Man convicted of terrorism offense for planning attack on UK military base

Mohammad Farooq was found guilty of preparing acts of terrorism following a trial at Sheffield Crown Court, in northern England. (West Yorkshire Police)
Mohammad Farooq was found guilty of preparing acts of terrorism following a trial at Sheffield Crown Court, in northern England. (West Yorkshire Police)
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Updated 02 July 2024
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Man convicted of terrorism offense for planning attack on UK military base

Mohammad Farooq was found guilty of preparing acts of terrorism following a trial at Sheffield Crown Court, in northern England.
  • Farooq was arrested outside St. James’s Hospital in Leeds, where he had previously worked as a student nurse
  • Police who attended the scene discovered in Farooq’s bag a pressure cooker with wires attached

LONDON: A British man was convicted on Tuesday of planning an attack on a military base after being arrested with an explosive device in the grounds of a hospital, Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service said.
Mohammad Farooq was found guilty of preparing acts of terrorism following a trial at Sheffield Crown Court, in northern England.
The 28-year-old had previously pleaded guilty to possession of an explosive substance with intent to endanger life, possession of an explosive substance in suspicious circumstances, possession of information likely to be useful to a terrorist, and other offenses.
Farooq was arrested outside St. James’s Hospital in Leeds, where he had previously worked as a student nurse, after showing a member of the public a gun and saying he “felt like killing everyone,” the CPS said.
Police who attended the scene discovered in Farooq’s bag a pressure cooker with wires attached, which bomb disposal experts found to be a viable explosive device.
The CPS said Farooq’s electronic devices revealed evidence of his interest in extremist ideology and research into RAF Menwith Hill, a nearby Royal Air Force base in North Yorkshire.
Farooq had pleaded not guilty to but was convicted of preparing a terrorist attack at RAF Menwith Hill. He will be sentenced at a later date.
Bethan David, head of the CPS Counter Terrorism Division, said in a statement: “Farooq is an extremely dangerous individual who amassed a significant amount of practical and theoretical information that enabled him to produce a viable explosive device.
“He then took that homemade explosive device to a hospital where he worked with the intention to cause serious harm. Examination of his electronic devices revealed a hatred toward his colleagues at work and those he considered non-believers.
“It is clear from his Internet searches that he was also conducting extensive research of RAF Menwith Hill, with a view to launching a potential attack.”


Turkiye to repeat offer to host Ukraine-Russia peace talks at London summit, source says

Updated 6 sec ago
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Turkiye to repeat offer to host Ukraine-Russia peace talks at London summit, source says

Turkiye to repeat offer to host Ukraine-Russia peace talks at London summit, source says
Ankara has welcomed the US initiative to end the war
On Sunday, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will brief European leaders on Turkiye’s efforts to find a “fair and lasting peace” to the war

ANKARA: Turkiye’s foreign minister will reiterate at Sunday’s meeting of European leaders in London an offer from Ankara to host peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, a Turkish diplomatic source said on Saturday.
NATO-member Turkiye hosted initial talks between the sides months after Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, helping secure a deal for the safe passage of grain exports in the Black Sea. It has said any future peace talks must include both countries.
While repeatedly calling for a ceasefire since 2024, Ankara has welcomed the US initiative to end the war, which was derailed by a public argument between the presidents of Ukraine and the United States in Washington on Friday.
On Sunday, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will brief European leaders on Turkiye’s efforts to find a “fair and lasting peace” to the war, the source said, adding he will also affirm Ankara’s commitment to Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Fidan is expected to “underline that Turkiye, which hosted direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in March 2022, is ready to take up this role in the coming period,” and emphasize that all parties must jointly focus on lasting regional security and stability, as well as economic prosperity, in negotiations, the person added.
A Black Sea littoral state like Ukraine and Russia, Turkiye has maintained good ties with both since the start of the war. It has provided Kyiv with military support, while refusing to participate in Western sanctions against Moscow.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Turkiye last month, on the same day US and Russian representatives met for talks — without Kyiv’s participation — in Riyadh aimed at ending the war.
On Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also held talks in Ankara. On Saturday, Fidan and Lavrov discussed the latest developments around the Ukraine-Russia war in a phone call, the source said, marking the third contact between them in the past two weeks.
On Thursday, delegations from the United States and Russia met in Istanbul for talks aimed at addressing bilateral issues regarding the operations of their respective embassies.
Zelensky said last week that he saw Turkiye as an important security guarantor for Ukraine.

