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Trump visit is to strengthen Israel against Iran: Tillerson

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Trump visit is to strengthen Israel against Iran: Tillerson

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says Iran has destabilized the Middle East

By Abu Turab

US President Donald Trump’s upcoming visit to Saudi Arabia is aimed to “stand in unity” with Israel against Iran.

In an exclusive interview to NBC on Sunday, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said, “I think there is a broad view and consensus among all in the region, among all Arab nations, among Israel and among others of Iran’s destabilizing activities in the region.”

In a recent interview to al-Arabia TV, Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, who is also the Defence Minister, had rejected the possibility of normalising ties with Iran and threatened military intervention in Iran. He said, “We will not wait until the battle is in Saudi Arabia, but we will work so the battle is there in Iran.”

Arguing the purpose of Trump’s maiden foreign trip to Saudi Arabia, Israel and the Vatican, Tillerson said, “I think the important aspect of this visit that the President is making is to bring a message of unity’ among the followers of these religions (Judaism, Christianity and Muslims) in the face of the threats posed by Daesh (IS) and al-Qaeda.”

When NBC anchor Chuck Todd asked if Trump was going to touch sectarian conflicts (Sunni-Shia) in the region, Tillerson said, “However, there is a strong element of the role that the nation of Iran plays in support of terrorism.”

Meanwhile, renowned writer Patrick Cockburn, in his article published in the Independent on May 12, said, “The next week’s meeting of Donald Trump, the most dangerous man on the planet, with Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, a source of instability in the Middle East, is a threat to peace.”

Cockburn is an Irish journalist who has worked as Middle East correspondent for the Financial Express and Independent. His professional assignments took him to Moscow and Washington as well. He has written three books on recent Iraq history and received several prizes. Renowned American journalist Seymour Hersh has described him the “best western journalist at work in Iraq today”.

The writer criticised the Prince’s aggressive and reckless foreign policy approach, especially his aggression against Yemen and Saudi support for al-Qaeda linked militants in Syria. He said the 31-year-old Deputy Crown Prince “has won a reputation for impulsiveness, aggression and poor judgment in the two-and-a-half years he has held power”. Cockburn said the Prince would seek Trump’s help in his confrontation with Iran.

Press TV, Iran’s official network, in its May 5 report, said that Trump is planning to sign a multi-billion dollar weapons deal with Saudi Arabia, including the possible sale of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system, developed by Lockheed Martin, similar to the one the US has sent to South Korea.

Trump will also offer a $11.5-billion deal for four multi-mission warplanes and technical support, which was approved by the State Department in 2015, but could not be finished because of disagreements on both sides.

Saudi Arabia had distanced itself from Washington after former US President Barack Obama’s push for the historic nuclear deal between Iran and the six world powers.

It would be interesting to note that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) was founded on May 25, 1981, a few months after then Iraqi ruler Saddam Hussein invaded Iran in September 1980. The GCC member states: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE, all US allies in the region, extended full moral and material support to Saddam Hussein for crushing the newly-established government after the Islamic Revolution of 1979.

In 2011, Saudi Arabia moved a proposal to transform the GCC into a ‘Gulf Union’ with tighter economic, political and military coordination to counterbalance the Iranian influence in the region.

According to the Saudi Gazette, Riyadh will host three different summit meetings including US-Saudi, US-GCC and US-Leaders from Arab and Islamic States, which are part of the Islamic Alliance to combat terrorism.

This alliance is engaged in the war against Yemen since March 2015. Till date over 12000 civilians have been killed while 3.3 million people, including 2.1 million children, are currently suffering from acute malnutrition.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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World Earth Day 2024: Google Doodle showcases aerial view of planet’s natural beauty

Google celebrated Earth Day 2024 with a special doodle featuring an aerial view of our planet’s biodiversity.

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Google shared a doodle today to celebrate World Earth Day 2024, which showcased aerial photos of the planet’s biodiversity and natural beauty. Google reminded us of the importance of protecting planet earth for future generations with the help of this doodle.

The Google letters depict specific locations across the globe where people, communities, and governments work every day to help protect the planet’s natural beauty, biodiversity, and resources, according to the explanation of the annual Earth Day 2024 doodle on their website.

It said, these examples remind us that there’s much more to do to address the climate crisis and biodiversity loss, but also offer the promise of hope and optimism.

The islands of Turks and Caicos are represented by the letter “G.” The islands’ conservation efforts are concentrated on protecting important regions for biodiversity and addressing persistent environmental problems.

The largest reef in the southern Gulf of Mexico and a UNESCO biosphere reserve, Scorpion Reef National Park, is represented by the letter “O” in the Mexican flag.

The letter “O” features Iceland’s Vatnajokull National Park, which was designated as a national park in 2008 following decades of advocacy. The ecology within and surrounding the biggest glacier in Europe is safeguarded by this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The letter “G” has the Jau National Park in Brazil on it. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the biggest forest reserves in South America.

The Great Green Wall of Nigeria is represented by the letter “L,”  and the Pilbara Islands Nature Reserves of Australia are represented by the letter “E.”

Meanwhile, Earth Day is a worldwide event that promotes protection of the environment every year. April 22 serves as a reminder of the importance of conservation efforts and sustainable practices to guarantee a healthier world and a brighter future.

The occasion inspires people across the world to come together and take action to protect the environment, strengthening our bonds with nature and promoting good change.

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Bigg Boss 14 contestant Rahul Vaidya struggles walking in knee deep water, compares Dubai rains with Mumbai floods

Singer and TV personality Rahul Vaidya was recently stranded in the Dubai rains.

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Rahul Vaidya, who was in Dubai ahead of his show which was scheduled to take place today, left the country due to heavy rains and reached Kolkata. The artist shared on social media his encounters in the UAE city, including challenges like walking through knee-deep water. Rahul provided an update regarding the heavy rainfall in Dubai on his Instagram profile.

The Bigg Boss 14 contestant revealed that he was in Kolkata and prepared to do an evening performance. Recalling the terrifying period he went through, Vaidya said there was a lot of confusion and panic in Dubai. The situation was similar to that when heavy floods hit Mumbai in 2005.

Vaiday also posted seval other images and videos of cars that were underwater and flooded roadways. The Bigg Boss 14 contestant, who shared his ordeal, claimed that even though it had just rained for two hours, the situation was dire.

In one of the video, which went viral he can be seen struggling in walking in knee-deep water. He can be also seen holding his sneakers in one hand and with other hand he was seen managing other things.

This is the result of the two hours of rain that it had, he can be heard saying in the video. Vidya also said he dosen’t believe Dubai is accustomed to a lot of rain. Everything had stopped working, he remarked.

After taking part in the first season of the singing reality show Indian Idol, Rahul Vaidya gained widespread recognition. In addition to Bigg Boss, he took part in Khatron Ke Khiladi 11.

Meanwhile, heavy rains that triggered flooding in the UAE and Bahrain, which left 18 people dead in Oman on Sunday and Monday, have paralyzed the financial hub of the Middle East, Dubai.

A lot of incoming flights were diverted from Dubai’s international airport because of the rain. At 7:26 p.m., the busiest airport in the world for foreign visitors stopped accepting new arrivals; a gradual resumption was announced for more than two hours later.

Images of planes navigating flooded tarmacs are making the rounds on social media.

According to pictures shared on social media, the flagship malls Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates both experienced heavy floods, while at least one Dubai Metro station had water up to the ankles.

There were several road collapses, severe flooding in residential areas, and numerous reports of leaks from windows, doors, and roofs.

Due to the unfavourable weather, schools around the United Arab Emirates were forced to close, and as more storms are predicted, the closures are anticipated to last until Wednesday. The government of Dubai allowed its staff to work remotely till this Wednesday.

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Dubai sky turns green during storm in UAE, video goes viral

The UAE witnessed record-breaking rainfall on Tuesday and the National Centre of Meteorology recorded 254 mm of rainfall in less than 24 hrs in the Khatm Al Shakla area in Al Ain.

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1 person was killed in UAE as it witnessed heavy rainfall on Tuesday, stranding commuters, flooding roads, disrupting trains and flights and resulting in water leakage from mall ceilings. The UAE witnessed record-breaking rainfall on Tuesday and the National Centre of Meteorology recorded 254 mm of rainfall in less than 24 hrs in the Khatm Al Shakla area in Al Ain. It is being said that the rainfall was the highest documented since the start of data collection in 1949.

The heavy rainfall in UAE came days after a similar situation in neighbouring Oman, where 13 people were killed in flash floods. Many parts of Oman saw torrential rains, which caused students to be trapped in buses and swept away motorists and trapped people in their homes.

Videos from Dubai circulating on social media showed widespread waterlogging on roads in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and other important cities. This left daily commuters in cars and other vehicles struggling to get back home. Dubai metro station too was seen flooded and closed.

One such video circulating on social media shows the aerial view of the city of Dubai from the top of a building. In the video the stormy winds are seen blowing over the city of Dubai. As the storm intensifies the Dubai sky turns green and ultimately gets covered by heavy rainfall. The video has gone viral on social media with more than 1.1 million views.

Another video showed water leakage from the ceilings of shopping malls, flooding the floors and destroying goods. A video which was shot in the famous Mall of the Emirates, showed pieces of ceiling falling as the rainwater gushed inside. Videos from many outlets of the Deira City Centre mall chain showed escalators being rendered unusable. Majid Al Futtaim, the company which owns the Mall of Emirates, said that the shopping complexes have been kept open and the customers are being sent away from the flooded areas. 

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