Latest news with #ForeignRelations
Al Jazeera
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Polish-German border checks play 'into the hands of the far right'
Polish-German border checks play 'into the hands of the far right' Quotable Piotr Buras, a senior fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, says Poland has imposed controls on its border with Germany, which will appease the far right. Video Duration 00 minutes 48 seconds 00:48 Video Duration 01 minutes 05 seconds 01:05 Video Duration 00 minutes 59 seconds 00:59 Video Duration 01 minutes 06 seconds 01:06 Video Duration 01 minutes 29 seconds 01:29 Video Duration 01 minutes 00 seconds 01:00 Video Duration 01 minutes 37 seconds 01:37
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Netanyahu Says He Nominated Trump for Nobel Peace Prize
(Bloomberg) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told President Donald Trump he nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize, using a visit to the White House to further cement the pair's relationship as the US presses for a ceasefire in Gaza. Are Tourists Ruining Europe? How Locals Are Pushing Back Trump's Gilded Design Style May Be Gaudy. But Don't Call it 'Rococo.' Denver City Hall Takes a Page From NASA In California, Pro-Housing 'Abundance' Fans Rewrite an Environmental Landmark Can Mamdani Bring Free Buses to New York City? 'He's forging peace as we speak,' Netanyahu told reporters at the start of a dinner with Trump and other top officials on Monday. 'I want to present to you, Mr. President, the letter I sent to the Nobel Prize Committee.' 'Coming from you in particular, this is very meaningful,' Trump said. Netanyahu is not the first foreign leader to nominate Trump, who has long coveted a Nobel. Last month, Pakistan said it would nominate the US leader, underscoring how foreign leaders understand the best way to get what they want is to shower him with praise. In his letter to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, dated July 1, Netanyahu said Trump's efforts had 'brought about dramatic change and created new opportunities to expand the circle of peace and normalization.' Netanyahu cited the Abraham Accords, which saw the likes of the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain formalize ties with Israel during Trump's first term. Trump has long expressed irritation about the fact that his first-term predecessor, Barack Obama, won the Nobel Prize in 2009 — a controversial decision that came before Obama surged US troops in Afghanistan. Netanyahu's visit to the White House — his third since Trump took office in January — comes as the two leaders also take a victory lap on the heels of the 12-day war between Israel and Iran. The US joined Israel's military campaign against Iran and carried out a series of missile strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Trump claimed the sites were 'obliterated' but damage assessments are continuing and the whereabouts of Iran's enriched uranium stockpile remains unclear. Trump helped broker a ceasefire between Israel and Iran to end the fighting and is now pressuring the Islamic Republic to return to negotiations. At the dinner, Trump said the US and Iran were set to meet soon and reiterated that he's open to lifting sanctions on Iran. His envoy Steve Witkoff told reporters that the US and Iran would meet within the next week. 'I would love to be able to, at the right time, take those sanctions off, give them a chance at rebuilding,' Trump said at the dinner with Netanyahu. 'Because I'd like to see Iran build itself back up in a peaceful manner, and not going around saying 'Death to America, Death to the USA, Death to Israel,' as they were doing.' Netanyahu is also visiting Washington as the Trump administration pushes for a halt to the war in Gaza, with the US president raising hopes for a deal that could stop the fighting and see the release of hostages still being held by Hamas. Trump said last week that a ceasefire could be 'close' to the conflict that has raged since the attack by Hamas on Israel in October 2023 and which has threatened to further destabilize the region. Trump and Netanyahu suggested a ceasefire was in reach, and the Israeli leader hinted that he would be willing to expand the Abraham Accords that normalized Israel's relations with several regional nations. 'I think we can work out a peace between us and the rest of the Middle East with President Trump's leadership,' Netanyahu said. Netanyahu has accepted a proposal put forward by Trump that would pause fighting in Gaza for 60 days and see the return of some hostages. Hamas said last week it had responded positively to the proposed deal and was ready to immediately enter negotiations. International pressure is mounting on Israel to end its war in Gaza as more than 56,000 Palestinians have been killed in the military campaign, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Aid agencies are warning the 2 million residents of Gaza are at risk of famine. Hamas, designated a terrorist organization by the US and European Union, still holds about 50 hostages, of whom Israel believes 20 are still alive. (Updates with picture of letter Netanyahu sent to the Nobel Committee, and with tout.) SNAP Cuts in Big Tax Bill Will Hit a Lot of Trump Voters Too 'Telecom Is the New Tequila': Behind the Celebrity Wireless Boom For Brazil's Criminals, Coffee Beans Are the Target Sperm Freezing Is a New Hot Market for Startups Pistachios Are Everywhere Right Now, Not Just in Dubai Chocolate ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Netanyahu Says He Nominated Trump for Nobel Peace Prize
