Author: Gulf News Week

Game TheoryAre Iran’s athletes political pawns?While in Australia, members of Iran’s women’s football team found themselves at the centre of an international political storm. As several players choose to return home, difficult questions are being raised about athlete safety, agency and Western intervention. Samantha Johnson looks at how Iran’s women footballers became caught in the middle of something they had nothing to do with, and asks whether they were being used as political pawns.Published On 19 Mar 202619 Mar 2026SaveClick here to share on social mediashare2SharefacebooktwitterwhatsappcopylinkgoogleAdd media on Googleinfo

NEW YORK (news agencies) — The COVID-19 pandemic’s early death toll was much higher than the official U.S. count, according to a new study that spotlights dramatic disparities in the uncounted deaths.About 840,000 COVID-19 deaths were reported on death certificates in 2020 and 2021. But a group of researchers — using a form of artificial intelligence — estimate that as many as 155,000 unrecognized additional deaths likely occurred in that time outside of hospitals. That would mean about 16% of COVID-19 deaths went uncounted in those years. The overall findings, published Wednesday by the journal Science Advances, were close to…

The Kharg Island strike shows how US force is calibrated to avoid disrupting global oil flowsThe United States and Israel say their escalating military assault on Iran is about nuclear proliferation, deterrence and regional security. But recent developments suggest another, older logic at work. The deeper objective is not simply weakening Iran or forcing regime change. It is safeguarding the mobility of oil – the lifeblood of the global capitalist economy.Consider the recent US strike on Iran’s Kharg Island, the country’s main oil export terminal. The island sits just off the coast of the Gulf near the Strait of Hormuz,…

AFP journalists report at least four explosions and interceptions over the city, as drones target an area housing a major US diplomatic facility and coalition troops. IRBIL, Iraq – At least four explosions were heard in the city of Irbil on Wednesday, shaking the capital of Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, according to AFP journalists at the scene. Witnesses reported seeing air defenses intercepting projectiles over the city. The blasts occurred in an area that hosts a major US consulate complex and the Irbil International Airport, which houses troops from the US-led coalition. It remains unclear what the specific target was or…

From Iran to Israel, and Lebanon to the Gulf, a regional conflict has left thousands dead and injured. An AFP tally compiles the latest numbers from official sources. MIDDLE EAST  – Since the eruption of open conflict following US and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, the Middle East has been engulfed in a widening war, with a mounting human toll reported across more than half a dozen nations. The figures below have been compiled from announcements by governments, militaries, health ministries, and rescue organizations. Independent verification of all tolls by news agencies remains challenging. Iran: The EpicenterIran remains…

In a rain-soaked thriller at Sentosa, the American captured his fourth LIV Golf win after Richard T. Lee missed a two-foot putt on the first sudden-death hole, as 4Aces GC claimed another team victory. SINGAPORE – Bryson DeChambeau claimed the LIV Golf Singapore title in the most dramatic fashion possible on Sunday, winning a sudden-death playoff after Richard T. Lee suffered a devastating miss from two feet out at Sentosa Golf Club. The victory, DeChambeau’s fourth individual title on the LIV circuit, was sealed in circumstances the American admitted he “never wants to win that way,” as a week of…

Elon Musk’s satellite internet service lands in the Emirates, offering high-speed roaming and home packages with hardware priced at Dh1,099. UAE – In a major development for the tech and telecom sector, Starlink, the satellite internet constellation operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has officially launched its services in the UAE. The company is now accepting orders from residents, offering a variety of plans designed to cater to both digital nomads and households seeking reliable, high-speed connectivity. Breaking Down the CostsAccording to the official Starlink website, the entry point for the service is its Roaming Plan, which starts at Dh190 per month. This…

A federal judge on Monday temporarily blocked federal health officials from cutting the number of vaccines recommended for every child, and said U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. likely violated federal procedures in revamping a key vaccine advisory committee.The decision halted an order by Kennedy — announced in January — to end broad recommendations for all children to be vaccinated against flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, some forms of meningitis and RSV. It also stopped a meeting of a Kennedy-appointed vaccine advisory committee, which was set to convene this week in Atlanta.The judge’s order, however, is not the…

Israel’s Defence Minister Katz has claimed that Iran’s top security official has been assassinated; Iran has not commented on the claim.Israel has claimed two high profile assassinations of Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, according to Israel’s Defence Minister Katz, and the commander of the internal Basij militia, Gholamreza Soleimani, neither of which Iran has commented on or confirmedIranian state media published a handwritten note by Larijani, it is not clear whether it is intended as proof of life. Larijani’s note published on his social media outlets commemorates the memory of Iranian sailors killed, whose funeral is expected…

General Civil Aviation Authority urges passengers to contact airlines as safety measures take effect following security assessment. DUBAI – The United Arab Emirates announced the temporary and full closure of its airspace in the early hours of Tuesday, citing rapidly evolving regional security developments. The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) confirmed the measure, describing it as an “exceptional precautionary step” designed to ensure the safety of flights and air crews while safeguarding national territory. In an official statement, the authority said the decision followed a comprehensive assessment of security and operational risks, conducted in full coordination with relevant national and international…