UN voices concern over stalled Israel-Palestine talks

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon meets with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu in October 2015 [File: Sebastian Scheiner/AP]

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed concern that a stalemate in the negotiations between Israel and Palestinians is reaching the point of no return for a two-state solution.

"The time has come for Israelis, Palestinians and the international community to read the writing on the wall: The status quo is untenable," Ban wrote in an opinion piece published in the New York Times late on Sunday.

"Keeping another people under indefinite occupation undermines the security and the future of both Israelis and Palestinians."

Upwards of 600,000 Palestinians were expelled from their homeland and turned into refugees in neighbouring countries during Israel's 1948 establishment.

They have swelled into more than five million UN-registered refugees in camps across Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and the occupied Palestinian territories. 

Since the 1967 Middle East war, Israel has occupied the Palestinian territories of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. 

Israel also occupies Syria's Golan Heights, home to some 20,000 Syrian Arabs from the Druze religious sect. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed Ban last week, saying he gave a "tailwind to terrorism" after the secretary-general put some of the blame on Israel for four months of stabbings and car rammings by Palestinians.

Protests against Israel's ongoing occupation in the Palestinian territories have boiled over into violence in recent months.

Since October 1, Israeli forces or settlers have killed at least 167 Palestinians, including bystanders, unarmed demonstrators and attackers. At least 25 Israelis have been killed in attacks carried out by Palestinians.

Ban, who will step down at the end of 2016 after 10 years as UN chief, had told the UN Security Council that it is "human nature to react to occupation". 

"I will always stand up to those who challenge Israel's right to exist," Ban said in the Times, "just as I will always defend the right of Palestinians to have a state of their own. That is why I am so concerned that we are reaching a point of no return for the two-state solution.

"The United States and the European Union - Israel's closest allies - also have had unusually stern criticism of Israel in recent weeks, reflecting their frustrations with Netanyahu's right-wing government.

US-led efforts to broker a "two-state solution" collapsed in 2014. France said on Friday it will recognise a Palestinian state if a final push that Paris plans to lead for a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians fails.

"The stalemate carries grave risks for both sides: a continuation of the deadly wave of terrorism and killings; the collapse of the Palestinian Authority; greater isolation of and international pressure on Israel," Ban wrote.

He said the Palestinians must bring Gaza and the West Bank under a single democratic-governing authority and take action to stop attacks on Israel, including an immediate end to the building of Gaza tunnels into Israel.

On Sunday, a Palestinian Authority police officer was shot dead while attacking and injuring three Israeli soldiers in the Ramallah area of the West Bank. Israeli forces quickly imposed a siege on Ramallah, where the PA is based.

According a poll conducted in December by the Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research, two-thirds of Palestinians polled believe a two-state solution is "no longer viable", while 65 percent believe that PA President Mahmoud Abbas should resign. 

Alaa Tartir, programmes director at Al-Shabaka, a Palestinian policy network, told Al Jazeera that Palestinians "have already paid a high price" for negotiations that have failed to end the Israeli occupation. 

"Nowadays, the youth revolting in the streets of Palestine are challenging the Israeli matrix of control, but they are also challenging the PA's failed strategy and its illegitimate leadership, effectively saying that enough is enough." He added.

Kate Middleton Will Give Her First Interview Since 2010

Chris Jackson—Getty ImagesCatherine, Duchess of Cambridge attends a Christmas Day church service at Sandringham on Dec. 25, 2015 in King's Lynn, England.

Princess Kate is ready for her close-up!

To celebrate Queen Elizabeth‘s upcoming 90th birthday, several senior royals have contributed to an exclusive film on “her life and reign” – including Princess Kate.

The two-hour film with a working title of The Queen At Ninety will air in the U.K on ITV this spring and contains commentary from Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, as well as Prince William and wife Kate. It will be the first time that Kate, 34, has been interviewed since he rengagement to William in 2010.

“We’ve been fortunate to have the participation of so many members of the royal family to mark this historic milestone in the life of the Queen,” Nick Kent, executive producer for Oxford Film and Television, said in a statement Monday, adding: “It’s a remarkable story of an extraordinary life, which in so many ways reflects the changing face of the nation.”

With exclusive access to the work of the Queen and other members of the royal family both in the U.K and oversees during the last year, the program will also feature “leading national and international figures.”

It was also confirmed Monday that TV presenters, Ant and Dec will host the ITV broadcast of The Queen’s 90th Birthday Celebration, which will air in May.

