James Holtsnider, President Donald Trump's nominee for US ambassador to Jordan, has said Amman is "instrumental" in battling Iranian influence in the Middle East.
Mr Holtsnider told the Senate committee on foreign relations on Thursday that security co-operation with Jordan allows Washington and Amman to "combat terrorism, deter illicit narcotics flows and counter malign actors".
"Jordan's leadership has also been instrumental in helping blunt the impact of Iranian adventurism," the former US Marine said.
Jordan was caught in the crossfire this year during the air war between Iran and Israel, intercepting some drones and missiles launched by Tehran. During King Abdullah II's visit to Washington in May, Secretary of State Marco Rubio "expressed appreciation for Jordan’s co-operation in advancing regional security, stability and prosperity".
Mr Holtsnider, a career Foreign Service officer who has served in embassies around the world including Iraq, Tunisia, Afghanistan and Somalia, described the relationship between the US and Jordan as "very strong" but said that it could "always be strengthened".
"I do think there is always more work to do to strengthen the bilateral relationship, particularly given the important role that Jordan plays in the region right now, and it has played for many, many years, particularly as we look at implementing the President's policy on Syria and activities going on in Israel," he said.
Amman has been a major contributor of aid and other assistance to Gaza over the course of the conflict. In late January, Jordan launched an aid and medical evacuation route to the enclave, where the healthcare system is close to complete collapse.
Senators Chris Van Hollen and Jeff Merkley released a report on Thursday accusing Israel of attempting ethnic cleansing in Gaza, and the report highlighted concerns from Jordanian officials about Israeli settlers blocking or attacking vehicles taking aid into the enclave.
"Officials estimated that about one in three convoys have been attacked while transiting from the Allenby Bridge to Gaza," the report stated.
Asked by Mr Van Hollen if he would commit to working with Congress to address issues of obstruction of the corridor by Israel, Mr Holtsnider said he would work with the committee "to do what we can".
India
Sergio Gor, Mr Trump's nominee for ambassador to India, hailed the US-India relationship, despite recent strain over trade. "We're not that far apart on a deal on these tariffs," Mr Gor, a close Trump aide who is director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office, told the committee. "I do think it will get resolved in the next few weeks."
Talks between Washington and New Delhi are continuing after India, the world's fifth-largest economy, resisted opening its vast agricultural and dairy sectors. Bilateral trade between the two countries is worth more than $190 billion a year.
Mr Trump first imposed additional tariffs of 25 per cent on imports from India, then said they would double to 50 per cent from August 27 as punishment for New Delhi's increased purchases of Russian oil, as Washington works to end the war in Ukraine.
"Getting India to stop buying Russian oil is a top priority for this administration," Mr Gor said.
Mr Trump said on Tuesday that the administration was continuing negotiations and that he would speak with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Asked whether he would commit to pushing to ensure that a summit meeting of the Quad – India, Australia, Japan and the US – would take place this year, Mr Gor said that "the President is fully committed to continue to meet with the Quad and strengthening it".
Speaking on concerns that India was drifting closer to Beijing and Moscow, Mr Gor said New Delhi and Washington had much more in common.
"We have a lot more in common with India than we do with Russia or China, being the largest democracy at [a population of] 1.4 billion," Mr Gor said. "We share a lot more common values with the Indians."
He said the US has not had the "personal touch" when it comes to India, but he vowed that, if confirmed, "not only will I be able to bring that to New Delhi, but the President is also extremely personally engaged".
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Fly Etihad or Emirates from the UAE to Moscow from 2,763 return per person return including taxes.
Where to stay
Trips on the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian cost from US$16,995 (Dh62,414) per person, based on two sharing.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Fourth-round clashes for British players
- Andy Murray (1) v Benoit Paire, Centre Court (not before 4pm)
- Johanna Konta (6) v Caroline Garcia (21), Court 1 (4pm)
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Tips from the expert
Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.
- Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
- It’s important to use clear and appealing photos, with catchy titles and detailed descriptions to capture the attention of prospective buyers.
- Try to advertise a realistic price to attract buyers looking for good deals, especially in the current environment where consumers are significantly more price-sensitive.
- Be creative and look around your home for valuable items that you no longer need but might be useful to others.
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Key developments in maritime dispute
2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon after nearly 30 years without an officially demarcated border. The UN establishes the Blue Line to act as the frontier.
2007: Lebanon and Cyprus define their respective exclusive economic zones to facilitate oil and gas exploration. Israel uses this to define its EEZ with Cyprus
2011: Lebanon disputes Israeli-proposed line and submits documents to UN showing different EEZ. Cyprus offers to mediate without much progress.
2018: Lebanon signs first offshore oil and gas licencing deal with consortium of France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Novatek.
2018-2019: US seeks to mediate between Israel and Lebanon to prevent clashes over oil and gas resources.
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
Quick%20facts
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Read more about the coronavirus
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Where to buy art books in the UAE
There are a number of speciality art bookshops in the UAE.
In Dubai, The Lighthouse at Dubai Design District has a wonderfully curated selection of art and design books. Alserkal Avenue runs a pop-up shop at their A4 space, and host the art-book fair Fully Booked during Art Week in March. The Third Line, also in Alserkal Avenue, has a strong book-publishing arm and sells copies at its gallery. Kinokuniya, at Dubai Mall, has some good offerings within its broad selection, and you never know what you will find at the House of Prose in Jumeirah. Finally, all of Gulf Photo Plus’s photo books are available for sale at their show.
In Abu Dhabi, Louvre Abu Dhabi has a beautiful selection of catalogues and art books, and Magrudy’s – across the Emirates, but particularly at their NYU Abu Dhabi site – has a great selection in art, fiction and cultural theory.
In Sharjah, the Sharjah Art Museum sells catalogues and art books at its museum shop, and the Sharjah Art Foundation has a bookshop that offers reads on art, theory and cultural history.
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
The%20Roundup
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WandaVision
Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany
Directed by: Matt Shakman
Rating: Four stars
