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Saudi Arabia extends ultimatum, Qatar remains reluctant

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Saudi Arabia extends ultimatum, Qatar remains reluctant

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Internal Crisis forces Saudis to punish Doha

By Abu Turab

The US supported Kuwait’s mediation for resolving crisis between Saudi Arabia plus three allies and Qatar seems to be working. On Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Sabah’s request, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt, on Sunday morning, agreed to extend their 10 day ultimatum by another 48 hours. The ultimatum expired Sunday midnight.

The joint statement was released through SPA the official news agency of Saudi Arabia while KUNA the Kuwait’s official news agency claimed that Emir received a response from Qatar regarding 13 point demands presented by Saudi led block of Arab countries.

The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia-led group of four countries will review Qatar’s response in a meeting scheduled to be held in Cairo on Wednesday. Egypt’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid, was quoted as saying, “At the invitation of  foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, there will be a quartet meeting of the foreign ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain in Cairo on Wednesday July 5 to follow up on the developing situation regarding relations with Qatar.”

Saudi Arabia and its allies severed diplomatic ties with Qatar on June 5, sparking worst diplomatic crisis in decades. Qatari citizens were ordered to leave these countries and various steps were taken against Qatari companies and financial institutions. All land and air links were also severed.

On June 22, Saudi Arabia led block of Arab countries presented a list of 13 demands and gave Qatar ten days to comply.

Meanwhile Qatar’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, while speaking to journalist on Saturday in Rome said, “The list of demands is made to be rejected. The state of Qatar …is rejecting it as a principle. We are willing to engage in providing the proper conditions for further dialogue.”

Meanwhile QNA, the official Qatari News Agency, has reported that Foreign Minister will inform the ruler of Kuwait of Qatar’s response on Monday.

However, the US administration headed by Donald Trump, who initially justified Saudi led bloc action against Qatar, has been giving varying responses. A Department of State official said on Sunday that US encourages “all parties to exercise restraint to allow for productive diplomatic discussions. We are not going to get ahead of those discussions. We fully support Kuwait mediation”.

Earlier this week, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson insisted that Qatar’s neighbors provide a list of demands that was “reasonable and actionable”. He had also called for compromise and hosted senior Gulf officials, but efforts were undermined by President Trump who apparently supported Riyadh’s position.

Saudi Arabia had demanded Qatar to shut down Al Jazeera network, close Turkish military base and scale down ties with Iran. Qatar was also asked to cut ties with Muslim Brotherhood and other groups including Hezbollah, al-Qaeda and IS.

The Saudi Arabia led block also asked Qatar to stop all means of funding for individuals, groups or organizations that have been designated as terrorists by Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Bahrain, US and other countries.

Qatar must also refuse to naturalize citizens from the four countries and “revoke Qatari citizenship for existing nationals where such citizenship violates those countries’ laws”. Qatar should also hand over “terrorist figures”, fugitives and wanted individuals from Saudi Arabia led bloc to their countries of origin, freeze their assets and provide any desired information about their residency, movements and finances. They also asked Qatar to cease contact with the political opposition in these countries.

Demand of severing ties with Iran was explained in detail. Doha was asked to shut down  its diplomatic posts in Iran, expel any members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and conduct trade and commerce in accordance with the US and international sanctions in manner that does not “jeopardize the security” of the GCC member countries.

The desired media clampdown was not targeted at Al-Jazeera only. Al Jazeera’s affiliates and other news outlets including Arabi21, Rassd, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed and Middle East Eye were also asked to be close down.

Doha was also asked to “align Qatar’s military, political, social and economic policies with other Gulf and Arab countries, as well as on economic matters, as per 2014 agreement reached with Saudi Arabia”.

Another demand, which could have been quite costly for Qatar, says to “pay reparations and compensation for loss of lives and other financial losses caused by Qatar’s policies in the recent years. The sum will be determined in coordination with Qatar”.

They asked Qatar to agree to all demands within ten days of list being submitted, or the list will become invalid. Qatar must consent to monthly compliance audits in the first year after agreeing, followed by quarterly audits in the second year and annual audits in the following ten years.

