Author: Gulf News Week

French rape survivor Gisèle Pelicot has told the BBC she is “deeply shocked” that three teenage boys have been spared custodial sentences over the rape of two girls in Hampshire.Two girls, then aged 15 and 14, were raped in separate incidents in Fordingbridge in November 2024 and January 2025, by two 14-year-olds. Another boy, then 13, was also convicted for his involvement in the second attack.The attorney general is to review the youth rehabilitation order sentences given by the judge, who had said last week he wanted to avoid criminalising the “very young” boys.Pelicot said she “saluted the strength” and…

Youngsters are increasingly preferring modern and elegant patterns like wrist-length designs with finer detailing and jewellery-style motifs, say henna artistsWith Eid Al Adha just around the corner, UAE henna artists are seeing a distinctive shift in the kind of designs and patterns that customers want. Gone are the days when only heavy, elbow-length Arabic floral patterns ruled. This year, artists are reporting a decisive shift toward sleek, minimalistic designs, and an intriguing new player called ‘Hengua’.Fathima Afsal, a Dubai-based henna artist, has watched trends evolve over multiple Eid seasons. “Most youngsters now prefer minimal and elegant patterns instead of very…

Australia has recorded its first diphtheria death in almost a decade as the country grapples with the worst outbreak of the vaccine-preventable disease in decades.In March, the Northern Territory (NT) declared an outbreak of diphtheria with cases also in Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland. Cases started rising in late-2025 with a sharp increase in February.This year, there have been 245 cases, marking the largest outbreak in Australia since 1991, mainly in remote Indigenous communities.On Tuesday, NT’s health minister said autopsy results from an overseas lab found diphtheria was the cause of a man’s death in April at Royal Darwin…

Legendary Jazz musician Sonny Rollins, who was known as the “saxophone colossus”, has died aged 95.He died at his home in Woodstock, New York, on Monday afternoon according to a statement from his publicist, who called him “one of the most honored and influential figures in American music”.Rollins had a prolific career that began in the late 1940s. He worked with artists including Miles Davis, Charlie Parker and John Coltrane and released more than 60 albums as a band leader. He won two Grammys before respiratory illness forced him to retire in 2014.No cause of death was given.In an interview…

Almost 90 drones fell from the sky over Sydney’s Darling Harbour during a popular winter light show, with footage showing devices splashing into the water, close to crowds.Organisers of Vivid Sydney, an annual three-week festival that features large light installations, said the malfunction on Monday evening, local time, was due to “unforeseen technical difficulties” and has cancelled two upcoming shows.Footage of Monday’s show captured dozens of drones as they tumbled out of the night sky, leaving bystanders confused by the aerial display.Skymagic, the UK company behind the show, blamed a change in radio frequency for the glitch and said none…

‘Football is life’: Ted Lasso actor signs with US pro football teamCristo Fernández, well known for playing a footballer in the popular TV series Ted Lasso, tells the BBC it is a “dream come true” to sign with a US pro football team.2 hrs agoUS & Canada

Luxury sports car maker Ferrari has unveiled its first fully electric car – the $640,000 (£474,320) Luce.The new model departs from the look of typical Ferraris as the Italian brand’s first ever five-seater, created in collaboration with the LoveFrom agency founded by former Apple design chief Sir Jony Ive.Responses on social media to the launch have ranged from describing it as “straight to the junkyard trash” to an “absolute masterclass in design”.Supercar rivals like Lamborghini and Porsche have scaled back on their EV plans due to poor demand and intense competition from Chinese brands.Ferrari plans to roll out the electric…

Rescuers are racing against time to free seven people who have been trapped for nearly a week in a flooded cave in Laos.The seven were part of a group of villagers from the central province of Xaysomboun who had gone into the cave on Wednesday in search of gold and wildlife, but could not get out as rain and landslides blocked the cave’s entrance.Footage shared by the rescue groups show the cave divers crawling into the cave through narrow, muddy passageways that are almost completely flooded.Several experts involved in the dramatic rescue of a team of teenage footballers trapped deep…

Goodbye Salah and Pep, hello new champions – the Premier League in reviewBBC Sport chief football writer Phil McNulty reviews every team’s Premier League – and looks back at his pre-season predictions.17 hrs agoPremier League

Warning: You may find some of the graphic detail in this story disturbingA school assistant will go on trial in Paris on Tuesday accused of sexual mistreatment of young children in his care.It is the latest case in a year-long scandal that has shaken the school system in the French capital, where some 15,000 such assistants – known as animateurs – are employed as non-teaching staff.Currently enquiries are under way at nearly 100 Paris crèches, kindergartens and junior schools where animateurs have been accused of inappropriate, aggressive or sexualised behaviour.Last week police detained 16 people after a swoop at three…