Latest news with #Quilliam
Leaders
25-03-2025
- Politics
- Leaders
Ukraine Peace Talks Bolster Saudi Arabia as Diplomatic Heavyweight: Chatham House
Saudi Arabia has become a major diplomatic player and a key host for important international negotiations, the British Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House) noted. In the light of the ongoing negotiations between US, Russian and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia, the geopolitics and foreign affairs specialist and Associate Fellow at Middle East and North Africa Program at Chatham House, Neil Quilliam, highlighted the Kingdom's growing role as a global mediator and peacemaker. Riyadh: The Perfect Host Quilliam said that the choice of Saudi Arabia to host the Ukraine ceasefire negotiations is due to Riyadh's vital role in securing Russian-Ukrainian prisoner swaps and its willingness to use its 'good offices' to facilitate bilateral and multilateral talks. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio In September 2022, Riyadh brokered a large Russia-Ukraine prisoner exchange that released ten foreign nationals captured in Ukraine. Moreover, Saudi Arabia has adopted a policy of 'positive neutrality' on the Ukraine conflict, allowing it to foster close personal relations with Russian and Ukrainian officials as a neutral partner. Mediation Experience The Kingdom has also gained significant experience in conflict mediation, according to Quilliam's commentary. Riyadh has played a pivotal role, alongside Abu Dhabi, in brokering a peace deal between Eritrea and Ethiopia in 2018, which put an end to a two-decades-long conflict. Both the Kingdom and the UAE leveraged various mediation tools, including hosting direct negotiations; providing economic and security incentives; and applying diplomatic pressure to bring both parties to the negotiating table. Saudi Crown Prince and Ukrainian President in Jeddah Moreover, Saudi Arabia made significant mediation efforts in 2023, in collaboration with the US, to end the conflict in Sudan. These efforts culminated in the Jeddah Declaration, the first formal agreement between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which led to a seven-day ceasefire. The Jeddah Declaration not only formed a basis for future negotiations to end the Sudan conflict, but also established the Kingdom's status as a key diplomatic player, Quilliam added. Regional Diplomacy Although some Gulf States have played active roles in regional diplomacy, Saudi Arabia has gained valuable experience and enhanced its mediation skills without linking itself to groups that Western countries perceive as hostile to their interests, the Chatham House Associate Fellow said. Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, and Russian President, Vladimir Putin This lends weight to Riyadh as a perfect host for international negotiations. Its role in facilitating Ukraine ceasefire talks, regardless the outcome, will establish its position as a leader in international mediation, peace and security efforts. Ukraine Peace Talks Saudi Arabia has played an active diplomatic role to end the Ukrainian crisis as it maintains balanced relations with all sides. The Kingdom has hosted three rounds of negotiations between American, Russian and Ukrainian officials to discuss a ceasefire in Ukraine. The third round of talks are taking place in Riyadh, featuring separate meetings between US and Russian officials and US and Ukrainian officials. US-Ukraine Talks in Jeddah These talks follow a high-level meeting between American and Russian diplomats in Riyadh on February 18, 2025 and talks between US and Ukrainian officials in Jeddah on March 11, 2025, held upon the directives of the Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Salman. US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia, Feb. 18, 2025 The talks come as part of Saudi Arabia's efforts to 'resolve the crisis in Ukraine and leverage its balanced relations with all parties,' the Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement. They also align with the Kingdom's efforts to 'enhance global security and peace, and based on its belief in the importance of adhering to international laws and norms.' Furthermore, the talks come as part of the Kingdom's belief that 'dialogue is the only path to resolving disputes and bringing perspectives of both sides closer to achieve productive results that contribute to global security and peace,' the statement added. Short link : Post Views: 6
Telegraph
16-03-2025
- General
- Telegraph
How healthy is your sex life? Do our quiz to find out
Sex and intimacy are often seen as the glue in a relationship, but what happens when things start feeling a little… unstuck? Whether you're in a decades-long partnership or navigating a newer connection, sex is rarely just about sex. It's about desire, communication, emotional connection, and – let's be honest – whether or not you're still actually paying attention to each other. A recent survey confirms that sex is on the decline. Among 35-to-39-year-olds, nearly two in five (38 per cent) hadn't had sex in the past week, despite considering themselves sexually active – the highest percentage of any age group. As the years go by, more people step away from intimacy altogether. Nearly one in five 40- to 44-year-olds report being completely celibate, and by the time they reach 74, that figure jumps to 57 per cent. So, how's your sex life doing? Is it thriving, just about hanging in there, or has it packed a suitcase and left the building? We asked sex therapists Miranda Christophers, Cate Mackenzie and Susan Quilliam to share their insights into what makes or breaks bedroom chemistry and help us design a quiz to ascertain the health of your sex life and what to do to reignite the flame. What's ruining your sex life? From desire discrepancies to hidden resentments, from changing hormones to simply forgetting to pay attention to each other, these are many elements that can either fan the flames – or put them out entirely, says Quilliam, a relationship expert, author of 22 books on sex and relationships including a recently revised version of The Joy of Sex. 