Zelensky moves on after Oval Office blowout with Trump

Zelensky moves on after Oval Office blowout with Trump
Updated 9 min 28 sec ago
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Zelensky moves on after Oval Office blowout with Trump

Zelensky moves on after Oval Office blowout with Trump
  • Zelensky on Saturday arrived in London for a summit organized by British PM
  • “If anyone is gambling with World War III, his name is Vladimir Putin,” Macron said

LONDON: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the American people and leadership and voiced hope for “strong relations,” a day after an astonishing Oval Office blowout with US President Donald Trump that left many uncertain where the once staunch allies stood.
Zelensky on Saturday arrived in London for a summit organized by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer with other European leaders.
The summit on Sunday will also include leaders from France, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Turkiye, Finland, Sweden, Czechia and Romania, as well as the NATO secretary-general and the presidents of the European Commission and European Council.
The shouting match that unfolded Friday in the final minutes of the highly anticipated meeting between Trump and Zelensky seemed to dash, at least for now, Ukrainian hopes that the United States could be locked in as a reliable partner in helping fend off, and conclude, Russia’s three-year onslaught.

Macron suggests that Putin, not Zelensky, is gambling with World War III
French President Emmanuel Macron said if someone is gambling with World War III, it is not Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky but more likely his Russian counterpart.
Macron reacted to Friday’s heated exchange between US President Donald Trump and Zelensky in the Oval Office, during which Trump accused Zelensky of “gambling with World War III.”
“If anyone is gambling with World War III, his name is Vladimir Putin,” Macron told Portugal’s RTP news channel during a visit to Lisbon ahead of Sunday’s Ukraine summit of European leaders in London.
Macron said he still hopes that the United States will remain committed to the defense of democracy.
“My hope is that the United States of America will continue to stand by its history and its principles,” he said. “Whenever we have had major conflicts, the United States of America has been on the right side of history and freedom.”

Turkish foreign minister discusses Ukraine with Lavrov
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Saturday spoke to his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov about the war in Ukraine, officials said.
The phone call came a day before Fidan is due to attend a London summit of European leaders to discuss bringing the three-year conflict to an end.
Turkiye, which has close ties to both Ukraine and Russia, has previously offered to mediate talks. It hosted unsuccessful peace talks in 2022.

Zelensky expresses his thanks to the US people
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky voiced thanks to the “American people” and leadership, and hope for “strong relations,” less than a day after an astonishing Oval Office blowout with Trump that left many uncertain where the once staunch allies stood.
Ukraine had walked into the meeting prepared to sign a mineral deal with the US, hoping it would be a step toward a just ceasefire, but left empty handed.
In a series of posts on X on Saturday, Zelensky said Ukrainians are “very grateful to the United States for all the support,” and specifically thanked Trump and Congress alongside the “American people.”
“Our relationship with the American President is more than just two leaders: It’s a historic and solid bond between our peoples. … American people helped save our people,” he said. “We want only strong relations with America and I really hope we will have them,” he added.
Zelensky arrives in the UK ahead of schedule to meet with Starmer
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer plans to meet Saturday afternoon with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky following the dramatic blowout with President Donald Trump at the White House.
Zelensky’s plane with the Ukrainian flag on its tail landed at London Stansted Airport the morning after the diplomatic spat on live TV.
Zelensky had been due to meet with Starmer on Sunday, hours before taking part in a London summit of European leaders to discuss how to ensure a peaceful end to the war and provide security across the continent.
But the timetable for their bilateral meeting was apparently sped up in the aftermath of the Washington visit.


US federal workers receive second email on justifying jobs: media

US federal workers receive second email on justifying jobs: media
Updated 01 March 2025
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US federal workers receive second email on justifying jobs: media

US federal workers receive second email on justifying jobs: media

WASHINGTON: A second email asking US federal workers to justify their jobs was sent on Friday, as part of President Donald Trump’s initiative to slash spending, media outlets reported.
It came a week after Elon Musk, the billionaire appointed by Trump to downsize the government, engineered a first mass email to the federal government’s two million employees, ordering them to justify their work or risk being fired.
The message, sent from the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the government’s HR department, had created confusion among an already anxious workforce, as multiple federal agencies told staff to ignore it.
Friday’s email once again asked staff to respond with around five bullet points describing what they accomplished in the past week and added that it would become a weekly task.
The second round of emails started going out late Friday, The New York Times, NPR and CBS News reported, stating that they had seen copies of the second message.
The email had the subject line, “What did you do last week? Part II” and went out to workers at various agencies, including the FBI, the Treasury Department and the Department of Homeland Security.
Musk, whom Trump put in charge of the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) advisory body, tasking him with slashing public spending and tackling alleged waste and corruption, has not commented on X about the new emails.
Unlike with the first email, the second message also asked workers to send their list of accomplishments by the end of Monday on a weekly basis going forward.
It also said workers whose activities are classified or sensitive could simply respond with “All of my activities are sensitive.”
CBS reported that this time the OPM had tasked individual agencies to send the email themselves, adding that each department could decide whether to do so.
Musk had previously said the original email “was basically a check to see if the employee had a pulse and was capable of replying to an email.”
Trump in a message on his social media platform Truth Social had praised Musk for “doing a great job,” but said “I would like to see him get more aggressive.”


