"For many, declaring a promised Palestinian state has become a monotonous business," observed Satea Noureddine in a commentary for the Lebanese newspaper Assafir.
Some UN member states have recognised Palestine, as did Brazil and Argentina last week.
This development seems of little importance to the Arab public, which has undermined the Latin American countries' stance.
Only the Israelis rang the alarm bell when they criticised Brazil and Argentina, calling their decisions a serious threat and nothing of a "diplomatic surprise". So they decided to launch a diplomatic campaign in the two countries and across the world against them.
The initiative of Brazil and Argentina to expressly support an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders should not be seen, however, as a response to a formal request by the Palestinian Authority or to demands by the Palestinian communities in these countries. It rather reflects the growing international resentment toward Israel because of the reckless attitude of its right-wing government.
Nevertheless, the declaration of a state at this time when the political context in the Occupied Territories is not conducive to this step. And because no negotiations have been undertaken to draw its foundations and borders, talking about a state remains a matter of "intentions".
Algeria combats new threat of abductions
The Algerian authorities prevented tour operators from organising safari trips in the Tassili area for security reasons after some information about attempts by al Qa'eda to kidnap westerners, reports Atif Qadadra in the London-based newspaper Al Hayat.
According to official sources, the Algerian authorities have tightened security measures to protect tourists in the south of the country. New requirements for travel agencies were introduced, while only one destination is allowed: Aloskram mountains in Tamanrasset in the southeast of the country.
This move came following serious warnings from official security bodies about possible kidnapping attempts by al Qa'eda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) during the celebrations of New Year's Day.
Algeria has been keen to foil any attempt to kidnap westerners on its territory. Until 2003 abductions by the group took place in the Sahel region, but none were in Algeria, said the same sources. The tourism department asked all agencies this year to obtain a security permit to operate their tours only in the predesignated sites.
It was reported that the Algerian authorities thwarted recently an attempt by al Qa'eda to kidnap tourists by enlisting the Touareg tribes. Sahel countries are implementing common security and intelligence strategies to rein in traffickers, who are said to have links with al Qa'eda.
TV programmes for children need review
In an opinion piece for the UAE newspaper Al Bayan, Fadheela al Muaini wrote that the media boom had changed many aspects of life in the UAE.
"We still look back to our childhood with great nostalgic feelings, but at the same time we feel sorry for our kids who are less fortunate, although technology has offered wide opportunities for media entertainment."
Despite increasing TV production, it is less instructive for the younger generation.
The writer recalled the bygone days when UAE television had a two-hour session for children from four to six in the evening.
"It was such a wonderful time to sit together with other kids from the neighbourhood in front of the television set to watch exciting shows and cartoons."
The TV programmes were produced carefully to suit their target audience. The GCC Joint Programme Production Institution (GCCJPPI) played a great role in producing various informative programmes targeted at children and the family.
The GCCJPPI also produced localised shows and documentaries, and adapted cartoons that many still remember from their childhoods.
"We hope that such television work that we admired for years as kids will be reproduced in a new form that corresponds to present requirements and needs."
US Middle East policy is under the spotlight
The failure of the US to persuade Israel to freeze the settlement activities in the West Bank for 90 days reflects the wrong policies of the US, observed Subhi Zuaitar in a commentary for the Saudi newspaper Al Watan.
Washington made a mistake when it relied on security and financial incentives to Israel in order to achieve a breakthrough in the peace stalemate.
Perhaps, such a failure does not bother the Americans, as they have encouraged the Israelis to behave in this manner since the beginning of George Mitchell's mandate as a special envoy to the Middle East. Mitchell's positions towards Israeli crimes are quite often described as "soft".
This situation has never encouraged the Palestinians to enter confidently into negotiations. Most of the time, they feel like they have to act according to given instructions. Many times, they have been engaged in talks just to show their good intentions to achieve peace and create their own state within the 1967 borders.
