Author: Gulf News Week
Letter to UN chief, UNSC comes after Trump says US will intervene if Tehran violently suppresses protests.Iran’s United Nations ambassador Amir Saeed Iravani has written to the UN secretary-general and the president of the UN Security Council (UNSC), urging them to condemn “unlawful threats” towards Tehran from United States President Donald Trump amid ongoing protests in the country.The letter sent on Friday came hours after Trump said the US was “locked and loaded and ready to go” if any more protesters were killed in the ongoing demonstrations in Iran over the cost of living.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1…
Guterres says pending ban targets groups ‘indispensable to life-saving’ work, undermines ceasefire progress.United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on Israel to reverse a pending ban on 37 nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) working in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.In a statement on Friday, Guterres called the work of the groups “indispensable to life-saving humanitarian work”, according to spokesperson Stephane Dujarric. He added that the “suspension risks undermining the fragile progress made during the ceasefire”.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Gaza cousins face lost youth, and family tragedy, after amputationslist 2 of 3Belfast rallies for Palestine hunger strikers as…
Qatar, Turkiye and six other countries urge ‘unimpeded’ humanitarian access to Gaza as Israel cracks down on aid groups.Several countries in the Middle East and Asia have called on Israel to allow “immediate, full, and unhindered” deliveries of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip as winter storms lash the bombarded Palestinian enclave.In a statement on Friday, the foreign ministers of Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Turkiye, Pakistan and Indonesia warned that “deteriorating” conditions in Gaza had left nearly 1.9 million displaced Palestinians particularly vulnerable.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Doctors fear ‘swamp fever’ spreading in…
Mass protests are spreading across Iran, but what’s driving them and where could they lead? Here’s what we know.Protests about the soaring cost of living in Iran have entered their sixth day after the rial plunged to a record low against the United States dollar in late December.After a number of deaths as a result of clashes between protesters and security services, the government of President Masoud Pezeshkian appealed for unity and blamed economic pressure on what he said are Tehran’s “enemies”. Despite government promises to enact economic reforms and put more effort into tackling corruption, the protests have continued.So…
Government files suggest former UK prime minister pressured officials to prevent soldiers from being tried in civil courts.The United Kingdom’s role in the Iraq war has come under the spotlight once again, as newly released UK government files appear to suggest that former Prime Minister Tony Blair pressured officials to ensure British soldiers accused of mistreating Iraqi civilians during the war would not be tried in civil courts.Documents released on Tuesday to the National Archives in Kew, west London, reveal that in 2005, Blair said it was “essential” that courts like the International Criminal Court (ICC) did not investigate UK…
War-ravaged Sudan have remarkably made it to the last 16. Now, they face their toughest test against heavyweights Senegal.Who: Senegal vs Sudan What: CAF Africa Cup of Nations Where: Ibn Batouta Stadium in Tangier When: Saturday, January 3, 5pm (16:00 GMT) How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on media Sport from 13:00 GMT in advance of our text commentary stream.The AFCON round of 16 begins with a clash between the heavyweights and minnows, as title favourites Senegal face Sudan, the lowest-ranked side remaining in the competition.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Venus Williams gets Australian Open wildcard aged 45list 2 of…
Mass death in Gaza continues and yet the world no longer pays attention, having been convinced that the genocide is over.When rumours about a ceasefire started circulating in October, it felt like a distant dream. We clung to any thread of hope, even though deep inside we feared believing it. For two years, we had become accustomed to hearing about “ceasefires” that never lasted.When the announcement was finally made, the streets erupted with ululations and cheers. Yet, fear crept into my heart that this calm might just be a pause before another round of attacks.My fears were justified. Israel’s daily…
US president says Washington will intervene if Tehran violently suppresses protests over high prices.United States President Donald Trump has said Washington is “locked and loaded” to respond if Iran kills more protesters, after cost-of-living demonstrations in the country turned deadly.Protesters and security forces clashed in several Iranian cities on Thursday, with six reported killed in the first deaths since the unrest escalated.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Protests, strikes after Iran’s economic situation rapidly deteriorateslist 2 of 4Several killed as Iran protests over rising cost of living spreadlist 3 of 4Demonstrations turn deadly in Iran over rising living…
Saudi-backed Hadramout governor says move under way to ‘peacefully’ take over military sites from STC.Fighting broke out on Friday in Yemen’s Hadramout province that borders Saudi Arabia, between forces loyal to the region’s Saudi-backed governor and the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC).The STC accused Saudi Arabia of bombing its forces near the border on Friday.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3What led to Saudi Arabia’s strike on Yemen?list 2 of 3Saudi-UAE fallout and its impact on Yemen’s recognised governmentlist 3 of 3What is behind the Saudi-UAE rupture in Yemen?end of listSeven people were killed and than 20 people…
For many in Belfast, the pro-Palestine hunger strikes are a reminder of what Irish republicans endured 44 years ago.Belfast, Northern Ireland — On New Year’s Eve, as fireworks lit the Belfast sky, the city’s streets were abuzz — and not only in celebration.Hundreds gathered in solidarity with activists from the Palestine Action group who are on hunger strikes in prison. Their chants echoed past murals that do not merely decorate the city, but testify to its troubled past.Along the Falls Road, Irish republican murals sit beside Palestinian ones. The International Wall, once a rolling canvas of global struggles, has become…