Latest news with #Mehdi
Buzz Feed
an hour ago
- Politics
- Buzz Feed
20 Far-Right Conservatives Spewed Their Wild Beliefs In A Debate With 1 Progressive, And It's Going Viral For Being Absolutely Absurd
If you haven't heard of the media company Jubilee, they specialize in hosting political and social debates between people of widely opposing views, and their videos are known for being both educational and unhinged. Their latest video, called "1 Progressive vs 20 Far-Right Conservatives," features Mehdi Hasan, an award-winning journalist and former TV host on MSNBC, as the progressive. Hasan agreed to timed debates with a group of far-right conservatives on various political topics, and so many moments are going mega-viral. Some of the highlights from the 1 hour and 40-minute-long debate include one argument about whether or not immigrants are good for America: Jubilee / Via Then, during an argument about whether or not Donald Trump is defying the Constitution, one far-right debater made a shocking admission: After that, another far-right conservative made this bizarre claim during a debate on whether or not Donald Trump is pro-criminal: Jubilee / Via Then during an argument about Donald Trump's plan for Gaza, this horrific moment happened: Jubilee / Via Then, during the debate about immigrants being good for America, things got personal: One person said, "The value of these seem to be demonstrating how it is ok to say things in public that would have been unthinkable to admit 10 years ago." @adityav84 / Via "Just sat through the this.. The disgusting and horrible rhetoric that I just witnessed makes me absolutely sick," another person wrote. This person praised Mehdi's knowledge in the debate. "I gotta say, the few of these types of videos I've seen clips from, the person hasn't been argumentative enough. Has been too afraid to really drop the hammer on people. Mehdi IS that guy and I have loved every clip I've seen from this video. Knows his stuff and isn't afraid."
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Mehdi Hasan shuts down 20 Donald Trump fans in explosive jubilee debate – viewers call him a ‘National Treasure'
Mehdi Hasan is a British-American journalist who recently made a splash in progressive politics after departing from the MSNBC network to found his own independent media platform, known as Zeteo. Since then, Mehdi has spearheaded numerous investigative journalism and advocacy efforts, most notably concerning the ongoing war in Gaza, which he has termed a 'genocide'. Mehdi is also a staunch critic of the current Donald Trump administration, and has built up a reputation as a formidable debater. On July 20, he showcased his passion for debating once more by appearing on Jubilee's Surrounded. Surrounded is a YouTube series where a public debater deliberately disadvantages themselves by pitting themselves against 20 people of opposing viewpoints, with Mehdi facing off against hardline Donald Trump supporters who were staunchly anti-immigrant and openly supported many of the president's most controversial policies. Mehdi would later post a highlight reel of the over 90-minute debate on his X account, which got a lot of reactions, with James Allan calling Mehdi a "National Treasure". You're a National Treasure Mehdi. Netizens rally around Mehdi after his Jubilee debate Mehdi's highlight reel prompted a lot of responses on his X timeline, with many praising Mehdi's debating skills and commending him on facing off against America's radicalized right-wingers head on. User doomer_world called Mehdi an American hero, which he looked all too happy to hear. 🙏🏽 User Nick Warren said that the others brought a pencil sharpener to a gatling gun fight. They bought a pencil sharpener to a gatling gun fight... User jocamp thanked Mehdi for everything. 🙏🏽 User Rickey Williams commended Mehdi for taking 'hate and fascism' full on, and said there was no barometer to gauge the amount of 'crazy' among the 20 right-wingers. Words cannot express how much I appreciate you Mehdi, you took hate and fascism full on, there's no barometer to gauge the amount of crazy amongst those 20. User whereisjarule_ stated that Mehdi was the best debater he'd ever seen. Happy it's mehdi Hasan of all people going against them. He is the best debater I've ever seen! User thelefttake condemned the people Mehdi debated against, saying they should be 'put on a watchlist'. There are multiple people in this video who should be placed on a watchlist. It's actually scary knowing they walk among us. Not all responses to Mehdi's debate were positive, however, with seasters jones saying that Mehdi shouldn't have given the 'fascists' a platform. Had you never watched previous episodes? Just fascists getting crushed and acting like they won likely because they got to advertise/platform their hate. User Grounded Spaceman accused Mehdi of just talking over everyone. lol…this isn't the own you think it is. I'd wager that you can win a debate fair and square over the normal this is just you talking over ppl. Fast and loud doesn't win a debate dude User Landon Best said that Mehdi shouldn't call what he did a 'debate' because none of the 20 reactionaries he talked to had any ideas worth seriously considering. Your #1 issue is calling this a debate when it's not. Debate implies these ideas are in any way meant to be taken seriously. There is nothing serious about any of the 20 reactionaries you talked to. However, Landon was met with pushback by ValorieThomas, who pointed out that everyone in the video knew what they signed up for, and genuinely considered themselves debaters. It's important to note that every person in that room knew what they were signed up for. Every person in there knew who would be sitting across the table. Everyone in that room thinks they are debaters with relevant, cogent ideas & arguments. Mehdi Hasan has had a storied journalism career Before establishing his own media company, Mehdi Hasan spent a long time building his credentials as a journalist and activist. After doing a few stints on British networks such as ITV and BBC One, Mehdi rose to prominence as an anchor for Al Jazeera, following which he transitioned to MSNBC and hosted The Mehdi Hasan Show from 2020 to 2024. Aside from his work on Zeteo, Mehdi is also a regular columnist for The Guardian. To stay updated on the stories that are going viral follow Indiatimes Trending.
