Latest news with #Nassar
Gulf Today
26-05-2025
- Gulf Today
Gaza, from prosperity to below the poverty line
For millennia Gaza served as a commercial hub and bridge between Egypt and the Eastern Arab World. Palestinian writer and activist Edward Said wrote about travelling from Cairo, where his family resided, through Gaza and Jerusalem en route to the Lebanese mountains to escape Egypt's sweltering summers. Palestinian friends said their relatives living in Jerusalem would travel to Cairo via Gaza in winter to escape the cold. Israel's war in 1948 put an end to Gaza's strategic geography and commanding role in commerce and travel. For most in the Arab world, the 72 per cent of Palestine Israel occupied as a 'black hole' and the Palestinians who remained were snubbed. The large Gaza district was reduced to the narrow coastal strip. The population of the strip swelled to 80,000 due to the expulsion of Palestinians from the conquered areas of the district and of 200,000 refugees from elsewhere. Although Israel first occupied the strip for six months between October 1956 and March 1957 due to the Anglo-French-Israeli war on Egypt, the territory was administered by Egypt the rest of the time until mid-1967. Gazan farmers grew vegetables and fruit and tended livestock. Foreign visitors lodged at Mrs. Nassar's Marna House. A train linked Gaza to Cairo and the wider world. Flour, rice, fertilizers, clothes, cement, equipment, cars, trucks and belly dancers were imported from Egypt. Gazan educators, engineers, and medics travelled via Cairo to the Gulf for work. Gazan businessmen carried on a lucrative trade with Egypt and students flocked to universities in Cairo and Alexandria. The Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA sheltered, fed, educated, and trained refugees and employed thousands in its administration. After conquering the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza in June 1967, Israel rendered the strip dependent, de-developed its economy and employed Gazans to work in mainly menial jobs in Israel at low rates of pay and without social insurance. Gaza's dependence increased after Israel withdrew its soldiers and settlers in 2005 but retained air, land and see control of the territory. Hamas seized control in mid-2007 from Fatah, dividing Gaza from Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority (PA) enclaves in the West Bank. While the PA boycotted Hamas, Israel waged war on Gaza in 2008-2009, 2014, and 2021, and severely restricted the flow of food, building materials, medical supplies, and commercial goods into Gaza which never recovered from each bout of warfare. Gazans opened a brief window of independence and economic normalcy by digging more than 1,000 tunnels at Rafah beneath the border with Egypt. Through the tunnels Gazans freely imported everything, including cars, livestock, clothing, food, and fuel while Gazans could enter and leave Gaza. A tunnel economy emerged, creating tunnel millionaires. Hamas collected taxes on imports, businesses, and the wealthy. However, tunnel independence ended in 2013 when the Egyptian military closed the tunnels after the 2011 fall of Egypt's 30-year president Hosni Mubarak. Since then, Israel has exerted full control over supplies entering Gaza. Gazan consumption has been kept at a minimal level. Today Gaza has 2.3 million people of whom 1.6 million are of refugee stock. An estimated 81 per cent of the population lives below the poverty line, according to the UN. Since the ongoing war began in October 2023, the International Labour organisation reported the economy has shrunk by 85 per cent and unemployment has risen to 80 per cent. In consequence, the ongoing 19-month war and repeated periods of blockade have taken a heavy toll on the population, depriving Gazans of nutritious food and essential medicines and lowering their resistance to starvation and disease. Israel's recent authorisation for 90 trucks to enter Gaza last week is castigated by UN and aid agencies as being totally incapable of meeting Gazans' needs which are enormous and enduring. While aid agencies boost supplies during ceasefires and blockades are not in force, they cannot store enough to meet needs when supplies cease. This year, supplies began to run out at the end of April but there was no relaxation of the blockade. The situation at present is dire, forcing bakeries and communal kitchens to close and hospitals and medical facilities to ration medicines and dressings for wounds. Disrupted aid deliveries of water, food, medicine, and fuel and the lack of imports of fresh fruit and vegetables have left most Gazans in want and malnourished. Like all the other peoples of the coastal region, Gazans are used to the "Mediterranean diet" which includes fresh salads, vegetable stews, vegetables stuffed with meat and rice, yoghurt, milk and cheese. Gazans are not used to