Latest news with #Westerners
Miami Herald
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
State Department increases reward for info on al-Qaeda leader to $10M
July 29 (UPI) -- The State Department has increased to $10 million its reward for information leading to the identification or location of the leader of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. Sa'ad bin Atef al-Awlaki is the man the State Department says leads AQAP and has called for attacks against the United States and its allies. Al-Awlaki also has led AQAP attacks against the United States and kidnapped Americans and other Westerners in Yemen in his prior role as the amir of the Shabwah province in Yemen, according to a State Department news release issued on Tuesday. The State Department previously offered a $6 million reward for information identifying or locating al-Awlaki's whereabouts via the Rewards for Justice program. Al-Awlaki also goes by the names Sa'd Muhammad Atif and Jalaal al-Sa-idi and was born in Yemen sometime between 1978 and 1983. He stands 5'6" and has a thin build, according to the State Department. The State Department also is offering rewards of $5 million and $4 million, respectively, for information leading to the identification or location of Ibrahim al-Banna and Ibrahim Ahmed Mahmoud al-Qosi. Al-Banna and al-Qosi are part of the leadership team that assists al-Awlaki in his role as the leader of AQAP. Anyone with information on al-Awlaki, al-Banna or al-Qosi can contact the Rewards for Justice office via Telegram, Signal or WhatsApp at +1202-702-7843. Those using a Tor browser also can contact the Rewards for Justice's Tor-based tipline at Congress created the Rewards for Justice program in 1984, which is administered by the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security. The program offers rewards for information that helps protect American lives, U.S. interests and national security. Since its inception, Rewards for Justice has paid out more than $250 million in rewards to more than 125 people who provided information that helped protect U.S. citizens and end threats to national security. Copyright 2025 UPI News Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
The National
14 hours ago
- Politics
- The National
US offers $10m reward in hunt for Al Qaeda leader in Yemen
The US State Department on Tuesday issued an online appeal for information regarding senior members of the Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). The department's Rewards for Justice made a series of posts on X asking for information on Saad bin Atef Al Awlaki, the group's leader, and two other senior members, Ibrahim Muhammad Salih Al Banna and Ibrahim Ahmed Mahmoud Al Qosi. The State Department upped its reward offer for Mr Al Awlaki, who became the leader of AQAP in 2024 following the death of Khalid Saeed Batarfi, to $10 million. According to the State Department, Mr Al Awlaki has 'called for attacks against the United States and its allies". "As the group's amir and as a former AQAP amir in Shabwah province in Yemen, he has led AQAP's attacks against the United States and has kidnapped American and Westerners in Yemen," it said. Mr Al Banna, for whom the State Department has offered a $5 million reward, is described as a founding member of AQAP and who serves as the group's chief of security. Mr Al Qosi, who has a $4 million bounty, has called for ' lone wolf ' attacks against the US. What is AQAP? AQAP was designated by the US a Foreign Terrorist Organisation in January 2010. It is a Sunni extremist group that operates in Yemen and has been behind attacks inside and outside the country. The group has carried out several attacks against the Yemeni government, with one of the deadliest occurring in 2013 against the Ministry of Defence that killed at least 52 people, according to the US National Counterterrorism Centre. Since the civil war began between the central government and the Houthis in 2015, AQAP has focused on combating the expansion of the Iran-backed Houthis. According to the NCTC, AQAP has formed a stronghold in Mukalla, in Hadramawt Governorate, where it has freed prisoners, robbed banks and taken over government facilities. Outside Yemen, AQAP sent an operative who attempted to detonate an explosive device concealed in his underwear aboard a Northwest Airlines flight in December 2009. This was followed by an attempt to send explosive-laden packages to the US in October the following year. And in January 2015, AQAP claimed responsibility for the attack on Charlie Hebdo magazine 's office in Paris that left 12 people dead.
