Region

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — Saudi Arabia pledged maximum security to reassure rattled Formula One drivers as the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was set to go ahead despite an attack on an oil facility nearby by Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

The drivers revealed their concerns over the attack, which sent black smoke billowing over the area and was part of a wave of drone-and-missile assaults that triggered retaliatory air strikes on rebel strongholds.

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels fired on 16 targets across Saudi Arabia as they mark seven years since the Saudi-led coalition intervened in support of the government in Yemen, the Arab world’s poorest country.

The conflict has killed hundreds of thousands of people directly or indirectly and displaced millions, creating what the UN calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

Drivers including seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton have also expressed human rights concerns about rAacing in Saudi Arabia, where 81 people were executed in a single day earlier this month.

After hours of talks with the pilots, team principals and Saudi officials on Friday, Formula One and governing body the FIA said it had received “assurances” that the race in Jeddah can be held safely.

“Saudi government authorities and security agencies... have given full and detailed assurances that the event is secure,” a joint statement said.

“It has been agreed with all stakeholders to maintain a clear and open dialogue throughout the event and for the future.”

‘Stressful day’

Regular media interviews were cancelled on Friday during the talks over the race’s future. But the pilots’ union, the Grand Prix Drivers Association, said it was a “difficult day for Formula One and a stressful day for us Formula One drivers”.

“Perhaps it is hard to comprehend if you have never driven an F1 car on this fast and challenging Jeddah track, but on seeing the smoke from the incident it was difficult to remain a fully focused race driver and erase natural human concerns,” a statement said.

During “long discussions”, Saudi government ministers “explained how security measures were elevated to the maximum” to allow the race to go ahead, it added.

The attacks on targets including oil facilities, an electrical station and a water plant came as oil prices soar on supply fears following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Saudi Arabia, one of the world’s biggest crude exporters, has rebuffed calls to pump more oil in a bid to stabilise markets, sticking instead to the steady increases agreed by the OPEC+ oil alliance.

The US, Britain and France were among the countries to condemn Friday’s attacks, the latest in a series of similar assaults by the Houthis.

The Saudi-led coalition hit back with air strikes on Sanaa, Yemen’s rebel-held capital, and the port city of Hodeidah, official Saudi media said. Rebel reports of casualties could not immediately be confirmed.

The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix’s second edition will resume with the final practice session ahead of qualifying at 1700 GMT.



WASHINGTON — US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Israel, the West Bank, Morocco and Algeria over March 26-30 to discuss the Ukraine war, Israeli-Palestinian relations and Iran, the State Department announced on Thursday.

Blinken will meet separately with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah on the first stage of the trip, and while in Morocco he will also meet the UAE's de facto ruler, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed.

Discussions will include "the Russian government's war on Ukraine, Iran's destabilising activities, the Abraham Accords and normalisation agreements with Israel, Israeli-Palestinian relations, and preserving the possibility of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict", State Department Spokesman Ned Price said.

The trip comes as the United States is close to reaching an agreement with Iran to restore the 2015 accord limiting Tehran's nuclear development program in return for removing sanctions on the country.

In February Bennett said he was "deeply troubled" by the prospect of a new nuclear deal, which Israel fears would not prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

The meeting in Morocco comes as the United Arab Emirates has displayed growing political influence around the region, showing an open door to Israel but also maintaining steady relations with Iran.

Washington was miffed last week Syrian President Bashar Assad, politically isolated since civil war erupted in his country in 2011, made a surprise visit to the UAE.

In Morocco Blinken will also meet with his counterpart Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita.

In Algeria, he will see President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra for talks on regional security and commercial relations.

Algeria is a leading supplier of natural gas to Europe, playing a crucial role after Russia's invasion of Ukraine last month halted the opening of a new large natural gas pipeline from Russia to Germany.