Palestinian leaders should be more proactive in addressing settlement expansion and consolidating national unity between various factions before listening to the new US peace plan.
* Digest compiled by Mostapha El Mouloudi
melmouloudi@thenational.ae
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Section 375
Cast: Akshaye Khanna, Richa Chadha, Meera Chopra & Rahul Bhat
Director: Ajay Bahl
Producers: Kumar Mangat Pathak, Abhishek Pathak & SCIPL
Rating: 3.5/5
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
RESULTS
Dubai Kahayla Classic – Group 1 (PA) $750,000 (Dirt) 2,000m
Winner: Deryan, Ioritz Mendizabal (jockey), Didier Guillemin (trainer).
Godolphin Mile – Group 2 (TB) $750,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Secret Ambition, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
Dubai Gold Cup – Group 2 (TB) $750,000 (Turf) 3,200m
Winner: Subjectivist, Joe Fanning, Mark Johnston
Al Quoz Sprint – Group 1 (TB) $1million (T) 1,200m
Winner: Extravagant Kid, Ryan Moore, Brendan Walsh
UAE Derby – Group 2 (TB) $750,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Rebel’s Romance, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
Dubai Golden Shaheen – Group 1 (TB) $1.5million (D) 1,200m
Winner: Zenden, Antonio Fresu, Carlos David
Dubai Turf – Group 1 (TB) $4million (T) 1,800m
Winner: Lord North, Frankie Dettori, John Gosden
Dubai Sheema Classic – Group 1 (TB) $5million (T) 2,410m
Winner: Mishriff, John Egan, John Gosden
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
The years Ramadan fell in May
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKinetic%207%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202018%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Rick%20Parish%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Clean%20cooking%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Self-funded%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
More on animal trafficking
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More from Neighbourhood Watch
US PGA Championship in numbers
1 Joost Luiten produced a memorable hole in one at the par-three fourth in the first round.
2 To date, the only two players to win the PGA Championship after winning the week before are Rory McIlroy (2014 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational) and Tiger Woods (2007, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational). Hideki Matsuyama or Chris Stroud could have made it three.
3 Number of seasons without a major for McIlroy, who finished in a tie for 22nd.
4 Louis Oosthuizen has now finished second in all four of the game's major championships.
5 In the fifth hole of the final round, McIlroy holed his longest putt of the week - from 16ft 8in - for birdie.
6 For the sixth successive year, play was disrupted by bad weather with a delay of one hour and 43 minutes on Friday.
7 Seven under par (64) was the best round of the week, shot by Matsuyama and Francesco Molinari on Day 2.
8 Number of shots taken by Jason Day on the 18th hole in round three after a risky recovery shot backfired.
9 Jon Rahm's age in months the last time Phil Mickelson missed the cut in the US PGA, in 1995.
10 Jimmy Walker's opening round as defending champion was a 10-over-par 81.
11 The par-four 11th coincidentally ranked as the 11th hardest hole overall with a scoring average of 4.192.
12 Paul Casey was a combined 12 under par for his first round in this year's majors.
13 The average world ranking of the last 13 PGA winners before this week was 25. Kevin Kisner began the week ranked 25th.
14 The world ranking of Justin Thomas before his victory.
15 Of the top 15 players after 54 holes, only Oosthuizen had previously won a major.
16 The par-four 16th marks the start of Quail Hollow's so-called "Green Mile" of finishing holes, some of the toughest in golf.
17 The first round scoring average of the last 17 major champions was 67.2. Kisner and Thorbjorn Olesen shot 67 on day one at Quail Hollow.
18 For the first time in 18 majors, the eventual winner was over par after round one (Thomas shot 73).
The%C2%A0specs%20
%3Cp%3E%0D%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E6-cylinder%2C%204.8-litre%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E5-speed%20automatic%20and%20manual%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E280%20brake%20horsepower%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E451Nm%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Efrom%20Dh153%2C00%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
