Author: Gulf News Week

Randa Abdel-Fattah said she accepts board’s apology as acknowledgement of her right to speak about atrocities against Palestinians.An Australian arts festival has apologised to Randa Abdel-Fattah after it was forced to cancel its entire writers’ week programme when 180 writers withdrew from the event in solidarity with the Palestinian Australian author.The board of Adelaide Festival said on Thursday it was retracting its earlier decision to exclude Abdel-Fattah “from participating as a speaker at Adelaide Writers’ Week this year”.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Australian writers’ festival cancelled after Palestinian author axedlist 2 of 4When Palestinian existence is portrayed…

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24K gold holds above Dh550 in Dubai; analysts cite geopolitical tensions and Fed rate cut bets as key market drivers. DUBAI — Gold prices eased in Dubai on Thursday, retreating from recent record highs as investors cashed in gains, though the metal remained resilient amid persistent geopolitical tensions and expectations of looser U.S. monetary policy. The 24-karat variant traded at Dh553.0 per gram, down nearly Dh2 from the previous session, according to data from the Dubai Jewellery Group. Other purities also declined, with 22K at Dh512.25, 21K at Dh491, 18K at Dh421, and 14K at Dh328.25 per gram. Globally, spot gold…

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Rights groups verify over 600 deaths, many young protesters shot at close range, as authorities blame ‘rioters’ and foreign interference for unrest. TEHRAN – Among the hundreds of victims of Iran’s ongoing crackdown on nationwide protests, human rights groups have verified the deaths of a young fashion designer, a promising teen footballer, a champion bodybuilder, and a student who had just turned 18—all reportedly shot by security forces. The Norway-based organization Iran Human Rights (IHR) said it has confirmed the killing of at least 648 protesters since the unrest began, including nine minors and six women, warning the actual toll could…

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New Dubai and Abu Dhabi facilities to host over 100 Zoho and ManageEngine solutions with government-grade security certifications, supporting Vision 2030 targets. DUBAI – Global technology firm Zoho Corporation has launched its first UAE data centres in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, marking a major step in its Dh100 million investment commitment to the region announced in 2023. The new sovereign data infrastructure will host over 100 cloud solutions from Zoho’s two key brands: Zoho, offering business applications, and ManageEngine, specializing in enterprise IT management. The move is designed to give UAE businesses and government entities greater data control, enhanced security,…

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Airspace restrictions come amid fears that US President Donald Trump could attack Iran.Iran temporarily closed its airspace to most flights amid United States President Donald Trump’s threats against the country, according to the US aviation authority.Most flights were prohibited from Iranian airspace between 1:45am and 4:00am local time (22:15 to 00:30 GMT) and again from 4:44 am to 7am (01:14 to 03:30 GMT) on Thursday, according to the notices posted by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,421list 2 of 4US Senate defeats war powers resolution…

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Evacuation corridor opened for civilians east of Aleppo as stalled integration talks give way to troop build-ups and mutual drone strike accusations. DAMASCUS – The Syrian military has ordered civilians to evacuate a contested area east of Aleppo, opening a “humanitarian corridor” on Thursday in a move widely seen as a prelude to a ground offensive. In a late Wednesday announcement, the army said the corridor from the towns of Deir Hafer and Maskana toward government-held territory would operate between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. local time. The military simultaneously demanded that the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) withdraw east…

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Morocco overcome Nigeria 4-2 on penalties, after the match finished 0-0 following extra time, to reach AFCON final.Yassine Bounou saved ‍two penalties, and Youssef En-Nesyri netted the decisive spot kick as hosts Morocco secured a 4-2 shootout victory over Nigeria following their 0-0 draw in a tense Africa Cup of Nations semifinal in Rabat.Morocco, seeking their first continental title in 50 ⁠years, will face 2021 winners Senegal in Sunday’s decider in Rabat, while Nigeria take on Egypt in ​the third-place playoff a day before.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Relocate our T20 World Cup matches outside India, BCB…

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Trump has threatened to attack Iran, prompting Tehran to warn of retaliation amid growing fears of conflict.United States President Donald Trump has said he has received assurances that the killings of antigovernment protesters in Iran have stopped, as Iranian ‍Foreign ‍Minister Abbas Araghchi stated there is “no ⁠plan” for executions by Tehran.In comments that appeared to signal a more measured approach to the crisis after threatening to attack Iran, Trump told reporters on Wednesday that he had been told that the killings of protesters in Iran had stopped and that planned executions were halted.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1…

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Experts say Starlink is helping Iranians get information out about the protests. But Iran is also trying to jam signals – and questions about the legality of Starlink’s actions linger.Elon Musk’s Starlink is reportedly offering free service to users in Iran, where a communications blackout is under way amid widespread antigovernment protests.The satellite communication service from SpaceX is one of the few ways that images and videos of the protests and the ensuing government crackdown have made their way out of Iran. Here’s what you need to know:Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Iran accuses foreign intelligence of…

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Mane scores 78th-minute winner to send Senegal through to play either Morocco or Nigeria in Sunday’s final.Sadio Mane fired Senegal into the final of the Africa Cup of Nations with a 1-0 victory over seven-time winners Egypt.The two-time African Footballer of the Year broke the deadlock in the 78th minute on Wednesday when he let fly from just outside the penalty area inside the bottom left corner after Lamine Camara’s initial effort was blocked.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4EPL: Man United reach a deal in principle with Carrick for rest of seasonlist 2 of 4Trump travel ban…

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