(Bloomberg) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told President Donald Trump he nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize, using a visit to the White House to further cement the pair's relationship as the US presses for a ceasefire in Gaza. Are Tourists Ruining Europe? How Locals Are Pushing Back Trump's Gilded Design Style May Be Gaudy. But Don't Call it 'Rococo.' Denver City Hall Takes a Page From NASA In California, Pro-Housing 'Abundance' Fans Rewrite an Environmental Landmark Can Mamdani Bring Free Buses to New York City? 'He's forging peace as we speak,' Netanyahu told reporters at the start of a dinner with Trump and other top officials on Monday. 'I want to present to you, Mr. President, the letter I sent to the Nobel Prize Committee.' 'Coming from you in particular, this is very meaningful,' Trump said. Netanyahu is not the first foreign leader to nominate Trump, who has long coveted a Nobel. Last month, Pakistan said it would nominate the US leader, underscoring how foreign leaders understand the best way to get what they want is to shower him with praise. In his letter to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, dated July 1, Netanyahu said Trump's efforts had 'brought about dramatic change and created new opportunities to expand the circle of peace and normalization.' Netanyahu cited the Abraham Accords, which saw the likes of the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain formalize ties with Israel during Trump's first term. Trump has long expressed irritation about the fact that his first-term predecessor, Barack Obama, won the Nobel Prize in 2009 — a controversial decision that came before Obama surged US troops in Afghanistan. Netanyahu's visit to the White House — his third since Trump took office in January — comes as the two leaders also take a victory lap on the heels of the 12-day war between Israel and Iran. The US joined Israel's military campaign against Iran and carried out a series of missile strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Trump claimed the sites were 'obliterated' but damage assessments are continuing and the whereabouts of Iran's enriched uranium stockpile remains unclear. Trump helped broker a ceasefire between Israel and Iran to end the fighting and is now pressuring the Islamic Republic to return to negotiations. At the dinner, Trump said the US and Iran were set to meet soon and reiterated that he's open to lifting sanctions on Iran. His envoy Steve Witkoff told reporters that the US and Iran would meet within the next week. 'I would love to be able to, at the right time, take those sanctions off, give them a chance at rebuilding,' Trump said at the dinner with Netanyahu. 'Because I'd like to see Iran build itself back up in a peaceful manner, and not going around saying 'Death to America, Death to the USA, Death to Israel,' as they were doing.' Netanyahu is also visiting Washington as the Trump administration pushes for a halt to the war in Gaza, with the US president raising hopes for a deal that could stop the fighting and see the release of hostages still being held by Hamas. Trump said last week that a ceasefire could be 'close' to the conflict that has raged since the attack by Hamas on Israel in October 2023 and which has threatened to further destabilize the region. Trump and Netanyahu suggested a ceasefire was in reach, and the Israeli leader hinted that he would be willing to expand the Abraham Accords that normalized Israel's relations with several regional nations. 'I think we can work out a peace between us and the rest of the Middle East with President Trump's leadership,' Netanyahu said. Netanyahu has accepted a proposal put forward by Trump that would pause fighting in Gaza for 60 days and see the return of some hostages. Hamas said last week it had responded positively to the proposed deal and was ready to immediately enter negotiations. International pressure is mounting on Israel to end its war in Gaza as more than 56,000 Palestinians have been killed in the military campaign, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Aid agencies are warning the 2 million residents of Gaza are at risk of famine. Hamas, designated a terrorist organization by the US and European Union, still holds about 50 hostages, of whom Israel believes 20 are still alive. (Updates with picture of letter Netanyahu sent to the Nobel Committee, and with tout.) SNAP Cuts in Big Tax Bill Will Hit a Lot of Trump Voters Too 'Telecom Is the New Tequila': Behind the Celebrity Wireless Boom For Brazil's Criminals, Coffee Beans Are the Target Sperm Freezing Is a New Hot Market for Startups Pistachios Are Everywhere Right Now, Not Just in Dubai Chocolate ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Daily Mail
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Kimberly Guilfoyle's 'Belle of the Mediterranean' dream revealed... and the intimate grilling that could end in humiliation
Kimberly Guilfoyle is preparing to face an intense grilling from Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which will decide if she becomes the next US ambassador to Greece. Those close to the former Fox News star and familiar with the Senate proceedings say they wouldn't be surprised if the hearing were to veer off-topic into her personal life.
