OMAN – Heavy rains and flash floods have swept parts of the Gulf region, killing at least 18 people in Oman and causing travel disruption in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
In Oman, the death toll announced yesterday included at least nine schoolchildren and their driver whose vehicle was washed away by the floodwaters in Samad A’Shan last Sunday.
The National Committee for Emergency Management said rescue teams were still searching for two missing people.
The government gave administrative staff in public and private sectors the day off due to the bad weather conditions in several provinces, while remote work was recommended in other parts of the sultanate. Residents were also urged to evacuate to shelters if they felt they were in danger or asked by authorities to do so.

Police and soldiers were deployed to the hardest-hit province of Ash Sharqiyah North to transport citizens out of flooded areas, according to state media.
Meanwhile, heavy rainfall also lashed the neighbouring UAE yesterday, flooding portions of major highways and leaving vehicles abandoned on roadways across Dubai.

The rains began overnight, leaving massive ponds on streets as whipping winds disrupted flights at Dubai international airport.
Schools across the country largely shut before the storm and government employees were working remotely if able. Many workers stayed home as well, though some ventured out, with the unfortunate ones stalling out their vehicles in deeper-than-expected water covering some roads. Authorities sent tanker trucks into the streets and highways to pump away the water.
Initial estimates suggested more than 30mm (1.2 inches) of rain fell yesterday morning in Dubai, with as much as 128mm (5 inches) of rain throughout the day.

Rain also fell in Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
(Al Jazeera)…[+]

ISRAEL – Israel has launched a “diplomatic offensive” against Iran, calling for sanctions against the Islamic republic. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said yesterday that he has contacted 32 countries calling on them to impose sanctions against Tehran. The move comes as Israel mulls a military response to Iran’s attack on Israel.

Iran says its attacks on Saturday, using more than 300 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles, were in retaliation for Israel’s strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria. That attack killed 13 people, including two commanders of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).

The Israeli military said it intercepted 99 percent of the aerial threats with the help of the United States and other allies, and that the attack caused only minor damage, including to a military base in the country’s south.

“Alongside the military response to the firing of the missiles and the UAVs, I am leading a diplomatic offensive against Iran,” Katz said on X.
“This morning, I sent letters to 32 countries and spoke with dozens of foreign ministers and leading figures around the world, calling for sanctions to be imposed on the Iranian missile project and that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps be declared a terrorist organisation”. Katz did not specify which governments he had asked to impose the sanctions. The IRGC is already blacklisted as a terrorist organisation by the United States and is subject to EU sanctions.

Tension is high as Israel mulls its reaction to last Saturday’s attack. International pressure calling for restraint is rife from Tel Aviv’s partners amid fears that the war in Gaza threatens further escalation of conflict in the Middle East.

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and military commanders have pledged retaliation, albeit in undefined form for the meantime. Chief of staff Herzi Halevi said that “this launch of so many missiles, cruise missiles and drones into Israeli territory will be met with a response” but gave no details.
Against this backdrop, Iran warned yesterday that it will respond swiftly to any action against its interests.
Qatar has sought to play the role of mediator amid the Israel-Hamas war over the past six months.
Iran’s deputy foreign minister Ali Bagheri Kani told state TV that Tehran’s response to any Israeli retaliation would be “a matter of seconds”.
Iran will not wait for another 12 days to respond, he said, a reference to the delay between the April 1 strike on the Syrian diplomatic facility and Iran’s attacks on Israel.

The attack by Iran had already prompted renewed discussion of sanctions in the West, updating a debate that has been provoked by Tehran’s supply of drones to Russia for its use in Ukraine.

Germany called on the European Union yesterday to impose new sanctions on Iranian drone technology.
“I campaigned in late autumn together with France and other partners within the European Union for this drone sanctions regime to be extended further … I hope that we can now finally take this step together,” Annalena Baerbock told a press conference in Berlin, ahead of a visit to Israel.

