Saudi Arabia and Iran have given each other just two months to prove they are serious about Friday’s surprise agreement to normalize ties.

Before ambassadors are reinstated, the two nations are likely to be discussing ways to end almost seven years of hostility, a large task given how far-reaching the implications could be.

The reconciliation happens as Iran finds itself increasingly isolated on the world stage and Saudi Arabia changes the course of its foreign policy in favor of diplomacy instead of confrontation.

With a focus on economic development, Saudi Arabia and its neighbor, the United Arab Emirates, have in recent years moved to mend fences with most of their regional adversaries.

Riyadh has walked back from a hawkish foreign policy it had adopted when Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman entered the picture after his father King Salman took the throne in 2015. It has reconciled with Turkey, re-engaged with Syria, and supported a ceasefire in Yemen.

But it had left the most difficult of the dossiers, and perhaps the most important of all, till the end. It surprised the world last week when it announced a deal to normalize ties with Iran after years of talks that appeared to have borne no fruit.

The Iran-Saudi cold war has had an impact on almost every conflict in the region. Its resolution therefore could have equally strong repercussions. Here’s what the ripple effects may be:

Yemen

Yemen has been one of the countries most affected by Riyadh and Tehran’s spat. The two nations supported opposing factions in the 2014 Yemen civil war, and in 2015, a Saudi-led coalition intervened to fight the Iran-backed Houthi rebels that had overrun the country.

The Yemen war was likely the priority on the agenda for both countries, said Firas Maksad, senior fellow at the Middle East Institute in Washington, DC and adjunct professor at George Washington University.

The country has witnessed relative calm following an April UN-brokered truce. That truce expired in October but appears to be holding anyway and Saudi Arabia has been engaged in direct talks with the Houthis.

In a Saturday statement, the Iranian mission to the United Nations said the reconciliation “would accelerate the ceasefire, help start a national dialogue, and form an inclusive national government in Yemen,” Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported.

“It’s very likely that Tehran had to commit to pressuring its allies in Yemen to be more forthcoming on ending the conflict in that country, but we don’t know yet what behind-the-scenes understandings have been reached,” he said.

A member of the Houthis’ political wing, Abdulwahab al-Mahbashi, told Lebanon’s al-Mayadeen TV that a resolution to the Yemen conflict must be achieved through direct negotiations with Riyadh as the Houthis are not “subordinate” to the Iranians, Al Arabiya reported Sunday.

Lebanon

Lebanon has been suffering a crippling financial crisis. Its once-closest Arab ally and benefactor Saudi Arabia largely disengaged from it following a years-long spat prompted by Iran-backed Hezbollah’s clout in the country.

Relations hit their lowest in 2021, when Saudi Arabia and some of its Gulf Arab allies withdrew ambassadors from Beirut following the then-Lebanese information minister’s earlier criticism of the Saudi-led coalition’s war in Yemen.

Envoys later returned, but Saudi-Lebanese ties are still frosty.

Both Hezbollah and the Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati praised the Saudi-Iran deal, with Mikati calling it an “opportunity to breathe in the region, and look to the future.”

Analysts, however, say that doesn’t mean that Lebanon’s relations with Riyadh will improve automatically.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Friday said that Lebanon needed “Lebanese rapprochement” for the situation in Lebanon to improve, not “Saudi-Iranian rapprochement,” Al Arabiya reported.

The deflective answer suggests that Saudi Arabia may be separating its grievances with Lebanon from its conflict with Iran.

“Lebanon is not high on the priority of policy-makers in Riyadh,” said Firas Maksad.

Israel

The reconciliation has also made its way to Israel’s domestic political debate.

Hours before the deal was announced, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in Italy, extolling one of his major goals: Normalization with Saudi Arabia.

For Israel, peace with Saudi Arabia is seen as the apex of normalization agreements. Even though behind-the-scenes relations have been ongoing for years, full-blown peace would be a major achievement, and one of the key elements in forming a regional alliance to counter Iran.

Then reality hit later on Friday that Israel’s longtime and foremost foe, and Netanyahu’s would-be next best friend, were reconciling. And the blame game began in the Israeli political establishment.

Israeli newspaper Haaretz cited an unidentified “senior political source in Rome” as blaming the former government, led by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid for the reconciliation.

In turn, former prime ministers Lapid and Bennett said Netanyahu has been neglecting the situation in the broader Middle East, focusing instead on his government’s efforts to enact a controversial judicial overhaul.

Lapid tweeted that blaming him for the deterioration of the relationship with Saudi Arabia was “delusional,” saying that while he and Bennett were in power, Riyadh signed an aviation agreement with Israel, direct flights for the Hajj were arranged and a security agreement related to islands in the Red Sea was signed with Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

“All this came to a screeching halt when the most extreme government in the country’s history was established here and it became clear to the Saudis that Netanyahu was weak and the Americans stopped listening to him,” Lapid tweeted.

“The countries of the world and the region are watching Israel in conflict with a dysfunctional government that is engaged in systematic self-destruction,” Bennett tweeted on his own thread.

Netanyahu did not mention the deal in remarks ahead of the weekly Israeli Cabinet meeting on Sunday, and the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had no comment on the development.

Iraq

Iraq, which hosted several rounds of talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia, was quick to welcome the reconciliation. Analysts say it’s in Baghdad’s interest for the reconciliation to go through as the country had become an arena for Iranian-Saudi rivalry since the fall of the Saddam Hussein regime in 2003.

“Iran has used Iraq to add pressure to Saudi Arabia in all areas, including political, economic and specifically security pressure,” said Ihsan Al-Shammari, a politics professor at Baghdad University and head of the Iraqi Centre for Political Thought.

Iraq, he said, missed out on improving ties with Saudi Arabia and potentially large investments in the country due to Iran’s heavy influence in the country.

Iran-aligned parties have long held influence in Iraqi politics and have at times caused political deadlock that has culminated in violence.

Al-Shammari said Saudi Arabia would want Iran to rein in some of its allies in Iraq, especially armed paramilitary groups that it sees as a security threat. He added however that that may be a pipe dream as Iran sees Iraq as a vassal state and that its allies in parliament will want to preserve their Tehran-aligned interests.

Media wars

Saudi Arabia and Iran have for years been engaged in a bitter media war, where news outlets allegedly backed by each government have been accused of inciting against the other.

Iran’s state-backed Arabic language news channel Al Alam and English language Press TV regularly run programming critical of Saudi Arabia and are blocked in much of the Arab world. Saudi Arabia in turn is accused by Iran of funding Iran International, a Farsi language news channel that regularly interviews Tehran’s adversaries and covers protests against the government. Iran has labeled the channel a “terrorist organization.” Iran International has denied connections to the Saudi government. Saudi Arabia also owns the Farsi franchise of the British newspaper The Independent.

How the media war plays out will demonstrate the viability of the Iran-Saudi agreement to normalize relations. Analysts have said Saudi Arabia has invested in Persian-language media outlets to build leverage over Iran in talks after over a decade of an Iranian media assault against Saudi Arabia. The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday that Saudi Arabia has agreed to tone down critical coverage of the Islamic Republic by Iran International, citing unidentified officials from both countries. Last month, Iran International said it was relocating its operations to Washington, DC from London due to “the Islamic Republic’s threats.”

The digest

Polls show Erdogan lags opposition by more than 10 points ahead of May vote

Polls show the Turkish opposition’s presidential candidate, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leading President Tayyip Erdogan by more than 10 percentage points ahead of elections on May 14 seen by many as the most consequential vote in Turkey’s recent history, Reuters reported. The polls also show the opposition bloc leading the parliamentary race, at least six points ahead of Erdogan’s AK Party (AKP) and its allies.

Iran says it pardoned 22,000 protesters

Iranian judicial authorities have pardoned 22,000 people who took part in anti-government protests, judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said on Monday, the official IRNA news agency reported. “So far 82,000 people have been pardoned, including 22,000 people who participated in (the) protests,” Ejei said. He did not specify over what period the pardons were granted or if or when the people had been charged.

Saudi crown prince launches new airline

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) announced the launch of Riyadh Air, a new carrier owned by his $600 billion Public Investment Fund (PIF), the Saudi state news agency SPA reported Sunday. The airline is expected to bring up to $20 billion in non-oil revenue and create more than 200,000 jobs, it said.

What to watch

A city that was once reduced to rubble is now reviving its most prized cultural treasures. I spoke to the woman behind that effort, @UNESCO Director-General @AAzoulay who has just returned from Mosul. pic.twitter.com/7Zj6IZCSgF

— Becky Anderson (@BeckyCNN) March 10, 2023

“The country in general, but Mosul in particular, was completely destroyed, and especially the Old City, by the occupation, by the consequences of the occupation, by ISIS,” said Azoulay, who is working alongside UAE experts on a reconstruction project in Mosul.

Watch the report here.

Around the region

Think of the UAE and you might not immediately think of hip-hop, but in recent years, Dubai has become home to a small and dedicated group of artists who rap in Arabic about local culture.

Perhaps the biggest star is Mustafa Ismail, better known as “Freek,” a Somali rapper who was born and raised in the UAE. He has toured countries including the UK and performed at shows that featured the likes of Future, Gucci Mane, and Wu-Tang Clan.

“There’s a culture here,” said Ismail. “There’s a story to tell, and people like me that grew up here want to hear a story of a kid that grew up in UAE, or Dubai. This is what hip-hop is all about.”

Almost nine in 10 people in Dubai are not citizens of the UAE, many of whom have been born and raised in the Gulf city. Its burgeoning hip hop scene tells the story of the city’s diversity.

Ismail created a unique sound by performing drill rap in Arabic, a genre for which he is one of the most recognized artists in the region. His lyrics are a mix of accents and cultural references that reflect Dubai’s diverse demographic makeup.

“I didn’t really think it’s going to get that big, to be honest, until my friend told me you’re trending on Twitter,” said Ismail. “It was my first, kind of, viral video. This is what gives you another push. So, it’s amazing.”

Other artists are also making an impact on the local scene.

Christopher Esho is the creator of RAPDXB, a new platform that curates playlists, releases interviews and brings artists together to make music. He says there is a culture and history of rap music in Dubai, but adds that the city lacks a hub for the genre.

“There haven’t been record labels, there haven’t been communities, there haven’t been concerts that are celebrating this talent,” he says. “It’s just been a local buzz that’s been giving the artists exposure.”

RAPDXB recently released its first album, featuring a number of the UAE’s leading rappers. “The goal is uniting the culture and cultivating the community,” says Esho.

Such projects, as well as music festivals and local record labels, have been giving the local hip-hop scene a much-needed platform, and artists say they’re just beginning.

“The hip-hop scene in Dubai is growing. If you see the hip-hop scene in Dubai 10 years ago and now, it’s a huge difference. It is even going to get crazier,” said Ismail.

By Yara Enany

Photo of the day

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vowed Monday to “find the murderers” involved in a video that he said showed the execution of a Ukrainian soldier by Russian troops, as officials in Kyiv roundly condemned the incident as a war crime.

The video shows an unarmed troop allegedly in Russian captivity wearing Ukrainian combat fatigues and smoking a cigarette, near what appears to be a fighting position.

