Author: Gulf News Week

Four citizens accused of relaying sensitive coordinates to Tehran; regional attacks target airports and oil facilities as conflict enters 12th day MANAMA – Bahraini authorities announced the arrest of four citizens on Thursday for allegedly spying for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as the Gulf region reels from a sharp escalation in Iranian retaliatory strikes. The suspects—identified as Murtadha Hussain Awal, 25; Ahmed Isa Al Haiki, 34; Sarah Abdulnabi Marhoon, 36; and Elias Salman Mirza, 22—are accused of photographing and transmitting coordinates of vital infrastructure to the IRGC using encrypted software, according to Bahrain’s General Directorate of Criminal Investigation. A…

Cnews agenciesE CANAVERAL, Fla. (news agencies) — An old NASA science satellite plunged uncontrolled from orbit and reentered over the Pacific on Wednesday.The U.S. Space Force said the Van Allen Probe A came in west of the Galapagos Islands. NASA expected some of the 1,323-pound (600-kilogram) spacecraft to survive entry, with most of it burning up in the atmosphere. The space agency put the risk of bodily harm at 1-in-4,200. Its twin, the Van Allen Probe B, is still orbiting Earth, but no longer functioning.Launched in 2012, the two spacecraft flew through the Van Allen radiation belts that surround Earth,…

Protesters heckle the Philippine president’s convoy over soaring oil prices, a plunging peso, and alleged neglect of overseas Filipinos trapped in the war zone. NEW YORK – Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. faced a fiery reception in New York on Wednesday as Filipino-American activists confronted his motorcade, demanding he return home to address the worsening economic and humanitarian fallout from the expanding Middle East conflict. The protest, led by coalitions Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-USA and Malaya (Freedom) USA, occurred as Marcos’s convoy was stuck in traffic en route to the 70th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of…

Crude markets remain volatile as the IEA mulls a record intervention to counter supply fears stemming from the escalating US-Israel-Iran conflict. TOKYO/SINGAPORE – Oil prices continued their downward trajectory on Wednesday, pressured by reports that the International Energy Agency (IEA) is preparing to orchestrate the largest emergency stockpile release in its history. The proposed intervention is aimed at cushioning the global market from potential supply disruptions linked to the escalating conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran. Market Moves: The decline extends Tuesday’s dramatic sell-off, where both benchmarks plunged more than 11%—the steepest daily drop since 2022. This sharp correction follows…

 Carrier resumes select departures to London, New York, and Madrid after temporary clearance from aviation authorities DOHA: Qatar Airways has received temporary authorization to operate 29 flights on Thursday, offering a lifeline to passengers disrupted by ongoing regional instability following Iranian retaliatory strikes across the Gulf. The airline announced late Tuesday that the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority had granted permission for limited operating corridors, allowing select departures to resume. The approved routes include flights to London, New York, and Madrid. “Following temporary authorization from the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority allowing limited operating corridors, Qatar Airways plans to operate select flights in…

 Revolutionary Guards claim strikes on Israeli military sites and US assets; several injured near Tel Aviv, Israeli media reports JERUSALEM: Israel’s military confirmed Wednesday that missiles were launched from Iran toward its territory, triggering air defense systems and sending residents across the country scrambling for shelters. Air raid sirens wailed in Jerusalem and other areas as AFP journalists reported hearing distant explosions. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Telegram that defensive systems were “operating to intercept the threat,” later giving the all-clear for civilians to leave protected areas. Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency service reported no direct casualties from the…

 Home Affairs Minister confirms one of seven athletes who sought sanctuary reversed her decision after being encouraged to contact the Iranian embassy. SYDNEY: An Iranian women’s football team member who initially sought asylum in Australia has withdrawn her application after speaking with teammates who returned home, authorities confirmed on Wednesday. The player was among seven members of Iran’s visiting women’s squad who applied for protection in Australia. The group faced harsh criticism in Iran, being branded “traitors” following a pre-match protest. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke told parliament that one of the individuals had a change of heart after communicating with…

WASHINGTON (news agencies) — The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday approved a generic medication for a rare brain disorder, while walking back statements by President Donald Trump and other administration officials that the drug showed great promise for people with autism.The agency said it approved leucovorin for children and adults with a genetic condition that limits delivery of folate, a form of vitamin B, to the brain. FDA officials estimate the ultrarare condition impacts fewer than 1 in a million people in the U.S.It’s a major step back from comments made at a White House news conference in September,…

The GCAA warned that failure to comply with the ban could lead to legal action, stressing that the measure is in place to ensure public safety The UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has announced a ban on all types of drones and light sports aircraft across the country. The authority said the decision comes in light of the current circumstances. The GCAA stressed that compliance with the ban is mandatory and warned that failure to follow the decision could lead to legal action. It also urged the public to cooperate with the measure, noting that adherence to the rules is…

Authorities say additional supplies have already been sent to markets, with prices expected to return to normal levels as supply continues to increase Prices of some food commodities like tomatoes and onions have seen a temporary increase over the past two days, authorities said, as the Ministry of Economy and Tourism intensified monitoring efforts across markets nationwide to ensure price stability and the availability of essential goods. The ministry said the “limited” increase was a result of the effects of the ongoing regional crisis, stressing that additional quantities of the affected commodities have already been supplied to markets in “abundant”…