UPI
16 hours ago
- Politics
- UPI
State Department increases reward for info on al-Qaeda leader to $10M
July 29 (UPI) -- The State Department has increased to $10 million its reward for information leading to the identification or location of the leader of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. Sa'ad bin Atef al-Awlaki is the man the State Department says leads AQAP and has called for attacks against the United States and its allies. Al-Awlaki also has led AQAP attacks against the United States and kidnapped Americans and other Westerners in Yemen in his prior role as the amir of the Shabwah province in Yemen, according to a State Department news release issued on Tuesday. The State Department previously offered a $6 million reward for information identifying or locating al-Awlaki's whereabouts via the Rewards for Justice program. Al-Awlaki also goes by the names Sa'd Muhammad Atif and Jalaal al-Sa-idi and was born in Yemen sometime between 1978 and 1983. He stands 5'6" and has a thin build, according to the State Department. The State Department also is offering rewards of $5 million and $4 million, respectively, for information leading to the identification or location of Ibrahim al-Banna and Ibrahim Ahmed Mahmoud al-Qosi. Al-Banna and al-Qosi are part of the leadership team that assists al-Awlaki in his role as the leader of AQAP. Anyone with information on al-Awlaki, al-Banna or al-Qosi can contact the Rewards for Justice office via Telegram, Signal or WhatsApp at +1202-702-7843. Those using a Tor browser also can contact the Rewards for Justice's Tor-based tipline at Congress created the Rewards for Justice program in 1984, which is administered by the State Department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security. The program offers rewards for information that helps protect American lives, U.S. interests and national security. Since its inception, Rewards for Justice has paid out more than $250 million in rewards to more than 125 people who provided information that helped protect U.S. citizens and end threats to national security. This Week in Washington
Borneo Post
3 days ago
- Business
- Borneo Post
PhD pursuit: Between scholarship and titular prestige
Photo of PhD graduates, ready to receive their scrolls. — Photo courtesy of Nottingham University KEEN to wear the 'Dr' title before your name? It's only natural to get an affirmative response from locals, but not from Westerners who prefer to be addressed by first name. Have you embarked on the journey to get one? While most people would pursue a legitimate academic path after finishing their undergraduate and master's degrees, many others would choose online degree mills, and some may even contemplate shortcuts where money and a fast track go hand in hand. My experience with the old-school academic approach has prompted me to concentrate my thoughts on PhDs rather than DBAs, yielding in the process some enlightening conclusions from a comparative standpoint. PhDs and DBAs are two separate entities, and the academic traditions which have shaped them differ. In light of widespread availability of academic programmes, formal and short term, offered outside the traditional domain, the pursuit of a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) degree has become a contentious issue capable of igniting passionate discussions among even the most level-headed critics. What with the growing number of institutions offering dubious post-graduate degree, including several online sites, and equally increasing number of people keen to have an extra title after their name. Growing wave of 'credentialism' Such an incendiary atmosphere is caused by the unrestrained mushrooming of shady degree programmes, the vast majority of which are provided by online mills. This is attributed to a growing wave of 'credentialism' in society, where the acquisition of a glittering title has a tendency to suppress the actual essence of scholarship. Laisses-faire economics underscore the growing credentialism trend in which 'supply and demand' are as real as in the open market. The desire to get a PhD, which has become very popular and commercialised, raises numerous concerns regarding the quality and honesty of the examination system. This has caught the attention of higher education planners and academics. Not only are PhDs on the bucket list, so are post-graduate master's degrees. It's a lucrative business for the degree pedlar. Who cares whether it is recognised or not, as long as the person concerned gets to use the prefix 'Dr' before his name and be addressed by the eponymous name thereafter. The urge to acquire a PhD, which has become popular and commercialised, makes people question the honesty and integrity of the grading system. In the past, the pursuit of a PhD was regarded as a challenging route to mastering a subject and doing research that changed the way people thought. But today, some institutions are known to be giving out doctorates that are bogus, but cleverly packaged in an impressive style with artful persuasion. Much of this is detectable in online programmes or remote learning. The discernible cannot help but raise questions about the validity and usefulness of the degree. Seeking extra qualification This was supplemented by an apparent social transformation of professionals seeking extra qualifications for perceived professional advantage, and thereby, it has made a society in which the status of the PhD is more at risk than ever. Backgrounding this is a growing credentialism trend in our society, where title and recognisable social status matter. What is concerning to well-meaning critics is that the availability of certain programmes devalues the worth of the doctorate, confused as it is between