(Al Jazeera)…[+]

US – The United States is renewing efforts to push through a stalled funding package for Israel despite stressing it will not help with any counteroffensive measures against Iran. President Joe Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a phone call late last Sunday that the US would not take part in any retaliatory action in response to Iran’s air attack the previous day. Despite the US president joining global calls for restraint, the rising tensions in the Middle East look set to accelerate approval of a stalled funding package that would see Washington hand Netanyahu $14bn in aid. “We believe Israel has freedom of action to protect itself and defend itself … That’s a longstanding policy and that remains, but no, we would not envision ourselves participating in such a thing,” a senior US administration official said. The Iranian attack, which came in response to a strike – as yet unclaimed by Israel – on Iran’s embassy in Syria on April 1, saw more than 300 missiles and drones launched towards Israel. However, it caused only modest damage, with most shot down by Israel, with help from the US, the United Kingdom, France and Jordan. Israel’s five-member war cabinet, which met on Sunday evening, is reported to favour retaliation. However, division over the timing and scale of any response is said to persist. In a statement issued late last Saturday, Biden said he had told Netanyahu that Israel had “demonstrated a remarkable capacity to defend against and defeat even unprecedented attacks”. However, he did not reveal if Israel’s response was discussed. John Kirby, the White House’s top national security spokesperson, sought to set out the US position clearly in an interview on the NBC channel. “Our commitment is ironclad” to defending Israel and to “helping Israel defend itself”, he said, before adding: “As the president has said many times, we don’t seek a wider war in the region. We don’t seek a war with Iran.” However, the escalation of the low-level conflict that has been bubbling through Israel’s six-month bombardment of Gaza appears set to see US lawmakers push through a funding package that has been stalled. Following a new plea from Biden, Republican lawmaker and House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Sunday that he will try to advance the $95bn package of wartime aid for US allies. Johnson has been key in holding up approval of the national security package, which would hand $14bn to Israel and about $60billion to Ukraine, as well as sending funds to allies in Asia. Johnson told Fox News Channel’s Sunday Morning Futures that he and Republicans “understand the necessity of standing with Israel” and he would try this week to advance the aid. “The details of that package are being put together right now,” he said. “We’re looking at the options and all these supplemental issues.” Johnson is already under immense political pressure amid the Republican Party’s divided support for helping Kyiv defend itself from Russia’s invasion. Kirby called on the speaker to put that package “on the floor as soon as possible”. “We didn’t need any reminders in terms of what’s going on in Ukraine,” Kirby said. “But last [Saturday night’s Iranian attack] certainly underscores significantly the threat that Israel faces in a very, very tough neighbourhood.” (Al Jazeera)…[+]

GUANGZHOU – The 135th session of the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, opened yesterday in Guangzhou, capital of south China’s Guangdong Province. As of last Sunday, approximately 149,000 purchasers from 215 countries and regions had completed pre-registration for the event, marking a notable 17.4 percent increase compared to the previous edition. The eagerness of overseas buyers to participate has intensified, with a growing influx of purchasers from the United States, Middle Eastern countries, Belt and Road Initiative participating countries, and member countries of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. Scheduled to run until May 5, the fair boasts around 74,000 exhibition booths, and over 29,000 exhibitors are expected to participate. The exhibition, which spans an area of 1.55 million square meters, covers various sectors, including smart manufacturing, new-energy vehicles, lithium batteries, and solar cells. Organizers have planned over 600 trade promotion activities, further enhancing the scope and reach of the fair. Launched in 1957 and held twice yearly, the fair is considered a major gauge of China’s foreign trade. (Xinhua)…[+]

