BEIRUT: A Lebanese military court handed down a six-month prison sentence to a journalist for presenting views critical of the army, a court official told AFP said Thursday.
Hanin Ghaddar, also a researcher known for her criticism of the powerful Hezbollah movement, was sentenced in absentia on Jan. 10 over an expose at a conference in the US, the source said.
Her sentence sparked outrage among fellow journalists and academics in Lebanon, where they said free speech and freedom of the press were once again being challenged.
The court official said the ruling found Ghaddar, a US resident, guilty of “defaming the Lebanese army, harming its reputation and accusing it of distinguishing between Lebanese citizens.”
During a conference session in Washington in 2014, a recording of which is available online, she described the situation in Lebanon as “Sunnis being clamped down by Hezbollah and the Lebanese army versus Hezbollah militia being the untouchables.”
Hezbollah is a Shiite organization backed by Iran which is represented in the Lebanese government and has a militia often considered more powerful than the national army itself.
The military courts in Lebanon have a very broad jurisdiction over civilians and rights groups have voiced concern that could be used as a tool for intimidation against free speech and activism.
— AFP
Lebanon court orders six-month jail term for journalist
Lebanon court orders six-month jail term for journalist
Saudi leaders receive Eid Al-Fitr greetings from Islamic heads of state
- King Abdullah II of Jordan, King Hamad of Bahrain and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed among those to send messages
RIYADH: King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received congratulatory messages from the leaders of Islamic countries on the occasion of Eid Al-Fitr, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Eid Al-Fitr, which will begin on Sunday after an announcement from the Supreme Court on Saturday, marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan and is a time of joy, reflection and unity for Muslims around the world.
Among those who sent greetings were King Abdullah II of Jordan, King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa of Bahrain and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan.
The king and crown prince expressed their gratitude and appreciation for the messages and wished for “continued prosperity, security and stability for the Islamic nation, asking God Almighty to bless the occasion with goodness and peace,” the report said.
On Ramadan nights, Islamabad residents are all cued up and ready to win
- Snooker is a popular way to relax during holy month
- Players at Snooker 13 seek to emulate their sporting heroes, like Ronnie O’Sullivan
ISLAMABAD: Usman Sartaj reaches for the chalk on the edge of the snooker table and rotates it over his tip in a smooth, circular motion. Then he strikes the cue ball hard into the pack of reds, sending them around the table.
The popularity of snooker often increases during Ramadan, with many people visiting their local club after breaking their fast. Things are no different in Islamabad where players like 25-year-old car dealer Sartaj spend their nights before the pre-dawn sahoor meal.
“There is a lot of buzz in snooker clubs during Ramadan,” he told Arab News at the Snooker 13 club in the city’s G-13 area where he was playing after offering his Tarawih prayers.
“Snooker is a great game. It eliminates a person’s tension and stress. Tournaments are held and players come from different places,” he said.
Abdul Hadi, the club supervisor, said that the number of visitors rose from about 500 a day to 1,500 or 1,600 during the hours between the iftar and suhoor meals.
He said it was an affordable way to spend the time.
“It’s around Rs150-200 (50-70 cents) for a frame,” he said. “So everyone can afford it, even the students.”
Muhammad Shahbaz, 27, who works in Dubai but was in Pakistan to spend Ramadan and Eid with his family, said his favorite player was seven-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan.
“We admire Ronnie’s game and love to watch and follow him,” Shahbaz said. “We try to follow his tricks and his shots.”
Pakistan also has its snooker heroes. Muhammad Asif is a three-time world amateur champion and made the last 32 of the English Open in 2023.
“There is a lot of snooker talent in Pakistan and if we want to promote it, the government has to support it,” Shahbaz said.
Shavez Ahmed, a 30-year-old realtor, said there was no doubt snooker was one of the most popular games during Ramadan.
“Other games are impressive — we play cricket and badminton as well — but the craze for snooker in Ramadan never ends.”
