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The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
My girl, 10, is still traumatised by Hamas hostage hell… Starmer's insane plan to recognise Palestine EMBOLDENS thugs
SIR Keir Starmer's plan to recognise Palestine as a state is "insane", the father of hostage Emily Hand has blasted. Embattled father Thomas, who said he and his young daughter will forever be traumatised by October 7, warned it will only serve to "embolden" Hamas. 6 Thomas said daughter Emily is now 'doing amazing' after her ordeal Credit: Supplied 6 Emily was reunited with her dad after 50 days in captivity Credit: Reuters 6 The youngster was snatched by Hamas while on a sleepover at her friend's house He said they constantly now live in fear of a repeat of the atrocity - and warned Britain recognising Palestine as a state is a "carrot" and "reward" for the evil terror group. Brave Thomas told The Sun: "I am shocked. Previous governments have agreed that it would not be in the best interests of peace. "It's rewarding terrorist actions. It's absolutely insane." Sir Keir last week outlined the government's route to recognising Palestine as a state last week. The PM vowed the UK would act by the end of September - unless Israel agrees to a ceasefire, allows humanitarian aid into Gaza, halts West Bank annexation plans, and commits to serious peace talks. But Donald Trump, political rivals of the Labour leader and the families of hostages are among the chorus of voices slapping down the move. Thomas, 65, added: "All the pressure is on Israel - you must do this or the UK will recognise a Palestinian state. "That's like a stick to us, but it's like a carrot to them. [They think] let's carry on with this war. "They were two days to a peace deal and then [they] came out with this statement and that peace deal went off the table. "It emboldens them. It reinforces them. It's a very shameful decision." Starmer vows UK will recognise Palestine in weeks unless Israel ends crisis – but critics blast 'reward' for Hamas Fighting back tears, Thomas insisted not enough is being done to bring back the remaining 50 hostages - 20 of whom are believed to still be alive. He believes Sir Keir's plan could throw their chances of rescue into jeopardy. And Thomas said he and daughter Emily - who spent 50 days in Hamas' clutches - fear Hamas could launch a similar attack to October 7. Emily, 10, and her dad are among countless innocents who have been left permanently scarred by the unspeakable horror they were put through that day. But despite the hell they suffered, Thomas believes his family were among the "lucky" ones. He said: "I had my eight-year-old daughter kidnapped for 50 days, the mother of my two older children murdered. We got away lightly. "One of my best friends - Leanne Sharabi - and her two teenage kids, executed. "They [Hamas] had too many hostages that day, so the orders went out to kill them. Don't take anymore back, just kill them. "There were whole families wiped out. "Crazy statements, but only losing my ex-wife and I thought I'd lost my daughter, I consider it lucky. Crazy statements." Will there be a peace deal? AS of August 2025, a lasting Israel-Hamas peace deal hangs in the balance. A January 19 ceasefire saw 25 Israeli hostages and 1,900 Palestinian prisoners freed, but collapsed by March 18 after Israeli airstrikes killed over 400 in Gaza. July's US-backed 60-day truce push aimed to free remaining hostages and spark permanent talks, but stalled in Cairo. Hamas demands a full Israeli withdrawal; Israel insists on Hamas disarming. With 90 Palestinians killed in recent strikes and both sides dug in—Israel on security, Hamas on ending the war—talks teeter. Mediators see glimmers of hope, but mistrust and clashing red lines keep peace elusive. Dublin-born Thomas - who grew up in London - travelled to Israel three decades ago to volunteer on a kibbutz near Gaza. He had two children with wife Narkis before they split and then had Emily with new partner Liat, who died of breast cancer when Emily was two. Narkis, 52, was killed on October 7 when 400 Hamas thugs rampaged through the Be'eri kibbutz. Emily was on a sleepover at a pal's home when she was snatched and Thomas survived by barricading himself inside a safe room for 19 hours. The youngster - who was rushed from house-to-house by Hamas fighters during gun battles with Israeli troops - turned nine while in Gaza before her release. She ran into her dad's open arms after 50 days in captivity traumatised and broken. Now 10-years-old, Thomas said Emily will forever be affected by her ordeal - and that he can no longer shield her from the inhumanity hostages are still suffering. Last week, warped Hamas released harrowing footage of two starved, pale and broken hostages - Evyatar David, 24, and Rom Braslavski, 21. 6 Thomas Hand has hit out at Sire Keir Starmer's proposal to recognise the Palestinian state Credit: Louis Wood - Commissioned by The Sun. 6 Israeli hostage Evyatar David looking weak and malnourished Credit: AFP 6 Rom Braslavski, 21, was seen in tears as he's held captive by Hamas terrorists "At first I obviously totally protected her from seeing stuff like that," Thomas said. "But more over time she wanted to see. She almost has to see. "Every child in the country knows what's going on. Some of them were involved in it. "Emily wants to see how our hostage are doing, surviving." After her release, Emily's weight had crashed, her clothes and hair were matted and filthy and she was unable to speak in more than a whisper. But Thomas told how Emily is now "doing amazing" and that they are doing everything they can to "bring her back to a normal childhood". He added: "She's having fun, surfing loads and horse riding. "She's put on her weight, she's out in the sun, she's getting tanned. She's doing childish, girly things again. "But she will always be that little bit more mature than all her friends the same age. "She's been through something no child, no human being, should ever be through." It comes as Israel said Friday it will intensify the 22-month war with Hamas by taking over Gaza City - renewing international calls for an end to the conflict. It will likely require mobilising thousands of troops and forcibly evacuating civilians.
