Latest news with #AlKhatib
Asharq Al-Awsat
4 days ago
- General
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Germany Arrests Syrian Accused of Crimes Under Assad
An alleged former Syrian prison guard has been arrested in Germany on suspicion of committing crimes against humanity under former president Bashar al-Assad, prosecutors said Tuesday. The man, identified only as Fahad A., is accused of "acts of killing, torture and deprivation of liberty" while he worked in a Damascus facility run by Syrian intelligence in 2011 and 2012. German authorities have pursued several suspects for crimes committed in Syria's civil war under the principle of universal jurisdiction, even after Assad's ouster last December. Prosecutors declined to give Fahad's age or the year he came to Germany but said he was arrested in the town of Pirmasens in the western state of Rhineland-Palatinate. During his time at the Al-Khatib detention center, also known as Branch 251, Fahad A. allegedly "took part in well over 100 interrogations where prisoners were subjected to severe physical abuse, for instance electrocution or beatings with cables", they said. "Following his superiors' orders, the suspect also harassed prisoners at night by, for example, hanging them from the ceiling, pouring cold water over them or forcing them to remain in uncomfortable positions," prosecutors allege. At least 70 prisoners are thought to have died due to such abuse and the "catastrophic" prison conditions. The alleged offenses occurred in the years of the bloody repression of anti-Assad protests during their uprising against his regime. "The objective was to suppress the protest movement from early on and to intimidate the population," prosecutors said. In 2022 former Syrian colonel Anwar Raslan was found guilty of overseeing the murders of 27 people and the torture of 4,000 others at the Al-Khatib center in 2011 and 2012. That was the first international trial over state-sponsored torture in Syrian prisons and was hailed as "historic" by human rights activists. Europe's biggest economy, then ruled by chancellor Angela Merkel, granted safe haven to hundreds of thousands of Syrians during the 2015-16 refugee influx. NGOs warned at the time of the danger that people accused of atrocities against civilians for Assad's government were arriving incognito in Europe and obtaining asylum. Opposition factions toppled Assad in December after five decades of his family's iron-fisted rule and nearly 14 years of brutal war that killed more than half a million people and displaced millions more.
Gulf Business
16-04-2025
- Business
- Gulf Business
Kuwait unites oil giants: Merger of KNPC, KIPIC begins
Image credit: KUNA The Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) has announced the commencement of the merger process with the Kuwait Integrated Petroleum Industries Company (KIPIC). Read- KNPC Chief Executive Officer and Acting CEO, Engineer Wadha Al Khatib, stated that the merger is based on well-studied legal and professional foundations aimed at strengthening Kuwait's oil sector companies under KPC. She emphasized that the initiative seeks to unite efforts based on each company's specialization, expanding their capabilities and enabling greater achievements. Impact of the m erger Al Khatib highlighted that the merger will ultimately result in a successful model for transitioning into a larger economic entity aligned with the strategic ambitions of both sectors and the achievement of Kuwait's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She also noted that the rapidly evolving global oil and gas industries place a significant responsibility on Kuwait's energy sector to adapt and respond effectively to these changes. Furthermore, she reaffirmed the sector's commitment—through KPC and its subsidiaries—to continue meeting its obligations to clients while sustaining growth in line with Kuwait's leadership in the international energy industry. Strategic p lans of the s ector Al Khatib pointed out that the sector continually reviews its strategic plans and reassesses its goals to ensure the success of the merger, with a strong focus on measuring operational performance as part of its long-term objectives. Addressing employees, Al Khatib reaffirmed her commitment to keeping them fully informed about the upcoming steps, underlining that staff remain a top priority for KNPC's leadership and are vital to the success of its future goals.
