Author: Gulf News Week

Sheikh Mohammed calls for urgent move to second phase as winter storms worsen humanitarian crisis in Gaza.Qatar’s prime minister has warned that daily Israeli breaches of the Gaza ceasefire are threatening the entire agreement, as he called for urgent progress towards the next phase of the deal to end Israel’s genocidal war on the besieged Palestinian enclave.Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani made the appeal following talks with United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on Wednesday, where he stressed that “delays and ceasefire violations endanger the entire process and place mediators in a difficult position”.Recommended…

Residents of a Copenhagen estate challenge Denmark’s “ghetto” policy, arguing it illegally targets “non-Western” communities and forces displacement. COPENHAGEN — The European Court of Justice is set to rule Thursday on whether Denmark’s controversial “ghetto” redevelopment law constitutes unlawful discrimination against immigrant communities. The legislation requires social housing estates with a majority of “non-Western immigrants and their descendants” to renovate and convert at least 60% of units to market-rate rentals by 2030. Danish authorities say the policy aims to reduce segregation and dismantle “parallel societies” in high-crime neighborhoods. But residents of Copenhagen’s Mjolnerparken estate, who brought the case in 2020,…

Over 200 organizations warn that Israel’s deregistration process could force vital aid groups to shut down, cutting off lifesaving services for Palestinians. Over 200 organizations warn that Israel’s deregistration process could force vital aid groups to shut down, cutting off lifesaving services for Palestinians. Article Body:UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations and more than 200 humanitarian organizations jointly warned on Wednesday that lifesaving operations in Gaza are at risk of collapse unless Israel immediately lifts administrative and logistical impediments, including what they describe as a “vague, arbitrary, and highly politicized” aid group registration system. According to the statement, dozens of…

The uprisings did not collapse into irrelevance. They transformed how millions understood dignity, citizenship and political possibility.For more than a decade, the Arab Spring has been widely dismissed as a failure, often portrayed as a brief eruption of idealism that collapsed into repression, war and authoritarian restoration. Tunisia’s uprising, which started on December 17, 2010, with the self-immolation of street vendor Mohamed Bouazizi in Sidi Bouzid, is often remembered in this register: as a tragic prelude to dashed hopes rather than a transformative political moment.This reading is incomplete and, in important ways, misleading.Bouazizi’s act was not merely a reaction to…

Jofra Archer bowls Australia out for 371 after Carey century benefits from admitted technology error on Day 2 in Adelaide. ADELAIDE, Australia — Jofra Archer ignited England’s Ashes hopes with a decisive five-wicket haul to bowl Australia out for 371 on Day 2 of the crucial third Test in Adelaide on Thursday. The paceman finished with figures of 5-53, claiming the final two wickets in the morning session after Australia resumed at 322-8. He first bowled Mitchell Starc for an aggressive 54, before trapping Nathan Lyon lbw to complete his fourth Test fifer—and third in Ashes cricket. The day, however,…

Fifteen years on, governments have outlawed protest, managed elections, and rewritten constitutions to ensure 2011 never happens again.Exactly 15 years ago, the self-immolation of Mohammed Bouazizi in Tunisia prompted an unprecedented pan-Arab protest movement that demonstrated the overwhelming Arab desire for more democratic forms of government.In extraordinary scenes, millions of protesters across several countries rallied against authoritarian leaders who had been in power for decades, challenging political systems defined by repression, corruption, and exclusion.Protester complaints revolved around centralised power structures that bred corruption and injustice and concentrated wealth in the hands of a relative few. What followed was not simply…

Minister Bandar Alkhorayef cites major gains in local manufacturing and global trade since 2018, with private industrial exports hitting SR217 billion in 2024. RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s industrial sector has boosted its total contribution to non-oil GDP to SR500 billion ($133 billion), following a SR180 billion ($48 billion) increase, Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef announced on Tuesday. Speaking at a government press conference, Alkhorayef highlighted the sector’s strategic progress from 2018 through the third quarter of 2025, noting that Saudi-made industrial goods are now exported to 150 countries worldwide. This global reach has been supported by export…

Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi to lead the newly formed University of the Arts Sharjah, consolidating performing and visual arts academies under a single institution. SHARJAH — His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah and Supreme Council Member, has announced the creation of the University of the Arts Sharjah, marking a significant restructuring of higher education in the creative fields within the emirate. The announcement was made on Monday, December 15, 2025, as the Ruler chaired a meeting of the Sharjah Council of Higher Education and Scientific Research. The council emphasized the strategic importance of unifying…

Arabic is spoken by more than 400 million people. Can you recognise these Arabic words that have made their way into English?Arabic is one of the world’s most widely spoken languages with at least 400 million speakers, including 200 million native speakers and 200 million to 250 million non-native speakers.Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) serves as the formal language for government, legal matters and education, and it is widely used in international and religious contexts. Additionally, more than 25 dialects are spoken primarily across the Middle East and North Africa.Every year on December 18, the United Nations commemorates World Arabic Language…

The roof of a war-damaged family home collapses during winter storm in Gaza City’s Shati refugee camp.Winter storms are worsening conditions for hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians in Gaza, as aid agencies warn that Israeli restrictions are preventing lifesaving shelter assistance from reaching people across the besieged enclave.The United Nations has said it has tents, blankets and other essential supplies ready to enter Gaza, but that Israeli authorities continue to block or restrict access through border crossings.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Nick Reiner’s lawyer asks public to not ‘rush to judgement’list 2 of 4‘I am concerned’:…