Gulf Insider

2 hours ago

Mbappe Revels In Captain’s Role For France At World Cup

Kylian Mbappe’s critics might say he has not always been a true team player but the France superstar is revelling in his role as captain at this World Cup, as he seeks to lead Les Bleus to a third title. The 27-year-old had a difficult end to last season with Real Madrid, being booed by supporters who questioned his commitment to the cause as he nursed an injury. He has always been a prolific finisher, but his tally of 86 goals in two seasons was not enough to deliver a major title for Real. Similarly, he left Paris Saint-Germain in 2024 as their all-time top scorer but without winning the Champions League. It might not entirely be a coincidence that they have gone on to be champions of Europe two years running since his departure. But it is his relationship with the World Cup that has really shaped Mbappe, and he has looked like a man on a mission over the last month in the United States. Mbappe has so far netted seven goals in his team’s five games before Thursday’s quarter-final against Morocco at the Gillette Stadium near Boston. The breakthrough star in the France team that won the […]

Sport

2 hours ago

Switzerland Advance To Face Defending Champions Argentina

Switzerland advance to face defending champions Argentina Switzerland beat Colombia 4-3 on penalties after a goalless draw to set up a World Cup quarter-final with defending champions Argentina. The two teams cancelled each other out in the final game of the last 16 — the game in Vancouver was also the last at the 2026 tournament to be played outside the United States. Colombia’s Davinson Sanchez hit the bar in a nerve-wracking shootout but Switzerland defender Manuel Akanji ballooned his effort over, meaning it was all square again. Swiss goalkeeper Gregor Kobel then regained the initiative for his team, brilliantly saving Cucho Hernandez’s effort. After two more successful kicks, Ruben Vargas stepped up to take the decisive penalty and made no mistake. It is the first time Switzerland have reached the last eight of the World Cup since they hosted the tournament in 1954. Victorious captain Granit Xhaka said the current generation of players was a “special one”. “We, the more experienced players, are being pushed by the younger ones, and at the same time we have to lead by example every single day and every single game,” Xhaka told Swiss broadcaster SRF. “Of course, we try to pass on […]

Bahrain

2 hours ago

Bahraini Youth Team Climbs Africa’s Highest Peak

A team of young Bahraini adventurers is making steady progress towards the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, aiming to raise the Kingdom’s flag atop Africa’s highest mountain. Organised by the Bahrain Youth Hostels Society, the expedition departed Bahrain earlier this week and began the mountain ascent about two days ago. The team is led by Saeeda Al Jowder and includes Yousif Fakhro, Salman Rafiee, Haifa Abdulla, and Janan Ebrahim. The multi-day expedition presents a demanding test of endurance, requiring physical fitness, mental resilience and discipline as climbers navigate changing weather conditions and challenging terrain on their journey to the 5,895-metre summit. The team hopes to raise Bahrain’s national flag at the peak, marking a symbolic achievement that reflects the ambition and determination of the Kingdom’s youth. The expedition is held under the patronage of Bahrain’s Youth Affairs Ministry as part of initiatives designed to empower young Bahrainis through international adventures and outdoor experiences. Organisers say such programmes help develop leadership, self-reliance, teamwork and cross-cultural understanding. According to the latest updates, the team has successfully completed the advanced stages of the climb and remains on schedule as it continues its ascent towards the summit. If successful, the expedition will add another milestone […]

World

2 hours ago

Student Lands Plane After His Flight Instructor Jumps to Death

Buenos Aires: A 22-year-old student pilot in Argentina landed a light aircraft safely by herself after her flight instructor tragically jumped to his death mid-flight. The incident unfolded during a routine flight training session over Córdoba. Without warning, the instructor, 42-year-old Leandro Andrés Bertazzo, unbuckled his seatbelt and removed his headset. Bertazzo looked at his trainee and said, ‘You know what you have to do, carry on,’ before forcing the Cessna cabin door open against immense wind resistance. Despite experiencing severe emotional shock, the student pilot bravely maintained absolute composure. She took full control of the aircraft and guided it to a perfect landing back at the airfield. Flight officials stated Bertazzo showed no warning signs earlier that day. Local federal authorities have launched an investigation into his recent history of neuropsychiatric medical treatments.

