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  • Trump says UK soldiers in Afghanistan ‘among greatest of all warriors’

    Trump says UK soldiers in Afghanistan ‘among greatest of all warriors’

    A diplomatic firestorm erupted following former U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial characterization of NATO allies’ contributions to the Afghanistan conflict, triggering widespread condemnation from military families, veterans, and political leaders across multiple nations.

    During a recent Fox News interview, Trump asserted that NATO forces historically avoided front-line combat roles, stating: ‘We’ve never needed them. They’ll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan… they stayed a little back, a little off the front lines.’ These remarks immediately drew fierce criticism from international officials who characterized them as factually inaccurate and deeply offensive to fallen soldiers.

    The backlash intensified when Prince Harry issued a rare public statement emphasizing that NATO’s Article 5 collective defense provision had been invoked specifically following the 9/11 attacks, marking the only time in the alliance’s history that members were formally obligated to support U.S. military operations. ‘Thousands of lives were changed forever,’ the Afghanistan veteran noted. ‘Those sacrifices deserve to be spoken about truthfully and with respect.’

    Statistical data reveals the substantial human cost borne by coalition partners: over 3,500 coalition fatalities occurred during the conflict, with British forces suffering 457 deaths—the second-highest toll after American casualties. Veterans like Corporal Andy Reid, who lost three limbs to an IED explosion, provided firsthand accounts contradicting Trump’s assertions: ‘If [American soldiers] were on the front line and I was stood next to them, clearly we were on the front line as well.’

    The political response proved equally forceful. UK Opposition Leader Keir Starmer condemned the remarks as ‘insulting and frankly appalling,’ while Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski—among 33,000 Polish troops deployed to Afghanistan—declared that ‘no one has the right to mock the service of our soldiers.’ Canadian Defense Minister David J. McGuinty emphasized his nation’s participation stemmed from moral conviction rather than obligation.

    Following a Saturday conversation with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Trump posted a modified statement on Truth Social acknowledging British soldiers as ‘among the greatest of all warriors’ and recognizing their 457 fatalities. While stopping short of a direct apology, this revised messaging represented a notable softening of his initial position. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch welcomed the acknowledgment while maintaining that ‘it should never have been questioned in the first place.’

    The episode highlights ongoing tensions regarding NATO’s strategic future and the complex legacy of multinational military cooperation in prolonged conflicts, with diplomatic relationships showing strain despite Trump’s subsequent attempt to mitigate the damage through revised praise for allied forces.

  • Suicide bombing at Pakistan wedding kills 7, police say

    Suicide bombing at Pakistan wedding kills 7, police say

    A devastating suicide bombing targeted a wedding celebration in Pakistan’s northwestern Dera Ismail Khan district on Friday, resulting in seven fatalities and multiple injuries according to local authorities. The attack specifically struck a building where members of a community peace committee were gathered for the ceremony.

    Police official Muhammad Adnan confirmed that the death toll rose to seven on Saturday as four of the nearly dozen wounded victims succumbed to their injuries in hospital. Three fatalities had been immediately confirmed following the explosion.

    The targeted peace committees consist of local residents and elders who collaborate with Islamabad’s security initiatives to counter militant activities in the volatile border regions adjacent to Afghanistan. These community groups have frequently been labeled as traitors by extremist organizations operating in the area.

    No militant group has formally claimed responsibility for the attack. However, the Pakistani Taliban (Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan), which maintains operations on both sides of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, has historically targeted peace committee members. The incident occurs amid escalating tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban leadership, with Islamabad accusing Kabul of permitting Pakistani militants to plan cross-border attacks from Afghan territory—an allegation that Afghan authorities consistently deny, maintaining that Pakistan’s militancy issues are domestic matters.

  • Palestinian infant dies from cold in Gaza after parents’ 17-year wait

    Palestinian infant dies from cold in Gaza after parents’ 17-year wait

    The Gaza Strip is confronting a severe humanitarian emergency as winter conditions turn fatal for its most vulnerable residents. Medical authorities confirm that two Palestinian infants, six-month-old Youssef Abu Hammad and three-month-old Ali Abo al-Zour, perished on Thursday due to exposure to extreme cold and contaminated environments. These tragic fatalities elevate the official count of child hypothermia deaths to ten since the winter season commenced.