India Today
17-07-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Sensitive matter, in touch with friendly governments: India on Nimisha Priya case
India on Thursday said that the matter pertaining to Nimisha Priya, a 36-year-old nurse from Kerala on death row in Yemen in connection with the murder of a Yemeni national, was sensitive and the government had been in touch with friendly nations over the a weekly press briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the government provided legal assistance to Priya's family and arranged regular consular is a sensitive matter and the Government of India has been offering all possible assistance in the case. We have provided legal assistance and appointed a lawyer to assist the family. We have also arranged regular consular visits and been in constant touch with the local authorities and the family members to resolve the issue," Jaiswal said. "This included concerted efforts in recent days to seek more time for the family of Nimisha Priya to reach a mutually agreeable solution with the other party. The local authorities in Yemen have postponed carrying out her sentence scheduled for July 16. We continue to closely follow the matter and render all possible assistance. We are also in touch with some friendly governments," he IS NIMISHA PRIYA?Priya, a native of Kerala's Palakkad district, is accused of drugging and murdering her local business partner, Talal Abdo Mehdi, a Yemeni national, with the help of another nurse in 2017. Priya has challenged the charges, but the courts have dismissed her nurse was sentenced to death by a local court in Yemen in 2020, and her final appeal in Yemen's Supreme Court, challenging the decision, was dismissed in 2023. In January this year, Mahdi al-Mashat, President of the rebel Houthis' Supreme Political Council, approved her has been working in Yemen as a nurse since 2008. She travelled to the country with her husband Tommy Thomas after their marriage in 2011. Due to the civil war in Yemen in 2014, her husband returned to Kerala with their daughter, while Priya stayed in later partnered with Mehdi to open a nursing home. According to her, the murder of the Yemeni national was committed in self-defence and under duress. The nurse alleged that Mehdi physically abused her, took possession of her passport and controlled her finances. She claimed she administered sedatives in an attempt to retrieve her passport, but he died from an is currently jailed in Sana'a Central Prison and was to be executed on Wednesday. However, it was put on hold amid a hectic diplomatic outreach by India to the victim's family and saving her from the family of Mehdi has made it clear that the family will not accept any offer of pardon or compensation and that Priya should not get mercy and be executed.- EndsTune InMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Kerala
NDTV
17-07-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
NDTV Explains: "Nimisha Priya Must Face 'Qisas'", Says Brother. What Is This Law?
