Author: Gulf News Week
Saudi foreign ministry calls on southern factions in Yemen to participate in a forum in Riyadh amid rising casualties.Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry has welcomed a request from Yemen’s Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council (PLC) for a forum in Riyadh to resolve a deadly factional rift in the country’s south that has stoked armed conflict there and triggered tensions between Gulf Arab nations.In a statement on Saturday, the Saudi foreign ministry called on southern factions to participate in the forum in the Saudi capital to “formulate a comprehensive vision for fair solutions to the southern cause”.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1…
High-level call emphasizes European role in post-war planning, as West Bank raids continue and aid crisis persists despite fragile ceasefire. RAMALLAH – Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares and Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa held a strategic call on Friday, focusing on international efforts to reconstruct Gaza and unify Palestinian governance ahead of future statehood. The discussion underscored Spain’s deepening diplomatic engagement following its official recognition of Palestine, alongside Ireland and Norway, in May 2024. Key priorities outlined in the conversation included: Prime Minister Mustafa thanked Spain for its sustained political and financial support. This cooperation will be further advanced…
Early morning blasts coincide with heightened U.S. naval presence and recent strikes, escalating tensions between Washington and Caracas. CARACAS – Venezuela’s government declared a state of emergency on Saturday, condemning an “extremely serious military aggression” by the United States following a series of loud explosions heard in the capital, Caracas. Residents reported multiple blasts and sounds resembling low-flying aircraft beginning around 2:00 a.m. local time (0600 GMT), continuing for at least 15 minutes. The exact source and location of the disturbances remain unconfirmed. The incident comes amid a significant escalation of U.S. pressure on the government of President Nicolás Maduro.…
More than 10 South Sudanese have been captured in the North Kordofan State in central Sudan, sources say.The Sudanese military has captured South Sudanese fighting alongside the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group in battles that broke out in a central region of the country this week, according to sources in the government-aligned Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF).The sources told media that the army and its allied forces captured more than 10 members on Thursday in the towns of Kazqil and al-Rayash in the North Kordofan State in central Sudan.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4UN says Sudan’s el-Fasher…
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…