Author: Gulf News Week

Global leaders have been divided on the protests, with the US and its allies backing the protesters.The sustained nationwide protests that have gripped Iran since late December have divided global opinion, with some governments raising concern about what they fear are foreign, instigated riots, while others have accused Iran’s leaders of responding violently to those protesting.Several senior Iranian figures have acknowledged the grievances of the demonstrators but have attempted to distinguish between people motivated by economic duress and rising costs, and what they have described as rioters seeking to “sow discord”, as Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated.Recommended Stories list…

My brother is one of many Palestinians Israel continues to illegally detain. Their release must be part of the ceasefire negotiations.It has been three months since the “ceasefire” took hold in Gaza. In this time, Israel has predictably refused to comply with its obligations under the deal. It continues to block the negotiated amounts of aid into the Strip. Adequate food, medicine and temporary shelters are not reaching us. The Rafah crossing remains closed and those needing urgent medical evacuations still cannot leave.Israel also continues to bomb us, killing more than 400 people since October 10. The Israeli army continues…

Rights groups warn of ‘slow execution’ in Israeli jails as Palestinian families receive conflicting news and the ICRC remains barred from visiting those in captivity.For thousands of Palestinian families in Gaza, the ongoing Israeli genocidal war is not just about the huge loss of life, utter destruction and relentless bombardment, but the agonising silence of missing loved ones swallowed by Israel’s detention system.“We do not know if he is detained or a martyr,” the wife of Abdul Rahman, a young man who disappeared in January, told media. “We filled out many forms … but hope still exists.”This psychological limbo was…

Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces attacks an army base in the southeastern city of Sinja with drones.The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has killed 27 people in a reported drone attack on a Sudanese army base in the southeastern city of Sinja, a military source told media.Monday’s attack coincided with an announcement a day prior that the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) would be returning to the capital, Khartoum, three years after it had shifted its base of operations to Port Sudan.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Sudan sources say South Sudanese among captured RSF members as war rageslist…

Civilians cautiously return to Aleppo neighborhoods after the Syrian army secures areas hit by the conflict with SDF.Aleppo, Syria – Spent bullet shell casings litter the classrooms and corridors of Qassem Amin school in Aleppo’s Ashrafieh neighbourhood. Desks barricade the stairwells; glass from shattered windows crunches underfoot.The school’s playground turned into a battleground last week, as it sat on the front line of fierce fighting between fighters from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Syrian government forces.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Syrian forces search for explosives, weapons after SDF pulls out of Aleppolist 2 of 3Photos:…

From a hostage crisis, a years-long war, and a nuclear dispute, Iran’s struggles remain pivotal to its identity.The protests in Iran are grabbing headlines, with the government and the opposition accusing each other of escalating violence. The government also says that foreign interference is behind the protests.It is the latest round of demonstrations against Iran’s governing system since the 1979 revolution that toppled the shah and ushered in an Islamic republic.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Displaced citizens without a vote Myanmar’s electionlist 2 of 3AFCON 2025 organisers investigate clashes at Nigeria, Morocco gameslist 3 of 3Myanmar Rohingya…

Key discussions in Kuwait precede strategic role at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, signaling deeper African-Gulf cooperation. KUWAIT CITY, January 13 — Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye commenced a pivotal Gulf tour on Monday, holding substantive talks with Kuwait’s Crown Prince, Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. The meeting, aimed at reinforcing bilateral partnerships, sets the stage for the President’s participation in the high-level Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) later this week. Accompanied by a high-ranking ministerial delegation covering national transformation, African integration, foreign affairs, finance, and water management, President Faye’s visit underscores a strategic push to deepen Senegal’s economic and diplomatic engagement…

The SDF denies the Syrian Ministry of Defence’s accusations that it had deployed military forces to the Deir Hafer front in the eastern Aleppo countryside.The Syrian army has sent reinforcements to rural eastern Aleppo, after observing the arrival of more Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) forces in the area, following days of deadly battles inside the city itself and the departure of the SDF.The official news agency SANA broadcast footage on Monday of Syrian army troops heading towards the deployment line east of Aleppo.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Syrian forces search for explosives, weapons after SDF pulls out…

Unverified social media announcement lacks formal policy details, raising questions over enforcement and global trade impact. WASHINGTON — In a significant escalation of economic pressure, former President Donald Trump announced Monday that any country engaging in trade with Iran will face a 25% tariff on all business with the United States. The declaration, made via Truth Social, arrives amid ongoing anti-government protests in Iran but was not accompanied by an official White House policy release or legal justification. “Effective immediately, any country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a tariff of 25 per cent on any and…

In a direct challenge to Tehran, Reza Pahlavi’s appeal coincides with flag-swapping incidents at embassies, escalating diplomatic tensions. TEHRAN PROTESTS UPDATE – Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last monarch, has issued a forceful appeal for Iran’s military and civil servants to defect from the government and support the nationwide protest movement. His statement, circulated on social media, frames the crisis as a decisive moral choice for state personnel. “Employees of state institutions, as well as members of the armed and security forces, have a choice,” Pahlavi wrote. “Stand with the people and become allies of the nation, or choose…