Farhan told the BRICS conference earlier Thursday that the kingdom would continue to be a “secure and reliable energy provider,” adding that total bilateral trade between Saudi Arabia and BRICS nations exceeded $160 billion in 2022.

    If Saudi Arabia accepts the invitation, the world’s largest crude oil exporter will find itself in the same economic bloc as the world’s biggest oil importer, China.

    It will also mean that Russia and Saudi Arabia — both members of OPEC+, a group of major oil producers — will join each other in a new economic bloc. The two countries often coordinate their oil output, which has in the past put Saudi Arabia at odds with its ally, the United States.

    The bloc’s expansion raises the question of potential de-dollarization, a process by which members would gradually switch to using currencies other than the US dollar to conduct trade. The BRICS countries have also been talking about a common currency, an idea analysts have described as unworkable and “unlikely” in the near future.

    Putin said the issue of a common currency was a “difficult question” but added “we will move towards solving these problems.”

    The expansion takes place at a time when some BRICS members, namely Russia and China, are locked into rising tensions with the West.

    Experts have said that choosing to include countries that are openly antagonistic toward the West, such as Iran, could swing the group further toward becoming an anti-Western bloc.

    Built off a term originally coined by former Goldman Sachs economist Jim O’Neill to describe key emerging markets, the group has persisted despite deep differences in political and economic systems among its members.

    “Economically, not many of the countries that are applying to join are particularly large,” O’Neill told Bloomberg earlier this week.

    Existing BRICS members have “had enough difficulty trying to agree just between the five of them,” he added. “So beyond the admittedly hugely powerful symbolism, I’m not quite sure what having a lot more countries in there is going to achieve.”

    BRICS held its first summit in 2009 with four members and then added South Africa the following year. It launched its New Development Bank in 2015.

    The United Arab Emirates President Mohamed bin Zayed al Nahyan said on X, formerly Twitter: “We appreciate the inclusion of the UAE as a member to this important group.”

    Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said his country looked forward to joining BRICS in order to strengthen economic cooperation among its members, as well as “raise the voice of the Global South,” according to the presidential spokesperson.

    — Manveena Suri, Mostafa Salem, Lizzy Yee, Mengchen Zhang and Nadeen Ebrahim contributed to this article.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Iran, Saudi Arabia and Egypt among 6 nations to join China and Russia in BRICS economic bloc

    Iran, Saudi Arabia and Egypt among 6 nations to join China and Russia in BRICS economic bloc

    [ad_1]

    Iran and Saudi Arabia were among six countries set to join Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa in the BRICS economic bloc from next year, the group announced Thursday, in a move that will likely throw more scrutiny on Beijing’s political influence in the Persian Gulf.

    The United Arab Emirates, Argentina, Egypt and Ethiopia are also set to become new members of BRICS from 2024.

    BRICS was set up in 2009 as a group of emerging market economies and has become one of the leading voices for more representation of the developing world and the Global South in world affairs.

    Closing Day of The 15th BRICS Summit
    Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, speaks by video link on the closing day of the BRICS summit at the Sandton Convention Center in the Sandton district of Johannesburg, South Africa, on Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023.

    Bloomberg via Getty Images


    It currently represents around 40% of the world’s population and more than a quarter of the world’s GDP, although that is set to increase with the new members, which include three of the world’s biggest oil producers in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Iran.

    Recently, questions have been raised over if BRICS is taking an anti-West turn under the influence of China and Russia, amid Beijing’s deteriorating relationship with the United States and Russia’s stand-off with the West over the war in Ukraine.

    Mohammad Jamshidi, the political deputy of Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi, called the decision to add his country “a historic move.”

    “A strategic victory for Iran’s foreign policy,” Jamshidi wrote on X, the website formerly known as Twitter. “Felicitations to the Supreme Leader of Islamic Revolution and great nation of Iran.”

    South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, whose country presently chairs BRICS, made the announcement on the six new members on the final day of the bloc’s summit in the financial district of Sandton in Johannesburg.

    Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping are attending the summit and were present alongside Ramaphosa for the announcement.

    “This membership expansion is historic,” Xi said. “It shows the determination of BRICS countries for unity and development.”

    “Over the years, China has stood in solidarity with developing countries through thick and thin.”

    Russian President Vladimir Putin did not travel to the summit after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for him in March for the abduction of children from Ukraine. He has participated in the summit virtually, while Russia was represented at the announcement in Johannesburg by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

    While Saudi Arabia had been touted as a likely new member if the five current BRICS members reached a consensus on expansion, Iran’s inclusion had been viewed as possibly politically problematic. China and Russia were pushing for expansion, but Brazil, India and South Africa, which have strong bilateral ties with the U.S., only gave their approval more recently.

    The current members agreed on the final details of expansion after two days of talks in Johannesburg, although Ramaphosa said the idea had been worked on for over a year.

    The BRICS leaders began their talks in Johannesburg on Tuesday night and were locked in discussions most of the day Wednesday, thrashing out the final details. BRICS is a consensus-based organization and all members have to agree on policies.

    It’s the second time that BRICS has decided to expand. The bloc was formed in 2009 by Brazil, Russia, India and China. South Africa was added in 2010.

    In an online message, United Arab Emirates leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan welcomed the BRICS announcement and said his nation would be joining an “important group.”

    “We look forward to a continued commitment of cooperation for the prosperity, dignity and benefit of all nations and people around the world,” Sheikh Mohammed said on X.

    Until recently, the inclusion of Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates together in the same economic or political organization would have been unthinkable, as tensions escalated following the collapse of Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal and a series of attacks attributed to the country since.

    But as the coronavirus pandemic receded, the UAE became the first to reengage diplomatically with Iran, following missile attacks on Abu Dhabi claimed by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels of Yemen.

    In March, Saudi Arabia and Iran announced they had reached a separate détente with Chinese mediation. China has sought closer relations with all three nations, particularly Iran, from which it has imported oil since the collapse of the nuclear deal.

    Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE also have maintained relations with Russia since Moscow’s war on Ukraine, much to the chagrin of Washington, which long has provided security guarantees for the major oil-producing nations.

    Egypt President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi said in a statement that his country would cooperate and coordinate with the rest of the members to achieve the bloc’s aims in economic cooperation, and to “raise the voice of the Global South.”

    The news was also a major boost for Ethiopia, Africa’s second most populous country and one of the fastest-growing economies on the continent, as its government works to reengage with many global partners and financial institutions after a devastating two-year conflict in the country’s Tigray region ended last year.

    The war caused billions of dollars of damage and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, under pressure from the U.S. and European Union, has turned to other partners like China, Russia and Gulf nations for support.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Iraq bans the word

    Iraq bans the word

    [ad_1]

    Iraq’s Media and Communications Commission has issued a directive instructing all media and social media platforms in the country to refrain from using the terms “homosexual” or “homosexuality” and instead use “sexual deviancy.”

    The decision, reported widely by Iraq’s state and private news outlets, was made to safeguard societal values and public order, the commission said, noting that the terms “homosexuality, homosexual, and Gender” hold undesirable connotations within Iraqi society.

    IRAQ-SWEDEN-RELIGION-KORAN
    Supporters of Iraqi Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr burn posters depicting an LGBTQ+ flag during a protest in Karbala, Iraq, June 29, 2023, sparked by the burning of a Quran in Sweden.

    MOHAMMED SAWAF/AFP/Getty


    While no specific penalties have been established for noncompliance with the new directive, a government representative indicated that fines could be introduced.

    Iraq’s national penal code does not contain explicit provisions criminalizing homosexuality, though the country’s judiciary authorities often invoke provisions in laws related to the preservation of “public morals” to prosecute people for same-sex acts.

    The legal ambiguity has resulted in discrimination, abuse and even fatal attacks against the LGBTQ community in Iraq.

    Attitudes toward LGBTQ people across the Arab world are shaped by a combination of cultural and religious factors. Islamic texts, including the Quran and the hadiths, the latter of which are a recollection of quotes attributed to the Prophet Muhammad, denounce same-sex relationships.

    Some hadiths advocate for the death penalty in cases of public engagement in homosexual activities.


    Wave of anti-LGBTQ laws passed across country

    07:56

    Many Muslim-majority nations have long resisted efforts to advance LGBTQ rights, including by opposing global initiatives at the United Nations. A coalition of 57 U.N. member states, many of which have Muslim majorities, previously cosponsored a statement opposing LGBTQ rights at the U.N. General Assembly, and in 2016, 51 Muslim-majority states prevented 11 gay and transgender advocacy organizations from participating in a high-level U.N. meeting on combating AIDS.

    The degree of punishment for homosexuality varies from country to country. In seven nations, including Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Iran, Mauritania, and the United Arab Emirates, homosexual acts are still punishable by death.

    Afghanistan reintroduced the death penalty for homosexual acts after the Taliban retook control of the country in 2021.

    Even in predominantly Muslim countries where homosexuality is legal, such as Jordan, LGBTQ venues are often targeted and shut down, and patrons are often subjected to violence and hostility.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Sun, sea and sanctions evasion: Where Russians are spending the summer

    Sun, sea and sanctions evasion: Where Russians are spending the summer

    [ad_1]

    Press play to listen to this article

    Voiced by artificial intelligence.

    Even as war rages in Ukraine, hundreds of thousands of Russians are eyeing popular holiday destinations for a summer break — or even a safe haven to wait out the conflict.

    While a weaker ruble and growing economic woes means many ordinary families will be spending the warmer months on their dachas or taking a break inside Russia, those with enough cash to travel are wasting little time jetting off to sunny spots across Europe and Asia.

    That means countries still willing to take their money are tapping into a lucrative market. But that can come at a cost, and the politics of taking tens of thousands of tourists from a pariah state is already creating trouble in paradise for some popular destinations.

    Here are six of the top places Russians are spending their vacations.

