PITTSBURGH: A man charged with shooting 11 worshipers to death at a Pittsburgh synagogue was due to make his first court appearance on Monday as more details of the attack emerged and the congregation struggled to come to terms with the deadliest ever attack on America’s Jewish community.
“I think people are in various stages of trauma, mourning, disbelief, shock all rolled into one,” Rabbi Jeffrey Myers of the Tree of Life Synagogue told ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Monday.
Robert Bowers, 46, who has a history of posting anti-Semitic material online, has been charged with 29 criminal counts, including the violation of US civil rights laws in what federal prosecutors say was a hate crime.
Several of the charges against Bowers, who was wounded in a gunbattle with police, can be punishable by the death penalty. Bowers was discharged from Allegheny General Hospital on Monday morning a few hours before his scheduled court appearance.
Bowers is accused of storming into the Tree of Life temple in Squirrel Hill, the heart of Pittsburgh’s close-knit Jewish community, yelling “All Jews must die” as he opened fire on members of three congregations holding Sabbath prayer services there on Saturday morning.
According to a document filed at the US District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, three handguns and an AR-15 rifle were recovered at the scene.
The complaint quoted Bowers as saying to one law enforcement officer, in substance, “they’re committing genocide to my people.”
“I just want to kill Jews.”
A police report on the shooting rampage described an exchange of fire outside the synagogue between police officers and Bowers, who retreated inside. Police entered the building and Bowers was shot multiple times and critically wounded. A police officer was also shot a number of times.
Jeffrey Cohen, president of Allegheny General Hospital and a member of the Tree of Life Synagogue, told ABC on Monday he went to the hospital because he wanted to see the man accused of the shootings.
“He’s taken into my hospital and he’s shouting, ‘I want to kill all the Jews,’ and the first three people who are taking care of him were Jewish,” Cohen said.
In addition to the 11 mostly elderly worshipers who were killed, six people, including four police officers who confronted the gunman, were wounded before the suspect surrendered. Two of the surviving victims remained hospitalized in critical condition.
A GoFundMe campaign has raised $589,000 for victims. The Islamic Center of Pittsburgh by Monday had raised nearly $120,000 for victims.
About 2,500 people attended an interfaith memorial service for the victims late on Sunday on the University of Pittsburgh campus.
The dead included two brothers in their 50s, David and Cecil Rosenthal, a married couple in their 80s, Sylvan and Bernice Simon, and 97-year-old Rose Mallinger, the oldest of the victims.
Another was Dr. Jerry Rabinowitz, 66, a family physician who initially escaped the attack only to be killed when he returned to render aid to the wounded, according to a Wall Street Journal op-ed column by Pittsburgh carpet salesman Lou Weiss, who knew five of the victims personally.
The killings rocked the Squirrel Hill community, an enclave that encompasses several synagogues and Jewish religious schools, and sparked security alerts at places of worship across the country.
Gab.com, the website where the suspected gunman posted anti-Semitic views, said on Monday it has provided “plenty of evidence” to the Department of Justice and the FBI.
Gab went offline after GoDaddy Inc. asked it to move the domain to another registrar while PayPal Holdings Inc. and Stripe Inc. blocked the website from using their payment services.
Gab said it is working around the clock to get back online but will be inaccessible for a period of time.
The massacre also took on political overtones as some complained that the confrontational, nationalistic rhetoric of US President Donald Trump has encouraged right-wing extremists and fed a surge in activity by hate groups.
The United States is just over a week away from midterm elections that will decide the balance of power in Congress.
Trump, who branded Saturday’s shooting an act of pure evil and called on Americans to rise above hatred, was already facing similar criticism after pipe bombs were mailed last week to some of his most prominent political adversaries. The targets, mostly Democrats, included former US President Barack Obama.
Cesar Sayoc, 56, a strip club DJ and part-time pizza delivery man whose van was pasted with pro-Trump images and slogans disparaging the political left, was arrested in the pipe bomb case on Friday and faced his first court appearance on Monday in Florida.