    Youssef Abu Hammad’s story epitomizes the crisis. Born after 17 years of parental anticipation for a male heir, he represented a profound blessing to his family of six sisters. The displaced Abu Hammad family had been residing adjacent to a sewage disposal site in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. Despite repeated pleas for essential supplies like infant formula and diapers, their appeals remained unanswered. Medical professionals attributed Youssef’s death to severe dehydration and hypothermia induced by sewage pollution exposure.

    This humanitarian disaster stems from extensive infrastructure collapse. Israeli military operations have reportedly demolished approximately 90% of Gaza’s infrastructure since October 2023, forcing most inhabitants into inadequate temporary shelters lacking proper heating. A stringent Israeli blockade continues to prohibit critical provisions including food, medicine, fuel, and winter supplies.

    Despite a October agreement between Israel and Hamas intended to conclude hostilities and relax restrictions, implementation remains insufficient. More than three months later, border crossings remain largely closed with only minimal aid access permitted. Construction materials for shelters and heating equipment remain on the banned items list.

    Munir al-Bursh, Director General of the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza, characterizes the situation as an “unprecedented humanitarian crisis” deliberately manufactured through occupation policies and international inaction. “Death in Gaza no longer stems solely from bombardment but increasingly from cold, starvation, exposure, and medical shortages,” al-Bursh stated, emphasizing this constitutes a man-made catastrophe rather than natural disaster.

    The October ceasefire agreement, designed to terminate a two-year conflict that claimed over 71,000 Palestinian lives, has failed to stop the violence entirely. Palestinian sources report more than 481 fatalities since the agreement took effect, including two children killed in a northern Gaza drone strike on Saturday.

  • Federal agents shoot dead another person in Minneapolis

    Federal agents shoot dead another person in Minneapolis

    Minneapolis became the epicenter of renewed civil unrest on Saturday following a fatal shooting involving federal immigration agents, marking the second such incident involving civilian casualties within three weeks. According to official statements from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), agents were conducting a targeted operation to apprehend an undocumented individual wanted for violent assault when the confrontation turned deadly.

    DHS claims its officers acted in self-defense after an individual approached Border Patrol agents brandishing a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun. The agency stated that during attempts to disarm the suspect, who allegedly resisted violently, an agent fired defensive shots fearing for his safety and that of fellow officers. Despite immediate medical attention, the individual was pronounced dead at the scene.

    Contradicting this narrative, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara revealed preliminary information suggesting the deceased was potentially a lawful gun owner with valid permits. Minnesota state law permits open carry of firearms with proper authorization.

    The incident triggered immediate demonstrations, with law enforcement deploying tear gas and establishing road blockades using dumpsters in the densely populated south Minneapolis neighborhood. Authorities declared the gathering an unlawful assembly as tensions escalated.

    Minnesota Governor Tim Walz condemned the shooting as ‘horrific’ and demanded state-led investigation into the matter. In a social media statement, Walz directly addressed the White House: ‘Minnesota has had it. This is sickening. The President must end this operation.’

    Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey joined the criticism, urging President Trump to withdraw federal operations from the city: ‘This is a moment to act like a leader. Put Minneapolis, put America first in this moment.’

    The shooting occurs amidst heightened tensions following the January 7th killing of US citizen Renee Good by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers during similar operations. That incident was officially classified as homicide by medical examiners, though the involved agent remains neither suspended nor charged. Recent detention of a five-year-old child during enforcement actions had already renewed public outrage prior to Saturday’s events.

    Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar echoed the growing criticism, addressing federal authorities directly: ‘Donald Trump and all your lieutenants who ordered this ICE surge: watch the horrific video of the killing today. The world is watching.’

  • Snow ploughs battle blizzards on roads and runways in Oklahoma

    Snow ploughs battle blizzards on roads and runways in Oklahoma

    Oklahoma’s transportation and aviation authorities are engaged in a monumental battle against a severe winter storm system that has unleashed blizzard conditions across the state. Road crews and airport operations teams are working around the clock to clear accumulating snow from critical infrastructure as the powerful storm continues to deliver freezing temperatures and heavy precipitation.