Ramadan reflections of a Brazilian in Riyadh
JEDDAH: Being in Saudi Arabia during Ramadan is a distinct cultural experience, providing non-Muslims with an opportunity to learn more about Islam and its traditions.
Brazilian teacher Talita Schneider Pereira moved to Riyadh in 2023 and says she has found inspiration in the warmth of a community that has welcomed her with open arms.
Speaking to Arab News about her second Ramadan in the Kingdom, Pereira said: “Even though fasting is not something I practice — coming from a different faith and cultural background — I try to take this month as a time for reflection and spiritual connection.”
Pereira was born in Sao Lourenco do Sul, a city located near the border with Uruguay in southern Brazil with 50,000 inhabitants. At the age of 27, she moved to Spain to pursue a master’s degree in teaching Spanish as a foreign language.
“I have always been very curious, and in Spain, where there is a significant Muslim community, I had learned about Ramadan before moving here,” Pereira told Arab News. “I know it is a sacred month for Muslims; a time of fasting, prayer, and reflection, during which it is believed that the gates of hell are closed, and those of heaven are open. Beyond abstaining from food and drink, the most important aspect is the spiritual connection and the desire to strengthen one’s relationship with Allah.
“For me, it is a period I approach with complete normalcy, and perhaps that is why I do not find it difficult. It is true that schedules change and that the logistics of shopping or certain other activities are affected, but this is nothing compared to the profound significance of this month for Muslims. I try to embrace the experience and adapt to the country’s rhythms.”
This year, Pereira decided to wear the hijab at work to connect with her colleagues and students.
She said it is “wonderful” to see her students’ excitement when they talk about what Ramadan means to them.
“Their eyes light up as they share their traditions and beliefs. Even though I am not Muslim, hearing the call to prayer encourages me to engage in my own conversations with God more frequently,” she said.
Describing her own experience of the month of Ramadan in Saudi Arabia, she said: “When night falls, Riyadh transforms completely. It is as if the city changes clothes: the lights beautifully illuminate the monuments, the streets fill with people, and restaurants and malls remain bustling until late into the night. I am still amazed to see supermarkets open until 1 a.m. and shopping centers packed with people at midnight.”
As a teacher, the main challenge for Pereira is refraining from drinking water during classes. “It is not forbidden, but, out of respect for my Muslim students, I choose not to do it. Talking so much throughout the day often leaves my mouth very dry, which can be uncomfortable,” she said. “However, this is a minor inconvenience compared to the beauty of experiencing this season.”
Although she has spent only two years so far in the Kingdom, Pereira already has special memories she will cherish.
“On my last birthday, my colleagues from the Arabic department organized a small surprise party for me. I believe this says a lot about the hospitality and warmth of Muslim women, who welcome us with open arms just as we are. That gesture touched me deeply, making me feel a genuine and sincere affection,” she said.
And Pereira added that she looks forward to joining in the fasting at some point in the future. “I believe it is an experience worth trying, both spiritually and physically,” she said.
Eight-month peace deal reached after deadly clashes in Pakistan’s Kurram district
- The peace deal follows last year’s Kohat Agreement, which called for a ceasefire and removal of private bunkers
- Violence in Kurram lasted for months, triggered a humanitarian crisis, cutting off access to food, fuel and medicine
PESHAWAR: An eight-month peace agreement was reached on Saturday between warring factions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s restive Kurram district, with all sides pledging to resolve future disputes through legal means, according to a statement shared by a police official.
Kurram, a tribal district of around 600,000 people bordering Afghanistan, has long been a flashpoint for sectarian violence between Shia and Sunni tribes. Clashes between the two sides have killed more than 150 people since November, while militant attacks and retaliatory violence have claimed even more lives of people and security personnel during months of unrest.
The violence also created a humanitarian crisis, with road blockades cutting off access to food, fuel and life-saving medicines, leading to the reported deaths of dozens of children.
“Representatives of both sides agreed to maintain peace for a period of eight months in order to prevent any kind of conflict in the area and to work toward improving the situation,” said a statement shared by district police spokesperson Riaz Khan.