The man is then shown pulling the cigarette from his mouth, blowing out the smoke and saying, “Slava Ukraini (Glory to Ukraine),” before being executed, with fighters off camera firing several shots at him.

Ukraine’s SBU security service identified the soldier as Oleksandr Matsiyevsky and said he was a sniper with the 163rd Battalion of the 119th Separate Tank Brigade of the Chernihiv Region.

The SBU said Matsiyevsky was shot dead on December 30 after being reported missing near the village of Krasna Hora in the Donetsk region. His body was returned home in February.

The Ukrainian military’s northern regional territorial defense force said in a Facebook post that that it lost contact with Matsiyevsky and four other soldiers during a battle with Russian forces.

Earlier a different unit of the Ukrainian military had given a different name for Matsiyevsky.

Zelensky denounced the video and said it shows “how the occupiers brutally killed a warrior.”

“Today, a video has been released showing how the occupiers brutally killed a warrior who bravely said to their faces: ‘Glory to Ukraine,’” Zelensky said in his nightly address on Monday. “I want us all to respond to his words in unity: ‘Glory to the hero. Glory to heroes. Glory to Ukraine.’”

“We will find the murderers,” he added.

Russia has consistently denied accusations that its soldiers have committed war crimes during its invasion, despite evidence to the contrary.

‘Genocidal’

The Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, described the footage as “a manifestation of rascality and ignobility.”

“The execution of a captured Ukrainian soldier is a violation of the Geneva Conventions,” Lubinets wrote on Telegram, adding that he has shared the video with international allies “as evidence of yet another Russian war crime.”

“All over the world the words ‘Glory to Ukraine’ evoke honor, respect and pride, the Russians execute people for the Ukrainian slogan.”

Lubinets added that it was “painful” to see what Russian forces were doing in his country.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the video was additional “proof” that Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine was “genocidal,” and called on the International Criminal Court to launch an investigation into “this heinous war crime.”

“Perpetrators must face justice,” Kuleba tweeted Monday.

Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, also called the incident a “war crime.”

Western allies of Kyiv have called for greater measures to hold Moscow accountable amid accusations of crimes against humanity since the war began in February 2022, including targeted killings of civilians, the forcible transfers of children and sexual assault incidents.

US Attorney General Merrick Garland reaffirmed Washington’s “determination to hold Russia accountable for crimes” during an unannounced trip to Ukraine on Friday.

The US Justice Department has taken several steps to hold the Russian government and its supporters accountable since the invasion began.

On Wednesday, Garland testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee that he believed the Russian government was committing crimes against humanity and said the Justice Department supports efforts by The Hague to investigate and prosecute those crimes.

It came days after the US State Department imposed sanctions on dozens of Russian officials and entities involved in the war, including three senior Russian military leaders who will be blocked from entering the country due to their involvement “in gross violations of human rights perpetrated against Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of wars,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

This story has been updated with new information.

The prize money for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup will increase by 300% to $150 million, FIFA President Gianni Infantino told delegates at the 73rd FIFA Congress in Kigali, Rwanda on Thursday.

While the Women’s World Cup prize money is now three times the 2019 figure and 10 times more than in 2015, prior to when Infantino became FIFA president, it is still considerably lower than the $440 million total prize money awarded at the men’s World Cup in Qatar last year.

Infantino made the prize money announcement in his closing remarks at the FIFA Congress, hailing an “historic journey for women’s football and for equality” that “will lead us to a path to equal pay.”

“For the first time ever, I (plan to) dedicate a specific portion of this payment, which mainly has to go to football development, but a specific portion of that should go of course to the players,” Infantino said, in announcing step two of his three-step plan.

Step one, Infantino said, “will be equal conditions and services for all men and women playing at a World Cup,” a reference to provisions such as accommodation and flights.

“This will be a reality already for the Cup in 2023, the same conditions for the World Cup (in) ’22 will be for the players and coaching staff in the Women’s World Cup in ‘23,” the 52-year-old Infantino said.

He added that step three “will be the most complicated one” and “would include a dedicated marketing strategy for the women’s game.”

“Our mission will be able to have equality in payments for (the) 2026 men’s and 2027 women’s World Cups,” Infantino said.

Last year, the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) earned more money – $6.5 million – from its male equivalent reaching the knockout stages of Qatar 2022 than it did from winning World Cup tournaments in 2015 and 2019.

‘Actions and not just words’

According to Reuters, Infantino also criticized broadcasters for offering between 10 and 100 times less money for the Women’s World Cup than for the men’s tournament.

“FIFA is stepping up with actions and not just words,” he said. “Unfortunately, this is not the case with everyone across the industry. Broadcasters and sponsors have to do more.”

Infantino also promised that FIFA will generate record revenues of $11 billion by the end of the next financial cycle in 2026.

In a statement on Thursday, FIFPRO, soccer’s global players’ union, said it celebrates the progress made by FIFA in light of the prize money increase, which it said marks a step towards “greater equity and equality” in the industry.

Australia and New Zealand will co-host the 2023 Women’s World Cup, which runs from July 20 until August 20.

The Champions League has been whittled down to just eight contestants as the remaining teams found out their quarterfinal fate in Friday’s draw at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.

After comfortably dispatching Liverpool in the previous round, holder Real Madrid was drawn against another English club in Chelsea.

Real will be the considerable favorite going into that tie given Chelsea’s struggles this season, but Graham Potter’s side may have finally turned a corner after winning three straight games for only the second time this season.

Chelsea qualified for the quarterfinals after impressively overturning a 1-0 first-leg deficit against Borussia Dortmund thanks to goals from Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz, who scored the match-winning goal in the final two years ago when the London team beat Manchester City.

