DUBAI: A new online initiative that seeks to encourage tolerance through dialogue among youth in the UAE, the region and around the world was announced during the second day of the World Tolerance Summit in Dubai on Thursday.
The Tolerance without Borders initiative was announced by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al-Nahyan, the UAE’s minister of tolerance, during his keynote speech.
The initiative aims to create “tolerance rings” in the digital space, giving youth a platform for peaceful dialogue that extends beyond religious, cultural, linguistic and spatial barriers.
“We hope to see the youth of the UAE at the forefront of this initiative, engaging in communication that’s based on tolerance and acceptance with their peers here at home and around the world,” said Al-Nahyan, who is also chairman of the board of trustees at the International Institute for Tolerance.
He added that the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan was the pioneer behind the UAE’s prosperity, and had built a “space for coexistence and tolerance” that has helped the country’s peaceful development.
“We’re proud that we, a country in which all human beings live, with real love and genuine tolerance, live and work together to build a future for children without fear of intolerance, hatred or discrimination … based on color, religion, sect or race,” said the minister.
He added that positive relations and tolerance between all cultures and beliefs is a pre-requisite to eradicating poverty, discrimination and disease.
“Our presence together at this World Tolerance Summit is a strong declaration that we all have a duty and a responsibility in the constant pursuit of building successful relationships and partnerships across cultural frontiers,” he said.
The minister unveiled a commemorative stamp issued by Emirates Post in collaboration with the Supreme National Committee for the Year of Tolerance.
The summit hosted more than 70 speakers and over 3,000 participants from more than 100 countries.
UAE launches global tolerance initiative for youth
UAE launches global tolerance initiative for youth
- The initiative aims to create “tolerance rings” in the digital space
- The minister unveiled a commemorative stamp issued by Emirates Post
Musk regrets some of his Trump criticisms, says they ‘went too far’
- ‘I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far’
WASHINGTON: Elon Musk, the world’s richest person and Donald Trump’s former adviser, said Wednesday he regretted some of his recent criticisms of the US president, after the pair’s public falling-out last week.
“I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far,” Musk wrote on his social media platform X.
Musk’s expression of regret came just days after Trump threatened the tech billionaire with “serious consequences” if he sought to punish Republicans who vote for a controversial spending bill.
Their blistering break-up – largely carried out on social media before a riveted public since Thursday last week – was ignited by Musk’s harsh criticism of Trump’s so-called “big, beautiful” spending bill, which is currently before Congress.
Some lawmakers who were against the bill had called on Musk – one of the Republican Party’s biggest financial backers in last year’s presidential election – to fund primary challenges against Republicans who voted for the legislation.
“He’ll have to pay very serious consequences if he does that,” Trump, who also branded Musk “disrespectful,” told NBC News on Saturday, without specifying what those consequences would be.
Trump also said he had “no” desire to repair his relationship with the South African-born Tesla and SpaceX chief, and that he has “no intention of speaking to him.”
In his post on Wednesday, Musk did not specify which of his criticisms of Trump had gone “too far.”
The former allies had seemed to have cut ties amicably about two weeks ago, with Trump giving Musk a glowing send-off as he left his cost-cutting role at the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
But their relationship cracked within days as Musk described the spending bill as an “abomination” that, if passed by Congress, could define Trump’s second term in office.
Trump hit back at Musk’s comments in an Oval Office diatribe and from there the row detonated, leaving Washington stunned.
“Look, Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we will anymore. I was surprised,” Trump told reporters.
Musk, who was Trump’s biggest donor to his 2024 campaign, also raised the issue of the Republican’s election win.
“Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate,” he posted, adding: “Such ingratitude.”
Trump later said on his Truth Social platform that cutting billions of dollars in subsidies and contracts to Musk’s companies would be the “easiest way” to save the US government money. US media have put the value of the contracts at $18 billion.
With real political and economic risks to their falling out, both appeared to inch back from the brink on Friday, with Trump telling reporters “I just wish him well,” and Musk responding on X: “Likewise.”
Trump had spoken to NBC on Saturday after Musk deleted one of the explosive allegations he had made during their fallout, linking the president with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Musk had alleged that the Republican president is featured in unreleased government files on former associates of Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while he faced sex trafficking charges.
Trump was named in a trove of deposition and statements linked to Epstein that were unsealed by a New York judge in early 2024. The president has not been accused of any wrongdoing in the case.
