The US Federal Aviation Administration has ordered a halt to all flights across the United States until further notice. In a statement, the agency cited "exceptional circumstances" and safety considerations. The available information does not say what those circumstances are or how long the suspension will last.
Why it matters The United States is one of the world's largest aviation markets, so a nationwide stoppage can disrupt both passenger travel and air cargo. The effect could reach international routes, including those linking the Arab region with the US, but its scale will depend on how long the suspension lasts.
Qatar and Turkey announced on Friday that they had signed a mutual defense agreement in Istanbul, at a meeting of their Supreme Strategic Committee chaired by Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Reuters relayed the news from the Turkish presidency's office. RT Arabic reported that the two sides also issued a sharply worded statement against Israel.
Russia's acting envoy to the United Nations, Anna Evstigneeva, told the Security Council that the Gulf escalation stems from a US-Israeli attack on Iran in February, which she called unjustified. Moscow also proposed a collective security system for the region.
روسيا اليوم (RT Arabic)
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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told reporters that the EU's priority in negotiations on Ukraine, involving Russia and the United States, will be securing a ceasefire. Sky News Arabia reported that the EU announced on Friday that Europe will send a team of diplomats representing countries from across the continent to the peace talks on Ukraine.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has blamed the Commerce Department, led by Howard Lutnick, for Washington's failure to restrict exports of certain Nvidia chips to China, according to The Guardian. Lutnick is under growing pressure as other Trump administration officials publicly question his decisions and what senior officials knew about alleged links between an alleged Chinese spy and Nvidia chief Jensen Huang. The New York Times reports that critics say the department took a softer line on the company as concern mounted over AI chip sales to firms such as Megaspeed.
Anderson Economic Group, a Michigan-based research firm, estimated on Friday that productivity losses from the Microsoft service outage could approach $7 billion. Microsoft apologized for the disruption and denied it was caused by a cyberattack, according to BBC Arabic. The affected products are used by more than 430 million people worldwide, and the outage caused widespread disruption.
The International Atomic Energy Agency has urged Iran to cooperate constructively and resume inspection and verification activities without further delay, so that outstanding issues over its nuclear program can be resolved. According to BBC Arabic, the agency is growing increasingly concerned about an Iranian nuclear site. The report adds that Iran had allowed the agency to inspect a facility in Isfahan last year, but the visit was cancelled after Israeli strikes on nuclear sites.
US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told CNN on Friday that officials are investigating whether the new AI-powered air traffic control system contributed to a halt in air traffic. He said the inquiry also covers widespread communication problems that accompanied the disruption.
Egypt beat Malawi 5-0 at Cairo International Stadium on Friday in a qualifier for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. Defender Mohamed Hany scored the third goal with a long-range strike, reportedly his first for the national team, according to RT Arabic, while Mohamed Salah netted twice, per CNN Arabic. The goal drew wide attention on social media, with calls to nominate it for the Puskas Award, Al Jazeera reported.
The Spanish Football Federation's disciplinary committee has suspended Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono for 12 matches. The ruling follows the incident that led to the death of Tenerife striker Jesús de Miguel. According to Al Jazeera, it happened last week after a challenge by the goalkeeper.