However, Real will rightly feel confident that it can once again progress to the semifinals after that statement 5-2 hammering of Liverpool at Anfield in the round of 16 first leg.

It was a historic result – Liverpool’s largest home defeat in Europe – with Real going on to comfortably see out the tie with a 1-0 win at the Bernabeu courtesy of Karim Benzema’s goal, taking the Frenchman’s Champions League tally to 89.

The Real striker has scored a remarkable 13 goals in his last eight knockout matches in the competition, making him the most feared marksman in Europe as the Spanish club continues its campaign to lift a 15th European Cup.

Manchester City’s quest

He may never win the affection of Julia Roberts, but Pep Guardiola will be hoping this is finally the year he can win his first Champions League title without Lionel Messi. When the pair worked together at Barcelona, the Spanish club twice won the Champions League.

The Spaniard came so close to guiding Manchester City to the club’s first European Cup title two years ago, narrowly losing out in that final in Porto, Portugal to Chelsea.

However, there is one key difference for City this season: Erling Haaland. The Norwegian scored a remarkable five goals in the team’s demolition of RB Leipzig and continues to cement his place as the world’s best striker.

Standing in their way is a Bayern Munich team that has even struggled in the Bundesliga this season, only recently being able to open up a narrow two-point gap at the top.

Despite the German side’s patchy form, it still comprehensively dispatched Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League with an assured display over two legs and a team that contains talents such as Thomas Müller, Sadio Mané and Alphonso Davies will always be a threat.

Perhaps the most exciting team in Europe this season is Napoli, which is on course to win its first Serie A title since 1990 after opening up an 18-point lead at the top of the table.

Led by star striker Victor Osimhen, the team has also been a force to be reckoned with in Europe.

Luciano Spalletti’s team comfortably beat Eintracht Frankfurt 5-0 on aggregate in the round of 16 and a combination of a stingy defense and attacking verve has consistently overwhelmed opponents this season.

Napoli will also likely be confident of beating an AC Milan team that currently sits 20 points back in Serie A and only scraped past a beleaguered Tottenham with a 1-0 aggregate score in the previous round.

Benfica and Inter Milan make up the final two teams in the draw and both will likely be confident of reaching the semifinals.

Inter sneaked through a tricky tie against Porto thanks to Romelu Lukaku’s late goal in the first leg, while Benfica hammered Club Brugge 7-1 on aggregate.

The tie was originally drawn with Inter playing at home first, but was switched when AC Milan drew Napoli at home in its first leg as both Milan clubs share the San Siro.

Draw in full

Real Madrid vs. Chelsea

Benfica vs. Inter Milan

Manchester City vs. Bayern Munich

AC Milan vs. Napoli

Europa League quarterfinal draw

Manchester United vs. Sevilla

Juventus vs. Sporting Lisbon

Bayer Leverkusen vs. Union Saint-Gilloise

Feyenoord vs. Roma

Europa Conference League quarterfinal draw

Lech Poznan vs. Fiorentina

Gent vs. West Ham

Anderlecht vs. AZ Alkmaar

Basel vs. Nice

March Madness has developed a reputation for delivering incredible shocks and fans of college hoops haven’t had to wait too long for upsets in this year’s men’s tournament.

On Thursday, the fourth-seeded Virginia Cavaliers faced up against the 13th-seeded Furman Paladins – making their first March Madness appearance in 43 years – in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Division I men’s basketball championship.

Many were expecting a walkover for the Cavs and the Paladins were behind for most of the encounter – Virginia extended their lead to 12 points at one stage.

The Paladins wrestled their way back into the contest, thanks to good work on the defensive end to make the clutch uncomfortable for Virginia.

With Virginia up two and less than 10 seconds on the clock, the Paladins forced a steal at mid-court, Garrett Hien seizing on a lazy pass and driving forward.

Hien found JP Pegues, who seemed to be the coolest man on court as he squared his shoulders and proceeded to bury the game-winning three to give the Paladins a one-point lead.

With 2.4 seconds on the clock, Virginia was forced to shoot, but missed a desperation heave at the buzzer.

Cue some massive celebrations as the Paladins stormed the court, before the team danced and sprayed water over themselves in the locker room.

After the win, Pegues gave an insight into how he was feeling before his decisive clutch shot.

“As I saw it go into Garrett Hien’s hands, I was like, I want the ball. I feel like those are moments I’ve created my whole life, and I feel like I’m built for,” said Pegues.

“So as soon as I got the ball and I’ve seen the shot attempt I had, I knew all I could do at that point was just rise up and shoot it, and I had full belief that it was going in, and it did.”

Furman head coach Bob Richey added: “What a day to be a Paladin.”

Cavs coach Tony Bennett described his team’s defeat as “tough.”

“You know, this game is – interesting might be the word I’d use. You feel like, we got it, we got it, and then all of a sudden in a moment’s notice, it changes at the end.”

Furman will play against No. 5 San Diego State on Saturday.

Seeing surprise guests at sporting events is not uncommon. You often catch a glimpse of a movie star at a grand slam tennis event or a musician at a golf major.

Soccer is no different. On Thursday, reality TV star Kim Kardashian sprinkled celebrity gold dust over Arsenal’s Europa League game against Portuguese club Sporting CP at the Emirates Stadium.

Kardashian was pictured watching the game with her son, Saint, having posted on her Instagram story hours before a picture of Arsenal merchandise with the caption: “Send help SOS.”

There was plenty to keep up with during an action-packed match. Arsenal, who hadn’t lost since February 15, suffered defeat in heartbreaking fashion – conceding a goal from the halfway line before then losing on penalties.

Twitter was abuzz, asking had the much touted ‘Kardashian curse’ struck.

