From mangroves to markets: 25 years of conservation by Emirates Nature-WWF
As the UAE grapples with climate risks, Emirates Nature-WWF is blending grassroots action with global ambition
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The National
an hour ago
- The National
Steve Witkoff must testify about 'secret side deal' with Iran, top Democrat says
A leading US senator on Tuesday said special Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff must appear before Congress to face questions about whether the Trump administration is trying to cut a 'secret side deal' with Iran. Mr Witkoff, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump have repeatedly said Iran will not be allowed to enrich any uranium as part of continuing nuclear talks, including for civilian purposes. But reports by The New York Times and Axios contradict this. They say Washington and Tehran are working on a solution in which Iran could enrich uranium at low levels for civilian use until the US and other nations formulate a larger plan that stops its progress towards a nuclear bomb. 'Steve Witkoff must testify before Congress,' Senator Chuck Schumer, the top Democrat in the Senate, said on X. 'Is there a secret side deal that will allow Iran to continue enriching uranium and empowers Iran's nefarious activity or not?' Whether Mr Witkoff testifies is up to Republicans, who control the US Senate and House of Representatives. The reports also say the proposal suggests the formation of a regional consortium to produce nuclear power, which could include Saudi Arabia and other nations. In a separate video message, Mr Schumer accused Mr Trump of 'folding' to Iran's demands. 'What kind of bull is this? You're going to sound tough in public and then have a secret side eal that let's Iran get away with everything. That's outrageous.' The purported agreement would allow for Iran and the US to find a way past red lines both countries have drawn. Mr Trump has said Iran will not be allowed to enrich 'any' uranium, while Iran has said that its ability to enrich uranium is non-negotiable. When asked about a side deal, State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce declined to comment on any negotiations. 'What I can say, though, of course, is that the maximum-pressure campaign on Iran remains in full force,' she told reporters. The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday that a directive came down last week from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt to pause all new sanctions activity towards Iran.
Khaleej Times
5 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
UAE: Emirati man bags Dh20 million prize in Big Ticket draw
A UAE citizen on Tuesday bagged Dh20 million in the coveted Big Ticket draw. In a live stream of the draw held in Abu Dhabi, the host announced that the holder of ticket number 337126, Mubarak Gharib Rashed Salem AlDhaheri, would take home the grand prize. When making the announcement, the host Richard, said that this was the "first time in a long time" that a UAE national had won the jackpot prize. The Al Ain resident received a call from both Bushra and Richard with the good news — when the latter slipped up and nearly told him he won Dh25 million. The winner, who has been purchasing tickets for two years, said he buys his tickets at the airport. While speaking to the hosts, he said he wishes to donate a part of his winnings, buy things for himself and even plans to purchase a house. Last month, Thajudeen Kunju, a resident of Trivandrum, India, became a millionaire after winning the grand prize of Dh25 million in the Big Ticket Series 274 draw.
The National
6 hours ago
- The National
Meeting of Palestinian factions in Lebanon postponed amid dispute over disarmament
A meeting of Palestinian factions from the 12 official refugee camps in Lebanon will be held next week, a member of the Fatah faction told The National on Tuesday, amid criticism from rival groups that they had been excluded from consultations over the decision for all factions to surrender their weapons to Lebanese authorities. 'There was supposed to be a meeting today or tomorrow with the Joint Palestinian Action Committee, which includes all factions – Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the Islamist forces – but most of the leadership in the Hamas-PIJ coalition is currently travelling outside Lebanon,' said Abu Iyad Al Shaalan, a member of Fatah's leadership in Lebanon. 'So, the meeting has been rescheduled for immediately after Eid.' Despite the absence of Hamas and PIJ from the decision-making process, a delegation led by deputy head of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) Azzam Al Ahmad is in Beirut to discuss the next steps towards implementing a multiphase plan to disarm Lebanon's 12 Palestinian refugee camps in the coming weeks. The plan seeks the surrender of medium to heavy weaponry but will allow Palestinian security forces to keep light arms. Hamas's leadership in Lebanon voiced dissatisfaction with what it suggested was a unilateral decision by PA President Mahmoud Abbas, but has made no further public comment. 'Right now, there's no fixed appointment for after Eid,' a Hamas source told The National. 'We haven't been informed of the disarmament plan in any official capacity.' The source said 'bypassing' factions outside the Fatah-dominated PLO, such as Hamas and the PIJ, has 'upset many of the factions'. 'No one knows the factional structure of the camps except the Palestinians of Lebanon. Everyone who is speaking on behalf of the Palestinians in Lebanon is coming from Ramallah, and they don't know how to administer the camps or maintain the balance,' the source said, referring to the Palestinian city in the occupied West Bank where the PA has its headquarters. Mr Al Shaalan said the disarming the refugee camps would begin in mid-June as planned, despite 'a few voices of disagreement here and there, but they don't affect Fatah or the PLO's decision'. 'Everyone is comfortable with the plan that is being discussed and with the proposals being made,' he said, referring to a series of meetings between the PLO delegation and Lebanese officials. The issue of disarming Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, which fall outside Lebanese state control, has long been a contentious one. Armed groups such as Hamas and PIJ – aligned with Hezbollah and committed to armed resistance against Israel – have previously used Lebanon as a launch pad for attacks across the border. They also have popular support in many of the camps. Disarming the camps comes under a broader initiative by Lebanese leaders to limit and disarm non-state actors. But the memory of Lebanon's 1975–1990 civil war – during which Palestinian militias were among the main participants, alongside a series of Lebanese factions and international proxies – still lingers for many Palestinians, who view weapons as essential for self-defence. Weaponry also holds deep symbolic value for Palestinians in Lebanon, many of whom were expelled from their land in 1948 during the Nakba, which marked the creation of what is now Israel. For them, arms represent not only protection but a continuing struggle to return to their homeland. The PA is internationally recognised as the governing body of parts of the Palestinian territories, but its legitimacy is contested by many Palestinians. In Lebanon, Palestinian refugee camps are not governed by the PA, but by inter-factional committees – some of whom do not pledge loyalty to the PA. Under a long-standing arrangement, the Lebanese army does not enter the Palestinian camps, leaving security to be handled by the factions themselves. That arrangement may be coming to an end with the moves towards disarming the camps.
