People walk between posters of hostages abducted by Hamas militants in Gaza, in Jerusalem, Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)
BANGKOK – Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin had a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the phone on Wednesday, November 1, about Thai workers in Israel, especially those who have been taken hostages.
Israeli PM expressed his condolences at the loss of Thai citizens who were innocent and has no involvement in the conflict. He confirmed that he would do all that is possible to assist the Thai hostages in releasing them safely and speedily.
“If there is any progress, he will call and inform me directly. And if there is something that has to be negotiated, he will inform me. I informed him that everything is open. Whatever the case may be, let’s get Thai people home as soon as possible,” Srettha remarked.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin had a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the phone.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz in the Kirya military base in Tel Aviv, Israel, Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023. (Abir Sultan/Pool Photo via AP)
Prime Minister Srettha also revealed that he urged the Israeli government to assist in ensuring the safety of the more than 20,000 Thais still working in Israel if the situation worsens and they are forced to evacuate, and the Israeli Prime Minister promised full cooperation to the Thais. Furthermore, the Israeli leader stated that if the crisis settles down, he will assist Thai workers in returning to work in Israel.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara, at the same time, thanked Qatar for playing a role in mediating the release of the hostages, which includes Thais, particularly in this increasingly complex context of the current situation.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara, meets with Sheikh Mohammad bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, in Doha on October 31.
He travelled to meet with Sheikh Mohammad bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, in Doha on October 31. Qatar confirmed that the Thai nationals are not involved in the conflict and is hopeful that the Thai nationals will be among the next group of foreign hostages released.
Areepen Utonsilp, advisor to Parliament President Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, said at a press conference on Wednesday he and his colleague travelled to Iran on Oct 25 and have met with Hamas representatives in Tehran. The Hamas representatives told him the Thai hostages are fine and “well taken care”. They promised to release the 22 Thai hostages soon although the ground incursion by Israel is making it difficult.
Areepen Utonsilp, advisor to Parliament President Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, said at a press conference on Wednesday he and his colleague have met with Hamas representatives in Tehran.
According to Thai Embassy in Tel Aviv, the last charter fight to evacuate Thai workers from Israel was on November 1, at 5 p.m., it was the same day the Thai Embassy delivered the third batch of Thai 11 bodies aboard EL AL Airlines flight LY08 and arrived at Suvarnabhumi airport at 12.40 p.m.
The delegation of the Ministry of Labour, as well as Mrs. Orna Sagiv, Ambassador of Israel to Thailand, attended the memorial service for them along with their family and relatives.
Permanent Secretary of Labour Pairoj Chotikasatien said the Israeli authorities said 60 more bodies have been found and were likely Asian but have yet to be properly identified. He added he hopes they’re not Thai.
Pairoj said some 20,000 plus Thai workers want to stay on, saying they’re in safe zone, and the government cannot force them to be evacuated.
On November 1, there are 21,535 Thai workers in Israel, with 8,331 of them returning to Thailand. There are still 23 hostages, 18 injured, and a total of 34 dead (29 confirmed by Israeli officials) whose bodies have been returned to Thailand. 3 times, for a total of 26.
Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, left, head of the military council, inspects officers during a parade to commemorate Myanmar's 78th Armed Forces Day in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Monday, March 27, 2023. (AP Photo/Aung Shine Oo)
BANGKOK (AP) — A U.N.-appointed human rights expert and opponents of Myanmar’s military government have welcomed the latest sanctions imposed by the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada on companies providing financial resources to the army-installed regime and high-ranking officials. The move is linked to rising violence and human rights abuses in the Southeast Asian nation.
The U.S. Treasury Department said Tuesday it was imposing sanctions on Myanmar’s state-owned Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise, a joint venture partner in all offshore gas projects and a vital source of hard cash for the military government. The sanctions block access to money and resources under U.S. control, and prohibit U.S. citizens from providing financial services to — or for the benefit of — MOGE starting from Dec. 15.
