BEIRUT: A Lebanese military judge Tuesday appealed a verdict by the military tribunal that ordered the release of a Lebanese-American held since September on charges of working for an Israeli-backed militia two decades ago, state-run National News Agency said.
Judge Ghassan Khoury asked the Military Court of Appeals to strike down an earlier ruling in favor of Amer Fakhoury and issue an arrest warrant against him. He asked that Fakhoury be put on trial again on charges of kidnapping, torturing and detaining Lebanese citizens as well as “killing and attempting to kill others,” according to NNA.
On Monday, Fakhoury was ordered released because more than 10 years had passed since he allegedly tortured prisoners at a jail run by the so-called South Lebanon Army militia.
Some local media reported that Fakhoury was released but there was no official confirmation.
Fakhoury, 57, is a former SLA member who became a US citizen last year, and is now a restaurant owner in Dover, New Hampshire. His case has been closely followed in his home state of New Hampshire, where US Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and other officials have called for imposing sanctions on Lebanon to pressure Beirut to release him.
Tuesday’s appeal came after an outcry in Lebanon over the verdict that ordered him released, including harsh criticism from by the powerful Hezbollah group that said the verdict to release Fakhoury came after “American pressures and threats.”
“This is a sad day for Lebanon and justice,” Hezbollah said in a statement adding that the reputation of Lebanon’s judiciary was at stake.
Riots also broke out in one of the country’s main prisons by detainees who demanded to be freed following the verdict against Fakhoury.
Fakhoury has not been attending questioning sessions in Lebanon over the past few months after being hospitalized with stage 4 lymphoma cancer.
Over the weekend, the Fakhoury family placed a sign on their restaurant’s door saying they anticipate reopening by early or mid-April, Seacoastonline.com reported.
Fakhoury has been jailed since Sept. 12 after returning to Lebanon on vacation to visit family. Lebanon’s intelligence service said he confessed during questioning to being a warden at Khiam Prison, which was run by the SLA during Israel’s 18-year occupation of southern Lebanon.
Human rights groups have described the prison as a center for torture.
Fakhoury’s family and lawyer, however, say he had no direct contact with inmates and was never involved in any interrogation or torture.
Lebanon and Israel have been officially at war since Israel’s creation in 1948. Lebanon bans its citizens from traveling to Israel or having contact with Israelis.
Fakhoury’s lawyer and family say he fled Lebanon in 2001 through Israel and eventually to the United States because of death threats he and many other SLA members received after Israel ended its occupation of Lebanon in 2000.
In February, Fakhoury was charged by a military judge with the murder and torture of inmates at Khiam Prison.
Hundreds of former Lebanese members of the SLA militia had fled to Israel, fearing reprisals if they remained in Lebanon. Others stayed and faced trial, receiving lenient sentences.
Lebanese judge orders retrial of Lebanese-American
https://arab.news/mwnvd
Lebanese judge orders retrial of Lebanese-American
Closing Bell: TASI edges up to close at 12,460 points
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index climbed on Wednesday, gaining 102.12 points, or 0.83 percent, to close at 12,460.11.
The total trading turnover of the benchmark index was SR8.189 billion ($2.18 billion), as 138 of the listed stocks advanced while 81 retreated.
Similarly, the MSCI Tadawul Index increased by 9.75 points, or 0.63 percent, to close at 1,557.46.
The Kingdom’s parallel market Nomu also climbed by 144.95 points, or 0.54 percent, to close at 26,886.59. This comes as 32 of the listed stocks advanced while as many as 35 retreated.
The best-performing stock of the day was Acwa Power Co., whose share price surged by 9.7 percent to SR438.80.
Other top performers include Alkhaleej Training and Education Co. and the Mediterranean and Gulf Insurance and Reinsurance Co., whose share prices soared 8.92 percent and 8.09 percent to SR37.25 and SR34.75, respectively.
Additional top performers include Al-Baha Investment and Development Co. and Malath Cooperative Insurance Co.
The worst performer was Nahdi Medical Co., whose share price dropped by 2.48 percent to SR133.60.
Other poor performers were the Co. for Cooperative Insurance as well as Jabal Omar Development Co., whose share prices dropped by 2.42 percent and 2.32 percent to stand at SR161 and SR27.40, respectively.
Additional poor performers include United Cooperative Assurance Co. and AlSaif Stores for Development and Investment Co.
On the announcements front, Al Rajhi Bank announced its intention to issue US-denominated additional tier-1 capital sukuk under its international additional tier-1 capital sukuk program established on April 18 following the board of directors’ decision on March 25.
The bank informed Tadawul that the value and terms of the sukuk offering would be decided based on current market conditions.
The sukuk will be issued through a special-purpose vehicle and will be accessible to qualified investors, both domestically and internationally.
The bank appointed Al Rajhi Capital, Citigroup Global Markets Ltd, Dubai Islamic Bank, and Emirates NBD, as well as Goldman Sachs International, HSBC, and Standard Chartered Bank, as joint lead managers and bookrunners for the potential offering.
