UAE denies Qatari exiled Sheikh claim

Sheikh Abdullah bin Thani. (File photo)
Updated 14 January 2018
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UAE denies Qatari exiled Sheikh claim

JEDDAH: The United Arab Emirates denied Sunday claims that a prominent member of the Qatari royal family has been held in the country against his will.

An official source at UAE's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said that Qatari Sheikh Abdullah bin Ali Al-Thani was a guest of the United Arab Emirates at his request and was given the due hospitality and care after he resorted to the state as a result of restrictions imposed by the Qatari government against him, UAE’s WAM news agency reported on Sunday.

The ministry also confirmed that "Sheikh Abdullah was received with generosity and he is free in his movements and expressed his desire to leave the country where all procedures were facilitated without any interference hindering this procedure."

Sheikh Abdullah earlier appeared in a viral video aired by Doha-based news network Al Jazeera saying that he was invited by Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed, who later held him against his own will.

"I am a guest of Sheikh Mohammed but it is not hosting now, it is now an imprisonment," Sheikh Abdullah says. "They told me not to leave and I am afraid something will happen to me and they blame Qatar."

He adds: "I just wanted to let you know that Qatar is innocent in this and I am being hosted by Sheikh Mohammed and anything that happens to me after this is under his responsibility."

The ministry source expressed regret over the allegations that accompanied Sheikh Abdullah's request to leave the UAE, stressing that these "practices and allegations have become a continuous approach to the State of Qatar in its management of the crisis."

Earlier, Al Thani took a step toward a peace process with Saudi Arabia and the UAE and called on the Qatari people to reconcile with the Gulf house, where he has held high-profile meetings with Saudi King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Soon after those meetings, Saudi Arabia announced that all Qatari pilgrims are allowed over the border for the Hajj pilgrimage, contrary to Qatari claims of a ban on its citizens.

The UAE is a member of the Anti-Terror Quartet — along with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt — boycotting Qatar following terror-related accusations.

Tweets by Ali Rashid al-Nuaimi, who heads Abu Dhabi's Hedayah counter-extremism Center, also denied the accusation saying that Sheikh Abdullah had asked to move to the Emirates for his "safety."

"A trusted source confirmed to me that Sheikh Abdullah bin Ali Al Thani is free to leave the UAE for any destination he chooses and he can leave whenever he likes," al-Nuaimi stressed through his official Twitter account.

Another Qatari opposition figure Sheikh Sultan bin Suhaim al Thani tweeted saying that the video is outdated and has been recorded in a previous occasion under “known circumstances” . He added that the truth about it would soon be revealed.

Meanwhile, Qatar Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Lolwa al-Khater released a statement saying that the country is observing the situation “closely.”

"We have observed in the past similar behavior by the blockading nations where rights of individuals and officials alike are violated in total contravention of international norms, conventions and laws with no clear purpose or valid reasoning,” al-Khater said.

The Qatari Sheikh headed the equestrian and camel racing federation decades ago.

The diplomatic crisis between the Gulf countries and Egypt started on June 5 with the four countries severing all ties with Doha over its support of terrorists and close ties to Iran.

The US, which has tens of thousands of its troops stationed at Qatar's al-Udeid Air Base as part of its campaign against Daesh and the war in Afghanistan, has sought to end the crisis.

US President Donald Trump has made comments supporting the Arab nations' efforts at taking a stand against terrorism.

Al Jazeera news network shared a tweet on its official Twitter account showing the exiled sheikh speaking of his alleged detention.


Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire unlikely to hold: UK ex-spy chief

Updated 9 sec ago
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Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire unlikely to hold: UK ex-spy chief

  • Richard Dearlove: Agreement suits both parties in ‘short to medium term’
  • Deal leaves Iran ‘exposed’ as its Lebanese ally is temporarily incapacitated

LONDON: The ceasefire deal struck this week between Israel and Hezbollah is unlikely to hold, a former head of MI6 has warned.

Richard Dearlove, who headed the British intelligence service from 1999 to 2004, told Sky News that the deal, which came into effect on Wednesday, is a “retreaded agreement from 2006.”

That initial deal was designed to keep Hezbollah away from the border region with Israel, overseen by the Lebanese military and the UN, but in effect it “did absolutely nothing,” he said.

This week’s deal suits both Israel and Hezbollah “in the short to medium term,” Dearlove said, adding: “The Israelis must know how much of the infrastructure of Hezbollah they’ve taken down … They haven’t taken it down completely, but maybe the Lebanese state can reassert some of its authority as the government of Lebanon and keep Hezbollah to an extent under control. We just have to wait and see what happens.”

