Latest news with #Asad
Arab Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Arab Times
Kuwaiti artist shines at Istanbul Arts Festival
ISTANBUL, July 26: Kuwaiti artist Sabah Asad on Thursday expressed his great happiness and pride in representing the State of Kuwait at international forums and raising its flag among nations. His statement came during the opening of the 26th edition of the International Buyukcekmece Arts, Culture and Handicrafts Festival in Istanbul, with Kuwait participating alongside 32 countries from around the world. 'I am a visual artist who specializes in one of the rare branches of visual arts – the art of sculpture and engraving on eggshells – which is considered unfamiliar in our Arab societies,' Asad told KUNA. He added that he has received invitations to participate in many international exhibitions in countries such as China, Uzbekistan, Italy, Britain, and the Gulf states, noting that he has received international awards, including the title of 'International Sculptor' from the People's Republic of China. The Kuwaiti pavilion at the festival, as in other art events, featured unique works by Sabah Asad, who sculpted and engraved eggshells. His creations won the admiration of visitors and some Turkish media outlets, as well as the approval of the festival's organizing committee. (KUNA)
Miami Herald
4 days ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
Wealthy owner of Florida telecom firm gets 5 years for fleecing $110M from U.S.
The wealthy owner of a major South Florida telecommunications company was sentenced on Thursday to five years in prison and ordered to pay about $110 million to the U.S. government for fleecing a federal program known as 'Lifeline' that provides discounted phone services to low-income customers. Issa Asad, CEO of Q Link Wireless LLC, and his Dania Beach-based company pleaded guilty last year to conspiring to defraud the U.S. government program, including theft of public funds, before U.S. District Judge Rodolfo Ruiz in Miami federal court. At the same time, Asad, 52, of Southwest Ranches, also pleaded guilty to bilking a government loan program meant to help struggling businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the terms of the plea deals with prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney's Office, Asad and Q Link agreed to pay back the Federal Communications Commission in one of the largest financial penalties in the agency's history. Court records show they have paid almost all of the $110 million in restitution to the FCC. Also, Asad paid a criminal penalty of $17.5 to the government, representing his ill-gotten income from Q Link's Lifeline phone services scam. Asad also paid about $1.8 million in restitution to the Small Business Administration for laundering loan proceeds that his company received from the Paycheck Protection Program during the pandemic. He admitted to using that fraudulent money for construction on his new home, and more than $140,000 on property taxes, jewelry and donations to a local university. Asad must surrender to federal prison authorities in two months, Judge Ruiz ordered on Thursday. This was not Asad's first brush with the law. In 2014, Asad was charged with murder in connection with driving his Mercedes over a groundskeeper at his Dania Beach business following a dispute over $65 in pay for lawn services. Five years later, Asad pleaded no contest to misdemeanor culpuable negligence and was given one year of probation in Broward Circuit Court, according to court documents. Asad was also ordered to pay a $225 fine. Court records provided no explanation for the dramatically different outcome in the criminal case. But while the case was pending, the groundkeeper's family sued Asad over her brother's death in civil court, ending in a confidential settlement before the murder charge was substantially reduced to a misdemeanor. In Miami federal court, Asad and his company admitted to a longtime scheme to defraud the FCC's Lifeline program. It makes everyday communications services more affordable for low-income customers by providing deep discounts on certain monthly cellphone service, broadband internet service and bundled voice-broadband packages purchased from participating telecom provider. Asad and Q Link, represented by the law firm Kobre & Kim, admitted that they purposely conspired to defraud the FCC program between 2012 and 2021 by providing false information about their Lifeline customers and making repeated false claims for government reimbursement, according to a factual statement filed with their plea agreements. They also admitted to retaining Lifeline funds that they were not entitled to receive and deceiving the FCC about the company's compliance with program rules. 'Upon learning that the FCC was investigating their Lifeline billing, Q Link and Asad created and provided false records to the FCC to conceal the scam and to continue collecting reimbursement,' according to a sentencing memo filed by prosecutors Elizabeth Young and John Shipley. 'As part of this plan, they simply manufactured cellphone activity on behalf of Q Link customers who were not using their cellphones. 'At no point did Q Link amend past Lifeline claims for customers who were not using their cellphones or return any of the Lifeline payments (something they could have done),' they wrote in the memo. The case, filed last year, was investigated by the FCC, IRS, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Special Inspector for Pandemic Recovery.
Express Tribune
20-07-2025
- Express Tribune
Six die in Keenjhar picnic tragedy
Weekend outing turns tragic as six lose their lives when the bus they were going to a picnic in overturned, leaving 20 injured. The injured passengers were shifted to a hospital at Makli in Thatta. PHOTO: PPI A weekend outing meant for joy turned into a tragedy for five friends from Orangi Town and a bus conductor, who lost their lives in a fatal bus accident near Thatta Bypass early Sunday morning. A group of picnickers, all residents of Orangi Town and mostly members of Jamaat-e-Islami and their families, had set off around 2:30am for a picnic at Keenjhar Lake. However, their trip ended in disaster when their bus veered off the road and plunged into a ravine near Thatta Bypass. Families in Karachi were alerted to the accident around 5am. The bus carrying Jamaat-e-Islami workers to Keenjhar Lake for a picnic met with an accident at Gharo, District Thatta. Five workers were martyred, and over 30 were injured, Jamaat-e-Isami said. The deceased workers included Asad Noor, Abdul Rauf Rehmat Ali, Bishar Khan Fareed, Arbab Safdar Hussain, Muhammad Abrar Anwar, and bus conductor Ihsanullah. Among the victims, Asad and Abdul Rauf - both from Sector 12 — were cousins., and the bus conductor. The injured, including UC 4 Oranghi Chairman Ata-ur-Rabbi, Vice Chairman Karamat Ali, and others, were discharged from the hospital after treatment. Speaking to The Express Tribune, Asad's brother-in-law, Arif, said the picnic had been planned as a casual gathering among close friends. Bishar Khan, 20, was the third of six siblings and also lived in Sector 12. Arbab hailed from Sector 8/5, while Ihsanullah, who worked as a bus conductor, was a resident of MPR Colony. After the accident, the bodies were initially shifted to the Alkhidmat mortuary in Orangi Town, except for Ihsanullah's, which was handed directly to his family. The other victims' remains were moved to Edhi's cold storage in Sohrab Goth before being returned to their families for funeral rites. The martyrs' funeral prayers were attended by Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi Amir Munim Zafar Khan, locals, relatives, and a large number of party workers. Funeral prayers for Asad and Abdul Rauf were offered at Arkan Ground in Sector 12, followed by burial in the Sector 14 graveyard. Bishar Khan's funeral took place at a mosque near Brohi Hotel after Asr prayers, while Arbab's prayers were held at Jamia Waheediya in Sector 8/5. All six victims were laid to rest in Sector 14 cemeteries following individual rites near their homes. MQM Pakistan senior leader MNA Syed Amin ul Haq has expressed deep sorrow over the deaths of six people in the bus accident on the Thatta bypass, where the bus carrying residents of Orangi Town slipped off the road and fell into ravine. In a statement, Syed Aminul Haq expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and wished the injured a speedy recovery. He demanded that the government arrange for the complete medical treatment of the injured immediately. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Sunday has expressed his deep sorrow over loss of lives in Makli bus accident. He directed the DC Thatta for providing immediate medical assistance to the injured. The Sindh chief minister also directed to make immediate contact with the families of those killed and injured in the accident. The Sindh CM expressed condolence with the families of the deceased. Gambat road crash claims one life At least one person was killed and several others, including women and children were critically injured when a bus overturned on the Gambat National Highway in Khairpur district early Sunday morning. According to Police, the bus driver lost control of the vehile and it flipped over, claiming one life on the spot while other over 40 injured. The bus was going from Karachi to Swabi. Rescue teams, along with local police, reached the site shortly after the accident was reported and began providing aid to the victims. Several passengers, including those critically injured were rushed to nearby hospitals for medical treatment. Police confirmed that five individuals were in critical condition.
