Category: Foreign

A 26- year-old Muslim woman Aneeqa Atteeq has been sentenced to death by a court in Pakistan for allegedly sending blasphemous messages on WhatsApp and Facebook.

She was found guilty of insulting Islam’s Prophet Mohammed.

According to reports, she met her accuser online in 2019 on a mobile gaming app, and the pair communicated on WhatsApp.

She was sentenced in Rawalpindi on Wednesday following a complaint against her under Pakistan’s cybercrime and blasphemy laws.

According to a report in The Guardian, she met her accuser – also a Pakistani – online in 2019 on a mobile gaming app.

The pair communicated on WhatsApp.

He said she had sent blasphemous caricatures of prophets and made remarks about “holy personages” on WhatsApp while also using her Facebook account to post blasphemous material to others.

The charge sheet in court said that she had “deliberately and intentionally defile(d) sacred righteous personalities and insulted the religious beliefs of Muslims”.

Atteeq, a practising Muslim, denied the charges, telling the court that her accuser had deliberately drawn her into a religious discussion so he could collect evidence in “revenge” after she refused to be friendly with him.

Atteeq’s lawyer Syeda Rashida Zainab said it was not possible to comment on the judgement “as the issue is very sensitive”.

READ ALSO: Court rejects WhatsApp messages as evidence in trial of Bayelsa teenager

Alongside the death sentence, Atteeq was fined and sentenced to 20 years’ jail.

It has been reported that the death sentence has to be confirmed by the Lahore High Court, and she has a right to appeal.

In the conservative society of Pakistan, allegations of blasphemy can prompt mob attacks, and the country’s blasphemy law carries the death penalty for anyone found guilty of the offence. While death sentences are regularly handed down, many of those convicted often spend the rest of their lives in jail.

According to human rights groups, blasphemy allegations have often been used to settle personal scores and to intimidate religious minorities.

Christian woman Asia Bibi spent eight years on death row in Pakistan after being convicted of blasphemy following a quarrel with a fellow farm worker.

She was later acquitted by the country’s Supreme Court and moved to Canada.

Pakistan has long been under pressure to change its blasphemy laws, but the move is strongly resisted by Islamists and Pakistani PM Imran Khan last year called for Muslim countries to band together to lobby Western governments to criminalise the insulting of Islam’s prophet.

Democratic US Senate Candidate, Gary Chambers of Louisiana, has released an ad showing the candidate smoking marijuana while promoting its legalisation.

In the video shared on YouTube and on his Twitter page, Chambers opens the advertisement, titled “37 seconds,” with an image of him lighting a blunt and smoking it while seated on a leather armchair outdoor.

“Every 37 seconds, someone is arrested for possession of marijuana,” Chambers said in the video.

“Since 2010, state and local police have arrested an estimated 7.3 million Americans for violating marijuana laws – over half of all drug arrests.”

He continued: “Black people are four times more likely to be arrested for marijuana laws than white people.

“States waste 3.7 billion dollars enforcing marijuana laws every year. Most of the people police are arresting aren’t dealers, but rather people with small amounts of pot. Just like me.”

READ ALSO: Hemp that heals…….. and hemp that kills

“I am Gary Chambers and I am running for the US Senate. And I approve of this message.

“My first campaign ad, ‘37 Seconds.’ #JustLikeMe I hope this ad works to not only destigmatise the use of marijuana but also forces a new conversation that creates the pathway to legalize this beneficial drug and forgive those who were arrested due to outdated ideology,” Gary Chambers wrote.

In the US, eighteen States and Washington, D.C. have legalised small amounts of marijuana for recreational use, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

While 27 states have decriminalised possessing small amounts of marijuana.

Louisiana enacted a law in 2021 that decriminalises possession of up to 14 grams of marijuana.

Those who are caught will face a fine of up to $100 but no jail time.

