The family of a Saudi student who was stabbed to death in the UK has said the country is no longer safe for visitors and tourists.
Mohammed Yousef Alqassem, 20, was killed in Cambridge, in what police have described as an “unprovoked attack”.
A man has been charged with murder and will appear at Cambridge Crown Court on Wednesday. Mr Alqassem, who Cambridgeshire Police earlier named as Mohammed Algasimm, had been on a 10-week placement at a language school.
The force said that its officers were called to Mill Park in Cambridge at 11.27pm on Friday following reports of violence. Mr Alqassem was pronounced dead at the scene at 12.01am on Saturday despite the efforts of paramedics.
Majed Abalkhail, Mr Alqassem's uncle, said the family believed Britain was no longer a safe place to visit.
“Many people, both in the UK and abroad, have expressed growing concerns about the rise in violent crime in Britain, and we believe the country is no longer a safe destination for students or tourists,” he said.
“We hope this incident will prompt serious reflection on public safety and the protection of innocent lives.”
Mr Abalkhail paid tribute to his nephew, who he said lived in Makkah and served pilgrims and visitors to the Two Holy Mosques.
“Mohammed was a calm, kind-hearted young man, loved and respected by everyone who knew him,” he said.
“He had dreams of studying medicine and came to the UK with a heart full of hope and a passion for learning. Unfortunately, his journey ended in tragedy. His family and community are devastated by this horrific loss.”
Mr Abalkhail's comments about crime in the UK come after a wave of 'Rolex ripper' luxury watch thefts and mobile phone snatches, as well significant knife crime.
In a statement issued through police, Mr Alqassem's family said he was a “young man brimming with enthusiasm, brimming with chivalry and courage”.
“Over time, he became the family’s charisma, leaving behind an unforgettable legacy in every gathering,” they said.
“He was his father’s support, his familiar companion, and the assistant to his uncles and maternal uncles.
“He was the most compassionate person to ever visit a mother’s heart and the closest to his sisters’ embrace.”
EF International Language Campuses Cambridge, a private school offering English language courses to overseas students, said it was “deeply saddened” to confirm one of its adult students had died.
A postmortem examination is scheduled for Tuesday.
Mill Park is a street close to Cambridge railway station and comprises residential blocks. Floral tributes had been left outside one of these buildings.
A message, on a piece of paper taped to a barrier behind the tributes, said “May your soul be at peace” and had heart shapes drawn on it. Other messages were written in Arabic.
Chas Corrigan, of Cambridge, has been charged with murder and possession of a knife in a public place. The 21-year-old appeared at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Monday and was remanded in custody to appear at Cambridge Crown Court on Wednesday.
A 50-year-old man, also from Cambridge, was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. He remains in custody.
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
What it means to be a conservationist
Who is Enric Sala?
Enric Sala is an expert on marine conservation and is currently the National Geographic Society's Explorer-in-Residence. His love of the sea started with his childhood in Spain, inspired by the example of the legendary diver Jacques Cousteau. He has been a university professor of Oceanography in the US, as well as working at the Spanish National Council for Scientific Research and is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Biodiversity and the Bio-Economy. He has dedicated his life to protecting life in the oceans. Enric describes himself as a flexitarian who only eats meat occasionally.
What is biodiversity?
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, all life on earth – including in its forests and oceans – forms a “rich tapestry of interconnecting and interdependent forces”. Biodiversity on earth today is the product of four billion years of evolution and consists of many millions of distinct biological species. The term ‘biodiversity’ is relatively new, popularised since the 1980s and coinciding with an understanding of the growing threats to the natural world including habitat loss, pollution and climate change. The loss of biodiversity itself is dangerous because it contributes to clean, consistent water flows, food security, protection from floods and storms and a stable climate. The natural world can be an ally in combating global climate change but to do so it must be protected. Nations are working to achieve this, including setting targets to be reached by 2020 for the protection of the natural state of 17 per cent of the land and 10 per cent of the oceans. However, these are well short of what is needed, according to experts, with half the land needed to be in a natural state to help avert disaster.
Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
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Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi
“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”
