Author: Gulf News Week

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,…

Tennis icon, 44, gives coy “I don’t know” when asked about return, as experts say re-entering anti-doping program signals clear intent to play. Tennis legend Serena Williams has once again fueled widespread speculation about a return to professional competition, offering a deliberately ambiguous answer when pressed on her future plans. Appearing on NBC’s “Today” show, the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion was asked directly if she would make a comeback. “That’s not a yes or a no,” Williams replied. “I don’t know, I’m just going to see what happens.” The 44-year-old, who has not played since the 2022 US Open,…

Diplomatic efforts intensify as Iran emphasises defensive readiness over negotiations with the US.Tehran, Iran – Iranian authorities have signalled that they are ready to defend their country as the United States continues to threaten a military attack, amid regional diplomatic efforts to avoid a new conflict.Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will hold high-level talks in Turkiye on Friday, according to Esmaeil Baghaei, the Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Gaza-based journalist Bisan Owda regains TikTok account after outcrylist 2 of 3‘Melania’: What to know about the US first lady’s new documentarylist 3 of 3Iran slams ‘selective…

Livestreams of media Arabic, media English and media Mubasher blocked in Israel.media has condemned YouTube’s compliance with an Israeli law banning the network’s livestreams in the country, warning that the move signals how major tech companies can be “co-opted as instruments of regimes hostile to freedom”.YouTube’s submission to Israel’s ban became apparent on Wednesday, days after Israeli Communications Minister Shlomo Karahi ordered a 90-day extension of an existing ban on the network’s operations in Israel, blocking broadcasting and internet companies from carrying the network’s content.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Palestinian journalist Bisan Owda with 1.4m followers reports…

French lawyers for suspected ISIL members transferred from Syria say the men are suffering inhumane treatment in Iraqi jails.Lawyers for a group of French nationals accused of being part of ISIL (ISIS) and transferred by the United States from Syria to prisons in Iraq say the inmates have been subjected to “torture and inhumane treatment” there.French media reported on Wednesday that lawyers Marie Dose and Matthieu Bagard visited the accused men in Baghdad during a recent visit and said their clients had been subjected to ill-treatment in detention in Iraq.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Rubio speaks to…

Disgruntled TikTok users are flocking to the platform which is promising a ‘transparent tech’ experience.UpScrolled, a social media application created by Palestinian-Jordanian-Australian entrepreneur Issam Hijazi, has surged in popularity across several countries, including the United States, as many users looked for an alternative to TikTok, which was formally taken over by US-backed investors and companies last week.With Larry Ellison, the owner of Oracle, who is a staunch supporter of Israel and a friend of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, acquiring a stake in TikTok’s US-based entity, social media users have expressed concerns about censorship of pro-Palestine posts on the popular…