DHAKA: A judge in Bangladesh issued an arrest warrant for British lawmaker and former government minister Tulip Siddiq, a niece of Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted from her 15-year rule in a mass uprising in August.
The country’s Anti-Corruption Commission has been investigating allegations against Siddiq that she and her family members, including Hasina, illegally received land in a state-owned township project near the capital, Dhaka.
Senior Special Judge of Dhaka Metropolitan Zakir Hossain passed the order on Sunday, after considering charges in three separate cases filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission, the leading Dhaka-based Bengali-language Prothom Alo newspaper reported.
Siddiq, 42, was named in the arrest warrant along with more than 50 others including her mother, Sheikh Rehana, and her brother, Radwan Siddiq, the newspaper reported.
Siddiq said the charges were “a completely politically motivated smear campaign, trying to harass me.”
“There is no evidence that I’ve done anything wrong,” she told reporters in London.
Siddiq’s lawyers also called the charges baseless. “To be clear, there is no basis at all for any charges to be made against her, and there is absolutely no truth in any allegation that she received a plot of land in Dhaka through illegal means,” the law firm Stephenson Harwood said in a statement.
The lawmaker, who represents the north London district of Hampstead and Highgate in Parliament, served in Britain’s center-left Labour Party government as economic secretary to the Treasury — the minister responsible for tackling financial corruption.
She quit that post in January after she was named in an anti-corruption investigation into Hasina and her family in Bangladesh. The investigation alleged that Siddiq’s family was involved in brokering a 2013 deal with Russia for a nuclear power plant in Bangladesh in which large sums of money were said to have been embezzled.
Siddiq said in January that she had been cleared of wrongdoing, but that the issue was becoming “a distraction from the work of the government.”
Hasina’s Bangladesh Awami League party says the charges are politically motivated to destroy the reputation of the prominent family. Hasina’s father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, is Bangladesh’s independence leader. The country gained independence in 1971 under his leadership after a nine-month war against Pakistan.
Hasina has been in exile in India since early August.
After the ouster of Hasina on Aug. 5 last year, Siddiq’s mother’s home in Dhaka’s upscale Gulshan area was looted and vandalized, and so far no police case has been filed over the incident. Hasina accused Bangladesh’s interim administration headed by Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus of backing mobs to attack her followers across the country. The home affairs adviser says they are trying to restore order in the country.
Bangladesh arrest warrant issued for British lawmaker linked to ex-Premier Hasina
https://arab.news/m286g
Bangladesh arrest warrant issued for British lawmaker linked to ex-Premier Hasina
- Tulip Siddiq, 42, is a niece of ex-Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina who was ousted in violent uprising in 2024
- Country’s anti-corruption watchdog has been probing Siddiq for allegedly receiving land illegally in state-owned project
HRW accuses Israel of ‘indiscriminate’ attacks on civilians during war in Lebanon
- “At least one of the attacks used an air-dropped bomb equipped with a US-produced Joint Direct Attack Munition guidance kit,” HRW said
- HRW’s Ramzi Kaiss said in the statement that “more and more evidence is emerging that Israeli forces repeatedly failed to protect civilians
BEIRUT: Human Rights Watch accused Israel on Wednesday of “indiscriminate” attacks on civilians during its recent war with Hezbollah, saying two deadly strikes in east Lebanon should be investigated as war crimes.
A November 27 ceasefire sought to end more than a year of hostilities between the two sides that began with Iran-backed Hezbollah’s cross-border fire at Israel in support of its Palestinian ally Hamas.
More than 4,000 people were killed in Lebanon, most of them during two months of all-out war that erupted in September, according to Lebanese authorities.
Among the dead were hundreds of Hezbollah fighters and a slew of senior commanders.
HRW said “two unlawful Israeli strikes” on the town of Yunin in the eastern Bekaa Valley that killed more than 30 people “were apparent indiscriminate attacks on civilians.”
“At least one of the attacks used an air-dropped bomb equipped with a United States-produced Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) guidance kit,” it said.
“The attacks should be investigated as war crimes.”
On September 25, a strike “killed a family of 23 people, all Syrians, including 13 children,” HRW said, while another on November 1 on a two-story house “killed 10 people, including two children, one of them a year old.”
HRW said it “did not find any evidence of military activity or targets at either site” and that the Israeli army did not issue evacuation warnings ahead of the strikes.
The rights watchdog said it had contacted the Israeli military about its findings but had “not received a response.”
AFP has also contacted the military for comment on the report.