KHARTOUM — Sudanese security forces shot dead a protester in the southeastern city of Wad Madani on Thursday during anti-coup rallies held across the African country, medics said.

Angry demonstrators took to the streets of Khartoum and several other cities demanding a return to civilian rule after the military grabbed power last year.

Waving the Sudanese flag, the protesters chanted "No, no to military rule" and "Go back to the barracks" at the biggest turnout in Khartoum.

Anti-coup demonstrators have remained undeterred despite a crackdown by the security forces that has now claimed the lives of 90 people.

The latest fatality was a 28-year-old man who was hit at close range by a blast of birdshot fired by security forces in Wad Madani, about 160 kilometres from the capital, medics said.

Military chief Abdel Fattah Al Burhan seized power in Sudan on October 25, triggering international condemnation and punitive measures.

The coup upended a transition to civilian rule after the 2019 ouster of autocratic president Omar Al Bashir, following mass protests against his iron-fisted three decades in power.

Sudan, one of the world's poorest countries, has been reeling from a plunging economy due to decades of international isolation and mismanagement under Bashir.

Since the coup, the northeast African country has suffered from international aid cuts and economic turmoil.

Its currency, the pound, has plummeted in value and prices of food and fuel have skyrocketed.

"This is the third time for me to take to the streets after economic conditions worsened," Iman Babiker said at a protest in North Khartoum.

"It has become unbearable."

Demonstrators have over the past two days set up barricades of bricks, tree branches and burning car tyres on the main streets of the capital.

Sudan has yet to appoint a prime minister since the January resignation of premier Abdalla Hamdok, who remained under house arrest for weeks before he was reinstated.

In an interview published on Wednesday in Saudi newspaper Asharq Al Awsat, Burhan said he hoped a new prime minister would be nominated after the agreement of political factions in Sudan.



MOGADISHU — The death toll from twin attacks in central Somalia has climbed to 48, the leader of Hirshabelle state said on Thursday, with Al-Shabaab insurgents claiming they were targeting politicians ahead of elections.

The first attack in Hirshabelle's Beledweyne district was carried out on Wednesday night by a suicide bomber, and killed two local lawmakers including Amina Mohamed Abdi and several of her guards as she campaigned for reelection.

Minutes later, a car bomb exploded outside Beledweyne's main hospital where the injured were being taken for treatment, killing dozens, causing buildings to collapse and leaving vehicles in charred, twisted ruins.

"As far as we can confirm, 48 people were killed and 108 others injured in the twin blasts," said Ali Gudlawe Hussein, leader of Hirshabelle state, adding that emergency workers had found bodies buried under debris.

"We are urging [citizens] to be very vigilant, we are ordering all security agencies to beef up security," he said.

Earlier Thursday, the Beledweyne district police chief told AFP that the attacks had killed over 30 people.

"The terrorists carried out the first attack using a suicide bomber and readied a car loaded with explosives in front of a hospital to cause more casualties," said Colonel Isak Ali Abdulle.

"These were devastating simultaneous attacks which damaged property as well as causing mass civilian casualties."

The bombings occurred the same day as three people were killed in a separate attack near Mogadishu's airport that was also claimed by Al Shabaab.

The Al Qaeda-linked militants frequently target civilian, military and government targets in Somalia's capital and outside.

Targeting politicians   

Witnesses described carnage outside the hospital in Beledweyne.

"The second blast was very huge, it occurred in front of the hospital and my brother and one of our neighbours were among the dead," said Mahad Yare, a Beledweyne resident.

Al Shabaab said it carried out the attacks to target politicians contesting ongoing elections

The British ambassador to Somalia, Katie Foster, shared her condolences on Twitter, saying: "We strongly condemn the use of violence to intimidate and disrupt the elections."

The European Union's ambassador to the country, Tiina Intelmann, also offered condolences, writing on Twitter: "Violence is not a way forward for #Somalia. #EU condemns terrorism and politically motivated killings."

