Can Colombia’s talks with the Comuneros del Sur help achieve ‘total peace’?
For Gómez-Suárez, if Colombia’s conflict is regional, then the solution should be too. He draws a contrast between his approach to the Comuneros and the way the Colombian government previously negotiated peace with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), once the largest rebel group in the country. In 2016, under then-President Juan Manuel Santos, Colombia signed a historic peace deal with the FARC that promised rural reforms and development in exchange for the nationwide demobilisation of the group’s fighters. The negotiations that led up to the deal, however, were fraught — and some parts of the FARC splintered off into dissident groups rather than agree to the terms. Gómez-Suárez argued his region-specific approach could be more efficient. “With previous agreements, namely that with the FARC guerrillas, there was this idea that nothing is set until everything is agreed, which implied that the parties would only begin implementation after a final document was signed,” Gómez-Suárez said. “Our case is impressive because sometimes we have even implemented before agreements are formally reached.” Mama Dina, an Indigenous spiritual leader, leads a ceremony as negotiators from the government and the Comuneros del Sur meet [Carlos Saavedra/Al Jazeera] He pointed out that the Comuneros proposed a unilateral ceasefire even before their first meeting with the government’s delegates, as a sign of good faith. Since then, the parties have signed two agreements and plan to begin the Comuneros’ transition to civilian life before the next presidential elections in 2026. The first agreement comprises four points, including a definitive bilateral ceasefire, the gradual destruction of the group’s weapons and a collaborative programme to remove land mines throughout Nariño. The second establishes safety guarantees for the Red Cross, a humanitarian nonprofit, to operate in the Comuneros’ territory. In addition, the deal calls for the creation of a team composed of Comuneros members who will be trained and tasked with searching for people who have gone missing during the conflict. In return, the government has pledged funding for constructing roads, aqueducts, schools and universities in the territory, to help address poverty and infrastructure shortcomings in Nariño. Adblock test (Why?)
All to know about Man Utd’s manager Ruben Amorim before first EPL match
Manchester United’s new manager Ruben Amorim takes charge of his first game on Sunday when he leads his side to Ipswich Town in the Premier League. The 39-year-old Portuguese coach and former player was announced as Erik ten Hag’s replacement at the helm of the fallen giants this month. Al Jazeera takes a look at five things you need to know about Amorim before his debut: 1. The new ‘Special One’? The latest Portuguese managing sensation to be dubbed “the new Mourinho” – after former Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho – Amorim arrives with quite the reputation as a coach even in his fledgling career. Amorim established himself as one of the most sought-after young coaches in world football at Sporting Lisbon, but his challenge in Manchester is of a different magnitude. The coach, who won two league titles at Sporting, follows the path from Portugal to the Premier League taken a generation ago by Mourinho, then the shining young managerial star, who swapped Porto for Chelsea while naming himself the “Special One”. Amorim will, however, be expected to do something that even Mourinho did not manage during his subsequent stint at United – win the club’s first Premier League title since the trophy-filled days of Alex Ferguson ended in 2013. Amorim has described Mourinho as a role model. He spent a short internship with his compatriot when Mourinho was managing United from 2016 to 2018. He arrives at Old Trafford two years younger than Mourinho was when he took over a Chelsea side that won two Premier League titles in his first two seasons at the helm. Other coaches have come from Portugal with big reputations, but not all have succeeded. Andre Villas-Boas failed to live up to expectations after swapping Porto for Chelsea in 2011. He too was burdened with the same nickname as Mourinho gave himself. But everything about Amorim, who was also linked to the manager’s job at Liverpool this year, suggests he could be something special. Ruben Amorim, left, led Sporting Lisbon against Jose Mourinho’s Roma in a preseason friendly in 2022 [Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images] 2. The Amorim effect as a manager Amorim started his managerial career in 2018 with a short stint at the Lisbon club Casa Pia, then in the Portuguese third tier. He was appointed reserve team manager at Braga the following year and just three months later was promoted to first team boss. Eye-catching success at the top-flight club, including a shock League Cup final win over Porto, was enough to convince Sporting to pay his release clause in 2020, and he delivered immediately, leading the Lisbon club to their first Primeira Liga title in 19 years in his first full season with the loss of just one game. He also won the League Cup, defeating his former club Braga in the final. The club reached the Champions League last 16 the following season and the Europa League quarterfinals in the 2022-2023 campaign. He won a second Portuguese title last season to further burnish his reputation. He leaves Sporting sitting top of the league and second in the Champions League after thumping Manchester City 4-1 in Amorim’s last home game as coach. A dramatic fightback from two goals down, reminiscent of the United of old, was staged in his final Primeira Liga match as a 4-2 win was secured at Braga – maintaining Sporting’s 100 percent record for the season. Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola, right, congratulates Ruben Amorim of Sporting after the Champions League match on November 5, 2024 [Eric Verhoeven/Getty Images] 3. Amorim’s journey as a player Born in Lisbon, Amorim was a hard-working midfielder who spent the bulk of his playing career at Benfica, where he won a domestic treble in 2013-2014. He won 14 caps for Portugal, appearing at two World Cups, but ended his playing days at the age of 32 after a loan spell in Qatar with Al-Wakrah. He also enjoyed a loan spell with Braga during his formative years at Benfica, who he joined in 2009 and would go on to win three league titles with. The pinnacle of his playing career, having been a Portuguese youth international at all age levels from under-18s in 2003, was undoubtedly his appearances at the World Cups in South Africa in 2010 and 2014. Although mostly a squad player for his international career, which spanned more than five years, Amorim gained crucial experience as part of the set-up – and lined up alongside Cristiano Ronaldo throughout his own Portugal days. But more on that in a moment. Ruben Amorim, sixth from left, lines up with Cristiano Ronaldo, right, at the 2014 World Cup [Marius Becker/picture alliance via Getty Images] 4. Amorim will do it his way – starting with three at the back The Portuguese coach must hit the ground running with United struggling in the English top flight after just three wins in their opening nine games this season and sitting 14th in the table. United spent about 757 million pounds ($955m) on new players for ten Hag, who led them to one FA Cup and one League Cup. These are luxuries that Amorim will not enjoy in the short term as January’s transfer window will come too soon for the new manager to seal any sizeable signings. Few happen midseason anyway. Instead, it will be Amorim’s approach on the field that will be of most interest. There is little secret that he prefers a three-man defence with two wingbacks, two central midfielders and then two forwards supporting the striker. United’s current squad makeup does not lean towards these positions, particularly in attack, where wingers have been the order of the day for United since the days of George Best through to Ronaldo. One player that may enjoy a revival under Amorim, though, is his former teammate at Benfica, Victor Lindelof. (The pair also played alongside former United midfielder Nemanja Matic in that time.) The Swedish defender has failed to nail
What are the ICC countries where Netanyahu and Gallant may face arrest?
More than 120 countries that are part of the International Criminal Court are obliged to enforce the arrest warrants. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant are now fugitives from justice after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants against them over suspected war crimes in Gaza. While Israel does not recognise the authority of the ICC and Netanyahu and Gallant will not turn themselves in, the pair’s world just got a lot smaller. The Rome Statute, the treaty that established the ICC, includes 124 state parties across six continents. Under the statute, countries that are part of the ICC are legally bound to enforce its arrest warrants, according to international human rights lawyer Jonathan Kuttab. “The law operates on the basis of a presumption that people will obey it. That’s how all laws are created,” Kuttab told Al Jazeera. “You expect everybody to respect the law. Those who don’t respect the law are themselves violating the law.” He added that there were early signs that countries would not ignore the court’s decision. Many of Israel’s allies — including the European Union — have committed to enforcing the arrest warrants, Kuttab pointed out. Netanyahu has rebuked the charges and called them anti-Semitic. Here is the list of countries where Netanyahu and Gallant could be detained after the ICC’s decision: [Al Jazeera] A Afghanistan Albania Andorra Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria B Bangladesh Barbados Belgium Belize Benin Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Bulgaria Burkina Faso C Cabo Verde Cambodia Canada Central African Republic Chad Chile Colombia Comoros Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Cote d’Ivoire Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic D Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic E Ecuador El Salvador Estonia F Fiji Finland France G Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Grenada Guatemala Guinea Guyana H Honduras Hungary I Iceland Ireland Italy J Japan Jordan K Kenya Kiribati L Latvia Lesotho Liberia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg M Madagascar Malawi Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritius Mexico Mongolia Montenegro N Namibia Nauru Netherlands New Zealand Niger Nigeria North Macedonia Norway P Palestine Panama Paraguay Peru Poland Portugal R Republic of Korea Republic of Moldova Romania S Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Slovakia Slovenia South Africa Spain Suriname Sweden Switzerland T Tajikistan Timor-Leste Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia U Uganda United Kingdom United Republic of Tanzania Uruguay V Vanuatu Venezuela Z Adblock test (Why?)