The National
30-03-2025
- The National
Eight Red Crescent workers among 14 bodies found after Israeli attack in Gaza
Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza The Palestine Red Crescent Society said on Sunday it had recovered the bodies of 14 rescuer workers, including eight of its own staff, who went missing in southern Gaza more than a week ago after being attacked by Israeli forces. Five of the bodies were members of Gaza's civil defence and one was a UN worker, PRCS spokeswoman Nebal Farsakh said on the agency's WhatsApp channel. The search was conducted by the PRCS, along with Gaza's civil defence, the Red Cross and the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Ms Farsakh said. One PRCS member remains unaccounted for and "is believed to have been arrested", the agency added. "The bodies were recovered with difficulty as they were buried in the sand, with some showing signs of decomposition," Ms Farsakh said. The PRCS said its workers went missing on the morning of March 23, when an ambulance was sent into Rafah after overnight Israeli attacks. When the ambulance crew reported being injured in Israeli fire, the agency said it sent three more ambulances to assist them. Contact with all of the crews was lost. The discovery of the bodies came hours after PRCS president Dr Younis Al Khatib held a press conference to plead for the international community to put pressure on Israel to allow the agency to look for its missing personnel. 'There was a contact between the crews and Israeli soldiers,' Dr Al Khatib said at the PRCS headquarters in Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank. "We know there was then a dialogue in Hebrew.' Some members of the team, who he said were travelling in clearly marked vehicles, were 'injured but alive' after the attack, he added. A team from Gaza's civil defence that was in the Tel Al Sultan area of Rafah at the time of the violence also went missing. The body of one member, head of the Rafah civil defence Anwar Al Attar, was recovered on Friday. 'Obstructing our teams from reaching the scene has one explanation: what happened there is beyond just attacking missions, there is a clear massacre that took place on civilians in the area,' Dr Al Khatib said. Israel's military admitted on Saturday that it fired at ambulances after identifying them as "suspicious vehicles'. Israeli troops "opened fire towards Hamas vehicles and eliminated several Hamas terrorists", it said in a statement. "A few minutes afterwards, additional vehicles advanced suspiciously towards the troops," it added. "The troops responded by firing towards the suspicious vehicles, eliminating a number of Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists.' The military did not say whether there was gunfire coming from the vehicles. "After an initial inquiry, it was determined that some of the suspicious vehicles ... were ambulances and fire trucks," it said. It criticised militants in Gaza for "the repeated use" of ambulances "for terrorist purposes". Israel has increased its military operations in Gaza after it broke a ceasefire agreed to with Hamas in January. More than 50,520 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, health authorities in the enclave said.
Daily Tribune
02-03-2025
- Business
- Daily Tribune
How AI and Digital Finance Can Transform Economies?
The IDCF International Digital Cooperation Forum recently convened at the scenic Dead Sea, bringing together global leaders to discuss the pressing issues of finance in the digital world and the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in achieving sustainable development. In an open session, Ms. Dima AlKhatib, Director of the UN Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), emphasized the urgency of addressing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), noting that only 17% of targets are currently on track, raising a significant red flag for acceleration efforts. 'The digital economy is crucial in overcoming development issues, including climate change and water scarcity. We are clustered in different areas, and all member states must adopt innovative financing strategies,' she stated. AlKhatib highlighted that while there is no shortage of funding, there is a pressing need for effective implementation. 'Sharing experiences is vital, and connectivity along with digital literacy are extremely important,' she added. Ms. Courtney Powell, COO and Managing Partner of 500 Global, outlined her organization's commitment to investing in emerging markets, particularly through a new model for public-private partnerships (PPPs) and a multi-year roadmap to foster growth in digital economies. H.E. Mr. Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area, expressed optimism about creating a consolidated single market that could attract investments in AI and other sectors of the African economy. 'A missing element in this vision is a regulatory body. Our end goal is to deploy technology for the future, and it is imperative that venture capital flows from the private sector,' he asserted. Ms. Barbara Manzi, Regional Director for Arab States at the UN Development Coordination Office, underscored the importance of education in transitioning economies towards digital initiatives. 'We must collectively assess risks, and partnerships are crucial in this endeavor,' she noted. Finally, Mr. Dieter Hampel, Chairman of the Association and Executive Board Member of AED, pointed out the challenges of entering the AI market due to financing constraints. 'Targeted finance is essential, and while PPPs are a viable solution, sustainability for governments remains a question. We must not forget the importance of civil society and their digital knowledge in this landscape,' he concluded.