Five officials are on the sanctions list: the ministers of industry and investment and foreign economic relations; the director generals of the prosecution and prisons departments; and the chief of general staff for the combined military forces. Three organizations were also designated for sanctions, according to the Treasury Department.
FILE – The U.S. Treasury Department building is shown at dusk in Washington on June 6, 2019. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)
The U.K. also sanctioned five people and one entity that it said are involved either in providing financial services to the regime or the supply of restricted goods, including aircraft parts.
Canada also imposed sanctions against 39 individuals and 22 entities in coordination with the U.K. and the U.S.
Tom Andrews, a special rapporteur working with the U.N. human rights office, said in a statement that the fresh sanctions were important steps forward and that the ban on financial services that benefit MOGE would hit the junta’s largest source of revenue.
“These actions signal to the people of Myanmar that they have not been forgotten, but there is much more that the international community can and must do.” said Andrews, urging U.N. member states to take stronger, coordinated action “to support the heroic efforts of the people of Myanmar to defend their nation and save their children’s future.”
Justice for Myanmar, an underground group of researchers and activists from Myanmar, also said the U.S. move against MOGE was a welcome step “to disrupt the junta’s single biggest source of foreign revenue.” The group operates covertly because the military government does not tolerate critics of its rule.
“The U.S. should continue to target the junta’s access to funds, including through full sanctions on MOGE in coordination with its allies,” the group said in a statement.
The sanctions are the latest the Western governments have imposed on Myanmar’s military regime, after the army seized power from the elected civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi on Feb. 1, 2021.
Widespread nonviolent protests following the military takeover were suppressed by deadly force and triggered armed resistance in much of the country that some experts characterize as a civil war.
“Today’s action, taken in coordination with Canada and the United Kingdom … denies the regime access to arms and supplies necessary to commit its violent acts,” Brian Nelson, the Treasury Department’s undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in a statement.
“Collectively, we remain committed to degrading the regime’s evasion tactics and continuing to hold the regime accountable for its violence,” he said.
The Myanmar public and human rights groups had called for sanctions targeting gas revenues shortly after the army takeover. About 50% of Myanmar’s foreign income derives from natural gas revenues. Several offshore gas fields operate in Myanmar’s maritime territory, run by companies from Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, India and South Korea in partnership with MOGE. China is an investor in the pipeline that delivers the gas to the country.
The European Union imposed sanctions against MOGE in February last year.
Thaniya Shopping Center, catering to Japan Lovers hearts, hosts the “THANIYA JAPAN DAYS” event with the theme of ‘YATAI MURA’.
Thaniya Shopping Center, in collaboration with the Embassy of Japan in Thailand, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, the Japan Foundation Bangkok, Thai-Nichi Institute of Technology, and Bang Rak Rotary Club, is organizing THANIYA JAPAN DAYS, the grand annual Japanese festival, under the theme ‘YATAI MURA.’
The event will showcase a wide array of authentic Japanese food stalls that offer various dishes reminiscent of Japan’s culinary delights and bring Great Taste of Japanese Food Market to Bangkok. Make sure not to miss out on the specially curated menu exclusively available at this event.
Additionally, experience the authentic Japanese culture shows featuring traditional arts and performances from Japan. You can catch all these exciting activities from Friday, November 3rd, to Sunday, November 5th, 2023, from 11:00 AM to 12:00 AM (midnight), at Thaniya Shopping Center.
THANIYA JAPAN DAYS serves as a reaffirmation of the strong relationship with both Japanese nationals and Thai enthusiasts who have cherished Japan for over 30 years. It promotes Japanese culture, including authentic Japanese cuisine and traditional art performances, while also supporting Japanese restaurant entrepreneurs in Bangkok.
The event will offer a collection of legendary Japanese food and drinks, featuring unique flavors and specially curated menus exclusively created for this occasion. Presented in the form of ‘YATAI MURA’ or Street Food Vibes, attendees can enjoy offerings from renowned establishments such as KENJI’S LAB, which offers fusion homemade Izakaya-style cuisine.