AUSTRALIA – A bishop was among several people reportedly stabbed at a church service in Sydney, Australia yesterday – just two days after the city was rocked by a mass stabbing in a busy shopping mall. Video of the incident appears to show a clergyman being attacked during a ceremony at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley, western Sydney. Several others immediately attempted to intervene while screams could be heard in the church. A man was arrested after officers were called to the incident and has been removed from the church, New South Wales police said. Police said none of those hurt received life-threatening injuries, and that they were treated by paramedics at the scene before being taken to the hospital. “Police continue to work on restoring order,” the force said in a statement. “A large police response is underway and the public is urged to avoid the area.” A local official identified the clergyman stabbed as Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel. While he was bleeding, “he put his hand on the man that stabbed him and said something like, ‘May the Lord Jesus Christ Save you,’” Charbel Saliba, Deputy Mayor of Fairfield City, a suburb of western Sydney, told CNN. The bishop is a well-known figure in the local community, Saliba said. The incident comes shortly after six people were killed and several others injured, including a nine-month-old baby, in a stabbing attack at Westfield Bondi Junction on Saturday afternoon. Australian police said yesterday that the attacker in Bondi, 40-year-old Joel Cauchi, may have targeted women. Five women were among the six people killed by Cauchi. Twelve others were injured, eight of whom remained in the hospital yesterday in conditions ranging from stable to critical. (CNN)…[+]

A young woman on Saturday night was injured in a gas explosion that took place in her house located in the Goede Zorgweg. Fire Department Spokesman Olton Pinas pointed out that it is still unclear what triggered the gas explosion. The woman who was rushed to the hospital has already been discharged. Pinas urged people to remain cautious when it comes to handling their gas cylinders. He made it clear that gas cylinders must be kept outside the house. Pinas explained that gas cylinders pose a threat if they are kept indoors especially when there is a gas leak. “When there is a gas leak, one must not switch the lights on because this could ignite the gas and result in an explosion,” said Pinas who added that people must call the fire department when there is a gas cylinder leak…[+]

The Nickerie residents who receive general child allowance (AKB) from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Housing (Sozavo) recently complained about the inconvenience that they have to endure when the payments take place. Not a single administration has succeeded in making sure that the payment of AKB takes place in a convenient manner. The ministry introduced the Moni Karta but this has not made the inconvenience a thing of the past. A team from the Ministry of Social Affairs visited the Nickerie District last Friday and Saturday to pay people their child allowance. People had also been summoned to pick up their Moni Karta. Pregnant women, senior citizens, sick people and people with little children stood in line throughout most of the day at the District Hall. This is the second payment of AKB since the administration of President Chandrikapersad Santokhi and Vice President Ronnie Brunswijk came into office. People also complained that they received less money both times. “This is not the first time that I didn’t receive the entire sum for a whole year. I received money for 10 months which means that I only got SRD 750 per child,” said most of the people who had received their child allowance. The people made it clear that they feel robbed as they do not know when they will receive the money for the remaining two months. The previous time they also received money for 10 months instead of 12. Another problem is that people also received less money than what they were supposed to receive. A woman complained that when she went to the ATM she saw that she had only received SRD 750 instead of SRD 1,500. Another woman complained that she had to stand in line for ten hours and that she also received half of the money. “I stood in line from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. I had to receive SRD 3,000 but they only transferred SRD 1,500 to my bank account,” said the woman. The head of the department in charge of AKB payments could not be reached for a comment. The people hope that they will no longer have to wait in line in the scorching sun for many hours next time. “I hope that this was the last time that I had to go through this,” said a 40-year-old woman who added that she had to leave her five children home alone and that she had nothing to eat when she stood in line…[+]

WASHINGTON, D.C. – US President Joe Biden has praised American forces who he said “helped Israel take down nearly all” the drones and missiles launched by Iran yesterday.
Israel said Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles in its direction, the first time it has attacked Israel directly from its own territory.
It said the “vast majority” were intercepted, but there were a small number of hits including at an IDF base in southern Israel. At least one person, reported to be a young girl, was injured.
Iran earlier warned that Israel would be “punished” for a strike on its consulate in Syria on 1 April, which killed seven Iranian officers including a top commander. Israel has not confirmed or denied whether it was responsible.
“I’ve just spoken with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reaffirm America’s ironclad commitment to the security of Israel,” Mr Biden said shortly after the pair held a call.
“I told him that Israel demonstrated a remarkable capacity to defend against and defeat even unprecedented attacks,” he added. (BBC)…[+]