    Turkey

    As lazy travel writers so often put it, Turkey is a nation that straddles East and West. That old cliché has taken on new meaning since the start of the war in Ukraine, with the NATO member state offering support to Kyiv while at the same time refusing to impose sanctions on Moscow.

    Ankara, as a result, has seen much-needed foreign cash flood into the country as Russians look to move their assets abroad. It’s also one of the only European destinations not to have banned flights from Russia: While the EU’s skies are closed, Turkish operators are offering flights from Moscow to sunny destinations like Antalya and Bodrum for as little as €130.

    In the first half of the year, Turkey’s tourism revenues grew by more than a quarter, hitting $21.7 billion, statistics released this week show, with as many as 7 million Russians expected to visit the country this year.

    Some have even decided to stay — as many as 145,000 Russians currently have residency permits. But while they’ve escaped political instability and the risk of conscription, they are sharing their new home country with tens of thousands of Ukrainians who’ve fled Russia’s war.

    That’s created tensions in resort towns like Antalya, which is popular with both Russians and Ukrainians. And given Turkey’s growing anti-migrant sentiment in the wake of May’s presidential elections, both groups could be at risk of being sent home.

    Georgia

    The South Caucasus country holds an almost mythical status in the minds of Russians — and its reputation for having some of the best nature, food and hospitality in the former Soviet Union has made it a go-to destination for middle-class holidaymakers, who flock to its Black Sea beaches and snow-capped mountains or kick back in trendy Tbilisi.

    In 2022 alone, more than 1.1 million Russians visited Georgia, up from just 200,000 the year before. That number is on the rise after Moscow in May relaxed rules banning direct flights.

    Under the ruling Georgian Dream party, Tbilisi has sought closer relations with the Kremlin since the start of the war and aimed to profit off Russian wanderlust. But many locals are less sure.

    In 2022 alone, more than 1.1 million Russians visited Georgia, up from just 200,000 the year before | Jan Kruger/Getty Images

    In a poll conducted in March, only 4 percent of the 1,500 people surveyed said Russians are welcome in Georgia, while a quarter said Russians were tolerated because of the cash they spend when they visit. More than one in three insisted Russian visitors should be banned until Moscow relinquishes control of the occupied regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia — accounting for around a fifth of Georgia’s territory.

    Tensions are on the rise, with local Georgian and Ukrainian activists staging protests against Russian cruise ships docking in the port city of Batumi over the weekend. Clips shared by local media show Russian holidaymakers defending Russia’s 2008 war against Georgia and taunting the demonstrators from their balconies.

    Thailand

    It’s not only about the gleaming luxury resorts and party beaches. For Russians, the appeal of traveling to Thailand has a lot to do with the month of visa-free travel they’re granted.

    The number of Russians visiting Thailand has shot up by more than 1,000 percent over the past year, according to a Bloomberg report. Official statistics show 791,574 Russians traveling to the country in the first half of this year alone.

    The party city of Phuket has seen a particular influx, with close to half of all villas sold there since January being bought up by Russians — either as holiday homes or as party pads where they can wait out the war.

    That rise in tourism comes as Moscow has also sought to forge closer ties with the kingdom. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov — one of the most committed supporters of the war in Ukraine — flew into Bangkok in July to hail “the importance of boosting cooperation in trade and investment.”

    United Arab Emirates

    Dubai isn’t to everyone’s taste. But the billionaires’ playground and its pristine beaches have become a sought-after destination for many wealthy Russians looking for a friendly welcome — and a place to spend huge sums in opulent malls.

    The number of Russians jetting to the Gulf nation shot up by 63 percent last year, making them the second largest tourism market. The UAE has also seen a surge in Russian expats, who report feeling more at ease in the desert city than in Western countries because there are no public displays of support for war-ravaged Ukraine.

    The influx comes as ties between Russia and the UAE are also booming, with Russian firms relocating to the Gulf nation and the Kremlin selling vast volumes of discounted oil to the country.

    But analysts warn that pressure from the U.S., U.K. and EU is making it increasingly difficult to the UAE to profit from sanctions evasion, meaning Russian tourists may find their welcome doesn’t last forever.

    Cyprus

    The island of Cyprus has long been known as Moscow on the Med — a homage to the country’s largest tourist market.

    Those beach holidays are now largely out of reach for ordinary Russians, after Cyprus followed other EU member states in banning commercial flights from Russia and last year imposed an €80 fee for visas. The decision, officials say, has cost the country €600 million worth of income.

    The island of Cyprus has long been known as Moscow on the Med | Roy Issa/AFP via Getty Images

    But, for those who can stump up the costs, flights from Russia with a brief stop in Istanbul or Yerevan cost around €250. Cyprus has also been one of the most prolific issuers of so-called “golden passports,” which offer EU citizenship in exchange for as little as €2.5 million in investment.

    While no statistics exist on how many Russians have taken advantage of the scheme, the country has been under pressure to cancel travel documents for sanctioned oligarchs. As many as 222 passports have already been withdrawn, including those belonging to several Russian billionaires.

    Ukraine

    For Russians with regular jobs and limited cash to spend abroad, country houses and holiday parks are still the most popular option.

    Until recently, many of them would be headed to Ukraine’s occupied Crimean peninsula. An iconic spot for vacations and sanatorium breaks since the days of the Soviet Union, many Russians have bought second homes or paid for package holidays to the region’s Black Sea coast since it was illegally annexed by Moscow in 2014.

    Now, a spate of explosions at military facilities and Kyiv’s insistence that Crimea will come back under its control when it wins the war has worried many Russians.

    With air traffic close to the border diverted, one of the only remaining routes into the peninsula is across the car and railway bridge opened by President Vladimir Putin in 2018. That bridge has repeatedly been struck by Ukrainian forces looking to disrupt Russian military convoys.

    As a result, officials say, hotels are on average more than half empty — despite heavy promotions and discounts. Local proprietors say the situation is even more dire than the government is prepared to admit.

    [ad_2]

    Gabriel Gavin

    Source link

  • Dubai to start robotaxi trials next month in major autonomous push | CNN Business

    Dubai to start robotaxi trials next month in major autonomous push | CNN Business

    [ad_1]

    Editor’s Note: A version of this story appears in CNN’s Meanwhile in the Middle East newsletter, a three-times-a-week look inside the region’s biggest stories. Sign up here.


    Abu Dhabi, UAE
    CNN
     — 

    Dubai is rolling out its first round of robotaxis next month, as a part of a plan to alleviate congestion and accidents.

    Five fully autonomous electric taxis, operated by a General Motors subsidiary called Cruise, will begin test driving on an 8km (5 mile) stretch in the upscale Jumeirah district of the United Arab Emirates city, according to Ahmed Bahrozyan, the CEO of Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).

    Dubai hopes to become the first Middle Eastern city to introduce driverless taxis, Bahrozyan said. Autonomous taxis currently operate in several cities around the world, mostly in the US and China.

    Cruise operates commercial robotaxis in US cities like San Francisco, but Dubai would be the first launch of the cars outside the US, Bahrozyan said.

    “We are doing our own set of tests and trials in Dubai… every city has its own characteristics,” Bahrozyan said in an interview with CNN. “We have weather conditions that are certainly different than the US.”

    RTA plans to roll out 4,000 self-driving taxis by 2030, adding to the fleet of 12,000 traditional taxis in the city. Rides are expected to be slightly more expensive than an ordinary taxi but in the same price range as a private car like Uber.

    Cruise entered a contract with the RTA for 15 years, and after this period the taxi market may open up to competitors. Bahroyzyan said he foresees autonomous vehicles eventually making up the majority of the Middle East tourist hub’s taxi fleet.

    A year after GM’s Cruise robotaxis were launched in California, the company was forced to cut its fleet in half in the state following a series of collisions. The collisions outlined the potential challenges of driverless cars.

    Bahroyzyan said there will be “zero compromise on safety.”

    Dubai issued a law in April to regulate autonomous vehicles, setting benchmarks for technical, operational and safety aspects of cars. Selling and buying autonomous cars was also regulated.

    WeRide, a Chinese autonomous car technology company began trialing robotaxis in the UAE’s capital, Abu Dhabi, in 2022.

    In July, the UAE granted WeRide a license to trial all its vehicles, from robobuses to robosweepers, but the company began testing certain routes a year prior.

    The Middle East is a “key focus area” for driverless cars and WeRide said it hopes to deepen its presence in the region. WeRide also has a collaboration with the Saudi Artificial Intelligence Company to develop a robobus route.

    Saudi’s Transport General Authority introduced self-driving buses during the 2023 Hajj season in July, shuttling pilgrims in Mecca, according to local media.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Texas woman Tierra Allen, social media’s “Sassy Trucker,” trapped in Dubai after arrest for “shouting”

    Texas woman Tierra Allen, social media’s “Sassy Trucker,” trapped in Dubai after arrest for “shouting”

    [ad_1]

    London — A Houston woman is trapped in the United Arab Emirates after being briefly detained for “shouting” in public during an argument with a Dubai car rental company, a London-based organization trying to help her get out of the country has told CBS News.

    Social media influencer Tierra Young Allen, 29, known to fans online as the Sassy Trucker, was arrested in May following a confrontation with a male employee of a car rental company in Dubai who was trying to intimidate her into paying thousands of dollars she didn’t owe, according to Radha Stirling, CEO and founder of Detained in Dubai, the international nonprofit organization that’s working to free her.

    Stirling said Allen was arrested on May 16 and released on bail later that day, but her passport is being held by authorities, preventing her from leaving the UAE.

    tierra-allen-fb-dubai.jpg
    Texas resident Tierra Allen poses for a photo in front of the Global Village attraction in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in a photo posted to her Facebook account in March 2023.

    Tierra Allen/Facebook


    “She was told at the police station (Bur Dubai) that she has been accused of ‘shouting,’ which under the UAE’s laws is illegal under ‘offensive behavior,’ which is an unclear and subjective regulation, but warrants up to two years in prison, a fine and deportation,” Stirling told CBS News on Thursday.