Another highlight is SHAKARIKI432, famous Izakaya in Osaka for their delectable offerings. SAKE NO MISE, beloved by Thai patrons for their signature ‘Seafood Donburi’. ABURI IZAKAYA SAKU, a newly established Izakaya under the Terra Group umbrella, along with various other Japanese culinary delights will add to the diverse range of options available.
These include homemade curry from AORINGO, must-try Japanese dishes from DONKI, beef rice bowls from CHIKARA MESHI, Kushikatsu (deep-fried skewers) from IZAKAYA NAIHUA, Oden and Yakisoba from HI…JAPAN, Japanese shellfish and premium ingredients from YAKIIMOYA, Ramen noodle and curry rice from KURO KI IRO, accompanied by various beverage and dessert stalls catering to dessert lovers.
Featured items include HONCHA’s “Original Green Tea,” UHOLIC’s “Hokkaido Milk Ice Cream,” MIRUKU’s “Japanese-style Milk Shop,” and GLUTEN FREE TAMA BAKERY’s tempting offering of “Donut Stick & Ice Cream.”
After indulging in delicious food, prepare to be enchanted by genuine Japanese cultural performances, such as the rhythmic beating of Taiko drums, the lively Yosakoi dance, and captivating classical music.
Also, take the time to explore through various stalls hosted by members of the Rotaract where nursing students from Saint Louis College will offer desserts, beverages, souvenirs, and decorative items for sale within the event. All proceeds, after deducting expenses, will be donated to the Bang Rak Rotary Club of to support education, society, and underprivileged individuals.
For those interested, you can join THANIYA JAPAN DAYS ‘YATAI MURA’ at the front area of Thaniya Shopping Center (BTS Sala Daeng Exit 1 and MRT Silom Exit 2) from 11:00 AM to 12:00 AM (midnight).
For more information and updates, please visit Thaniya’s Facebook page: https://shorturl.asia/wysE7 or contact 02 231 2244, extension 602.
CP-Uoriki, a collaborative venture between CP Food Global Solutions (CPFGS) and Uoriki, is thrilled to unveil its first two seafood outlets in Bangkok, Thailand. Located at Lotus’s Sukhumvit 50 and Makro’s Srinakarin branch, these establishments aim to offer a premier Japanese seafood experience, boasting Omakase-level freshness and quality, and making an authentic Japanese culinary adventure accessible to the Thai population.
CP-UORIKI Company Limited is proud to introduce ‘CP-Uoriki’ to the Thai market, diligently selecting the finest seafood ingredients that reflect the high quality found in Omakase restaurants across Japan. Sourced directly from various Japanese fish markets, the selection includes premium bluefin tuna, Aomori’s salmon, Kagoshima’s yellowtail fish, Hokkaido’s hotate, and Iwate’s uni, bringing a taste of Japan’s exquisite seafood to Thailand.
Mr. Sujarit emphasized the synergy between CPFGS’s expertise in global food distribution and Uoriki’s century-long legacy in delivering fresh fish and seafood. “Our goal is to provide consumers with premium quality food that truly embodies Japanese culinary heritage. To ensure authenticity and maintain the highest standards, we have made certain that our chefs receive extensive training, under the mentorship of specialists from Japan,” Mr. Sujarit elaborated.
The company is planning to open additional outlets in various prestigious shopping centers throughout Bangkok and other provinces, aiming to reach 100 branches within the next five years.
Masayuki Yamada, President of Uoriki Co., Ltd. and the third generation to uphold the company’s legacy, performed a traditional Japanese tuna cutting ceremony at the opening event—a skill perfected over more than a century. Expressing his enthusiasm for the collaboration, Mr. Yamada stated, “This is a momentous occasion as we bring Uoriki’s rich heritage and authentic Japanese seafood dining experience to Thailand through ‘CP-Uoriki’. This venture, born from our collaborative efforts with CPFGS, is dedicated to providing an unparalleled, fresh, and healthy culinary experience to our customers.”