HRW’s Ramzi Kaiss said in the statement that “more and more evidence is emerging that Israeli forces repeatedly failed to protect civilians or adequately distinguish civilians from military targets during its strikes across Lebanon.”
Washington’s supply of weapons to Israel “has made the US complicit in their unlawful use,” HRW added.
It urged the Lebanese government to give “the International Criminal Court jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute crimes” and provide “a path for justice for grieving families.”
Swathes of Lebanon’s south and east and parts of Beirut’s southern suburbs were heavily damaged by Israeli bombardment during the hostilities.
Last month, rights group Amnesty International said Israel’s attacks on ambulances, paramedics and health facilities in Lebanon during the conflict should also be investigated as war crimes.
Saudia Group orders 20 Airbus A330neo jets to fuel fleet expansion
RIYADH: Saudia Group has signed a new agreement with Airbus to acquire 20 wide-body A330neo aircraft, including 10 confirmed orders for its low-cost carrier flyadeal, as part of its fleet expansion strategy.
The deal, finalized at Airbus’s facility in Toulouse, France, reinforces the group’s ambitions to enhance operational efficiency and expand destination coverage, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.
With deliveries scheduled between 2027 and 2029, the acquisition marks a continuation of Saudia Group’s broader modernization plan, which includes a 2023 order for 105 Airbus aircraft.
A330neo’s long-range capability and fuel efficiency are expected to play a central role in supporting the Kingdom’s goals of connecting to 250 destinations and transporting 330 million passengers annually.
The agreement aligns with the Kingdom’s broader trend of making multiple Airbus aircraft purchases.
In October, Riyadh Air signed a deal to purchase 60 Airbus A321neo aircraft. In July, the Royal Saudi Air Force signed a contract with Airbus for four additional A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport aircraft.
The deal was signed by Saleh Eid, vice president Fleet Management and Agreements at Saudia Airlines, and Benoit de Saint-Exupery, executive vice president of Commercial Aircraft Sales at Airbus, in the presence of Ibrahim Al-Omar, director general of Saudia Group and Christian Scherer, CEO of the Commercial Aircraft business of Airbus.
Al-Omar emphasized the significance of the deal as a continuation of the group’s ambitious strategy to expand and modernize its fleet.
He noted that this agreement follows a previous order of 105 Airbus aircraft in 2023 and supports national strategies under Vision 2030 aimed at reaching 250 destinations, transporting 330 million passengers, and attracting 150 million tourists annually.
Benoit de Saint-Exupery welcomed the order as a strategic advancement for both parties.
“Saudia Group’s order for A330neo aircraft for flyadeal is a crucial step toward enabling the Kingdom’s long-haul expansion and attracting a broader range of passengers,” he said.
“The aircraft’s proven efficiency, versatility, and passenger experience make it the right fit for Saudia Group’s strategic growth,” he added.
Saudia Group currently operates a fleet of 194 aircraft across its commercial, low-cost, cargo, and logistics divisions.
With an additional 191 aircraft expected to be delivered in the coming years, the group is advancing its position as a key enabler of Saudi Arabia’s aviation sector and broader national development initiatives.
Saudi crown prince, Jordan’s king hold meeting in Jeddah
- King Abdullah expressed pride in historical relations between Riyadh and Amman
- Two leaders discussed recent developments in the region, particularly situation in Gaza Strip
RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Jordan’s King Abdullah II on Wednesday during an official visit to Saudi Arabia.
King Abdullah arrived in Jeddah, accompanied by Crown Prince Hussein, and was received by the deputy governor of Makkah, Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
#فيديو_واس pic.twitter.com/84qFZQuQVo
— واس الأخبار الملكية (@spagov) April 23, 2025
King Abdullah expressed pride in the historical relations between Riyadh and Amman during his meeting with the crown prince, the Petra news agency reported. He acknowledged the significant role of Saudi Arabia in supporting Arab and Islamic causes.
The two leaders discussed recent developments in the region, particularly the situation in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank, Petra added.
Saudi Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman, Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Crown Prince Hussein and Director of the Jordanian King’s Office Alaa Batayneh attended the meeting.
French FM says Iraq should not be dragged into regional conflicts
- “It is essential for Iraq not to be drawn into conflicts it did not choose,” Barrot said
- He praised the Iraqi government’s efforts to “preserve the stability of the country“
BAGHDAD: France’s foreign minister said on Wednesday that Iraq should not be pulled into conflicts in a turbulent Middle East during his first visit to the country, which has suffered from decades of instability.
