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GENEVA: The United Nations warned Saturday that dire fuel shortages in the Gaza Strip had reached “critical levels,” threatening to dramatically increase the suffering in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory.
“After almost two years of war, people in Gaza are facing extreme hardships, including widespread food insecurity. When fuel runs out, it places an unbearable new burden on a population teetering on the edge of starvation,” seven UN agencies cautioned in a joint statement.
DUBAI, July 12 : Iran plans to cooperate with the UN nuclear watchdog despite restrictions imposed by its parliament, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday, but stressed that access to its bombed nuclear sites posed security and safety issues.
The new law stipulates that any future inspection of Iran’s nuclear sites by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) needs approval by the Supreme National Security Council, Iran’s top security body.
“The risk of spreading radioactive materials and the risk of exploding leftover munitions ... are serious,” state media cited Araghchi as saying. “For us, IAEA inspectors approaching nuclear sites has both a security aspect ... and the safety of the inspectors themselves is a matter that must be examined.”
While Iran’s cooperation with the nuclear watchdog has not stopped, it will take a new form and will be guided and managed through the Supreme National Security Council, Araghchi told Tehran-based diplomats.
AMMAN: Jordan and the EU have signed a cooperation agreement aimed at bolstering efforts to combat organized crime and terrorism across borders, the Jordan News Agency reported.
The working arrangements were signed between Jordan’s Public Security Directorate and the EU Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation, or Europol, on Thursday.
The agreement establishes a legal framework to support joint action in fighting serious and organized crime, as well as terrorism, by facilitating cooperation and the exchange of non-personal information between Europol and Jordanian law enforcement agencies.
According to a statement from the PSD, the agreement will allow both parties to coordinate on a range of issues, including migrant smuggling, drug trafficking, money laundering, and weapons smuggling.
Under the deal, Jordan and the EU will share specialized expertise, overall situation reports, and the results of strategic analyzes.
The agreement also enables participation in joint training initiatives, and includes provisions for advice and support in individual criminal investigations.
To streamline collaboration, the PSD will appoint a national contact point responsible for liaising with Europol and coordinating efforts between Jordanian agencies and their European counterparts.
The arrangements also allow for the potential appointment of a Europol liaison officer to be stationed in Jordan, joining a global network of law enforcement representatives from more than 50 countries.
With the agreement in force, the EU and Jordan are expected to significantly strengthen their cooperation in addressing pressing regional and international security challenges.
The arrangements represent “a pivotal step” in joint efforts to address the security threats affecting the EU, its member states, and Jordan, said Catherine De Bolle, executive director of Europol.
She said the partnership “embodies mutual trust and understanding in the law enforcement area,” paving the way for closer cooperation to achieve security within the EU and across the Middle East.
KARACHI: Pakistan will not travel to India for upcoming hockey tournaments over “security” concerns, government sources told AFP on Saturday, potentially jeopardizing their place in next year’s World Cup.
The nuclear-armed neighbors traded the worst violence in decades during a four-day conflict in May that killed 70 people.
Pakistan was due to participate in the Men’s Asia Cup for field hockey to be hosted by India in August and September, for which the federation had sought the government’s clearance.
“After the recent war the security and safety of our hockey players will be at risk,” said a sports ministry source, who asked not to be identified.
Pakistan will also not participate in the Junior World Cup in India in November, the source said.
Once a force in international hockey, with three Olympic gold medals and four world titles, Pakistan has slumped to 15th in the rankings.
Not featuring in the Asia Cup will likely cost Pakistan a place in next year’s senior World Cup to be held in the Netherlands and Belgium.
A second government source also confirmed the decision to AFP.
Pakistan’s foreign office has not responded to AFP’s request for comment.
India stalled all bilateral sporting ties with Pakistan in the wake of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which it blamed on militants based across the border.
Cricket has been the most affected sport, with the two countries only meeting each other in multinational events abroad.
India refused to visit Pakistan this year when it hosted the Champions Trophy, forcing the final to be staged on neutral ground in Dubai.
In a tit-for-tat move, Pakistan will also not send its women’s cricket team to India for the 50-over World Cup later this year and the T20 World Cup in 2026.
They agreed instead to play their matches in Sri Lanka.
Pakistan’s hockey team last toured India for the 2023 Asian Champions Trophy, finishing fifth among six teams.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday called for deeper cooperation with Bahrain to combat narcotics trafficking and human smuggling, as both countries reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral security ties during his official visit to the Gulf state.
Pakistan and Bahrain share a longstanding relationship encompassing diplomacy, security, economic exchange and people-to-people links. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1971, the two nations have developed close political and military cooperation, including defense training, joint security initiatives and regular high-level engagements.
In recent years, with rising concerns over drug trafficking and human smuggling, both countries have intensified efforts to coordinate through formal channels to facilitate intelligence sharing and law enforcement collaboration.
“Enhanced cooperation between the interior ministries of Pakistan and Bahrain to counter narcotics and human smuggling is the need of the hour,” Naqvi said, according to an official statement issued after his meeting with his Bahraini counterpart, General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa.
The ministers discussed issues of mutual interest and emphasized the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation in counterterrorism.
The discussion also emphasized the need to enhance the effectiveness of the Pakistan–Bahrain Joint Security Committee, a formal mechanism for coordinating on counterterrorism and related issues, while exploring ways to jointly address broader regional and global security challenges.
Bahrain’s interior minister welcomed the visit as an opportunity to deepen existing ties, describing the security cooperation and coordination between the two countries as “valued and constructive.”
He also expressed appreciation for Pakistan’s continued engagement across a range of sectors, with particular emphasis on security.
RIYADH: Ƶ, represented by the Transport General Authority, held an international exhibition in London to showcase its key initiatives and achievements in supporting the maritime transport industry.
The event was attended by senior officials and saw broad participation from International Maritime Organization member states, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The exhibition was inaugurated by Saudi Ambassador to the UK Prince Khalid bin Bandar and Minister of Transport and Logistics Services Saleh Al-Jasser, along with government officials, embassy representatives, and maritime attaches.
The event highlighted the Kingdom’s role as an active partner in the international maritime system and a key contributor to developing global maritime regulations and practices, the SPA added.
It also reflected Ƶ’s continued influence within the International Maritime Organization and its efforts to promote sustainability and improve the efficiency of maritime supply chains.
The exhibition showcased the academies and specialized centers established by the Kingdom, as well as initiatives to localize talent and train seafarers, officers, and marine engineers.
It also featured smart projects that support automation in the sector, enhancing operational efficiency and environmental sustainability, according to the SPA.
Prince Khalid said that the exhibition reflects Ƶ’s commitment to international cooperation, highlighting the Kingdom’s hospitality and pursuit of sustainable, collaborative maritime partnerships.
Al-Jasser said that the Kingdom is steadily moving toward leadership in maritime transport, driven by Vision 2030 and investments in talent and technology to strengthen its position as a global logistics hub.
In recent years, the Saudi maritime sector has grown rapidly, with the number of Saudi-flagged vessels reaching 409, totaling more than 100,000 gross tons and more than 16.5 million deadweight tons.
The number of registered Saudi seafarers has risen to 3,000, supported by specialized programs and regulatory initiatives that empower national maritime capabilities, the SPA reported.
These efforts build on Ƶ’s active role in the International Maritime Organization, advancing the maritime transport industry through a vision that goes beyond fleet development or regulatory modernization.
It includes creating an advanced global maritime system based on operational excellence, human capital investment, and cutting-edge technology for a promising, sustainable future.