Nahdi Medical Co. announced its results for interim financial results for the period ending on March 31, with revenues surging by 7.24 percent to reach SR2.257 billion, compared to SR2.105 billion in 2023.
The increase was primarily driven by a strong performance in the core pharma segment and a solid recovery in front shop segment led by the beauty categories.
However, the company’s net profits decreased in the first quarter of this year to SR232.9 million, marking a 4.67 percent decline compared to the same quarter in 2023.
Saudi Telecom Co. also announced its financial results for the same period with earnings increasing 5.07 percent compared to the same quarter last year, reaching SR19.1 billion.
Saudi Real Estate Co. also announced its financial results for the same period, with revenues surging by 8.8 percent to reach SR427.6 million, compared to SR393 million in 2023.
The revenue growth was mainly attributed to the increase in stc Saudi Arabia earnings by 1.2 percent, driven by the rise in commercial unit revenues by 6.7 percent and carriers and wholesale unit incomes by 5.7 percent, which offset the decline in business unit revenues.
Furthermore, stc’s subsidiaries’ gains also increased by 13 percent.
Halwani Bros. Co.’s earnings increased by 5.93 percent to SR270.36 billion compared to SR255.22 billion in its interim financial results, which ended March 31.
The reason for the increase in sales during the current quarter compared to the same period of the previous year is due to a rise in the company’s transactions in the Kingdom and its subsidiary in Egypt.
Saudi legal center issues key research on e-commerce, tax, sports
- Focus also on regulations for privatization of healthcare sector
- Legal framework for firms listing on stock exchange under study
RIYADH: The Center of Legal Studies and Research has released seven studies covering various sectors of the economy including business, health, e-commerce and sports, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The research is a part of the center’s aim to highlight key developments and challenges within the Kingdom’s legal and legislative framework, the SPA reported.
The studies, which are in line with the Saudi Vision 2030 plan, also focuses on regulations for managing special economic regions and zones.
One study focused on the privatization of the healthcare sector and developing regulations in line with international best practice.
Another paper looked at tax legislation in the Kingdom and made recommendations on insolvency.
There was also research conducted on a suitable legal framework for listing Special Purpose Acquisition Companies on the Saudi Arabia stock exchange.
The center began issuing research for the first time last year on ways to streamline the Kingdom’s legal framework for the economy.
All publications are accessible on the center’s website at www.clsr.gov.sa.
Pakistan’s first lunar satellite ICUBE-Q successfully enters moon’s orbit
- ICUBE-Q was deployed in moon’s orbit around 1:14 p.m. Pakistan Standard Time, says Institute of Space technology official
- IST official describes development as “important” one for Pakistan allowing it to conduct “bigger” space missions in future
Islamabad: Pakistan’s first lunar satellite ICUBE-Q entered the moon’s orbit successfully today, Wednesday, a senior official of the country’s Institute of Space Technology (IST) confirmed, saying the “important” development could pave the way for “bigger” space missions for the country in the future.
The ICUBE-Qamar satellite carries two optical cameras to image the lunar surface and weighs around 7kg. Cubesats are tiny box-shaped satellites that are mainly launched into low Earth orbit to observe the Earth, test new communications technology, or perform miniature experiments.
Pakistan’s first lunar satellite was launched aboard China’s Chang’e-6 probe on May 3. The Chinese probe is tasked with landing on the far side of the moon, which perpetually faces away from the Earth, after which it will retrieve and return samples. China is the first country to make such an ambitious attempt.
“Our ICUBE-Q was deployed successfully in its orbit at 1:14 p.m. Pakistan Standard Time,” Dr. Khurram Khurshid, the head of the electrical engineering and computer science department at IST and a co-lead on the satellite project, told Arab News.
Dr. Khurshid said Pakistani officials will continue to test the satellite’s system for the next three to four days. He said initial tests revealed there were no complications with the cubesat’s system.
The IST official said the development means Pakistan is officially in an exclusive club of countries that have conducted deep space missions.
“This is the first step, a step in the right direction,” Dr. Khurshid noted. “It can lead to bigger space missions, such as landing on the moon or various other experiments.”
Dr. Khurshid said Pakistan would be able to share images from the satellite by May 15.
Around 100 students from IST contributed to developing the satellite. Pakistan’s proposal to build the satellite was accepted by the China National Space Agency (CNSA) from plans submitted by eight member states of the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (APSCO).
The design, development, and qualification of the ICUBE-Q satellite were spearheaded by faculty members and students of the IST in collaboration with China’s Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), with support from Pakistan’s National Space Agency, SUPARCO.
The ICUBE-Q has two cameras as payload for taking images of the lunar surface that will be transmitted back to Earth for analysis.
UK says to expel Russian defense attache as ‘undeclared military intelligence officer’
- Interior minister James Cleverly told parliament the UK would also remove the diplomatic status of several Russian-owned properties
- UK is currently a staunch NATO backer of Ukraine
London: The UK government on Wednesday raised tensions with the Kremlin by announcing it would expel a Russian defense attache for being “an undeclared military intelligence officer.”
Interior minister James Cleverly told parliament the UK would also remove the diplomatic status of several Russian-owned properties, including one in Sussex, southern England, and another in London “which we believe have been used for intelligence purposes.”
There would also be new restrictions on Russian diplomatic visas such as a cap on the length of time Russian diplomats can spend in the UK, he added.
The move comes with the UK concerned at an apparent increase in “malign” Russian activity on UK soil, including an arson attack on a Ukrainian-linked business allegedly orchestrated by the Kremlin.
A British man who it is claimed has links to the Wagner Group was charged in connection with that case last month.
London has previously accused Moscow of being behind the poisoning of two Russian former agents on UK soil, and of a spate of cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns.
The UK is currently a staunch NATO backer of Ukraine, providing training for troops and military equipment in the fightback against Russia.
Cleverly said the new package of measures was intended “to make clear to Russia that we will not tolerate such apparent escalations.”
He warned that Moscow would make accusations of Russophobia and spread conspiracy theories in response to his announcement.
“This is not new and the British people and the British Government will not fall for it, and will not be taken for fools by (President Vladimir) Putin’s bots, trolls and lackeys.
“Russia’s explanation was totally inadequate. Our response will be resolute and firm.
“Our message to Russia is clear: stop this illegal war, withdraw your troops from Ukraine, cease this malign activity.”
Taliban deny Pakistani claims of Afghan involvement in attack on Chinese workers
- According to Islamabad, bombing that killed five Chinese in Pakistan was planned in Afghanistan
- Afghan defense ministry says the March attack showed weakness of Pakistan’s security agencies
KABUL: The Taliban rejected on Wednesday allegations of Afghan involvement in a recent deadly attack on Chinese workers in neighboring Pakistan.
The five Chinese nationals, who were employed on the site of a hydropower project in Dasu in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, were killed alongside their driver in a suicide blast on March 26.
Pakistan’s military said on Tuesday that the attack was planned in Afghanistan and that the attacker was an Afghan citizen.
Maj. Gen. Ahmad Sharif, a spokesperson for Pakistan’s army, also told reporters that Islamabad had “solid evidence” of militants using Afghan soil to launch attacks in Pakistan, that since the beginning of the year such assaults had killed more than 60 security personnel, and that authorities in Kabul were unhelpful in addressing the violence.
The Taliban’s Ministry of Defense responded on Wednesday that the claims were “irresponsible and far from the reality.”
“Blaming Afghanistan for such incidents is a failed attempt to divert attention from the truth, and we strongly reject it,” Enayatullah Khwarazmi, the ministry’s spokesperson, said in a statement.
“The killing of Chinese citizens in an area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa which is under tight security cover of the Pakistani army shows the weakness of the Pakistani security agencies or cooperation with the attackers.”
The Dasu attack followed two other major assaults in regions where China has invested more than $65 billion in infrastructure projects as part of its wider Belt and Road Initiative.
On March 25, a naval air base was attacked in Turbat in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, and on March 20, militants stormed a government compound in nearby Gwadar district, which is home to a Chinese-operated port.
Pakistan is home to twin insurgencies, one by militants related to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan — the Pakistani Taliban — and the other by ethnic separatists who seek secession in southwestern Balochistan province, which remains Pakistan’s poorest despite being rich in natural resources.
While the attacks in Balochistan were claimed by the Baloch Liberation Army — the most prominent of several separatist groups in the province, no group claimed responsibility for the one in Dasu.
Blaming it on Afghanistan, however, was “baseless,” according to Naseer Ahmad Nawidy, international relations professor at Salam University in Kabul.
“The insurgency in the region has existed for very long now and cannot be attributed to a specific area or country. Pakistan looks at the Islamic Emirate in its current form as a threat to its interests. The Pakistan government needs to develop its relations with the Islamic Emirate based on equal rights and good will for stability in the whole region,” Nawidy told Arab News.
“Stability in the region requires mutual cooperation and trust. The governments in Afghanistan and Pakistan must end the relations crisis at the earliest. Repeating such claims will further increase the tensions and may cause enmity between the two countries.”
Abdul Saboor Mubariz, political scientist and lecturer at Alfalah University in Jalalabad, said Pakistan’s claims were meant to put pressure on the Taliban to help Islamabad in its campaign against the TTP.
“Pakistan’s government is using different forms of pressure such as forcible deportation of Afghan refugees, claims about security threats from Afghanistan, closing border points and creating challenges for Afghan traders,” he said, adding that accusations and claims of links to attacks were affecting the Taliban administration as it still sought recognition from foreign governments.
“The claims are critical for the Islamic Emirate as it is seeking engagement with the countries in the region and across the globe, while the government remains unrecognized by all world countries.”
