Author: Gulf News Week
The agreement is not expected to immediately change things on the ground, but to move forward a larger peace process.Representatives from the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group have signed a peace deal in Qatar with the ultimate goal of putting an end to years of fighting.Qatar and the United States announced the “comprehensive” deal in Doha on Saturday, setting it up as a roadmap to stop the deadly fighting and improve the dire humanitarian situation in the Central African nation.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4DR Congo, M23…
The latest vessel confiscation comes as regional tensions remain high, months after the June war with Israel and the US.Tehran, Iran – The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has confirmed Western intelligence reports that it intercepted a Cyprus-registered tanker that transited through the Strait of Hormuz.The Marhsall Islands-flagged Talara was confiscated on Friday morning while carrying 30,000 tonnes of petrochemicals, Iran’s powerful military and political organisation said in a statement carried by state media.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4IAEA demands ‘long overdue’ inspections of Iran nuclear sites’list 2 of 4Israel is intensifying attacks on Lebanon, is it planning…
Palestinian authorities say shadowy companies and entities are working in line with Israel on human trafficking.Palestinians, especially those in the Gaza Strip, must be wary of networks that seek to remove them from their homes in line with Israeli interests, the Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has warned.The warning came a day after 153 Palestinians, who left Gaza without knowing their final destination and without proper paperwork, arrived in South Africa on board a flight from Kenya on Friday and were held up for 12 hours as authorities investigated the issue.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4‘Trip…
Many Russian dissidents embrace liberal values while fully subscribing to a racist view of the world.In July, Uzbekistan-born, Russian-speaking Israeli writer Dina Rubina gave an interview to the Russian opposition channel Rain TV, which caused a stir in the Russophone world. During the hour-and-a-half programme, she declared that there are no “peaceful residents” in Gaza, Israel has the right to “cleanse Gaza and turn it into a parking lot”, and that Palestinians need to be “dissolved in hydrochloric acid”.Self-exiled journalist and producer Mikhail Kozyrev, who interviewed Rubina, decided to take out these bits, calling them “the most complex part” of…
Dubai’s elite golf tournament kicked off with a celebrity-packed Pro-Am that opened to public spectators for the first time, featuring champions from F1, football and tennis. DUBAI – The DP World Tour Championship launched in spectacular fashion Tuesday as sporting icons from around the world converged on Jumeirah Golf Estates for an unprecedented Pro-Am event that marked the first time fans could witness the tournament’s traditional curtain-raiser. The star-studded field featured four-time F1 champion Alain Prost, Dutch football legend Ruud Gullit, and French tennis ace Henri Leconte, who all rubbed shoulders with professional golfers in a celebration of cross-sport camaraderie. “I’ve…
The Kingdom launches a global investor charm offensive, leveraging its unprecedented tourism growth and $100 billion in committed funding to position itself as the world’s next great travel destination. RIYADH – In a powerful demonstration of its tourism ambitions, Saudi Arabia has announced it welcomed 115.9 million visitors in 2024, shattering its original Vision 2030 target six years early and prompting the launch of a new, more ambitious goal: 150 million annual tourists by 2030. This record-breaking growth forms the backdrop of a major new campaign to attract global capital into the sector. The Kingdom unveiled its “Tourism Doing Business” investment…
The aging president’s authority has eroded amid war in Gaza and Israeli expansion in the West Bank, leaving Palestinians divided and without a clear political path forward. RAMALLAH – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas marks his 90th birthday on Saturday confronting his most severe leadership challenge since taking office nearly two decades ago, with his administration largely sidelined from determining Gaza’s future while struggling to maintain relevance in the West Bank. The nonagenarian leader, who hasn’t permitted presidential elections since 2005, now faces collapsing popular support and diminishing international influence as Israel pursues its war against Hamas in Gaza. The United States…
Former US President Trump’s mediation efforts hit obstacles as landmine allegations threaten to reignite deadly border conflict between the Southeast Asian neighbors. WASHINGTON – A truce between Thailand and Cambodia brokered by former US President Donald Trump appears increasingly fragile, with Thailand suspending the agreement and demanding Cambodia apologize for alleged new landmine deployments along their contested border. The diplomatic setback comes just months after Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim helped negotiate a ceasefire following July’s intense fighting that killed dozens and displaced approximately 300,000 people. While Trump expressed optimism after recent calls with both nations’ leaders, telling reporters…
The UN Security Council says further extensions would hinge on real progress between Sudan and South Sudan.The United Nations Security Council has voted to renew a UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), the peacekeeping mission in the oil-rich disputed region between Sudan and South Sudan, for another year.A 12-0 vote late on Friday, which saw Russia, China and Pakistan abstain, extended the mission until November 2026, but warned that progress on ending bloody fighting in the region would be crucial to any potential future extensions.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Abyei, a non-state entity of post-war Sudanese…
Brazil’s top court seals the former leader’s fate, with an arrest warrant now the imminent next step following the rejection of his last major legal challenge. BRASILIA – Jair Bolsonaro’s legal shields have fallen, as Brazil’s Supreme Court closed the door on his attempt to overturn a conviction for plotting to overturn the 2022 election. The definitive rejection of his appeal paves the way for the former president to be imprisoned. The court’s ruling, finalized Friday, upholds the landmark sentence of 27 years for crimes linked to a concerted effort to subvert democracy and keep President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva…