ALGIERS: Algeria’s state prosecutor on Thursday ordered an investigation after a mob lynched a man they accused of sparking the country’s deadly wildfires.
The North African country has been in the grip of devastating fires since Monday that have cost at least 69 lives.
Video footage posted online on Wednesday showed a crowd beating to death 38-year-old Jamal Ben Ismail and setting him ablaze.
They alleged he had started the fires.
The grisly murder was staged in Larbaa Nath Irathen, in the Tizi Ouzou district, one of the worst hit by the fires.
Those responsible “will receive a severe punishment,” the prosecutor said, adding that “odious crimes should not remain unpunished.”
Amnesty International called on authorities to investigate Ben Ismail’s death, which the Algerian League for the Defence of Human Rights branded as “barbaric and atrocious.”
“Scenes of the lynching and torching of the suspected arsonist — a young artist who had come to help put out the fires — are shocking,” the Algerian group said.
Ben Ismail’s father, quoted by local media, called for “calm” as he urged the authorities to “shed light” on his son’s death.
Blazes raged across northern Algeria on Thursday as the country observed a national day of mourning for dozens of people killed in the latest wildfires to sweep the Mediterranean.
Soldiers and civilian volunteers have joined firefighters on multiple fronts in the effort to extinguish the blazes that have been fanned by windy and tinder-dry conditions.
In Tizi Ouzou district, the area with the highest casualty toll, an AFP journalist reported entire sectors of forest going up in smoke.
Villagers forced to evacuate in order to escape the flames began trickling back to their homes, overwhelmed by the scale of the damage.
“I have nothing left. My workshop, my car, my flat. Even the tiles were destroyed,” one of them said.
But he said he had “managed to save his family,” while adding that “neighbors died or lost their relatives.”
Flags were flying at half-mast after President Abdelmadjid Tebboune declared three days of national mourning starting from Thursday.
Algeria probes lynching of arson suspect after deadly fires
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Algeria probes lynching of arson suspect after deadly fires
- Video footage posted online on Wednesday showed a crowd beating to death 38-year-old Jamal Ben Ismail and setting him ablaze
In Hajj code of conduct, Pakistan Ulema Council urges pilgrims not to engage in political activities
In Hajj code of conduct, Pakistan Ulema Council urges pilgrims not to engage in political activities
- The code of conduct highlights sacredness of the Hajj period, aims to ensure hassle-free experience
- PUC Chairman Tahir Ashrafi advises Pakistanis in the Kingdom against unauthorized Hajj pilgrimage
ISLAMABAD: Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, the Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) chairman and patron-in-chief of the Hajj Organizers Association of Pakistan (HOAP), on Thursday urged Pakistani pilgrims not to engage in political activities during the Hajj pilgrimage as he unveiled a comprehensive code of conduct for Pakistanis, who would be performing Hajj through private operators.
Ashrafi emphasized the importance of booking Hajj journeys only through authorized operators and cautioned intending pilgrims against fraudulent groups active on social media platforms, according to the PUC, an umbrella group of religious scholars and organizations.
He discouraged pilgrims from engaging in “disruptive behavior,” such as taking selfies and videos during Hajj rituals, which could cause inconvenience to fellow pilgrims, stressing the need to focus on religious duties and maintaining decorum for a seamless pilgrimage.
“Ashrafi urged pilgrims to refrain from engaging in political activities during the Hajj season, particularly at Haramain Sharifain and other sacred sites in Saudi Arabia,” the PUC said in a statement.
“He underscored that such actions are not only contrary to Islamic teachings and Shariah but also reflect poorly on Pakistan in the international community.”
In 2022, the Madinah police had arrested at least five Pakistani nationals for “abusing and insulting” then Pakistani information minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and minister for narcotics control Shahzain Bugti at the Prophet’s Mosque in the city.
Videos shared online showed some individuals chanting slogans as the ministers, who were part of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s delegation, visited the Prophet’s Mosque. In Pakistan, police had also registered cases against former prime minister Imran Khan and members of his party for sloganeering against the Pakistani delegation under a “planned-out scheme and conspiracy.”
The code of conduct, grounded in the Holy Qur’an and the Hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), underscores the necessity of undertaking Hajj with halal wealth, refraining from disputes, and embodying dignity and humility throughout the pilgrimage, according to the PUC.
It highlights the sacredness of the Hajj period and the significance of sincere intention solely for the pleasure of Allah.
“Hajj without official permission is strictly prohibited according to Islamic principles and the law of the land,” Ashrafi said, urging Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia to refrain from unauthorized pilgrimage.
“Individuals caught without proper authorization would face consequences, potentially tarnishing the reputation of the country.”
The PUC urged pilgrims to acquire comprehensive knowledge of the rituals and seek guidance when needed.
“They must adhere to the guidelines set by the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony and appointed leaders of Hajj and Umrah groups, prioritizing obedience to Allah and His commandments,” it said.
“Patience is emphasized in facing challenges, be it delays at airports or congestion on roads.”
The PUC said the code of conduct was aimed at ensuring a “spiritually enriching and harmonious” pilgrimage, rooted in devotion, humility, and obedience to Allah’s commandments.
Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage that has been in practice for over 1,400 years. It is one of the five pillars of Islam, and requires every adult Muslim to undertake the journey to the holy Islamic sites in Makkah at least once in their lifetime, if they are financially and physically able.
Pakistan has a Hajj quota of 179,210 pilgrims this year. Of them, 63,805 pilgrims will be performing the pilgrimage under the government scheme, while the rest would be accommodated by private tour operators, according to the Pakistani religious affairs ministry. The South Asian country is set to start its Hajj flight operation on May 9, which would conclude on June 9.
This year’s pilgrimage is expected to run from June 14 till June 19.
Imam Abdul Rahman bin Faisal University wraps up Handis Hackathon 24
- 16 teams were nominated, showcasing projects across various specializations
DAMMAM: Imam Abdul Rahman bin Faisal University, represented by its Faculty of Engineering, has successfully concluded Handis Hackathon 24.
The event witnessed the participation of 88 male and female university students from the Eastern Province. It took place at the university’s headquarters in Dammam.
Dr. Murad Al-Thobaiti, dean of the faculty of engineering, said: “The event garnered significant participation from both male and female students within the university, as well as from other Saudi universities in the region.”
He said 16 teams were nominated, showcasing projects across various specializations.
Transporters continue protest in southwest Pakistan after talks fail over new highway security plan
- The Balochistan government has decided to established new security check-posts where soldiers would check all passenger buses
- The decision came after the killing of nine passengers from Punjab province, but transporters say it would cause massive delays
QUETTA: Transporters in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province continued their protest on Thursday, they said, after the failure of a second round of talks with the government over a new security plan for highways.
An alliance of transporters in the provincial capital of Quetta has been protesting for the last two weeks the government’s new standard operating procedures (SOPs) aimed at providing maximum security to passengers traveling through one of the key provincial highways in Pakistan.
The government in the restive province last month announced to revise its security plan for the Quetta-Taftan highway after gunmen killed nine passengers, who hailed from the eastern Punjab province, after abducting them from a bus near the Noshki district in Balochistan.
The second round of talks between representatives of the transporters and the government failed and the transporters said they would continue their protest in the provincial capital.
“A 12-member delegation of transporters met with the government’s negotiation committee today for the 2nd round of talks in order to discuss concerns of local transporters, but the meeting ended without any result,” Mehmood Badini, a representative of the transporters’ alliance who was part of the talks, told Arab News on Thursday.
“We stand on our demands but the government officials have said that they will call a high-level meeting to discuss our demands in the coming days. We have decided to continue our strike on all major routes unless our demands are met.”
The mineral-rich province of Balochistan has been the scene of a low-level insurgency by Baloch separatist groups demanding independence from the central government in Islamabad. The militants usually target police and security forces or infrastructure.
Although the government says it has quelled the insurgency, violence in Balochistan has persisted. The attack in Noshki sparked widespread condemnation and prompted the provincial government to revise its security plan for highways.
Saeed Ahmed Lehri, chairman of the All Balochistan Transporters Alliance, said the transporters were on a strike at the N-40 Quetta-Taftan highway, N-85 Quetta-Makran Highway, N-25 Quetta-Karachi highway and N-65 Balochistan-Sindh highway against government’s new travel security SOPs.
“The government has established new security check-posts at the N-40 Quetta-Taftan highway and security forces are directed to check all buses at every check-post,” he said. “The New SOPs would cause delay for passengers and drivers, even the government is going to prevent transporters from the deployment of two private security guards inside buses at their own expense.”
Shahid Rind, a spokesman for the Balochistan government, said they would keep negotiating with the transporters in the coming days to find a “concrete solution” to the issue.
“The government’s prime responsibility is the passengers’ safety and security, hence we won’t step back from this stance,” he told Arab News. “But there will be more rounds of talks with the transporters.”
Rind said the government had revised its security plan and decided to establish new security check-posts at all highways after the Noshki attack.
“Balochistan has a vast landscape while in some areas mobile networks do not work,” he added.
Matt Wallace takes 1-shot lead at Byron Nelson, with defending champ Jason Day 3 back
- The one-time PGA Tour winner shot an 8-under 63 for a one-shot lead over seven players
- Taiga Semikawa, a 23-year-old from Japan playing on a sponsor exemption, settled for 64 after a three-putt par on the par-5 18th
MCKINNEY: Matt Wallace was relegated to watching the Masters amid a self-described “terrible” season when he found himself pondering what makes some of the best golfers in the world so good.
Asked if Scottie Scheffler was among the players he was watching, Wallace stumbled over his words just a bit.
“Well, him, but, I mean, so good that it’s difficult to take a lot from him because he’s playing unbelievable golf,” Wallace said. “It’s not as realistic for everyone else out there.”
Well, maybe Wallace can take advantage of the world No. 1 sitting out his hometown tournament awaiting the birth of his first child.
The one-time PGA Tour winner shot an 8-under 63 for a one-shot lead over seven players in the first round of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson on Thursday.
Taiga Semikawa, a 23-year-old from Japan playing on a sponsor exemption, settled for 64 after a three-putt par on the par-5 18th just before a rain-delayed round with preferred lies was suspended by darkness with nine players on the course.
Taylor Pendrith, Alex Noren, Chesson Hadley, Jake Knapp, Davis Riley and Kelly Kraft also were at 7 under at TPC Craig Ranch, just north of Scheffler’s hometown of Dallas.
Defending champion Jason Day was in a large group trailing by three after he and Jordan Spieth, the biggest local favorite with Scheffler absent, struggled down the stretch playing in the same threesome. Spieth was 3 under.
Brad Hopfinger, a 35-year-old making his PGA Tour debut, was two shots behind Wallace along with Ben Kohles, Alex Smalley and Hayden Buckley.
Wallace, who has missed the cut five times and doesn’t have a top-10 finish in 11 tournaments this year, birdied five of the first six holes and capped his bogey-free, career-low round with a tap-in birdie on the 18th.
The 34-year-old Englishman has found himself taking mental notes about the likes of young Swede Ludvig Aberg, who played at Texas Tech but is among 27 of the top 30 players skipping the Nelson with a $20 million signature event, the Wells Fargo Championship, and the PGA Championship coming the next two weeks.
“What I’m seeing from a lot of them, especially the younger guys, younger than me — I’m not too old, but younger than me — they’re so focused in their shot and not worrying about the outcome or what’s out there,” said Wallace, who won in the Dominican Republic a little more than a year ago.
Day and Spieth both stumbled with bogeys on the par-5 fifth hole, their 14th of the day. Day had two birdies and a bogey over the final four holes, including the par-5 ninth. Spieth could only par the finishing hole and was 1 over on the par 5s.
“It’s a very gettable golf course,” Spieth said. “I just played the easy holes poorly. That was kind of the story of the day.”
Spieth is still seeking his first victory in his 12th appearance at event in which he debuted by contending as a 16-year-old amateur in 2010. Day got his first PGA Tour win when Spieth was making those headlines, then ended a five-year victory drought last year.
The 30-year-old Spieth missed last year’s Nelson because of a wrist injury. He was the runner-up in 2022.
Rain delayed the start by an hour and remains in the forecast through the weekend. If the rain stays away, players could have minimal wind on a soft course that has surrendered among the most birdies on tour in its four years as the home of the Nelson.
“I’m not out of it, but certainly you want to stay within two or three of the lead as you get through the first couple rounds,” Spieth said. “Doesn’t look like we’re going to get a ton of wind or anything, so I am going to have to really make it up, because there will be a lot of guys shooting low scores.”
Raul Pereda aced the 236-yard seventh hole and shot 68, as did Kris Kim in the tour debut of the 16-year-old from England whose South Korean-born mom played on the LPGA Tour in the 1990s.
Playing on a sponsor exemption in the first year of the Nelson carrying the name of the South Korean company CJ Group, Kim chipped in for eagle at No. 9 to finish an up-and-down round that included five birdies and four bogeys.
“First couple holes the nerves were definitely there, but as we got on, it was just playing golf,” said Kim, who went undefeated in the Junior Ryder Cup last year and is the first amateur sponsored by CJ Group.
Pakistan pushes back deadline for expressions of interest to buy national airline
- The extension came a day before the expressions of interest had originally been due
- Pakistani tycoon Arif Habib, aviation-based company Gerry’s Group were among bidders
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will push back the deadline for companies to express interest in buying national carrier Pakistan International Airlines to May 18, the country’s privatization minister said on Thursday.
The extension, announced in a statement by Minister for Investment and Privatization Abdul Aleem Khan, came a day before the expressions of interest had originally been due. He said 10 companies had already expressed an interest.
“The Board accorded approval for extension in the date for submission of interests on the request of interested parties,” he said, referring to the Privatization Commission Board he leads.
Pakistani tycoon Arif Habib and aviation-based company Gerry’s Group were among the 10 bidders looking to buy a majority stake in Pakistan International Airlines, Bloomberg News reported on Friday.
Arif Habib, Pakistan International Airlines and Gerry’s Group did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Pakistan’s government has previously said it was putting on the block a stake of between 51 percent and 100 percent in the loss-making airline as part of reforms urged by the International Monetary Fund.
The disposal of the flag carrier is a step that past elected governments have steered away from as it is likely to be highly unpopular, but progress on the privatization will help cash-strapped Pakistan pursue further funding talks with the IMF.