The National
13-06-2025
- Business
- The National
Bridging the Gulf: Why Kazakhstan's relations with the Middle East matter
In central Astana, the Abu Dhabi Plaza's shiny glass and metal facades tower above the Kazakh capital's other feats of engineering, including the gold-domed Bayterek Tower and the wide sweep of Soviet-era squares. Alongside apartments and a five-star Sheraton hotel, shoppers flit between Turkish high-street brand shops and a sushi joint. The complex is probably the most conspicuous example of Gulf influence in Kazakhstan. But beyond the glossy buildings, senior officials in the landlocked Central Asian country believe the Gulf is increasingly attractive as a trade and investment partner. As Astana seeks to broaden its foreign relations, long dominated by neighbours China and Russia, Gulf nations' capital and willingness to do business appeal. 'We're trying not to be related to a pool of only a few trading partners,' Asset Nussupov, Kazakhstan's Vice Minister of Trade and Integration, told The National at a recent conference in Astana. 'So we're trying to diversify. It's just business – I mean, you see some alternative routes, some perspectives, and we're trying to make new connections.' The country takes an overtly neutral stance in foreign policy – officials refuse to be drawn into criticising other nations and Astana has remained neutral in the Russia - Ukraine war. Nor has it taken sides in other conflicts such as that in Gaza. Kazakhstani officials often refer to a 'multi-vector' foreign policy. That translates as working with everyone and attempting to offend nobody. It also means Kazakhstan is open to new trade partnerships where it can forge them. Unlikely alliances Lying thousands of kilometres apart, the Gulf and Kazakhstan may not appear logical partners at first glance. Yet a confluence of factors have strengthened the allure of mutual relationships between them. The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 pushed Astana to look beyond its traditional partnerships with Moscow, as sanctions complicated trade. The coronavirus pandemic refocused global attention on securing supply chains. Located on major trade arteries that have been used for millennia, Kazakhstan is well-positioned geographically to contribute. It also has abundant mineral and hydrocarbon resources, a growing economy and a well-educated, multilingual population. Most Kazakhstanis speak fluent Russian as well as Kazakh, and English is increasingly common among younger generations. Investor confidence in some western nations, previously lured by the prospects of the Central Asian country's hydrocarbon wealth, has been dented by a $160 billion arbitration case taken out by Kazakhstan's government against a group of international oil companies, some observers say. That has opened the way for other investors, including from the Middle East. 'We see this throughout Central Asia – the Gulf is seen as apolitical and more neutral than the West. So it's an easier partner,' Kate Mallinson, an associate fellow for the Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House, told The National. In some senses, Central Asian nations look to the Gulf as a model, in terms of governing style, use of energy resources and stability. 'That's something that they see as really attractive,' said Ms Mallinson, who is also a partner at Prism, a business advisory company. Business ties Trade volume between Kazakhstan and the Gulf countries is currently about $600 million, said Mr Nussupov, with the Central Asian country exporting barley, silver and mutton to its Middle Eastern partners. The overall figure is small compared to the billions of dollars' worth of goods traded with China, Russia and Turkey every year. But food products, metals and services are key areas where Kazakhstan hopes to export more to the Gulf. Throughout Central Asia the Gulf is seen as apolitical and more neutral than the West. So it's an easier partner Kate Mallinson, Chatham House associate fellow 'Now we see very strong potential for increase in export of services to these countries, especially in oilfield services and IT solutions,' Mr Nussupov added. More significant than trade volume is the value of investment by Gulf firms in Kazakhstan. Gulf countries have invested more than $5 billion in the country, including $4.3 billion from the UAE, Deputy Foreign Ninister Roman Vassilenko told The National in an interview on the sidelines of the Astana International Forum, held last month. 'Kazakhstan has a diplomatic presence in all Gulf states,' Mr Vassinlenko said. 