    The extensive weather system, affecting an unprecedented portion of the United States population, has triggered emergency response protocols throughout Oklahoma. Highway maintenance departments have deployed their entire fleet of snow ploughs and de-icing equipment to maintain passable conditions on major thoroughfares and secondary roads alike. Simultaneously, airport ground crews are conducting continuous runway clearing operations to minimize travel disruptions despite challenging visibility conditions.

    Meteorologists report this storm system represents one of the most extensive winter weather events in recent history, with its impacts stretching far beyond Oklahoma’s borders. The combination of heavy snowfall rates and strong winds has created particularly difficult working conditions for emergency personnel, who face rapidly accumulating snow drifts and dangerously low wind chill values throughout their operations.

    State officials have urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel as the winter weather event continues to develop. The coordinated response effort involves multiple agencies working in concert to address both immediate safety concerns and the longer-term recovery operations that will follow the storm’s passage.

  • Trump praises UK troops as row over his NATO comments grows

    Trump praises UK troops as row over his NATO comments grows

    A transatlantic diplomatic crisis has erupted following controversial remarks by former US President Donald Trump regarding NATO allies’ contributions in Afghanistan. The situation intensified as European leaders issued sharp rebukes against what they characterized as deeply offensive comments questioning allied military sacrifices.

    Trump initially provoked international condemnation during a Fox News interview aired Thursday, suggesting NATO forces remained cautious during Afghan operations and implying conditional US support for alliance members. These assertions triggered immediate backlash across European capitals.

    British Prime Minister Keir Starmer led the criticism, labeling Trump’s statements “appalling” and expressing concern for affected military families. In an apparent partial reversal, Trump subsequently praised UK forces on his Truth Social platform Saturday, describing British soldiers as “among the greatest of all warriors” and emphasizing their “bond too strong to ever be broken” with America.

    This qualified apology failed to placate other NATO members. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen declared Trump’s comments “unacceptable” on Facebook, highlighting Denmark’s significant per capita losses in Afghanistan. French President Emmanuel Macron’s office dismissed the remarks as “unworthy of response,” instead emphasizing gratitude to fallen soldiers’ families.

    Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani honored Italy’s 53 casualties, while German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius underscored Germany’s readiness to support US operations despite paying a “heavy price.” The Danish Veterans’ Association announced plans for a silent protest march in Copenhagen on January 31, stating members were “at a loss for words” over Trump’s claims.

    The controversy emerges against a backdrop of recent US-Danish tensions regarding Trump’s expressed interest in purchasing Greenland, though those concerns appeared resolved earlier last week when the former president withdrew threatened tariffs on European goods.

  • Woman loses Dh10,000 in scam; Dubai Police warn against fake domestic worker accounts

    Woman loses Dh10,000 in scam; Dubai Police warn against fake domestic worker accounts

    Dubai authorities have intensified their public awareness campaign following a sophisticated online fraud case where a resident was defrauded of Dh10,000 through fake domestic worker recruitment accounts. The incident highlights an emerging pattern of digital deception targeting households seeking domestic assistance.

    According to Dubai Police’s Anti-Fraud Centre, criminals are creating convincing social media profiles and promotional content mimicking legitimate recruitment agencies. These operations typically initiate contact with seemingly attractive employment offers that rapidly escalate into financial demands, after which perpetrators become unreachable.

    The comprehensive advisory urges residents to exercise extreme caution when encountering unverified recruitment services on digital platforms. Officials emphasize that all legitimate domestic worker recruitment must occur through licensed agencies operating within the UAE’s legal framework. The public is specifically warned against transferring funds to individual accounts or unverified entities outside official channels.

    Dubai Police have reinforced their reporting mechanisms, directing victims to utilize multiple official channels including the Dubai Police Smart App, the dedicated eCrime platform, and the non-emergency hotline 901. This forms part of the broader #BewareOfFraud initiative designed to combat evolving cybercrime methodologies.

