Author: Gulf News Week
MATTHEW MIRABELLI/AFP via Getty ImagesThe shock murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia prompted widespread public outrage and protests on the streets of MaltaA Maltese businessman on trial over the murder of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia has been acquitted. Yorgen Fenech, 44, was accused of complicity in her murder and criminal association to commit murder. He denied all the charges.In 2022, brothers George and Alfred Degiorgio were jailed for 40 years over the killing of Caruana Galizia, who was an outspoken critic of the government and had uncovered networks of corruption in Malta and abroad.She was killed by a car bomb…
Getty ImagesThe Strait of Hormuz has effectively been closed since the start of the war in Iran (file photo)Saudi Arabia has condemned what it said was an Iranian attack on a Saudi-owned supertanker on Monday night that killed two Filipino sailors.The Saudi national shipping company, Bahri, confirmed on Wednesday that its vessel Sidr was “involved in a security incident while transiting the Strait of Hormuz”.Sidr was hit by projectiles north of Oman’s Musandam Peninsula, according to maritime security firms. A South Korean-owned supertanker, Senegal Prosperity, was reportedly struck east of Musandam around the same time.Iran has not responded to the…
ReutersWhile much of the gold was sold in New York and then repurchased in London, more than 27 tonnes was physically moved to the UKThe Dutch central bank (DNB) has confirmed that billions of dollars in gold has been taken out of north America and relocated to London, citing “increasing geopolitical unrest”.DNB said on Wednesday that 86 tonnes of gold had been removed from the US and Canada in a complex operation that took several months. It is now being held by the Bank of England, where the precious metal can be traded more easily “in a crisis situation”.Bank president…
Watch: BBC visits village swept away by deadly floodsBBC South Asia correspondent Azadeh Moshiri spoke to a local, who is still waiting for his his wife’s body to be retrieved, as rescue efforts continue.1 hr agoAsia
EPA/ShutterstockIt is not just the wildfire burning in the bond markets, with many countries facing interest rates at multi-decade highs. The markets lending money to governments appear to be changing more fundamentally too.Over summer, the message has been made clear: countries will have to pay more to borrow cash.The immediate reason is the ongoing closure of the Strait of Hormuz and renewed hostilities between the US and Iran, which has pushed up inflation and, in turn, raised expectations of higher interest rates in the world’s major economies.It was wishful thinking, based on the hope that US President Donald Trump would…
ReutersUrsula von der Leyen and Mark Rutte accused Russia of becoming increasingly reckless in its attacks on EuropeThe heads of Nato and the European Commission have warned that Russia is growing increasingly reckless and vowed to respond to a “new normal”.”Leipzig marks a new escalation on European Union soil directly attributed to Russia,” said Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, a day after Germany blamed Russia for a failed drone attack last month on Leipzig airport.”We have to step up and that means being ready to respond to Russia’s recklessness faster and better,” von der Leyen said. Nato Secretary General…
Getty ImagesThe Bayeux Tapestry is going to be open to the public in London from next weekKing Charles, French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham are to preview one of the blockbuster cultural events of the year, when they get to view the Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum.The visit on Wednesday comes ahead of the medieval tapestry going on public display in London from 10 September.The 70m (230ft) tapestry, originally embroidered in England but kept for centuries in France, tells the story of the Norman Conquest and the Battle of Hastings in 1066.President Macron said the…
BBCMore than 900 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza this year despite the ceasefire, according to latest figures from the territory’s Hamas-run Ministry of Health.It brings the total number of Palestinians killed in the Strip since the 10 October ceasefire was declared to more than 1,300, including 301 children, the ministry says.Hamas and Israel agreed to halt the war after accepting US President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan. That plan included a suspension of “all military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment”.Since then, BBC Verify has analysed dozens of videos which show the impact of Israeli strikes…
Watch: Near ground zero of the Nepal floodsThe response to catastrophic flash floods along the Nepal-Tibet border a week ago has turned to relief and recovery, even as rescuers scramble to reach anyone who may be alive.The priority now is delivering aid, recovering loved ones, tracing missing relatives and reunifying separated children, the UN’s humanitarian agency says.At least 1,114 people have died in Nepal and nearly 4,000 more are missing, according to Nepal’s disaster agency. On the Tibetan side, the death toll is 16, with more than 500 people unaccounted for, Chinese state media report.Efforts are continuing to rescue workers,…
What we know about reported strike on Iran wedding celebrationsBBC Verify looks at footage showing the aftermath of a strike on a building in southern Iran.42 mins agoBBC Verify