Author: Gulf News Week

Quietly, but steadily, the Israeli geopolitical clout is shrinking while the Israeli state is succumbing to dysfunction.Israel may look to many like a winner, a de facto hegemon in the Middle East. It has waged war on several fronts simultaneously, dealing deadly blows on its enemies. In parallel, it continues to enjoy much support from various Western constituencies and leaders, particularly those who face real challenges from the hard right in their countries.But under the surface, Israel is imploding. An international coalition, led by the United States with the participation of Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, is gradually removing…

Sharjah’s Hala Shahin recognized for revolutionizing classrooms with AI, play-based learning, and a focus on sustainability. SHARJAH — In a landmark achievement for the UAE’s education sector, Sharjah mathematics teacher Hala Shahin has been selected among the top 50 finalists for the $1 million Global Teacher Prize 2026. Shahin, an educator at Khawla Bint Tha’albaa School, was chosen from over 5,000 applicants across 139 countries for the prestigious award, often described as the Nobel Prize for teaching. Her pioneering integration of artificial intelligence and smart learning techniques has significantly influenced how math is taught in the UAE and the broader Arab…

A historic water crisis forces drastic cuts to farming, reverses years of progress, and threatens to displace more rural communities. NAJAF, Iraq – A relentless drought and plummeting river flows are shattering Iraq’s ambitious and costly drive to produce enough wheat for its own people, forcing a return to import dependency and pushing rural communities to the brink. Farmer Ma’an Al-Fatlawi, standing by a near-dry irrigation canal in Najaf, encapsulates the crisis. “We rely on river water,” he said, having slashed his wheat planting by 80% this season. With groundwater too saline for wells, he and countless others are at…

‘Geopolitical rivalries, shifting alliances, transactional deals’ dominate as most vulnerable are plunged into deeper crisis.Growing global disorder threatens to deepen humanitarian crises around the world, with Sudan and Palestine facing the greatest risk of all, according to a new report.The pair once again topped the International Rescue Committee’s (IRC) Emergency Watchlist, the 2026 version of which was released on Tuesday.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Tracking Sudan’s humanitarian crisis: By the numberslist 2 of 3EU launches aid flights to Sudan’s Darfur as humanitarian crisis escalateslist 3 of 3Gaza authorities struggle to recover bodies from rubble amid winter stormsend…

Rights groups say the demolition order, which will affect 100 Palestinian homes, is an attempt to ‘cage in’ Palestinians.The Israeli military will demolish 25 residential buildings in the occupied West Bank’s Nur Shams refugee camp this week, according to local authorities.Abdallah Kamil, the governor of the Tulkarem governorate where Nur Shams is located, told the AFP news agency on Monday that he was informed of the planned demolition by the Israeli Defence Ministry body COGAT.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Condemnation as Israel raids UNRWA HQ in East Jerusalem, removes UN flaglist 2 of 4Young Palestinian dies in…

The decision comes amid mounting international pressure over the humanitarian toll of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.The appeals chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has rejected one of Israel’s legal challenges seeking to block an investigation into its actions in the genocidal war against the Palestinian people in Gaza, dealing a blow to Israel’s efforts to derail the case.In their decision issued on Monday, judges refused to overturn a lower court decision allowing the ICC prosecutor to investigate alleged crimes in Israel’s war on Gaza following the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.Recommended Stories list of…

Despite obstacles, Civil Defence teams retrieve 20 bodies of Palestinians from under collapsed buildings.Authorities in Gaza have warned that stormy weather could spur more war-damaged buildings to collapse and heavy rains are making it more difficult to recover bodies still under the rubble.Authorities sounded the alarm on Monday, three days after two buildings collapsed in Gaza, killing at least 12 people, during winter rains that have also washed away and flooded the tents of displaced Palestinians and led to deaths from exposure.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Hamas says Israeli violations ‘threaten viability’ of Gaza ceasefire deallist 2…

Satellite images show ongoing demolitions behind the ‘yellow line’; experts warn actions likely violate Geneva Convention.Satellite images reviewed by media’s Sanad fact-checking agency show that the Israeli military has continued to demolish buildings in areas of Gaza it has occupied since a ceasefire with Hamas went into effect.The Palestinian group has decried such demolitions as a violation of the ceasefire deal, which went into force on October 10. Legal experts and United Nations officials have said throughout the war that the destruction of civilian infrastructure could constitute a war crime.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3We now see…

Gaza’s residents face deadly winter storms as weakened, bombed-out homes collapse.The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip deteriorated sharply late last week during Storm Byron, which brought heavy rainfall and strong winds.Widely circulated video on social media showed Palestinian Civil Defence teams scrabbling through the rubble of fallen buildings, trying to rescue people trapped beneath.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Who stopped the Bondi attack?list 2 of 3Ukraine drops NATO bid: Will Kyiv get security guarantees from the West?list 3 of 3EU launches aid flights to Sudan’s Darfur as humanitarian crisis escalatesend of listBut why did those homes…

Fouad Naal, 52, was in Sednaya and Adra prisons for 21 years until December 8, 2024. A year later, he tells his story.Damascus, Syria – Fouad Naal spent 21 years in prison under the regime of Bashar al-Assad.He remained in the notorious Sednaya and Adra prisons until December 8, 2024, which was not only his liberation but also the liberation of Syria from al-Assad’s rule, he told media a day before the anniversary.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3“Extremely unlikely” Russia and Ukraine will reach ceasefirelist 2 of 3The real reason Israel wants to open the Rafah crossinglist…