    Authorities stress that adherence to proper recruitment protocols remains essential for protecting the rights of all parties involved—employers, domestic workers, and legitimate recruitment agencies. The verification of service providers’ credentials before sharing personal information or processing payments is identified as a critical preventive measure.

  • Why healthcare workforce shortages are a system design problem, not a hiring one

    Why healthcare workforce shortages are a system design problem, not a hiring one

    A profound paradigm shift is required in how global healthcare systems address workforce challenges, according to industry analysis. Rather than confronting a mere talent shortage, healthcare organizations worldwide are grappling with a fundamental design flaw in how human resources are coordinated and utilized.

    Three critical indicators consistently emerge across international healthcare systems: First, simply increasing hiring volumes without improving deployment strategies fails to enhance outcomes. Second, workforce instability predominantly stems from poor utilization rather than insufficient recruitment efforts. Third, technology’s genuine value lies not in automation but in creating transparent, coordinated, and predictable workforce systems.

    The core issue represents a significant misalignment between contemporary healthcare delivery models and outdated workforce organization structures. While talent pools often remain substantial, the mechanisms for deploying, supporting, and sustaining that talent have failed to evolve alongside care delivery innovations.

    In markets including the GCC region, employers frequently receive abundant applications. The actual challenge involves assessing readiness, role suitability, and long-term compatibility. Current models still prioritize credentials and documentation, which provide limited insight into real-world clinical performance over time.

    This systemic failure results in capable professionals being placed into roles without adequate context or support, while healthcare teams expend increasing energy compensating for predictable mismatches. What superficially appears as staffing shortages often masks deeper utilization problems where existing skills are poorly aligned with actual care delivery requirements.

    Traditional workforce cycles—where demand triggers supply adjustments eventually restoring equilibrium—no longer apply. Contemporary realities include rapidly aging populations, extended careers, global mobility, and transformed post-pandemic work expectations. Yet most workforce models still assume stable domestic supply, linear progression, and limited market movement.

    The consequence is extreme fragmentation: sourcing, training, licensing, relocation, deployment, and management operate separately through different actors with conflicting incentives. Few systems view the workforce journey holistically or connect planning directly to care delivery needs.

    When operational pressure mounts, organizations typically accelerate hiring, compress timelines, and expand sourcing geographies. While providing short-term relief, these measures often introduce new instabilities. International hiring cycles spanning months conflict with operational realities, and compressed cycles without improved readiness assessment lead to fatigue, early attrition, and regulatory vulnerabilities.

    These outcomes signal that hiring activity has been prioritized over systemic workforce design. Recruitment brings people into systems but doesn’t inherently improve care delivery.

    Continuity of care directly depends on workforce continuity—a reality well understood by frontline providers yet frequently absent from planning models and performance metrics. Retention alone proves insufficient without proper utilization, role alignment, and career pathways.

    Technology’s transformative potential lies not as a hiring accelerator but as a system stabilizer. Digital and AI-enabled systems create value by reducing blind spots through connected data on skills, readiness, and deployment. This enables anticipatory rather than reactive planning, allowing precise skill-to-need matching, early capacity constraint anticipation, and sustained continuity without rigid staffing models.

    Thoughtfully implemented technology strengthens trust and stewardship; carelessly applied, it merely accelerates existing inefficiencies. The objective isn’t automation for its own sake but clearer coordination and optimized use of existing human capacity.

    The UAE’s healthcare market exemplifies intentional design with long-term vision-led expansion, adaptive regulatory frameworks, and technological openness that enhances accountability. This creates opportunity for evolution from a destination for healthcare professionals to a reference model for modern workforce systems that treat human resources as essential infrastructure rather than variable costs.

    The future will belong not to those who hire fastest but to those who design most deliberately. Healthcare stabilization requires neither recruitment nor retention initiatives alone, but rather continuity, coordination, and system-level thinking. The most resilient environments will shift focus from how quickly roles are filled to how effectively human effort is utilized.