The police officers went undercover, posing as cinema employees and wearing Halloween masks.
Police dressed up in Halloween masks and caught a criminal in a cinema while going to see a horror movie on Halloween.
The criminal, identified as Mr Wanchai Saeng-udom, 32, had a history of several criminal cases, including drug dealing, gambling and theft. He had recently been released from prison.
The police officer who recorded the case also had a face painted as a ghost.
After his release, Wanchai began working at a famous restaurant in the Silom area, but later committed a theft at the same establishment, stealing various items including 5 tablets and a laptop worth over one hundred thousand baht. He fled the scene of the crime.
When the police learned that Wanchai was going to see the horror movie “Tee-Yod” with his girlfriend on Halloween night, they went undercover, posing as cinema employees and wearing Halloween masks for over three hours. Wanchai bought cinema tickets and was about to enter the cinema when the undercover officers approached him, took a photo with him and then revealed their true identities to arrest him.
The undercover officers approached him, took a photo with him in front of the movie poster, and then revealed their true identities to arrest him.
The case was then handed over to Thung Maha Mek Police Station for further legal action.
Wanchai confessed to all the charges. He added that he loved cooking and had worked as a chef for almost ten years. However, in August he had an argument with his colleagues and decided to quit his job. Out of anger and revenge, he stole from the restaurant and tried to sell the stolen items, but did not make the money he had hoped for because he was cheated.
Hino donates solar panel to Ban Lan Ueang School, Sukhothai as part of Hino Solar Powering a Sustainable Tomorrow campaign
Hino Motors Sales (Thailand) Ltd., led by HMST’s president Mr. Ken Iwamoto, executives, and Newman Co.,Ltd. (Sukhothai), jointly donated a solar panel for Ban Lan Ueang School in Ban Nam Phu, Ban Dan Lan Hoi District, Sukhothai.
The donation was part of the Hino We Care project under the concept of “Hino Solar Powering a Sustainable Tomorrow” in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), recognizing the importance of clean, sustainable energy while incorporating community engagement and creating social value into business operations.
A social panel of “Hino Solar Powering a Sustainable Tomorrow” can give more than a light to an underserved community. Apart from generating electric power from clean energy, it can effectively lower energy bills by an average of 2,000 baht per month, or approximately 24,000 baht per year, allowing the school to use the saved-up fund in other operations.
Ms. Wanphen Tuamnak, acting director of Ban Lan Ueang School, thanked Hino for this charitable project. “We have Hino to thank for solar panel donation,” she said.
“Currently, the school has online classes, so there is more electricity usage. Besides cost-effective electric bills, the solar panel gives us so many benefits including clean energy while the remaining fund can be used in teaching equipment purchases and scholarships. Thank you, Hino, for recognizing the importance of children who are becoming future generations.
Hino’s solar panel donation is an ongoing activity. By all means, clean energy should be distributed to various communities in Thailand to help sustain the ecosystem, promote a green society and use of clean energy. The project is taken as the first step to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build resilience to climate change while effectively achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
There will be more socially concerned activities under the Hino We Care project to continuously delight Thai society and to ensure the protection of the planet for future generations and environment as long as possible.
For more information, activities and latest updates, please visit www.hinothailand.com, Facebook: Hino Thailand Fan Club, Line: @hinoth, YouTube: Hino Thailand Official, and TikTok: @hinoth
The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), headed by CIB Commander Pol. Lt. Gen. Jirapop Phuridech, announced the arrest of Ms. Ai Xiaoliu, 48 years old, Mr. Long Huapiao, 38 years old, both Chinese nationals, and Ms. Sakuna Jansuk, 44 years old. They worked together to create fake social media pages to trick people into trading stocks. A total of 23 people were involved in this operation.