The sold-out extravaganza – held on the grounds of Windsor Castle– will run every evening from May 12-15 with the Queen herself attending on the final night.

The show will tell the story of the Queen’s life from her birth to the present day, using horses (over 900 of them), actors, bands and dancers (1,500 participants in total) to recount the remarkable history of her record-breaking reign.

South Sudan army accused of suffocating 50 civilians

The war in South Sudan has forced one million people from their homes and left four million others hungry [EPA]

At least 50 people suffocated to death when they were shoved into metal containers in sweltering conditions by troops belonging to South Sudan, a commission monitoring the ceasefire between rival factions said.

The incident was one of several listed as examples of ceasefire violations carried out by forces on both sides, outlined in a report compiled by the Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (JMEC), which was made public at the African Union (AU) summit on Sunday.

"About 50 people suffocated in a container on about October 22. The investigation was protracted. Attribution of responsibility: Government Forces," the report said in a section titled "concerning the killing of civilians in Unity State".

Despite an August peace deal, fighting continues in the country, and the conflict now involves multiple militias who according to the AU report are driven by local agendas and revenge attacks.

In South Sudan, metal containers are often used as makeshift prison cells. Temperatures in the northern battleground state of Unity regularly top 40 degrees Celsius.

There was no immediate response from South Sudan's army.

Last month, a United Nations panel of experts said South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and rebel chief Riek Machar should face sanctions for their role in the war.

JMEC chief Festus Mogae, a former Botswana president, said the AU had a duty to respond to the allegations laid out in the report.

"Given the fragility of the security situation in South Sudan, the renewed risk of conflict, and continued insecurity affecting the humanitarian relief effort, emphatic, stern measures should be taken by the African Union ... rhetoric alone can only do so much," Mogae said.

Both the government and rebel sides have been accused of perpetrating ethnic massacres, recruiting and killing children and carrying out widespread rape, torture and forced displacement of populations to "cleanse" areas of their opponents.

Tusk To Table New Plans For EU Deal With UK

Mr Tusk said he would submit the plans on Tuesday ahead of a summit of EU leaders on 18-19 February.

But in a sign there could still be some way to go, Mr Tusk said "outstanding issues" remained.

Downing Street has acknowledged Britain still faces "a lot of hard work" to secure acceptable reforms in time for an early in/out referendum.

Intensive negotiations have taken place between diplomats in Brussels to finalise a package to put to the EU's 28 national leaders.

Agreement in February is regarded as crucial if the referendum is to be held before the summer holidays, which is David Cameron's preference.

In a message on Twitter Mr Tusk said: "Tomorrow around noon I will table proposal for a new settlement for #UKinEU. Good progress last 24 hours but still outstanding issues."

Mr Tusk approved a 24-hour extension on Sunday after a meeting with the Prime Minister in Downing Street.

It delivered what Number 10 termed a "significant breakthrough" over migrant benefits, but failed to reach agreement on a number of other areas.

Mr Tusk will now present EU leaders with his proposed solutions to the UK's concerns over migration, sovereignty, competitiveness and protection for non-eurozone countries, for discussion at the upcoming Council summit.

 the PM had won an assurance that a proposed "emergency brake" on welfare payments to EU workers could be triggered immediately after a vote to remain in the bloc, on the basis of existing levels of immigration.

Mr Cameron's official spokeswoman insisted Britain had made "substantial progress", although she added: "There is more work to do in all four areas - more work in some areas than in others."

It remained unclear how the proposed emergency brake would operate and who would have the final say on when it could be activated and how long it would remain in effect.

The mechanism has been put forward by Brussels as an alternative to Mr Cameron's plan to impose a unilateral four-year curb on benefits which other member states have ruled out as discriminatory and in breach of the freedom of movement principle.

Supporters of British withdrawal from the EU dismissed the latest round of negotiations as a choreographed display designed to convince voters that Mr Cameron has been forced to fight hard for significant concessions.

UKIP deputy leader Paul Nuttall said: "The theatrics and drama of David Cameron's sham renegotiation continues and he is playing us for fools."

But Mr Cameron's spokeswoman denied the wrangling was concocted. "I wouldn't accept that at all," she said.

"Look at the amount of hard work, time and effort the Prime Minister, other senior ministers and senior Government officials have had to put into this.

"These are significant, far-reaching reforms and that is why it is taking time."