relying on uncertain meals of rice and tinned vegetables when they can access these ingredients. They are not only being starved of the food they are used to consume but meals which provide what is needed for balanced diets and nutrition. The UN children's agency UNICEF has reported that 9,000 children have been treated for malnutrition this year while hundreds more could not reach medical centres due to insecurity and displacement. The US-Israeli creation of the so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, set to become operational at the end of this month, has been rejected by the UN and aid agencies as a solution for Gaza's starving Palestinians. This mechanism will provide supplies for only a portion of the population at the outset before expanding. Not all Gazans will be covered. This mechanism will vet recipients, the six hubs for distribution are to be in the south, forcing Gazans living in the north to be displaced to the south or starve. US mercenaries and Israeli troops – who are seen as enemies by Palestinians – will impose security. The situation is desperate and getting worse. The UN Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) said last week that at least 244,000 Gazans face Phase 5 classification for 'extreme deprivation of food. Starvation, death, destitution, and critical levels of acute malnutrition are or will likely be evident." All Gaza is in Phase 4, characterised by "large food consumption gaps and excess mortality," IPC said.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Sexual abuse survivors again ask Michigan lawmakers for more time to sue perpetrators
Michigan Capitol | Susan J. Demas Testifying in front of Michigan state lawmakers last legislative session as a survivor of rape was one of the most terrifying and difficult experiences of Emily Bice's life, she told state Senators Thursday. But seeing the legislation to expand the time window survivors of sexual assault have to sue perpetrators fail to make it to the governor's desk in order to become law was a new level of pain. This is the fifth session in a row that bills to expand the timeframe survivors of sexual violence have to file civil suits, as well as legislation to eliminate Michigan's governmental immunity shield against sexual abuse civil cases, have been taken up. Advocates argue Michigan has needlessly narrow statute of limitation laws on filing civil suits after an assault, while it can take a survivor years to disclose abuse, often decades if the victim was a child at the time of the abuse. Bice told lawmakers on the state Senate Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety Committee Thursday that at age 19 she wasn't ready to disclose that she had been raped, much less advocate for herself and seek out justice. She recalled the first therapist she spoke to telling her 'You were drunk and got into a cab alone. what did you expect to happen?'. Currently, victims in Michigan have three years after realizing they have been assaulted or until their 28th birthday, whichever is later, to sue their perpetrators. The window used to be even smaller, with the cutoff being a victim's 19th birthday before 2018, a change that came a result of mass legislative efforts to reform sexual violence laws following the Larry Nassar sex abuse scandal, where hundreds of athletes and former patients of the Michigan State University and Olympic gymnastics doctor came forward with their stories of abuse. By the time the law changed in 2018, it was too late for Bice to sue her perpetrator when she was ready. 'I would not wish the last 10 years on my worst enemy, I would not wish this on anyone. The only thing I would wish for is change. When someone has to go through this, I wish that the world on the other end is kinder to them than it was to me,' Bice said. Senate Bills 257, 258 and 259 seek to increase the timeframe victims have to file civil suits to 10 years after the crime, 7 years after realizing they have been assaulted or by the time they reach 42 years old. Michigan has been the backdrop of two of the largest collegiate sex abuse scandals in recent years, bill sponsor Sen. Kevin Hertel (D-St. Clair Shores) told senators, with Nassar at MSU and then the late University of Michigan doctor, Robert Anderson, where more than a thousand individuals accused the sports doctor of sexual assault. With all the painful experiences that have 'plagued' the state, Hertel said it's time for lawmakers to learn from what has happened, and help end systematic failures that both abusers and institutions have exploited to avoid accountability. Survivors of Nassar's abuse have been at the forefront of the effort to create new laws to protect Michigan from sexual perpetrators and foster system changes aimed to ease the reporting of sexual crimes since 2017. Efforts to eliminate Michigan's governmental immunity protections for