Netanyahu, Gallant wanted for arrest by International Criminal Court
NewsFeed The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and ex-Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for their conduct in Israel’s on Gaza. A Hamas leader Israel claims to have killed is also wanted by the court. Published On 21 Nov 202421 Nov 2024 Adblock test (Why?)
Kenya cancels more than $2.5bn in deals with Adani after US indictment
The deals had been sharply criticised over lack of transparency and value for money. Kenyan President William Ruto has ordered the cancellation of a procurement process that had been expected to award control of the country’s main airport to India’s Adani Group after its founder was indicted in the United States. Ruto made the announcement on Thursday in his state of the nation address. Under the proposed deal worth nearly $2bn, the Adani Group was to add a second runway at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and upgrade the passenger terminal in exchange for a 30-year lease. Ruto also said he was cancelling a separate 30-year, $736m public-private partnership that an Adani Group firm signed with the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum last month to construct power transmission lines. “I have directed agencies within the Ministry of Transport and within the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum to immediately cancel the ongoing procurement,” Ruto said, attributing the decision to “new information provided by investigative agencies and partner nations”. Ruto’s announcement was met with thunderous applause and cheers from lawmakers in parliament, where he gave his address. The deals have drawn sharp criticism from many politicians and members of the public over concerns about a lack of transparency and value for money. Representatives from the Adani Group did not immediately respond to a request for comment. US authorities said in the indictment on Wednesday that group founder Gautam Adani, one of the world’s richest people, and seven other defendants agreed to pay about $265m in bribes to Indian government officials. The Adani Group denied the allegations and said in a statement that it would seek “all possible legal recourse”. Protests The Adani Group made the airport proposal in March under a procedure that circumvents competitive bidding, but it did not become public until July through a leak on social media. A Kenyan court temporarily blocked it in September in response to a lawsuit arguing it did not offer taxpayers value for money. Senior government officials, including Ruto, had repeatedly defended the deals despite allegations made in 2023 by US short-seller Hindenburg Research – denied by the Adani Group – of improper governance practices at the company. As late as Thursday morning, Energy Minister Opiyo Wandayi told senators he expected the transmission lines contract to go ahead because there was no bribery or corruption involved in its awarding. George Kamau, a Kenyan lawyer specialising in public procurement, said the Adani Group might go to arbitration to challenge the cancellations, especially of the transmission lines deal, which had already been signed. “That said, any dispute resolution framework … is likely to lean towards the state, considering the fact that the deal has been cancelled on the basis of integrity issues,” he said. Adblock test (Why?)
