Boris Johnson makes aide Lord Lister ‘Special Envoy for Gulf’

Boris Johnson hands Gulf envoy role to long-term aide Lord Lister as overhaul of No10 machine sees allies of Michael Gove handed top advisory jobs Lord Udny-Lister was unveiled as his new ‘special envoy for the Gulf’ today  The Prime Minister’s ally will focus on strengthening links with the region  Lister was acting chief of … Read more

New species of whale identified in the Gulf of Mexico

A species of baleen whale that is native to the Gulf of Mexico, called Rice’s whale, is already threatened by extinction – even though it’s only just been properly identified. US experts unravelled ‘a complex species puzzle’ with an analysis of a Rice’s whale skull, which revealed key morphological differences compared with other baleen whale species.   … Read more

Inside Majara: Iran’s cartoon village overlooking the Persian Gulf from the island of Hormuz

It’s black and white – these domes make for an eye-popping place to stay. There are around 200 of them, and they form a cartoonish holiday retreat overlooking the Persian Gulf on the Iranian island of Hormuz, with multi-coloured exteriors and interiors in shades of bright blue, yellow, red and green. Eighty-five guests can be … Read more

US B-52 flies over Persian Gulf in Biden’s first show of force to ‘deter aggression’ by Iran

The United States military said Wednesday it flew a B-52 bomber over the Middle East ‘to deter potential aggression’ amid tensions with Iran – the first such flight under President Joe Biden, and sixth by the US since November. The show of strength comes just days after Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, rejected demands to … Read more

Iran unveils new secret underground missile base filled with anti-ship weapons in Persian gulf

Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards unveiled an underground missile base at an undisclosed Gulf location today, Iranian state media reported, at a time of heightened tension between Tehran and the United States.  ‘The base is one of several bases housing the Guards’ Navy’s strategic missiles,’ the state media quoted the head of the Guards, Major General … Read more

Saudi Arabia’s crown prince embraces Qatar’s Emir at Gulf summit as three-year blockade ends

End of the blockade: Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman embraces Qatar’s Emir as the countries agree to open their air space and end the diplomatic crisis which began three years ago Saudi Arabia is hosting a Gulf summit in the ancient desert city of Al-Ula On Monday, it was announced the kingdom’s embargo of … Read more

South Korea demands release of Gulf tanker seized by Iran

South Korea has demanded the release of a tanker that was seized by Iran on Monday in the latest Gulf stand-off pitting Tehran against America and its allies. Seoul said it had dispatched an anti-piracy unit to the sensitive waters near the Strait of Hormuz after the Korean-flagged Hankuk Chemi and its crew of 20 … Read more

Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen share a loving embrace off Florida’s Gulf Coast for New Year’s Eve

They moved down south to Tampa earlier this year as Tom Brady started a new chapter of his football career with the Buccaneers. And he and his wife Gisele Bündchen seemed to have warmed up to Florida as they shared some romantic images from their first New Year’s Eve since relocating. The 43-year-old quarterback and … Read more

US sends USS Georgia to the Persian Gulf, positioning guided-missile submarine near Iran

The United States announced the arrival of the nuclear-powered submarine USS Georgia in the Persian Gulf on Monday, a notable development in a region where tension is on the rise. None of these types of submarines, which are equipped with Tomahawk missiles, has traveled to the Persian Gulf in eight years, making it a significant … Read more

Two US B-52H bombers fly show-of-force mission over the Persian Gulf to deter Iran

Two U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress strategic bombers took off from the United States and flew over a swath of the Middle East on Thursday in what officials said was a direct message of deterrence to Iran.  The show-of-force flyover – the second such mission in less than a month – was designed to underscore America’s continuing … Read more