Time of India
13-07-2025
- Time of India
Tantrik held for killing 2 kids in Meerut, planned to kill 9 more
Meerut: A self-proclaimed tantrik was arrested on Saturday for the murders of two boys, aged 14 and 11, which he allegedly carried out as part of a planned series of 11 child sacrifices intended to gain supernatural powers — a ritualistic practice he is believed to have learned from his father. Mohd Asad, in his 20s, was apprehended after a brief encounter with police under Saroorpur police limits in Meerut. An FIR has been lodged under BNS Section 103 (murder), along with other relevant charges, including destruction of evidence, and the accused has been sent to jail. Police said the case came to light after 14-year-old Mohd Uwais, a resident of Nababgarhi village, went missing on Thursday evening after offering namaz. His family later received a ransom message from Uwais's mobile number, demanding Rs 5 lakh and accompanied by a QR code for payment, prompting them to transfer Rs5,000 before alerting the police. Surveillance on the victim's phone led investigators to Asad, a neighbour of the boy. SP (Rural) Rakesh Kumar Mishra said, "Asad opened fire on the police and was shot in the leg in retaliatory firing. A loaded gun was seized from his possession." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Egypt: Unsold Sofas May Be at Bargain Prices (Prices May Surprise You) Sofas | Search Ads Search Now Undo Uwais's body was later found in a dilapidated house in Meerut's Nai Basti area, where he had been strangled and his remains partially destroyed with acid, a police official privy to the case added. During interrogation, Asad allegedly confessed to having also killed an 11-year-old boy who had been missing for three months and claimed to have buried the body in a nearby field, from where skeletal remains were later recovered, a local resident claimed. A resident, Shahvez Ansari, said Asad and his family had long been associated with occult practices. Several villagers also alleged that he had exhibited disturbing behaviour in the past, particularly targeting boys, although earlier complaints were reportedly ignored by the police. Police said Asad also admitted to planning a larger black magic ritual involving the sacrifice of 11 boys. Mishra said that further investigation is underway, including forensic analysis of the remains and a review of old missing persons' reports.
Hindustan Times
13-07-2025
- Hindustan Times
Meerut youth held for killing 2 minors, acid used post-murder
A 22-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the murder of two boys in Sardhana town of Meerut district. Police said the accused, Mohd Asad, allegedly killed the children, aged 15 and 11, and attempted to dissolve one of the bodies using acid. Police probe links to occult practices and alleged sexual assault (Sourced) He was caught after a late-night police encounter on July 12 and is currently undergoing treatment for injuries sustained during the operation, according to police. The case surfaced after 15-year-old Uvaish, a resident of Nawabgarhi, went missing on July 9. His father, Shakeel, filed a police complaint the next day. On July 11, Shakeel received a WhatsApp message from his son's number, demanding a ransom of ₹5 lakh. The message also included a bank account number. Shakeel transferred ₹5,000, after which all communication stopped. Police intensified the investigation and questioned locals, narrowing down on Asad, who lived 500 metres from the boy's house. He was detained the same evening and, after sustained questioning, allegedly confessed to the crime. Police later recovered Uvaish's body from a pit at an under-construction house about 700 metres away. The body had been hidden under bricks. A search of Asad's residence yielded hair, clothes, and slippers believed to belong to the victims. These have been sent for forensic examination. During interrogation, Asad also allegedly admitted to killing another boy, 11-year-old Rehan, who went missing on April 11 from the same locality. Police said Asad lured Rehan and tried to sexually assault him. When the boy resisted, Asad allegedly strangled him with a rope. While the body has not yet been found, police recovered Rehan's clothes and coins from the area. SP (Rural) Rakesh Kumar Mishra said Asad confessed to murdering the boys after they resisted his advances. An occult angle is also being investigated. Police have recovered the rope allegedly used in the murders and are questioning Asad's family. On July 12 night, Asad led the police to the sites where he had hidden evidence. According to officials, while retrieving a rope from a forested area, Asad allegedly pulled out a hidden firearm and opened fire. In retaliation, police shot him in both legs and arrested him.