WHO Declares Zika an International Public Health Emergency

The World Health Organization declared the Zika crisis—a mosquito-borne virus linked to birth defects—an international public health emergency Monday, freeing money to fund international efforts to combat the disease.

The declaration, only the fourth in WHO’s history, comes just days after the organization said the total number of cases could hit 4 million by the end of the year. The virus has spread rapidly throughout the Americas infecting people in more than 20 countries. Officials in Brazil, the hardest hit country, have estimated 1.5 million infections. WHO was criticized for waiting months after an Ebola outbreak hit West Africa to declare an international public health emergency in 2014.

The virus, first discovered in 1957, was thought to be harmless for decades. But in recent months the virus has been linked to microcephaly, a birth defect that causes children to be born with brain damage and shrunken heads.

Countries across North and South America have taken precautions to stem the spread for the virus. El Salvador called on women in the country to hold off on pregnancy for two years. The U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued travel warnings for much of Latin America telling pregnant women to avoid the area.

Iran: Back in business

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has started a shopping tour in Europe just days after the lifting of international sanctions over Iran's nuclear programme.

He wants to let the world know that Iran is back in business. And European companies are lining up for a share in the Iranian market - promising billions of dollars in new deals. 

But what does the end of Iran sanctions mean for the global economy? 

As President Rouhani is signing billion-dollar deals to rebuild his country, we look at the biggest new market entering the global economy in decades.

Nigeria: Flirting with disaster?

Also on this episode of Counting the Cost: More pain than gain in the oil-rich Niger Delta region as low oil prices spell bad news for Nigeria's economy.

With low oil prices and Nigeria's currency under devaluation pressure, is Nigeria flirting with disaster? 

Yvonne Ndege reports on the economic storm clouds facing Africa's biggest economy.

Zambia and the end of the commodity boom

Zambia is one of the countries feeling the effects of falling commodity prices.

The country's economy relies heavily on copper, but prices have hit a six-year low. The metal is often used as a barometer for global demand growth because of its widespread use in manufacturing.

Thousands of people have lost their jobs as mining companies across the country are shutting down operations. 

We find out why the decade-long commodity boom appears to be ending and how it affects ordinary people and the global economy.

Trump vs. Cruz: Why the Iowa Winner Could Change the GOP

The great Republican rebellion of 2016 begins Monday night in Iowa, where voters will take their first steps toward a hostile takeover of the GOP by handing a victory to a candidate promising to rattle the gilded cages of the Washington elite.

There are meaningful similarities between Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, who are locked in a tight battle atop the Iowa polls. Both are solo artists in a team sport. They’re provocateurs who treat party bosses like punching bags and channeled frustration with the status quo into surprising success.

But it’s the stark differences between the two men, in both substance and style, that have raised the stakes of a sparsely attended contest in this tiny state.

The Iowa caucuses will be first clear verdict on the unanswered question at the heart of the great GOP crackup: whether this budding rebellion will be driven by rigid ideology or inchoate rage. When they head to their caucus precincts on Monday night, Iowa voters will be doing more than giving a candidate their blessing. They’ll be defining the direction of this insurgent insurrection.

Cruz’s campaign is a pitch to the head, not the heart. It’s rooted in the promise that he alone is a pure conservative, with a proven record of standing on principle. Trump’s is predicated on the idea that he’s winner who can’t be bought, a hard-nosed negotiator who will reverse the nation’s sliding fortunes. Cruz has built a traditional campaign, with an expansive grassroots organization and precision targeting. Trump’s is more or less headquartered on Twitter. One is a former Supreme Court lawyer; the other a former reality-TV star. Cruz’s stump speech is scripted down to the pauses for emphasis; Trump spins stream-of-consciousness hosannas to himself. Cruz has a three-minute riff on EPA blend walls. Trump asks Iowa voters if he can buy their farms.

Cruz is all polish and policy. Trump delights fans by flouting political correctness. Take Winnie Meyer, 69, a longtime Republican from Dyersville, Iowa, who thinks her own party is “every bit as bad” as the Democrats. Trump isn’t the most conservative candidate, she concedes. What matters to her?

“Donald Trump is no one’s bitch,” Meyer explains at a recent Trump rally in an airplane hanger in Dubuque. “He doesn’t need their money. He doesn’t need their approval. He’s the outsider who can shake up the system.”

