Author: Gulf News Week
Multi-year deal grants Google access to billions of Apple devices, reshaping the AI landscape and positioning OpenAI as a secondary player. In a move that consolidates the AI ambitions of two tech titans, Apple has entered a multi-year agreement to power its next-generation Siri and broader Apple Intelligence features with Google’s Gemini models. The landmark deal, announced Monday, marks a strategic triumph for Alphabet and significantly alters the competitive dynamics against rivals like OpenAI. The partnership grants Google’s Gemini its largest-ever consumer platform, integrating it into Apple’s ecosystem of over two billion active devices. While Gemini already underpins Samsung’s Galaxy…
As protests continue, Iran and the US seem to hint at readiness for war.Iran’s protests started with economic demands. Now, the Iranian government says it is ready for war. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has told Iranian protesters that “help is on the way”, as Washington discusses military options. Could tension spread far beyond Iran?In this episode: Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4The Take: What Aleppo’s fighting reveals about Syria’s fragile peacelist 2 of 4The Take: Inside ICE’s deadly ‘surge’ in Minneapolislist 3 of 4The Take: Could Iran be the next Venezuela?list 4 of 4The Take: ‘Peace’ on…
In October 2024, Israel passed a law banning the agency for Palestinian refugees in Israel and occupied East Jerusalem.United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he could take his country to the International Court of Justice if it does not repeal laws targeting the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) and return its seized assets and property.In a January 8 letter to Netanyahu, Guterres said the UN cannot remain indifferent to “actions taken by Israel, which are in direct contravention of the obligations of Israel under international law. They must be reversed without delay.”Recommended Stories…
Trump declares ‘help is on the way’ for Iranian protesters, as calls for action against regime intensify.United States President Donald Trump says he has cancelled all meetings with Iranian officials and has told protesters to “take over your institutions” amid Tehran’s crackdown.In a social media post on Tuesday, Trump said that “help is on the way” without offering further details. Trump has openly contemplated ordering military attacks on Iran over the last several days.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Trump says any country doing business with Iran will face 25 percent tarifflist 2 of 3Iran, US at possible…
Somalia cuts UAE ties after Yemeni separatist’s illegal entry through Somaliland, exposing federal divisions.Somalia tore up its agreements with the United Arab Emirates after UAE-backed Yemeni separatist leader Aidarous al-Zubaidi illegally entered the Gulf Arab country through the breakaway region of Somaliland, a top minister has said.Ali Omar, Somalia’s state minister for foreign affairs, told media that the entry of al-Zubaidi, leader of the now-defunct Southern Transitional Council (STC), into Somali territory on January 8 was “the last straw” that prompted Mogadishu to cancel all deals with Abu Dhabi.Recommended Stories list of 2 itemslist 1 of 2Somali minister says Israel…
US president threatens a 25 percent tariff on countries that do business with Iran as he piles pressure on Tehran.United States President Donald Trump says he will slap a 25 percent tariff on any country doing business with Iran, ratcheting up pressure on its government, which is facing its biggest protests in decades.Years of Western sanctions have battered the OPEC member nation’s economy, causing high inflation, unemployment and the collapse of its currency, the rial.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4China eyes risks, gains as Trump pushes for ‘spheres of influence’list 2 of 4BRICS wargames: Why they matter,…
Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood official says group rejects US designation and ‘pursue all legal avenues to challenge’ it.Washington, DC – The United States has designated Muslim Brotherhood organisations in Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan as “terrorist” groups, as Washington intensifies its crackdown on Israel’s rivals across the world.The decision on Tuesday came weeks after President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing his administration to start the process of blacklisting the groups.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Palestine advocates praise NYC’s Mamdani for revoking pro-Israel decreeslist 2 of 3Trump orders blacklisting Muslim Brotherhood branches as ‘terrorist’ groupslist 3 of 3US…
US sanctions have damaged Iran’s economy, which was the reason the protests broke out in the first place.As demonstrators flood Iranian streets in ongoing protests which started late last month, United States President Donald Trump has threatened military intervention, arguing that he wants to “help” protesters.He wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday: “Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!” He has since echoed those sentiments in other public statements.But ignored in his claims of wanting to help Iranians is a fact: decades of US-led sanctions against Iran,…
Civil Defence warns of catastrophic repercussions from the storm for Palestinians, who lack adequate shelter, as Israel continues to block aid, critical supplies in violation of truce.At least five Palestinians have been killed in Gaza as a fierce winter storm toppled buildings damaged by Israeli attacks in its genocidal war on the territory, Wafa is reporting.Several others, including a one-year-old child, died due to the extreme cold, Civil Defence and hospital officials reported Tuesday, as a low-pressure system brought cold temperatures, heavy rains and chilling winds to the coastal enclave, where tens of thousands of displaced people are surviving in…
Israel signed several record multibillion-dollar gas, technology and military deals with its trading partners last year.Israel signed a record number of multibillion-dollar gas, technology and military deals in 2025.One of its most prominent deals came in December when Prime Minister Netanyahu approved the largest energy deal in Israel’s history. The contract will supply Egypt with up to $35bn worth of gas through 2040 from the Leviathan field, further deepening the North African country’s energy dependence on Israel amid its ongoing energy crisis.Egypt, which established diplomatic ties with Israel in 1979, stated that the deal was a “purely commercial” arrangement and…