He said the ceasefire deal will be a blow to Hezbollah’s backer Iran, leaving the latter “exposed” with one of its allies temporarily incapacitated.

But he warned that this could escalate into “direct” confrontation between Israel and Iran were the latter to launch another ballistic missile attack.


Israeli FM: ‘No justification’ for ICC to take steps against Israeli leaders

Updated 23 min 53 sec ago
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Israeli FM: ‘No justification’ for ICC to take steps against Israeli leaders

  • The foreign minister also said Israel would finish the war in Gaza when it “achieves its objectives”

PRAGUE: Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar said on Thursday that the ICC had “no justification” for issuing arrests warrants for Israeli leaders, in a joint press conference with Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky.
Saar told Reuters Israel has appealed the decision and that it sets a dangerous precedent.
The foreign minister also said Israel would finish the war in Gaza when it “achieves its objectives” of returning hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza and ensuring the Iranian-backed group no longer controls the strip. Saar said Israel does not intend to control civilian life in Gaza and that he believes peace is “inevitable” but can’t be based on “illusions.”


Pope Francis set to visit Turkiye for Council of Nicaea anniversary in 2025

Updated 28 November 2024
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Pope Francis set to visit Turkiye for Council of Nicaea anniversary in 2025

  • The pope had already expressed in June the desire to go on the trip despite international travel becoming increasingly difficult for him

ROME: Pope Francis said on Thursday he planned to visit Turkiye’s Iznik next year for the anniversary of the first council of the Christian Church, Italian news agency ANSA reported.
The early centuries of Christianity were marked by debate about how Jesus could be both God and man, and the Church decided on the issue at the First Council of Nicaea in 325.
“During the Holy Year, we will also have the opportunity to celebrate the 1700th anniversary of the first great Ecumenical Council, that of Nicaea. I plan to go there,” the pontiff was quoted as saying at a theological committee event.
The city, now known as Iznik, is in western Anatolia, some 150km southeast of Istanbul.
The pope had already expressed in June the desire to go on the trip and the spiritual head of the world’s Orthodox Christians, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, had said the two men would celebrate the important recurrence together but no official confirmation had been made yet.
Despite international travel becoming increasingly difficult for him because of health issues, Francis, who will turn 88 on Dec. 17, completed in September a 12-day tour across Asia, the longest of his 11-year papacy.


Israel wants India’s Adani Group to continue investments after US bribery allegations

Updated 28 November 2024
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Israel wants India’s Adani Group to continue investments after US bribery allegations

  • Adani Group holds a 70 percent stake in Haifa port in northern Israel and is involved in multiple other projects with firms in the country
  • US last week accused Adani Group of being part of scheme to pay bribes of $265 million to secure contracts, misleading US investors 

HYDERABAD, India: Israel wants India’s Adani Group to continue to invest in the country, Israel’s envoy to India said on Thursday, affirming the nation’s support for the ports-to-media conglomerate whose billionaire founder is facing bribery allegations in the United States.

“We wish Adani and all Indian companies continue to invest in Israel,” Ambassador Reuven Azar said in an interview with Reuters, adding that allegations by US authorities were “not something that’s problematic” from Israel’s point of view.

The Adani Group holds a 70% stake in Haifa port in northern Israel and is involved in multiple other projects with firms in the country, including to produce military drones and plans for the manufacture of commercial semiconductors.

US authorities last week accused Gautam Adani, his nephew, and Adani Green’s managing director of being part of a scheme to pay bribes of $265 million to secure Indian power supply contracts and misleading US investors during fund raising efforts there.

Adani Group has denied all the accusations, calling them “baseless.”

Still, shares and bonds of Adani companies were hammered last week and some partners began to review joint projects.

“I am sure Adani Group will resolve its problems,” Azar said on the sidelines of an event in the southern city of Hyderabad.


Lebanon to hold parliament session on Jan. 9 to elect president

Updated 28 November 2024
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Lebanon to hold parliament session on Jan. 9 to elect president

  • State news agency: ‘Speaker Nabih Berri called a parliament session to elect a president of the republic on January 9’

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s parliament will hold a session in January to elect a new president, official media reported on Thursday, a day after an Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire began and following more than two years of presidential vacuum.
“Speaker Nabih Berri called a parliament session to elect a president of the republic on January 9,” the official National News Agency reported.