In raids at 21 locations in 8 provinces, police seized bitcoin cash worth 28 million baht, 23 account books, 21 mobile phones, 19 SIM cards, laptops and 20 other items with a total value of 30.9 million baht.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Jirapop Phuridech (centre) held a press conference on the arrest of Chinese and Thai scam networks.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Jirapop mentioned that this gang circulated more than 1.2 billion baht by deceiving victims through a fake Aurora Gold Shop Facebook page to create credibility. They also spent money on advertising on Facebook and misled many victims into believing they were investing in stock trading. They offered various investment packages and guaranteed high profits of 20 to 30 percent in just 5 to 20 minutes.
In the early stages, victims were able to withdraw their profits, which encouraged them to invest even more. Some victims invested large sums because they believed they would make a quick profit. However, the more they invested, the more impossible it became for them to withdraw their money because the scammers imposed various conditions, such as the payment of advisory or tax fees, so that they were ultimately unable to withdraw their invested funds.
a fake Aurora Gold Shop Facebook page
The CIB conducted a thorough investigation, identified the culprits and gathered evidence to issue arrest warrants for all 50 people involved. They have already arrested 26 of the suspects, including 4 Chinese ringleaders who frequently traveled in and out of Thailand. Most of the Thai participants were accountants, employees and agents of various companies.
Typically, call center gangs operate from neighboring countries to evade law enforcement and mainly use telephones for their operations. However, this gang was based in Thailand and used three different money laundering methods: buying foreign products and selling them in Cambodia and Laos to convert them into cash, converting funds into digital cryptocurrencies and finally converting them into various real estate properties. Three nominee companies were involved in managing these transactions.
Some of the suspects denied part of the involvement, while others denied all of it, leading to further investigations and court proceedings.
Chiangmai – Summit Green Valley Chiangmai Country Club has proactively designed its integrated golf services by working with Thailand’s top insurance firm Navakij Insurance to provide all golfers both locals and internationals with daily golf insurance for maximum safety from all possible risks while on golf course.
Mr. Akkaraphong Jurangkool, the Managing Director of the golf course emphasized that Summit Green Valley Chiangmai’s commitments are to provide maximum safety while on the golf course hence creative golf insurance program has been designed to offer to all golfers, besides others improvements projects which are in progress and have been completed to meet the international golf course standards.
“We are continuously working hard to create new products and services with our professional insurance partner Navakij Insurance to include the insurance coverage for every of our customers. This collaborative innovation in the golf industry in Thailand expects to draw all golfers to not only come to our Summit Green Valley Chiangmai Country Club but to Chiangmai and Thailand as a whole”, added Mr. Akkaraphong.
The golfer insurance package is part of the normal green fee the golf course has to offer to all golfers throughout 2024 and 2025 to start on 1st November 2023.
Executive Vice President of Navakij Insurance, Dr. Saran Wanglee added that this initiative is designed on the Safety & Happy Golf Campaign which Navakij has actively worked with Summit Green Valley since the launch of Hole-In-One Big Prize campaign to award the hole-in-one winner with 15,000 Baht cash prize in their tournament as well as full protection of all personal risks while on the course, on top of Summit Green Valley’s regular 25,000 Baht prize value for all hole-in-one winners.
Summit Green Valley is a 18 holes golf course, fully equipped with club house, catering, functions services. The golf course is surrounded with the green Suthep-Pui mountains of Chiangmai. It is the destination for all golfers with its unique design and layout, just 30 minutes from Chiangmai International Airport.
The special golf insurance is inclusively part of the normal green fee with insurance policy coverage of 500,000 Baht maximum for personal juries, loss and damage of property, as well as the third party liability for both local and in international customers, starting on 1st November 2023 throughout the years of 2023 to 2025.
In addition to the daily insurance package inclusively designed for all of its customers, Summit Green Valley also partnered with the country’s top brands to award the hole-in-one winners for their tournaments starting with 30 golfers with generous prizes as well as the motorcycles and luxury cars worth 1,250,000 Baht for the tournaments starting from 70 to 210 players when they can make the hole in one at its Par 3 Hole 16.
