Author: Gulf News Week
“I saw the burial team taking eight of them,” recalls Ebola survivor Patrick Faley. “They put them into a bag and carried them to the burial. I made new friends although they ended up dying. I was the only person that was left there.”This week’s scenes from the Democratic Republic of Congo, where medics are scrambling to respond to an outbreak of Ebola, have brought back haunting memories for those who have lived through similar crises.A decade ago Faley found himself on the front line of a similar situation in West Africa – the worst recorded outbreak of the disease,…
Legal experts explain the difference between official disclosures in serious cases and unlawful online exposure by individuals, which can carry prison terms and fines of up to Dh500,000Authorities in the UAE have been increasingly disclosing details of suspects and offenders in certain high-profile cases publicly — from terrorism-related investigations to crimes deemed harmful to social order — even as residents themselves can face prison terms and hefty fines for exposing or accusing others online. Abu Dhabi legal experts told media the distinction lies in who holds the legal authority to disclose such information.Recent examples include the UAE’s announcement of arrests…
The phone owner contacted the police, who arrived at the scene and launched an investigationA Dubai resident whose smartphone vanished from his home managed to trace it using modern tracking technology, helping police uncover a theft involving a part-time domestic worker and a delivery rider who was accused of possessing stolen property.According to court records, the Arab resident returned home to discover that his smartphone had gone missing after his wife informed him it could not be found inside the house. Suspecting it had been stolen, he immediately activated the ‘Find My Phone’ feature through another device and began monitoring…
Resorts across the emirate report rising demand for all-inclusive and family-focused holiday packages as travellers seek convenient short-haul escapes during the Eid breakHotels across Ras Al Khaimah are reporting strong occupancy ahead of Eid Al Adha, driven by rising demand from UAE residents opting for short-haul staycations within driving distance, as travellers prioritise convenience, value, and experience-led breaks.Phillipa Harrison, Chief Executive Officer of the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA), said the Eid period is seeing increased demand for bundled resort stays that combine accommodation, dining, and leisure activities, particularly among families seeking simplicity in holiday planning.“This Eid Al…
Warning: This article contains details of domestic violence and violent death that some readers may find distressingIt had been months since married mother-of-three Kristil Krug first started receiving the messages.The harassment campaign had materialised out of nowhere the autumn of 2023, when a man claiming to be Krug’s ex-boyfriend began bombarding her with increasingly threatening texts and emails. The Colorado woman went to the local cops for help; the detective assigned to her case sent warrants to Google and mobile providers, hoping to find the identity of her digital tormentor.But weeks went by with no response from the tech companies…
A year to go until France chooses its next president, the big question is who can save the election from being a battle of the extremes.For now, and perhaps only for now, the answer is pretty clear. It is President Emmanuel Macron’s former prime minister, Edouard Philippe.Latest opinion polls concur that the 55-year-old centre-right politician is the only figure capable of beating a hard-right candidate in round two of the vote next May, whether that is Marine Le Pen or her young deputy Jordan Bardella.In any other polled scenario, the other candidate would lose and France would have a populist-right…
The Trump administration’s new investigation-compensation fund is drawing sharp criticism from members of the president’s own party who declined to pass government-funding legislation on Thursday due to disagreements over the fund.The justice department created the $1.8bn (£1.3bn) fund to pay individuals “unfairly” investigated under previous presidents. Among the claimants are people charged in the 6 January 2021 riot at the US Capitol.”So the nation’s top law enforcement official is asking for a slush fund to pay people who assault cops? Utterly stupid, morally wrong – Take your pick,” Republican Senator Mitch McConnell said.Democrats also have called it a “slush fund”…
Russian President Vladimir Putin has promised retaliation after accusing Ukraine of carrying out a deadly attack on a student dormitory in an occupied part of eastern Ukraine.Six people were killed and 39 injured in the overnight strike in the town of Starobilsk, Luhansk region, Putin said. Another 15 people were missing.Ukraine’s military said it hit the headquarters of Russia’s elite Rubicon drone military unit in Starobilsk. It did not say whether it was the same building as the one identified by Russia.”There are no military facilities, intelligence service facilities, or related services in the vicinity,” Putin said in Moscow. He…
Tulsi Gabbard will resign from her position as the US director of national intelligence in the Trump administration, citing her husband’s recent bone cancer diagnosis. “His strength and love have sustained me through every challenge,” she wrote in her resignation letter on Friday. “I cannot in good conscience ask him to face this fight alone while I continue in this demanding and time-consuming position.”President Donald Trump said in a social media post that Gabbard “has done an incredible job, and we will miss her”.Her resignation is effective 30 June. Aaron Lukas, the principal deputy director, will step in as acting…
The public health risk from the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been raised from “high” to “very high” by the World Health Organization (WHO).In an update on Friday, WHO head Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also said the risk in the wider region in Africa was “high”, but it remained “low” globally.The rare species of Ebola, known as Bundibugyo, has no proven vaccine and kills about a third of those infected. So far, the outbreak centred on DR Congo has resulted in 177 suspected deaths and 750 suspected cases.It comes as scientists at Oxford University in…