public schools and colleges against liability in sexual violence civil suits have been unsuccessful each session. Senate Bills 260 and 261 would remove governmental immunity in sexual violence civil cases for public universities, public colleges, and school districts when employees were the perpetrator and the institutions neglected to reasonably prevent, intervene or report the abuse. It wasn't until he was 54 years old, when Brian Hurtekant disclosed he had been repeatedly sexually assaulted by a priest his family became close with when he was 13, following the death of his brother. The two connected over a love of flying, Hurtekant said, as the priest was a private pilot and would take him for rides because Hurtekant dreamed of becoming a pilot. But the abuse made Hurtekant afraid of being around other men, preventing him from participating in sports, gym class and the Air Force. 'He robbed me… this is a murder of my soul. I could have been better. I still think I did pretty damn good,' Hurtekant said. All the bills presented Thursday have a history of bipartisanship, though this session there are no Republican sponsors. But it shouldn't matter what side of the political aisle lawmakers sit on, Hurtekant said, no survivor should be robbed of their day in court after losing so much to sexual violence. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Al Bawaba
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Bawaba
Egyptian TikToker Sherif Nassar dies after cyberbullying incident
Published April 27th, 2025 - 05:57 GMT ALBAWABA - Famous Egyptian TikToker Sherif Nassar recently passed away under mysterious circumstances after suffering from a huge cyberbullying campaign against him. The news sparked widespread shock and grief across the Arab world, with several individuals calling for a less hostile environment on social media and expressing anger towards the responsible individuals. According to Egypt Independent, Nassar's family claimed in new reports that the TikToker was under immense mental strain after receiving widespread backlash and hateful comments for his content. The husband of Nassar's sister took to Facebook and announced his death. He wrote, "My wife's brother and friend, Nassar, has passed away to the mercy of God. God is the judge, before and after. May God not let you see any harm in your loved ones." وفاة أحد مشاهير Tiktok في مصر بعد حملة تنمر واسعة ضده، وقد قيل بأن (مصر كلها سخرت منه) فتدهورت حالته النفسية وشعر بالقهر الشديد حتى أصيب بمتلازمة القلب المكسور ومات بأزمة قلبية. كان الراحل ينشر أبيات شعر ونصائح باللغة العربية الفصحى ما تسبب بالسخرية منه. — إياد الحمود (@Eyaaaad) April 26, 2025 While many speculations are swarming social media about Sherif Nassar's death, with many marking it as suicide, authorities have yet to release an official statement solidifying any claims. His content received backlash, and the negativity affected Nassar's mental health the most. While hate on social media is inevitable these days, the backlash Nassar received turned into cyberbullying, with many Egyptian individuals across the country mocking him. The TikToker was best known for his TikTok shorts content, where he posted comedic skits about his daily life. Despite the cyberbullying incident, Nassar had quite a following on the platform and many fans who were both saddened and shocked upon hearing about his passing. © 2000 - 2025 Al Bawaba (
National News
18-04-2025
- Politics
- National News
Minister of Justice: No accurate information yet on the identity of those involved in the Jordan cell
NNA - Minister of Justice Adel Nassar, in an interview with "Sputnik" radio, addressed the latest developments in the investigation into the Jordan cell and the training activities some of its members carried out in Lebanon. He revealed that a call took place between him and his Jordanian counterpart, affirming Lebanon's full readiness to cooperate with the Jordanian authorities to the utmost extent in dismantling any terrorist network, regardless of its origin or members. Nassar pointed out that "there is still no available and accurate information confirming the involvement of Lebanese nationals in this cell or how it entered Lebanon to receive training." He added: "There is an agreement with Jordan to follow up on this matter with the Lebanese Public Prosecution once any information becomes available, in order to take the appropriate measures." Regarding the importance of this cooperation between Lebanon and Jordan, the Minister of Justice stressed that "this issue lies at the heart of Lebanese state policy, and it is not taken lightly. However, Lebanon expects full cooperation on all files that may involve internal or external elements related to any terrorist network." He clarified that "there is, as of now, no information linking the arrests that took place in some camps in Lebanon to the terrorist cell in