A British priest has accused Qatar of prolonging the suffering of a mother whose daughter was murdered after a night out in Doha five years ago.
Rev David Green compared New Zealand's response to the killing of Grace Millane, a British backpacker, with the handling of the case of Lauren Patterson, 24, a teacher killed by a Qatari in 2013.
New Zealand expressed a “profound sense of regret and shame” over the apparent murder of Millane, who went missing from Auckland earlier this month, on its soil, Mr Green said.
Meanwhile, he said, Alison Patterson, Lauren’s mother and a former parishioner, had been forced into a “never-ending fight for justice” in the Gulf.
Lauren's killer, Badr Hashim Khamis Abdallah Al Jabr, has twice been sentenced to death, in a legal saga that has forced Mrs Patterson to travel to Qatar more than 30 times to attend hearings.
In the most recent development, his death sentence was quashed and replaced with a jail term of 10 years, half of which has been served.
The lower sentence, described as "risible" by Mr Green, was imposed despite the gruesome nature of the crime. Al Jabr stabbed Lauren to death before attempting to burn her body on charcoal bricks in the desert. DNA profiling was needed to identify the remains.
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Read more:
Qatari who murdered British teacher Lauren Patterson 'sees death sentence quashed'
Death sentence upheld for Qatari who killed British teacher
Mother tells of 30 trips to Qatar only to see court hand killer lenient jail term
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“The contrast between New Zealand’s reaction for Grace Millane and Qatar’s response to Lauren could not be more different – to New Zealand’s credit and to Qatar’s great shame,” Mr Green wrote in a blog. New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern issued a heartfelt apology for Millane’s death.
“Where New Zealand has, as a nation, effectively covered themselves in sackcloth and ashes, and expressed a profound sense of regret and shame that a vibrant, travelling young British woman should ever have come to harm on their shores, Qatar does not.
“While New Zealand promises justice for a family hurting deeply and grieving for the loss of a young woman who had her whole life ahead of her, Qatar instead continues to prolong the suffering of Alison and her family.
"Constant appeals and re-trials convey to Lauren's family and watching friends that Qatar's overriding priority in this case is not to see justice served."
Mr Green is a priest in Kent, England. Although Mrs Patterson has since moved to Luxembourg, he recalled how he supported the family after the murder, including conducting Lauren's funeral.
Although Qatar rarely carries out the death penalty, he asked whether Al Jabr had been treated preferentially.
He wrote: “One wonders what sort of justice would have been served if the man who violated Lauren had not been Qatari?
Mrs Patterson has pledged to appeal against the reduced sentence handed to Al Jabr.
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
The specs: 2018 Ford Mustang GT
Price, base / as tested: Dh204,750 / Dh241,500
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
Power: 460hp @ 7,000rpm
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Fuel economy, combined: 10.3L / 100km
Summer special
Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
Need to know
The flights: Flydubai flies from Dubai to Kilimanjaro airport via Dar es Salaam from Dh1,619 return including taxes. The trip takes 8 hours.
The trek: Make sure that whatever tour company you select to climb Kilimanjaro, that it is a reputable one. The way to climb successfully would be with experienced guides and porters, from a company committed to quality, safety and an ethical approach to the mountain and its staff. Sonia Nazareth booked a VIP package through Safari Africa. The tour works out to $4,775 (Dh17,538) per person, based on a 4-person booking scheme, for 9 nights on the mountain (including one night before and after the trek at Arusha). The price includes all meals, a head guide, an assistant guide for every 2 trekkers, porters to carry the luggage, a cook and kitchen staff, a dining and mess tent, a sleeping tent set up for 2 persons, a chemical toilet and park entrance fees. The tiny ration of heated water provided for our bath in our makeshift private bathroom stall was the greatest luxury. A standard package, also based on a 4-person booking, works out to $3,050 (Dh11,202) per person.
When to go: You can climb Kili at any time of year, but the best months to ascend are January-February and September-October. Also good are July and August, if you’re tolerant of the colder weather that winter brings.
Do not underestimate the importance of kit. Even if you’re travelling at a relatively pleasant time, be geared up for the cold and the rain.
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
ADCC AFC Women’s Champions League Group A fixtures
October 3: v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC
October 6: v Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC
October 9: v Sabah FA
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A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
Specs
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Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