'If you're struggling, start rebuilding the foundations of the relationship,' says Quilliam. 'Most of our interactions in long-term relationships are either transactional, functional, or critical. We need to bring back unconditional giving, small acts of praise, and real attention if we are to start to build a good foundation for our sex life to thrive,' she says. 'One of the most common presentations I see, regardless of age, is a desire discrepancy – a mismatch in sexual desire,' says Christophers, a sex and relationship psychotherapist, co-founder and clinical director of The Therapy Yard. That doesn't mean that a relationship has to fail though says Mackenzie, an accredited sex and relationship therapist. 'Most relationships have a high-desire and a low-desire partner and it's about acknowledging that. It's not about making them equal, but about meeting each other's needs enough so resentment doesn't build,' she says. But it's not just about mis-matched libidos, says Christophers. 'Bodies change, confidence changes, and while some people become more self-assured, others struggle with self-image and intimacy.' Add in perimenopause, menopause, hormones changes, career stress, and emotional baggage from the past, and suddenly, sex can start feeling like a distant memory, she says Quilliam warns that emotional undercurrents and resentment can be one of the biggest passion-killers: 'If you're over 50 and you've been in a relationship for more than two years, there's going to be some anxiety and anger.' Maybe it's the small betrayals (being ignored, feeling underappreciated) or the big ones (infidelity, unresolved resentment). Either way, she says, 'Sex is one of the first things to disappear when there are underlying resentments at play and it can leave your relationship in need of a serious MOT. The good news is that there is so much you can do to tune up your relationship,' she says.
Iraqi News
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Iraqi News
US-Hamas talks complicate Gaza truce efforts: analysts
Doha – Unprecedented direct talks between the US and Hamas are a sign of dysfunction in fraught negotiations to prolong a truce in Gaza, analysts said Thursday. Washington revealed it held talks with Hamas, which it designates as a 'terrorist' organisation, amid a standoff between Israel and the Palestinian militant group over how to proceed with the ceasefire, whose first phase expired last weekend. The direct contact is 'a sign of a breakdown in mediation for a wider ceasefire', geopolitics expert Neil Quilliam said, calling the move 'symptomatic' of United States President Donald Trump's 'impatience with complex and timely negotiations'. Israel 'must be concerned that his maverick approach to policy could undermine their immediate interests', Quilliam added. 'After all, the US president has already thrown a number of key allies under the bus,' said Quilliam, associate fellow at the Chatham House think-tank's Middle East and North Africa Programme. James Dorsey, another Middle East specialist, said the direct talks would give Hamas 'a sense of having been legitimised strongly'. The Israelis are in turn 'obviously worried' by the outreach, said Dorsey. – 'Little confidence' – 'This complicates even more the ceasefire negotiations because Hamas is going to be stiffened in its insistence that the ceasefire agreement be adhered to, rather than an Israeli timetable,' Dorsey added. The first, six-week phase of the Gaza truce, when Israeli hostages were exchanged for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, ended at the weekend. Hamas has insisted on a transition to the second phase of the agreement, which should lead to a lasting ceasefire, while Israel moved away from terms of the January deal, calling for extending the first phase until mid-April. Israel said it had been consulted by the United States and 'expressed its opinion'. US hostage envoy Adam Boehler's talks with Hamas took place in Doha in recent weeks. The talks were first revealed by US media outlet Axios, which said Boehler and Hamas discussed US hostages held in Gaza as well as a longer-term truce. The decision to meet Hamas 'clearly shows that the US have very little confidence in Israel and Israeli negotiators… to do what is necessary to get the hostages back,' said Andreas Krieg, a Middle East security specialist. The King's College London academic said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had 'for the last 12, 13 months if not longer… tried to undermine mediation processes to get the hostages back'. 'And I think the US has now understood that,' he added. – 'Separate avenue' – Krieg said it could be useful for Qatari mediators, who brokered the ceasefire alongside the US and Egypt, 'to allow a sort of a separate avenue of negotiations happening where there isn't a party like the Netanyahu government that constantly disrupts, subverts and undermines'. Quilliam said that while Qatar and Egypt 'might appear sidelined right now… the US, Israel and Hamas will continue to need them as current US and Israeli efforts will lead to more conflict and the two Arab states are the only interlocutors that step in and play a constructive role'. Hours after Trump's administration revealed the Hamas talks, the president warned Gaza's population that 'you are DEAD' if the hostages are not released. 'He may have issued this social media posting simply, to some degree, to try and disillusion Hamas, dampen their expectations and calm Israeli fears,' Dorsey said. 'He's not declaring a policy. He's leaving everybody guessing,' said Dorsey, an honorary fellow at the National University of Singapore's Middle East Institute. Krieg said the 'ultimatum that Trump put on the table is part of that entire context of mediation where he's using coercion, extremely transactionally, with a lot of pressure on Hamas'. But he added: 'I think Trump wants to deflect from that revelation that they are directly talking to Hamas by him now saying, 'I'm strong, I'm going to get the hostages back… this is a way for me to justify why we're directly talking to Hamas.''