    CBS News requested comment for this story on Thursday from the Dubai Police and the UAE Foreign Ministry, but had not received replies by the time of publication.

    Help from the U.S.?

    Stirling said the U.S. Embassy in Dubai had not provided Allen with any assistance as of Thursday, adding that the embassy had undergone a staffing change just last week. The State Department did not reply to a request for comment.

    Detained in Dubai contacted the office of Texas U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz directly, and Cruz’s office confirmed to CBS News that representatives had spoken with Allen’s family and “contacted the Department of State about the case.”

    “Sen. Cruz will continue to gather details and engage on this case until Ms. Allen is returned home to her family,” his office said.

    Stirling said Allen’s mother, Tina Baxton, had also contacted Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas’ 18th congressional district, who was also looking into the matter. 

    “We have advised their offices how governmental representatives are best able to help in these situations and hope for her speedy return home,” Stirling, who is also a lawyer specializing in Middle East legal matters, told CBS News. Jackson Lee’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    “A common rental car extortion scheme”

    Allen was not allowed to retrieve her belongings from the rental vehicle and later noticed that several fraudulent charges were attempted on her credit cards, which were in the back of the vehicle she returned, Stirling said.

    The man who worked at the vehicle rental agency and initially accused Allen left the country for Pakistan after filing his police report, said Stirling.

    Reports in Arabic media said the rental agency had offered to drop its case against Allen if she paid approximately $5,700. Stirling said that was evidence of a common scam used by rental agencies in the Arab emirate.

    “Tierra is the latest American tourist to get caught up in what is a common rental car extortion scheme,” she said. “Rental car agencies are notorious for opening criminal cases against visitors with the promise to drop the case if they are paid off. The prevalence of blackmail is damaging to the UAE’s tourism and investment sectors and Dubai’s government needs to crack down on this abuse of process.”

    “In another recent case, three Americans actually paid over $20,000 to a rental car agency that they did not owe, just so they could get out of the country,” the activist and lawyer said.

    Stirling became active in the Middle East when her friend Cat Le-Huy was detained in Dubai. She led a campaign for his release in 2008, founding Detained in Dubai.

    She said Allen and her mother were becoming increasingly anxious and “have been going through hell and have no idea what the outcome will be, and when they might be reunited.”

    Allen has not posted on her Sassy Trucker social media accounts since her arrest.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • UAE signs deal to develop mines in eastern DR Congo

    UAE signs deal to develop mines in eastern DR Congo

    [ad_1]

    The agreement is reached after the DRC signed a 25-year contract in December with a UAE firm over export rights for artisanally mined ores.

    The United Arab Emirates has signed a $1.9bn deal with a state mining company in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to develop at least four mines in the African country’s turbulent east, the Congolese presidency says.

    President Felix Tshisekedi’s office said on Monday that an Emirati government delegation had signed the partnership in the capital, Kinshasa, with Societe Aurifere du Kivu et du Maniema (Sakima).

    The deal would see the “construction of more than 4 industrial mines” in the provinces of South Kivu and Maniema, according to the statement.

    State-owned Sakima has mining concessions for tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold in that part of the DRC.

    The statement gave no other details about the deal, including what type of minerals would be extracted.

    The agreement was inked after the DRC signed a 25-year contract in December with UAE firm Primera Group over export rights for some artisanally mined ores. Those are metals extracted by independent miners who are not employed by mining companies.

    The contract awarded Primera Group a majority stake in two joint ventures, Primera Gold and Primera Metals.

    Primera Gold and Primera Metals received preferential export rates for artisanally mined gold, coltan, tin, tantalum and tungsten.

    The DRC has touted the initiative as a way to undercut mineral smugglers and guarantee a better livelihood for informal miners.

    Militias – up to 120 such groups, according to a count by the United Nations – have plagued eastern DRC for decades, and they have been sustained in part by trading minerals obtained illicitly.

    The longstanding conflict there has continued despite deployments of a regional peacekeeping force and a UN military contingent. At least 5 million people are internally displaced and one million more have fled abroad since the latest iteration of the conflict broke out in May 2021, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council.

    Primera Gold began operations in South Kivu province in January and by May had shipped 1 tonne of certified gold, according to the Congolese finance ministry.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Flush with cash, the Middle East is ramping up investment in soccer as a soft power push

    Flush with cash, the Middle East is ramping up investment in soccer as a soft power push

    [ad_1]

    Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan during the UEFA Champions League final match at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium, Istanbul.

    Martin Rickett – Pa Images | Pa Images | Getty Images

    Manchester City’s victory in the UEFA Champions League final over Inter Milan was historic for a number of reasons.

    It was the club’s first European triumph, securing a famous treble after its success in winning the English Premier League title and the FA Cup this season.

    related investing news

    CNBC Pro

    It also marked the first time that a state-backed club claimed Europe’s top trophy, with the English soccer club owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, the brother of Mohammed bin Zayed, the third president of the United Arab Emirates and the ruler of Abu Dhabi.

    Manchester City’s win, heavily backed by UAE money, comes as Saudi Arabia and Qatar look to ramp up their investment in the sport. The Gulf states have sought to use sport as an economic diversification tool in recent years as well as an attempt to improve their international image.

    The UAE’s Sheikh Mansour purchased the club in 2008 and has since proceeded to spend more on transfers than any other club in world soccer. Data from German-based website Transfermarkt.com, which specializes in soccer transfers, estimates the club’s net transfer spending since 2008 comes in at an eye-watering $1.64 billion, outspending arch-rivals Manchester United over the same period by roughly $200 million.

    The scale of the investment has attracted criticism, with human rights group Amnesty International saying the UAE’s spending amounts to one of soccer’s “most brazen attempts to ‘sportswash’ a country’s deeply tarnished image.” A spokesperson for the UAE’s foreign ministry did not respond to a CNBC request for comment.

    “The success that Manchester City is achieving is not just vanity, it’s not just economic,” Simon Chadwick, professor of sport and geopolitical economy at the Skema Business School, told CNBC’s “Street Signs Europe” on Friday.

    “But in terms of soft power, image reputation, nation branding, I think it’s significant as well.”

    Saudi Arabia

    Saudi Arabia is another Gulf state seeking to put sports center stage. The country’s sovereign fund, the Public Investment Fund, acquired a majority stake in the English soccer club Newcastle United in 2021.

    It also bankrolled the much-publicized LIV Golf, before a shock merger was announced last week between the breakaway circuit and the U.S.-based PGA Tour.

    In recent weeks, the PIF has acquired 75% stakes in four of its country’s clubs, with the aim of acquiring some of Europe’s top soccer players.

    Karim Benzema acknowledges the fans as they are presented to the crowd during the Karim Benzema Official Reception event at King Abdullah Sports City on June 08, 2023 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

    Yasser Bakhsh | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images

    Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema has signed a deal worth a reported 100 million euros ($107.7 million) per season with the Al-Ittihad Club, while there is feverish speculation of several other well-known international players being courted.

    In an interview with CNBC last week, PIF Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan cited the young demographic of the kingdom’s population as he outlined the kingdom’s sports strategy.

    “In the past, I think eight, maybe five years ago, we created different numbers of federations for every sport that you can think of. So, we are interested in all these sports, it’s not only golf or football or basketball, but it’s many other sports there.”

    Qatar

    French soccer club Paris Saint-Germain was acquired by Qatar Sports Investments, a subsidiary of the country’s sovereign wealth fund, in 2011.

    Now, Doha is attempting to purchase Manchester United after the club’s American owners, the Glazer family, announced they would explore “strategic alternatives” for the club.

    A statue of George Best, Denis Law and Bobby Charlton standing outside Old Trafford, home of Manchester United in Manchester, England.

    Mike Hewitt | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images

    Little-known royal Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani has bid for the club, facing up against INEOS founder Jim Ratcliffe.

    If Qatar were to succeed with its reported $6.3 billion bid for Manchester United, it would be a major coup for the Middle Eastern nation, particularly given the club’s storied past, worldwide fanbase and marketing appeal.

    What’s next?

    Irrespective of who acquires Manchester United, the recent rise in interest in soccer clubs from Middle East countries is unlikely to end anytime soon, according to Chadwick.

    “I think what we’re going to see, what we’ve already seen over the last 20 years, but what we’ll see again over the next 20 years is the continuing investment in sport by these nations,” Chadwick said.

    That’s “because it will help them to diversify, but as we know, there are other benefits associated with it too,” he added.

    Correction: This story has been updated with the current comparison for net spend between Manchester City and Manchester United.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • The Middle East: Goodbye America, hello China?

    The Middle East: Goodbye America, hello China?

    [ad_1]

    In an attempt to salvage his country’s waning influence in the Middle East, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is embarking on a three-day visit to Saudi Arabia this week. But advancing “strategic cooperation” with his Saudi and Gulf counterparts may well prove an uphill battle.

    In July last year, President Joe Biden attended the Gulf Cooperation Council summit in the kingdom and vowed that the United States “will not walk away and leave a vacuum to be filled by China, Russia, or Iran”. But that is precisely what has been happening.

    Despite US objections, the past year has seen its regional allies go hybrid: they have improved relations with Beijing and Tehran and maintained strong ties with Moscow.

    Although the Biden administration has publicly downplayed the importance of the recent Chinese-brokered Saudi-Iranian agreement to re-establish diplomatic relations, it seems frantic about the growing Chinese influence in the oil-rich Gulf region and the greater Middle East.

    Over the past two decades, the US has ramped up oil and gas production, becoming virtually energy independent. It may no longer need Gulf oil as much, but it insists on being in charge in the region so it is able to cut China off of vital energy supplies in the event of a conflict, and secure them for its allies.

    As Blinken warned last month, “China represents the most consequential geopolitical challenge we face today: a country with the intent and, increasingly, the capability to challenge our vision for a free, open, secure, and prosperous international order.”