Rodolphe Jaar, a key suspect in the murder of former Haitian President Jovenel Moise, was on Thursday extradited to the United States from the Dominican Republic, media reported.

Earlier, media reported that Jaar, a Haitian businessman and convicted drug trafficker, was arrested in the Dominican Republic.

On Wednesday, the suspect was detained by U.S. federal agents in Miami upon his arrival from the Dominican Republic, the Miami Herald newspaper reported.

READ ALSO: Haitian PM survives assassination attempt

Moise was shot dead at his residence on July 7, while his wife sustained injuries and subsequently received medical treatment in the United States.

Haitian authorities have detained over 40 suspects in Moise’s assassination, including 18 Colombian citizens and five U.S. citizens.

 

(Sputnik/NAN)

British Airways is among the airlines cancelling U.S. flights due to 5G safety concerns.

The action is in response to fears that the activation of the C-band strand of the mobile phone service near U.S. airports on Wednesday could disrupt planes’ navigation systems.

Boeing 777s is thought to be particularly at risk of being affected.

The introduction of the technology had been halted in some parts of the U.S, but is going ahead elsewhere.

Britain’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said it has “issued safety advice’’ to airlines.

British Airways had cancelled a handful of flights from Heathrow to Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco on Wednesday.

The airline said in a statement: “Safety is always our priority. We are monitoring the situation in the U.S. closely and will continue to review our schedule in the next few hours.

“We’re disappointed that some of our customers are facing potential disruption and will update them as soon as possible on any changes to their travel plans.’’

The carrier said some flights due to be operated by Boeing 777s were using different, larger aircraft such as the Airbus A380 to ensure people can still fly on the same day they booked.

Other airlines have made many more cancellations.

READ ALSO: British Airways operates in, out of Abuja hours after UK travel ban

Emirates suspended all its flights to nine U.S. airports on Wednesday until further notice.

The Dubai-based carrier told customers the measure was “due to operational concerns associated with the planned deployment of 5G mobile network services in the U.S. at certain airports.’’

It added that Emirates regrets any inconvenience caused, “we are working closely with aircraft manufacturers and the relevant authorities to alleviate operational concerns, and we hope to resume our U.S. services as soon as possible.’’

Other airlines to cancel flights include Air India, Japan-based ANA, Japan Airlines, and Korean Air.

Virgin Atlantic, which does not operate Boeing 777s, said it has not made any cancellations or aircraft type changes.

The concern about 5G in the U.S. relates to its potential effect on aircraft altimeters, which measure altitude.

This does not have an impact on British airports because the U.S. uses a different frequency for 5G.

A CAA spokesperson said: “There have been no reported incidents of aircraft systems being affected by 5G transmissions in UK airspace.

“We are working with Ofcom and the Ministry of Defence to make sure that the deployment of 5G in the UK does not cause any technical problems for aircraft and are keeping our position under constant review.

“Also, as UK aircraft fly throughout the world we have issued safety advice to airlines on the 5G status in other countries, including the USA.’’

(dpa/NAN)

Kiev court on Wednesday ruled that Former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko is to remain free in the run-up to his trial for treason.

The judge nevertheless imposed reporting requirements on the former president and ordered the revocation of his passport.

The conditions apply for two months initially, after which they can be extended by the court.

Poroshenko stands accused of doing business deals with Moscow-backed separatists in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine during his time in office.

According to reports, contracts to supply coal worth almost 100 million euros (113 million dollars) were agreed, though considerably less money was said to have flowed into Ukrainian coffers.

Investigators in the case alleged that Poroshenko acted in Russian interests, despite Ukraine effectively-being at war with its eastern neighbour.

READ ALSO: Ukrainian president in Kyiv to face treason case

Poroshenko, who was Ukraine’s president from 2014 to 2019, rejected all the allegations against him and described the trial as a politically motivated one that would continue despite the court’s decision.

“The revocation of my passport hinders my political activity,” Poroshenko said. If convicted, he could face up to 15 years in prison.

