Crown Prince: Gulf-US summit reflects collective action to strengthen relations, expand partnership
This summit reflects our commitment to collective action to strengthen our relationship and expand and develop our strategic partnership to meet the aspirations of our countries and peoples, he added.
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Arab News
22 minutes ago
- Arab News
Trump punishes Brazil with tariffs, sanctions over trial of ally Bolsonaro
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump ordered massive tariffs on Brazil Wednesday and sanctions against the judge overseeing a trial of his far-right ally Jair Bolsonaro, who is accused of attempting a coup in Latin America's biggest economy. The announcement of tariffs totaling 50 percent saw Trump make good on his threat to wield American economic might to punish Brazil — and Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes in particular — for what he has termed a 'witch hunt' against former president Bolsonaro. Unlike the tariffs Trump is slapping on economies around the world, the measures against Brazil have been framed in openly political terms, sweeping aside centuries-old trade ties and a surplus that Brasilia put at $284 million last year. The moves dramatically increased the pressure on Moraes, who has emerged as one of the most powerful oand polarizing people in Brazil — and a consistent thorn in the far-right's side, after he clashed repeatedly with Bolsonaro and others over disinformation. Trump signed an executive order implementing an additional 40 percent tariff on Brazilian products, bringing total trade duties to 50 percent, the White House announced. The order said the new duties would not come into effect for seven days, and listed exemptions on some f Brazil's major exports — including planes, orange juice and pulp, Brazil nuts, and some iron, steel and aluminum products. The Brazilian government's 'politically motivated persecution, intimidation, harassment, censorship, and prosecution of (Bolsonaro) and thousands of his supporters are serious human rights abuses that have undermined the rule of law in Brazil,' the White House said in a fact sheet announcing the tariffs. It also cited Brazil's 'unusual and extraordinary policies and actions harming US companies, the free speech rights of US persons, US foreign policy, and the US economy,' and singled out Moraes by name. The new duties were announced shortly after the US Treasury slapped sanctions on Moraes, which followed a similar move by the State Department earlier this month. The sanctions provoked a swift and furious response from Brasilia, where Attorney General Jorge Messias slammed them as 'arbitrary,' 'unjustifiable' and 'a serious attack on the sovereignty of our country.' There was no immediate reaction from Brasilia to the tariffs announcement, but President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva had earlier denounced Trump's threats as 'unacceptable blackmail.' Bolsonaro is facing up to 40 years in prison for allegedly plotting a coup to stay in power after losing the 2022 election to leftist Lula. Prosecutors say the plot included a plan to arrest and even assassinate Lula, his vice president Geraldo Alckmin, and Moraes. Brazil has insisted it will proceed in its prosecution of Bolsonaro, and Trump's intervention in the case has so far boosted Lula's popularity, as the Brazilian leader appeals for national unity in the face of US 'interference.' Both Marco Rubio, America's top diplomat, and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent issued statements Wednesday announcing the new sanctions against Moraes. 'Moraes has taken it upon himself to be judge and jury in an unlawful witch hunt against US and Brazilian citizens and companies,' Bessent said. Rubio, the secretary of state, accused Moraes of 'serious human rights abuses, including arbitrary detention involving flagrant denials of fair trial guarantees and infringing on the freedom of expression.' Moraes, 56, has played a controversial role in fighting disinformation. He was an omnipresent figure during the polarizing 2022 election campaign, aggressively using his rulings to fight election disinformation on social media. Last year, he ordered the shutdown of tech titan Elon Musk's X network in Brazil for 40 days for failing to tackle the spread of disinformation shared mainly by Bolsonaro backers. Bolsonaro has called Moraes a dictator, while his son Eduardo had lobbied for US sanctions against the 'totalitarian' judge. On Wednesday Eduardo Bolsonaro said the US action was 'not about revenge, it's about justice.' 'Abuses of authority now have global consequences,' he wrote on X. The US Treasury cited the Magnitsky Act for the sanctions. It freezes US-based assets and bars travel to the country for foreign officials accused of human rights abuses or corruption.
Arab News
an hour ago
- Arab News
Democrats use obscure law to seek release of Epstein files
WASHINGTON: Democrats moved Wednesday to force Donald Trump to release files from the investigation into notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, invoking an obscure law to keep up the pressure on an issue that has roiled the US president's administration. The White House has been facing increasingly intense demands to be more transparent about the case of the disgraced financier, who died in federal prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges. The president raised further questions about his past relationship with Epstein on Tuesday when he told reporters he fell out with his former friend after he 'stole' female employees from the spa at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. The Justice Department angered Trump supporters earlier this month when it confirmed that Epstein had died by suicide and had no secret 'client list' — rebuffing conspiracy theories held by Trump's far-right supporters about supposedly high-level Democratic complicity. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and the Democrats on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee wrote to the Justice Department asking for the materials under a section of federal law known as the 'rule of five.' 'The public has a right to know who enabled, knew of, or participated in one of the most heinous sex trafficking operations in history,' Schumer told reporters at the Capitol. 'Let me remind everyone of what's happened in recent months. Donald Trump campaigned on releasing the Epstein files. He broke that promise.' The measure — introduced a century ago but rarely used — requires government departments to provide relevant information if any five members of the Senate's chief watchdog panel request it. Epstein's accomplice Maxwell It is not clear if it could be enforced in court, but even if the effort fails it keeps the spotlight on an issue that has upended Trump's summer, dividing Republicans and leading to the early closure of the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. Trump has urged his supporters to drop demands for the Epstein files, but Democrats in Congress — with limited Republican support — have also been seeking a floor vote to force their release. House Oversight Committee Democrats, backed by some Republicans, approved a subpoena last week for the Justice Department to hand over the documents, although the demand has yet to be sent. Lawmakers have also been seeking testimony from Epstein's accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving 20 years in prison for her role in his alleged crimes. Maxwell's lawyer has said she would speak to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee if granted immunity for her testimony. 'The Oversight Committee will respond to Ms Maxwell's attorney soon, but it will not consider granting congressional immunity for her testimony,' a spokesman for the panel said. Democrats have tried to attach votes on the Epstein files to unrelated bills multiple times, prompting Speaker Mike Johnson to send lawmakers home for the summer a day early last week, shutting down the efforts. Senate Democrats launched a separate effort to get the files released via a bill called the Epstein Files Transparency Act, but this cannot even be taken up until the House reconvenes in September. Meanwhile the Supreme Court's justices are expected to consider at a September 29 conference ahead of their October term whether to hear an appeal by Maxwell of her sex trafficking conviction. 'This crime by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell was not a victimless crime.... It was about exploiting women, in fact, girls — girls who were mercilessly and repeatedly subject to abuse and trafficking,' said Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut.
