Foreign News

Qatar frees eight ex-Indian navy officers previously on death row

Published

3 years ago

2024/02/12

Priyan

The eight former Indian naval officers were previously sentenced to death on unspecified charges (BBC)

A Qatari court has released eight former Indian naval officers previously on death row for unspecified charges.

Seven of the men have already returned to India, Delhi’s foreign ministry said on Monday.

In January, authorities said their death penalty had been converted into prison sentences of “varying” lengths. Neither Qatar nor India revealed the charges against the men, who were working for Dahra Global, a private firm in Qatar.

But Financial Times and Reuters have reported that the men were charged with spying for Israel.

“We appreciate the decision by the Amir of the State of Qatar to enable the release and home-coming of these nationals,” Delhi’s foreign ministry said in a statement. The arrest of the men had made front-page headlines in India in 2022.

India said in October last year that it was ‘deeply shocked’ after the Court of First Instance in Qatar sentenced the men to death. The Indian foreign ministry subsequently filed an appeal against the sentence. The conviction of the men briefly disturbed ties between the two countries but experts say sustained diplomatic efforts have resulted in the release of the men. In December, India’s foreign ministry said its ambassador to Qatar had met the men in prison.Later that month, the ministry said the Court of Appeal in Qatar had commuted their death sentences. In January, a ministry spokesperson confirmed the death penalty had been converted into varying prison sentences but did not reveal the quantum of the jail terms.

India and Qatar are close allies. Delhi recently signed a $78bn (£62bn) deal to import liquified natural gas from Doha until the end of 2048.

(BBC)

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Foreign News

Head teacher evacuated 900 children minutes before school washed away by Nepal floods

Published

21 hours ago

2026/08/30

Priyan

A head teacher’s quick decision to evacuate his school saved 900 pupils from deadly flash floods along the Nepal-Tibet border

Rajendra Dawadi tells the BBC he was tipped off about incoming flood waters and moved students to higher ground with just minutes to spare. One pupil says she and her friends survived by just 10 seconds and watched as a nearby bazaar was swept away

Wednesday’s disaster has killed at least 794 people and more than 2,500 people are missing in Nepal, local officials say

In Tibet, the official death toll is 16, with 546 reported to be missing, according to Chinese state media –

[BBC]

Foreign News

Ferry carrying 260 people capsizes off northern Cyprus coast

Published

23 hours ago

2026/08/30

Priyan

A ferry carrying around 260 people has capsized off the coast of northern Cyprus with a search underway for survivors, according to local media.

The catamaran-style boat was travelling from the port of Kyrenia, also known as Girne, and started sinking a few kilometres off the coast of the island state on Sunday.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

[Aljazeera]

Foreign News

Ex-White House teleprompter operator ordered to pay $172,000 for Trump speech bets

Published

2 days ago

2026/08/29

Priyan

The staffer was found to have made tens of thousands of dollars through betting on what the president would say in his speeches (BBC)

A former White House teleprompter operator has been ordered to pay more than $172,000 (£127,000) for using inside information to bet on US President Donald Trump’s speeches.

Gabriel Perez was found to have made trades on what the president would say during addresses between December 2025 and February 2026 on Kalshi – a prediction markets platform where users can bet on real-world events.

Its regulator, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), said Perez would have to surrender profits of $107,539.02 (£79,452) and pay a civil penalty of $65,000 (£48,000).

The White House has not yet commented. In July then press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Perez was on unpaid leave and would not return to his post.

Announcing the settlement on Friday, the CFTC said Perez had “misappropriated” his prior knowledge of Trump’s speeches to place bets “in breach of his duty of trust and confidence”.

It said his civil penalty had been reduced due to his “exemplary co-operation” with the investigation.

Perez has also been banned from trading for three years.

Writing on X, Kalshi’s lead lawyer Bobby DeNault welcomed the decision: “It doesn’t matter who you are: violate our rules or federal law and you will face the consequences.”

(BBC)