Jordan." On another note, Nassar addressed the recent Cabinet session and its conclusions regarding the exclusivity of Hezbollah's weapons being under the authority of the Lebanese state. He revealed that 'the meeting was held to brief the Cabinet on the progress of this process in southern Lebanon, with a firm insistence that the exclusivity of arms must apply to all of Lebanon, not just the south,' affirming the government's commitment to the monopoly of arms. He added: 'We requested a timeline—whether for ensuring the exclusivity of weapons or for conducting regular follow-ups to verify that this exclusivity will comprehensively cover all Lebanese territory, as this is first and foremost a Lebanese demand.' He emphasized that 'regardless of the agreements that led to the ceasefire, Lebanon's internal interest lies in the monopoly of weapons, because it is the Lebanese state alone that protects its citizens on its land.' ================ R.K
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Women fight back as ex-U of M coach is accused of stealing intimate images of student athletes
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 04: Michigan Wolverines Quarterbacks Coach Matt Weiss looks on during the Big Ten Championship Game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Michigan Wolverines on December 04, 2021, at Lucas Oil Stadium, in Indianapolis, IL. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Around 150,000 student athletes from over 100 colleges had their personal data breached by former University of Michigan assistant football coach Matt Weiss, who hacked their accounts to download thousands of their private intimate photos, according to federal investigators. Now more than 50 women are suing Weiss and the institutions they say failed them. One of the Jane Does who joined a class action suit against Weiss said the news of the data breach feels like deja vu, saying that she is a survivor of disgraced former Michigan State University physician Larry Nassar who is effectively serving three life sentences for possession of child pornography and sexually assaulting women and girls under the guise of medical treatment. Another man with power over student athletes and influence in a university was able to exploit their access to students and again, a university 'allowed it to happen and said nothing,' the woman said invoking MSU's highly criticized response to Nassar's abuse. 'It's hard to describe the heartbreak of realizing that another institution we trusted has failed to protect us. After everything we went through with Nassar—and all the promises of change that followed—you want to believe that things will be different. That those in power will finally put athlete safety, privacy, and dignity first,' the woman told Michigan Advance. 'Accountability should mean more than empty words—it has to involve meaningful, sustained action to prevent harm and rebuild trust. Right now, that still feels a long way off.' 'It's not over': Survivors of Nassar's abuse say the fight for justice is far from finished The March indictment states investigators found that from 2015 until 2023, Weiss accessed a database used by athletic trainers at more than 100 colleges and universities and maintained by a third-party vendor, Keffer Development Services in Pennsylvania, to access student and alumni social media and cloud storage accounts in order to download private intimate images. The allegations in the indictment occurred before and during his tenure at Michigan, where he was employed from February 2021 to January 2023. Before working at the university, he spent more than a decade with the Baltimore Ravens. Weiss was fired in January 2023 shortly after university police opened an investigation into reported computer crimes on the school's Ann Arbor campus. Weiss' time at the university was limited, Kay Jarvis, Michigan director of public affairs, said in a statement Monday, adding the university responded quickly to reports of criminal activity. The indictment said Weiss would research each targeted athlete for months, even years in some instances, looking for more and more photos and videos, keeping notes on each individual's body and sexual preference. MIE_Weiss Indictment Weiss was able to get into 3,300 individuals' emails, social media and cloud storage accounts, the indictment said. Weiss, who has pled not guilty, was charged March 20 with 24 counts of computer-related crimes. He could not be reached for comment. News that thousands of students may have had their private images stolen has sent many former and current athletes into a panic. Many have used aliases to protect their identities in the civil suits except for McKenzie Johnson, who told Michigan Advance during a news conference Monday that she hopes by putting a name and a face to this violation, it will help shine a light on it. Johnson played softball for Grambling State University in Louisiana from 2015 to 2019. She said she's very concerned what images Weiss may have allegedly gotten his hands on as she navigates the workforce as a young professional. 