Author: Gulf News Week

West Indies storm to top of Group C after 30-run thrashing, leaving England reeling in third MUMBAI – Sherfane Rutherford smashed an unbeaten 76 off 42 balls, clubbing seven sixes, as West Indies overpowered England by 30 runs in a commanding T20 World Cup Group C display at Wankhede Stadium on Wednesday. Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie then delivered the knockout blow, claiming 3-33 as England were strangled by spin and bundled out for 166 with an over to spare. The victory is West Indies’ second consecutive win, propelling the twice champions to the top of the group. England slip to third…

Victory sets up high-stakes India clash after government clears Sunday’s marquee tie COLOMBO – Sahibzada Farhan struck a career-best 73 and Usman Tariq claimed three vital wickets as Pakistan secured a emphatic 32-run win over the United States in the T20 World Cup on Tuesday, exacting revenge for one of the tournament’s greatest upsets two years ago. Pakistan posted a commanding 190-9 after being put in to bat at Colombo’s Sinhalese Sports Club, powered by Farhan’s 41-ball blitz and a fluent 46 from Babar Azam. In response, the USA kept pace early but unravelled against Pakistan’s spinners, with Tariq (3-27) and…

President Prabowo’s White House visit next week expected to cement Jakarta’s role in proposed stabilisation force JAKARTA – Indonesia has signaled it is prepared to deploy up to 8,000 troops to Gaza as part of a proposed international stabilisation force (ISF) linked to the second phase of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan—making it the first country to publicly pledge personnel. The world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation is considering sending a brigade, estimated at 5,000 to 8,000 soldiers, to focus on humanitarian aid and infrastructure reconstruction. However, Indonesian army chief of staff General Maruli Simanjuntak stressed the plan remains tentative. “Nothing…

Nearly 200,000 narcotic pills destined for trafficking network, court rules An Iraqi court has handed down life sentences to five individuals convicted of trafficking nearly 200,000 amphetamine tablets seized in the western province of Anbar, state news agency INA reported Wednesday. The Anbar criminal court found the suspects in possession of 194,000 narcotic pills intended for sale and distribution, in what officials described as a major blow to regional drug networks. While the specific substance was not named in the ruling, amphetamine-based drugs—particularly Captagon—have become a growing focus of Iraqi counter-narcotics operations. The stimulant has flooded illegal markets across the…

AlUla to host FEI World Championship as racing leaders highlight role of horses in driving tourism, jobs, and economic diversification Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 giga-projects are increasingly placing equestrianism at the core of their development strategies, with horses emerging as a key driver of economic diversification, tourism, and community building, leaders revealed at the 41st Asian Racing Conference (ARC) in Riyadh. Speaking during a panel session hosted by the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, executives from Qiddiya and AlUla outlined ambitious plans that place horseracing and equestrian sports alongside the Kingdom’s high-profile investments in golf, tennis, and football. The session…

Industry executive says shift from ‘tax tool’ to ‘protection tool’ mindset, plus regulatory trust, driving demand among expats A combination of a depreciating rupee, enhanced product access via Gift City, and growing confidence in India’s insurance regulator is prompting a rising number of non-resident Indians (NRIs) in the UAE to purchase life insurance policies back home, according to a top industry executive. Jude Gomes, Managing Director and CEO of Ageas Federal Life Insurance, said the trend reflects a fundamental shift in how Indians abroad view life cover—from a tax-saving instrument to a core financial protection tool. “Earlier, life insurance was…

Vessels told to avoid Iranian waters, deny boarding permission verbally—but not resist if boarded—as nuclear talks continue under shadow of Trump tariff threat. The United States has issued updated and direct guidance to American commercial ships transiting the critical Strait of Hormuz, advising them to maximize their distance from Iranian territorial waters amid simmering bilateral tensions. The advisory, published Monday by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD), calls on U.S.-flagged vessels to “remain as far as possible from Iran’s territorial sea without compromising navigational safety” while navigating the narrow chokepoint, through which a substantial portion of the world’s…

Nuclear chief proposes diluting highly enriched stockpile as rare diplomatic signal follows Oman talks TEHRAN — Iran has conditionally offered to dilute its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, a significant potential concession in its nuclear program, in exchange for the lifting of US sanctions. The proposal, announced on Monday by Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), signals a possible opening for renewed diplomacy after months of heightened tensions. Eslami did not detail whether the offer required a full removal of US sanctions or a partial easing. “We are prepared to dilute our enriched uranium if the…

Lawyers for Brenton Tarrant, who killed 51 in New Zealand’s 2019 mosque attacks, say he was determined to admit guilt—contradicting his current claim of being mentally unfit to plead. WELLINGTON — Brenton Tarrant, the Australian white supremacist who murdered 51 worshippers in New Zealand’s 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks, was “pleased” to be charged with terrorism and insisted on pleading guilty to that charge, his former lawyers told an appeals court on Tuesday. The testimony directly contradicted Tarrant’s current claim that he was mentally unfit when he admitted to the crimes, which he now seeks to withdraw. Tarrant, 35, was sentenced to…

The former India World Cup-winning coach targets a major upset at the 2026 T20 World Cup, applying lessons from Mumbai’s tough cricketing culture to inspire the UAE’s associate-level squad. Nearly two decades after masterminding India’s historic title run in the inaugural T20 World Cup, Lalchand Rajput is back on cricket’s biggest stage — but this time, his role could not be more different. Now head coach of the United Arab Emirates national team, Rajput faces a challenge far removed from the resources and spotlight of a cricketing superpower. As the UAE prepares for only its third T20 World Cup appearance…