Author: Gulf News Week
Debutants draw inspiration from 2022 semifinal run as they prepare to face Argentina, Algeria, and Austria in North America ANTALYA, Turkiye — Jordan head coach Jamal Sellami has urged his players to channel the spirit of Morocco’s historic World Cup semifinal run as the debutants fine-tune preparations for their first appearance at football’s global showpiece. Jordan will face Austria, Algeria, and 2022 champions Argentina in Group J of the June 11 to July 19 World Cup in North America. The squad is holding its final training camp in Antalya this week, where media access has been tightly restricted as the team…
Property firms deploy 24/7 engineering teams, activate warranty repairs, and urge residents to secure insurance as communities recover from record flooding DUBAI — Property developers across the UAE have activated emergency response protocols and are offering free maintenance services where applicable, as residents grapple with flooding and property damage following some of the heaviest rainfall in the country’s history this week. Engineering and maintenance teams have been deployed around the clock to assist communities, with developers coordinating cleaning efforts, providing technical guidance, and fast-tracking repairs covered under warranty periods. 24/7 Response and Warranty Coverage Ziad Haddad, senior vice-president at Damac Properties…
President signs law delaying inaugural polls in Muslim Mindanao for the third time amid legal challenges and political delays MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed a new law postponing the first regular elections for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to September 14, marking the third delay for the long-awaited polls. The law, Republic Act No. 12317, amends the Bangsamoro Organic Law (Republic Act No. 11054), which originally scheduled the region’s elections to coincide with the national and local elections in May 2022. Under the new measure, the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) will continue to serve as…
As the Middle East conflict sends shockwaves through global markets, the Magnificent Seven have stumbled. Top strategists weigh in on whether this is a once-in-a-generation buying opportunity or the beginning of a deeper tech rout. NEW YORK — Even before US and Israeli attacks on Iran sent turmoil rippling through global markets, big US tech stocks were already under siege. Worries about an artificial intelligence bubble and runaway spending had investors on edge. Now, with oil prices spiking and geopolitical uncertainty at a fever pitch, the question gripping Wall Street is urgent: Is this a buying opportunity for names like Nvidia,…
With only 24 days of supply left and shipping costs soaring due to the US-Israel-Iran conflict, Filipino households face a P1,500 price tag for 11-kg LPG cylinders starting April 1. MANILA — Just as Filipino consumers were grappling with record-high fuel prices, another essential commodity is about to become significantly more expensive. Industry insiders warn that liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) prices will spike by P385 to P440 per 11-kilogram cylinder starting April 1, driven by the ongoing US-Israel-Iran war and its chokehold on global energy supply chains. The impending increase marks the latest blow to household budgets across the Philippines, where…
Citing security concerns amid ongoing war with US and Israel, Iran’s Sports Ministry prohibits travel to hostile countries—threatening a key Asian Champions League tie and raising questions about the national team’s World Cup participation. TEHRAN — Iran has banned its sports teams from traveling to countries it deems “hostile,” a sweeping directive that threatens to derail a major Asian Champions League football match and further complicates the national team’s path to the 2026 World Cup. The ban, announced Thursday by Iran’s Ministry of Sports, comes nearly a month after the outbreak of war following US-Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28.…
With 90% of India’s LPG imports passing through the conflict-hit Strait of Hormuz, supply disruptions have left millions of households facing rising prices and shortages—reigniting the push for piped natural gas. SHARJAH — As the US-Israel-Iran war continues to disrupt maritime trade routes, India is facing one of its most severe energy supply shocks in recent years. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz—a critical chokepoint for global energy shipments—has dealt a heavy blow to India’s liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) imports, triggering shortages and soaring prices across the country. India imports 60% of its total LPG requirement, and nearly 90% of…
It is the single point of failure of globalised production.The Strait of Hormuz is the only major commercial artery on earth named after a god. The name derives from Hormoz, the Middle Persian rendering of Ahura Mazda – the Zoroastrian deity of wisdom, light, and cosmic order. This is not poetic licence; it is an etymological fact. The ancient Persians did not simply build a trade route here. They consecrated it.A place named after the god of order has become the single point where global order faces its greatest vulnerability. Through these waters – 167km (104 miles) long, 39km (24…
History teaches us that the West’s promises of caring for our ‘freedoms’ are empty. Because imperialism wants control.My deepest sympathies lie with the Iranian people, whose hearts are torn in many directions. Many long for freedom and dignity, yet they remain wary of the long history of Western imperial intervention across the world, including their own country.The Iranian people who took to the streets in recent years did not call for one form of domination to replace another. They demanded an end to oppression in all its forms, not the beginning of a new round under the Western thumb. Nor…
Regulators move to cap electricity prices under a new administered scheme as geopolitical tensions threaten fuel supply stability. MANILA — The Philippines suspended its wholesale electricity spot market across all three national grids on Thursday, citing heightened fuel supply risks and price volatility triggered by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) announced the indefinite suspension in a statement, saying it has proposed a modified administered pricing mechanism to stabilize the market while shielding consumers from potential spikes in power costs. The new pricing framework is expected to be finalized by April 1. “Under the proposed…