The situation may deteriorate in case of Qatar’s non-compliance. UAE Ambassador to Russia Omar Ghobash, during an interview last week said that Qatar could face fresh sanctions by Gulf States asking their trading partners to choose between them or with Doha. Commercial bankers in the region believe that Saudi, Emirati and Bahraini banks might receive official guidance to pull deposits and interbank loans from Qatar.

However UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash has played down the chances of escalation saying “the alternative is not escalation but parting ways” from the six-member GCC.

On the other hand Qatar’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammad bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani , while speaking in Washington last week, said the GCC was set up to guard against external threats. “When the threat is coming from inside the GCC, there is a suspicion about the sustainability of the organization.”

Following the severing of diplomatic ties by Saudi led bloc and delinking ground and air routes with Qatar, Iran and Turkey have started supplying food items, water and other necessities and welcomed Qatar Airways to use their skies.

In one of his tweets, Saudi Arabia’s representative in UN Abdullah bin-Yahya al-Moallemi said: “Qatar had insisted on shaking the security of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and interfering in the affairs of countries in the region.”

Saudi Arabian forces have been assisting Bahrain in controlling opposition protests demanding their basic rights. Riyadh is also heading a coalition with started war against Yemen, currently under Houthis control. Qatar was also alleged by Riyadh to have ties with Yemen’s Ansarullah, the militia force of the Houthis fighting against Saudi hegemonic war. The ousted President Mansour al-Hadi led government in exile is based in Riyadh for more than a year.

Kuwait, working for mediating in the crisis and Oman have not followed Saudi Arabia’s diktat for severing relations with Qatar. Among the GCC countries, Oman and Kuwait have better ties with Tehran than other GCC member countries. Diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran were severed after violent protest at Saudi embassy in Tehran in the aftermath of stampede tragedy in Mina, during Haj 2015. Some 465 Iranians were among those killed out of more than 1400 casualties. However Saudi Arabia admitted the death of 769 only. Others remain missing till date. More than 100 Indians were killed while 280 remained missing.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Elon Musk says SpaceX Starship, carrying Tesla humanoid robot Optimus, to depart for Mars in 2026

“Starship will depart for Mars at the end of next year, carrying Optimus. If these landings go well, human landings could start as soon as 2029, although 2031 is more probable,” Musk stated in a post on his social media platform, X.

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SpaceX founder Elon Musk revealed on Saturday that the company’s colossal Starship rocket is slated to embark on a mission to Mars by the end of 2026, with Tesla’s humanoid robot, Optimus, on board. Musk also expressed optimism about human landings on the Red Planet, suggesting they could begin as early as 2029, though he acknowledged 2031 as a more likely timeframe.

“Starship will depart for Mars at the end of next year, carrying Optimus. If these landings go well, human landings could start as soon as 2029, although 2031 is more probable,” Musk stated in a post on his social media platform, X.

Starship, the largest and most powerful rocket ever built, is central to Musk’s ambitious vision of establishing a human colony on Mars. The spacecraft is also a critical component of NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon this decade. A modified version of Starship is expected to serve as a lunar lander for the Artemis missions.

However, before SpaceX can realize these interplanetary ambitions, it must demonstrate that Starship is reliable, safe for crewed missions, and capable of complex in-orbit refueling—a necessity for deep-space exploration.

The company recently faced a setback during its latest Starship test flight, which ended in a fiery explosion. While the booster was successfully caught during its orbital test, the upper stage of the rocket tumbled uncontrollably minutes after liftoff and booster separation. The live video feed of the event abruptly cut off, marking a near-repeat of a previous test flight failure.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has mandated that SpaceX conduct a thorough investigation into the incident before it can proceed with further test flights.

Despite these challenges, Musk remains steadfast in his commitment to advancing space exploration. The successful development and deployment of Starship could revolutionize humanity’s ability to travel beyond Earth, paving the way for unprecedented missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

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US President Trump says didn’t want PM Modi, other world leaders to see tents, graffiti, potholes in Washington DC

The President expressed his determination to ensure that foreign dignitaries are greeted by a city that reflects the grandeur and safety befitting the U.S. capital.

