The documents’ detailed account of Mr. Awlaki, who stars in Mr. Abdulmutallab’s story as both a religious hero and a practical adviser on carrying out mayhem, is particularly important. The government allegation that Mr. Awlaki was behind the underwear bomb plot — never tested in a court of law — became the central justification that President Barack Obama cited for ordering the cleric’s killing in a drone […]
BANGKOK Thailand’s Supreme Court on Thursday reduced the sentence of a prominent former magazine editor who had been jailed for 10 years for insulting the country’s monarchy, a legal group said. Somyot Prueksakasemsuk was found guilty of publishing two satirical articles defaming the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej in 2010 when he was editor of an anti-establishment magazine. The royal insult law, also known as lese-majeste, is punishable […]
By Luis Echeverria | GUATEMALA CITY GUATEMALA CITY U.S. Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly on Wednesday told Guatemalans not to waste their money trying to get to the United States illegally, detailing how his department was cracking down on undocumented immigrants and would speed up deportations. Speaking after he greeted a plane full of Guatemalans deported back from the United States, Kelly said U.S. authorities were not […]
Telstra has sold its remaining 6.5 percent stake in Chinese online company Autohome to Chinese insurer Ping An Insurance Group for $29.30 per share, for a total of $217 million (AU$282 million). “The divestment reflects Ping An is now well established as a strategic partner for Autohome,” Telstra said in a statement to the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) on Thursday morning. “As a result of the sale, […]
Your daily guide to community and cultural activities across the Emirates for February 23, 2017, including performances, festivals, art exhibitions, film screenings, health and fitness events, talks, classes, workshops and family fun. Ellen Fortini rounds up 10 things to do today in the UAE. Want to see your event listed here? Email us with the details and contact information at [email protected] newslide Abu Dhabi Performance Get tickets […]
The shelves of Guillermo Lasso’s office are lined with books that inform his politics: Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations; The Denationalization of Money by Friedrich Hayek; a compendium of cases about free speech from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. “A government cannot regulate freedom of expression,” the Ecuadorean conservative opposition leader told the Financial Times before Sunday’s presidential election, in which he won more than […]
The military’s stance softened somewhat in 2015, when an army court ruled that veiled relatives of soldiers could enter military grounds. The army’s cultural shift was also reflected in last July’s failed coup attempt. The government claims that the putsch was organized by an Islamist faction within the military, an institution previously assumed to be staffed mainly by Kemalists — followers of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder […]
By Alan Baldwin | SILVERSTONE, England SILVERSTONE, England Vijay Mallya, the one-time billionaire who co-owns the Force India Formula One team, said on Wednesday Indian authorities had no grounds to extradite him from Britain and he would not be leaving. India wants Mallya to face trial after the liquor and aviation tycoon was charged with conspiracy and fraud over a loan to his defunct Kingfisher Airlines. It […]
Republican President Donald Trump’s administration was expected to revoke landmark guidelines issued to public schools in defense of transgender student rights, according to a draft document seen on Wednesday by Reuters. The draft reverses former Democratic President Barack Obama’s signature initiative on transgender rights, which instructed public schools to allow transgender students to use the bathrooms matching their gender identity. (Read the draft here: tmsnrt.rs/2kMAGAS) The draft […]
By Michael Holden | LONDON LONDON Britain has appointed experienced counter-terrorism officer Cressida Dick, best known for heading an operation which led to the killing of an innocent Brazilian, as the first woman to head London’s police force in its 188-year history. Dick, 56, becomes the most senior officer in the country, heading a force of some 43,000 officers and staff and controlling a budget of more […]
Right to repair is back in the news because Apple is opposing a Nebraska bill that would require electronics companies like Apple to produce repair manuals and sell replacement parts. Apple only got involved because the bill—one of eight nationwide, according to Motherboard—threatens its software licenses. We saw a similar battle between farmers and John Deere, which asserted that ownership of John Deere equipment “does […]
The global Panama Papers investigation is based on the unprecedented leak of confidential information from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca. (Arnulfo Franco / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO) In Brisbane and Ankara, Harare and Quito, Berlin and New York, the Panama Papers investigation into tax haven abuses has been recognized with some of the most prestigious journalistic accolades on the planet. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, which […]
MOSCOW Russia’s Supreme Court on Wednesday cancelled the conviction of prominent anti-Kremlin activist Ildar Dadin and ordered his release from jail, Interfax news agency reported. Dadin, 34, was sentenced to three years in prison – reduced to two and a half on appeal – in December 2015 for a series of peaceful one-man protests against the Kremlin. “Dadin is to be released from custody,” Interfax cited the […]
Over the past year we’ve frequently written about the alarming homicide rates in Chicago (see “Chicago Violence Worst In 20 Years: ‘Not Seen This Level Of Disrespect For Police Ever’“). But, the Wall Street Journal recently conducted an analysis of homicide data since 1985, for the 35 largest cities in the United States, and found that Chicago isn’t the only place where violent crime is surging. As […]
Paul Polman thought it was just going to be an informal catch-up. But it quickly became clear that Alexandre Behring, chairman of Kraft Heinz, had something very specific on his mind when he visited Unilever’s art deco headquarters in London last month. Had Mr Polman, chief executive of Unilever since 2009, ever considered a collaboration with Kraft Heinz, Mr Behring wanted to know. Mr Polman took this […]
JOHANNESBURG South Africa’s decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) has been ruled unconstitutional by the country’s High Court, the opposition party which brought the challenge to the government’s move said on Wednesday. South Africa has officially notified the United Nations of its intent to withdraw from the Rome Statute, the 1998 treaty establishing The Hague-based court. The International Criminal Court, which opened in July […]
SEREMBAN: Two men were charged at the Sessions Court here on Wednesday with 11 counts of money laundering involving more than RM10.3mil. The first of the two – 44-year-old Nor Hazaini Yahya – claimed trial to seven counts of money laundering involving RM8,933,229.76. He allegedly obtained the proceeds of unlawful activities at four locations in Seremban and Nilai between Aug 8, 2014 and Jan 29, 2015. In […]
Vocus Communications has announced its financial results for the first half of FY17, revealing a net profit of AU$47.2 million, up from AU$24.2 million a year previous due to its acquisitions of M2 and Nextgen. Statutory earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) were AU$168.3 million, up from AU$60.7 million a year previous, while underlying EBITDA — excluding acquisition, integration, and other costs — was AU$187.2 […]
ABU DHABI // The deadline has been extended for artistic submissions in a campaign to honour the country’s martyrs. Entries for the Proud Expressions initiative can now be submitted until Sunday, organisers said. The campaign is a joint initiative of the Martyrs’ Families’ Affairs Office, part of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s Court, and the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority. “We have been thrilled by the […]
But they are not buying much. Unemployment is high, especially among the many young people graduating from college. In all, 50,000 people remain displaced. Electricity and water supplies are still near crisis levels. Hamas, which governs Gaza, elected a new hard-line leader. Tunnel building goes on (and, presumably, so does the construction and smuggling of weapons). On the Israeli side, the political right talks of a new […]
If eight years under Obama rule, 6 of which included Republican majorities in Congress, taught us anything, it’s that Presidents have fairly broad authority to govern through executive orders and rules changes implemented at the 100’s of government agencies responsible for overseeing our every move. Fortunately for the Trump administration, this broad Presidential authority extends to immigration laws and, despite his recent defeat in the 9th Circuit, […]
Commerce Minister Engineer Khurram Dastgir says government is taking effective steps to eliminate terrorism and corruption from the country. In an interview, he said eradication of terrorism and corruption are part of the manifesto of PML-N government. To a question, he said Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has failed to provide any evidence before the court in Panama Papers case. Third-party Ads (via Google News)
Your daily guide to community and cultural activities across the Emirates for February 22, 2017, including performances, festivals, art exhibitions, film screenings, health and fitness events, talks, classes, workshops and family fun. Ellen Fortini rounds up 10 things to do today in the UAE. Want to see your event listed here? Email us with the details and contact information at [email protected] newslide Abu Dhabi Film screening Cinema […]
The White House on Tuesday signaled it was preparing to reverse a U.S. policy on transgender rights, raising concern among rights advocates that Republican President Donald Trump is about to revoke a signature initiative of his predecessor. Former Democratic President Barack Obama’s administration issued guidance to public schools last May to allow transgender students to use bathrooms matching their gender identity, a move transgender people hailed as […]