Summit Green Valley Chiangmai Country Club is not only the destination for all golfers to experience the unique golf course design but also to challenge their golf skills and capabilities. Chiangmai is also the destination for all visitors to experience the beauty of its cultures, foods, and to expose to 750 years old Chiangmai in the modern days, concluded Mr. Narongridh Sukchaiprakarn, the General Manager of Summit Green Valley Chiangmai. Interested golfers and tournaments organisers can contact its customer service team at telephone +053 298 222, or Line Official at : @summitgreenvalley or via www.summitgreenvalley.com
GENEVA (AP) — Saudi Arabia is all but certain to host the men’s 2034 World Cup after the Australian soccer federation decided not to enter the bidding contest, which had been widely seen as shaped by FIFA to suit the oil-rich kingdom.
FIFA had set Tuesday as the deadline for its member federations in Asia and Oceania to formally declare interest in hosting the tournament, and it later confirmed that only Saudi Arabia was in.
Australia’s decision not to enter the race left Saudi Arabia alone as a declared candidate — to the dismay of many human rights activists.
“We have explored the opportunity to bid to host the FIFA World Cup and — having taken all factors into consideration — we have reached the conclusion not to do so for the 2034 competition,” Football Australia said in a statement.
FIFA still needs to rubber stamp Saudi Arabia as the host — a decision that is likely to be made late next year — but that now seems a formality.
It would be the culmination of Saudi Arabia’s ambitious drive to become a major player in global sports, having already spent massive amounts on bringing in dozens of star soccer players to its domestic league, buying English soccer club Newcastle, launching the breakaway LIV Golf tour and hosting major boxing fights.
But FIFA’s seeming eagerness to pave the way for Saudi Arabia to host its marquee event has drawn widespread criticism from activists who say it exposes the governing body’s human rights commitments as “a sham.”
Saudi Arabia’s sports spending program approved by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been described as sportswashing to soften a national image often associated with its record on women’s rights and the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
When FIFA made a deal this month to have just one host bid for the 2030 World Cup — uniting Spain, Portugal and Morocco with three games placed in South America — it also fast-tracked the 2034 hosting race with only member federations in Asia and Oceania eligible to bid.
The tight deadline gave them less than four weeks to enter the race by Tuesday and just one month more to sign a bidding agreement with government support for staging 104 games over nearly six weeks.
The timetable “was a little bit of a surprise,” Australian soccer federation leader James Johnson acknowledged Tuesday, adding “we’re adults and we just try to roll with it and deal with the cards that we have been given.”
Within hours of the FIFA announcement on Oct. 4, the Saudi soccer federation said it was in and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) — which includes Australia — said it was backing the kingdom to bring the World Cup back to the Middle East after neighboring Qatar hosted the 2022 edition.
Qatar hosted in November and December, in the heart of the European club soccer season, to avoid extreme heat in the summer months and a Saudi tournament likely also will be moved from the traditional June-July period.
Australia will instead attempt to secure hosting the 2029 Club World Cup — which will relaunch in 2025 playing every four years in a new format with 32 teams qualifying — and the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup. Saudi Arabia also is bidding for the women’s Asian championship.
“I think there will be some goodwill created by not going for 2034,” Johnson told reporters in an online call, accepting that the resources of a government-backed Saudi bid “is difficult to compete with.”
Australia and New Zealand successfully co-hosted the Women’s World Cup in July and August. Brisbane, Queensland state, is due to become the third Australian city to host the Olympics when it stages the 2032 Summer Games.
Saudi Arabia also will host the men’s Asian Cup in 2027 and has started a widespread construction program to build and renovate stadiums that likely will be used for the World Cup. FIFA’s bidding documents say 14 stadiums are needed at the 48-team tournament.
Qatar’s World Cup was dogged by years-long allegations of rights abuses of migrant workers needed to build its stadiums.
