Author: Gulf News Week

DES MOINES, Iowa (news agencies) — President Donald Trump turned a heartland festival for the United States’ upcoming 250th anniversary into a celebration of himself, basking in a crowd of supporters Thursday night shortly after Congress approved tax cut legislation that he championed.On the eve of the July 4th holiday, Trump said “there could be no better birthday present for America than the phenomenal victory we achieved just hours ago, when Congress passed the one big beautiful bill to make America great again.”The Republican president plans to sign the legislation Friday during a picnic at the White House, while stealth…

DES MOINES, Iowa (news agencies) — President Donald Trump said Thursday that he’s thinking of staging a UFC match on the White House grounds with upwards 20,000 spectators to celebrate 250 years of American independence.“We have a lot of land there,” said Trump, a UFC enthusiast who has attended several of its mixed martial arts matches in recent months and is close friends with Dana White, the league’s president. Trump announced his plan in Iowa during the kickoff for a year’s worth of festivities to celebrate America’s 250th birthday on July 4, 2026. The Republican president also announced a culminating…

NEW YORK (news agencies) — Popstar Katy Perry and actor Orlando Bloom have split, multiple media outlets reported Thursday.Outlets including People and USA Today cited a statement that said the pair “have been shifting their relationship over the past many months to focus on co-parenting” and would continue to be seen in public with their daughter. The statement, attributed to representatives for both stars, said their priority would be raising their daughter with ”love, stability, and mutual respect.”The statement came a week after reports of the couple’s breakup swirled ahead of the wedding of billionaire Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez…

MELBOURNE, Australia (news agencies) — An Australian domestic flight was delayed for two hours after a stowaway snake was found in the plane’s cargo hold, officials said on Wednesday.The snake was found on Tuesday as passengers were boarding Virgin Australia Flight VA337 at Melbourne Airport bound for Brisbane, according to snake catcher Mark Pelley.The snake turned out to be a harmless 60-centimeter (2-foot) green tree snake. But Pelly said he thought it could be venomous when he approached it in the darkened hold.“It wasn’t until after I caught the snake that I realized that it wasn’t venomous. Until that point,…

DHARAMSHALA, India (news agencies) — The Dalai Lama has often called himself a simple monk, but millions of his Tibetan Buddhist followers have worshipped him for decades as a near deity. They also see him as the face of Tibet’s aspirations for greater autonomy, but have for years wrestled with the idea that he might be the last person to hold the role. He put that speculation to rest Wednesday, just days before he turns 90 on Sunday. There will be a successor after his death, he announced, and the Dalai Lama’s office will lead the search and recognize a…

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (news agencies) — A pungent fug of malt and yeastiness hangs over Murree Brewery, Pakistan ’s biggest and oldest producer of alcoholic drinks.The company is an outlier in a country where alcohol is outlawed for everyone except non-Muslims, who make up some 9 million people out of 241 million. Pakistan, an Islamic republic, banned booze for Muslims in the 1970s.Murree Brewery has strong financials despite the prohibition, thanks to its history, scant competition and a small, thirsty and predominantly elite consumer base.But the government exerts significant control over the sale and marketing of alcoholic beverages through red tape…

LONDON (news agencies) — Oasis is due to take to the stage in Cardiff, Wales on Friday, kicking off a hotly, and somewhat anxiously, anticipated reunion tour.The return of the Britpop-era rockers after a 16-year hiatus is a major moment for fans. Will it be a storming success? Definitely maybe.Predictions are tricky when it comes to Noel and Liam Gallagher, the sparring siblings who give Oasis its charisma, and its volatile chemistry.“That’s one of the attractions about Oasis — they bring this element of risk,” said author and music journalist John Aizlewood. He said the “alternative aura that they have…

WASHINGTON (news agencies) — The Supreme Court on Thursday cleared the way for the deportation of several immigrants who were put on a flight in May bound for South Sudan, a war-ravaged country where they have no ties.The decision comes after the court’s conservative majority found that immigration officials can quickly deport people to third countries. The majority halted an order that had allowed immigrants to challenge any removals to countries outside their homeland where they could be in danger.The court’s latest decision makes clear that the South Sudan flight can complete the trip, weeks after it was detoured to…

MANILA, Philippines (news agencies) — Asian shares were mixed on Friday after U.S. stocks climbed further into record heights as the clock ticks on President Donald Trump’s July 9 tariff deadline.Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.6% to 39,762.20 after earlier gains, while South Korea’s KOSPI index was down 1.2% to 3,078.31.Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index lost 0.6% to 23,914.44 while the Shanghai Composite index added 0.4% to 3,475.24. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.1% to 8,609.50. India’s Sensex index was up 0.1% to 83,288.73.“Asian markets slipped into Friday like someone entering a dark alley with one eye over their shoulder — because…

WASHINGTON (news agencies) — Washington Nationals outfielder James Wood became the third player to announce he will take part in the Home Run Derby.The derby will be held on July 14, the night before the All-Star Game, at Truist Park in Atlanta. Wood joins Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. and Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, who leads the majors with 33 homers, in the contest.Wood went 5 for 5 with his 23rd home run in Thursday night’s 11-7 win over the Detroit Tigers.He’s the third Nationals player to take part in the Home Run Derby, joining Juan Soto (2022) and Bryce…