The ‘Kardashian curse’ is a theory prevalent on the internet that connects people that members of the family are involved with and a downturn in their fortunes.

“The Kardashian curse strikes again,” tweeted one Arsenal fan account.

The 42-year-old Kardashian posted photos from throughout the game showing Saint displaying the wide array of emotions the Europa League game delivered.

He was seen celebrating when Arsenal took a first-half lead through Granit Xhaka and looked to be heading through, only to be followed with a photo of him looking despairingly later on as the game unraveled for Arsenal.

Sporting equalized through a spectacular Pedro Gonçalves goal from the halfway line in the second half before the Portuguese team won a penalty shootout after the last-16 tie finished 1-1 on Thursday and 3-3 on aggregate.

It’s not the first time we’ve seen A-list celebrities attend matches in the UK this season, with actors Michael B Jordan and Ryan Reynolds spotted at Bournemouth and Wrexham games respectively.

There’s a lot more to Irish cuisine than stout and spuds, although both should be high on your must-try list when visiting the island of Ireland.

That rich green patchwork that greets the eye as your plane descends produces some of the world’s finest beef, lamb and dairy, while the gray-blue waters that froth against its shoreline are alive with fish and shellfish.

Irish butter is rightly celebrated and is most delicious when soaking into a pile of floury potatoes or spread thick on one of the many local breads you won’t find for sale outside of the country.

Here are Ireland’s most-loved foods which visitors should pile on their plate.

Seafood

Chowder: When winds are bracing and there’s a bite in the air, there’s no finer way to restore one’s spirits than with a warming bowl of chowder. This thick soup is made with cream or milk and a dash of white wine and should be swimming with hearty chunks of salmon, haddock, shellfish and potato. While chowder is not unique to Ireland, the local twist is that it comes served with sweet dense slices of brown soda bread – more on which later.

Oysters: The best day to feast on oysters is on Bloomsday, Dublin’s annual celebration of the writer James Joyce held on June 16. Purists love to suckle the salty flesh straight from the shell, but the more cautious can enjoy them grilled with bacon or baked with breadcrumbs and garlic. The drink of choice is chilled white wine or – best of all – a glass of creamy stout.

Cockles and mussels: These tasty mollusc morsels became part of Dublin mythology through the song “Molly Malone,” but you can enjoy them anywhere within reach of the coast. Cockles can be eaten raw with vinegar or steamed in their shells, while mussels are often eaten Belgian-style with white wine, parsley and butter and a side order of chips (or fries, as they’re known in the US).

Smoked salmon: Salmon is native to North Atlantic waters and the Irish enjoy vivid orange-pink slivers of the smoked variety with eggs for a posh breakfast, with potato bread or boxty (see below), or on brown soda bread as an open sandwich. Alternatively, baked salmon is an enticing dish when cooked with Irish whiskey and honey.

Meat dishes

Bacon and cabbage: Yes, that’s right – the Irish original is bacon, not corned beef. And to confuse matters more, in Ireland corned beef is a processed meat often sold in a can; what Americans call “corned beef” is known as “salt beef” in Ireland and the UK. However, you’ll struggle to find bacon and cabbage sold in many Irish restaurants, or even served up in Irish homes. The fact is there are too many tasty alternatives more in line with current culinary fashion.

Irish stew: This is the dish Irish people are most likely to roll out for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. Hearty chunks of lamb are slow-cooked in a rich gravy with onion, potatoes, carrot and parsley. Coddle is a traditional Dublin stew with sausages, onion, potato and bacon – or rashers as they’re known locally. And then there’s beef and Guinness stew: a dark booze-enriched concoction with carrot and potato. It’s Ireland’s answer to beef bourguignon or goulash.

Crossover classics: Unsurprisingly for two neighboring islands with a long shared history, a lot of the British classics you’ll be familiar with are also popular Irish fare. Weekend treats include fish and chips on a Friday night and a roast dinner on a Sunday afternoon. Round off a weekend break by stopping into a pub or restaurant for juicy servings of grass-fed Irish beef, lamb or even venison served with potatoes, gravy and vegetable sides.

Full Irish breakfast: So what makes an Irish fried breakfast distinctive from its English counterpart? There’ll be the usual bacon, eggs, sausages, mushroom, baked beans and fried tomato, but the Irish version will often include black and white pudding. Black pudding is an iron-rich blood sausage, while white pudding is the same grain-filled sausage minus the blood. One of the biggest pork sausage brands is Denny; Oscar nominee Paul Mescal got his big break in a Denny TV ad a few short years ago. An Ulster Fry, found in the north of the country, will also feature fried potato bread and soda bread.

Bread, butter and cheese

Soda bread: This is a yeast-free bread made with buttermilk and is thick, filling and fabulous in both its white and wholemeal varieties. Brown soda bread – known as wheaten bread in Northern Ireland – is usually in loaf form and is at its utmost deliciousness when toasted, with pools of butter melting into its every cranny (Kerrygold is the nation’s favorite spread). White soda bread is often enjoyed as farls, toasted or fried and laid high with bacon and eggs, or in sweet varieties made with sultanas or even treacle.

Veda: Passionately loved in Northern Ireland and little known anywhere else, Veda is a commercially produced malt loaf made with treacle. It must be toasted – novices make the mistake of eating it straight – and loaded with butter, perhaps with a topping of cheese or jam.

Cheese: Gubbeen – from the Irish word gobín, meaning small mouthful – is a nutty, semi-soft cow’s milk cheese made in County Cork. Cashel Blue is a mild blue-veined cheese from Tipperary, named after the nearby Rock of Cashel. Try them with a dollop of Ballymaloe Relish, a tomato-based bestseller.