New Delhi: Kerala nurse Nimisha Priya - sentenced to death by Yemen for the murder of Talal Abdo Mehdi - must face ' Qisas ', or 'God's law', and nothing else, his brother has insisted. Ms Priya was to be executed Wednesday but sustained diplomatic pressure brought her a temporary reprieve. A second execution date has not yet been set. This means the 38-year-old remains on death row for now, relying on the efforts of the Indian government and social activists working to convince Mr Mehdi's family to issue a pardon or, at the very least, agree to commute her death sentence. The family, though, is opposed to both. Mr Mehdi's brother told British broadcaster the BBC no pardon will be offered to Ms Priya and that she must face 'justice' as written in the Koran. Abdelfattah Mehdi also hit out at media narratives in India that suggested the family was more interested in the $1 million in 'blood money', or financial compensation, than 'justice'. READ | 'No Pardon, It's A Crime': Brother Of Yemeni Man Killed By Kerala Nurse In a Facebook post this week Mr Mehdi acknowledged mediation and reconciliation attempts on Ms Priya's behalf but stressed, "... our demand is clear: Qisas and nothing else, no matter what." What Is ' Qisas '? ' Qisas ' is a term in Islamic jurisprudence. It is similar to the biblical concept of 'an eye for an eye', i.e., victims of a crime are entitled to 'reciprocal justice'. The Arabic word ' qisas ' translates as 'retaliation' or 'retribution'. It finds repeated mention in the Koran, including in Chapter 2, Verse 178, which reads: "O you who have faith! Retribution is prescribed for you regarding the slain: freeman for freeman, slave for slave, and female for female. But if one is granted any extenuation by his brother, let the follow up (for the 'blood money', or 'diyah') be honourable, and let the payment to him be with kindness. That is a remission from your Lord and a mercy" But what is significant is that ' qisas ' refers to 'retribution' for intentionally committed crimes, suggesting the family believes Nimisha Priya deliberately murdered Talal Mehdi. Therefore, under Islamic law the family is entitled to seek proportionate recompense. There are two kinds of ' qisas ' depending on the crime itself. The first is 'for life', i.e., a life for a life, which is what Mr Mehdi's family has demanded. The second is 'for body parts', i.e., the victim can inflict an injury similar to that inflicted on them. The latter concept is barbaric by today's moral standards and values, but the former remains an integral part of jurisprudence worldwide. Indeed, the death sentence is valued and defended by many countries, including the United States and India, only neither offers a religious overtone. It is important to note that ' qisas ' is not the norm, either in Yemen or any other nation governed by Sharia law. Contemporary judiciary sensibilities and oversight can, and do, affect its use. NDTV Explains | Why Kerala Nurse Nimisha Priya Is To Be Executed In Yemen But Yemen does have one of the highest per capita execution rates in the world, although that figure is likely inflated due to increased use by Houthi rebels who control parts of the country. This is not to suggest there is no hope for Ms Priya. Indeed, that her execution was postponed (and without seeking permission from Mr Mehdi's family, according to his brother's Facebook post) indicates the Yemen government is listening. Sources have told NDTV India's embassy in Riyadh in neighbouring Saudi Arabia is leading this effort, with help from a private individual, Samuel Jerome, an Indian citizen living in Sanaa. Mr Jerome spoke to NDTV Wednesday. He said the family had been angered by the media's focus on 'blood money', but indicated he would try to repair broken ties with the brother. Nimisha Priya Case Ms Priya travelled from Kerala's Palakkad to Yemen in 2011, hunting for a well-paying job to support her parents. After a few years in a hospital there, she set up her own medical clinic. Yemen laws require foreign nationals to partner with citizens to set up a business. Mr Mehdi was that business partner for her venture. There are also reports she later married him. READ | 'Pardon By Yemeni Man's Family Only Real Hope For Nimisha': Activist Either way, the relationship deteriorated rapidly after she accused him of harassment and stealing from her. Mr Mehdi, she claimed, then hid her passport so she couldn't leave. In 2017 Ms Priya tried to drug Mr Mehdi so she could recover the passport. Unfortunately he died under medication and the nurse - who tried to hide his body by cutting it up and dumping it in a water tank - was caught trying to flee the country. She was convicted of murder in March 2018 and sentenced to death two years later. What Is The Government Doing? The Indian government continues to do all it can to save Nimisha Priya. It is, however, running out of options. Attorney General R Venkataramani told the Supreme Court Monday "there is a point till which we can go... we have reached it". The court, hearing a plea by the 'Save Nimisha Priya International Council', was told the "only way" forward is if Mr Mehdi's family accept financial compensation.
