Tunis, Feb 9: A Tunisian court has sentenced seven terrorists to life in prison over attacks at a museum and on a beach in 2015 that left dozens of tourists dead, prosecutors said Saturday.
Two separate trials were held over the closely linked attacks which occurred just months apart in Tunis and Sousse.
The court also handed down jail terms of between six and 16 years to some of the defendants, said prosecution spokeswoman Sofiene Sliti.
Cairo, May 20: A senior Kuwaiti lawmaker has called for imposing a tax on expatriates’ remittances to shore up the country’s finances.
MP Khalil Al Saleh, the head of the parliament’s Human Resources Committee, has presented a draft law on the proposed tax to the legislature.
“Imposing fees on expatriates’ transfers will have a role in improving the state's revenues and diversify sources of income,” he told Al Rai newspaper.
Migrant workers transfer about 4.2 billion dinars annually from Kuwait, he added, citing figures from Kuwait’s Central Bank.
“This system is in effect in most countries of the world and in more than one Gulf country. Expats there have not objected to it. Allowing this money to exit the country is very dangerous and has a direct effect on economy,” MP Al Saleh said.
“We do not target brotherly expats because imposing symbolic fees on financial transfers will not affect their money, but will have a positive effect on the state’s sources,” he said. “This has become a necessity after the money transferred outside Kuwait has reached 4.2 billion dinars annually without the state [Kuwait] making any benefit from this.”
Foreign workers make up 3.3 million of Kuwait’s 4.6 million population.
Several Kuwaiti public figures have recently pushed for redrawing the demographic imbalance in the country, accusing expatriates of straining health facilities and increasing the Covid-19 threat.
Apr 25: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday spoke to his counterparts from Qatar, the UAE, Niger, Palestine and Czech Republic and held discussions around the coronavirus infection.
In conversation with Qatar Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Jaishankar discussed their experience of dealing with coronavirus infection and also thanked him for taking care of the Indian community.
"A cordial conversation with FM @MBA_AlThani_ of #Qatar. Discussed our #coronavirus experiences. Thanked him for taking care of the Indian community. Such challenging times will only further strengthen our friendship," he said in a tweet.
Jaishankar also spoke to United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed.
"Pandemics further highlight the need for international cooperation. Few better examples than our relationship with #UAE. Applaud the generosity of spirit and clarity of policy that has characterised its approach. Thank HH @ABZayed for the warm conversation today," he said in another tweet.
Jaishankar also spoke to Niger Foreign Minister Kalla Ankourao and assured him of India's support in meeting the coronavirus challenge, including medicines.
"Just spoke with FM @kallaankourao of #Niger. Assured him of India's support in meeting the #coronavirus challenge, including medicines. Discussed its global implications in the context of the United Nations," he tweeted.
Jaishankar also discussed the coronavirus situation with Palestine Foreign Minister Riad Al Malki. "Welcomed speaking with FM Riad Al Malki of #Palestine. Discussed the #coronavirus situation. Assured him of Indian medical assistance," he said in a tweet.
He also exchanged experiences on coronavirus response with Czech Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek.
The minister said the two leaders agreed that there are valuable lessons for international cooperation.
"Glad to catch up with FM @TPetricek of #CzechRepublic. Exchanged our experiences on #coronavirus response. Agreed that there are valuable lessons for international cooperation. Look forward to keeping in touch," he said in a tweet.
Protests condemning the Israeli plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank are set to take place in the United States and Europe on the same day prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to begin the process.
The demonstrations will be held on Wednesday in Chicago, San Diego, Brooklyn, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Other Western cities will also witness similar protests, including Toronto, Madrid and Valencia.
Students for Justice in Palestine, Jewish Voice for Peace, and American Muslims for Palestine are among the pro-Palestinian groups organizing the protests.
The Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, one of the organizers, urged "direct actions and popular mobilizations in [Palestinian] refugee camps, cities and villages," and professed "loyalty to the martyrs" on its call for the events.
Another group, Al-Awda or the Palestinian Right to Return Coalition, decried "72 years of genocide, ethnic cleansing and dispossession" of Palestinians.
It also tied their demonstrations to the protests against anti-black racism in the US and beyond.
"We demand the defunding and dismantling of US police alongside the defunding and dismantling of Zionist colonialism and racist Israeli apartheid," Al-Awda said on its website.
Netanyahu has set July 1 as the date for the start of cabinet discussions on the annexation plan.
He has been driven ahead by US President Donald Trump, who unveiled a “peace” plan for the Middle East in January that effectively sidelines the Palestinians altogether.
The plan, which Trump himself has described as the “deal of the century,” envisions Jerusalem al-Quds as “Israel’s undivided capital” and allows the Tel Aviv regime to annex settlements in the occupied West Bank and the Jordan Valley. The plan also denies Palestinian refugees the right of return to their homeland, among other controversial terms.
The Palestinians want the West Bank as part of a future independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem al-Quds as its capital.
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