    But Beijing’s autocracy may actually be an easier and better fit for the region’s autocrats than Washington’s democracy.

    Russia’s sway in the Middle East and beyond has also made the US nervous.

    Fed up with their ambiguity, even complicity with Russia, the Biden administration has been ramping up pressure on certain Middle Eastern states, making clear that its patience is running out. It has been warning countries in the region against helping Russia evade sanctions and demanding they pick sides – or else face the wrath of the US and G7 nations.

    But to no avail.

    Saudi Arabia has thus far refused the US request to substantially increase oil production to lower its market price and offset the effect of Western sanctions on Russia. It has maintained good relations with Moscow and dragged its feet on supporting Ukraine. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s “middle finger to Washington” has reportedly made him extremely popular in the region.

    Last year, in response to Biden’s threats to punish Riyadh for its presumed insolence, the kingdom went on to host the Chinese president, Xi Jinping for bilateral talks and the China-GCC and China-Arab summits. Saudi Arabia then normalised relations with Iran under Chinese auspices, just as the West was tightening sanctions against Tehran, and in a clear snub to the US, went on to repair ties with Syria.

    But this new attitude towards relations with the US is not only evident in Riyadh; it is a regional phenomenon. The United Arab Emirates, another US ally, has also cultivated closer ties with China, improved strategic relations with France, and worked on engaging Iran, Russia and India. This, at times, has been at the expense of its relations with the US.

    The region as a whole has been diversifying its global engagement. This is quite apparent in its commercial relations. Between 2000 and 2021, trade between the Middle East and China has grown from $15.2bn to $284.3bn; in the same period, trade with the US has increased only modestly from $63.4bn to $98.4bn.

    Six Middle Eastern countries – among them Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt – have recently requested to join the Chinese-led BRICS group, which also includes Russia, India, Brazil and South Africa. This is despite the West’s ever-widening sanctions regime imposed on Russia.

    Of course, America has been the dominant strategic power in the Middle East the past three decades and remains so today. But will it be in the next three decades?

    In a region where autocratic regimes and the general public do not agree on much if anything at all, saying no to America is a very popular stance because the majority believes it is a hypocritical imperial power that pays only lip service to human rights and democracy.

    This is particularly apparent in US foreign policy on Palestine, which staunchly and unconditionally supports the Palestinians’ coloniser and occupier – Israel.

    On his visit to Riyadh, Secretary Blinken will likely put pressure on Saudi Arabia to normalise relations with Tel Aviv, hoping to lower its asking price, which reportedly includes a nuclear civilian programme and major security assurances.

    The UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan have already normalised relations with Israel at the expense of the Palestinians in return for American concessions, such as the sale of US-made F-35s to Abu Dhabi, US recognition of Moroccan claims over Western Sahara, and the lifting of US sanctions on Khartoum. All so that the Israeli government does not have to make any “concessions” of its own and end its decades-long occupation of Palestine.

    But the Palestinian cause, which is quite close to the heart of ordinary Arabs, is not the only issue that has convinced the Arab public that America is a duplicitous power that should be kept at a distance.

    Thanks to satellite television and social media platforms, people of the region saw with their own eyes US crimes in Iraq and its humiliation in Afghanistan, and do not think of it as a guardian of civilisation, let alone an invincible power. The balance sheet of US interventions in the Middle East over the past 20 years since the 9/11 attacks is firmly not in its favour.

    No wonder that in a 2022 poll conducted by the Doha-based Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies in 14 Arab countries, 78 percent of respondents believed that the biggest source of threat and instability in the region was the US. By contrast, only 57 percent thought of Iran and Russia in these terms, both of which have had their own share of dirty work in the region – from Syria to Iraq and Yemen.

    In his aptly titled book, Grand Delusion: The Rise and Fall of American Ambition in the Middle East, former US official Steven Simon estimates the US has wasted some $5-7 trillion on wars that have resulted in the death of millions of Arabs and Muslims, and the devastation of their communities. In addition, these conflicts have killed thousands of US soldiers, injured tens of thousands and led to some 30,000 suicides of US veterans.

    It is no coincidence then, that more Middle Easterners (and Americans) agree that the region’s decoupling from America and at least some American disengagement from the region is as desirable as it is inevitable.

    Such a turn of events would also be terribly consequential with messy long-term implications for both sides and it would be determined by whether and how America chooses to change its foreign policy.

    But that’s another discussion for another day.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Will fossil fuel phase-out make it onto the UN’s climate agenda?

    Will fossil fuel phase-out make it onto the UN’s climate agenda?

    [ad_1]

    The world needs to phase out fossil fuels if it wants to curb devastating global warming, the United Nations climate chief says, but the idea might not even make it onto the agenda of “make-or-break” negotiations.

    The phase-out of heat-trapping fossil fuels “is something that is at top of every discussion or most discussions that are taking place”, UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell said.

    “It is an issue that has global attention. How that translates into an agenda item and a [climate talks] outcome – we will see.”

    Stiell said he could not quite promise ending the use of coal, oil, and natural gas would get a spot on the agenda in climate talks, called COP28, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, later this year.

    That agenda decision is up to the president of the negotiations – Sultan Al Jaber, head of the state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company – Stiell said.

    The decision by the host nation UAE to make Al Jaber the head of the climate conference has drawn fierce opposition from lawmakers in Europe and the United States, as well as environmental advocates. UAE officials said they want game-changing results in the climate talks and note Al Jaber also runs a large renewable energy company.

    Last year at climate talks, a proposal by India to phase out all fossil fuels, supported by the US and many European nations, never got on the agenda. What gets discussed is decided by the COP president, who last year was the foreign minister of Egypt, a natural gas exporting nation.

    When asked if Egypt’s leaders kept the concept off the agenda, Stiell, speaking via Zoom from Bonn, Germany, where preliminary talks started on Monday, said he could not comment except to say “it’s within their purview”.

    ‘Game-changing results’

    An engineer-turned-government-official and diplomat, Stiell walked a fine line between talking about the importance of a fossil fuel phase-out and supporting the UN process that has put countries that export oil and natural gas in charge of negotiations about global warming for two consecutive years.

    About 94 percent of the heat-trapping carbon dioxide that human industrial activity put in the air last year was from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas, according to the scientists who monitor emissions at Global Carbon Project.

    Al Jaber’s company has the capacity to produce 2 million barrels of oil and 7 billion cubic feet of natural gas a day, and said it plans to increase that drilling to 5 million barrels a day by 2027.

    Getting a fossil fuel phase out on the agenda this year depends on the conference president Al Jaber, and on whether there is enough pressure from other nations, Stiell said.

    “Where better to have a discussion … then in a region where fossil fuels are at the centre of their economy?” Stiell asked.

    A senior UAE official said the Gulf nation wants the UN climate summit it’s hosting from November 30-December 12 to deliver “game-changing results”.

    “Our leadership have been very clear to me and our team and our president that they don’t want just another COP that’s incremental,” said Majid al-Suwaidi, who as director-general of the summit plays a key role in the diplomatic negotiations.

    “They want a COP that is going to deliver real, big, game-changing results because they see, just like all of us, that we’re not on track to achieve the goals of [the] Paris [Agreement].”

    Phasing out ’emissions’

    The issue of a coal, oil and natural gas phase-out is central to the fight against climate change, but the real issue is getting something done, not putting it on the COP28 agenda, Stiell said.

    In public appearances, Al Jaber has emphasised being “laser-focused on phasing out fossil fuel emissions,” not necessarily the fuels themselves, by promoting carbon capture and removal of the pollutant from the air.

    Stiell dismissed the idea that carbon removal can be a short-term solution.

    “Right now, in this critical decade of action to achieve those deep reductions, the science tells us it can only be achieved through the reduced use, significantly reduced use, of all fossil fuels,” he said.

    Stiell defended the back-to-back years of having climate negotiations run in and by fossil fuel-exporting nations as the wishes of the “parties” or countries involved.

    This year will be critical because it is the first global stocktake to see where the world is in its efforts to reduce carbon emissions. To reach the Paris Agreement goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) since pre-industrial times, greenhouse gas pollution needs to be cut in half by 2030.

    “We know we are a long way from where we need to be,” Stiell said.

    This year’s conference sets up a new round of pledges for even tighter emissions cuts by telling nations the stark truth of how bad the situation is, Stiell said.

    But ignorance of the dire threat to the planet is not the problem, he added.

    “It’s lack of implementation, I don’t believe it is the lack of knowledge. There’s been report after report after report that all say the same thing, all with increasing urgency,” Stiell said.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Emirati-Turkish man extradited to UAE from Jordan: State media

    Emirati-Turkish man extradited to UAE from Jordan: State media

    [ad_1]

    Khalaf al-Rumaithi had been sentenced in absentia in 2013 on charges of ‘establishing’ a secret organisation the banned Muslim Brotherhood.

    An Emirati-Turkish man sentenced in absentia 10 years ago by the United Arab Emirates government has been extradited from Jordan, state media has reported.

    Khalaf al-Rumaithi, an Emirati Turkish citizen according to rights groups, was described as a “terrorist” by the UAE official WAM news agency, which said he was facing a retrial.

    In 2013, al-Rumaithi was sentenced to 15 years in jail by the UAE’s Federal Supreme Court for “establishing a secret organisation affiliated with the terrorist Muslim Brotherhood”, WAM said.

    “According to the UAE Criminal Procedural Law, Khalaf Al-Rumaithi will be retried again, in accordance with the legal provisions, which stipulate that if an accused person is arrested against whom a judgment was passed in absentia or he turns himself in, he will be retried on the same charges against him,” WAM added.

    His case has drawn concern from rights groups, with Human Rights Watch and the Gulf Centre for Human Rights saying he is among 94 critics of the UAE government who faced an “unfair” mass trial that led to the conviction of 69 people.