Tech & Telecoms

2 hours ago

Meta Announces Historic US $9 Billion Data Center in Canada

Toronto: Meta has officially announced plans to build a massive US $9 billion data center in Alberta, Canada. Government officials called the project one of the largest private-sector investments in Canadian history. The facility will be located in Sturgeon County and will span 2.9 million square feet. Meta confirmed it will be the tech giant’s largest data hub outside the United States. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith noted that the development will support several thousand Canadian jobs. It will also generate approximately $175 million annually in economic benefits for Albertans. Meta is currently investing heavily in physical infrastructure to power its growing artificial intelligence ambitions. However, public backlash is rising over the high electricity and water consumption of these facilities. Such resource strains recently prompted jurisdictions like New York State to pass a temporary one-year pause on new construction.

Geopolitics

2 hours ago

Death Toll From Venezuela Twin Quakes Rises To 3,811 As Govt Seeks Frozen Funds

The death toll from Venezuela’s twin earthquakes has risen to 3,811, according to figures released by National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez on Wednesday. The latest tally puts the number of injured in the June 24 quakes at 16,740, and the number of homeless at 17,907. Interim President Delcy Rodriguez renewed calls for international sanctions on Venezuela to be lifted to assist the earthquake recovery, saying the country had enough overseas assets to help finance reconstruction if blocked accounts were released. “Venezuela has resources blocked around the world that could address this process of reconstruction,” the president said on state television channel VTV, adding that funds were also needed for employment and education programs. The US, the European Union and other countries imposed successively more stringent sanctions on Venezuela in the last two decades over allegations that the government engaged in anti-democratic activity and that the country is a haven for drug trafficking. Many of the measures remain in place. But after the US captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro early this year, Washington provided targeted relief to the country’s oil sector. After the earthquakes, the US authorised for four months transactions related to earthquake relief that would have been banned by […]

Entertainment

2 hours ago

Vir Das Leads Star-Studded Line-Up As Dubai Comedy Festival Returns This October: Full Line-Up, Ticket Costs Revealed

Star comics from India, UK and Middle East join Dubai Comedy Festival lineup Dubai: Emmy-winning Indian comedian Vir Das will headline the seventh edition of the Dubai Comedy Festival, returning to the city from October 9 to 18 with a packed programme featuring more than 40 shows in eight languages. The organisers on Wednesday unveiled the first wave of performers, with British comedian Mo Gilligan, Indian comics Jamie Lever, Munawar Faruqui and Amit Tandon, Lebanese comedian John Achkar, Northern Irish comic Shane Todd, Russian comedian Alexander Merkul, and Kuwaiti theatrical production Mohandis Al Thauq Al Aam also joining the line-up. The festival will once again transform venues across the city into comedy stages, reflecting Dubai’s multicultural audience with performances in English, Arabic, Hindi, Russian, French and several other languages. Das, who sold out his previous Dubai Comedy Festival appearances in 2022, will close this year’s festival with a one-night performance at Coca-Cola Arena on October 18. The Emmy Award-winning comedian is known for his sharp observations on culture, identity and contemporary life, making him one of India’s most internationally recognised stand-up acts. Gilligan, who also returns after a sold-out Dubai show, will bring his The Mo You Know World Tour […]

Geopolitics

2 hours ago

Trump To Delist Syria From Terror Designation, Boasts Of Putting ‘Fantastic’ Sharaa In Power

US President Donald Trump lavished rare praise on Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Wednesday, calling him “fantastic” and “highly respected”, as the two leaders met on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey. The meeting itself is a win for Sharaa, who was first introduced to Trump a little over a year ago in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, before finding himself in the Oval Office exchanging gifts with the US president by November. No Syrian leader – and certainly not one with Sharaa’s past as a US-designated terrorist – had been in the White House in decades. Wednesday’s opportunity arose because the Turks have been at the helm of Sharaa’s rise to power since December 2024, as they are keen on a neighboring Syria that falls within their sphere of influence. Trump’s swift embrace of Sharaa has been one of the standout foreign policy moves of the past year. “He’s done a really fantastic job as president. He’s unified the country in a very short period of time. I’d say like a year and a half, about a year and a half, and right from the beginning it was a real mess, very disjointed place, and he’s brought it together,” Trump told reporters […]