Ukraine accuses Russia of launching intercontinental ballistic missile
President Vladimir Putin says Russia tested a hypersonic intermediate-range missile in a strike on Ukraine. Ukraine has accused Russia of firing a new kind of missile at the city of Dnipro as Moscow said it tested an intermediate-range ballistic missile in a strike on Ukraine, amid soaring tensions in the more-than-two-year war. Kyiv said on Thursday that Russia had fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) along with a barrage of rockets at the city in central Ukraine. Local authorities said the attack hit an infrastructure facility and injured two civilians. In a televised address, President Vladimir Putin said Russia had tested a hypersonic intermediate-range missile in a strike on Ukraine in response to the aggressive actions of NATO countries. A United States official was cited by the Reuters news agency as saying that Russia did not fire an ICBM, but instead launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile, according to an assessment based on its initial analysis. “Today there was a new Russian missile. All the characteristics – speed, altitude – are [of an] intercontinental ballistic [missile],” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video statement. He said experts were examining the evidence of the attack and accused Moscow of “using Ukraine as a testing ground”. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said that the strike “proves Russia does not seek peace”. “To the contrary, it makes every effort to expand the war,” he added. When asked about the attack, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia was working to avoid a nuclear conflict. “We have stressed in the context of our doctrine that Russia is taking a responsible position to make maximum effort not to allow such a conflict,” Peskov said. Attacks in Russia The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has escalated in recent days after the US granted Ukraine permission to use long-range weapons to attack targets in Russia, a decision that Ukraine had sought for months. On Tuesday, Ukraine reportedly fired US-made Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) missiles at targets in Russia for the first time. Putin on Tuesday lowered the threshold for a nuclear strike in response to a broader range of conventional attacks. On Wednesday, British media reported that Ukraine launched long-range British Storm Shadow cruise missiles at targets in Russia. The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed the use of the missiles. Separately, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova described the opening of a new US missile defence base in Poland as a “provocative step in a series of deeply destabilising actions by the Americans and their allies”. “This leads to undermining strategic stability, increasing strategic risks and, as a result, to an increase in the overall level of nuclear danger,” she said. Poland dismissed the idea that the base would be used for attack purposes. The escalation comes as Moscow’s forces have advanced deeper into the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine. Russia’s military announced on Thursday that its forces had captured a village close to Kurakhove, closing in on the town after months of steady advances. Ukraine’s defensive lines are also buckling under Russian pressure across the front line. Adblock test (Why?)
ICC issues arrest warrant for Israeli PM Netanyahu for ‘war crimes’ in Gaza
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defence minister and a Hamas military commander for alleged war crimes. Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant were accused of “crimes against humanity and war crimes committed from at least 8 October 2023 until at least 20 May 2024”, a statement from the court said on Thursday. There are “reasonable grounds” to believe that Gallant and Netanyahu “intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity”, it said. The court also decided “unanimously” to issue an arrest warrant for Hamas’s military commander Mohammed al-Masri, known as Mohammed Dief, “for alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes committed” in Israel and Palestine from October 7, 2023. It accused him of crimes including murder, torture, rape and other forms of sexual violence. Israel claims to have killed Deif in an air raid in southern Gaza in July. But the court decided to proceed with the warrant, saying it was “not in a position to determine whether [he] has been killed or remains alive”. Chief prosecutor Karim Khan had applied for arrest warrants against the Israeli officials and three Hamas leaders in May for alleged crimes committed during the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel and Israel’s subsequent war on Gaza. ICC prosecutors said there were reasonable grounds to believe Netanyahu and Gallant, as well as Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, the group’s political chief Ismail Haniyeh and Deif, bear criminal responsibility for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. Haniyeh was assassinated in Iran in July. Sinwar was killed in combat with the Israeli military in October. Netanyahu fired Gallant earlier this month, saying he had lost confidence in him over the management of Israel’s wars in Gaza and Lebanon. Israel is not a member of the ICC and Netanyahu has previously called the prosecutor’s accusations against him a “disgrace”, an attack on the Israeli military and all of Israel. But the ICC said on Thursday that it had unanimously decided to reject Israel’s appeal over the the court’s jurisdiction. Reporting from Amman, Jordan, Al Jazeera’s Hamdah Salhut said, “Israel did its best to discredit the ICC. It tried to challenge its jurisdiction … and Israeli politicians internally were doing everything they could to fight [the potential ruling].” Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid condemned the court’s decision, characterising Israel’s war on Gaza as a fight for its life “against terrorist oganisations”. Former Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman posted on social media platform X that Israel “will not apologise for protecting its citizens and is committed to continuing to fight terrorism without compromise”. Al Jazeera’s senior political analyst Marwan Bishara praised the court’s decision to issue the long-awaited arrest warrants, saying “at last, the people of Gaza, after a year of unfolding genocide, might be able to see their perpetrators face justice”. Gaza’s Ministry of Health said on Thursday that Israel’s war in Gaza has killed at least 44,056 Palestinians and wounded 104,286 since October 7, 2023. An estimated 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the Hamas-led attacks that day, and more than 200 were taken captive. Adblock test (Why?)
