Author: Gulf News Week

Naim Qassem says his group will not surrender or lay down weapons in response to Israeli threats, despite pressure on the group to disarm.The Hezbollah chief says the Lebanese group remains open to peace, but it will not disarm or back down from confronting Israel until it ends its air raids and withdraws from southern Lebanon. “We cannot be asked to soften our stance or lay down arms while [Israeli] aggression continues,” Naim Qassem told thousands of supporters gathered in Beirut’s southern suburbs on Sunday for Ashura, an important day in the Shia Muslim calendar. Ashura commemorates the 680 AD…

Discussions over a ceasefire are intensifying as Israel kills more Palestinians, sowing doubts that a deal can happen.Discussions of a ceasefire in Gaza have picked up in recent days. United States President Donald Trump said last week that Israel agreed to the conditions for a 60-day ceasefire, and negotiators could meet to carve out a path to finally ending Israel’s nearly 21-month-long war on Gaza. Hamas said it delivered a “positive response” to mediators, with amendments, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the Palestinian group’s asks “unacceptable” but sent negotiators to the Qatari capital, Doha, for talks nonetheless. Netanyahu…

DEIR al-BALAH, Gaza Strip (news agencies) — Israeli airstrikes killed at least 33 Palestinians in Gaza, hospital officials said on Sunday, as Israel’s military said it has struck over 100 targets in the embattled enclave in the past day. The strikes came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was preparing to fly to Washington for talks at the White House aimed at pushing forward ceasefire efforts. Separately, an Israeli official said the Israeli security Cabinet on Saturday night approved sending aid into the northern part of Gaza, where civilians are suffering from acute food shortages. The official declined to offer…

FRANKFURT, Germany (news agencies) — America’s largest trade partner, the European Union, is among the entities awaiting word Monday on whether U.S. President Donald Trump will impose punishing tariffs on their goods, a move economists have warned would have repercussions for companies and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic.Trump imposed a 20% import tax on all EU-made products in early April as part of a set of tariffs targeting countries with which the United States has a trade imbalance. Hours after the nation-specific duties took effect, he put them on hold until July 9 at a standard rate of…

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (news agencies) — In the eyes of Borussia Dortmund coach Niko Kovač, the MetLife Stadium field was better suited for a round of golf than a match at the Club World Cup.And the New York area’s summer heat also was inappropriate for high-level soccer.“It’s more a golf green, so you can putt here,” Kovač said after a 3-2 quarterfinal loss to Real Madrid on Saturday. “It’s very short. But this is not the grass we are used to playing on in the Bundesliga and also in the other two stadiums.”Dortmund played its opening group match at MetLife,…

Afghans given Sunday deadline amid concerns over security after conflict with Israel, but humanitarian groups warn that mass deportations could further destabilise Afghanistan.Millions of Afghan migrants and refugees in Iran have been asked to leave or face arrest as a deadline set by the government comes to an end. Sunday’s target date neared amid public concerns over security in the aftermath of the 12-day conflict with Israel, which the United States joined with air strikes on Iran’s uranium-enrichment facilities. But humanitarian organisations warned that mass deportations could further destabilise Afghanistan, one of the world’s most impoverished nations. Iran is home…

LONDON (news agencies) — Hard-rock royalty and some 40,000 fans gathered for an ear-splitting tribute to Ozzy Osbourne at what the heavy metal icon says was his last-ever live performance.The original lineup of Osbourne’s band Black Sabbath performed at Villa Park soccer stadium in their home city of Birmingham, central England, on Saturday.The 76-year-old singer, who has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, sang from a black throne that rose up from under the stage.“Let the madness begin!” he urged as he took the stage, and later paid tribute to fans.“I don’t know what to say, man, I’ve been laid up…

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (news agencies) — Kylian Mbappé’s spectacular bicycle kick was among three goals in second-half stoppage time, and Real Madrid beat Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in a Club World Cup quarterfinal match Saturday as goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois used his fingertips to palm away the potential tying goal on the game’s final play.Gonzalo García and Fran García scored in the first 20 minutes as Madrid built a 2-0 lead.Dortmund’s Maximilian Beier scored three minutes into stoppage time and Mbappé, who entered in the 67th, restored a two-goal lead with his bicycle kick one minute later.Serhou Guirassy converted a penalty kick…

PARIS (news agencies) — China deployed its embassies to spread doubts about the performance of French-made Rafale jets after they saw combat in India and Pakistan’s clashes in May, French military and intelligence officials have concluded, implicating Beijing in an effort to hammer the reputation and sales of France’s flagship fighter. Findings from a French intelligence service seen by media say defense attaches in China’s foreign embassies led a charge to undermine Rafale sales, seeking to persuade countries that have already ordered the French-made fighter — notably Indonesia — not to buy more and to encourage other potential buyers to…

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (news agencies) — FIFA cut standard ticket prices for the semifinal between Chelsea and Fluminense at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Tuesday to $13.40 from $473.90 earlier in the past week.FIFA has used dynamic pricing for the 63-game tournament.Standard ticket prices for Wednesday’s semifinal between European champion Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid in New Jersey start at $199.60.FIFA had dropped ticket prices to $11.15 for a quarterfinal in Orlando, Florida, between Fluminense and Al Hilal. and in Philadelphia between Chelsea and Palmeiras.The dramatic drop in prices was first reported by The Athletic.Many matches during…