true scholarship quality and 'title shopping'. Furthermore, the intentions of those applying for a PhD simply for the additional prestige value, and not necessarily because of research enthusiasm are questioned; thereby, warranting further investigation of the purpose and destiny of doctoral education offered by dubious bodies. The highest academic award given by universities is a PhD, which is evidence of having vast knowledge and expertise in a selected field of study. It is achieved through the completion of tremendous amounts of original research, culminating in a thesis that contributes to the study field. The core of a PhD is independent study and research, where the student will be completely immersed in an extremely narrowed subset of material, generally to the innovation level. This puts to shame those holders of bogus degrees acquired through dubious means. 'Empty doctorates' It is only proper that one must be motivated by scholarship passion and the need to engage in research of value for the community during the study for a PhD. There has also been a despicable tendency for individuals, who are not devoted to authentic scholarship, to seek 'empty doctorates'. The 'Dr' title is more vital to them than real research work, intellectual maturity, and critical thinking that come with a PhD. This hollow quest is likely to result in the publication of subpar research, weaken academic integrity through data manipulation or plagiarism, and ultimately, tarnishes the legitimacy of the PhD degree. In this, the extensive use of artificial intelligence (AI) to retrieve the required material and publish the same in their assignment as if it is theirs, speaks badly of this dubious path. Setting aside scruples, they choose the path of obtaining a great label above giving value to society and the subject of study. They are motivated by social status, or ego, rather than a genuine desire to be of use and relevance to the changing ecosystem of the wider community. People who come into the PhD with guns blazing, even if it means taking shortcuts to get an ersatz degree, are motivated by an endless desire to be recognized, respected, and professionally upgraded. 'Magic pass' They may consider a doctor's degree as the 'magic pass' – a means of deceiving the system in order to become better in opportunities and famous. But their actions indicate an unawareness of the true value of a PhD, not just in the piece of paper itself, but in intellectual growth, diligence and analytical thinking that it signifies. This desperation might stem from uncertainties, family or social pressures, or simply a false belief that the aims warrant the means. There are many of them in our midst today, posing as people of knowledge and half-baked authorities in some specific fields, but quickly backing down when challenged to engage in a debate or in-depth discourse in which they claim to be conversant. The standard advice is for these people to revisit their reasons and the ultimate fallout of what they are doing. A fake degree will give a short-lived thrill, but it will ultimately implode like a fragile bubble. The innate ability cannot be created, and the moral backlash of presenting oneself falsely is enormous. Instead, focus on acquiring real skills and intelligence, seeking out real education streams, and gaining a solid work ethic. Self-satisfaction and pride in having achieved the real thing is always better than a temporary gain from an imitation credential. Study other career-building materials that will push your capabilities and interests, and consult with guidance counsellors and mentors who provide frank and realistic criticism. 'To be accepted, respected' The desire to be accepted and respected by expert communities can be a powerful driver, and sometimes, it can lead one to questionable ethical boundaries. The need to present oneself as capable and competent, especially when in the company of highly educated peers, can leave one with the feeling of having to compromise rules concerning ethics in pursuit of perceived status. With others, the acquisition of pseudo qualifications is so that they can acquire the title of 'Dr', or that of possessing qualifications in which they think will immediately win them people's hearts and gain them respect and credibility. What is frightening about making this choice is the evident absence of legislative provisions within most laws against the misuse of such titles; i.e., there exists a conspicuous loophole in law concerning professional titles and qualifications. This absence of control makes the fraud possible, which may undermine the validity of legitimate professionals and the validity of legitimate qualifications. Personal aggrandisement The pursuit of true scholarship, driven by a thirst for knowledge and a desire to contribute meaningfully to a field, stands in stark contrast to the pursuit of personal aggrandisement, where academic endeavours are primarily seen as a means to elevate one's status, power, or financial gain. This duplicity is particularly vile in the ambiance of the craze of pseudo-PhD programmes. Such programmes, with little seriousness in terms of scholarship and serious intellectual curiosity, are not doing justice to the sanctity of the bona fide doctoral programme. They tend to offer a bargain-basement way of satisfying the illusion of respectability. Far from offering any scope for genuine intellectual growth and leading to the spread of knowledge, they inflate egos and cheapen the toil and effort that go into serious scholarship. The mass availability of such 'degree mills' undermines educational integrity badly. They water down the value of real PhDs, leading to a society where credentials become increasingly detached from real