As Pittsburgh synagogue reels from massacre, suspect due in court
As Pittsburgh synagogue reels from massacre, suspect due in court
- Robert Bowers, 46, who has a history of posting anti-Semitic material online, has been charged with 29 criminal counts
- Several of the charges against Bowers, who was wounded in a gunbattle with police, can be punishable by the death penalty
Saudi Arabia participates in the first executive committee meeting of IAACA
- Mazin bin Ibrahim Al-Kahmous said that Saudi Arabia has paid great attention to strengthening international partnerships in combating corruption and promoting integrity
- Al-Kahmous noted that Saudi Arabia believes in the pivotal role played by IAACA in promoting transparency
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia, represented by the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority, or Nazaha, participated in the first executive committee meeting of the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities, held virtually on Thursday.
The president of Nazaha, Mazin bin Ibrahim Al-Kahmous, expressed his gratitude to IAACA president and commissioner of Hong Kong’s Independent Commission Against Corruption, Danny Woo, for the valuable efforts made by the association to enhance international cooperation in combating corruption.
Al-Kahmous said Saudi Arabia has paid great attention to strengthening international partnerships in combating corruption and promoting integrity, resulting in several tangible achievements, according to a press release.
He noted that Saudi Arabia believes in the pivotal role played by IAACA in promoting transparency and facilitating the exchange of expertise, knowledge, and experiences.
He expressed hope that the Kingdom’s engagement with the association would lead to the launch of several key initiatives, including the periodic in-person general meeting of IAACA members in Hong Kong or on the sidelines of the Conference of the States Parties to the UN Convention against Corruption.
He also suggested the establishment of a mechanism to enhance the exchange of expertise among IAACA members in partnership with the GlobE Network, such as organizing joint workshops among members of the association.
Al-Kahmous invited all members to participate in the High-Level Conference on Measuring Corruption, scheduled to be held in New York Dec 2-4, 2025.
This event builds on the Global Initiative on Measuring Corruption launched by Nazaha in 2021.
The initiative is conducted in partnership with the UN Development Programme, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the International Anti-Corruption Academy.
The IAACA is an independent, non-political organization with over 180 anti-corruption authorities worldwide. The association works to combat corruption, implement the UN Convention against Corruption, and achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly mitigating corruption and bribery in all forms by 2030.
The association is committed to enhancing relationships with international and regional organizations to unify and advance efforts within the global anti-corruption community.
Spurs’ Kulusevski out for a few months after knee surgery, Postecoglou says
- The Sweden international was injured in the 2-0 Premier League defeat to Crystal Palace
- “Obviously disappointing news,” Postecoglou told reporters
LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur attacking midfielder Dejan Kulusevski will be out for a few months after having knee surgery, said manager Ange Postecoglou, and will miss Wednesday’s Europa League final.
The Sweden international was injured in the 2-0 Premier League defeat at home to Crystal Palace at the weekend
“Obviously disappointing news. Initially we thought it wasn’t too serious ... it kind of blew up the day after and we knew there was an issue,” Postecoglou told reporters on Thursday.
“He’s had the surgery which will put him out for at least a few months.”
Asked if Kulusevski would be back for the start of next season, Postecoglou said it was too early to say.
“We’ll see. I only have basic information at the moment in terms of recovery, but it’ll certainly put him out for a while,” he added.
Spurs face fellow Premier League strugglers Manchester United in the Europa League final in Bilbao.
Uganda army chief threatens voters who don't choose his father
- The east African country is due to hold a general election in January
- The commander of the army also said that all serving women would from now on march in skirts
Nairobi: The Ugandan president’s son said Thursday that any citizen who voted against his father in upcoming polls would be deported, while also banning women in the army from wearing trousers.
The east African country is due to hold a general election in January, and there has been a mounting crackdown on the opposition in recent months.
General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the son and heir-apparent of long-ruling President Yoweri Museveni, is infamous for his colorful tweets that touch on everything from military matters to his social life.
On Thursday, he posted on X that individuals who “who do not support Mzee wholeheartedly better be very careful!,” using an honorific for his father.
“We will deport all the traitors in public view!!,” he added.