The majestic spud

Colcannon: This side dish is a fluffy mound of mashed potatoes mixed with cabbage or kale, plus butter and milk or cream. And if you want less of those do-gooding greens, a Northern Irish alternative is champ, which is creamy mashed potatoes mixed with scallions.

Boxty: Boxty is a potato cake made from grated potato and flour which is then fried on a griddle, with delectable results. Potato bread or potato farls are thin bread slides made from mashed potato and potato mixed into a dough. You can buy them in stores and fly them up or pop them in the toaster before spreading them with – yes, you guessed it – a lovely slather of butter.

Tayto crisps: The flavored potato chip was invented in 1954 by Joe “Spud” Murphy (yes, really), who founded Tayto Crisps, Ireland’s most iconic snack. Cheese and onion is the original and definitive flavor and it also works great in a crisp sandwich (let actor Jamie Dornan show you how). There are two separate Tayto companies, one in the Republic of Ireland and one in Northern Ireland, both with their own Mr Tayto mascots. If you want to know which tastes better, you’ll need to try them both yourself.

Treats and snacks

Kimberley, Mikado and Coconut Creams: Once produced by the Jacobs factory in Dublin and now available through a variety of manufacturers, these are the traditional tea-time treats that have graced Ireland’s homes for decades and are a staple in international grocery aisles for the homesick Irish abroad. The exotically named Mikado, with its two lines of pink coconut-speckled marshmallow piped down a soft ginger biscuit (or cookie, as Americans would call it), with a thinner line of jam between, is the first you should try.

Traybakes: Traybakes – sweet and gooey confections made in sheet trays, with or without the use of actual baking, then cut into squares – are a particular favorite in Northern Ireland, where you’ll see them for sale in every cafe and rows upon rows of them in convenience stories and gas stations. Fifteens might just be the sugariest of all: They’re equal parts digestive biscuits, marshmallows and glace cherries, combined with condensed milk and dessicated coconut. You’ll need a cup of tea to wash it down.

Dulse and yellowman: You might not think to pair dried purple seaweed with brittle yellow honeycomb toffee, but the two flavors have gone hand in hand at the Ould Lammas Fair in the seaside town of Ballycastle, County Antrim, for hundreds of years. If you’re visiting on the last weekend of August, you can combine it with a trip to the Giant’s Causeway UNESCO site.

Barmbrack: This sultana-studded loaf – sweeter than regular bread but not as sweet as cake – is served plain or toasted and is often improved with a smear of butter. Traditionally it was baked at Halloween, with prizes such as rings or coins hidden inside for the eaters.

Guilty pleasures and old-school classics

Chicken fillet roll: The ingredients might not sound particularly Irish, but this is a deli item the nation has taken to its heart. In convenience stores across the land you’ll find baguettes prepared on site with breaded chicken, lettuce, mayo and condiments galore. The morning sandwich of choice is a breakfast roll: Comedian Pat Shortt (from “The Banshees of Inisherin”) even had a No. 1 hit extolling its virtues.

Irish salad: Before the words vinaigrette or rocket were ever heard on these shores, a salad consisted of sliced ham, lettuce, pickled beetroot, slices of boiled egg and fresh tomato, and perhaps some chopped scallions. You’ll still find this protein-rich dish being served up in more traditional rural homes.

Lasagne and coleslaw: Italians may balk at what the Irish – particularly outside major metropolises – like to serve with their stacked-layer dish of pasta and ragu. The hot carb-heavy dish is often accompanied by a cold side of mayo-heavy coleslaw as well as additional carbs such as chips and garlic bread. All we can say is: Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.

Feed after midnight: There are a number of late-night food options that have achieved legendary status. A curry chip or gravy chip is thick-cut fries slathered in a MSG-heavy curry sauce or a meaty gravy. A spice bag is a fusion dish sold in Chinese takeways: Fries are accompanied by shredded salt and chilli chicken, red and green peppers, fried onions, chopped chili and a variety of spices. And if you simply want a good old burger, Supermac’s is the nation’s biggest fast food chain. If you’re wondering about that name, it successfully won two trademark lawsuits raised by McDonald’s.

Drinks

Tea: Ireland is, in consumption per capita, the world’s biggest tea-drinking nation after Turkey. And like Tayto, the choice of brew gets tribal (we didn’t even get into the Tayto vs. King crisp debate). There’s Barry’s Tea, started 1901, Lyon’s Tea, started 1904, and in the North there’s Punjana, going strong since 1896. Whatever you do, brew it strong and make sure you have the good biscuits ready for visitors.

Minerals: The Irish aren’t as gasping for booze as the stereotype has it: Ireland’s not even in the global top 10 for frequency of alcohol-drinking and there is a sizable population of teetotalers. Minerals is a quaint term for soda that you might still hear used by older people and one of the most distinctive soft drinks is Club Rock Shandy, a zingy mix of orange and lemon. Shloer is the festive drink of choice in many low-alcohol homes: it’s a sparkling juice that comes in “white” and “red” flavors for that sophisticated wine-style feel.

Guinness and Baileys: Here come the big dogs. A “pint of plain” does, scientifically, taste better on home turf and sampling a glass of Guinness, or some of Ireland’s other stouts, in one of the country’s many celebrated pubs is an essential part of any beer-drinker’s visit. Baileys Irish credentials are weak – the liqueur was invented by a South African marketing guy in London in 1973 – but it’s so moreish we’ll forgive it everything. The hardcore drink it with brandy – the liquor cuts through the sweetness, creating a superlative cocktail.