Earlier on Wednesday, security forces shot dead two gunmen who attempted to storm a heavily fortified area of the Somali capital Mogadishu near the city's main airport.

The airport complex houses the United Nations, aid agencies, foreign missions and contractors, and the headquarters of the African Union military mission, AMISOM.

Three people were killed in that attack -- a policeman, an AMISOM soldier and a civilian.

Election delays 

Al Shabaab has been seeking to overthrow the country's fragile government for over a decade.

The Horn of Africa nation has seen a spate of attacks in recent weeks as it hobbles through a long-delayed election process.

Somalia's key foreign backer, the United States, has already imposed travel sanctions on key political figures for undermining the electoral process.

The lower house election is now due to be completed on March 31, paving the way for lawmakers to pick a president.

Somalia's international backers have warned the election delays distract from the fight against Al Shabaab.

The controlled Mogadishu until 2011 when they were pushed out by AMISOM troops, but still hold territory in the countryside.

DAMASCUS — Iran’s top diplomat on Wednesday welcomed efforts to “normalise relations” between some Arab countries and Syria, days after President Bashar Assad made a surprise visit to the UAE.

Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks on a visit to Damascus during which he met Assad, his Syrian counterpart Faisal Mekdad and National Security Bureau chief Ali Mamlouk.

Iran has given financial and military support to the Assad regime in Syria’s 11-year war. It says it has deployed forces in Syria at the invitation of Damascus and only as advisers.

“We welcome the fact that some Arab countries are trying to normalise relations with the Syrian Arab Republic by adopting a new approach. We are happy with it,” said Amir-Abdollahian.

Mekdad said the visit was “a good opportunity to review developments in the region and bilateral relations”.

Amir-Abdollahian has travelled to Damascus twice since August last year.

His latest visit follows Assad’s trip to the United Arab Emirates last week, his first to an Arab country since the start of the war.

The United States condemned the visit, which indicated warming ties between Syria and the UAE after years of boycott.

Assad and the UAE’s de facto ruler, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, discussed the “fraternal relations” between the two countries, the official Emirati news agency WAM reported.

Talks also centred on efforts to “contribute to the consolidation of security, stability and peace in the Arab region and the Middle East”, it added.

The Arab League suspended Syria after conflict broke out in the country in 2011, but member states are no longer aligned on this position.

LA GOULETTE, Tunisia — A cruise ship docked in a Tunisian port on Wednesday for the first time since 2019, carrying over 700 passengers and rare good news for tourism operators battered by the COVID pandemic.

The Spirit of Discovery, run by UK operator Saga, landed at La Goulette Port on the edge of Tunis where it was welcomed by camels and a band playing traditional Tunisian music.

“We were not trading for about 18 months... but we’ve been back in business since last July and this is our first call here to northern Africa,” said Captain Kim Tanner.

British tourist John Hilton, 75, said he was “absolutely delighted” to be in Tunisia.

“We’re certainly pleased to get out and see some of the world and get to some of the places that we haven’t seen,” he said. 

The ship was carrying 724 passengers, mostly British but also German, Italian and Spanish, according to Tourism Minister Moez Belhassen.

He said the cruise liner was the first of at least 40 expected to dock in Tunis this year.

“This is very important for many sectors... especially given the spending power of tourists,” he said.

After two disastrous seasons, Tunisian authorities are hoping to bring visitor numbers and spending back to 60 per cent of 2019 levels, the best season since the North African country’s 2011 revolution.

In normal years, tourism makes up around 14 per cent of Gross Domestic Product and provides a living for two million Tunisians, around a sixth of the population.

But the sector has suffered several crises since the 2011 revolt, which inspired revolutions across the Arab world.

In 2015, Deash group-linked militants waged a string of deadly attacks at key tourist hotspots.

The sector had started to recover when the coronavirus pandemic and the ensuing lockdowns sent visitor numbers and revenues tumbling by some 80 per cent.