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US-Hamas talks complicate Gaza truce efforts: analysts
Unprecedented direct talks between the US and Hamas are a sign of dysfunction in fraught negotiations to prolong a truce in Gaza, analysts said Thursday. Washington revealed it held talks with Hamas, which it designates as a "terrorist" organisation, amid a standoff between Israel and the Palestinian militant group over how to proceed with the ceasefire, whose first phase expired last weekend. The direct contact is "a sign of a breakdown in mediation for a wider ceasefire", geopolitics expert Neil Quilliam said, calling the move "symptomatic" of United States President Donald Trump's "impatience with complex and timely negotiations". Israel "must be concerned that his maverick approach to policy could undermine their immediate interests", Quilliam added. "After all, the US president has already thrown a number of key allies under the bus," said Quilliam, associate fellow at the Chatham House think-tank's Middle East and North Africa Programme. James Dorsey, another Middle East specialist, said the direct talks would give Hamas "a sense of having been legitimised strongly". The Israelis are in turn "obviously worried" by the outreach, said Dorsey. - 'Little confidence' - "This complicates even more the ceasefire negotiations because Hamas is going to be stiffened in its insistence that the ceasefire agreement be adhered to, rather than an Israeli timetable," Dorsey added. The first, six-week phase of the Gaza truce, when Israeli hostages were exchanged for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, ended at the weekend. Hamas has insisted on a transition to the second phase of the agreement, which should lead to a lasting ceasefire, while Israel moved away from terms of the January deal, calling for extending the first phase until mid-April. Israel said it had been consulted by the United States and "expressed its opinion". US hostage envoy Adam Boehler's talks with Hamas took place in Doha in recent weeks. The talks were first revealed by US media outlet Axios, which said Boehler and Hamas discussed US hostages held in Gaza as well as a longer-term truce. The decision to meet Hamas "clearly shows that the US have very little confidence in Israel and Israeli negotiators... to do what is necessary to get the hostages back," said Andreas Krieg, a Middle East security specialist. The King's College London academic said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had "for the last 12, 13 months if not longer... tried to undermine mediation processes to get the hostages back". "And I think the US has now understood that," he added. - 'Separate avenue' - Krieg said it could be useful for Qatari mediators, who brokered the ceasefire alongside the US and Egypt, "to allow a sort of a separate avenue of negotiations happening where there isn't a party like the Netanyahu government that constantly disrupts, subverts and undermines". Quilliam said that while Qatar and Egypt "might appear sidelined right now... the US, Israel and Hamas will continue to need them as current US and Israeli efforts will lead to more conflict and the two Arab states are the only interlocutors that step in and play a constructive role". Hours after Trump's administration revealed the Hamas talks, the president warned Gaza's population that "you are DEAD" if the hostages are not released. "He may have issued this social media posting simply, to some degree, to try and disillusion Hamas, dampen their expectations and calm Israeli fears," Dorsey said. "He's not declaring a policy. He's leaving everybody guessing," said Dorsey, an honorary fellow at the National University of Singapore's Middle East Institute. Krieg said the "ultimatum that Trump put on the table is part of that entire context of mediation where he's using coercion, extremely transactionally, with a lot of pressure on Hamas". But he added: "I think Trump wants to deflect from that revelation that they are directly talking to Hamas by him now saying, 'I'm strong, I'm going to get the hostages back... this is a way for me to justify why we're directly talking to Hamas.'" csp/th/it
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Hospital concert celebrates LGBT+ history month
A charity ukulele performance is set to take place at a Surrey hospital for patients, visitors and staff. Musician Matthew Quilliam is bringing the live music experience to the Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guildford on Tuesday to celebrate LGBT+ History Month. The music will be a "simple but powerful gesture of appreciation for staff and patients", a hospital spokesperson said. Mr Quilliam said: "Music gets people talking, listening, and feeling, creating a real sense of community." He added: "Many of the musicians I have met throughout my career from the LGBT+ community have a lot to express about their struggles, identity, or experiences. "It's great to be able to encourage that sense of camaraderie and celebrate together." The hospital has been hosting live music with the charity Music in Hospitals & Care for several years. Penelope Makrykosta, nurse manager, said: "Music touches everyone. It plays a big role in emotional wellbeing. "We work with colleagues and have patients who belong to the LGBT+ community and we want to celebrate it." Follow BBC Surrey on Facebook, on X. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. What it means to 'come out' The LGBT history you probably didn't learn in school Why is learning about LGBT history important? Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust Music in Hospitals & Care
