Musings From Abroad

Teacher facing death penalty in Egypt granted asylum

Published

6 years ago

August 25, 2018

A New Jersey teacher who was sentenced to death in Egypt for his pro-democracy activism was given a new lease on life this week.

Ahmed Abdelbasit was finally granted asylum in the US on Tuesday more than two years after he applied, according to the Huffington Post.

The Egyptian educator fled to New Jersey in 2016 and was later sentenced to death in absentia that very same year by a military court.

The international advocacy group, Human Rights Watch, told HuffPost that his punishment was “completely baseless” — and the evidence against him was “almost nonexistent.”

Abdelbasit would later get arrested and detained in April 2018 by Immigration and Customs Enforcement while waiting for his asylum application to go through. He had been on his way to Rising Star Academy in Union City, the school where he taught.

On Tuesday, immigration Judge Daniel Morris granted his release — and ICE refused to appeal.

“I told myself a lot of times, I need to get out. I need to get out for my students,” Abdelbasit said just an hour after he was let out.

“I’m just very happy because my life now is safe.”

After his release, Abdelbasit made his way over to Rising Star — where he got showered with cheers from his family, friends and students.

“It’s a really happy moment and very relieving,” incoming senior Mariam Siam, 17, told HuffPost.

“I’m just very proud of the efforts of community,” she said.

Abdelbasit’s lawyer, Anwen Hughes, believes his client’s case ultimately showed “the importance of due process.”

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Musings From Abroad

Brazilian meatpacker JBS invests $2.5 billion in Nigeria, builds six facilities

Published

7 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Brazilian meatpacker JBS says it has inked a memorandum of understanding with the Nigerian government for a $2.5 billion investment plan that will include the construction of six new plants in the African nation.

Three of the plants would deal in poultry, two in beef, and one in pork, according to a statement from JBS.

In accordance with the memorandum of understanding, JBS stated that it would develop a five-year investment plan in Nigeria, which would include budget estimates, feasibility studies, and an action plan for the development of the local supply chain.

The Nigerian government would then guarantee the sanitary, regulatory, and economic conditions required for the project’s viability, JBS continued.

Musings From Abroad

China’s Xi meets with Morocco’s Crown Prince

Published

7 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Morocco’s official media reports that Chinese President, Xi Jinping, visited Morocco briefly on Thursday.

According to Morocco’s MAP, Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan welcomed Xi in Casablanca. The visit demonstrated the close ties of camaraderie, collaboration, and solidarity between the Moroccan and Chinese peoples, it said.

China’s official broadcaster, CCTV, said that Xi and Hassan had a “cordial conversation” at the airport after being received by the Crown Prince and Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch.

After attending the G20 Summit in Brazil, Xi paid the visit.

In recent years, China has increased its investments in Morocco’s rail and infrastructure. Morocco is desirable for Chinese electric car battery manufacturers because of its proximity to Europe, free trade agreements with important EU and US markets, and an established automotive sector.

Morocco was chosen by Chinese EV battery company Gotion High Tech in June to establish Africa’s first gigafactory, which will cost $1.3 billion in total.