The National
28-02-2025
- Health
- The National
The hospital healing the wounded from every Middle East conflict
Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza In a hospital bed in Jordan, far from where four of his seven family members were killed, Abdulrahman, five, sits hunched over a mobile phone watching a film about dinosaurs. The family in the film is fleeing a dinosaur that seems bent on harming them. It might seem like too much violence for someone of Abdulrahman's age, but having watched his mother, younger brother Omar and two other siblings die in front of him in an Israeli air strike in Gaza, he has already seen far worse. His legs bandaged and scarred, Abdulrahman is being treated at Al Mowasah Hospital for reconstructive surgery in Amman, which is run in partnership with Doctors Without Borders (MSF). His aunt Sabah Al Madhoun sits near his bed, wondering how to heal his soul. "He says he wants to go back to Gaza, so he can see his mum among the stars. He says he can't see her in Amman's sky." Abdulrahman's story is not unique – at least 48,300 Palestinians have been killed and more than 111,700 injured during Israel's 15-month military offensive in Gaza since October 7, 2023. But he is among the more fortunate ones as fewer than 10 per cent of 12,000 people in need of treatment abroad have been able to leave Gaza. He is the youngest of three children from Gaza who arrived at the hospital on January 8, along with their guardians. Al Mowasah Hospital receives patients from Iraq, Yemen, Palestine and Syria, giving them care that they would not otherwise have access to because of war or social disadvantage. The hospital director, surgeons and other specialists meet each week to consider case files of candidates for admission, submitted by liaison officers across the region. Last year, the hospital received an average of 35 patients a month. Cases from Gaza in particular have proven more difficult, the hospital's Dr Saleh Al Khatib said. "They require more intervention, surgical or otherwise – like neurosurgery or plastic surgery," Dr Al Khatib told The National. "So one case could have three different specialities working together on a patient, not to mention the rehabilitation and physiotherapy is longer and requires more effort." For Abdulrahman, the hope is that he learns to walk again and perhaps even comes to terms with his loss, with the help of mental health experts who specialise in cases of severe trauma. He was first treated in Gaza after the air strike in October 2023 that killed his family. He suffered several fractures to his right thigh and left leg, and loss of tissue. But the volatile environment in the war zone makes patients more vulnerable to complex infections, Dr Al Khatib said. "Abdulrahman was operated on urgently in Gaza with an external fixation device to facilitate the healing of his bones but it had to be removed because he developed an infection in his bones." More than a month into a ceasefire, Gaza's hospitals have yet to recover from the damage inflicted by Israeli raids and bombardment. Doctors have had to perform amputations without anaesthesia or operate under flashlights in the absence of electricity. Iraqi masters student Mariam Al Athra'a was treated at Al Mowasah Hospital a year after suffering third-degree burns to her face, neck and hands when a diesel-powered heater exploded at her home in Baghdad in 2023. She had spent months in a darkened room at a hospital in Iraq with only her mother by her side, brooding over her disfigured face and her future, when a team of French doctors from MSF visited and asked if she would be a case study for training their Iraqi counterparts at the hospital. Mariam agreed, thinking she would only receive better bandages or medication for her wounds. Shortly afterwards, the MSF team asked her if she could travel to the hospital in Amman. "I waited by the door with my bags in the pouring rain like a little girl. I was drenched by the time I got into the car that took me to Jordan," she recalled. "I did not believe it was real until I arrived." After a series of skin graft, tendon release and reconstructive surgery, the only visible signs of her injuries are a chin guard that she wears under her hijab and the bandages wrapped around her hands. "You should have seen me before. I feel like the doctors performed magic on me. My skin is all the same colour, the scars are barely visible. I feel like Cinderella," she said, sitting in the hospital's activities room where she spends most of her time, while continuing with her treatment plan. Besides her treatment, Mariam is also grateful for the support she received from doctors, nurses and workers at the hospital. "They encouraged me to continue my master's degree every time I felt like giving up," she said. Mariam graduated with distinction in international relations and foreign policy last year, and is now pursuing her doctorate. She dreams of one day opening a treatment centre similar to the one that gave her a new lease of life.
