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Saudi Arabia has strongly condemned remarks by US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who said it would be “fine” if Israel took control of the entire Middle East, describing the comments as reckless and a flagrant violation of international law.The controversy erupted after Huckabee, an evangelical Christian Zionist and former governor of Arkansas, made the remarks on Friday during a wide-ranging interview with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson. Carlson pressed Huckabee to identify the exact borders of land to which he responded: “It would be fine if they took it all,” before later adding that Israel was not actively seeking to expand across the Middle East and had a right to live in the land it currently holds.The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said the remarks “contradict religious and historical facts, international law, and the position expressed by US President Donald Trump rejecting the annexation of the West Bank.”There was no immediate comment from Israel or the US State Department, which CNN said it had contacted for a response.In a strongly worded statement, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it “categorically denounced” the comments, rejecting what it described as “irresponsible statements, which constitute a violation of international laws, the Charter of the United Nations, and diplomatic norms.”Riyadh warned that the remarks represented a dangerous precedent, particularly given that they came from a serving US official, and amounted to a disregard for Washington’s relations with countries across the region.The backlash was swift and region-wide. Egypt’s foreign ministry called Huckabee’s comments a “blatant violation” of international law, stating that “Israel has no sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territory or other Arab lands,” while the League of Arab States said the remarks were “extremist and lacking any sound basis” and would “serve only to inflame sentiments and stir religious and national emotions.”Jordan’s Foreign Ministry labelled the remarks “absurd and provocative,” stating they violate the UN Charter and contradict President Trump’s own official stance on rejecting West Bank annexation.The remarks come at a particularly volatile moment. The UN human rights office, just days earlier, accused Israel of committing war crimes and said practices displacing Palestinians and altering the demographic composition of the West Bank “raise concerns over ethnic cleansing.”Israel has also encroached on more land since the start of its war with Hamas in Gaza, and under the current ceasefire, still controls more than half of Gaza’s territory.Saudi Arabia called on the US State Department to formally clarify its position, stressing that the proposal was “opposed by all peace-loving nations.” Reiterating its long-held stance, Riyadh stressed that “the only path to achieving a just and comprehensive peace is ending the occupation on the basis of the two-state solution and establishing an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.” Related Story Source link
Muslims offer prayers and recite the Koran while waiting for the time to break their fast during the holy month of Ramadan in Medan, North Sumatra…
A deadly virus and bacterial infection have killed at least 72 tigers at a private animal park in Thailand’s north in recent weeks, authorities said. The provincial livestock office in Chiang Mai said in a statement on Friday that testing detected the highly infectious canine distemper virus as well as bacteria affecting the respiratory system. “When tigers fall ill, it is more difficult to detect than in animals like cats or dogs. By the time we realised they were sick, it was already too late,” Somchuan Ratanamungklanon, director of the national livestock department, told local media. The park where the deaths occurred, Tiger Kingdom, could not be reached for comment yesterday. Source link
Trump had immediately announced a 10% across-the-board tariff on Friday after the court’s 6-3 ruling. President Donald Trump has raised the global duty on imports into the United States to 15%, doubling down on his promise to maintain his aggressive tariff policy a day after the Supreme Court ruled much of it illegal.Trump said on his Truth Social platform that after a thorough review of Friday’s “extraordinarily anti-American decision” by the apex court to rein in his tariff programme, the administration was hiking the import levies “to the fully allowed, and legally tested, 15% level”. Trump had immediately announced a 10% across-the-board tariff on Friday after the court’s 6-3 ruling that rejected the president’s authority to impose tariffs under a 1977 economic emergency powers act. At the same time, he launched an extraordinary personal attack on the conservative justices who had sided with the majority, slamming their “disloyalty” and calling them “fools and lap dogs”. The ruling was a stunning rebuke by the court, which has largely sided with the president since he returned to office, and marked a major political setback in striking down Trump’s signature economic policy that has roiled the global trade order. Yesterday’s announcement is sure to provoke further uncertainty as Trump carries on with a trade war that has cajoled and punished countries, both friend and foe.It is the latest move in a careening process that has seen a multitude of tariff levels for countries sending goods into the United States set and then altered or revoked by Trump’s team over the past year. The new duty by law is only temporary – allowable for 150 days.According to a White House fact sheet, exemptions remain for sectors that are under separate probes, including pharma, and goods entering the US under the US-Mexico-Canada agreement. On Friday, the White House said US trading partners that reached separate tariff deals with Trump’s administration would also face the new global tariff.Friday’s court ruling did not impact sector-specific duties Trump separately imposed on steel, aluminum and various other goods. Government probes still under way could lead to additional sectoral tariffs.Nevertheless, marked Trump’s biggest defeat at the Supreme Court since returning to the White House 13 months ago. The court has generally expanded his power. Trump heaped praise on the conservative justices who voted to uphold his authority to levy tariffs – Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Brett Kavanaugh, a Trump nominee – thanking them “for their strength and wisdom, and love of our country”.The president alleged the majority of six justices, including two nominated during his first term, had been “swayed by foreign interests”.“I think that foreign interests are represented by people that I believe have undue influence,” he said. Shares on Wall Street – a metric closely watched by Trump – rose modestly on Friday after the decision, which had been expected.Business groups largely cheered the ruling, with the National Retail Federation saying that this “provides much-needed certainty” for companies. In court arguments, the Trump administration said companies would receive refunds if the tariffs were deemed unlawful.However, the Supreme Court’s ruling did not address the issue. Trump said he expected years of litigation on whether to provide refunds. Kavanaugh noted the refund process could be a “mess”. Trump’s approval rating on his handling of the economy has steadily declined during his year in office, with 34% of respondents saying that they approve and 57% saying they disapprove in a Reuters/Ipsos poll that closed on Monday. Source link