Whiskey: Ireland’s whiskey industry is booming, with more than 40 distilleries currently operating on the island. So move beyond bestseller Jameson and try newcomer Teeling, Northern Ireland’s mighty Bushmills, or the ultra-premium offerings from Midleton Very Rare and Craft Irish Whiskey. As for cocktails, the essential is the Irish Coffee, the picturesque glass of coffee, whiskey and sugar topped by a layer of cream, which was invented at Shannon Airport in 1942 to wow high-class transatlantic passengers on their way to the States.

Yosemite National Park will begin to reopen Saturday with limited access and hours, the US National Park Service has announced. The park remains closed today.

The popular park, nestled in the Sierra Nevada mountains, was closed because of a series of damaging storms that have swept across the region in recent weeks.

Since February 21, the park has seen more than 15 feet (4.6 meters) of snow at Tuolumne Meadows, higher than the average single story house. Warmer storms left behind 21 inches (53 centimeters) of rain.

The winter storms damaged roads and facilities throughout much of the park, with almost two dozen documented rockslides and debris flows affecting roadways. Most of these have been cleaned up, the park said.

The main roads are cleared, and snow has been plowed in the upper elevations. The park’s smaller roads will remain closed, along with the areas of the park they serve.

Yosemite will be open from sunrise to sunset this weekend. The park plans to expand to 24 hours in the Yosemite Valley on Monday, with limited overnight lodging. Campgrounds will remain closed as they are still buried in snow.

Visitors are cautioned to be ready with warm, waterproof clothing and vehicle chains as more weather is aimed for the area.

Other national and state park sites

Yosemite hasn’t been the only park in California that’s been affected by these winter storms. Here’s a look at the status of a few other popular sites in the state as of 9:30 a.m. PT Friday:

• Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks: All entries are closed until further notice. No opening will happen before March 20, and the park said it’s likely the entry closures will extend beyond that.

• Mojave National Preserve: The reserve is open, but select roads are closed. Check for updates before you try to drive through.

• Death Valley National Park: Snow has closed the access road to Telescope Peak trailhead. But other closures in the park are because of last summer’s damaging storms.

• California state parks: More than 20 state parks are closed, including four just in Monterey County.

When you think of the Caribbean, you likely think of water. The crystalline sea, of course. Fancy resort pools. And spectacular water parks. You probably don’t think of modern, land-based theme parks.

But one park is taking a big step outside the usual H²O-oriented offerings in the Caribbean with a park inspired by a high-altitude, landlocked city halfway around the world in Nepal.

Katmandu Park Punta Cana opened this week in the Dominican Republic. It’s the second installment of the “The Hidden Realms of Katmandu” franchise.

The DR park is a bigger sister park to the smaller Katmandu Park Mallorca, which is on the popular Mediterranean Island off the coast of Spain.

What you’re gonna do at Katmandu

While this park is focused on mostly indoor rides where you stay dry, Katmandu isn’t about space-eating coasters looping around for a mile or more.

Instead, the park is offering what it calls a “big experience / small footprint” concept, with compact immersive and dark rides set on a smaller plot of land, which is precious in the Caribbean.

Four of the park’s marquee attractions, with heavy Himalayan themes, are:

• Challenge of the Mad Mage: This ON!X Theater attraction features a character who challenges guests to a blaster duel. The park said the ride gives every player to chance “to direct the outcome of the action and even affect the narrative that unfolds before them on the massive, cinema-style screen.”

Electric motion seats will give guests sensory feedback “in the form of poking, tickling, vibration, wind, air blast, water mist, scent, localized speakers in headrests, and more.”

• EtherQuest: This is an interactive, walk-through attraction in which guests try to defeat a powerful foe with various interactive props.

The park said the “guests are really the main characters of their own adventure.”

• Legend of the Desirata: This is a 4D dark ride attraction that “tells the Katmandu origin story.”

Guests will follow an explorer in “a dynamically moving vehicle,” and the attraction features multiple projection screens, lighting effects, wind effects and “stunning scenic elements.”

• Voyage of the Fathom Wanderer: This is a “suspended theater” attraction, where guests will join an underwater mission to fend off a sea monster.

The park said visitors will be “swiftly but elegantly lifted through the air” and placed in front of a “giant, compound curved screen, ushering them inside the story.” The park promises the attraction “delivers the unique sensation of flight in a whole new way.”

What else is on tap

Fans of mini-golf will find a new challenge in Expedition Golf, a 36-hole course spread over a mountainous setting and inside caves.

There is also an outdoor ropes course and something called “The Quadagon,” which has four indoor climbing courses for children and adults.

The Wheel of Infinite Wonder, a Katmandu-themed carousel with custom figures, is centerpiece of the park’s plaza.

Get ready to shell out some money for these high-tech experiences. The least expensive tickets are $85 for children and come in three package options.

The park is located on the island’s far eastern shore, just minutes from the ocean for those who still want a water adventure, too.

Here’s a look at Kashmir, a region in the Himalayan and Karakoram mountain ranges. India, Pakistan and China all claim partial or complete ownership of Kashmir.

Facts

Kashmir is an 86,000-square mile region in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent.

India and Pakistan have been fighting over Kashmir since both countries gained their independence in 1947.

Between 1989 and 2008, more than 47,000 people were killed in separatist violence, according to the Indian government. Some human rights groups and nongovernmental organizations say the death toll is higher.

Hundreds are still killed every year in separatist violence, according to human rights groups.

The Line of Control separates Indian and Pakistani-controlled parts of Kashmir.

India-controlled: One state, called Jammu and Kashmir, makes up the southern and eastern portions of the region. Srinagar is the summer capital city. Jammu (city) is the winter capital.

Pakistan-controlled: Three areas called Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan make up the northern and western portions of the region. The capital of Azad Kashmir is Muzaffarabad.