Tech & Telecoms

3 hours ago

EU Mandates Dystopian In-Car Cameras To Monitor Every Driver’s Face

Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity News, The European Union has made it official. Every brand-new passenger car, van, truck, and bus sold or first registered across the bloc must now carry interior-facing cameras that track the driver’s gaze, head movements, and attention levels. The system, called Advanced Driver Distraction Warning or ADDW, forms part of the final phase of the updated ‘General Safety Regulation’ for all vehicles. The compulsory hardware activates at low speeds and tightens requirements as velocity increases, issuing escalating visual, acoustic, or haptic warnings when the driver looks away for too long. BREAKING: The EU today introduced the new requirement for all new cars registered in Europe to have installed cameras filming the driver’s face. The system is called Advanced Driver Distraction Warning, ADDW, and is part of the EU’s General Safety Regulation. The camera tracks… pic.twitter.com/oqnWXuz0ir — Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) July 7, 2026 Proponents frame it as life-saving technology that keeps eyes on the road. Skeptics see installed cameras and sensors as the foundation for far broader monitoring once the infrastructure exists in every vehicle on the continent. The European Commission promoted the rollout this week. 🔸Advanced emergency brake detecting pedestrians and cyclists🔹Advanced driver distraction […]

Environment

3 hours ago

Tourist Nightmare: Toxic “Bone-Cutting” Fish Invades Mediterranean Beaches

Tourists heading to the Mediterranean are being urged to watch out for an invasive species of toxic pufferfish that has spread across popular beach destinations in Greece and other coastal countries, according to the Daily Mail. The silver-cheeked toadfish, originally native to the Indian Ocean, is believed to have entered the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal as rising sea temperatures expanded its range. Officials say the fish is now common in parts of Greece, including Rhodes, and has spread as far as Italy and Spain. The species poses multiple hazards. It carries the potent neurotoxin tetrodotoxin, making its flesh and organs potentially fatal if consumed, and its powerful, beak-like teeth are capable of inflicting deep wounds. Greek authorities recently warned beachgoers to seek immediate medical attention after any bite, following reports of several encounters, including an elderly woman near Athens who required stitches after being attacked. The Daily Mail writes that local fishermen say the fish have also become a costly nuisance, tearing through fishing nets and destroying catches. One fisherman described the species as devastating to marine life, warning that a bite could easily sever a finger. In response, Greece has begun installing floating protective barriers at several beaches. […]

Tech & Telecoms

3 hours ago

Current State Of Physical AI: Everything You Need To Know

Citi’s Robotics & Physical AI Leadership Conference wrapped up on Tuesday. The annual Citi Research event brings together robotics founders, investors, operators, and industry executives to assess the state of “physical AI.” Analyst Heath Terry summarized the key takeaways Wednesday morning, painting a picture of the robotics industry moving from proof of concept to commercial deployment, while warning that scaling robots remains challenging. “Labor shortages, reshoring, and favorable regulatory tailwinds are accelerating enterprise demand, while data scarcity, talent constraints, battery limitations, and high deployment costs remain key friction points,” Terry explained to clients. Citi said the winners in physical AI will likely be firms that own proprietary real-world data, solve specific labor bottlenecks and use Robotics-as-a-Service models to reduce upfront costs for customers. Terry highlighted automation-exposed industrial names including Rockwell Automation, Emerson Electric, Honeywell, Symbotic, Ralliant and Belden as potential beneficiaries. Humanoids are attracting significant investor interest. Last month, we detailed how readers can invest ahead of a major ramp in humanoid production expected in the coming quarters. Read the report. Over the last two years, about $20 billion has been invested in physical AI, with applications spanning warehouses, logistics, trucking, construction, aviation, and defense. Last week, carmaker BMW revealed that […]

