US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says 20 people killed in an incident in Khan Younis
GHF, which uses private US security and logistics companies to get aid supplies into Gaza, added that 19 victims were trampled and one was stabbed during what it described as a 'chaotic and dangerous surge, driven by agitators in the crowd.'
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Arab News
24 minutes ago
- Arab News
Lebanese parliament lifts MP immunity, refers 3 former ministers for corruption probe
BEIRUT: The Lebanese Parliament voted by a majority of 99 out of 128 members on Wednesday to lift the immunity of MP George Bouchikian, paving the way for a civil prosecution on charges of embezzlement, forgery and extortion. The charges are based on complaints filed by several factory owners accusing Bouchikian of committing the offences during his tenure as minister of industry in former Prime Minister Najib Mikati's government. In a separate vote, 88 members approved the referral of former telecommunications ministers Boutros Harb, Nicolas Sehnaoui and Jamal Jarrah to an investigative committee over documented allegations of 'mismanaging tens of millions of dollars in building leases and contracting operations.' Public Prosecutor Jamal Hajjar submitted a formal request to the General Secretariat of Parliament to lift Bouchikian's parliamentary immunity. Hajjar questioned Bouchikian as a witness in late June but the former minister left Lebanon for Canada shortly afterwards, confirmed in a statement given two days ago. He is not expected to return now his parliamentary immunity has been removed. A judicial source told Arab News: 'Bouchikian was questioned following testimony from factory owners who alleged that he, through his office manager and private driver, accepted payments between $50,000 and $70,000 for each work permit application submitted.' According to the source, the investigating judge at the time 'lacked the authority to arrest Bouchikian or confiscate his passport due to his parliamentary immunity. It appears he took advantage of this loophole to leave the country, anticipating that formal charges were imminent.' The source added: 'Four employees have been detained and charged in connection with the case, while Bouchikian's office manager and driver went into hiding.' This is the first time parliamentary immunity has been lifted since 2000, when it was stripped from MP Chahe Barsoumian over a corruption case related to oil storage contracts. The move came during former president Emile Lahoud's high-profile campaign against corruption and waste. This largely targeted officials from the era of his predecessor, Elias Hrawi, and Rafik Hariri, the late prime minister who led most of Hrawi's governments. Barsoumian was eventually acquitted following Hariri's assassination in 2005 and the election of a new parliament dominated by opponents of the previous establishment. In 2004, a parliamentary investigative committee concluded that 'the acts attributed to Barsoumian were not sufficiently proven, and there was no legal basis for indictment or prosecution.' Meanwhile in its legislative session, the Lebanese parliament summoned former telecommunications ministers Harb, Sehnaoui, and Jarrah. The three appeared in order to submit legal defenses against allegations of administrative and financial irregularities raised by the Financial Judiciary, which had formally requested their referral to the Supreme Council for the Trial of Presidents and Ministers. All MPs opposed the treatment of the ministers as a single case. The case of the three ministers is linked to several issues, including that of the Kassabian building, which was leased by MIC 2. Rental fees for the first four years totaled $10 million, but the company did not benefit from it due to its unsuitability. The state is still paying the rent. The second case concerns the squandering of millions of dollars by using the revenues of the two mobile phone companies to fund various social activities. In 2022, a group of MPs filed an indictment against the three ministers in the telecommunications case, referring them to the Supreme Council for the Trial of Presidents and Ministers. Harb, a prominent figure in Lebanon's sovereign bloc, told the parliament his conscience was clear 'because I did not breach the law, but rather preserved public funds and stopped waste, and I am fully prepared to cooperate with any investigative committee formed.' Sehnaoui told MPs: 'My conscience is clear, and I was the one who negotiated with the owner of the building that was being rented to unify the workplace of Touch Mobile employees at the lowest price.' He also claimed Zain International inspected the building and stated it was suitable. 'It was later discovered that it could not support the very heavy equipment on its roof and needed modifications. How could I know that it was not if the international company stated otherwise?' he said. Jarrah stated: 'The Financial Public Prosecutor did not request any documents or papers to prove our statements regarding the funding of social activities. When we left his office, we heard about our accusations in the media.'
Al Arabiya
24 minutes ago
- Al Arabiya
Aid groups warn of mass starvation in Gaza, urge ceasefire and open crossings
In this episode of W News, presented by Jono Hayes, we cover warnings from more than 100 aid and human rights groups that 'mass starvation' is spreading in Gaza. The groups are calling for an immediate ceasefire, the opening of all land crossings, and unrestricted aid delivery through UN-led mechanisms. Meanwhile, the Israeli government denies responsibility for the food shortage, accusing Hamas of deliberately manufacturing a crisis. Guests: Amjad Shawa – Director of the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network Oleksiy Goncharenko – Ukrainian MP Patrick Fok – Correspondent
Asharq Al-Awsat
24 minutes ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Report: Brazil to Join South Africa's ICJ Case against Israel
Brazil will request to intervene in South Africa's genocide case against Israel's actions in Gaza at the International Court of Justice, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Wednesday. South Africa filed a case in 2023 asking the ICJ to declare that Israel was in breach of its obligations under the 1948 Genocide Convention in its crackdown against the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza. Other countries, such as Spain, Türkiye, and Colombia, had already asked the court to intervene in the case. The decision was reported earlier by the Brazilian newspaper Folha de S. Paulo and confirmed by Reuters.