    Al-Rumaithi’s “co-defendants have been unjustly languishing in Emirati prisons for over a decade”, said Joey Shea, UAE researcher at HRW.

    HRW said Jordan had detained al-Rumaithi, 58, at Amman’s international airport on May 7 when he arrived from Turkey, where he had been living in exile.

    Jordanian authorities temporarily detained him before releasing him on bail, HRW said. They detained him again on May 8 before he was extradited to the UAE.

    The UAE “will not hesitate to go after those wanted for justice and prosecute them in fair judicial process”, WAM said.

    The Muslim Brotherhood, which was formed in the last century to champion political Islam as an opposition group in Egypt and other countries in the region, is considered to be a terrorist group by the UAE and most Gulf Arab states.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Where to travel in 2023: The best destinations to visit | CNN

    Where to travel in 2023: The best destinations to visit | CNN

    [ad_1]



    CNN
     — 

    As peak vacation season sails into view and the world shakes off the last shackles of the pandemic, it feels like the appetite for hitting the road has never been greater.

    International tourism reached 80% of pre-pandemic levels in the first quarter of 2023, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, with an estimated 235 million tourists traveling internationally in January, February and March. And experts are cautiously optimistic about a continued travel rebound.

    Demand is high, with many popular destinations booking out earlier in the year.

    Thankfully, there’s so much out there still to see and do.

    Travel expert explains why you should book your dream vacation now

    Here are 23 destination ideas from CNN Travel to get you started:

    From the main square in Krakow, pictured, to forests, lakes and mountains, Poland invites exploration.

    We could list new openings in Poland – such as Hotel Verte, the new Autograph Collection property in Warsaw, which threw open its gilded doors (it’s in a humongous Baroque palace) last August. But the reason you should visit Poland in 2023 isn’t for the chance to stay in a place fit for royalty. It’s to show solidarity with a country which has, in turn, shown solidarity to the people of Ukraine.

    Sharing a 300-plus-mile border with a country under attack has meant that Poland has taken in more Ukrainian refugees than anywhere else. Add to that plummeting tourist numbers (though they’re on the rise again), and you have a tricky situation.

    So whether you fancy that Warsaw palace, a city break to the likes of Krakow, Gdansk, Wrocław or Poznań – all hundreds of miles from the Ukrainian border – or to get away from it all in the forests, lakes and mountains of the countryside – now’s your chance to do some good by taking a vacation. – Julia Buckley

    A full solar eclipse will be visible in April in Exmouth, Western Australia. The landscape is worth a long look, too.

    Back in April, thousands of people descended on the town of Exmouth and the greater Ningaloo Peninsula, to witness a rare total solar eclipse as it became visible over the northwestern edge of Australia.

    Organizers spent more than a year planning for the event, which lasted about a minute, and featured musical performances, educational opportunities to learn about science and astronomy, and a three-day festival.

    But the state of Western Australia offers much more than some 60 seconds of wonder.

    Spanning one-third of the entire continent of Australia, it stretches from the lively, growing state capital of Perth across deserts including the Great Victoria and Great Sandy to the wine country of Margaret River, the dramatic clifftops of the Kimberley and the quokka-covered Rottnest Island. – Lilit Marcus

    Mersey paradise: Liverpool.

    England’s port city of Liverpool, best known around the world as the birthplace of The Beatles, has added another chapter to its musical legacy.

    It’s the host city of Eurovision 2023, the spangly extravaganza of song that brings an influx of thousands of flag-waving fans from across the continent. The annual event is an opportunity for the city to bounce back after the ignominy of being stripped of its UNESCO World Heritage status in 2021.

    In June, the city will celebrate 25 years of the Liverpool Biennial contemporary visual arts festival, as more than 30 international artists and collectives take over spaces in the city until September.

    England is also marking the Year of the Coast in 2023, with food festivals and beach cleans taking place along the country’s shores. Just a half hour from Liverpool city center by train, Crosby Beach is the permanent home of sculptor Antony Gormley’s “Another Place,” where 100 cast-iron figures stand facing out to sea. – Maureen O’Hare

    Charleston, a city of undeniable refined, historic beauty, is also looking more closely at its troubled past.

    Charleston parades its past like no other US city, but it often glossed over the history of its Black residents. It’s been taking steps to fix that.

    Enter the much-delayed International African American Museum, which is now expected to open in late June.

    Located on the shoreline of the Cooper River in the spot where many Africans first set foot in North America, it will explore the lives of slaves and their descendants.

    Visitors in late May and early June can enjoy the world-renowned Spoleto Festival featuring opera, theater, dance, musical acts and artist talks.

    In March, foodies headed to the Charleston Wine and Food Festival to sample Lowcountry favorites.

    For fancy Southern fare, try Magnolias. Opened in 1990, it helped spur the city’s culinary renaissance. For something informal, try Bertha’s Kitchen in North Charleston, where red rice with sausage, fried chicken and lima beans rule. The eatery even caught attention of “Roadfood” author Michael Stern. – Forrest Brown

    Self-effacing Vilnius admitted in an ad campaign this year that nobody really knows where it is. If their brilliant video didn’t make you want to book a trip there immediately, perhaps this will: the capital of Lithuania celebrated its 700th anniversary on January 25, 2023.

    To mark the milestone, a packed program of events, including music festivals and exhibitions, are being held throughout the year. But use the anniversary as a push to visit rather than following a program religiously.

    The entire city center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site – putting it up there with its fellow V-cities, Venice and Vienna. Vilnius makes it on the list thanks to its Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque buildings, all sitting on a medieval street plan, but it’s best known for its Baroque architecture.

    Don’t miss the frothy bell tower of St. John’s church (you can climb it for sweeping city views) or the church of St. Casimir, topped by a giant crown. Got an eye for social media? This is Europe’s only capital city that allows hot air balloons to cruise over the city skyline. – JB

    Scenes like this await visitors to Fiji.

    Brilliant blue waters, expansive coral reefs and hundreds of peaceful islands: Fiji is not a hard sell. But why go there in 2023? For one, the country only reopened post-Covid at the end of 2021, meaning that visitor numbers to the South Pacific paradise have yet to fully rebound.

    While the country is spoiled for underwater beauty, take an opportunity to explore its above-ground treasures, too. The country’s lone UNESCO World Heritage site is the town of Levuka, a former capital and an important port, which is studded with British colonial-era buildings amid coconut and mango trees.

    To learn about the local Indigenous communities, travelers can take part in a kava welcoming ceremony – named for the traditional drink at its center – or enjoy a lovo, a meal cooked by hot coals in an underground pit covered with banana leaves.

    Fiji Airways now has direct flights from Los Angeles and San Francisco, making it relatively easy to get to the islands. As the Fijians say, bula! – LM

    As the fate of the Amazon rainforest hangs in the balance, two eco-lodges around Manaus – the capital of Brazil’s Amazonas state, and gateway to the river – have used their pandemic pause to get even more environmentally friendly.

    Juma Amazon Lodge, about 50 miles south of the city, is now fully powered by a new $400,000 solar plant, whose 268 double panels swagger nearly 40 feet into the air above the canopy (meaning no trees had to be cut). They’ve also built a biogas system to increase the efficiency of organic waste treatment, reducing annual carbon emissions by eight tons.

    Meanwhile, Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge, northwest of Manaus on the Rio Negro river, opened an off-grid “advanced base” during the pandemic that’s 30 miles from the main lodge and accessible only via river.

    Guests can take long jungle hikes through territory home to jaguars, pumas and giant armadillos in what’s one of the Amazon region’s most remote hotel facilities, then spend the afternoon in a hammock or by the pool. For 2023, the lodge is planning overnight stays in a creekside tent for small groups.

    Don’t miss Manaus itself – eating behemoth Amazonian fish outside the pink 1896 opera house is a bucket list experience. – JB

    Enticing flavors, history and proximity to beaches and mountains are just a few factors working in this Greek city's favor.

    There’s been no shortage of reasons to visit Greece’s second city in recent times, with a UNESCO-endorsed local food scene that recently celebrated the refurb and reopening of its century-old Modiano food market.

    Throw in a popular waterfront and proximity to beautiful beaches and inland mountains, Thessaloniki is surely a contender for one of Europe’s best city-break destinations.

    What could make it even better? How about a gleaming new metro system? All being well, November 2023 should see the opening of the main line of an infrastructure megaproject that will eventually connect the city’s downtown to its international airport. Driverless trains will whisk passengers through tunnels whose excavation has added to Thessaloniki’s already rich catalog of archeological discoveries, many of which will be on display in specially created museum stations. – Barry Neild

    January 2023 saw the official opening of Rwanda’s most exciting hotel yet: Sextantio Rwanda, a collection of traditionally crafted huts on an island on Lake Kivu, one of Africa’s largest lakes.

    It’s the first project outside Italy for Daniele Kihlgren, whose part-hotel, part-living history projects keep local tradition alive. A nonprofit delivering money straight to local communities, Sextantio sees guests fishing on the 1,000-square-mile lake, paddling in dug-out canoes, trying local banana beer and wildlife-spotting – and not just the chickens, cows, pigs and goats that roam around the property.

    Of course, you’ll want to see gorillas. Adjoining Volcanoes National Park, the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund opened the 4,500-square meter Ellen DeGeneres Campus in 2022. Its visitor center includes exhibits, virtual reality gorilla “encounters” and nature trails.

    Over in Akagera National Park, white rhinos – transferred from South Africa in 2021 to aid conservation – are already calving. It’s easier to get there, too. A new route from London joins Brussels, Dubai, Guangzhou and Mumbai as the only direct flights to Kigali from outside the African continent. – JB

    Voted the world’s most sustainable destination in the world for six years running, Sweden’s second-biggest city is finally emerging from the shadow of Stockholm.

    Once a major trading and shipping town, Gothenburg is now considered to be one of the greenest destinations in Europe, with 274 square meters (2,950 square feet) of green space per citizen, while 95% of its hotels are certified as eco-friendly.