Geopolitics

18 hours ago

Nuclear Power Capacity To Jump 44% By 2036 As China Surpasses US

Global nuclear capacity is set to surge by 44% over the next decade as China topples the United States as the biggest nuclear power capacity holder and India will hike its capacity to boost energy security. These are the estimates in a new report by BloombergNEF, which sees total global nuclear capacity at 535 gigawatts (GW) by 2036, up from the 372 GW of installed capacity as of the end of 2025. The world is projected to have as much as 535 gigawatts of installed nuclear power by 2036, up from 372 last year, according to the report released Wednesday. Echoing our frequent observations showing how aggressively Chinese nuclear output is growing compared to the stagnant US nuclear industry… This brings the total nuclear reactors under construction in China to 30, followed by India (6) and Russia (5). There are no new nuclear reactors under construction in the US currently. https://t.co/f9O1m7HGTN pic.twitter.com/vkXUWp8YW3 — zerohedge (@zerohedge) December 12, 2025 … China is set to nearly double its current nuclear capacity to 102 GW from 59 GW, a figure that would propel it past the US to become the world’s biggest nuclear nation. Energy security, soaring electricity demand from AI centers, and decarbonization targets will […]

Education

18 hours ago

Some College Students Are Testing At The Level Of 10-Year-Olds

Gone are the days of university freshmen reading classical philosophers like Plato or contemporary pedagogues like Ta-Nehisi Coates. These days, incoming college students are lucky if they can get through Judy Blume’s “Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing.” According to a new “Survey of Adult Skills” conducted by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development – a forum for 38 high-income, predominantly Western countries – a not insignificant number of adult students enrolled in higher education are now reading and doing math at a level which, in a more functional society, would be alarming for a middle schooler. The survey, first spotted by the Economist, tested around 160,000 people of all ages, across all 38 member states. It found that across all OECD member countries, a full 8 percent of college students are reading at the level of a ten-year-old, if not worse. While countries like Germany and France rang in at under 5 percent, countries like Poland, Israel, and the United States blew the curve at 21, 20, and 14 percent, respectively. The numbers aren’t much better when it comes to math. Across OECD countries, 9 percent of college students do math at or below a ten-year-old level. In Italy, the US, and […]

Education

18 hours ago

Brown University Prof Bans Take-Home Exams After Mass-Cheating

Authored by Jennifer Kabbany via The College Fix, A Brown University professor says he will no longer allow students to take exams at home after he caught a large chunk of his class cheating on a test. Economics Professor Roberto Serrano said he allowed students to take a midterm at home, and 40 students, nearly half the class, earned a perfect 100; among the 86 students in the class, the average overall class score was 96, the Chronicle of Higher Education reported July 6. “I immediately knew that something was fishy. In previous editions of the course, the average grade in the midterm ranged from 65 to 80,” the Ivy League professor said. He said further review seemed to confirm his suspicions, so he told the class: “I’m not going to declare it void for now. I’m going to give the class a chance to prove me wrong. If the distribution of grades in the final exam looks roughly similar to the distribution of grades on the midterm, then I’ll count the midterm. If not, I will declare the midterm null and void. Also, the final will be in person.” Serrano told the Chronicle that, unfortunately, his fears were confirmed. “Between the midterm in March […]

Geopolitics

18 hours ago

63 Million Barrels Of Iranian Oil Stuck At Sea After US Pulls Iran Sanction Waiver

Tehran’s oil export troubled just got worse. One week after we reported that Iran was already struggling to sell its crude to buyers in Asia (including China, which appears to now prefer UAE exports instead), overnight the US rescinded the sanctions waiver that allowed Tehran to sell its oil without penalties, making sales of Iranian crude to international buyers even more challenging. The Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday prompted immediate US reaction with the USmilitary striking multiple targets in Iran and the Treasury canceling the waiver on Iran’s oil sales that was supposed to be in place until August 21. Iran’s oil sales could be constrained again even before they resume, OilPrice reports. Since the memorandum of understanding was signed in mid-June, Iran has rushed to load cargoes from its key export sites at Kharg Island, and move its tankers out of the Gulf as soon as possible, after weeks of virtually no exports because of the U.S. blockade that began in mid-April. The surge in Iranian shipments out of the Gulf and into waters near the Malacca and Singapore Straits gave Iran a lifeline to boost its exports that had suffered from […]

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