'In recent years, there has also been this concerted push by both the Gulf states and Central Asian states to develop inter-regional co-operation." With foreign relations driven by commerce, the UAE and Kazakhstan signed agreements worth another $4 four billion when Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council, visited Astana last month, Mr Vassilenko said, in sectors such as artificial intelligence, health care, renewable energy and infrastructure. Emirati firms have completed four investment projects in Kazakhstan, including a $15 million warehouse project and a $30 million project on the Caspian Sea by the Abu Dhabi-based AD Ports Group, another senior Kazakh investment official said at a press briefing at the Astana forum. Seven more projects are in the pipeline and an additional five are under discussion, he added. Abu Dhabi's Masdar, a renewables specialist, signed an investment agreement with Kazakhstan last year for the development of a 1GW wind farm in the south-eastern Jambyl region. Construction is planned to start this year, the investment official said. Kazakhstan has offered attractive terms including government guarantees to Gulf-based renewable energy companies to develop infrastructure, observers and officials say. 'We make sure that, basically, we guarantee the purchase of the power for a certain period of time with certain instruments,' Zulfiya Suleymanova, an adviser on the environment to Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, told The National. 'So in that sense, we, as Kazakhstan, de-risk the investments.' Securing a foothold at nodes in trade routes that stretch across Kazakhstan is also attractive for Gulf firms. Trade volumes on the so-called Middle Corridor trade route, which links China with Europe via the Caspian Sea, Caucasus and Turkey, increased from 560,000 tonnes in 2021 to 4.5 million tonnes last year, Mr Vassilenko said. The route avoids land corridors through heavily sanctioned Russia and Iran. 'We were traditionally in the heart of the Silk Roads,' Mr Vassilenko told The National. 'Now we are trying to recreate this Silk Road in steel and concrete, and we have some success, and we think that the future holds even more promise.' In January, Noatum Maritime, AD Ports Group's maritime and shipping arm, signed an agreement with Kazakhstan's national shipping company to expand Caspian operations by building two container vessels. Dubai-based ports operator DP World also has operations at Khorgos, a vital transit hub on Kazakhstan's border with China. Trade with all While there is a cultural affinity with other Muslim-majority nations in the Middle East, Kazakhstani officials often talk of pragmatism. They also have healthy relations with Israel. 'No war' and 'no casualties' are the 'best options' in solving the crisis in Gaza, another Deputy Foreign Minister, Alibek Kuantyrov, said in response to a question from The National. 'Of course, we are concerned with what's happening in Gaza, and it is our position to solve the issue in a peaceful way,' Mr Kuantyrov said. He declined to say if Kazakhstan was reconsidering trade deals with Israel, after a recent announcement by the UK and the European Union that they are reviewing commercial ties with the country over the crisis in Gaza. Perhaps a sign of Kazakhstan's willingness to deal with everyone is that while it has robust ties with Israel, it also trades what it can with Iran - mostly sanctions-exempt foodstuffs, officials say. The US and Tehran are holding talks attempting to reach an agreement over restrictions on Iran's nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief - which Astana would welcome, officials said. 'Iran is a big market," Mr Kuantyrov said. "Any pragmatic solution would be good for us.' Geographical and historical realities China and Russia are still Kazakhstan's largest trading partners, with the EU in third position. Historical connections and a colossal 7,500km land border with Russia mean that business continues, despite international sanctions imposed on Moscow over the war in Ukraine. 'We still have ties and we have trade ongoing – people are always buying and selling something,' Mr Nussupov, Vice Minister for Trade and Integration, said of the relationship with Russia. Despite the attempts to diversify, Russia still has huge influence in Kazakhstan's economy, said Kate Mallinson of Chatham House. Moscow controls the pipeline route through which Kazakhstan sends about 80 per cent of its crude oil exports and owns stakes in development licences for the country's abundant uranium supplies. Cultural similarities in deal-making forged in the Soviet era do not disappear overnight. It also remains to be seen if the attractive terms for previously-signed renewable energy deals will be offered to future investors, potentially complicating further agreements. Kazakhstan has 'to constantly try to navigate this sort of tightrope walk with the Russians, and also that's just culturally how they do business', Ms Mallinson said. 'A lot of the leadership were educated in Russia. I think it's going to take a whole generation before those ties lessen.' As for China, instability caused by US President Donald Trump 's mercurial behaviour over tariffs may push Beijing to strengthen other trade ties, perhaps with those closer to home such as Kazakhstan. Astana is already looking at forming closer partnerships with specific regions in China to home in on business development in a vast country. 'I think that these trade tensions are pushing China to diversify trade partners,' Mr Nussupov said. 'But anyway, we have always been seen, and continue to be seen, as a key strategic neighbour to China.'