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U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a comprehensive cleanup initiative for Washington D.C., aiming to ensure the nation’s capital reflects its global stature. Speaking at the Department of Justice, Trump emphasized his desire to present a pristine and crime-free city to visiting world leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“We’re cleaning up our city. We’re cleaning up this great capital, and we’re not going to have crime, and we’re not going to stand for crime. We’re going to take the graffiti down, and we’re already taking the tents down. We’re working with the administration to make this happen,” Trump stated.

The President highlighted the presence of tents and graffiti near federal buildings, particularly opposite the State Department, as issues that needed immediate attention. He praised Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser for her efforts in addressing these concerns. “We said there are tents galore right opposite the State Department. They have to come down. And they took them down right away. So far, so good. We want to have a capital that can be the talk of the world,” Trump remarked.

Trump’s comments came in the context of recent visits by several world leaders, including Prime Minister Modi, French President Emmanuel Macron, and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The President expressed his determination to ensure that foreign dignitaries are greeted by a city that reflects the grandeur and safety befitting the U.S. capital.

“When Prime Minister Modi of India, the President of France, and all of these people… the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, they all came to see me over the last week and a half. I had the route run. I didn’t want them to see tents. I didn’t want them to see graffiti. I didn’t want them to see broken barriers or potholes in the roads. We had it looking beautiful,” Trump said.

He further outlined his vision for a safer and cleaner Washington D.C., vowing to transform it into a crime-free city. “We’re going to do that for the city, and we’re going to have a crime-free capital. When people come here, they’re not going to be mugged or shot or raped. They’re going to have a crime-free capital. It’s going to be cleaner, better, and safer than it ever was, and it’s not going to take us too long,” he asserted.

Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the White House on February 13 marked the fourth meeting between the two leaders since Trump’s inauguration for his second term in January 2025. In less than a month, Trump has hosted several high-profile leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, and Jordan’s King Abdullah II.

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Sunita Williams’ return confirmed as NASA, SpaceX successfully launch Crew-10 mission

NASA and SpaceX successfully launched the Crew-10 mission, bringing Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore closer to their long-awaited return to Earth after a nine-month ISS stay.

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Sunita Williams, SpaceX Crew-10, NASA mission, Falcon 9 launch, ISS astronauts, Butch Wilmore return, space travel, SpaceX launch, NASA news

NASA and SpaceX have successfully launched the Crew-10 mission to the International Space Station (ISS), bringing veteran astronaut Sunita Williams and her colleague Butch Wilmore closer to returning home after an unexpected nine-month stay in space. The mission took off aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center at 4:33 am (IST) on Friday after a brief delay due to a hydraulic system issue with a ground support clamp arm.

The Crew-10 mission comprises four astronauts—Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. This marks the 10th crew rotation under SpaceX’s human spaceflight program and the 11th overall crewed mission to the ISS under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

Williams and Wilmore’s Prolonged ISS Stay Due to Technical Malfunction

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have been aboard the ISS since June 2024, well beyond their originally scheduled eight-day mission. Their extended stay resulted from a technical malfunction with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, delaying their return multiple times. Initially planned for February 2025, their homecoming was further postponed, with NASA now confirming their return will take place in the coming days following Crew-10’s successful arrival at the ISS.

Political Controversy Surrounding the Astronauts’ Delay

The extended delay in bringing Williams and Wilmore back to Earth has also sparked political debate. Former U.S. President Donald Trump, along with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, accused the Biden administration of intentionally delaying their return, though no evidence has been provided to support these claims. The statements have led to heated exchanges within the space community.

Musk previously clashed with Danish astronaut Andreas Mogensen, who pointed out that the reassignment of Crew-9 had already accounted for Williams and Wilmore’s return. Musk responded with offensive language, drawing criticism from retired astronauts. Meanwhile, Wilmore appeared to side with Musk, suggesting his statements were likely factual, though he admitted to lacking detailed knowledge of the situation.

Trump also made headlines for his remarks about Williams, referring to her in an unusual manner and making speculative comments about the dynamics between the two astronauts.

Return Timeline for Williams and Wilmore

NASA has confirmed that Williams and Wilmore are set to return to Earth a few days after Crew-10 arrives at the ISS. Their prolonged stay highlights the challenges of human spaceflight and the complexities of spacecraft reliability. With Crew-10 now en route, NASA expects to bring the two astronauts home safely after an unexpectedly long mission.

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