NDTV
16-07-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
In Race To Save Nimisha Priya, Worried Activist Claims 'We Had Setback'
New Delhi: Efforts to save Nimisha Priya - sentenced to death by Yemen for killing Talal Abdo Mehdi, her husband, whom she had accused of harassment - may have suffered a setback because of media reports focusing on ' blood money ', or cash offered to his family in exchange for a pardon. Samuel Jerome, a social worker in Yemen battling to bring the Kerala nurse home, told NDTV Mr Mehdi's brother was angry after media reports seemed to show the family more interested in the money than justice. But, Mr Jerome said, he is working to repair and restore relations with Mr Mehdi's family. This, Mr Jerome, said was after reports from India claimed $1 million would be paid in 'blood money' to Mr Mehdi's family, who would then forgive Ms Priya and lift the death sentence over her. "... it is not about the money. There is no money deal at all. If we cannot be in the shoes of Mr Abdelfattah Mehdi (Mr Mehdi's brother) we cannot ask for forgiveness... we cannot seek forgiveness." "'Blood Money' Term Very Wrong" "... why am I saying this now? Because all along in India people have been saying 'there is 'blood money' negotiation. Let me tell you something, the term itself is very wrong. I have met the brother twice and I met the father once... and it was just pleading for mercy," Mr Jerome said. "I mean, we cannot go there and sit and ask 'how much money will you take?' That's totally (upsetting)... I don't know how people in India think about that..." he argued. Mr Jerome told NDTV his relationship with the victim's family had been built, brick by brick, over the past eight years. "... slow and steady, during every court hearing I used to go, to talk to him (the brother). I used to shake hands and, you know, meet like this. That is how I built trust." "Now yesterday, unfortunately, because of all the things that came up in the media... I mean, we had a setback (when) the brother posted he was absolutely not interested in anything," he said. READ | 'No Pardon, It's A Crime': Brother Of Yemeni Man Killed By Kerala Nurse "So now I have to again build bridges... but I don't know how much time we have," he said, worried that Ms Priya may not now have much time left. "Everybody is now very angry... things have to cool down." False Reporting On Nimisha Priya Case On Tuesday afternoon news broke that Nimisha Priya's execution had been postponed. Amid the flood of information (and misinformation) that followed, there were reports that Mr Mehdi's brother had been 'persuaded' to stay the death sentence. There were also reports a 'top' Islamic cleric from Kerala, the Grand Mufti Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad, had played a key role; i.e., he had reached out to a prominent Yemeni scholar and urged him to intervene. NDTV has now learnt that both those reports are false. The Grand Mufti's role has been grossly exaggerated and there has been no conversation with the murdered man's family, sources said. In fact, at this time NDTV would like to stress that Mr Mehdi's family has not, so far, consented to pardon Nimisha Priya or accept compensation. In fact, the temporary stay is thanks to the Indian embassy in Riyadh, sources said. New Date For Nimisha Priya Execution? Will the Yemeni authorities set a new date for Ms Priya's death sentence? At the time of writing this no new date has been announced, and that is encouraging. But, Mr Jerome stressed, this does not mean she will not be executed. "Imagine if his family goes and protests. If they do, it can happen soon. We don't have much time, to be honest." Who Is Fighting To Save Nimisha? Sources have confirmed the race to save Ms Priya is being led by social activists like Mr Jerome, an aviation professional with a network of contacts within territory held by the Houthi rebels. READ | 'Pardon By Yemeni Man's Family Only Real Hope For Nimisha': Activist This is important because Nimisha Priya is now in the capital city of Sanaa that is, unfortunately, countrolled by the Houthis at this time. This limits the force of India's diplomatic outreach, and highlights the role played by Mr Jerome as a private individual in this process. What Is The Government Doing? The Indian government continues to do all it can to save Nimisha Priya. It is, however, running out of options. Attorney General R Venkataramani told the Supreme Court Monday "there is a point till which we can go... and we have reached it". The court, hearing a plea by the 'Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council', was told the "only way" forward is if Mr Mehdi's family accept sthat financial compensation offer. Nimisha Priya Case Ms Priya, 38, moved to Yemen in 2008 in search of a more lucrative job to support her parents. After working in several hospitals she started her own clinic, and to comply with Yemeni laws, took on a local business partner, 37-year-old Talal Abdo Mehdi. However, Mr Mehdi reportedly constantly harassed her and stole money from her. He also seized her passport, meaning she couldn't even leave the country to escape him. In 2017 Ms Priya injected him with a sedative she hoped would incapacitate him long enough for her to recover the passport. However, he died abd she was arrested trying to flee Yemen.