Cruz contrasts his principled record with his opponents’ ideological heresies. “We cannot get fooled again. The stakes are too high,” he told a crowd Sunday afternoon at a muddy fairground in Iowa City. “We cannot roll the dice.”

Trump, the former casino magnate, is all puffery and patriotism. “Finally, after all these years of watching stupidity, we will MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” he tweeted.

The big question is how many new caucusgoers will be motivated by these emotional appeals. In 2012, about 122,000 voters participated in the Iowa caucuses. Campaigns are expecting that number to climb, with an influx of first-timers who are more likely to support Trump. The businessman’s magic number is about 140,000: if that many voters turn out, he’s likely to win.

Which leaves him relying on voters like Diana Schneider, a 56-year-old small-business owner from Bellevue, Iowa. She has never before caucused but is eager to help Trump on Monday. She thinks Cruz is “too conservative,” and she can’t get enough of Trump’s broadsides.

“He has said so many mean things,” Schneider marvels. “He scares people. Good. I think we need a change. He says what’s on his mind. So what?”

If Trump fans love his pugilistic spirit, Cruz supporters are drawn to his governing philosophy. His closing argument lays out ideological contrasts. “A vote for Marco Rubio is a vote for amnesty,” he said Sunday. “And a vote for Donald Trump is a vote for Obamacare.”

And while Trump’s ground game is a black box, Cruz has built the most sophisticated field operation in the state. He has more than 1,500 precinct captains, a long roster of influential pastors’ endorsements and some 12,000 volunteers on the ground, from as far away as Montana and Ireland.

The nerve center of the Cruz turnout operation is a storefront field office tucked inside a suburban Des Moines office park. From 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., dozens of volunteers hunch over cheap plastic tables, armed with scripts and caucus-night talking points. A hand-lettered sign on one wall sets the daily target at 15,000 phone calls. On Saturday the volunteers smashed that mark with more than 27,000, says Rachael Slobodien, a Cruz spokeswoman.

Many of the diehards are among the more than 800 volunteers who have bunked since Jan. 1 at what the campaign calls Camp Cruz, a converted college dormitory on the outskirts of Des Moines. One of them is Jerry Dunleavy, a 28-year-old from Columbus, Ohio, with a chestnut beard and a Buckeyes cap. Last month he quit his job at a child-support enforcement agency to come to Des Moines, where he rises at 5:30 a.m. to begin preparing for a 15-hour shift overseeing the door-knocking efforts of more than 70 volunteers. Cruz’s record of standing on principle is the reason why.

“Going against the system, in and of itself, doesn’t really mean anything,” Dunleavy says. “There’s a huge difference between Cruz and all the other candidates.”

The vast chasm between Cruz’s approach and Trump’s means that there are relatively few caucusgoers deciding between the two. That’s one reason why the Texan’s campaign made a late shift in television-advertising strategy, shelving much of its anti-Trump onslaught to concentrate its assault on Marco Rubio. Surveys show that undecided voters are more likely to be waffling between the two Senators, or between Cruz and Ben Carson, who maintained 10% support in the latest Des Moines Register poll.

Rubio’s late momentum has made the race a three-man contest. He’s climbing in the polls here and is expected to finish a strong third or better. In the latest Des Moines Register poll, he notched 15% — a figure that underestimates his support, according to the internal poll numbers of multiple campaigns. Like Cruz, Rubio has followed a tested formula, keeping a low profile before swooping in for a late push designed to outpace expectations.

His pitch to caucusgoers is electability. His stump speech and public image are carefully manicured, and that caution has produced among the highest likability numbers in the GOP field. At his final Iowa rally on Sunday, he suggested Cruz and Trump could leave their supporters cringing. “I will always seek to make you proud,” he told a crowd of hundreds in Davenport, exhorting them to caucus for “someone who has a chance to win the presidency.”

The Florida Senator has taken aim in the final days at Cruz’s holier-than-thou conservatism. “Ted has been very calculated, taking one position in one place and a different position somewhere else,” he said on CBS’s Face the Nation,trying to undercut Cruz’s message of standing on principle.

Regardless of whether Iowa voters opt for the ideological conservative or the larger-than-life businessman, the leaders of the 2016 anti-Establishment revolt are heartened about one thing.

“It’s an intra-family fight,” says Mo Brooks, a Republican Congressman from Alabama who supports Cruz, “and the Establishment candidates have very little chance. The campaign is down to Cruz vs. Trump. None of the rest have a path.” The question is which path the voters prefer, and it finally forks on Monday.