Bangladesh arrest warrant issued for British lawmaker linked to ex-Premier Hasina

Bangladesh arrest warrant issued for British lawmaker linked to ex-Premier Hasina
Tulip Siddiq (left), Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina (second right) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) attend a signing ceremony in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, on January 15, 2013. (AP/File)
Short Url
Updated 14 April 2025
Follow

Bangladesh arrest warrant issued for British lawmaker linked to ex-Premier Hasina

Bangladesh arrest warrant issued for British lawmaker linked to ex-Premier Hasina
  • Tulip Siddiq, 42, is a niece of ex-Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina who was ousted in violent uprising in 2024
  • Country’s anti-corruption watchdog has been probing Siddiq for allegedly receiving land illegally in state-owned project

DHAKA: A judge in Bangladesh issued an arrest warrant for British lawmaker and former government minister Tulip Siddiq, a niece of Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted from her 15-year rule in a mass uprising in August.
The country’s Anti-Corruption Commission has been investigating allegations against Siddiq that she and her family members, including Hasina, illegally received land in a state-owned township project near the capital, Dhaka.
Senior Special Judge of Dhaka Metropolitan Zakir Hossain passed the order on Sunday, after considering charges in three separate cases filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission, the leading Dhaka-based Bengali-language Prothom Alo newspaper reported.
Siddiq, 42, was named in the arrest warrant along with more than 50 others including her mother, Sheikh Rehana, and her brother, Radwan Siddiq, the newspaper reported.
Siddiq said the charges were “a completely politically motivated smear campaign, trying to harass me.”
“There is no evidence that I’ve done anything wrong,” she told reporters in London.
Siddiq’s lawyers also called the charges baseless. “To be clear, there is no basis at all for any charges to be made against her, and there is absolutely no truth in any allegation that she received a plot of land in Dhaka through illegal means,” the law firm Stephenson Harwood said in a statement.
The lawmaker, who represents the north London district of Hampstead and Highgate in Parliament, served in Britain’s center-left Labour Party government as economic secretary to the Treasury — the minister responsible for tackling financial corruption.
She quit that post in January after she was named in an anti-corruption investigation into Hasina and her family in Bangladesh. The investigation alleged that Siddiq’s family was involved in brokering a 2013 deal with Russia for a nuclear power plant in Bangladesh in which large sums of money were said to have been embezzled.
Siddiq said in January that she had been cleared of wrongdoing, but that the issue was becoming “a distraction from the work of the government.”
Hasina’s Bangladesh Awami League party says the charges are politically motivated to destroy the reputation of the prominent family. Hasina’s father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, is Bangladesh’s independence leader. The country gained independence in 1971 under his leadership after a nine-month war against Pakistan.
Hasina has been in exile in India since early August.
After the ouster of Hasina on Aug. 5 last year, Siddiq’s mother’s home in Dhaka’s upscale Gulshan area was looted and vandalized, and so far no police case has been filed over the incident. Hasina accused Bangladesh’s interim administration headed by Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus of backing mobs to attack her followers across the country. The home affairs adviser says they are trying to restore order in the country.


Karachi hospital reports four COVID-19 deaths amid surprise summer surge

Karachi hospital reports four COVID-19 deaths amid surprise summer surge
Updated 3 min 11 sec ago
Follow

Karachi hospital reports four COVID-19 deaths amid surprise summer surge

Karachi hospital reports four COVID-19 deaths amid surprise summer surge
  • A senior physician says all those who succumbed to the disease in the past fortnight were elderly individuals
  • Health experts say the recent surge in coronavirus cases during the summer months is an unusual trend

KARACHI: At least four people with underlying health conditions have died of COVID-19 at a major Karachi hospital in the past two weeks, as experts report an unusual spike in infections during the city’s peak summer season.
All four fatalities occurred at the Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), where doctors say they are seeing a steady increase in admissions linked to the coronavirus— a trend they describe as “unexpected” at this time of year.
“In the past two to three weeks, we have seen a significant increase in COVID cases,” Prof. Dr. Syed Faisal Mahmood, a professor of infectious diseases at AKUH, told Arab News, confirming the death of four people during the past two weeks.
The surge, he said, was happening in late spring with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius.
COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, is a highly contagious respiratory illness that was first detected in late 2019 and declared a global pandemic within months. While the virus typically spreads more easily in colder months due to increased indoor activity and lower humidity, experts say its spread during summer in Karachi is a rare deviation from past seasonal patterns.
Mahmood said most infected individuals have been coming to the hospital with mild symptoms, such as sore throat, cough, body aches, and fever, but the virus remains dangerous for older adults and those with weakened immune systems.
“Like in previous years, this year the severe cases of COVID are mostly being seen in people who are older, especially those above 65, or those with weak immune systems,” he said.
“Among these COVID cases, there are some patients who have been hospitalized, and there have also been some deaths,” he added.
Mahmood added that while routine testing is no longer required for everyone with symptoms, caution is essential.
“If you suspect that you have COVID or any other cold or cough-related infection, it is better that you wear a mask,” he advised. “We recommend wearing a mask for at least five to ten days so that others do not get infected.”
The infectious diseases expert also urged caution for those in close contact with the elderly.
“If you are caring for someone who is elderly, then please do not visit them if you are feeling unwell, or at least wear a mask,” he said. “Please take care of yourself, and we hope that there will not be a major further increase in COVID cases.”


Pakistan extends airspace ban on Indian aircraft until June 24 amid ongoing tensions

Pakistan extends airspace ban on Indian aircraft until June 24 amid ongoing tensions
Updated 34 min 18 sec ago
Follow

Pakistan extends airspace ban on Indian aircraft until June 24 amid ongoing tensions

Pakistan extends airspace ban on Indian aircraft until June 24 amid ongoing tensions
  • The restriction was originally imposed on April 24 after an attack in Kashmir killed 26 tourists
  • The airspace closure impacted Indian airlines, particularly on long-haul international routes

KARACHI: Pakistan has extended its ban on Indian aircraft using its airspace until June 24, the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) announced on Friday, amid continued bilateral tensions following recent military clashes this month.

The restriction was first imposed on April 24, only two days after an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 people. India blamed Pakistan for the attack despite Islamabad’s denials. The administration in New Delhi also downgraded bilateral diplomatic ties and took other steps like suspending visas for Pakistanis and shutting border crossings.

In response, Pakistan took its own measures, including the closure of its airspace to Indian aircraft, including commercial and military flights.

“The ban on Indian aircraft flying through Pakistani airspace has been extended until 4:59 AM on June 24, 2025,” the PAA said.

“All aircraft that are Indian-registered, operated, owned or leased will remain subject to the ban,” it added.

The airspace closure has significantly impacted Indian airlines, particularly on long-haul international routes.

Air India, which operates numerous flights to Europe and North America, has been forced to reroute flights, leading to increased fuel consumption, longer flight times, and additional operational costs.

The airline estimates that the ban could result in approximately $600 million in additional expenses over a year and has sought compensation from the Indian government.

Despite a ceasefire agreement announced on May 10, which has held according to Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, the extension of the airspace ban indicates ongoing diplomatic strains.

The situation was further exacerbated by a recent school bus bombing in Pakistan that killed four children, an incident Islamabad has blamed on New Delhi. However, the Indian authorities have denied the charge.


Saudi-based Ivan Toney recalled to England squad by Tuchel

Saudi-based Ivan Toney recalled to England squad by Tuchel
Updated 54 min 2 sec ago
Follow

Saudi-based Ivan Toney recalled to England squad by Tuchel

Saudi-based Ivan Toney recalled to England squad by Tuchel
  • Toney, who has scored 22 goals in 29 Pro League games for the Saudi champions, made the last of his six England appearances in the Euro 2024 final defeat by Spain

LONDON: England manager Thomas Tuchel insists Ivan Toney “deserves” his surprise recall for the forthcoming internationals against Andorra and Senegal.
It is a first call-up for the 29-year-old since he left Brentford to join Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli last August.
Toney, who has scored 22 goals in 29 Pro League games for the Saudi champions, made the last of his six England appearances in the Euro 2024 final defeat by Spain.
“Ivan deserves to be with us, I think, and I’m convinced because he scored over 20 goals this season,” Tuchel said.
“He won a major title with the Asian Champions League, in goals and assists made a huge contribution.
“I thought, why not bring him over and let him travel to us? It’s a good occasion now to also test new players, see new players, meet Ivan first and see him in the environment.”
Tuchel has also given a first senior call-up to Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah.
The Sierra Leone-born Chalobah has played 32 times for Chelsea this season as they chase Champions League qualification and target victory over Real Betis in the UEFA Conference League final on Wednesday.
“He played a fantastic second half of the season with Chelsea. He is very, very consistent on a very high level,” Tuchel said.
Manchester City star Phil Foden was left out just days after opening up about his mental health struggles.
Foden, who is struggling with an ankle injury, revealed his mental state has suffered throughout a difficult season for the forward.
Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham was selected despite reports that he needs surgery on a shoulder problem after the Club World Cup.
Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane, Chelsea’s Cole Palmer and Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher are among eight players in the squad who will also be involved in the Club World Cup in the United States.
England face Andorra in a World Cup qualifier in Barcelona on June 7 before a friendly with Senegal in Nottingham three days later.
The Club World Cup starts just five days after England’s second game of the international break.
“I could see the reasons for the players who go to the Club World Cup to maybe leave a bit earlier, to maybe change the squad,” Tuchel said.
“We had a good discussion over if we nominate the squad without Club World Cup players.
“Very quickly we understood that it’s also important for us. It’s only one year to go until the World Cup.
“So why send players away? We want to cherish and worship every day that we have together, and what signal will be sent to the group to send players away?“
Trent Alexander-Arnold and Bukayo Saka are back in the international fold after injuries ruled them out of England’s wins over Albania and Latvia in World Cup qualifiers in March.
There was no place again for Manchester United defender Harry Maguire, with Tottenham striker Dominic Solanke and West Ham winger Jarrod Bowen also left out.


Brighton leave out joint top-scorer Pedro from Spurs trip over training incident

Brighton leave out joint top-scorer Pedro from Spurs trip over training incident
Updated 23 May 2025
Follow

Brighton leave out joint top-scorer Pedro from Spurs trip over training incident

Brighton leave out joint top-scorer Pedro from Spurs trip over training incident
  • Pedro did not play in Monday’s 3-2 win over champions Liverpool
  • “With Joao we had a small issue in training,” Huerzeler told reporters

LONDON: Brighton & Hove Albion will be without their joint top-scorer Joao Pedro when they visit Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, with manager Fabian Huerzeler saying the Brazil striker has been left out due to a “small issue in training.”

Pedro, who equals Danny Welbeck with 10 league goals this season, did not play in Monday’s 3-2 win over champions Liverpool, with a report by The Athletic later attributing the 23-year-old’s absence to an altercation he had with a teammate during training.

“With Joao we had a small issue in training, a type which isn’t uncommon from time to time in all football clubs. We dealt with it internally and the matter is closed,” Huerzeler told reporters on Friday.

“Joao is an incredible football player. He is a match winner for us. That’s why we invested in him. But there are principles, there are values... they are non-negotiable.

“Joao is still a young player, and (there’s) still a lot of potential that he will grow. I’m sure he’ll learn from this and come back stronger next season.”

Pedro last played for Brighton on April 19, when he was sent off for flicking his hand into Brentford defender Nathan Collins’ face during a 4-2 loss, an act which got him a three-match suspension for violent conduct.

With ninth-placed Brentford three points below Brighton, a draw at Spurs will ensure Huerzeler’s men finish eighth, which could earn them a place in next season’s UEFA Conference League provided some other results go their way.


Netanyahu accuses France, Britain and Canada of ‘emboldening’ Hamas

Netanyahu accuses France, Britain and Canada of ‘emboldening’ Hamas
Updated 23 May 2025
Follow

Netanyahu accuses France, Britain and Canada of ‘emboldening’ Hamas

Netanyahu accuses France, Britain and Canada of ‘emboldening’ Hamas
  • France dismisses Israeli leader's accusations and said there needs to be a lasting peace solution for Israel and and Palestine
  • Israel fears more European countries will officially recognize a Palestinian state

JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the leaders of France, Britain and Canada of wanting to help the Palestinian militant group Hamas after they threatened to take “concrete action” if Israel did not stop its latest offensive in Gaza.
The criticism, echoing similar remarks from Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on Thursday, was part of a fightback by the Israeli government against the increasingly heavy international pressure on it over the war in Gaza.
“You’re on the wrong side of humanity and you’re on the wrong side of history,” Netanyahu said.
The Israeli leader, facing an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court over alleged war crimes in Gaza, has regularly criticized European countries as well as global institutions from the United Nations to the International Court of Justice over what he says is their bias against Israel.
But as the flow of images of destruction and hunger in Gaza has continued, fueling protests in countries around the world, Israel has struggled to turn international opinion, which has increasingly shifted against it.
“It’s hard to convince at least some people, definitely on the far left in the US and in some countries in Europe, that what Israel is doing is a war of defense,” said former Israeli diplomat Yaki Dayan.
“But this is how it is perceived in Israel and bridging this gap is sometimes an impossible mission,” he said.
Israeli officials have been particularly concerned about growing calls for other countries in Europe to follow the example of Spain and Ireland in recognizing a Palestinian state as part of a two-state solution to resolve decades of conflict in the region.
Netanyahu argues that a Palestinian state would threaten Israel and he has framed the killing of two Israeli embassy staffers in Washington on Tuesday by a man who allegedly shouted “Free Palestine” as a clear example of that threat.
He said “exactly the same chant” was heard during the attack on Israel by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023.
“They don’t want a Palestinian state. They want to destroy the Jewish state,” he said in a statement on the social media platform X.
“I could never understand how this simple truth evades the leaders of France, Britain, Canada and others,” he said, adding that any moves by Western countries to recognize a Palestinian state would “reward these murderers with the ultimate prize.”
Instead of advancing peace, the three leaders were “emboldening Hamas to continue fighting forever,” he said.
The Israeli leader, whose government depends on far-right support, said Hamas, which issued a statement welcoming the move, had thanked French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Canada’s Mark Carney over what he said was their demand for an immediate end to the war.
The leaders’ statement on Monday did not demand an immediate end to the war, but a halt to Israel’s new military offensive on Gaza and a lifting of its restrictions on humanitarian aid. Israel had prevented aid from entering Gaza since March, before relaxing its blockade this week.
“By issuing their demand – replete with a threat of sanctions against Israel, against Israel, not Hamas – these three leaders effectively said they want Hamas to remain in power,” Netanyahu said.
“And they give them hope to establish a second Palestinian state from which Hamas will again seek to destroy the Jewish state.”
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said France, which like Britain and Canada designates Hamas as a terrorist organization, was “unwaveringly committed to Israel’s security” but he said it was “absurd and slanderous” to accuse supporters of a two-state solution of encouraging antisemitism or Hamas.
French government spokesperson Sophie Primas said France did not accept Netanyahu’s accusations, adding: “We need to de-escalate this rising tension between our two states and work to find lasting peace solutions, for Israel and for Palestine.”
Asked about Netanyahu’s remarks, Britain’s armed forces minister Luke Pollard said London stood with Israel in their right to self-defense. “But that self-defense must be conducted within the bounds of international humanitarian law,” he said.
“At this moment, we stand fast against terrorism, but we also want to make sure that the aid is getting into Gaza,” Pollard told Times Radio.
Israel’s offensive in Gaza was launched in retaliation for the October 7, 2023 attack, which killed some 1,200 people and saw 251 taken as hostage into Gaza. It has killed more than 53,000 Palestinians and devastated the enclave, where wide areas have been reduced to rubble.