    Although Gothenburg officially turned 400 in 2021, the celebrations were put on ice because of the global pandemic. But they’re finally taking place in 2023, so it’s a great time to visit.

    Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustav, who celebrates 50 years on the throne this year, will be in town on June 4, Gothenburg’s official birthday, and the city’s major anniversary festival is being held in the Frihamnen port district from June 2 to 5, with concerts and art events among the activities on offer.

    The festivities will continue throughout the summer until the September 3 kick off of Göteborgsvarvet Marathon, a new 26-mile race following on from the city’s popular half marathon on May 13. – Tamara Hardingham-Gill

    The Dhayah Fort in Ras al-Khaimah is one of the few remaining hill forts in the United Arab Emirates.

    When travelers think of the United Arab Emirates, the dazzling skyline of Dubai is usually what springs to mind.

    But the UAE has a lot to offer nature lovers too – particularly the northernmost emirate Ras al-Khaimah, which is aiming to become the Middle East’s most sustainable destination by 2025 thanks to a new “Balanced Tourism” strategy.

    Just 45 minutes from Dubai, it’s often called the “adventure Emirate,” and for good reason. Offering beaches, deserts and mountains, outdoor attractions abound, such as sand boarding, trekking, wakeboarding, skydiving, scuba diving and even the world’s longest zipline.

    But it’s not all about the adrenaline rush. Ras Al Khaimah is where you’ll find the highest restaurant in the United Arab Emirates, 1484 by Puro, which sits in the emirate’s Jebel Jais Mountains. Culture seekers can head for the historic Dhayah Fort, which dates back to the Late Bronze Age (1600-1300 BC).

    Where to stay? Luxury hospitality brand Anantara is opening a fabulous new resort there later this year that will offer 174 guestrooms, suites and overwater villas along with specialty restaurants and a spa. – Karla Cripps

    Three-tiered Kuang Si Falls is just south of UNESCO-listed Luang Prabang.

    Sharing borders with Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, China and Myanmar, landlocked Laos has long been a must-hit spot for time-rich travelers making their way through the Southeast Asia circuit.

    But now, thanks to the 2021 opening of a semi-high-speed railway, it’s easier than ever to get around the country at a quicker pace, shaving hours off journeys that previously took full days to travel.

    You’re still going to have to make some hard choices – there’s a lot to see in Laos.

    Towering karst peaks await visitors to adventure-haven Vang Vieng, while UNESCO-listed Luang Prabang is filled with French-colonial heritage, Buddhist ritual and natural beauty. (Luxury seekers will want to check into the Rosewood Luang Prabang, with its stylish hilltop tents)

    The mysterious Plain of Jars, a megalithic archaeological site, can be found in the Xiangkhoang Plateau. For a once-in-a-lifetime experience that makes a difference, head for Bokeo Province and join one of the Gibbon Experience’s overnight treks. Guests of this tourism-based conservation project spend the night in the world’s tallest treehouses – only accessible by zipline – among wild, black-crested gibbons. – KC

    Rolling hills, medieval buildings – and the officially crowned world’s best cheese. Welcome to Gruyères, Switzerland.

    Everywhere you look in this tiny, hilltop town, there’s a different picture-perfect view – from the medieval market square to the turreted 13th-century castle. A doable day trip from Geneva, summer promises hiking opportunities aplenty, while winter allows for venturing to the nearby Moléson-sur-Gruyères ski resort.

    To taste Gruyères’ namesake fromage, stop off at the wood-lined Chalet de Gruyères. And to learn how cheesemakers perfect this creamy goodness, head to La Maison du Gruyère factory. For further foodie delights, there’s the Maison Cailler chocolate factory – from the outside it looks like something from a Wes Anderson movie, inside it offers a glimpse into the secrets of Swiss chocolate making.

    Gruyères is also home to the surreal HR Giger Museum, celebrating the work of the acclaimed Swiss artist behind the eponymous alien in the 1979 movie “Alien.” A drink at the museum’s bar, designed by Giger in an eerie skeletal aesthetic, offers an antidote to Gruyères’ fairytale vibe. – Francesca Street

    A modern Indigenous restaurant in Minneapolis has earned one of the culinary world’s highest honors, and it’s not alone in shining light on Native communities in the area.

    At Owamni, a James Beard Award winner for best new restaurant, Indigenous ingredients – trout, bison, sweet potatoes and more – make up “decolonized” menus where ingredients such as wheat flour and beef are absent. The restaurant is a partnership between chef Sean Sherman, Oglala Lakota and Dana Thompson, who is a lineal descendant of the Wahpeton-Sisseton and Mdewakanton Dakota tribes.

    Earlier this year, one of the pair’s community-owned initiatives, Indigenous Food Lab, opened a market in Minneapolis’ Midtown Global Market, a former Sears building housing businesses that represent more than 22 cultures.

    The open-air Four Sisters Farmers Market (Thursdays June through October) also focuses on Indigenous products. And at the Minnesota History Center in neighboring St. Paul, the exhibit “Our Home: Native Minnesota” looks at thousands of years of Native history in the state. – Marnie Hunter

    While Colomia's busy capital can be congested, it's also home to the historic neighborhood of La Candelaria.

    Caribbean coast destinations such as the Rosario archipelago or the UNESCO heritage list city of Cartagena are rightly top of most Colombia travel wish lists, but also deserving a look-in is the country’s somewhat unsung capital of Bogotá.

    Yes, it’s a messy, traffic-snarled urban sprawl, but it’s also a high-altitude crucible of culture and cuisine. There are tours that chart the city’s transformation from graffiti wild west to incredible street art gallery.

    Equally colorful are the restaurants that make the most of Colombia’s diverse natural larder of flora on menus that range from delicious peasant dishes to mind-blowing Michelin-level gastronomy. And then there’s the coffee!

    The congestion (except on regular cycle-only days) thins quickly on its outskirts, allowing day trips to see historic and modern treasures. Itineraries include Lake Guatavita, where conquistadors once plundered sunken gold offerings left by indigenous Muisca people, or the majestic subterranean Zipaquirá salt cathedral. – BN

    Famed for its mountain treks through ancient trails that once facilitated trade between the Himalayas and India, Nepal’s stunning Mustang Valley sits on the doorstep of Tibet.

    Expect to hear a lot more about this remote destination in the coming months thanks to the arrival of the soon-to-open Shinta Mani Mustang. Part of the Bensley Collection, this all-inclusive resort perched above the small town of Jomsom in the Lower Mustang will offer luxury seekers 29 suites inspired by traditional Tibetan homes.

    In addition to trekking, Mustang visitors can explore ancient villages and Buddhist monasteries. Also not to be missed, the man-made Mustang Caves sit above the Gandaki River and are filled with 2,000-year-old Buddhist sculptures and paintings.

    Getting to the Mustang Valley is part of the adventure. Travelers will need to take a 25-minute flight from capital Kathmandu to Pokhara then hop on another plane for the 20-minute journey to Jomsom. The views alone might make this option more pleasing to some than the alternative – a 12-hour drive from Kathmandu. – KC

    From the spectacular wildlife to the beautiful national parks and beaches, Tanzania is absolutely bursting with visual splendor.

    The East African country holds a seemingly endless list of incredible sights, with Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, UNESCO world heritage site Serengeti National Park, and the Zanzibar Archipelago, among its many highlights.

    This year, flag carrier Air Tanzania will launch new routes to West and Central Africa, along with the UK, in a bid to transform the country’s largest airport in Dar es Salaam into a transport and logistics hub, while construction on the country’s first toll expressway is also scheduled to begin.

    Meanwhile, the Delta Hotels by Marriott brand made its Africa debut with the opening of its Dar es Salaam Oyster Bay property earlier this year. –– THG

    Cairo is pulsing with life and a rich blend of cultures.

    Could this finally be the year tourists can see the Grand Egyptian Museum? After delay upon delay, the museum is expecting a 2023 opening.

    GEM will be the largest museum dedicated to a single civilization, costing around $1 billion and holding the entire King Tut collection. See video here of a CNN insider visit.

    If you arrive in Cairo before it opens, the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square can still scratch your antiquity itch.

    While the Pyramids of Giza are the city’s tour-de-force, there’s still more to see. Start with Islamic Cairo. This area has one of the largest collections of historic Islamic architecture in the world. While there, visit the Al-Azhar mosque, which dates back to 970.

    The city also has a rich Christian tradition. Coptic Cairo, part of Old Cairo, has a concentration of Christian sites that pre-date the arrival of Islam.

    If you need a respite from Cairo’s cacophony, Al Azhar Park has a nice expanse of greenery and a design inspired by historic Islamic gardens. And the affluent neighborhood of Zamalek, which sits on an island in the Nile River, serves up restaurants, antique stores and swanky hotels. – FB

    Yayoi Kusama has the distinction of being the best-selling living female artist on the planet. In particular, she has become a global icon for her sculptures of giant polka-dotted pumpkins, one of which was reinstalled at the pier of Naoshima, one of Japan’s “art islands,” in 2022 after being swept into the sea the year before.

    However, Naoshima is so much more than its famous yellow gourd or its works by Kusama.

    There are five small, walkable “art islands” in the Seto Inland Sea, which is located between the main islands of Honshu, Kyushu and Shikoku in southeastern Japan. The largest collection of things to see – not to mention the only hotel – is on Naoshima. Together, the five champion modern and contemporary art, with emphasis on Japanese artists.

    Don’t come here expecting calligraphy and other classical forms. Instead, be awed by Tadao Ando’s massive stone monoliths, a tiny gallery where patrons can listen to nothing but the beats of human hearts, a makeshift thunderstorm created inside a wooden house and an exhibit where jumping in and taking a bath is intended to be part of the artistic experience. – LM

    With direct flights to Belize City from about a dozen North American airports, this Central American country is a low-hassle hop for many travelers during the November to April high season.