“Time to drop the really big bomb: (Trump) is in the Epstein files,” Musk posted on X. “That is the real reason they have not been made public.”
Musk did not reveal which files he was talking about and offered no evidence for his claim.
He appeared to have deleted those tweets by Saturday morning.
Turkish court issues arrest warrant for owner of pro-opposition TV channel
- Arrest warrant for Cafer Mahiroglu, owner of Halk TV, issued as part of an investigation into an alleged criminal organization
- Several main opposition CHP members including district mayors were arrested under the investigation
ANKARA: An Istanbul court has issued an arrest warrant for the owner of a television channel aligned with Turkiye’s main opposition party on charges of bid-rigging, the prosecutor’s office said late on Tuesday.
The arrest warrant for Cafer Mahiroglu, owner of Halk TV, was issued as part of an investigation into an alleged criminal organization suspected of rigging public tenders by bribing public officials.
Several main opposition CHP members including district mayors were arrested under the investigation, part of a widening legal crackdown against the jailed mayor of Istanbul, President Tayyip Erdogan’s main political rival, and the opposition.
Mahiroglu, a Turkish businessperson who lives in London, denied the charges in a post on X.
“I am being accused based on the fabricated false statements and slander of someone I have never met or seen in my life,” he said, adding that he has been living abroad for 35 years.
“So, there is a price to be the owner of Halk TV, the people’s television, and to defend democracy, rights and law.”
He did not say if he would return to Turkiye to contest the charges.
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), who leads Erdogan in some opinion polls, was jailed in March pending trial on corruption charges, which he denies.
His arrest triggered mass protests, economic turmoil and broad accusations of government influence over the judiciary and anti-democratic applications. The government has denied the accusations and said the judiciary is independent.
Since his arrest, authorities have detained dozens of CHP members, officials from the Istanbul municipality, and other CHP-run municipalities.
Media groups condemn arrest of 2 journalists aboard Madleen boat
- The journalists were identified as Yanis Mhamdi, from the independent media outlet Blast, and Omar Faiad, a reporter for Al Jazeera
LONDON: Media groups have condemned the arrest of two French journalists who were on board the Gaza-bound Madleen boat, which was intercepted by the Israeli military on Monday.
The journalists were identified as Yanis Mhamdi, from the independent media outlet Blast, and Omar Faiad, a reporter for Al Jazeera.
In a statement, the Committee to Protect Journalists called for the immediate release of journalists who were part of the pro-Palestinian convoy of activists delivering aid to Gaza as a symbolic protest against the ongoing war and to raise awareness of the humanitarian crisis.
It urged EU leaders to pressure Israel to “stop all assaults on press freedom and protect journalists.”
Condemning the arrest, Reporters Without Borders said: “Boarding a civilian vessel in international waters to intercept a crew that included two French journalists documenting a peaceful humanitarian initiative is not only illegal, but constitutes a serious violation of international law and press freedom.”
Meanwhile, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said the activists and journalists aboard the boat were deported on Tuesday morning from Ben Gurion Airport to their home countries.
“Those who refuse to sign deportation documents and leave Israel will be brought before a judicial authority, in accordance with Israeli law, to authorize their deportation. Consuls from the passengers’ home countries met them at the airport,” the Foreign Ministry posted on X.
The ministry also posted pictures of the renowned climate activist Greta Thunberg on a flight to Sweden following her deportation.
Baseball United and Tokyo Broadcasting System launch reality show to find Japan’s next baseball stars
- The national competition, ‘Tryout: Plan D,’ will give hopeful players a chance to compete professionally in the Dubai league
DUBAI: A partnership between Baseball United, the first professional baseball league focused on the Middle East and South Asia, and leading Japanese broadcaster Tokyo Broadcast System will give young baseball players a shot at becoming professional stars.
The reality show, “Tryout: Plan D,” will feature hundreds of hopefuls competing for two roster spots on the Mid East Falcons, one of Baseball United’s founding franchises. The winners will play for the Falcons during the inaugural season in Dubai, which begins on Nov. 14.
Participants will compete in several stages of the competition, starting in July and ending in November. Ultimately, one pitcher and one batter will be selected after a series of intense challenges measuring skill, mental toughness, physical fitness and passion for the game.
The partnership will be anchored by TBS’s long running and widely respected show, バース・デイ(“Birthday”), a documentary series that has chronicled the triumphs and struggles of athletes across Japan for the last 20 years.
Airing on Friday nights, it explores its subjects’ personal transformations and emotional journeys. “Tryout” will bring to life a compelling mix of reality television, human interest and competitive action, while providing real opportunities for Japanese baseball prospects.
“Japan is one of the greatest baseball nations in the world,” said Kash Shaikh, chairman, CEO and co-founder of Baseball United.
“Baseball is engrained into the culture, history and future of this country. And we know there are a lot of talented players that just need an opportunity to showcase their ability. ‘Tryout’ is more than just a competition — it’s a celebration of culture, a catalyst of opportunity and a testament (to) resilience. We are honored to collaborate with TBS and the legendary ‘Birthday’ team to bring this vision to life.”
Tryout will begin airing on TBS in July, with behind-the-scenes content and exclusive footage shared across Baseball United’s global channels. The two winners will be officially introduced as members of the Mid East Falcons before the team’s game against the Karachi Monarchs on Wednesday, Nov. 19.
“Our program バース・デイ has always sought to showcase the untold stories behind athletic greatness,” said show producer Hidemitsu Takahashi.
“Partnering with Baseball United allows us to elevate that mission by offering young Japanese players the opportunity of a lifetime — to transform their lives through sport, and to do so on a truly international platform. We can’t wait to have our two winners take the field in Dubai.”
Baseball United was co-founded by Shaikh, John Miedreich, and MLB Hall of Famers Barry Larkin and Mariano Rivera in November 2022. Its ownership group now includes 20 MLB legends, including Hall of Famer Adrian Beltre and stars Felix Hernandez, Ryan Howard, Albert Pujols, Ronald Acuna Jr., Robinson Chirinos, and Matt Barnes. The league currently has four franchises, the Mumbai Cobras, Karachi Monarchs, Arabia Wolves and Mid East Falcons, who will all compete in the league’s first season from Nov. 14-Dec. 14. All games will be played at Baseball United Ballpark in Dubai.
ABC News suspends journalist who called Trump, top aide ‘world-class’ haters
- Terry Moran wrote that Stephen Miller’s ‘hatreds are his spiritual nourishment’
LONDON: ABC News has suspended one of its senior national correspondents after he published a series of now-deleted social media posts in which he described US President Donald Trump and top adviser Stephen Miller as “world-class haters.”
Veteran journalist Terry Moran, who recently interviewed Trump, wrote in the posts that both the president and the White House deputy chief of staff — known as the architect of the administration’s mass deportation policy — were driven by deep animosity toward their political opponents.
An ABC News spokesperson, in a statement on Sunday, confirmed Moran’s suspension “pending further evaluation,” and said the network “stands for objectivity and impartiality in its news coverage and does not condone subjective personal attacks on others.”
The spokesperson added: “The post does not reflect the views of ABC News and violated our standards.”
Moran claimed in the tweets that Miller “is not the brains behind” Trumpism, but rather someone who channels its “impulses” into policy through sheer malice.
He wrote: “It’s not brains. It’s bile. Miller is a man who is richly endowed with the capacity for hatred. He’s a world-class hater.”
Moran added: “You can see that his hatreds are his spiritual nourishment. He eats his hate.”
Turning to Trump, Moran wrote: “Trump is a world-class hater. But his hatred (is) only a means to an end, and that end (is) his own glorification.”
The posts sparked a backlash from conservative figures and further deepened tensions between ABC News, owned by The Walt Disney Company, and Trump’s allies.
The network last year agreed to pay $16 million to settle a defamation lawsuit filed by Trump over comments made by anchor George Stephanopoulos, in what was seen as a rare concession by a major broadcaster.
Reacting to Moran’s comments, Vice President JD Vance called them a “vile smear,” and added: “It’s dripping with hatred.”
Miller also responded, saying: “The most important fact about Terry’s full public meltdown is what it shows about the corporate press in America. For decades, the privileged anchors and reporters narrating and gatekeeping our society have been radicals adopting a journalist’s pose. Terry pulled off his mask.”
Moran’s posts came as the Trump administration, reportedly under Miller’s strategic direction, ramped up rhetoric around immigration and called for expanded deportation efforts.
Raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in recent weeks across major US cities, including Los Angeles, have reignited public protests. Some demonstrations outside the federal building in downtown LA have turned violent amid unconfirmed reports that detainees were being held inside.
ABC News has not announced when or whether Moran will return to the network.