'I don't understand how something like this could happen. It's my goal from this lawsuit to learn more about what has occurred. I can personally say that I'm very anxious about what will come from this and what personal information that he has stolen from me,' Johnson said. The lawsuits name the university, its regents and Keffer Development Services as defendants. What Weiss is accused of is nothing short of sexual violence, Megan Bonanni, the attorney representing the woman identifying herself as a Nassar survivor and 10 other women in a civil suit, told Michigan Advance. 'This is a digital sexual assault,' Bonnani said. '…And just like a physical sexual assault, the amount of trauma, the amount of complete uncertainty… that's what we're seeing from our clients. They do not feel safe, and this feeling that they are unsafe is going to continue into the future.' None of the women she is representing, mostly former University of Michigan athletes, have received notification from university officials that their data may have been compromised, Bonnani said. The university could have been an ally to these athletes and supported them, Bonnani added. Jarvis said in the statement: 'Upon learning of potentially concerning activity in its systems, the University promptly placed Mr. Weiss on leave, forwarded this matter to law enforcement authorities and moved forward with Mr. Weiss' termination on January 21, 2023.' The woman identifying as a Nassar survivor said the university failed to protect athletes, secure their data and alert students and athletes to change their passwords. 'Matt Weiss should never have had the opportunity to violate student privacy, and the University had a responsibility to safeguard our information and be transparent when that trust was broken. Instead, they stayed silent. That's not just negligence—it's betrayal,' the woman told Michigan Advance. The images and media belonged to the athletes and they had every right to privacy and to victim blame would be to miss the point, said attorney Lisa Esser-Weidenfeller, who is collaborating with Bonnani. 'None of these women, none of them, did anything wrong,' Esser-Weidenfeller said. 'I just want to make that super clear. Sometimes you read these stories and you start to read the comments. None of these women, none of these athletes, did anything wrong to contribute to this, right? I mean, it's like being invaded in the privacy of your own home.' Bonnani said none of the athletes she's representing know specifically what images or information were compromised and whose hands they may have been exchanged to. The civil lawsuits filed in the last month have depicted how the data breach has disrupted student athletes' lives. One plaintiff, a junior competing for the university referred to as 'Jane Roe,' said she was shocked and humiliated to learn of the data breach on the news and not from the school. 'Plaintiff seeks to hold the Defendants accountable for their actions and inactions that have caused immense fear, anxiety, humiliation, loss of dignity, and loss of privacy that cannot simply be undone,'' the lawsuit said. It was not the first time a University of Michigan staffer was accused of using their position to exploit students. More than 1,000 individuals have come forward in recent years with accusations of sexual assault by the late Robert Anderson, a physician who practiced at the university for nearly four decades. The university settled with survivors for $490 million in 2022, but like in the case of Nassar at MSU, survivors have railed for change at university governance meetings and protested for years begging the school to create safeguards for athletes. The Army of Survivors, an advocacy group working to protect athletes from sexual violence, said in a statement, Michigan has offered no meaningful public acknowledgment of the harm athletes are facing nor commitment to reviewing accountability structures. 'These victims are not footnotes to a scandal, they are human beings whose trust was betrayed, whose dignity was stolen, and who deserve far more than a university's carefully worded deflections,'' the group said in the statement. 'They deserve answers. They deserve justice. And they deserve institutions willing to stand up and say: 'We failed you. And we will do better.'' Real justice, the woman said, would have meant survivors were listened to the first time. It also means reclaiming power, she added. 'For me, justice in this case means more than just punishing one person. It means exposing the full scope of the failure and holding the institution accountable,' the woman said. 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