  • Turkey pro-Kurd party urges end to Kobane siege

    Turkey pro-Kurd party urges end to Kobane siege

    Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party has issued an urgent appeal for the immediate lifting of the military blockade encircling the Kurdish-majority city of Kobane in northern Syria, characterizing the situation as a rapidly deteriorating humanitarian disaster. The warning came following a delegation visit to northeastern Syria, where intensified Syrian military operations have created severe humanitarian conditions.

    DEM co-chair Tulay Hatimogullari reported that the city, also known as Ain al-Arab, faces complete isolation with critical infrastructure failures. “During our visit, we encountered knee-deep snow with no electricity, internet, or running water,” Hatimogullari stated at a press conference. “This constitutes a profound humanitarian tragedy.”

    The Syrian military offensive has forced Kurdish forces to withdraw from surrounding areas, triggering massive displacement as villagers flood into Kobane. With supply routes severed, the city faces catastrophic shortages of food, medicine, and heating fuel. The party confirmed four children had frozen to death on Saturday alone due to extreme cold and inadequate shelter.

    Hatimogullari called on international “guarantor countries,” particularly the United States and Western allies who historically supported the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), to fulfill their responsibilities in lifting the siege. This appeal comes as Damascus demands the SDF’s dissolution, while Washington signals that its alliance with the force has served its purpose.

    The city holds profound symbolic significance for Kurds, having been liberated from Islamic State control in 2015 by SDF forces with U.S. backing. Turkey, however, considers the SDF an extension of the Kurdish PKK militant group and has supported Damascus’s current offensive. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan praised the operation, stating it addresses “sources of trouble for our country.”

    Meanwhile, tensions escalated in Istanbul as riot police clashed with approximately 300 demonstrators protesting the siege. Police employed riot control measures including projectiles and pepper spray, resulting in injuries and arrests according to local reports, including a DEM lawmaker who required hospitalization.

  • eVoost AI: Proptech emerging as a key pillar in UAE real estate

    eVoost AI: Proptech emerging as a key pillar in UAE real estate

    Abu Dhabi-based proptech innovator eVoost AI is spearheading a digital revolution in global real estate markets through its artificial intelligence-powered sales platform. Co-founded by Koh Onozawa and Cristian G. Pastrana, the company has positioned itself at the forefront of property technology transformation as digital tools transition from peripheral applications to core components of real estate transactions.

    The United Arab Emirates’ proptech sector has demonstrated remarkable growth, with market valuations reaching approximately $607 million in 2024 and projections indicating expansion beyond $1.5 billion by 2030. This represents a compound annual growth rate nearing 17.5%, fueled by robust investor confidence, government digitalization initiatives, and escalating demand for data-driven solutions in property development and management.

    eVoost AI’s integrated platform combines data intelligence, emotional artificial intelligence, and strategic real estate expertise to create a comprehensive digital ecosystem. The system enables developers to decode market signals into actionable insights, deploy personalized customer engagement across digital channels, and monitor performance through real-time dashboards integrated with existing operational frameworks.

    Executive Chairman Koh Onozawa emphasizes the company’s commitment to long-term value creation rather than short-term market disruption. ‘Our vision centers on enabling intuitive access to real estate opportunities regardless of geographical constraints,’ Onozawa stated. ‘We’re building a connective platform that integrates data, emotion, and technology to facilitate informed decisions for both developers and prospective buyers.’

    Chief Executive Officer Cristian G. Pastrana brings practical development experience to the venture, ensuring the technology maintains essential human elements in trust-based transactions. ‘Real estate remains fundamentally relationship-driven,’ Pastrana explained. ‘Our systems enhance transparency and operational efficiency while preserving the human connections that remain vital throughout the purchasing journey.’

    The company’s growth reflects Abu Dhabi’s emergence as a global innovation hub, providing technology entrepreneurs with access to capital, infrastructure, and international market connections. eVoost AI has established commercial partnerships with developers across multiple regions and collaborates with data analytics platforms to enhance market intelligence capabilities.

    As global real estate markets adapt to evolving consumer expectations and digital transformation, eVoost AI continues expanding its international presence while refining its artificial intelligence capabilities and strengthening its interdisciplinary team. The company represents how AI is becoming integral to real estate’s technological evolution, with the UAE serving as a strategic launchpad for scalable proptech solutions.