Author: Gulf News Week
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…
Williams in discussions about potential return at Queen’sSerena Williams is in discussions about a potential return to competitive tennis at Queen’s Club next month.15 mins agoTennis
Massive demand for the silicon components used in AI data centres — especially memory chips, which are in short supply — has sent revenues soaring for firms that design, produce and assemble themRunaway profits and sky-high valuations for microchip companies have fuelled worker demands over pay packages in South Korea, raising the question: who profits from the artificial intelligence boom?In the United States, some employees with stock options have made it rich and retired early, while in Asia chip engineers are now using their “immense” leverage over companies to get their way, analysts say.After memory chip giant Samsung Electronics reached…
Getty ImagesThe attack took place at Winterthur train station, northwest of Zurich.A man has been arrested after three people were injured in a stabbing attack at a train station in Switzerland, police said. They said the three victims – Swiss nationals aged 28, 43 and 52 – were hospitalised after the attack at Winterthur train station. The suspect, a 31-year-old Swiss man, used a bladed weapon and that the motive was under investigation, police added.An eyewitness working in an office building nearby told a local newspaper he heard a man yell “Allahu Akbar” – meaning “God is greatest” in Arabic…