Earlier this month Kainerugaba claimed to have captured and tortured opposition leader Bobi Wine’s bodyguard Eddie Mutwe, who later appeared in court showing signs of torture, according to Justice Minister Norbert Mao.
In another post, Kainerugaba wrote that he took “FULL responsibility” for the actions of his soldiers, “including the long overdue beating of Eddie Mutwe.”
He added: “That was an appetizer!“
Rounding out his string of posts, the commander of the army also said that all serving women would from now on march in skirts.
“Trousers are for men not for women. Anyone who forces our sisters to put on trousers on parade again will have a very bad day,” he explained.
Only a fraction of the Ugandan People’s Defense Force (UPDF) is made up of women, and they are issued the same daily uniform as their male counterparts. They are permitted to wear skirts on formal occasions, according to local media.
Lulu reports Q1 2025 revenue of $2.1 billion, up 7.3% year-on-year
Lulu, the largest and fastest-growing pan-GCC full-line retailer, has announced its financial results for the three months ended 31 March.
Its key highlights are:
- Q1 2025 revenue of $2.1 billion, up 7.3% YoY, with like-for-like sales up 3.6% YoY driven by strong sales during Ramadan and volume growth in certain product categories.
- EBITDA of $214.1 million, up 6.4% YoY, with EBITDA margin of 10.3%, stable vs. Q1 2024.
- Net profit of $69.7 million, up 15.8% YoY, with net profit margin of 3.4%, up 25 bps vs. Q1 2024.
- Good strategic progress with five new stores opened in Q1 2025 including in Makkah and Madinah, with the target for 20 new stores in 2025 unchanged.
- E-commerce sales grew strongly, up 25.3% YoY to $93.4 million; now 4.7% of retail revenue.
- Strong growth in revenue from Private Label products, up 9.5% YoY; 29.3% of retail revenue.
- Happiness loyalty program members reached c.6.3 million in Q1 vs. c.5.5 million in FY24; linked to 65% of sales.
Saifee Rupawala, chief executive officer of Lulu, said: “We are pleased to have demonstrated good growth in the first quarter of this year, with revenue up 7.3% YoY.
"This was underpinned by a combination of like-for-like sales growth, supported by strong trading during the Ramadan period, and our store rollout program, which remains well on track with five stores opened in the quarter, in line with our plan to roll out a total of 20 stores in 2025.
"The first quarter also saw Lulu make good progress on delivering on our overall growth strategy, supported by robust sales in Private Label and e-commerce, which remain key components of our strategy.”
Rupawala added: “Looking ahead, we expect our growth momentum to continue as we remain focused on several initiatives under each of our four key pillars, including driving growth in existing store network, opening new stores, driving operational efficiencies and delivering further upside through our private label and e-commerce offerings.
"Overall, we are pleased with the performance in the first quarter, marking a good start to 2025, and we look forward to continuing to deliver on our strategy throughout the rest of the year.”
Financial summary
- Fresh food category revenue grew 7.9% YoY in the first quarter, driven by the Ramadan period, improved consumption trends.
- The electrical goods category witnessed revenue growth of 29.0% YoY, mainly due to an increase in sales across higher value items.
- Lifestyle products grew 6.9% YoY despite pressure as customers opted for more value products.
- Consumer Packaged Goods sales grew steadily at 1.4% YoY, with the sales increase mainly driven by strong volume growth, which was partly offset by some pricing pressure as a result of promotional campaigns.
- E-commerce remains an important component of Lulu’s growth strategy, with sales +25.3% YoY and customer count +26.1% YoY.
Lulu delivered revenue growth across all segments in Q1 2025, with particularly strong performances in Saudi Arabia and Oman.
- The UAE, Lulu’s largest market, recorded a mid-single-digit revenue increase of 5.2% YoY, led by particularly strong performance in the fresh food segment, which grew 15.6% YoY. This was further supported by strong e-commerce sales in the UAE, which saw robust growth, rising 40.1% YoY, supported by an increase in sales through aggregators.
- In Saudi Arabia, revenue rose by 10.3% YoY, primarily driven by new store openings in the last 12 months and strong LFL growth.