knowledge. Their bearers can proceed and continue to further take advantage of their degrees for professional and personal gain, which has the potential to mislead employers, customers, and society. It is interesting to observe that many with bogus doctoral qualifications or other degrees earned through dubious means are able to present themselves confidently and impress the crowd in a public gathering. Although initially, they may get away unnoticed or unquestioned, they would have to bear the weight of shame and guilt when eventually the glittering glass cracks open. Erosion of faith in scholarship In addition, degrees, whether at undergraduate or post-graduate level, earned through dubious means could result in the gradual erosion of faith in scholarship and research conducted by them. This hinders actual scholarship from moving forward. Therefore, it is important that qualifications done in academia are properly scrutinised critically, and one selects those institutions that search for honest research and actual intellectual development rather than those offering speedy and convenient route to a renowned degree. It is worth noting that Malaysia prohibits the use of bogus or phoney degrees in order to maintain educational integrity and professional standards. Laws like the Universities and University Colleges Act 1974 (UUCA), in effect, criminalise fake institutions and the use of unrecognised qualifications. However, how effective the enforcement has been in curbing the operation of institutions, which offer bogus or substandard degree courses, cannot be ascertained and is left to be desired. * Toman Mamora, PhD (Nottingham UK) Social Anthropology. • Tokoh Media Sarawak • Communication and research consultant Doctor of Philosophy doctorate PhD
The Star
5 days ago
- Health
- The Star
Curious Cook: The magic of durian
For various reasons, I have not been able to return to the UK for four months, and oddly, one of the main things I really miss is the frozen durian from an Asian supermarket some 20 miles (12km) from my house there. Finding durian in France – especially in our remote rural village – is impossible. My only chance to reconnect with my favourite fruit is during visits to the UK. Durian is not cheap in the UK, around £23 (RM130) for a small box of frozen Musang King, but I make a couple of boxes last a while by blending it with ice cream (which must be the type made from full cream). It may sound bizarre, but even a small amount of well-mixed durian can enhance the flavours of many ice creams, especially salted caramel, cookies & cream, vanilla, strawberry, and pistachio. It even works with mint chocolate and coffee, though it can taste a tiny bit funky, but I still like it. I had not wondered before about the reasons why durian would enhance the flavours of ice creams until now, and it turned out the explanations are scientifically quirky and interesting. Lots of sulphur Nobody needs to be reminded that many Westerners would probably describe the smell of durians as a mix of sewage, garlic, and overripe fruit, or something along those lines. At best, they may say the odour is 'unique' and no one can possibly quibble with that. And to make it somewhat worse, the smell would linger for hours. In 2017, a team of researchers at the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) used gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to analyse the volatile compounds in durian pulp, particularly from the prized Durio zibethinus variety known as Musang King. The outcome was the discovery of over 50 volatile compounds, with complex sulphur-containing molecules featuring prominently. Examples are: • Ethanethiol: A highly volatile thiol with an intense odour of skunk. It is very odorous even in remarkably low concentrations. • Diethyl disulfide and diethyl trisulfide: These molecules contribute garlicky, onion-like aromas and are also found in cooked alliums like garlic and onions. • 1-(ethylsulfanyl)ethane-1-thiol: A rare thiol with both fruity and sulphurous notes, reflecting a complexity which captures the multifaceted sensory experience of durian. • Methanethiol: This compound is known as a key contributor to the smell of stinky farts and decaying seafood. • Hydrogen sulphide: The famous compound behind the smell of rotten eggs and decomposing food. • Acetoin and various esters: These compounds round out the aforementioned harsh sulphur notes with buttery and fruity scents. In short, durian can smell like sewage, but presented with a lovely buttery aroma. Surprisingly, many of these sulphur compounds are also found in high-end gourmet ingredients, such as black garlic, truffles, and aged cheeses. What sets durian apart is not just the presence of these molecules, but their unusually high concentrations and unique combinations, which creates a dramatic, often overpowering, olfactory impact. The magic of durian lies not just in its smell but how it reshapes our perception of taste. Photo: TOM FISK/Pexels This impact can be addictive or repulsive, and the outcome is usually determined by a person's background. Human noses can detect sulphur compounds at concentrations as low as a few parts per billion, making durian's scent impossible to ignore. Retro-nasal The magic of durian lies not just in its smell but in how it reshapes our perception of taste. The effect of durians is particularly dramatic also because our sense of taste is deeply intertwined with smell. When we eat, aroma molecules travel retro-nasally – through the back of the throat to the olfactory receptors – and this profoundly shapes how we perceive flavours. In a 2019 study published in Food Chemistry, researchers from the National University of Singapore found that the binding of durian's sulphur compounds