By Yadnom Awu/Asaba
Qatar
Arab/ Islamic Summit Opens In Qatar
An emergency summit of Arab and Islamic states has opened in Doha, capital of Qatar, following the recent attack on the country by Israel.
The attack targeted the political leaders of Hamas who were examining the peace proposal presented by America in relation to the ongoing war between the Jewish state and the Palestinian group, Hamas.
Qatar called the meeting to enable participating countries take a harmonious position and response to the attack which the United Nations and even America, France and Britain, core allies of Israel, have all condemned.
Iran,one of the participating states, has called for the full suspension of diplomatic relationship with Israel, with which it had a recent 12- day war.
The summit is capping at 8’o clock local time, and a communique is expected at the end of the meeting.
Israel
US Envoy , Rubio, Begins Talks With Host, Israeli PM, Netanyahu
Talks between Israeli and American officials have begun in Tel-Aviv.
The American delegation, led by top envoy and Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, is meeting its Israeli counterpart led by Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu
Rubio is on a two- day visit to the Jewish state , and a core element of the agenda is the recent Israeli military action targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar, a core ally of America.
Ahead of the visit, Rubio, at the weekend, reiterated the condemnation of the Israeli attack earlier expressed by President Donald Trump.
He stressed that the attack had impaired the prospects of an early agreement on a peace deal, and could worsen the fragile security of the region.
America has said Israel needed to educate it on how the attack helps the cause of peace and stability in the region
.
Israel, via its Prime Minister, recently accepted sole responsibility for the attack, about which America said it was informed while it was already underway.
Rubio had said that despite the challenges posed by the Israeli military action and its effects, the special relations between both countries remained unaffected.
Spain
Protesters Disrupt Vuelta Cycling Competition in Madrid
The highly popular annual La Vuelta Cycling Competition was late Sunday disrupted by protesters who said they were against the participation of Israelis in the competition.
Locals say that more than 100,000 protesters,many bearing Palestinian flags, stormed the venue of the sports feast, breaking barricades and abruptly ending the competition.
In reaction, Israel described the development as shameful.
The Foreign Ministry said that it was unfortunate that Spain, a democracy, could actively support anti- Semitism.
Spain has been at the forefront of the efforts of the European Union (EU) to isolate Israel by formally and fully recognizing the state of Palestine.
It recently provided the ambience for the Global Sumund Flotilla to launch out from its port city of Barcelona.
The flotilla, with hundreds of activists from more than 40 countries, is bearing food, water, toys and medicines to Gaza , the blockaded Palestinian enclave.
Similar flotillas in the past were intercepted by the Israeli Navy and turned back.
Israeli Security Minister, Ben Gvir, had warned that the activists aboard the Global Sumund Flotilla would be treated as terrorists
The flotilla left the Tunisian port city of Bizerte late on Saturday on the last lap of its trip to Gaza.
Brazil
Jailed Ex- Brazillian Leader, Bolsonaro, Makes First Public Appearance After Court Verdict
Former President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, has appeared in public for the first time since the country’ s Supreme Court jailed him for 27 years and three months.
The former President was spotted in public on Sunday in Brasilia.
The former leader has been undergoing treatment for an undisclosed ailment and was jailed after four of the five members of a panel of the Supreme Court found him guilty of attempting to sabotage the outcome of the 2022 presidential poll, which he lost to the incumbent, Luna Da Silva, by attempting to stage a coup which his supporters say is a frame up.
Four retired military generals were convicted along with the former President.
Supporters of the former leader are urging for amnesty for him, while his lawyers say they will appeal the judgment.
The former President is a close ally of American President Donald Trump, who has imposed a stiff 50 per cent tariff hike on Brazilian exports to America, in punishment for trying Bolsonaro.
Turkiye
Court To Rule On CHP Congress Suits Today
A Turkish Court is due later today to give its verdict on a legal matter arising from the conduct of the convention of the opposition Republican People’s Party( CHP).
The issue springs from the conduct of the 2023 convention of the party, which brought the current leadership of the party to power.
Today’s verdict could determine the future of the CHP which is the major opposition party in the country
Turkiye is preparing for the next round of general elections in about two years.
Supporters of the party have been protesting the court proceedings, with about 50,000 persons at its recent last rally .
They say that the legal action was a deliberate effort to change the leadership of the party and weaken it ahead of the upcoming polls.
The Philippines
Filipino President Launches Probe Into Flood Control Projects
The President of the Philippines, Ferdinard Marcos Junio, has launched a probe into the construction and management of flood control projects in the country.
The probe followed mounting public calls, typified by protests and rallies, urging action into alleged under,- the- table deals.
In launching the probe at a public event in Manila,the capital city, Marcos said it would span every engagement under the flood control initiatives
He stressed that the probe would span the last 10 years and cover three previous administrations.
The President assured an even keel in dealing with the probe and its outcome.
He described the members of the probe panel as exemplary and beyond reproach.
Belarus
Russia Fires Rare Hypersonic Missile At Joint .military Drill
Russia has fired a rare hypersonic cruise missile at its joint military drills with its ally, Belarus.
The Circon hypersonic cruise missile was fired into the Barent Sea.
No other details were available, but military analysts say that Moscow could be using the drill as a decoy for the test run of some of its military technologies.
The drills, holding in Belarus, are relatively smaller than the 2022 edition in which tens of thousands of troops participated
The 2022 edition ended shortly before Russia invaded Ukraine.
