Author: Gulf News Week
The ‘madman theory’ aims to pressure adversaries but risks backfiring when opponents feel they have nothing to lose.In June 2025, the United States had just struck Iranian nuclear sites, but rather than signal that the bombings were the opening salvo of a war between the US and Iran, President Donald Trump was quick to try to draw a line under the attack.“Now is the time for peace,” was Trump’s message at the time.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Ukrainian President Zelenskyy invites Putin to Kyiv for talkslist 2 of 3Are Trump officials driving Alberta’s separatist movement in Canada?list…
Facing the prospect of US strikes, Iran has intensified diplomatic efforts with countries including Turkiye.Amid rising tensions and growing fears of a military clash between Iran and the United States, a series of nations – especially in Iran’s extended neighbourhood – are engaged in hectic diplomacy aimed at avoiding an all-out war.We look at the various diplomatic efforts taking place, and whether they could succeed in defusing tensions.What is happening between Iran and the US?On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump renewed threats of US military intervention in Iran if it does not reach a deal to curb its nuclear programme…
Israel has repeatedly denied the death toll in Gaza during its more than two-year genocidal war on the enclave.After more than two years of bombarding Gaza, Israel’s military appears to have accepted the death toll in the enclave that the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza has been compiling, painstakingly and against the odds.Since the start of its genocidal war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, Israel has repeatedly dismissed, denied or downplayed the scale of death and devastation in the territory documented by journalists, Palestinians and Gaza’s authorities. It has at times issued its own statistics on people killed,…
Two people are reported killed in a drone strike at Maghazi camp in central Gaza while three others die in Rafah.Israeli shelling and drone strikes across Gaza have killed at least five people and injured 11 others, according to Palestinian and Israeli officials.The deadly strikes on Friday in central Gaza’s Maghazi refugee camp and the southern city of Rafah came as Israel carried out continued targeted operations in the besieged territory, despite the ongoing ceasefire.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4‘Even the dead were not spared’: Israel’s Gaza desecration compounds grieflist 2 of 4Video: Palestinians in Gaza wait…
Turkish Football Federation fines second-division title favourites Amedspor and suspends president for social media video.Turkiye’s main Kurdish football team has been fined for “ideological propaganda” in favour of Kurdish forces in northern Syria, the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has said.Amedspor FC, which is based in Diyarbakir, the main city in the Kurdish-majority southeast, was fined 802,500 Turkish lira (nearly $18,500) and its president slapped with a 15-day suspension from all football activity, the TFF said in a statement late on Thursday.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Alcaraz survives five-hour clash with Zverev to reach Australian Open finallist 2…
The agreement comes after the SDF lost swaths of territory to the government forces during weeks of fighting.Syria’s Kurdish-led forces have reached a comprehensive agreement with the government to integrate with the Syrian army.The interim government in Damascus has been fighting an offensive in the north of the country against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) over recent weeks as it seeks to consolidate control of the country following the overthrow of longtime leader Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Syria grants immediate citizenship to Kurds in wake of gains against SDFlist 2 of…
UN’s Palestinian refugee agency cast into forced austerity: 600 staff members laid off, Gaza salaries cut by 20%, working hours reduced; aid access blocked amid worsening humanitarian crisis.Gaza City — After 18 years as a teacher with an UNRWA-run school, Maryam Shaaban (name changed for safety reasons) fainted upon learning she was among 600 employees dismissed from their posts, the latest in a barrage of devastating blows borne out of Israel’s genocidal war on the besieged enclave.Earlier in January, the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) announced a series of harsh austerity measures, including a 20 percent salary cut…
U.S. president says he is “speaking with Iran” while Iranian military warns of immediate, decisive retaliation to any attack as regional tensions escalate. PARIS – U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday he hopes military action against Iran can be avoided, even as he continues to deploy naval forces to the region and warns that time is running out for Tehran to curb its nuclear ambitions. Speaking to reporters in Washington, Trump indicated diplomatic channels are open. “I have had [talks] and I am planning on it,” he said. Referring to U.S. military assets, he added, “We have a group headed out…
First Lady’s Film Aims to Shape Public Perception as She Navigates Unprecedented Commercial Venture From White House WASHINGTON — First Lady Melania Trump unveiled a personal documentary Thursday night at the Kennedy Center that promises intimate access to her closely guarded world during the 20 days preceding her husband’s second presidential inauguration. “Melania,” a $40 million AmazonMGM Studios production, debuts in theaters worldwide Friday before streaming exclusively on Prime Video. The film arrives as the first lady seeks to define her legacy beyond traditional White House duties, while navigating questions about the ethics of a sitting president’s spouse engaging in…
Accu-Chek SmartGuide’s Predictive Technology Aims to Prevent Diabetic Complications, Reduce $1 Trillion Global Burden, and Pioneer Proactive Healthcare in Line with UAE Vision 2030 In a landmark move to address one of the nation’s most pressing health crises, the UAE has unveiled an AI-driven continuous glucose monitoring system designed to shift diabetes management from crisis response to proactive prevention. With over 1.3 million adults in the UAE living with diabetes—and prevalence rates in the Gulf among the highest worldwide—Roche Diagnostics’ new Accu-Chek® SmartGuide system promises to transform daily care through predictive artificial intelligence. The platform, launched last week in Dubai,…