    Most visitors head directly to Belize’s Caribbean coastline. The country’s largest island, Ambergris Caye, sits next to Belize Barrier Reef – the world’s second largest coral reef system. Margaritaville Beach Resort opened on the island in March, and “eco-luxury” resort Alaia Belize opened in 2021.

    Farther south, the Great Blue Hole – a massive underwater sinkhole – is an aquatic magnet for both scuba divers and aerial photographers.

    But Belize offers way more than its enticing islands.

    Lush rainforests, cave networks, winding rivers and rich Mayan archaeological sites invite exploration in a country that’s had an evolving sustainable tourism master plan since 2012. Ruins of the Mayan city of Altun Ha are just about an hour north of Belize City. Or farther west, Lamanai is one of Belize’s largest and most fascinating Mayan sites. – MH

    Mexico is arguably as rich in culinary heritage as it is in Mesoamerican archaeological treasures, and Eva Longoria explores many distinctive flavors in her series “Searching for Mexico,” which aired on CNN this year.

    The state of Oaxaca, which Longoria visits, has an especially deep well of culinary traditions. Plus, Oaxaca produces most of the world’s mezcal.

    Tlayudas, known as Oaxacan pizzas, are a street food staple. A large corn tortilla is typically layered with lard, beans, traditional Oaxacan cheese, pork and other toppings such as avocado and tomato. The state is also renowned for its seven mole sauces, with recipes that may call for dozens of ingredients from chiles and sesame seeds to chocolate and dried fruit.

    In the city of Oaxaca, Mercado Benito Juárez is one of many markets across the state selling items such as dried chiles, fresh produce, handicrafts and crunchy grasshoppers. To sample the state’s increasingly popular beverage, the town of Santiago Matatlán is the place for mezcal distillery tours and tastings. – MH

    In the winter, the frozen Rideau Canal in Ottawa becomes the world's largest skaing rink.

    It doesn’t have Montreal’s French flair or Toronto’s international oomph, so the Canadian capital can get overlooked. That would be a mistake. Graceful and understated, Ottawa has its own draws.

    Music lovers should take note of two Ottawa Jazz Festivals. The winter edition took place in February, and the summer edition will run from June 23-30.

    If you love hockey, watch the Ottawa Senators do their NHL thing at the Canadian Tire Centre in the western suburbs. If that ticket is too pricey, check out the Ottawa 67’s, a more affordable option of junior men’s hockey games at downtown’s TD Place Arena.

    The Rideau Canal turns into the world’s largest skating rink from sometime in January to late February or early March, depending on ice thickness. It’s free and accessible 24/7. When it’s warmer, it’s a great spot for people and boat watching.

    A don’t-miss is Parliament Hill, home to Canada’s federal government and the visually striking Parliament buildings on a promontory overlooking the Ottawa River. – FB

    Treks through the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest are among Uganda's highlights.

    There’s considerable change brewing in Uganda’s travel offerings at the moment with the East African country looking beyond the traditional staples of safari and wildlife spotting to appeal to both regional and international visitors.

    Keen to revitalize post-Covid tourism in all corners of the country, not just the big-ticket businesses offering wealthy visitors a glimpse of the Big Five beasts or mountain gorillas, it’s turned to marketing its other attributes.

    And why not? From the expansive shores of Lake Victoria to the snowy Rwenzori Mountains, Uganda is a beautiful wilderness playground, with opportunities for adventure including treks through the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or up to the craters of the Virunga volcano chain or whitewater rafting along the Victoria Nile.

    There’s also an emphasis on connecting visitors with Ugandan communities – promising tastes of Ugandan food, music and culture. Last year saw the launch of the Uganda Cycling Trail, a 1,600-kilometer mainly unpaved 22-stage route designed to appeal to all levels of cyclist from hardcore solo bikepackers to fully-guided easy riders. – BN

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • This photographer is creating surreal, dramatic images of Dubai’s stunning skyline | CNN

    This photographer is creating surreal, dramatic images of Dubai’s stunning skyline | CNN

    [ad_1]

    Editor’s Note: This CNN Travel series is, or was, sponsored by the country it highlights. CNN retains full editorial control over subject matter, reporting and frequency of the articles and videos within the sponsorship, in compliance with our policy.



    CNN
     — 

    Dubai is known for its breathtaking architecture and iconic skyline. Now, artist Baber Afzal is capturing the city-state’s famous towers and spires in a new light through a series of stunning images that marry architecture, environment, and atmosphere.

    “There are many places that I love out here in Dubai, especially the architectural landscape as it keeps evolving every year – and that evolution inspires me (because I’m) able to shoot from unique vantage points to share a different perspective of the city,” explains Afzal.

    Afzal, 40, uses a combination of landscape and architectural photography, and visual art techniques, to illustrate the city of Dubai as he sees it.

    “One thing that has remained constant in my work, whether it be capturing the cityscape or the dunes, is the hazy sunsets and sunrises in this region,” he says. “Awareness of the climatic conditions gave birth to a unique editing style and technique to express my visions.”

    A Pakistani native, Afzal first started making art in 2007. “My interest in art grew after I experienced capturing and editing the beautiful landscape of Margalla Hills in Islamabad, Pakistan,” he says. “I gravitated toward the editing aspect since shifting color and contrast values really fascinated me.”

    Afzal scouts locations prior to a shoot, and says it often takes him many hours to capture the perfect image. He then spends a few days in post-production, manipulating the image and executing his vision to create ethereal, striking pictures.

    “Art provides a powerful means of expressing human emotion and experience, and it can be used to communicate complex ideas and feelings that might otherwise be difficult to express,” he says. “I aim to enhance this experience by showcasing visual concepts from a different light that will highlight the unseen beauty that exists in city life and in nature too.”

    Afzal’s work has received awards from around the world and has been published both locally and internationally in magazines and photography books. Last month, his artwork “LUMINOUS” was showcased in New York City at the prestigious “NFT NYC 2023.”

    He produces much of his work as NFTs (non-fungible tokens), capitalizing on the digital format to add animation and complex imagery to create one-of-a-kind dreamlike moving pictures.

    He believes that technology will play a significant role in the future of the art scene in Dubai. “I expect to see more artists, including myself, experimenting with technology and incorporating it into our work in new and innovative ways in the years to come,” says Afzal.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Leaked US intel: Russia operatives claimed new ties with UAE

    Leaked US intel: Russia operatives claimed new ties with UAE

    [ad_1]

    WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. spies caught Russian intelligence officers boasting that they had convinced the oil-rich United Arab Emirates “to work together against US and UK intelligence agencies,” according to a purported American document posted online as part of a major U.S. intelligence breach.

    U.S. officials declined to comment on the document, which bore known top-secret markings and was viewed by The Associated Press. The Emirati government on Monday dismissed any accusation that the UAE had deepened ties with Russian intelligence as “categorically false.”

    But the U.S. has had growing concerns that the UAE was allowing Russia and Russians to thwart sanctions imposed over the invasion of Ukraine.

    The document viewed by the AP includes an item citing research from March 9 with the title: “Russia/UAE: Intelligence Relationship Deepening.” U.S. officials declined to confirm the document’s authenticity, which the AP could not independently do. However, it resembled other documents released as part of the recent leak.

    The Justice Department has opened an investigation into the possible release of Pentagon documents that were posted on several social media sites. They appear to detail U.S. and NATO aid to Ukraine and U.S. intelligence assessments regarding U.S. allies that could strain ties with those nations.

    Some of the documents may have been altered or used as part of a misinformation campaign, U.S. officials said. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby on Monday urged caution, “since we know at least in some cases that information was doctored.”

    Referring to the main successor agency of the Soviet-era KGB, the document seen by the AP says: “In mid-January, FSB officials claimed UAE security service officials and Russia had agreed to work together against US and UK Intelligence agencies, according to newly acquired signals intelligence.” Signals intelligence refers to intercepted communications, whether telephone calls or electronic messages.

    “The UAE probably views engagement with Russian intelligence as an opportunity to strengthen growing ties between Abu Dhabi and Moscow and diversify intelligence partnerships amid concerns of US disengagement from the region,” the assessment concluded, referring to the UAE capital.

    It’s not clear if there was any such agreement as described in the UAE-Russia document, or whether the alleged FSB claims were intentionally or unintentionally misleading.

    But American officials are speaking out increasingly about a surge in dealings between the UAE and Russia.

    A U.S. Treasury official, Assistant Secretary Elizabeth Rosenberg, in March singled out the UAE as a “country of focus.” She said businesses there were helping Russia evade international sanctions to obtain more than $5 million in U.S. semiconductors and other export-controlled parts, including components with battlefield uses.

    U.S. intelligence officials in recent years have pointed to possible links between the UAE and the Wagner Group, a Russian paramilitary group closely associated with the Kremlin and active in Ukraine and several African countries. In 2020, the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency assessed “that the United Arab Emirates may provide some financing for the group’s operations.”

    Andreas Krieg, an associate professor at King’s College in London, on Monday called the UAE “the most important strategic partner for Russia in both the Middle East and Africa.” The head of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, Sergey Naryshkin, held extensive meetings with UAE leaders in Dubai in 2020.

    Russia and the UAE share similar outlooks in some key conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa, and the influx of Russians into the UAE since Russia launched its war in Ukraine also has strengthened ties between the two, said Kristian Ulrichsen, a Middle East expert at Rice University’s Baker Institute. But the reference to teaming up against U.S. and British intelligence agencies is surprising, said Ulrichsen.

    Russian intelligence officials “probably have an interest in describing something in those terms,” he said. “If that was the way the UAE was describing it, I’d certainly take it … quite differently.”

    A U.S. official separately has told the AP that the United States also was worried about Russian money coming into Dubai’s red-hot real estate market.