to the olfactory receptors causes an interaction with the brain's gustatory cortex. This has the curious effect of amplifying significantly the intensity of other flavours in a dish. Additionally, the compounds stimulate the olfactory receptors in other unusual ways: 1. Sweetness enhancement: Neuroimaging studies using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging have shown that intense aromas, even complex or borderline unpleasant ones, can activate the orbitofrontal cortex, a brain region involved in reward and decision-making. The brain's valuation system appears to be highly responsive to sulphur compounds such as ethanethiol, particularly when balanced with sugar and fat. This might explain why a durian custard can taste sweeter, feel richer or more decadent than a similar dessert made without it. 2. Umami boost: Some durian sulphur compounds interact with glutamate receptors, deepening savoury notes. This makes durian a surprising ingredient for umami-rich desserts, like durian caramel or chocolate truffles with durian. 3. Contrast effect: Durian's sulphurous undertones create a flavour tension that makes the contrast between sweet and fatty food elements more pronounced. This is similar to how honey or sweet chutneys served with blue/aged cheeses enhances a cheeseboard. It goes further. In addition to olfactory stimulation, thiols and sulphides also engage the trigeminal nerve, which senses chemical irritants (eg, menthol, capsaicin, wasabi, etc). Light trigeminal stimulation from durian's sulphur compounds can invoke a mild 'irritation response' that paradoxically enhances awareness of taste texture and contrast. It is a little like how spicy chilli often heightens the perception of flavour depth. Furthermore, a 2021 study in the Journal of Sensory Studies curiously found that introducing the aroma of durian alone can increase the perceived sweetness of a dish by up to 20%, even when sugar levels of the dish remain unchanged. Multisensory event The brain interprets flavour not as simple taste profiles, but as a multisensory event – a neural symphony of smell, taste, touch, sounds, and memory. In this context, it is plausible that durian is a master manipulator of some of our major experiences of flavour. • Olfactory coding: Olfactory receptor neurons are encoded to detect thousands of odorants, and durian's rich chemical makeup often overpowers this system. The sheer diversity of durian's molecular signals can overwhelm or enrich, depending on the individual's neural sensitivity and prior exposure. • Reward circuitry: The interaction of durian's aroma compounds with dopaminergic pathways helps explain its 'addictive' appeal to fans. In various studies, presenting small doses of durian to fans triggered powerful anticipatory pleasure sensations and salivation even before the durian is eaten. Introducing the aroma of durian can increase a person's perception of sweetness by 20%. • Memory and emotion: Because smell is closely tied to the limbic system, particularly the amygdala and hippocampus, even a fleeting whiff of durian may trigger intense emotional responses – revulsion, nostalgia, craving – depending on one's personal and cultural background. Nicer and funkier By now, you should have an inkling why the curious chemistry of durian can enhance the taste of other foods, and for example, why ice creams of different flavours can taste much nicer and funkier with a spoonful of durian mixed in. This may be considered a personal opinion, except that several of the best restaurants in Asia (mainly Singapore and Bangkok) are now adding durian compounds to their dishes to introduce unique taste and flavour sensations to their clients. And soon there may be durian culinary compounds available without the smell. A possible future As a peek into a plausible future, food technologists at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) have pioneered a method to extract and refine durian's flavour compounds, selectively removing the fruit's notoriously pungent odour while preserving its creamy, umami-rich taste compounds. By isolating specific esters and reducing sulphur-based volatiles responsible for the strong smell, the researchers have created odour-mild durian extracts that retain the fruit's unique depth and texture. This innovation should soon open up new culinary possibilities, allowing durian to be used in foods that would otherwise be overwhelmed by its aroma. UPM has been researching and improving this technology since 2006 and hopefully their decades-long work will gain some critical commercial momentum soon. The refined durian extracts are designed to be incorporated into a variety of products. In cocktails, they can add a tropical creaminess and complexity without the off-putting scent. In vegan cheeses, durian's natural richness and umami mimic the mouthfeel and flavour of dairy, resulting in plant-based cheeses that are mild in smell but bold in taste. The extracts are also designed to be used in desserts, baked goods, and spreads, thanks to their versatility and ease of integration. The quirky appeal of these innovations may soon make durian more accessible to a global audience. Far from being a polarising delicacy, the compounds in durian may one day turn into a versatile ingredient for modern, health-conscious, and adventurous foodies around the world. If you have never tasted durian before, a suggestion would be to get some quality durian from an Asian supermarket, defrost a portion into a creamy paste, and mix it well into your favourite soft ice cream. At the very least, it would be an interesting introduction to the king of fruits if you have never tried the magic of durian before. The views expressed here are entirely the writer's own.
