Author: Gulf News Week
Global Images Ukraine via Getty ImagesOleksandr Syrskyi was praised by President Zelensky for successfully defending Ukraine’s capital Kyiv in 2022Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed the country’s army commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi.It comes just days after the removal of popular Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov – a move that triggered street protests across the country.Initial rumours that the end of Fedorov’s tenure was related to a conflict between him and Syrskyi were soon confirmed.Fedorov, 35, has been widely praised for energising the ministry and transforming the armed forces, as well as leading a drive against corruption. Syrskyi, 60, is seen by many…
An Australian woman has given birth to identical quadruplet girls after a pregnancy doctors described as incredibly rare.Jenitar Sau Na’amoana, who is 34 years old and already had four children, delivered the babies last week at Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital in Queensland state.“We are very excited to be able to care for this amazing little family, a big family now,” Dr. Alexa Bendall, a maternal fetal medicine specialist who cared for Na’amoana, said in an interview released by the hospital.The babies were conceived naturally and came from one fertilized egg that split into four, “which was incredible,” Bendall said.…
Watch: Warehouses on fire after Ukraine hit Russian online retailerUkrainian drones have hit warehouses belonging to Russia’s biggest online retailer again, injuring 15 people, according to the company’s founder and regional governors.Logistics hubs run by Wildberries in two south-west cities were impacted by overnight attacks and workers were evacuated, the founder said.It is the second time Ukraine has attacked the firm’s facilities in four days, with warehouses in Tambov and Elektrostal hit on Saturday, killing eight people.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday that Ukraine had hit logistics hubs in the Krasnodar and Stavropol regions “involved in providing the Russian…
Getty ImagesOfficials say the restaurant used some 49,000 ants in various dishes, such as ant-topped sorbet, over four yearsSouth Korean prosecutors sought a one-year jail term for the owner of a Michelin-starred restaurant accused of using ants as a dessert garnish, local media reported.Ants are not among the 10 insect species approved for human consumption under the country’s laws. The approved list includes grasshoppers, locusts and two-spotted crickets, among others.Prosecutors on Monday also asked that the restaurant, which holds two Michelin stars, be fined 20 million Korean won ($13,510; £10,100).The owner admitted to serving ants but argued that they were…
Getty ImagesFrance’s parliament has approved a law to ban social media for under-15s from January 2027, making it the first European country to block young people from the platforms.The law will mean everyone in France must verify their age to access social media and comes as the UK and EU are developing their own limits in response to concerns for children’s mental health.French President Emmanuel Macron has welcomed the move, which he had pledged to introduce to mark the end of his decade in office.While sceptics have questioned the law’s viability, the government has insisted the online tools to put…
ReutersRebel Wilson has been cleared of defaming a young actress who starred in her film The DebRebel Wilson has been cleared of accusations that she defamed a young Australian actress, a Sydney court has found.Charlotte MacInnes, who starred in Wilson’s film The Deb, sued the Bridesmaids and Pitch Perfect actress for allegedly harming her reputation in Instagram posts in 2024 and 2025.In the posts, Wilson accused MacInnes of retracting her complaint of sexual harassment against a film producer so she could further her career – a claim MacInnes denied.In court on Wednesday, Justice Elizabeth Raper dismissed the case, saying the…
ReutersThe US launched strikes on Iran for the 11th consecutive night late on Tuesday, as Tehran warned the US against targeting its nuclear facilities.US Central Command (Centcom) said the wave of strikes were “designed to continue degrading Iran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping” in the Strait of Hormuz.Iranian state media reported that air defences were activated in the capital Tehran. Explosions were also reported in Tabriz, Chabahar, Konarak, and in Bushehr, home to Iran’s only nuclear power plant.Iran, which has retaliated against the US and its Middle East allies, warned of reprisals after Donald Trump said the US would soon…
Getty ImagesWARNING: Readers may find details in this article distressing.Gruesome images of a teenage girl’s dismembered corpse have been shown in court before her horrified parents on the opening day of a preliminary hearing in the murder case against the singer who performs under the stage name D4vd.Prosecutors presented graphic crime scene photos showing 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s body when it was found last year inside a Tesla registered to singer David Anthony Burke in Hollywood, Los Angeles. A homicide detective testified that Burke, 21, had ordered a body bag, chainsaws, an inflatable pool and a shovel online in the…
Jake Brooker / Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage TrustEmbrace between Little Jake and Little Joey, two juvenile male chimpanzees in a forested sanctuaryTouching, embracing and kissing before stressful events may be an ancient way of building trust, according to scientists studying the behaviour of our closest ape relatives.Researchers at Durham University studied chimpanzees and bonobos using physical contact to reassure each other ahead of conflicts over food.One of the most surprising findings was that chimpanzees, despite their reputation for aggression, engaged in close contact, including placing fingers in one another’s mouths.”Before stressful events, they come together, they reassure each other, they touch…
Getty ImagesAs temperatures rise this summer, Japanese men are baring more leg at work than ever before.The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is pushing company employees to ditch their usual suit and tie for more casual attire, featuring t-shirts, trainers – and shorts. Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike introduced “Tokyo Cool Biz” in April, hoping to expand on her signature cool down initiative which has now become a widely recognised annual summer tradition.Almost four months in, the newly allowed shorts in the office policy is getting mixed reviews.”We want to give people more options in the severe heat, not tell them what to…