    And in October, federal prosecutors in New York announced charges against two Dubai-based Russian men and others accused of stealing military technology from U.S. companies, smuggling millions of barrels of oil and laundering tens of millions of dollars for the oligarchs surrounding Russian President Vladimir Putin.

    Prosecutors in that case quoted one of the Dubai-based Russians as assuring his partners “there were no worries” about using a UAE financial institution for the transactions. “This is the (worst) bank in the Emirates,” he was quoted as saying, using an expletive. “They pay to everything.”

    In a statement Monday to the AP about the apparent intelligence document, the United Arab Emirates said UAE officials had not seen the document and claims regarding the FSB were “categorically false.”

    “We refute any allegation regarding an agreement to deepen cooperation between the UAE and other countries’ security services against another country,” the statement said. “The UAE has deep and distinguished relations with all countries, reflecting its principles of openness, partnership, building bridges, and working to serve the common interests of countries and peoples to achieve international peace and security.”

    The leak of the purported document comes as Emirati officials have recalibrated their foreign policy in the Middle East after a series of attacks attributed to Iran. Attacks claimed by Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels hit Abu Dhabi in 2022, killing three people and leading locally stationed American forces to respond with Patriot missile fire.

    In the time since, and as Emiratis perceived America’s presence waning in the region after its chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, the UAE reached a détente with Iran. That’s even as the United States maintains multiple military bases and stations thousands of troops and weaponry in the region, including at Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra Air Base. Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port remains the busiest U.S. Navy port of call outside of the continental U.S.

    The UAE also remains one of the few places still running daily, direct flights to Moscow after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. That has seen money, megayachts and Russian citizens come into the UAE, an autocratic federation of seven sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula. However, it hasn’t been a full embrace.

    Relations between the U.S. and the UAE have seesawed over the past decade, as Abu Dhabi ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan cemented his power. Under the Trump administration, the UAE diplomatically recognized Israel.

    In the deal’s wake, the UAE sought but has yet to receive advanced American F-35 fighter jets under President Joe Biden. Meanwhile, the Emirates has criticized Israel over the escalating violence between Israel’s hard-right government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Palestinians.

    ___

    Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee contributed to this report.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • ‘Absurd and destructive:’ Zelenskyy slams Russia’s UN Security Council presidency

    ‘Absurd and destructive:’ Zelenskyy slams Russia’s UN Security Council presidency

    [ad_1]

    Russian President Vladimir Putin taking on the rotating monthly presidency of the 15-member United Nations Security Council came just after a young boy was killed by artillery launched by Moscow’s invading forces, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said late Saturday.

    “Unfortunately, we … have news that is obviously absurd and destructive,” Zelenskyy said in his daily address Saturday night. “Today, the terrorist state began to chair the U.N. Security Council.”

    The Ukrainian leader announced that a five-month-old child named Danylo had been killed by Russian munitions in Donbas on Friday. “One of the hundreds of artillery strikes that the terrorist state launches every day,” the Ukrainian leader said. “And at the same time, Russia chairs the U.N. Security Council.”

    Even though the position at the top of the Security Council is largely ceremonial, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called Russia’s presidency a “slap in the face to the international community” given the ongoing conflict.

    The last time Russia held the rotating monthly presidency was in February 2022, when Putin ordered the brutal full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

    At present, in addition to the five permanent members, the U.N. Security Council also includes countries supportive of Ukraine such as Japan, Ghana, Malta and Albania, along with others such as the United Arab Emirates, Mozambique and Brazil which take a more neutral approach to the conflict.

    In his Saturday address, Zelenskyy also said he had spoken with French President Emmanuel Macron for an hour on Saturday. He also welcomed Switzerland’s decision — as another temporary U.N. Security Council member — to join the 10th sanctions package against the Russian state.

    [ad_2]

    Joshua Posaner

    Source link

  • Bolsonaro’s legal woes deepen with undeclared diamond gifts

    Bolsonaro’s legal woes deepen with undeclared diamond gifts

    [ad_1]

    1 of 5

    This photo provided by Brazil’s Federal Revenue Department shows jewelry seized by customs authorities at Guarulhos International Airport in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the week of March 24, 2023. The jewelry is part of an investigation into gifts received by former Brazilian President Jail Bolsonaro during his presidency. (Brazil’s Federal Revenue Department via AP)

    1 of 5

    This photo provided by Brazil’s Federal Revenue Department shows jewelry seized by customs authorities at Guarulhos International Airport in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the week of March 24, 2023. The jewelry is part of an investigation into gifts received by former Brazilian President Jail Bolsonaro during his presidency. (Brazil’s Federal Revenue Department via AP)

    RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Undeclared diamond jewelry brought into Brazil from Saudi Arabia has deepened the legal jeopardy of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. An investigation into two sets of jewels reportedly worth millions is only the latest scandal threatening the far-right politician. But an extensive paper trail and even videos could make the case particularly daunting for Bolsonaro.

    WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE DIAMONDS?

    Federal police and prosecutors are investigating whether Bolsonaro tried to sneak two sets of expensive diamond jewelry into Brazil without paying taxes — and whether he improperly sought to prevent the items from being incorporated into the presidency’s public collection. Authorities are also looking into whether he enlisted public officials to try to bypass customs.

    The first set of jewels, composed of earrings, a necklace, a ring and a watch by Swiss brand Chopard, arrived in Brazil in October 2021 through Sao Paulo’s international airport with an adviser to the then minister for mines and energy, Bento Albuquerque, according to the newspaper O Estado de S.Paulo, which first reported the case in early March.

    Customs authorities seized the jewels, which are reportedly worth $3 million. A video released by television network Globo shows Albuquerque at customs later the same day stating that the jewels were for Bolsonaro’s wife, Michelle.

    A second set of jewels, also made by Chopard and including a watch, a pen, a ring, cuff links and a piece resembling a rosary, slipped past authorities and ended up in Bolsonaro’s possession. The watch is worth about $150,000, the newspaper Folha de S.Paulo reported.

    A government watchdog on March 22 ordered Bolsonaro to turn the jewelry over to the state-owned Caixa Economica Federal bank, as well as firearms he received as a gift from authorities in the United Arab Emirates. Bolsonaro’s representatives did so on Friday.

    Brazil requires its citizens arriving by plane from abroad to declare goods worth more than $1,000 and, for any amount above that exemption, pay a tax equal to 50% of their value. The two sets of jewelry would have been exempt from tax had they been a gift from the state of Saudi Arabia to the nation of Brazil, but would not have been Bolsonaro’s to keep.

    Bruno Dantas, a member of Brazil’s government watchdog, said a president could receive a gift for personal use without paying taxes as long as it was of low value, such as a T-shirt of a country’s national football team. Expensive jewelry does not meet the criteria, he said.

    The watchdog said it will audit all gifts received by Brazil’s presidency during Bolsonaro’s term.

    WHAT DID BOLSONARO DO ABOUT THE CONFISCATED JEWELS?

    Documents and video footage appear to show Bolsonaro making multiple unsuccessful attempts to retrieve the seized jewelry.

    A letter from the presidential office was sent to Albuquerque requesting that the jewels be released, O Estado de S.Paulo reported. The ministries of foreign affairs and mines and energy also sent letters pressuring customs authorities. Then Bolsonaro sent a personal letter to customs, O Estado de S.Paulo said.

    A last attempt came in the closing days of Bolsonaro’s presidency. According to a document viewed by O Estado de S.Paulo, on Bolsonaro’s orders a sergeant took a military plane to Sao Paulo’s airport in a failed effort to force the release. Globo released a video of the sergeant speaking with custom authorities.

    WHAT LEGAL ISSUES HAS THE CASE RAISED?

    The Senate’s transparency commission is investigating whether the sale of a refinery by Brazil’s state-controlled oil giant Petrobras to the United Arab Emirates’ Mubadala Capital was related to the jewels. Mubadala didn’t respond to a request for comment sent Friday.

    Petrobras completed the sale for $1.65 billion one month after the first set of jewels was seized in Sao Paulo. The price was “way below” fair market value, an oil workers’ union said in a recent statement.

    Rodrigo Sánchez Rios, a law professor at Pontifical Catholic University in the city of Curitiba, said Bolsonaro could potentially face trial on several counts, including influence peddling, embezzlement, money laundering and corruption.

    “This is potentially the crime with the most evidence currently implicating Bolsonaro,” said legal expert Wallace Corbo from the Getulio Vargas Foundation, a think tank and university.

    WHAT HAS BOLSONARO SAID ABOUT THE JEWELRY?

    “There was no intention on our part to disappear with this material,” Bolsonaro told television network Record on Wednesday during an event in Florida. He previously told CNN Brasil that he neither asked for nor received the confiscated jewelry.

    Bolsonaro’s attorney Frederick Wassef said in a statement on March 7 that the former president “officially declared personal property received on trips,” and is the target of political persecution.

    WHAT ARE BOLSONARO’S OTHER LEGAL PROBLEMS?

    The former president has denied any wrongdoing in all of the various cases under investigation, most recently whether he incited the Jan. 8 riots in which his supporters ransacked the Supreme Court, the presidential palace and Congress one week after leftist Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was inaugurated as president.

    Bolsonaro is the subject of a dozen investigations by Brazil’s electoral court into his actions during the presidential election campaign, particularly related to his unsubstantiated claims that Brazil’s electronic voting system is susceptible to fraud. If Bolsonaro were found guilty in any of those cases, he would lose his political rights and be unable to run for office in the next election.

    Separately, Bolsonaro and his allies are also under investigation in a sprawling Supreme Court-led investigation on the spread of alleged falsehoods and disinformation in Brazil.

    Federal police are also investigating Bolsonaro and his administration for alleged genocide of the Indigenous Yanomami people in the Amazon rainforest by encouraging illegal miners to invade their territory and thereby endangering their lives. He has called the accusation a “hoax from the left.”

    ——-

    Savarese reported from Sao Paulo.

    [ad_2]

    Source link