Civil society organisations at the World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting in the United Arab Emirates this week have criticized restrictions on their participation, including alleging that some of their members had been briefly detained at the talks. Our World Is Not For Sale (OWINFS), a network of civil society groups, said on Wednesday it had...
His presence presented a symbolic split screen: Global climate talks in one frame, Putin’s oil negotiations in the other. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — While everyone else was trying to rescue the world from climate catastrophe, Vladimir Putin was negotiating Russia’s oil exports down the road. As the COP28 climate talks in Dubai reached their...
The UAE will have its moment of glory while the UK press worries more about petrostate money buying the Telegraph. petrostate hosting a climate conference” sounds like a situation shouted out at an improv night, after they’ve done the ones about a fox hosting a henhouse and Jimmy Savile hosting Jim’ll Fix It. Arguably, though,...
Tanzania’s government signed a controversial port management deal with Dubai-based DP World that had fueled protests in the African country in the past months and led to arrests of dozens of critics. The deal was signed on Sunday in the presence of Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who has recently been accused of cracking down...
Why on earth is a giant petrostate hosting Cop28? Putting the United Arab Emirates in charge of this year’s international climate conference is like getting a tobacco company to lead an anti-smoking convention, fumes Anthony Harwood. Two glaring contradictions leap out when you consider why on earth the United Arab Emirates is hosting this year’s international climate...
UK asked to obtain assurances from UAE overright to protest at COP28. Human-rights activists have reacted with skepticism to the pledge by the oil-rich Gulf state that it will allow climate demonstrations. Pressure is mounting on the UK government to obtain assurances from the United Arab Emirates that Britons who stage protests in Dubai around...
Sıtkı Ayan, the businessman helping Tehran sell oil, dodged US sanctions for years On March 22 of 2021, several of the world’s most dangerous men descended on Beirut’s historic seaside Summerland Hotel — not to swim in the Mediterranean or explore the sumptuous resort’s “Le Beach Pop Up,” but to talk Turkey. The meeting was...
The money behind Sudan’s most powerful militia In April 2019, Sudan’s social and political upheaval resulted in the removal of President Omar al-Bashir after nearly 30 years in power. Sudan has now entered a new period, where civilians share power with the Sudanese military in the ruling Sovereignty Council. A militia named the Rapid Support...