UN refugee chief warns of hunger in Rohingya camps amid dramatic aid cuts

UN refugee chief warns of hunger in Rohingya camps amid dramatic aid cuts
Updated 01 March 2025
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UN refugee chief warns of hunger in Rohingya camps amid dramatic aid cuts

UN refugee chief warns of hunger in Rohingya camps amid dramatic aid cuts
  • Filippo Grandi is on a visit to Bangladesh, where he met with Rohingya refugees
  • Looming US aid cuts would give rise to human trafficking in refugee camps, expert says

DHAKA: UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi has warned of impending hunger and disease among the Rohingya community sheltering in southeastern Bangladesh, amid a shift in US foreign aid policy.

The US is the largest donor of humanitarian aid for the Rohingya refugees who fled violence in Myanmar. Last year, it contributed $301 million, or 55 percent of all foreign aid, for more than 1.3 million Rohingya living in camps in Cox’s Bazar district on the southeast coast of Bangladesh.

The aid is feared to stop soon, as the Donald Trump administration announced in late January that it was eliminating most of US assistance globally.

The UNHCR chief, who arrived in Bangladesh earlier this week, visited the Rohingya in Cox’s Bazar on Friday.

“If donor support decreases dramatically — which may happen — the huge work done by the Bangladesh government, aid agencies and refugees will be impacted, putting thousands at risk of hunger, disease and insecurity,” he said in an X post after the visit.

The Rohingya, a mostly Muslim ethnic minority, lived for centuries in Myanmar’s western Rakhine State but were stripped of their citizenship in the 1980s. Since then, many of them have fled to Bangladesh, with about 700,000 arriving in 2017 after a military crackdown that the UN has been referring to as a textbook case of ethnic cleansing by Myanmar.

Today, more than 1.3 million Rohingya are cramped inside 33 camps in Cox’s Bazar — the world’s largest refugee settlement.

Mizanur Rahman, the Bangladeshi government’s top refugee relief and repatriation official, told Arab News on Thursday that several hospitals in the camps had already scaled back their services and would be forced to close if there was no funding available by the end of March.

The health care crisis would be further exacerbated by limited access to food in the settlements, where the majority of refugees are already malnourished.

“Pregnant and lactating mothers, as well as newborn children, will be affected in the long term. The Rohingya refugees here in Bangladesh could face a massive rise in malnutrition, a high death-birth rate, and an increased rate of disability,” said Asif Munier, a rights and migration expert.

“Even if the funding cuts continue for a year, the impact will be long-lasting. The humanitarian losses could be irreparable, and it might take years to mitigate the effects.”

Among other basic services that will be affected is security.

“Human trafficking from the camps is expected to increase due to the desperation for income and the need for cash flow. This type of trafficking typically occurs during the dry season. Over the next two, three months, human trafficking trends may rise,” Munier told Arab News.

“I hope the US government will review and negotiate the areas of humanitarian aid. In the meantime, we should consider implementing a contingency plan ... If necessary, some services that are not of high priority could be reduced. Softer needs, such as education, can be postponed for a few months. This will help ensure the continuation of basic services.”


84 Indonesian workers from Myanmar scam centers return home

84 Indonesian workers from Myanmar scam centers return home
Updated 01 March 2025
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84 Indonesian workers from Myanmar scam centers return home

84 Indonesian workers from Myanmar scam centers return home
  • Eighty-four Indonesians returned home overnight on two flights from Thailand, Indonesian officials said Saturday, the latest group of alleged scam workers to be repatriated from the region

JAKARTA: Eighty-four Indonesians returned home overnight on two flights from Thailand, Indonesian officials said Saturday, the latest group of alleged scam workers to be repatriated from the region.
Cyberscam operations, which have thrived in Myanmar’s lawless border areas for several years, lure foreign workers with promises of high-paying jobs but hold them hostage and force them into committing online fraud.
Under pressure from key ally Beijing, Myanmar has cracked down on some of the compounds, freeing around 7,000 workers from more than two dozen countries.
The 69 Indonesian men and 15 women landed in capital Jakarta after negotiations between Indonesian officials and their Thai and Myanmar counterparts, Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affair’s citizen protection director Judha Nugraha told AFP Saturday.
“They will be brought to the Social Affairs Ministry’s safehouse and trauma center. They will undergo a rehabilitation process,” he said.
Ministry spokesperson Rolliansyah Soemirat also confirmed their return.
The group, which included three pregnant women, were in “good condition and healthy” after their evacuation from Myanmar, the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
They arrived in Jakarta on two AirAsia flights — one late Friday and one early Saturday.
The ministry said it had repatriated an early group of 46 Indonesians in February, bringing the total repatriated since last month to 140.
Thousands of Indonesians have been enticed abroad in recent years to other Southeast Asian countries for better-paying jobs, only to end up in the hands of transnational scam operators.
Between 2020 and September last year, Jakarta repatriated more than 4,700 Indonesians entangled in online scam operations from countries including Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam, according to foreign ministry data.