China-controlled: One area called Aksai Chin in the northernmost part of the region.

Kashmir: India and Pakistan’s bitter dispute

Timeline

1947 – India and Pakistan gain independence from Great Britain. Kashmir initially decides to remain independent, choosing not to become a part of either Pakistan or India. After militants from Pakistan invade, the Maharaja of Kashmir signs a letter acceding to India. Pakistan does not recognize the letter as a legal document, sparking war.

January 1, 1949 – India and Pakistan agree to withdraw all troops behind a mutually agreed ceasefire line, later known as the Line of Control.

1965 – India and Pakistan go to war again over Kashmir.

1989 – Islamic militants begin an uprising in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

1999 – India and Pakistan fight a limited border conflict in Kashmir, after armed invaders cross the Line of Control in the town of Kargil.

July 25, 2000 – Hizbul Mujahedeen, a pro-Pakistan Kashmiri militant group, declares a unilateral ceasefire for three months in Jammu and Kashmir.

August 8, 2000 – Hizbul Mujahedeen calls off its ceasefire.

May 23, 2001 – India ends a six-month ceasefire while also inviting Pakistani military ruler, General Pervez Musharraf, to peace talks aimed at ending five decades of hostilities between the two countries.

July 14-16, 2001 – Musharraf and Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee meet in Agra, India, for a three-day summit. The talks fail to produce a joint statement on Kashmir.

December 20, 2001 – The Indian army deploys troops on its border with Pakistan in the northern states of Kashmir and Punjab after an attack by militants on the Indian Parliament building. Pakistani troops also buildup across the frontier.

January 12, 2002 – Musharraf announces a ban on two Kashmiri militant groups.

October 2002 – Four rounds of polls to choose a new state administration conclude in Indian-controlled Kashmir. About 300-500 people are killed during the election campaign.

November 2003 – India agrees to a Pakistani offer of a ceasefire along their borders in the disputed region of Kashmir. The ceasefire goes into effect November 26 and is the first ceasefire in 14 years.

January 4, 2004 – Vajpayee meets with Musharraf in Islamabad. It is their first direct contact in two years.

March 28, 2008 – Human rights workers find nearly 1,000 unmarked graves near the Line of Control. Hundreds of protestors in Indian Kashmir later clash with police, demanding an investigation into the graves.

October 21, 2008 – India and Pakistan open a trade route for the first time in six decades on the Line of Control. Fruit, clothing and spices are among the items being transported.

January 14, 2011 – India’s home secretary announces that India will cut its security forces in Kashmir over the next 12 months.

February 10, 2011 – Pakistan and India agree to resume peace talks that halted after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

July 27, 2011 – Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar meets with Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna in New Delhi to discuss ways to improve travel and trade across Kashmir.

February 2015 – The Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP,) a regional party backed by the Muslim majority, announce the formation of a coalition government in Indian-controlled Kashmir. This follows five rounds of elections in 2014 without a clear winner and is the first time that the BJP will be part of the governing coalition in the state assembly. The coalition government is sworn in on March 1, 2015.

January 2016 – The death of the chief minister of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, creates tumult within the coalition government. The presumptive successor is Mehbooba Mufti, Sayeed’s daughter. She declines to take the oath of office, however, as relations fray between the PDP and the BJP. With the power-sharing alliance in crisis, Governor’s rule is imposed in accordance with the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir.

April 4, 2016 – Mehbooba Mufti is sworn in as the first female chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir.

September 18, 2016 – Armed militants enter an Indian army base in the town of Uri and kill 18 soldiers. Several hours later, four militants are killed in a shootout with the Indian army.

September 29, 2016 – Two Pakistani soldiers are killed after clashes with Indian troops on the border.

October 2016 – India relocates more than 10,000 people from around the disputed border area as tensions continue to escalate with Pakistan.

August 1, 2017 – Violent protests erupt over the killing of Abu Dujana, the Pakistani commander of the terror group, Lashkar-e-Taiba.

February 14, 2019 – At least 40 are killed when a bomb explodes near a convoy of Indian paramilitary personnel.

February 26, 2019 – Pakistan declares it will retaliate “at the time and place of its choosing” after India conducts airstrikes on an alleged terrorist training camp inside Pakistan territory, in the first such incursion by Indian air force planes since the war in 1971.

February 27, 2019 – Pakistan says its air force shot down two Indian fighter jets over Kashmir. India confirms the loss of one plane and says it shot down a Pakistani jet as it responded to the incident.

March 1, 2019 – Pakistan announces that it will release an Indian pilot who was being held in custody.

August 5, 2019 – Tensions between India and Pakistan increase after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announces that India will revoke a constitutional provision giving the state of Jammu and Kashmir autonomy to set its own laws. In the wake of the announcement, widespread communications blackouts are reported in the Muslim majority region.

August 6, 2019 – India’s parliament votes to approve the status change for the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The reorganization bill increases New Delhi’s authority over the region, changing it from an autonomous state into a union territory. Pakistan responds that the change is illegal. “If the world does not act now, if the so-called developed world does not uphold its own laws, then things will go to a place that will damage the whole world,” says Imran Khan, prime minister of Pakistan.

August 7, 2019 – Pakistan announces that diplomatic relations and bilateral trade with India are being suspended.

August 8, 2019 – Modi delivers a televised address in which he claims that revoking Kashmir’s autonomous status will promote stability, reduce corruption and boost the economy. Pakistan’s foreign minister says the country will remain vigilant but no military options are being considered. The United Nations issues a statement calling on both countries to resolve the issue peacefully while respecting human rights in the region.

October 31, 2019 – Jammu and Kashmir officially lose statehood status and become two union territories.