The India AI Impact Summit 2026 wrapped up Saturday and called for a secure, robust, and reliable AI. In the final communique signed by 86 nations worldwide, alongside two international organizations, it was stressed that reinforcing a safe, robust, and reliable AI is fundamental to boost confidence and provide the greatest number of socioeconomic benefits. The AI capabilities can’t be achieved almost entirely unless all humankind shares its gains as a turning point in the path of technological advancements. As such, the participants acknowledged that AI is a turning point that resembles the industrial revolution, triggering the requirement of new kinds of international cooperation that include governments, industry, academia, media, and civil society. Convened under the slogan “Shaping AI For Humanity, Inclusive Growth & a Sustainable Future”, the five-day summit was attended by several heads of state and heads of international organizations, alongside a significant number of leaders of specialized firms. The summit was structured into seven themes: Human Capital; Inclusion for Social Empowerment; Safety and Trustworthiness; Resilience, Innovation, and Efficiency; Science; Democratizing Resources for All; and Economic Growth and Social Good. The participants familiarized themselves with AI impact on various kinds of professions and sectors, along with new skills required in the labor market, as well as the opportunities available for startups and small-sized enterprises. Source link
A 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck Papua New Guinea on Saturday, according to the German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ).The agency reported that the quake occurred at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers. As of now, there have been no immediate reports of casualties or significant structural damage.Papua New Guinea is situated along the “Ring of Fire,” a vast arc of seismic and volcanic activity encircling the Pacific Ocean. The region is one of the most geologically active on Earth, accounting for roughly 90 percent of the world’s active volcanoes. Source link
Cuba’s Minister of Public Health, Jose Angel Portal Miranda, warned on Friday that the country’s healthcare system is nearing collapse, citing the impact of US sanctions on oil supplies to the island.In remarks carried by local media, Portal Miranda said Cuba’s already strained healthcare system is “approaching the brink of collapse” as a result of US restrictions on fuel shipments. He argued that the sanctions “are no longer merely paralyzing the island’s economy but are now threatening basic human safety.”The health minister noted that it is impossible to damage a country’s economy without affecting its population, warning that the situation could endanger lives, particularly as some five million people suffer from chronic illnesses and depend on regular access to medication and treatment.He pointed out that among them are 16,000 cancer patients in need of radiotherapy and 12,400 others undergoing chemotherapy, reiterating that economic pressure inevitably carries humanitarian consequences.Cuba’s healthcare system had already been grappling with long-standing shortages of supplies, personnel, and medicines amid the island’s broader economic crisis. However, the situation has worsened in recent weeks. Ambulances are struggling to secure sufficient fuel to respond to emergencies, hospitals are experiencing recurring power outages, and flights carrying vital medical supplies have been suspended. The government says it is currently unable to refuel aircraft at its airports. Experts and some international leaders have warned that Cuba may be on the verge of a humanitarian crisis if conditions continue to deteriorate. Source link
A volunteer prepares the plates of Iftar food on the first day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan at the Data Darbar shrine in Lahore…
U.S President Donald Trump, U.S. Vice President JD Vance, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, U.S. Special Envoy Steve…
File Picture: Roosevelt Hotel in New York. (Reuters) Pakistan has agreed with the US government to jointly redevelop New York’s Roosevelt Hotel, the government in Islamabad said Thursday, allowing Islamabad to unlock value from its major overseas investment.Restructuring and privatisation of state assets are central to Pakistan’s $7bn programme agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the century-old hotel in Midtown Manhattan owned by Pakistan’s national airline plays a key role in those plans.The hotel, which the cash-strapped south Asian nation has estimated could be worth more than $1bn, has been closed since 2020 and is considered for redevelopment rather than outright sale.The two countries signed a memorandum that outlines plans to cooperate on the operation, maintenance, renovation, and redevelopment of the hotel, a statement from Pakistan’s finance division said Thursday.”The objective remains to secure maximum value for this property in alignment with the government’s privatisation strategy while strengthening Pakistan-United States economic ties,” it said.The ministry said the agreement was negotiated by US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff under the leadership of President Donald Trump.The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.The memorandum, seen by Reuters, does not specify any financial terms and says the project “shall be facilitated by the United States General Services Administration and by the Pakistan Ministry of Defence”.The US General Services Administration primarily manages federal property and procurement for US government agencies.Islamabad has been deepening its economic ties with Washington, including US financing support for the Reko Diq copper and gold mining project in Pakistan’s Balochistan, and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is currently in Washington to attend the inaugural meeting of Trump’s Board of Peace. Deal allows Islamabad to unlock value of one of its most prized overseas investments. Related Story Source link