Who is Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, charged with fraud by the US?
NewsFeed The US has charged one of India’s richest men, Gautam Adani, with fraud alleging a multibillion-dollar bribery scheme. So, who is Gautam Adani? Published On 21 Nov 202421 Nov 2024 Adblock test (Why?)
An A to Z of the children killed by Israel in Gaza
NewsFeed Israel has killed at least 17,400 children in its war on Gaza. These are the most common names of Gaza’s lost children, listed alphabetically from A to Z. Published On 21 Nov 202421 Nov 2024 Adblock test (Why?)
Indian conglomerate chair Gautam Adani indicted in the US
Gautam Adani, the chair of Indian conglomerate Adani Group and one of the world’s richest people, has been indicted in New York over an alleged multibillion-dollar fraud scheme, United States prosecutors have said. On Wednesday authorities charged Adani and two other executives at Adani Green Energy, his nephew Sagar Adani and Vneet Jaain, with agreeing between 2020 and 2024 to pay more than $250m in bribes to Indian government officials to obtain solar energy supply contracts expected to yield $2bn in profits. Prosecutors said the renewable energy company also raised more than $3bn in loans and bonds during this period based on false and misleading statements. Five other people were hit with related criminal conspiracy charges, including two executives of another renewable energy company, and three employees of a Canadian institutional investor. Adani Group did not immediately respond to requests for comment outside business hours in India, where the charges were announced early Thursday morning. India’s embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. According to court records, a judge has issued arrest warrants for Gautam Adani and Sagar Adani, and prosecutors plan to hand those warrants to foreign law enforcement. The case involves alleged violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, a US anti-bribery law. Seven of the eight defendants are Indian citizens and lived in India, while the eighth, Cyril Cabanes, is a dual French-Australian citizen who lived in Singapore, prosecutors said. The US Securities and Exchange Commission filed related civil charges against Gautam Adani, Sagar Adani and Cabanes, 50, an executive at Azure Power Global. Prosecutors identified Cabanes as one of the Canadian investor’s employees. Gautam Adani is worth $69.8bn, according to Forbes magazine, making him the world’s 22nd richest and India’s second-richest person. ‘Elaborate scheme’ “The defendants orchestrated an elaborate scheme to bribe Indian government officials to secure contracts worth billions of dollars and Gautam S Adani, Sagar R Adani and Vneet S Jaain lied about the bribery scheme as they sought to raise capital from US and international investors,” US Attorney Breon Peace said in a statement. “These offenses were allegedly committed by senior executives and directors to obtain and finance massive state energy supply contracts through corruption and fraud at the expense of US investors,” added Deputy Assistant Attorney General Lisa H Miller. On several occasions, Gautam Adani personally met with an Indian government official to advance the bribery scheme, and the defendants held in-person meetings with each other to discuss aspects of its execution, the prosecutors alleged. According to the indictment, some conspirators referred privately to Gautam Adami with the code names “Numero Uno” and “The Big Man”, while Sagar Adani allegedly used his cellphone to track specifics about the bribes. The charges were announced hours after Adani on Wednesday raised $600m from a sale of 20-year “green” bonds. Last week, Gautam Adani said in a post on social media platform X that his conglomerate planned to invest $10bn in US energy security and infrastructure projects, creating a potential 15,000 jobs, without providing a timetable. Adani announced the investment while also congratulating US President-elect Donald Trump on his election win. Trump has pledged to make it easier for energy companies to drill on federal land and build new pipelines. The $32bn (revenues) Adani Group has interests in ports, airports, power generation and transmission, and green energy, among other businesses. Last year in January, US-based short-seller Hindenburg Research accused Adani and his companies of stock market manipulation and fraud, allegations denied by the group. India’s top court ruled in favour of the group a year later. Adblock test (Why?)