The deal was struck following a jirga, or tribal council, held in the presence of provincial authorities and the local administration.
The agreement builds on the Kohat Agreement, a peace framework developed last year that called for a ceasefire, disarmament, the dismantling of private bunkers in the area and government oversight to ensure sustainable peace.
“Under this agreement, if any untoward incident occurs on the road, legal action will be taken against the responsible party in accordance with the ‘Kohat Agreement,’” the statement continued.
“Both sides pledged that in the event of any incident that could harm peace in the area, they would consult with each other and seek a solution through legal means,” it added.
It was also agreed that the main road through Kurram, closed for months due to violence, will be formally reopened in a joint announcement by the government and state institutions to ease public hardship and facilitate travel.
Arctic sea ice hits lowest peak in satellite record, says US agency
In recent years, less new ice has formed, and the accumulation of multi-year ice has steadily declined
WASHINGTON: This year’s Arctic Sea ice peak is the lowest in the 47-year satellite record, according to data released by the US National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) on Thursday, as the planet continues to swelter under the mounting effects of human-driven climate change.
Arctic sea ice forms and expands during the dark, frigid northern winter, reaching its seasonal high point in March. But in recent years, less new ice has formed, and the accumulation of multi-year ice has steadily declined.
The maximum sea ice level for 2025 was likely reached on March 22, measuring 14.33 million square kilometers (5.53 million square miles) — below the previous low of 14.41 million square kilometers set in 2017.
“This new record low is yet another indicator of how Arctic sea ice has fundamentally changed from earlier decades,” said NSIDC senior research scientist Walt Meier in a statement.
“But even more importantly than the record low is that this year adds yet another data point to the continuing long-term loss of Arctic sea ice in all seasons.”
The Arctic record follows a near-record-low summer minimum in the Antarctic, where seasons are reversed.
The 2025 Antarctic sea ice minimum, reached on March 1, was just 1.98 million square kilometers, tying for the second-lowest annual minimum in the satellite record, alongside 2022 and 2024.
Combined Arctic and Antarctic sea ice cover — frozen ocean water that floats on the surface — plunged to a record low in mid-February, more than a million square miles below the pre-2010 average. That is an area larger than the entire country of Algeria.
“We’re going to come into this next summer season with less ice to begin with,” said Linette Boisvert, an ice scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “It doesn’t bode well for the future.”
US scientists primarily monitor sea ice using satellites from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP), which detect Earth’s microwave radiation.
Because open water and sea ice emit microwave energy differently, the contrast allows sea ice to stand out clearly in satellite imagery — even through cloud cover, which obscures traditional optical sensors.
DMSP data is supplemented with historical records, including early observations from the Nimbus-7 satellite, which operated from 1978 to 1985.
While floating sea ice does not directly raise sea levels, its disappearance sets off a cascade of climate consequences, altering weather patterns, disrupting ocean currents, and threatening ecosystems and human communities.
As reflective ice gives way to the darker ocean, more solar energy is absorbed rather than reflected back into space, accelerating both ice melt and global warming.
Shrinking Arctic ice is also reshaping geopolitics, opening new shipping lanes and drawing geopolitical interest. Since taking office this year, US President Donald Trump has said his country must control Greenland, a Danish autonomous territory rich in mineral resources.
The loss of polar ice spells disaster for numerous species, robbing polar bears, seals, and penguins of crucial habitat used for shelter, hunting, and breeding.
Last year was the hottest on record, and the trend continues: 2025 began with the warmest January ever recorded, followed by the third-warmest February.
NOAA predicts that La Nina weather conditions, which tend to cool global temperatures, are likely to give way to neutral conditions that would persist over the Northern Hemisphere summer.
Polar regions are especially vulnerable to global warming, heating several times faster than the global average.
Since mid-2023, only July 2024 fell below 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming, raising concerns that the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting long-term warming to 1.5C may be slipping out of reach.
