Author: Gulf News Week

Orange haze from Canada wildfires seen in Ontario and northern USThere are currently 838 wildfires actively burning across the country, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.11 hrs agoUS & Canada

ReutersThe US and Iran have continued to exchange fire as negotiations stallTehran has launched fresh attacks on US military bases in neighbouring Gulf states, while Washington continued to strike sites across Iran overnight.Tehran said it had struck targets in the region, including in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain, as a sixth day of renewed hostilities strained their preliminary deal to end the war.Meanwhile, the US military said it inflicted a six-hour wave of strikes in multiple locations to “degrade Iran’s ability to threaten innocent mariners” in the Strait of Hormuz.The latest exchanges came after US President Donald Trump warned Iran it…

Algeria’s General Directorate for Civil ProtectionThe fire service arrived at the scene in the early hoursEleven people have died in a fire at a foster care facility in Algiers, Algeria’s capital city.The country’s civil protection department said 19 others were injured in the blaze, which firefighters began to tackle at 03:30 local time (04:30 GMT) on Thursday.They were still attempting to extinguish the fire just over three hours later, when the authorities released an update on the situation.Their statement did not specify the ages of those killed or injured.Algeria has been experiencing a heatwave for several days, and nearly 1,000…

WASHINGTON (news agencies) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday that he is rolling out a new screening program for “testosterone deficiency” among troops, calling it necessary to allow them to operate at their “absolute best.”The screenings will be conducted annually as part of service members’ required medical screenings for those 30 and older, he said. Troops under 30 can volunteer to be tested. In a video on social media, Hegseth said receiving testosterone replacement therapy would be voluntary. In the video, Hegseth simply refers to troops, though it appears he is talking about only testing men in uniform for…

Getty ImagesNeill had been treated for cancer in recent years, but was ‘cancer free’ at the time of his death, his family saidNew Zealand actor Sam Neill, who passed away on Monday at a Sydney hospital, died from pneumonia, his agent has confirmed.Best known for his roles in Jurassic Park and Peaky Blinders, the 78-year-old’s family described his death earlier this week as “sudden and unexpected”.Neill’s long-time agent Philip Grenz released a statement on Thursday about the cause of death after speaking to the actor’s family and due to what he said were “inaccurate and outright falsehoods” in the media.In…

ReutersSir Keir Starmer has said the UK’s “cast-iron” support for Ukraine will continue, as he makes a final trip to the country as prime minister. He will meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the capital Kyiv later on Thursday, ahead of Andy Burnham’s installation as Labour leader and PM.In comments ahead of his trip, Sir Keir said the “fortitude” of the Ukrainian people since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 had “preserved the security of Europe”. In his statement, Sir Keir highlighted Britain’s contribution to the Ukrainian war effort during his two years in Downing Street. “When I became prime…

LIVEWorld Cup 2026: England beaten in semi-finals by Argentina – reactionAll the latest from the 2026 Fifa World Cup as England bow out to Argentina in the last four.

Junior AmbokoThe monkey, known locally as ‘Likweli’, has distinctive pinkish-orange lipsA monkey that has striking pinkish-orange lips and a black face – and lives in the forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo – has been confirmed as a new species to science.The black-furred primate was spotted and photographed hidden away in the high tree canopy of dense tropical forests in Lomami National Park, in the central east of the country.Conservationists working there first reported seeing this unusual-looking animal back in 2008. But they captured just one blurry photograph.After another sighting 10 years later, an international team set out to…

What if Bluey spoke one of the world’s oldest living languages?Five episodes of the award-winning children’s cartoon have been released in Australian Indigenous language for the first time.9 hrs agoAustralia

Getty ImagesMany people say China interferes less than the US in other countries, the survey indicatesChina is now viewed more positively than the US in many countries around the world, according to a new study by the Pew Research Center. It is the first time the organisation has recorded such results.The findings from the non-partisan, US-based think tank indicate that favourable views of China have reached record highs in many countries, while perceptions of the United States have worsened.In general, respondents expressed low confidence in both US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, though Xi scored higher than…