Author: Gulf News Week
Watch: China’s electric vehicle success in light of Iran warGlobal carmakers are facing a reckoning as US, European and Japanese brands lose ground to Chinese rivals setting the pace not only in electric vehicles, but also in batteries, design and software. The BBC visited factory floors in Beijing and Hefei on the sidelines of Auto China 2026 – the world’s largest car show – and found striking levels of automation and software development speed, leaving foreign brands that once dominated the Chinese market struggling to keep up. “We have no chance against this,” Honda chief executive Toshihiro Mibe told Japanese…
ReutersFibre-optic drones have become Hezbollah’s primary weapon against IsraelFibre-optic drones have become Hezbollah’s primary weapon against Israeli soldiers and civilians, along both sides of the Lebanese border, and are now seen as the biggest threat there, as fighting continues six weeks into a supposed ceasefire.One Israeli soldier was killed and two others injured in a drone attack near the Israeli border community of Shomera on Wednesday.Of the 11 Israeli soldiers and one civilian defence contractor killed since the ceasefire came into force, eight have been killed by fibre-optic drones.Most of the attacks have targeted Israeli forces, which are currently occupying…
EPA/ShutterstockTaylor Swift had said the foiled attack had filled her with “a new sense of fear”A 21-year-old Austrian man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for planning a jihadist attack on a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna during the US singer’s Eras tour in August 2024.The man, named only as Beran A in line with Austrian privacy laws, was also found guilty of a string of other terrorism-related offences.He was arrested after a tip-off from the CIA just before the first of three sold-out Taylor Swift concerts was due to take place in Vienna’s Ernst Happl stadium.All three…
Getty ImagesPortugal has set a new hottest day in May with 40.3C recorded in the central town of Mora, as countries in western Europe grapple with sweltering-hot weather.The temperature recorded on Wednesday bests Portugal’s previous record of 40C set in May 2001.Ministers in France are meeting to assess the country’s preparedness for heatwaves, while tennis number one Jannik Sinner bowed out of the French Open after suffering from the heat. Meanwhile, Italian authorities have issued a red heatwave alert for the capital, Rome, where it could top out at 32C on Thursday.The heatwave is forecast to continue into the weekend,…
Evan Benally AtwoodA drag queen named Pattie Gonia has urged outdoor apparel company Patagonia to drop a lawsuit in which it alleges the performer is causing “irreparable” damage to its brand.Wyn Wiley, who performs as Pattie Gonia, said the firm was threatening “the erasure of my name, my advocacy, my community” and the livelihoods of those employed by the drag queen and climate activist.”If Patagonia wants to celebrate Pride Month this year by taking a queer climate activist to federal court, then I’m here to fight for myself,” Wylie said.Patagonia told the BBC “the last thing we wanted was a…
EPAThe European Union has imposed a €200m ($232m; £173m) fine on Chinese-owned online retailer Temu for having illegal products such as dangerous baby toys and faulty chargers for sale on its platform.The European Commission said the company had “failed to diligently identify, analyse and assess the systemic risks” of the products and the harm they could cause to consumers.Temu has been under investigation since October 2024 over whether it has been meeting its obligations as a designated Very Large Online Platform under EU law.The online retailer said it disagreed with the decision and deemed the fine disproportionate, and was now…
ReutersMatteo Messina Denaro was arrested after decades on the run in 2023, and later died in jailYou may find some of the details of Messina Denaro’s crimes disturbingAnti-mafia investigators in Italy have seized cash, companies and other assets worth more than €200m (£175m) in an operation they say targeted the network of notorious late Sicilian mafia boss Matteo Messina Denaro.The funds, described as “huge amounts of capital” by the financial police in Palermo, are said to be proceeds from over four decades of drugs trafficking linked to the presumed former head of the Cosa Nostra group.Announcing their results in Sicily…
ReutersUS President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he was “not satisfied” yet with the terms of a deal being negotiated with Iran.A ceasefire “hanging by a thread”. A diplomatic process “making progress”. A president “not satisfied”. And explosions echoing around the Gulf.What to make of the current, confusing state of relations between the US and Iran – are we close to peace or sliding back to war?This week has certainly tested the ceasefire, which came into effect on 8 April and has now lasted considerably longer than the active phase of fighting which preceded it.Iran responded to the latest US…
ValveValve has announced a price increase of more than 40% – or nearly £200 – for its two Steam Deck models, citing “rising memory and storage costs”.The 512GB tier of its OLED handheld gaming PC – the newer model with an upgraded display – will now cost $789 (£649, €779), an increase of 43% or £170. The larger 1TB model will cost $949 (£779, €919), an increase of 46% or £210.In a blog post, the gaming giant said the Steam Deck itself had not changed, and the price changes reflected “the current state of component costs and other global logistical…
BBCBeirut had until now been spared the intermittent attacks which have occurred despite a ceasefireIsrael has hit the Lebanese capital, Beirut, for only the second time since the start of a ceasefire last month.The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the attack at about 14:00 (11:00 GMT) was carried out in a “targeted manner”, but gave no details. Israeli media cited unnamed sources as saying the target of the strike had been the head of an Iranian militia.Israel had spared Beirut at the request of US President Donald Trump and the attack came after waves of Israeli strikes aimed at Hezbollah…