Poroshenko returned to Ukraine on Monday after a long absence from the country.

Many believed the millionaire chocolate magnate would be arrested as soon as he arrived in Kiev, and hundreds turned out at the airport to show their support.

Should he decide to run again, Poroshenko would be likely to face a fresh run-off with his successor Volodymyr Zelensky, to whom he lost the 2019 election, according to current polls.

However, Zelensky has yet to say whether he would seek re-election in 2024.

 

(dpa/NAN)

Convicted mass murderer and terrorist Anders Breivik, on Wednesday at a parole hearing, complained of inhumane prison conditions, saying daily humiliations stopped him from pursuing either education or business plan.

Breivik, who has since changed his name to Fjotolf Hansen, but asked to go by his birth name during the proceedings, was sentenced in 2012 to 21 years in jail for a pair of 2011 attacks that left 77 dead.

Breivik initially set off a bomb outside the prime minister’s office on July 22, 2011, before heading to the Island of Utoya, where he killed dozens of people attending a political summer camp.

He disguised himself as a police officer for the island attack, prompting many of his victims to run to him for safety and getting killed in the process.

The terms of his sentence allow him to seek parole after 10 years in prison.

Just as he did on the first day of the hearing, he came into the chamber holding up a sign with a political message, in of the judge’s warning that he should refrain from such behaviour.

READ ALSO: Teenager who called UK’s Prince Harry ‘race traitor’ jailed

In spite of that, Breivik argued for his release, noting his willingness to change and follow rules.

Breivik used his testimony to complain about the strict terms of his imprisonment and the lack of social contact, saying he was not allowed to communicate with others or build meaningful relationships.

He told defence attorney Oystein Storrvik during questioning that he had spent most of his imprisonment in isolation, spending 12-hour days studying and drafting business plans.

He also complained that he had been banned from lectures, making it hard for him to complete any of his studies.

He said he was being treated like an animal, in spite of the fact that he had changed so much, that there were no further changes to make.

Breivik, however, noted that the terms of his imprisonment had been relaxed, but were still strict.

The hearing began on Tuesday, with testimony to continue until Thursday.

Testimony was also expected from Randi Rosenqvist, a psychiatrist who has met with Breivik multiple times.

(dpa/NAN)

Los Angeles has been chosen by the Biden administration to host this year’s Summit of the Americas, a key gathering that U.S. officials hope would help mend diplomatic fences in the Western Hemisphere.

The White House announced Tuesday night that the meeting to be held on U.S. soil for the second time since the forum was created nearly three decades ago.

According to the white house, this will take place in early June in Los Angeles.

The administration cited the city’s “deep and robust” ties throughout the hemisphere as one of the reasons it was selected.
The White House official who spoke on condition of anonymity said to discuss the matter ahead of the formal announcement.

President Joe Biden would attend the meeting. Former President Donald Trump skipped the last summit, which was held in Peru in 2018.

The summit was scheduled to convene in every three years, though it was delayed this time by a year because of the pandemic.

For the Biden administration, holding the meeting in Los Angeles provides ways to show the connection between U.S. domestic and foreign policies.

The city has a large population of Latinos with family members spread throughout Central and South America.

Los Angeles has also been hit particularly hard by COVID-19, a disease that disproportionately affects Latinos.

The Los Angeles venue “is especially relevant for those of us who are hyphenated Americans,” the White House official said.

It noted that “more than 224 languages spoken” in the greater Los Angeles area representing 140 countries.

The first such summit was held in Miami in 1994, with President Clinton as the host.

READ ALSO: Amnesty urges Biden to close Guantanamo camp

It was billed as an early post-Cold War venue for regional partnerships in trade, aid, and security.

The Biden administration has struggled at times to formulate and execute its policies in Latin America.

A focus on the so-called Northern Triangle of Central American countries that fuel immigration into the U.S. has met numerous obstacles.

