An Israeli journalist has breached a total ban on non-Muslim access to Islam’s holiest site in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, triggering an online backlash and potentially straining growing ties between Tel Aviv and Gulf nations. Israel’s Channel 13 News aired a 10-minute report in which journalist Gil Tamary drove past the Grand Mosque that houses the Kaaba, and climbed the Mount of Mercy.
John Bolton, a former U.S. ambassador to United Nations and former White House national security adviser, admitted that he had helped plan attempted coups in foreign countries. Bolton made the remarks to CNN after the day’s congressional hearing into the Jan 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Bolton \stated that Trump was not competent enough to pull off a “carefully planned coup d’etat.”
Sheikh Muhammad Al-Issa, member of the Council of Senior Scholars and secretary-general of the Muslim World League (MWL), delivered the Hajj sermon at Masjid-e-Nimra. Delivering the wide-ranging sermon from Masjid-e-Nimra, he said that Islam is a religion of peace and there is only one Allah and Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa (PBUH) is the last prophet.
The news of Elon Musk’s twins with one of Tesla’s top executives Shivon Zilis in November came out yesterday and Musk’s hilarious response poured in. Taking to Twitter, the billionaire, who now has nine children with three women, weighed in on the reports with a joke based on his beliefs about an under-populated world. ‘Population of Mars is still zero people!, Musk says.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson managed to win the vote of confidence against him but the rebellion of the 148 of his conservative party members has weakened his position. At least 180 conservative lawmakers were needed to vote against Boris for him to be removed. Boris has secured the support of only 59% of the conservative lawmakers.
Eccentric entrepreneur, random tweeter and Tesla CEO Elon Musk this week bought his favorite social media platform, Twitter, for $44 billion — an amount approximately the equivalent of the gross domestic product of Jordan. Musk’s ambition to “save” Twitter and, as he sees it, free speech, has given hope to some Lebanese people who are asking Musk to now consider buying their country.
After weeks of economic turmoil, the island nation of Sri Lanka announced default on all of its $51 billion external debt after running out of foreign exchange for imports. Colombo called the move a “last resort.” The nation is grappling with its worst economic downturn since independence, with regular blackouts and acute shortages of food and fuel.
After its Foreign Office Minister Lord Zac Goldsmith tweeted in support of Imran Khan, the UK government distanced itself from his stance saying that Goldsmith’s remarks did not represent the UK government’s position. Downing Street stopped short of rebuking the Tory peer for his comments, but confirmed that UK government “would not get involved in the domestic political affairs” of Pakistan.
A picture of the “advanced level” of security at a US airport against terrorist threats has left social media guffawing. The image is from a self-check-in counter where the in-built system asks a person, “Are you a terrorist?”. It also offers two options: “yes” or “no”. Asaad Sam Hanna, a freelance journalist, shared the snapshot on Twitter.
A hijab-wearing lawyer has been appointed to the Queen’s Counsel, the first criminal barrister to do so. Sultana Tafadar QC, of No5 Barristers’ Chambers in London, celebrated taking silk at a ceremony at the Palace of Westminster. The Luton-born lawyer with Bangladeshi roots hopes her success will provide inspiration and confidence for other female lawyers from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds.