NEW MEXICO: Police in New Mexico have found evidence that appears to tie a father and son to the killings of Muslim men in New Mexico, federal prosecutors said on Monday.
Both Muhammad Syed, 51, and his son Shaheen Syed were in the same area of Albuquerque shortly after an Aug. 5 murder took place, based on cellphone data, federal prosecutors said in court documents.
Agents believe Shaheen Syed observed Aug. 5 murder victim Naeem Hussain attending a funeral service that day for two other Muslim men who were murdered, based on FBI analysis of cell tower data.
Shaheen Syed then followed Hussain to the location where he was gunned down, prosecutors said in documents for a Monday detention hearing.
“Telephone calls between Muhammad Atif Syed and the defendant would be consistent with quick surveillance calls, both before and after the shooting,” federal prosecutors said, citing an FBI analysis of cell tower data.
The reference to the defendant is Shaheen Syed, who was arrested last week on federal firearms charges for providing a false address.
An attorney representing Shaheen Syed described the latest allegations as “exceedingly thin and speculative.”
In a court filing, lawyer John Anderson said federal prosecutors provided no evidence as to the size of the “general area” the father and son’s phones were both in shortly after the Aug. 5 murder.
Muhammad Syed was formally charged with killing Aftab Hussein, 41, on July 26 and Muhammed Afzaal Hussain, 27, on Aug. 1.
Police have said they are working with prosecutors on potential charges for the murders of Naeem Hussain, 25, as well as Mohammad Ahmadi, 62, who was shot dead on Nov. 7, 2021.
Father and son linked to murders of Muslims in New Mexico
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Father and son linked to murders of Muslims in New Mexico
- Police have said they are working with prosecutors on potential charges for the murders of Naeem Hussain, 25, as well as Mohammad Ahmadi, 62
Philippines kicks off free health-screening program for Filipinos in Bahrain
- Some 57,000 Filipino migrant workers live and work in Bahrain
- Health-check program is available in more locations this year
MANILA: The Philippines launched on Friday a month-long health-screening program for Filipino workers in Bahrain, as Manila seeks to promote wellness among its citizens abroad.
Gulf countries have for years been the main overseas destination for Filipinos, with some 57,000 currently living and working in Bahrain.
The “Healthy Pinoy” campaign, a project spearheaded by the Philippine Embassy in Bahrain in collaboration with the Al-Hilal Healthcare Group, offers free blood testing and doctor consultations for Filipino workers.
“This project, which is in its second year, was conceptualized with the view of promoting health and wellness of the Filipinos in Bahrain by providing them free health screening (and) health check-ups … This will be for the whole month of August,” Consul Bryan Baguio from the Philippine Embassy in Bahrain told Arab News.
Philippine nationals are entitled to get free tests for blood sugar, cholesterol, uric acid, as well as kidney and liver screening, he said, as well as a complimentary medical consultation for a further evaluation.
The services are available at all nine hospitals under the Al-Hilal Healthcare Group across Bahrain, including in Manama, Muharraq and Askar.
The embassy also brought a consular outreach mission on the first day of the campaign, Baguio added, which is providing various services for workers.
“We’re doing this mission in conjunction with the launching because it will be a Friday, which is a rest day for our countrymen here in Bahrain. So this will be an opportunity for them to avail and to consult with the embassies on various services on their day off,” he said.
In 2024, the free health-screening program benefited about 1,000 Filipinos and was held at only one hospital. With additional locations this year, embassy officials are expecting more people to participate.
“Now it will be in nine Al-Hilal hospitals, and we are also adding the complimentary doctor consultations. So we expect more, more than 1,000,” Baguio said.
“Health is a top priority of Filipinos in Bahrain, and that is what we intend to do — to promote the health and wellness of our nationals here by providing them free healthcare services.”
France to halt Gaza arrivals pending probe into student’s antisemitic posts
- The move comes after officials said the female student from Gaza will have to leave France after the Sciences Po university in the northern city of Lille revoked her accreditation over the online post
PARIS: France will suspend its program to receive Palestinians from conflict-torn Gaza pending the outcome of an investigation into how a student accused of sharing antisemitic posts was allowed into the country, the French foreign minister said Friday.
The move comes after officials said the female student from Gaza will have to leave France after the Sciences Po university in the northern city of Lille revoked her accreditation over the online posts.
“No evacuation of any kind will take place until we have drawn conclusions from this investigation,” Jean-Noel Barrot told Franceinfo radio.
All Gazans who have entered France will undergo a second screening, he added.
France has helped more than 500 people leave Gaza since the latest war between Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel started, including wounded children, journalists, students and artists.
The conflict has seen Israel retaliate with a deadly military campaign and an aid blockade in Gaza that some rights groups have qualified as “genocide.”
Lille’s chief prosecutor told AFP on Thursday a probe had been opened against the student for allegedly trying to “justify terrorism” and “justify a crime against humanity.”
Screenshots of posts the student allegedly shared in September — published by pro-Israel accounts on X — include an image of Adolf Hitler and words appearing to call for the death of Jews.
The account attributed to the student has been taken offline, after French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau demanded it be closed down.
A French diplomatic source said the student arrived in France on July 11 on a scholarship based on “academic excellence” and after “security checks.”
AFP was not immediately able to reach the student for comment. The news agency is not identifying her at this stage of the investigation.
“She must leave the country,” the foreign minister confirmed, adding that discussions were ongoing to determine her destination.
Flash floods kill three in Vietnam, nine missing
- Heavy rain of up to 30 centimeters triggered the floods in the provinces of Son La, Phu Tho, Tuyen Quang and especially Dien Bien
- Vietnam is now in its tropical storm season, which often cause deadly floods and landslides
Heavy rain of up to 30 centimeters triggered the floods in the provinces of Son La, Phu Tho, Tuyen Quang and especially Dien Bien, isolating several communities.
The ministry of agriculture said three people were killed while a search is ongoing for nine others in Dien Bien province’s Tia Dinh and Xa Dung communes.
State media quoted local authorities as saying rain was heavy from 3:00 am, triggering flash floods from upstream.
Several villages became flooded and remained inaccessible by Friday afternoon.
Last weekend, flash floods claimed five lives in Son La province, inundating crops and washing away poultry and cattle.
Vietnam is now in its tropical storm season, which often cause deadly floods and landslides.
Scientists say human-driven climate change is causing more intense weather patterns that can make destructive floods more likely.
In September 2024, Typhoon Yagi devastated northern Vietnam, leaving 345 people dead and causing an estimated economic loss of $3.3 billion.
Canada PM says ‘disappointed’ by new US tariffs
- The US leader had warned of trade consequences for Ottawa after Mark Carney announced plans to recognize a Palestinian state
- A wide swath of products covered by a 2020 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement remain exempt from the tariff rate, however
OTTAWA: Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday his government is “disappointed” by President Donald Trump’s decision to increase US tariffs on Canadian goods to 35 percent.
The US leader had warned of trade consequences for Ottawa after Carney announced plans to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September.
In an executive order, Trump raised the levy from 25 percent to 35 percent.
A wide swath of products covered by a 2020 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement remain exempt from the tariff rate, however.
“The Canadian government is disappointed by this action,” Carney said in a statement.
Trump’s order cited Canada’s failure to “cooperate in curbing the ongoing flood of fentanyl and other illicit drugs” as well as its “retaliation” against his measures.
Carney outlined Ottawa’s efforts to crack down on fentanyl and to increase border security.
“Canada accounts for only one percent of US fentanyl imports and has been working intensively to further reduce these volumes,” he said.
Ottawa remained committed to the Canada-US-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), the prime minister said.
“The US application of CUSMA means that the US average tariff rate on Canadian goods remains one of its lowest for all of its trading partners,” he said.
“Other sectors of our economy – including lumber, steel, aluminum and automobiles – are, however, heavily impacted by US duties and tariffs.”
Two-year-old among 28 dead in Thursday’s Russian attack on Kyiv
- City authorities declared Friday a day of mourning as rescue operations continued
KYIV: A two-year-old child was found dead in the rubble after Thursday’s sweeping Russian drone and missile attack on Kyiv, Ukraine’s prime minister said on Friday, taking the death toll to 28, with over 150 wounded.
The toddler was the third child to have died in the attack, in which Russia launched more than 300 drones and eight missiles in the early hours of Thursday morning. The other two underage victims were six and 17 years old, the head of Ukrainian presidential office Andriy Yermak said.
The rescue service said 16 of the injured were children, the largest number of children hurt in a single attack on Ukraine’s capital since Russia started its full-scale invasion almost 3-1/2 years ago.
City authorities declared Friday a day of mourning as rescue operations continued.
“This morning, the body of a 2-year-old child was pulled from the rubble, bringing the total dead to 28, of which 3 are children,” Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on X, adding that over 150 people had been wounded.
“The world possesses every instrument required to ensure Russia is brought to justice. What is lacking is not power – but will,” Svyrydenko said.
US President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday, sharply criticized Russia’s “disgusting” behavior against Ukraine but said he was not sure whether sanctions would deter Russia.
He has given Russian President Vladimir Putin until August 8 to make a deal or else he will respond with economic pressure.