The Mexican President, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, has proved mercurial and unpredictable, and the Venezuela policy aimed at ousting dictator Nicolas Maduro was in disarray.

Another tricky issue was who was invited to the summit.

Attendance has generally been limited to democratic countries.

Peru revoked Venezuela’s invitation in 2018.

Cuba rarely attended except in Panama in 2015, when then Presidents Raul Castro and Obama famously shook hands, launching what would be a historic defrosting of U.S.-Cuba relations until the Trump administration killed those efforts.

The Biden administration official said criteria were still being discussed on who will be invited, such as whether countries like Nicaragua and El Salvador, where increasingly authoritarian leaders are exerting control, will make the cut.

(dpa/NAN)

Authorities on Tuesday said 82 lives had been lost in a spate of severe summer weather that has seen South Africa pummeled by persistent downpours for days.

The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs said most of the deaths were due to drownings and lightening strikes.

Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, the head of the department, in a statement, said rain was most welcomed as it assisted to address the challenges of water shortages in some parts of our country.

READ ALSO: Killing of Nigerian in South Africa under investigation – NiDCOM boss

“Unfortunately, the heavy downpours have caused considerable damage to large parts of the country, thus limiting movement of people and causing flooding in some areas,” he said.

Areas of the hard-hit eastern town of Ladysmith were under meters of water as of Tuesday morning.

Dams in South Africa and the mountain kingdom of Lesotho were said to be at their bursting points due to this month’s torrential rains.

Lesotho, completely surrounded by South Africa, had also recorded several weather-related deaths in the past week.

(dpa/NAN)

The Mayor of the Italian city of Messina has gone on hunger strike to protest against the government’s coronavirus containment measures.

Cateno De Luca had already set up a tent in the port of the Sicilian city at the weekend, where he has been sleeping ever since.

His intention is to symbolically “block” the Strait of Messina between Sicily and the Italian mainland.

De Luca was protesting the rule which states that only vaccinated or convalescent people can enter or leave the Mediterranean Island on ferries or by plane.

The politician claims the state was holding Sicily “captive.” On Monday, he submitted his resignation as Mayor with effect from February.

READ ALSO: Presidential election in Italy set for Jan. 24

On Tuesday morning, the 49-year-old announced the start of the hunger strike on his Facebook account.

The government in Rome had issued stricter rules on Jan. 10 to curb the spread of the virus and make those refusing to get vaccinated change their minds.

The vaccinated or convalescent rule now applies in hotels, congress centres, restaurants, ski lifts and local and long-distance transport like ferries.

So far, almost 80 per cent of Italians have received full vaccination protection.

 

(dpa/NAN)

A Mexican photojournalist has been killed in the second media killing in the country this year.

Margarito Martinez was shot dead while leaving his home, according to his wife and reports from media he worked for on Tuesday.

The 49-year-old specializes in crime reporting and worked for local and international media in the north-western Mexican city of Tijuana, on the border with the United States.

Criminal gangs were active in Tijuana and are known for kidnappings, smuggling drugs, and migrants into the US.

The reasons behind the killing were initially unclear. Some colleagues said Martinez had a difference of opinion with someone who was apparently involved in the illegal narcotics trade.

READ ALSO: Mexico receives 130,000 asylum applications in 2021

Meanwhile, one of the outlets he worked for said that Martinez had an argument with a neighbour.

A week ago, Jose Luis Gamboa, the director of an online news portal, was killed in the eastern Mexican city of Veracruz.

Mexico was deemed the most dangerous country for journalists in 2021 for the third year in a row by Reporters without Borders.

According to the group’s annual report, seven journalists were killed in connection with their work in the North American country in 2021, Afghanistan came second with six killings.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has repeatedly publicly denounced journalists as liars.

Nationwide, almost 100 homicides were currently registered per day in Mexico; much of the violence in the country of around 126 million people is the work of cartels and gangs.

(dpa/NAN)