“FIFA’s failure in 2010 to insist on human rights protections when it awarded the 2022 World Cup to Qatar is a major reason why serious reforms were so delayed, and so often weakly implemented and enforced,” Football Supporters Europe executive director Ronan Evain said Tuesday.
Saudi Arabia’s preparation should face some of the same scrutiny in the next decade.
“With Saudi Arabia’s estimated 13.4 million migrant workers, inadequate labor and heat protections and no unions, no independent human rights monitors, and no press freedom, there is every reason to fear for the lives of those who would build and service stadiums, transit, hotels, and other hosting infrastructure in Saudi Arabia,” Human Rights Watch director of global initiatives Minky Worden said in a recent statement.
“The possibility that FIFA could award Saudi Arabia the 2034 World Cup despite its appalling human rights record and closed door to any monitoring exposes FIFA’s commitments to human rights as a sham,” Worden said.
FIFA’s own World Cup bidding documents push potential hosts toward “respecting internationally recognized human rights,” though limits the remit to tournament operations rather than in wider society.
“FIFA must now make clear how it expects hosts to comply with its human rights policies,” Amnesty International official Steve Cockburn said in a statement Tuesday. “It must also be prepared to halt the bidding process if serious human rights risks are not credibly addressed.”
Aiming to stress the rigor of its bid evaluation processes, FIFA said in a statement later Tuesday its staff will assess the Saudi bid for “event vision and key metrics, infrastructure, services, commercial, and sustainability and human rights.”
The 2034 winner looked immediately clear even if the result is not officially final for one more year.
Israeli Iron Dome air defense system fires to intercept a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip, in central Israel, Monday, Oct. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen issued a video statement on Tuesday claiming to have fired ballistic missiles and drones at Israel, saying it was the third such operation. They threatened to carry out more strikes “until the Israeli aggression stops.”
The claims by the Houthis draw Iran closer into the ongoing Israel-Hamas war as Tehran remains a main sponsor.
Earlier this month, a U.S. Navy destroyer in the Red Sea intercepted three cruise missiles and several drones launched toward Israel by the Houthis, who control much of northern Yemen, including its capital, Sanaa. Mysterious projectiles have also struck inside Egypt, near the Israeli border.
An Israeli Apache helicopter fires flares over the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
A U.N. arms embargo has prohibited weapons transfers to the Houthis since 2014, when Yemen’s civil war erupted.
There also has been at least one attack that the Houthis claimed where suspicion later fell fully on Iran. In 2019, cruise missiles and drones successfully penetrated Saudi Arabia and struck the heart of its oil industry in Abqaiq. That attack temporarily halved the kingdom’s production and spiked global energy prices by the biggest percentage since the 1991 Gulf War.
While the Houthis claimed the Abqaiq attack, the U.S., Saudi Arabia and analysts blamed Iran. U.N. experts similarly said it was “unlikely” the Houthis carried out the assault, though Tehran denied being involved.
ISRAELI GROUND FORCES ATTACK HAMAS TARGETS IN NORTH AS WARPLANES STRIKE ACROSS GAZA
A deluge of Israeli airstrikes Tuesday on a refugee camp near Gaza City demolished apartment buildings, leaving gaping holes where they once stood, while ground troops battled Hamas militants across northern Gaza. Buoyed by the first successful rescue of a captive held by Hamas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected calls for a cease-fire and again vowed to crush the militant group’s ability to govern Gaza or threaten Israel.
Though more than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million Palestinians have fled their homes, several hundred thousand remain in the north, where Israeli troops and tanks have reportedly advanced on multiple sides of Gaza City.
The Palestinian death toll in the Israel-Hamas war has reached 8,525, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza. In the occupied West Bank, more than 122 Palestinians have been killed in violence and Israeli raids.
More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, most of them civilians slain in the initial Hamas rampage that started the fighting Oct. 7. In addition, 240 hostages were taken from Israel into Gaza by the militant group. One of the captives, a female Israeli soldier, was rescued in a special forces operation.