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Oman says the fifth round of indirect US-Iran talks will be Friday in Rome
Oman says the fifth round of indirect US-Iran talks will be Friday in Rome (Photo: AP) Oman's foreign minister says the fifth round of indirect talks between Iran and the United States will be held Friday in Rome. Neither Tehran nor Washington has confirmed the meeting or announced whether they will attend. The minister made the comment on the social media platform X. Oman has long served as a mediator between them, facilitating quiet diplomacy amid tensions over Iran's nuclear program and regional security. Iran's top diplomat insisted Wednesday that Tehran will never stop enriching uranium, further underlining the Islamic Republic's red line in negotiations with the United States over its rapidly advancing nuclear program. The comments by Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi come after multiple rounds of talks between the two nations, including at an expert level over the details of a possible deal. However, none has been reached yet and American officials including President Donald Trump, Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio maintain that Iran must give up enrichment - something it didn't do in its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Click Here - This Might Save You From Losing Money Expertinspector Click Here Undo "I have said it before, and I repeat it again: uranium enrichment in Iran will continue - with or without an agreement," Araghchi said, according to state television. Araghchi added that Iran is "currently reviewing whether to participate in the next round and when to take part" in talks with the US The US and Oman, which is mediating the negotiations, have yet to announce any fifth round of talks. Trump's trip to the Mideast last week delayed any new meeting. Negotiators previously met in Muscat, Oman, and Rome. "We have never abandoned diplomacy. We will always be present at the negotiating table, and the main reason for our presence is to defend the rights of the Iranian people," Araghchi said. "We stand against excessive demands and rhetoric at the table." Araghchi's remarks came a day after Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said he didn't expecting the negotiations to produce a deal. "I don't think nuclear talks with the US will bring results. I don't know," Khamenei said. The talks seek to limit Iran's nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of some of the crushing economic sanctions the US has imposed on the Islamic Republic, closing in on half a century of enmity. Trump has repeatedly threatened to unleash airstrikes targeting Iran's program if a deal isn't reached. Iranian officials increasingly warn that they could pursue a nuclear weapon with their stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels. Meanwhile, Israel has threatened to strike Iran's nuclear facilities on its own if it feels threatened, further worsening tensions in the Mideast already spiked by the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers capped Tehran's enrichment level at 3.67 per cent and reduced its uranium stockpile to 300 kilograms (661 pounds). That level is enough for nuclear power plants, but far below weapons-grade levels of 90 per cent. Since the nuclear deal collapsed in 2018 with Trump's unilateral withdrawal of the US from the accord, Iran has abandoned all limits on its program and enriched uranium to up to 60 per cent purity - a short, technical step from weapons-grade levels. There have also been a series of attacks at sea and on land in recent years, stemming from the tensions even before the Israel-Hamas war began.
The Hindu
23-04-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Gold prices cool from record high, but is the rally just getting started?