Arab News
2 hours ago
- Arab News
Countries should act unilaterally in recognizing Palestine
In the tangled web of geopolitics and moral responsibility, recognition of Palestine stands today not merely as a diplomatic choice, but as a litmus test of integrity, courage, and commitment to global justice. As the world watches yet another cycle of suffering unfold, it is time to call out the procrastinators, praise the bold, and demand that the international community act unilaterally in embracing the two-state solution — starting with the immediate recognition of Palestine. The UK's recent stance — threatening to recognize Palestine if Israel fails to meet certain conditions — encapsulates the paradox of delayed justice. 'Too little, too late' is apt for a nation that played a pivotal role in creating the current geopolitical landscape. Yet, 'better late than never' is equally valid if London finally chooses to right historical wrongs. Former colonial powers such as Britain and France share a legacy of deep entanglement in the Middle East, and the latter's courageous move to recognize Palestine deserves both praise and emulation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warns that recognition of Palestine equates to rewarding Hamas — a curious argument, given that his government's long-term policies over more than 16 years have emboldened the very group he now seeks to vilify. Netanyahu's devious support for Hamas is well-documented. 'For years, Netanyahu propped up Hamas. Now it's blown up in our faces,' read a headline in The Times of Israel in the immediate aftermath of the horrible Oct. 7 attacks. In 2019, the Israeli leader reportedly said: 'Those who want to thwart the establishment of a Palestinian state should support the strengthening of Hamas.' Peace, prosperity, and progress are within reach. Faisal J. Abbas | Editor-in-Chief Recognition is not about legitimizing terrorism. It is about affirming the rights of millions of Palestinians who have nothing to do with Hamas, and have endured statelessness, displacement, and daily suffering. It is about offering a framework for peace that includes Israelis, who also deserve security and stability. Not to mention ending the illegal occupation of Palestinian lands, as stipulated by the UN — an organization Israel is a member of but does not seem to respect. Whether Netanyahu and his coalition of far-right nationalists accept it or not, the two-state solution remains Israel's safest path forward — both in terms of regional normalization and long-term peace. Saudi Arabia has repeatedly signaled that full normalization is contingent upon the creation of a Palestinian state. The Arab and Muslim worlds are prepared to integrate Israel into a region brimming with economic potential and strategic value. Peace, prosperity, and progress are within reach — if only the leadership dares grasp it. Sadly, many in Israel's current ruling elite remain ideologically opposed to any peaceful settlement. These are individuals who have overseen West Bank annexations, weaponized hunger, and now face accusations of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Their worldview is not anchored in coexistence; it thrives on perpetual conflict and expansionism. For them, any compromise — even one that could save lives — is tantamount to betrayal. Let us not forget that these are elected officials who have, without remorse, described the people of Gaza as 'human animals,' called for nuclear strikes, and openly encouraged mass displacement. When such rhetoric becomes policy, and cruelty is cloaked in nationalism, the moral compass of governance is not just broken — it is weaponized. This is no longer about diplomacy — it is about justice. Faisal J. Abbas | Editor-in-Chief That is why the global community, especially nations untainted by historical baggage, must act. A coalition spearheaded by Saudi Arabia and France, embracing the two-state solution through unilateral recognition of Palestine, is the only viable path forward. Waiting for consensus or negotiating around extremists only prolongs the suffering. This is no longer about diplomacy — it is about justice. Now, more than ever, the stars seem aligned. Hamas and Hezbollah are weakened. Iran is notably quiet. We have a US president who is focused on negotiating peace deals between Ukraine and Russia, India and Pakistan, and Thailand and Cambodia. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman happens to be leading Saudi Arabia and has emerged as a pragmatic regional leader with transformative ambitions. This is a historic window to reimagine the Middle East not as a perennial battleground, but as the next Europe — a region of stability, trade, cooperation, and cultural exchange. In the end, recognition of Palestine is not an act of defiance; it is a pledge to uphold human dignity. It is a call to end decades of suffering, and a step toward a future where Israelis and Palestinians can live not just side by side, but as equal partners in peace. History won't wait. Neither should we.
