WASHINGTON: The United States on Tuesday welcomed Saudi King Salman’s order, reported by Saudi state media, allowing women to drive cars.
“We would certainly welcome that,” US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told reporters. “It’s a great step in the right direction for that country.” According to Saudi state news agency SPA, a royal degree ordered the formation of a ministerial body to provide advice within 30 days and to implement the order by June 2018.
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US welcomes royal order to allow Saudi women to drive
US welcomes royal order to allow Saudi women to drive
US sanctions Russia-based network for helping Yemen’s Houthis
The operatives helped senior Houthi official procure millions of dollars
“The Houthis remain reliant on Sa’id Al-Jamal and his network,” said Bessent
WASHINGTON: The United States imposed sanctions on Wednesday on Russia-based people and entities working to help procure weapons and commodities — including stolen Ukrainian grain — for Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis, the Treasury Department said.
The operatives, who included Russia-based Afghan businessman Hushang Ghairat and his brother, Russia-based Afghan businessman Sohrab Ghairat, helped senior Houthi official Sa’id Al-Jamal, procure millions of dollars’ worth of commodities from Russia for shipment to Houthi-controlled Yemen, Treasury said.
The goods included weapons and sensitive goods, as well as stolen Ukrainian grain, the department said in a statement.
“The Houthis remain reliant on Sa’id Al-Jamal and his network to procure critical goods to supply the group’s terrorist war machine,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. “Today’s action underscores our commitment to degrading the Houthis’ ability to threaten the region through their destabilizing activities.”
“The Houthis remain reliant on Sa’id Al-Jamal and his network,” said Bessent
WASHINGTON: The United States imposed sanctions on Wednesday on Russia-based people and entities working to help procure weapons and commodities — including stolen Ukrainian grain — for Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis, the Treasury Department said.
The operatives, who included Russia-based Afghan businessman Hushang Ghairat and his brother, Russia-based Afghan businessman Sohrab Ghairat, helped senior Houthi official Sa’id Al-Jamal, procure millions of dollars’ worth of commodities from Russia for shipment to Houthi-controlled Yemen, Treasury said.
The goods included weapons and sensitive goods, as well as stolen Ukrainian grain, the department said in a statement.
“The Houthis remain reliant on Sa’id Al-Jamal and his network to procure critical goods to supply the group’s terrorist war machine,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. “Today’s action underscores our commitment to degrading the Houthis’ ability to threaten the region through their destabilizing activities.”
Bundesliga to open additional transfer window for Club World Cup
- The 32-team Club World Cup in the United States runs from June 14 to July 13
BERLIN: The Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 will have an additional transfer window running from June 1-10 ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup, the German soccer league (DFL) said on Tuesday.
World soccer’s governing body has given member associations of participating clubs the option of opening an “exceptional registration window” in June before the Club World Cup begins to sign players.
The 32-team Club World Cup in the United States runs from June 14 to July 13, with Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich the two Bundesliga teams taking part.
Hungary must arrest Netanyahu during visit, HRW says
- Israeli leader expected to travel to country today at invitation of PM Viktor Orban
- Netanyahu is subject of an ICC arrest warrant relating to war crimes in Gaza
LONDON: Hungary must deny entry to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or arrest him during his planned visit to the country today, Human Rights Watch has said.
The appeal came a day after Amnesty International urged Hungary to arrest the Israeli leader, the subject of an International Criminal Court warrant.
Netanyahu is traveling to the EU country at the invitation of Viktor Orban, Hungary’s prime minister.
The ICC’s warrant for his arrest, which was issued on Nov. 21 last year, relates to allegations of crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in the Gaza Strip, including starving civilians, murder and persecution.
HRW has documented a litany of abuses and war crimes carried out by the Israeli military in Gaza.
Liz Evenson, the organization’s international justice director, said: “Orban’s invitation to Netanyahu is an affront to victims of serious crimes.
“Hungary should comply with its legal obligations as a party to the ICC and arrest Netanyahu if he sets foot in the country.”
The EU state is a member country of the ICC, and therefore obligated to secure the arrest of any suspects on its territory.
The ICC lacks a police force or enforcement protocol, and relies on member states to enact its mandate.
Several EU member states have said they will refuse to enforce the arrest warrant against Netanyahu, in what HRW described as “regrettable” decisions.
These include France, Poland, Italy and Germany.
All ICC members must uphold their obligations to the court’s treaty, the Rome Statute, HRW said, urging the EU’s leadership to call on Hungary to arrest Netanyahu.
When the Israeli leader’s arrest warrant was issued, Hungary’s Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto described the decision as “shameful, absurd and unacceptable.”
The country also announced a “review” of its relations with the ICC following US President Donald Trump’s decision to authorize the use of sanctions against the court’s officials in the wake of the Netanyahu warrant.
Evenson said: “Allowing Netanyahu’s visit in breach of Hungary’s ICC obligations would be Orban’s latest assault on the rule of law, adding to the country’s dismal record on rights.
“All ICC member countries need to make clear they expect Hungary to abide by its obligations to the court, and that they will do the same.”
UK says ‘does not support’ Israel’s expansion of Gaza offensive
- UK minister said Israel’s aid blockade poses 'a serious risk' of breaching the international humanitarian law
LONDON: Britain does not support Israel’s expansion of military operations in Hamas-run Gaza, a UK minister said on Wednesday.
“We are deeply concerned about the resumption of hostilities in Gaza. The UK does not support an expansion of Israel’s military operations,” junior foreign office minister Hamish Falconer, told parliament.
There is a “serious risk Israel is not simply acting in its own legitimate self defense,” he added.
When asked about Israel’s aid blockade, Falconer said that “we have determined that there is a serious risk of breaches of international humanitarian law by the Israeli government. We will continue to press them on these points.”
Berlin says evacuated 19 Germans plus relatives from Gaza
- Foreign ministry spokeswoman Kathrin Deschauer said the evacuation on Tuesday “took considerable time” but Berlin was “very relieved
- She welcomed reports of talks, facilitated by regional actors, toward a new Gaza truce
BERLIN: Germany said Wednesday that 19 of its citizens and 14 of their relatives had been evacuated from Gaza as Israel presses its offensive against Hamas in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory.
Foreign ministry spokeswoman Kathrin Deschauer said the evacuation on Tuesday “took considerable time” but Berlin was “very relieved that this succeeded through close cooperation” with Israeli officials.
Deschauer added that she welcomed reports of talks, facilitated by regional actors, toward a new Gaza truce.
“That’s important, good and somewhat encouraging, but the current situation is dramatic, and it’s important that all parties return to the negotiating table to achieve a ceasefire,” she said at a regular news briefing.
The war was sparked by Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.
Israel resumed major air strikes on Gaza on March 18 after talks on next steps in a six-week truce broke down.
The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said Tuesday that the overall toll since the war began had reached at least 50,399 people, most of them civilians.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced Wednesday a major expansion of military operations in Gaza to “destroy and clear the area of terrorists.”
Jordan’s King Abdullah II, speaking during a Berlin visit, deplored the dire humanitarian situation and the war’s impact on children.
“Today, Gaza has the highest number of child amputees per capita in the world, along with massive numbers of injured adults,” he told the Global Disability Summit.
He said a Jordanian aid project with mobile clinics had helped more than 400 amputees in Gaza, including children.
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