Safe Refuge
A Christian woman who escaped hanging when her conviction for blasphemy was overturned is preparing to flee Pakistan, as huge crowds of Islamist protesters launched a second day of protests against her acquittal.
Asia Bibi’s brother said she would leave Pakistan after her formal release, a day after she was cleared of insulting the Prophet Muhammad in a row over a cup of water.
Today protesters took to the streets again, calling for her to be executed, demanding the judges who freed her be killed and burning tyres on major roads across the country.
Bibi’s brother said his sister was not safe in Pakistan and that paperwork for her release and departure was being processed.
France and Spain have offered asylum but It’s not known where she will go once she is released from the undisclosed place where she is being held.
Today outraged protesters took to the streets again, lighting fires and blocking roads while paramilitary forces struggled to keep the peace.
Deportation
Spain yesterday deported a Pakistani national for alleged links with Islamic State.
The authorities at New Islamabad Airport arrested the man on his arrival.
Afzal Ahmed along with his two brothers, was arrested in July 1, 2016, in Spain over alleged involvement in terrorist attacks and spreading extremism.
They were arrested in a raid on their home in Lleida.
The three brothers were kept in detention for two years and later released on July 29 this year.
Afzal Ahmed, however, was arrested again and deported to Pakistan.
Inflation
Consumer prices across the 19-country eurozone rose at their fastest rate in nearly six years in October, largely on the back of higher energy costs, official figures showed yesterday.
But with oil prices having come off near four-year highs in recent weeks and with economic growth faltering, there is a strong chance that inflation may have peaked. And that could limit the European Central Bank in starting to raise interest rates next summer.
The headline measure of consumer price inflation rose by 2.2 percent in the year to October, up from 2.1 percent the previous month, according to statistics agency Eurostat..
Stripping out volatile items such as energy the so-called core inflation rate rose to 1.1 percent in the year to October from 0.9 percent the month before.
Corruption
A Spanish judge says fraud and corruption charges brought against footballer Neymar could merit a prison sentence of up to six years when the Brazil forward stands trial.
Prosecutors were seeking a two-year sentence for the Paris Saint-Germain player for alleged irregularities related to his transfer to Barcelona five years ago, but the court said a sentence of four to six years could be handed down if Neymar is found guilty.
The charges were brought after a Brazilian investment group said it received a smaller compensation because part of Neymar’s transfer fee was concealed by those involved.
Neymar’s parents, Barcelona FC’s president and a former president also faced charges, along with Barcelona and Brazilian club Santos.
They all denied any wrongdoing.