Author: Gulf News Week
Iranian governors gain new powers as country prepares for possible war amid sanctions and looming geopolitical tensions.Tehran, Iran – The Iranian government is putting into place contingency plans for basic governance as the threat of another war with the United States and Israel looms large.President Masoud Pezeshkian gathered governors of Iran’s border provinces as well as his economy minister in Tehran on Tuesday to delegate some responsibilities to the governors if a war breaks out, state media reported. A working group was also formed, tasked with ensuring the increased flow of essential goods, particularly food.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist…
Countries slam destruction of UN agency for Palestinian refugees’ East Jerusalem headquarters as ‘unprecedented act’.Eleven countries have condemned Israel’s demolition of the East Jerusalem headquarters of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, saying it “marks the latest unacceptable move to undermine” UNRWA’s work.In a joint statement on Wednesday, the foreign ministers of Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Norway, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom slammed the demolition as an “unprecedented act” against a UN agency.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3‘Barbaric new era’: Palestinians, UN slam Israeli demolition of UNRWA HQlist 2 of 3UN condemns…
Humanitarian crisis worsens in Yemen as power struggles intensify and aid gaps grow.Yemen’s conflict is entering yet another volatile chapter, not towards peace, but into a sharper power struggle. Former partners Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are drifting apart, local factions are recalculating, and control of the south and east hangs in the balance while the Houthis hold firm in the north. As alliances fracture and air power looms, millions of civilians remain hungry and displaced. What future is being decided over their heads?In this episode: Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3The Take: Inside Gaza…
Concerns rise as UK partners with controversial facial recognition company used by Israel in Gaza.The United Kingdom’s controversial rollout of facial recognition technology will rely on software that appears to have already been deployed in Gaza, where it is used by the Israeli army to track, trace, and abduct thousands of Palestinian civilians passing through checkpoints.Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced on Monday that British police would massively increase the use of facial recognition technology used for surveillance purposes.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Israel’s attacks on Gaza fertility clinics shatter dreams of parenthoodlist 2 of 3Trump reiterates threat…
President Donald Trump has revived the threat that the United States is ready to launch a military attack against Iran as he demanded that Tehran make a deal over its nuclear programme.“A massive Armada is heading to Iran. It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose,” he said in a lengthy post on Truth Social on Wednesday.The US president added that “hopefully Iran will quickly ‘Come to the Table’ and negotiate a fair and equitable deal – NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS – one that is good for all parties. Time is running out, it is truly of the essence!…
‘Big, organised camp’ equipped with facial recognition at Rafah crossing suggests the ceasefire is less about peace and more about cementing Israeli control, analyst says.While diplomatic circles welcome the recovery of the last Israeli captive’s remains in Gaza and the imminent partial reopening of the enclave’s Rafah border crossing with Egypt, a quieter, darker reality is taking shape on the ground.According to comments by retired Israeli General Amir Avivi, who still advises the military, Israel has cleared land in Rafah, an area in the southern Gaza Strip that it had already flattened in more than two years of its genocidal…
Khartoum faces the world’s largest internal displacement crisis, yet a fragile trend of return is emerging, despite shattered infrastructure.Sudan has moved to the forefront of the global humanitarian landscape, now hosting the world’s largest internal displacement crisis. According to the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR), approximately 14 million people have been forced from their homes within the country.These staggering figures in Sudan are part of a broader global surge in forced displacement. UNHCR estimates suggest the number of forcibly displaced people worldwide exceeded 122 million by the first half of 2025.However, amid geopolitical shifts sweeping the Middle East, a countertrend…
The UK-founded charity will not adhere to Israel’s demand, saying more than 500 aid workers have been killed in the war-shattered Strip.Oxfam says it will not disclose the personal details of its Palestinian staff to Israel, citing its army’s deadly attacks in Gaza that have killed hundreds of aid workers.As part of a crackdown on NGOs providing life-saving aid to Palestinians, Israel last year demanded that some of the world’s best-known charities working in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem hand over detailed information about their Palestinian and international staff, operations and funding.Recommended Stories list of 4…
With handshakes off the table, the Belarusian world No. 1 and the Ukrainian veteran bring 10-match winning streaks and a charged political backdrop to their Melbourne showdown. MELBOURNE — The Australian Open women’s semifinal on Thursday will feature a contest layered with narrative weight as Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus meets Elina Svitolina of Ukraine — a match where the absence of a post-match handshake will speak as loudly as the tennis. Sabalenka, the top seed and defending champion, is pursuing her third Australian Open title in four years. Svitolina, returning to the top 10 after maternity leave, is playing her first…
President’s remarks signal ongoing military pressure in the Persian Gulf, come amid stalled diplomatic talks between Washington and Tehran WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Tuesday that another U.S. naval “armada” is sailing toward Iranian waters, publicly framing the movement as a gesture of pressure while renewing his call for Tehran to reach a deal with the United States. “There is another beautiful armada floating beautifully toward Iran right now,” Trump said during a public address. “I hope they make a deal.” The brief but pointed declaration underscores the persistent tension between the two nations, even as the President casts the…