Palestinians look for survivors following Israeli airstrike in Nusseirat refugee camp, Gaza Strip, Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023. (AP Photo/Doaa AlBaz)
GAZA HEALTH MINISTRY SAYS 219 PEOPLE DIED IN THE PAST DAY, BRINGING TOTAL TO 8,525
CAIRO — The Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza said Tuesday it registered the deaths of at least 219 people in the past day, bringing the death toll to 8,525 since the war began.
Spokesperson Ashraf al-Qidra said in a televised news conference that the fatalities include 3,542 children and 2,187 women.
He said the main power generator in the Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahia, north of Gaza, has stopped working due to a lack of fuel.
He warned that more hospitals could go out of service in the coming days if fuel isn’t allowed into the besieged territory.
FBI DIRECTOR WARNS OF INCREASED RISK OF TERROR ATTACKS IN WAKE OF ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR
WASHINGTON — FBI Director Christopher Wray said Tuesday that multiple foreign extremist groups have called for attacks against Americans and the West in the past few weeks and suggested Hamas’ attack on Israel could inspire threats like those motivated by the Islamic State group years ago.
“We assess that the actions of Hamas and its allies will serve as an inspiration the likes of which we haven’t seen since ISIS launched its so-called caliphate years ago,” Wray testified before a U.S. Senate committee.
Wray said the FBI isn’t currently tracking an “organized threat” in the U.S., but law enforcement is concerned about the war unfolding in the Middle East inspiring individual people or small groups to attack Americans in their daily lives.
The FBI expects cyber targeting of American interests and infrastructure, as well as the threat of other attacks, to get worse as the conflict expands, he said.
“It is a time to be concerned. We are in a dangerous period,” Wray said. “We shouldn’t stop going out but should be vigilant.”
Israeli artillery fires near the border with the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
NATO CHIEF WARNS AGAINST ESCALATION OF MIDEAST TENSIONS
COPENHAGEN, Denmark — NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday said that Iran, Hezbollah and other groups must not abuse the current situation and escalate the tensions in the Middle East.
“It is also important that this war does not escalate into a major regional conflict,” Stoltenberg said in Oslo, where he attended the annual meeting of the Nordic Council.
“The suffering we have seen in recent weeks reminds us once again that we must not give up the work for a lasting, peaceful political solution to the conflict,” he said.
The eight-member regional grouping includes Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, as well as the autonomous areas of the Aland islands, the Faeroe Islands and Greenland.
Palestinians look for survivors under the rubble of a destroyed building following Israeli airstrikes in Nusseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip, Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023. (AP Photo/Mohammed Dahman)
WAR RAISES FEARS FOR ISRAEL’S FARMING FUTURE
ASHKELON, Israel — The soldiers guarding Avi Chivivian’s organic vegetable farm in southern Israel must first scour every corner of his fields for militants before they give him the all clear: He has six hours to work.
It’s potato planting season for the farms of southern Israel, a region near the Gaza border that the Agriculture Ministry calls the country’s “vegetable barn” because it supplies at least a third of Israel’s vegetables. But Chivivian, one of the few remaining farmers in the area since the brutal Oct. 7 cross-border attack by Hamas militants, no longer lives by the harvest cycle. He’s on the military’s timetable.
The Israel-Hamas war has plunged Israel’s agricultural heartlands, located around the Gaza Strip and in the north near the Lebanese and Syrian borders, into crisis. Israeli airstrikes, ground operations and a siege have also upendedall manner of lifein Gaza.
Near Gaza, the military has banned all farming within 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) of the border fence and tightly monitors farmers whose lands lie just outside the no-go zone.
In the north, entire communities have been evacuated because of rocket fire from Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group. As foreign laborers flee and farming towns have emptied out, the country has begun importing more vegetables. The few remaining farmers fret for the future of Israeli agriculture.
