Author: Gulf News Week

With no confirmed body, Belgian court tries Sammy Djedou in absentia for ISIS-era crimes, relying on NGO evidence and victim testimonies to seek justice. (BRUSSELS) – A Brussels criminal court has embarked on an unprecedented trial, prosecuting a Belgian ISIS fighter for genocide against the Yazidi people, despite the defendant being officially reported dead for eight years. The case against Sammy Djedou, presumed killed in a 2016 U.S. airstrike in Syria, represents Belgium’s first legal reckoning with the mass crimes committed against the Yazidi religious minority. With no formal confirmation of his death, authorities are proceeding with an in-absentia prosecution. Djedou…

 Landmark event in Abu Dhabi, RAK, and Dubai to offer students direct admission guidance, free English testing, and specialized teacher training. (DUBAI) – A significant gateway to higher education in India will open for students in the UAE this November with the launch of The Hindu India Education Expo 2025. The multi-city event will feature direct access to over 40 premier Indian institutions, providing a comprehensive platform for university admissions and career planning. The expo is designed to streamline the decision-making process for families, bringing university representatives, career mentors, and financial advisors under one roof. The tour will visit key community…

 Major new highway project promises relief for commuters enduring marathon daily journeys, as officials cite rapid population and vehicle growth. (DUBAI) – The UAE has launched a sweeping Dh170 billion transport infrastructure strategy, headlined by a new national highway, to address the severe congestion that costs residents hours each day and stifles productivity. The ambitious plan, which aims to ease the flow of people and goods between emirates, comes in response to a traffic crisis fueled by the nation’s rapid expansion. With vehicle ownership surging at more than eight percent annually—four times the global average—federal and local roads have been pushed…

Washington-led resolution delists President Al-Sharaa with strong support, as China abstains; move paves way for White House meeting next week. NEW YORK CITY – The United Nations Security Council voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to remove Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa from its international terrorism blacklist, a landmark step toward rehabilitating Damascus on the world stage after the collapse of the Assad regime. The resolution, spearheaded by the United States, secured 14 votes in favor with China abstaining. It also clears Interior Minister Anas Hasan Khattab from the Al-Qaeda and Daesh Sanctions List, lifting long-standing asset freezes and travel bans against both officials.…

Fourteen members of the UN Security Council voted in favour of the US-drafted resolution. China abstained.The United Nations Security Council has voted to remove sanctions on Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and his Interior Minister Anas Khattab following a resolution championed by the United States.In a largely symbolic move, the UNSC delisted the Syrian government officials from the ISIL (ISIS) and al-Qaeda sanctions list, in a resolution approved by 14 council members on Thursday. China abstained.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Syria’s urgent fight for justice | Start Herelist 2 of 3Trump to host Syria’s al-Sharaa for talks at…

The Central Asian country, which established formal ties with Israel in 1992, says being part of the deals is ‘natural’.More than 33 years after establishing official diplomatic ties with Israel, Kazakhstan says it will join the so-called Abraham Accords, which formalised ties between Israel and several Arab countries.The announcement came on Thursday ahead of a meeting between United States President Donald Trump and the leaders of Central Asian countries.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Trump says he was ‘very much in charge’ of Israel’s June 13 attack on Iranlist 2 of 3SOAS University ‘concerned’ by reports of Sami…

Israa al-Areer’s searches through bodies returned by Israel for husband and brother missing since start of war on Gaza.Deir el-Balah and Khan Younis, Gaza Strip – Israa al-Areer stares at the big screen like she has done so many times since the bodies began arriving from Israel.The process is repetitive. Every time the bodies of Palestinians are released by Israel, they arrive at southern Gaza’s Nasser Hospital, where they are photographed by forensic department staff. The pictures of the dead are then displayed on a screen in a large hall where families and friends of missing Palestinians watch on.Recommended Stories…

Paramilitary says it will accept a ceasefire proposed by the Quad mediators – the US, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE.The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) says it has agreed to a proposal by the United States for a ceasefire in Sudan after more than two years of fighting with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF).The paramilitary group said in a statement on Thursday that it would accept a “humanitarian ceasefire” proposed by the US-led “quad” mediator group, which includes Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, “to address the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of the war and to enhance the protection…

Mothers flee gunfire with infants in their arms. Girls are raped, boys are forced to fight and families go hungry, but the world looks away.Imagine walking for days and nights to escape gunfire. You carry your child in your arms, guiding them through the darkness to avoid drone attacks. You have no food, no water, and nowhere safe to go.This is the reality for families in Darfur and across Sudan, where civilians are being trapped, targeted, and terrorised as the country’s brutal war enters its third year. In el-Fasher and other parts of Darfur, entire communities have been besieged. Those…

‘We reaffirm our legitimate right to defend ourselves against an enemy that imposes war on our country’, Hezbollah says.The Israeli military says it has launched a wave of air strikes targeting what it says are Hezbollah military sites in southern Lebanon as Israel escalates daily attacks on its northern neighbour in flagrant violation of a one-year-old ceasefire.The barrage on Thursday came soon after a separate Israeli raid targeted southern Lebanon’s Tyre district. The Israeli army claimed it hit members of Hezbollah’s construction unit and that it would “continue to operate in order to remove any threat to the territory of the…