Author: Gulf News Week
Revolutionary guards say suspects apprehended in northeastern Iran as materials for making weapons are also seized.Iran has arrested eight people suspected of attempting to transmit the coordinates of sensitive sites and details about senior military figures during the country’s 12-day war with Israel and the United States to the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, according to its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).The IRGC released a statement on Saturday alleging that the suspects had received specialised training from Mossad via online platforms.It said they were apprehended in northeastern Iran before carrying out their plans, and that materials for making launchers, bombs, explosives…
Palestinians have had to cope with the sound of Israeli drones overhead for years before Israel’s current war on Gaza.A music teacher in Gaza has found a way to help others around him cope with the relentless and terrifying sounds and horrific impact of Israel’s genocidal war.The nonstop buzz of Israeli drones overhead long predates the constant bursts of gunfire and explosions since the start of Israel’s war on the besieged enclave.“In Gaza, there is no escape from the reality of war,” said media’s Ibrahim al-Khalili, reporting from Gaza City, where exploding buildings and chaos reign and desperate people attempt…
A proposal to suspend EU funding to Israeli start-ups will be discussed as initial punitive action for Gaza atrocities.Divided foreign ministers from the European Union are tussling over what action to take over Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza after the bloc’s humanitarian aid chief called on them to “find a strong voice that reflects our values and principles” amid death, destruction and man-made starvation across the besieged enclave.Ministers from the EU’s 27 member countries have gathered to discuss the war at a meeting in the Danish capital, Copenhagen, on Saturday.They will also discuss a proposal to suspend EU funding to…
China is the host of this year’s SCO Summit which takes place in Tianjin from August 31 to September 1.“No mountain or ocean can distance people who have shared aspirations,” China’s President Xi Jinping said in July 2024, addressing leaders from fellow Shanghai Cooperation Organisation member states, and a few other nations, in Astana, Kazakhstan.At the time, the ancient Chinese saying in Xi’s speech seemed over the top, and divorced from reality: Narendra Modi, prime minister of India, one of the SCO’s major members, wasn’t even attending the grouping’s summit, citing a parliament session – an apparent snub to the…
Turkiye’s top diplomat said his country has ‘completely’ cut off trade with Israel over its ongoing genocide.Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said his country has completely severed economic and trade ties with Israel and has closed its airspace to its aircraft, in protest over the war in Gaza.Speaking at an extraordinary session of the Turkish parliament on Gaza on Friday, Fidan said Israel has been “committing genocide in Gaza for the past two years, ignoring basic humanitarian values right before the world’s eyes”.Turkiye cut off direct trade ties with Israel in May last year, demanding a permanent ceasefire and the…
State Dept cites Palestinian appeals to ICC and ICJ over Israeli abuses in occupied territory in justifying move.The administration of United States President Donald Trump has announced it is denying and revoking visas for members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian Authority (PA) before the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September.The announcement was made in a statement released by the US Department of State on Friday.“The Trump Administration has been clear: it is in our national security interests to hold the PLO and PA accountable for not complying with their commitments, and for undermining the prospects…
Russia said it ‘strongly condemns’ actions of Germany, France and UK as China says sanctions move ‘counterproductive’.Russia and China have condemned a decision by Britain, Germany and France to launch a process that could reimpose United Nations sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme.The three European countries, known as the E3, launched the so-called “snapback mechanism” on Thursday over accusations that Iran has violated a 2015 deal that aimed to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapons capability in return for the lifting of international sanctions.The move opens a 30-day window during which a new UN resolution to continue sanctions…
Israeli military says city in northern Gaza is now a ‘combat zone’, suspends daily pauses in fighting there that allowed delivery of humanitarian aid.The Israeli military says it has begun the “initial stages” of its offensive on Gaza City, as it declared the largest urban centre in the besieged territory a “combat zone” and announced the suspension of daily pauses in fighting there that allowed the entry of humanitarian aid to the famine-hit city.“We are not waiting. We have begun preliminary operations and the initial stages of the attack on Gaza City,” Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee wrote in a…
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United manager only joined the Turkish football giants in June 2024.Fenerbahce have sacked Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho, two days after elimination from the Champions League playoffs by Benfica, the Turkish club said in a statement.“We have parted ways with Jose Mourinho, who served as head coach of our professional A team since the 2024-2025 season. We thank him for his efforts for our team and wish him success in his future career,” Friday’s statement said.The former Chelsea, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Roma coach, who arrived at the Istanbul club…
UK government says Israel’s decision to escalate war on Gaza ‘wrong’ as Israel decries ‘discrimination’.The British government has barred Israeli officials from attending a major London arms fair next month, as tensions between the two allies escalate over Israel’s war on Gaza.“We can confirm that no Israeli government delegation will be invited to attend DSEI UK 2025,” the Ministry of Defence said in a statement reported by the AFP news agency on Friday.The biennial exhibition, running from September 9-12, is one of the world’s largest arms trade shows.The decision follows London’s suspension of some weapons export licences to Israel, the…