Jean-Noel Barrot will also visit Kuwait and Saudi Arabia as part of a regional tour to push for a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Amid the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, Iraq, an ally to both Tehran and Washington, has been navigating a delicate balancing act not to be drawn into the fighting, after pro-Iran factions launched numerous attacks on US troops based in Iraq, as well as mostly failed attacks on Israel.
“It is essential for Iraq not to be drawn into conflicts it did not choose,” Barrot said in a joint conference with his counterpart Fuad Hussein.
He praised the Iraqi government’s efforts to “preserve the stability of the country.”
“We are convinced that a strong and independent Iraq is a source of stability for the entire region, which is threatened today by the conflict that started on October 7, and Iran’s destabilising activities,” Barrot said.
There have been no attacks by pro-Iran Iraqi factions for several months, while Iraq is now preparing to host an Arab League summit and the third edition of the Baghdad Conference on regional stability, which Paris has been co-organizing with Baghdad since 2021.
Since returning to the White House in January, US President Donald Trump has reinstated his “maximum pressure” policy with Iran while engaging in talks over its nuclear program.
Fuad Hussein urged for successful talks “to spare the region from the danger of war,” adding that “there are no alternatives to negotiations.”
Barrot met Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani in Baghdad, and he is expected later in the autonomous Kurdistan region in northern Iraq to meet with Kurdish leaders.
Sudani said he welcomed “an upcoming visit” of French President Emmanuel Macron to Iraq, which would be his third trip to the country.
Iraq and France have been strengthening their bilateral relations in several sectors, including energy and security.
France has deployed troops in Iraq as part of the US-led international coalition to fight the Daesh group, which was defeated in Iraq in 2017, although some of its militant cells remain active.
Baghdad is now seeking to end the coalition’s mission and replace it with bilateral military partnerships with the coalition’s members, saying its own forces can lead the fight against the weakened militants.
“We cannot allow ten years of success against terrorism to be undermined,” Barrot said, adding that France remains ready to contribute to the fighting.
Barrot’s regional tour will also help “prepare for the international conference for the implementation of the two-state solution” that Paris will co-organize in June with Riyadh, the French foreign ministry said.
Macron said earlier this month that France planned to recognize a Palestinian state, possibly as early as June.
He said he hoped it would “trigger a series of other recognitions,” including of Israel.
For decades, the formal recognition of a Palestinian state has been seen as the endgame of a peace process between Palestinians and Israel.
Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia target key sectors in push to deepen economic ties
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia plan to boost economic cooperation in key sectors — including agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism — as officials from both nations met at a forum in Riyadh.
The event, organized by the Federation of Saudi Chambers, brought together more than 150 representatives from the public and private sectors of both countries, the Saudi Press Agency reported, and marked the first major gathering since the establishment of the Saudi-Ethiopian Business Council last year.
The initiative aligns with Saudi Arabia’s strategy to strengthen economic ties with African nations and explore new investment opportunities and markets, recognizing Ethiopia’s potential as a favorable investment environment, a key trade gateway to the continent.
Ethiopia’s State Minister for Trade and Regional Integration Abdulhakim Mulu invited Saudi investors to explore opportunities in key sectors including agriculture, food industries, and tourism, as well as hospitality and manufacturing.
He emphasized Ethiopia’s rapid economic growth and the government’s commitment to improving infrastructure and fostering a favorable investment climate.
Federation of Saudi Chambers Chairman Hassan Al-Huwaizi stated that Saudi Arabia is actively working to strengthen its relations with African countries, particularly Ethiopia, which serves as a strategic gateway for Saudi exports to the continent.
“He noted Ethiopia’s natural resources and potential in agriculture, food industries, and mining, adding that the limited trade volume, which is merely SR1.3 billion ($347.1 million), indicates untapped investment opportunities,” SPA reported.
The Saudi-Ethiopian Business Council was formally approved by the Saudi General Authority for Foreign Trade last year to enhance bilateral trade and investment. Its formation followed agreements reached during a prior forum held on June 5 in Addis Ababa.
As both nations seek to deepen their economic engagement, the council is expected to play a pivotal role in unlocking new opportunities, boosting bilateral trade, and fostering a more integrated economic partnership between Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia.
According to a 2024 World Bank report, Ethiopia — home to 126.5 million people as of 2023 — is the second most populous nation in Africa and one of the continent’s fastest-growing economies, recording a 7.2 percent growth rate in the 2022/2023 fiscal year.
Despite this progress, Ethiopia remains one of the world’s poorest countries, with a gross national income per capita of $1,020. The country aims to achieve lower-middle-income status by 2025, building on years of infrastructure-driven growth that have helped reduce poverty and improve access to essential services.