TEHERAN – Iranian military chief says overnight attack ‘achieved all its goals’, adding that US bases are under threat if it backs Israeli retaliation.
Iran has warned Israel of a larger attack on its territory should it retaliate against Tehran’s overnight drone and missile attacks, adding that the United States should not back an Israeli military action.
“If the Zionist regime Israel or its supporters demonstrate reckless behaviour, they will receive a decisive and much stronger response,” Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi said in a statement yesterday.
Raisi’s statement follows a similar warning by Iranian military chief, Major-General Mohammad Bagheri, who told state TV that a “much larger” response awaits Israel “if it retaliates against Iran Bagheri said the Iranian attack on Israel has achieved all its goals, and in our view the operation has ended, and we do not intend to continue”.
The commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hossein Salami, also warned that Tehran would retaliate against any Israeli attacks on its interests, officials or citizens.
Meanwhile, Iran’s permanent mission to the United Nations justified Tehran’s response to Israeli “aggression” as a “legitimate defence” in accordance with the UN charter.(Al Jazeera)…[+]

TEHERAN – Iran’s use of hundreds of drones and missiles to directly target Israel on Saturday night and Sunday morning set a number of major political and military precedents.
Here’s a look at what political, military and economic considerations Tehran might have factored in while deciding on the attack that has amplified fears of a larger regional war and that could also affect the direction of Israel’s war on Gaza.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) dubbed the operation “True Promise” to show that top leaders in Tehran, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, intend to make good on their vows of “punishment” for attacks by Israel and others.
The attack was a direct retaliation for an Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus on April 1 that killed seven IRGC members, including two generals in charge of leading operations in Syria and Lebanon, along with six other people.It was mainly aimed at strengthening Iran’s deterrence which critics said had been compromised after increasingly confrontational policies and military strikes by the United States and its allies across the region, especially following the January 2020 assassination of top general Qassem Soleimani in Iraq.
Iranian officials also appeared to have exercised a degree of “strategic patience” after the late December assassination of another top IRGC commander in Syria, Razi Mousavi, in an Israeli air raid amid the fallout of the war on Gaza.Inaction, lower-grade strikes, or being content with military action through the “axis of resistance” of aligned groups across the region would in this vein be viewed as too costly for Iran both locally and abroad.
That is true even as Tehran recognises that Israel and the embattled government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may see benefits in escalating tensions across the region and forcing the US military into taking more action against Iran. On the other hand, the unprecedented Iranian attacks may have briefly shifted the world’s attention from the deaths of tens of thousands of women and children in the Gaza Strip, but they could translate into soft power gains for Iran in the Muslim world in the long run, when compared with other regional powers. (Al Jazeera)…[+]

COLOMBIA – Colombia’s National Liberation Army (ELN) rebels said that they are suspending participation in the coming cycle of peace talks with the government, planned for this month, but will attend an extraordinary meeting.
The announcement is the latest development in recent troubles at the talks, restarted by President Gustavo Petro at the end of 2022 as part of his efforts to end Colombia’s six-decade conflict, which killed at least 450,000 people.
The guerrilla group, founded by radical Catholic priests in 1964, said the suspension was due to “government insistence in carrying out a demobilization operation in Narino against the ELN,” referring to regional talks with one of its factions taking place southwestern province.
The parallel talks are contrary to the fair play and good faith which should characterize negotiations, the rebel group, which objected earlier this year to similar talks with communities in Narino, added.
“It is necessary not to lose time,” the government’s negotiating team said in its own statement, saying it was imperative work at the negotiating table move ahead.
The dire situation that people living in the provinces of Arauca, Choco and Narino are confronting must also be attended to, the government added. The government previously has defended the community talks and said the ELN is unnecessarily prolonging negotiations.
The ELN said its delegates are already in Caracas, Venezuela for an extraordinary meeting it requested with the government earlier this week.(Reuters)…[+]