Other key markets also delivered solid results in Q1 2025, with revenue in Oman increasing 7.8% YoY as a result of strong growth in the electrical goods product category, Qatar up 6.7% YoY following a good trading period during festive season, and Kuwait up 4.8% YoY, with supermarket sales contributing c.50% of overall growth in the region, further supported by a strong uptick in e-commerce sales.
Gross profit increased 4.0% YoY to $464.5 million, with gross margins reaching 22.3% in the period, down 70 basis points compared to the prior year.
This margin reduction was mainly due to promotional campaigns to drive higher footfall into Lulu stores during the festive period.
EBITDA grew 6.4% YoY to $214.1 million, supported by improved operational cost efficiencies, which helped offset the lower gross margin.
As a result, Q1 2025 EBITDA margin remained broadly stable at 10.3% compared to 10.4% in Q1 2024. On a post-lease expense basis, EBITDA margin improved by approximately 8 bps, reflecting Lulu’s continued operational discipline.
Net profit increased by 15.8% to $69.7 million, with net profit margins improving by 25 basis points as a result of stronger EBIT margin and lower interest expense, despite higher taxes in the period.
During the quarter, net debt decreased to $2.3 billion, with net debt/EBITDA improving from 3.2x in December 2024 to 2.9x at the end of Q1 2025. Excluding lease liabilities, leverage improved from 1.3x to 0.9x over the same period.
Lulu continues to make good progress on delivering on its growth strategy, having rolled out five new stores in the period, delivered good LFL growth within its existing stores and also benefiting from further upside opportunities across Private Label and e-commerce sales.
During Q1 2025, Lulu opened two hypermarkets and three express stores, adding 22,339 square meters of retail space in the period, with the company’s total retail space up 2% to 1.34 million square meters, as at the end of Q1 2025.
Within this, Lulu was pleased to open an over 10,000 square meter hypermarket in Makkah and an express store in Madinah, two uniquely located stores with high footfall given the proximity to holy sites.
In addition to the two stores in KSA, Lulu also opened two express stores in the UAE, alongside a hypermarket in Bahrain. Lulu remains on track with its store rollout plans, with the company expecting to open a total of 20 stores in 2025, with the remaining 15 stores expected to open over the year.
Lulu is also pleased to have signed a memorandum of understanding with Awqaf Dubai for the development of a group of retail stores as part of Dubai’s endowment projects.
Under the partnership, Lulu will collaborate with Awqaf Dubai on upcoming community projects to develop shopping facilities that will better serve and enhance the retail experience of residents and visitors, while also contributing to Awqaf’s broader social and economic objectives.
Following the successful rollout of its loyalty program across all regions in 2024, Lulu’s Happiness Loyalty program continues to see good momentum in new members.
Infantino’s late arrival from Trump tour in Middle East delays start of FIFA annual meeting
- FIFA said a new start time was set for three hours later
- Qatar hosted the men’s World Cup in 2022 and Saudi Arabia will host in 2034
ASUNCION: FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s late arrival from the Middle East, where he joined US President Donald Trump’s state visits to Saudi Arabia and Qatar this week, delayed the opening of FIFA’s annual meeting of 211 member federations on Thursday.
Infantino’s flight in a private jet to Paraguay from Doha, via a stop in Nigeria, was still in the air at the 9:30 a.m. local time (1230GMT) scheduled start of the meeting he was to address in Asuncion.
FIFA said a new start time was set for three hours later.
Officials from the national federations have gathered in Paraguay all week ahead of the last FIFA Congress before the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Infantino opted to join President Trump on the first legs of the tour instead of meeting with his voting members. Qatar hosted the men’s World Cup in 2022 and Saudi Arabia will host in 2034.
On Wednesday in Doha, Qatar’s ruling Emir — a fellow member of the International Olympic Committee with Infantino — hosted the visiting delegations at a state dinner at Lusail Palace.
Infantino has built close ties to both Trump administrations. President Trump is set to present the trophy at the finals in New Jersey of both the Club World Cup in July and the World Cup next year.