Gold prices saw a sharp correction on Wednesday after touching record highs a day earlier, but analysts say the yellow metal is likely to stay strong in 2025 amid global uncertainty and sustained demand from central banks. After breaching record highs on Tuesday, gold price fell by ₹1,358, or 1.40% at ₹95,982.00 per 10 grams on the Multi Commodity Exchange of India (MCX) on April 23, 2025. On Tuesday, the MCX Gold rate for June contract hit a record high of ₹99,358 per 10 grams. However, easing trade war tensions triggered profit booking, dragging the yellow metal down by ₹3,900 to ₹95,457 per 10 grams in intraday trade on Wednesday. The prices fell in the international market too, as U.S. President Donald Trump expressed optimism for a trade deal with China, Reuters reported. Spot gold prices fell 0.7% to $3,357.11 an ounce, while U.S. gold futures dropped 1.5% to $3,366.80. Gold, a safe-haven asset, has been on a record-breaking spree in 2025, delivering a gain of over 28% so far this year. Over the last year, gold has gained 45%. 'Investors often flock to safe assets like gold when geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainties rise,' Ajit Mishra, SVP - Research, Religare Broking, told The Hindu. Analysts believe that a combination of factors, like geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainties, and market volatility, has led to the steep increase in the price of gold. Impact of Trump's tariffs On April 2, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump announced a new policy to impose reciprocal tariffs against countries that charged high tariffs and imposed barriers that made products made in the U.S. more expensive. These tariffs are an essential part of Mr. Trump's plan to reduce the country's trade deficit with other countries and increase domestic manufacturing. However, the tariffs spooked investors and sent markets around the world tumbling. Even though the U.S. administration announced a 90-day pause on Mr. Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariffs, the fears of a potential trade war remain. This has prompted investors to seek a safer bet and seek out the yellow metal. 'Ongoing trade wars, particularly between the U.S. and China, and political instability have heightened market volatility. These factors have led investors to seek safe-haven assets like gold,' Mr. Mishra said. 'These trade disputes have not only strained diplomatic relations but also disrupted supply chains and created a more uncertain outlook for global growth. As a result, Trump's tariff-driven trade policies have contributed significantly to the surge,' he added. Manav Modi, Senior Analyst, Commodity Research at Motilal Oswal Financial Services, believes that the fear of a slowdown of the U.S. economy is also adding to the surge. 'This sharp escalation in tariffs is raising concerns about a potential slowdown in U.S. economic growth and increasing inflation expectations,' he said. Central banks go on a buying spree Other geopolitical tensions, like the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas war in West Asia, the unabated rise of U.S. dollar and record-high interest rates in advanced economies prompted central banks around the world to increase their gold reserves over the years. Central banks have purchased 1,082 tonnes of gold in 2022, 1,037 tonnes in 2023, and 1,045 tonnes in 2024. According to the World Gold Council, central banks globally added a net 44 tonnes of gold to their reserves in January and February 2025. 'The buying spree is often linked to geopolitical instability and fears of economic slowdown. As tensions rise, central banks turn to gold to hedge against risks like inflation, currency devaluation, and financial crises, all of which boost its price,' Mr. Mishra explained. 'Central banks, including those in emerging markets, have been net buyers of gold for over a decade,' Mr. Modi said, adding that these banks collectively purchased gold to diversify their reserves. This demand from central banks has added to the surge. The buying activity from central banks has also enhanced the overall confidence in gold as a safe-haven asset, Mr. Modi said. 'When central banks buy large quantities of gold, it signals increased demand for the metal, which directly impacts its price. The more central banks hold in reserves, the tighter the supply becomes, leading to upward pressure on prices,' Mr. Mishra explained. Expect prices to surge Gold has seen a rally for nearly a decade now. 'The rally from 2015 to 2020, during which gold surged by more than 80%, was fueled by low interest rates, inflation concerns, and global uncertainties such as trade wars and the COVID-19 pandemic,' Mr. Modi said, adding that momentum slowed in 2021, but the rally picked up pace later and would continue this year. 'Gold prices are expected to continue their upward trajectory due to rising geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainties. The ongoing tit-for-tat trade tariffs between the U.S. and China are likely to persist, with no resolution in sight until the U.S. sees a significant improvement in its trade deficit,' Mr. Mishra said. 'We could continue to see volatility for gold this year. Risky traders can continue to ride this rally; however, safe traders can wait for a dip to accumulate,' Mr. Modi said. He added that on the domestic front, the immediate range is near ₹96,500- 1,00,000. 'On a longer term perspective, ₹1,06,000 could be possible,' he noted. The higher prices might slow demand in India, especially in the retail segment where consumers often buy gold, often in small quantities, for personal use. 'Gold prices have touched the psychological mark of ₹1 lakh per 10 grams at the retail level, and this is likely to hurt demand ahead of Akshaya Tritiya. Soaring gold prices will make jewellery less affordable to the end users. Indian consumers are highly price-sensitive when it comes to gold purchases. While demand for gold jewellery may decline, gold as an investment may still see strong demand,' Mr. Mishra said. He noted that the demand for gold ETFs and digital gold is on the rise as investors, both retail and institutional alike, are 'turning to gold-backed financial products to preserve capital and reduce portfolio risk.'
