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28 Jun 2022
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Mother of femicide victim Nayiera Ashraf says her daughter’s killer held a ‘grudge’

June 28, 2022

The mother of the Egyptian woman who was killed in front of her university in Mansourah, Egypt, told Al Arabiya in an interview that the killer held a “grudge” against her daughter and had been harassing her for two years.Nayiera Ashraf, 21, had her throat slit by a man, identified as Mohammed Adel, whose marriage proposal she allegedly turned down, according to local media reports.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Ashraf’s mother added that the man’s confessions to the authorities were lies and that he had threatened her daughter for rejecting his advances, saying there was a “big price” to pay for her rejection.“He held a grudge against her because she refused to be in a relationship with him. It’s as simple as that. This is not love. If you love someone, you wouldn’t do this to them. He’s possessive and selfish,” the mother said.“Everything he said in court was lies.”Adel’s trial began on Sunday at the Mansourah Criminal Court. He was accused of “premeditated murder,” after confessing to intentionally killing the victim, an AFP correspondent said on Sunday.The victim previously reported the alleged perpetrator to the authorities, fearing that he would attack her, her father and other witnesses told AFP.The maximum penalty for murder is death in Egypt, which carried out the third highest number of executions in the world in 2021, according to Amnesty International.The family’s lawyer told Al Arabiya that he expected a verdict against the killer to be issued by the end of the week.Adel, also a student at the university, told the court that Ashraf threatened to accuse him of harming her if he asked her to pay back all the money he had spent on her during their alleged relationship. He also said that he had reached out to her again in an attempt to resolve the matter and settle their differences, but she rejected him and asked him to stay away from her, Al Arabiya reported.The alleged murderer confessed that he spent money on Ashraf during their relationship to help her with monetary issues her family had been experiencing, and that her parents were aware of the money that she was taking from him.“But when I went to her house, I discovered that her family did not know anything about this,” he said. “I was spending on her, not leaving her in need, but she called me and threatened to expose me and use somebody to assault me.”“Nayiera threatened me a lot in an hour-long phone call, and my family rejected our story, and I was shocked and I decided to respond to the insults through a new email after she blocked me everywhere.”The next hearing is set to take place on Tuesday, AFP reported.Read more:Egyptian woman slain at university after rejecting marriage proposalEgypt: Trial begins for man accused of murdering woman who rejected his advancesTributes to Lubna Mansour pour in following her murder in Sharjah
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: Mother of femicide victim Nayiera Ashraf says her daughter’s killer held a ‘grudge’

28 Jun 2022
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NEOM, McLaren developing program for Saudi graduates, announce new racing partnership

June 28, 2022

McLaren and NEOM are developing a bespoke program for 20 Saudi graduates from NEOM’s graduate program to partake in a one-year placement with McLaren Racing at the McLaren Technology Center in the UK.The program is expected to be launched in 2023 “in line with NEOM’s commitment to developing Saudi talent,” a statement said.For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.Additionally, McLaren is also set to the become a founding partner of the OXAGON development in Saudi Arabia. The British racing company will be located within OXAGON’s Research and Innovation Campus.Comprising a large area in the southwest corner of NEOM, OXAGON is centered around the integrated port and logistics hub that will house most the city’s anticipated residents.A defining feature of the city is the world’s largest floating structure, which will become a center for NEOM’s Blue Economy and achieve sustainable growth.In line with this theme, NEOM also announced a title partnership agreement with McLaren Formula E and Extreme E racing teams – bringing both all-electric races under the ‘NEOM McLaren Electric Racing’ banner.“This is an incredible way to kick off our entry into Formula E and to unify our electric racing series. We are thrilled to introduce NEOM McLaren Electric Racing and to work with NEOM to nurture talent and drive innovation,” Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, said in a statement.“Working with OXAGON will allow us to make meaningful contributions through our Accelerator program and assist with the development of advanced and clean industries,” he added.The partnership is said to portray NEOM’s commitment to sustainable goals in motorsport. It comes after the success of NEOM’s Mercedes-EQ Formula E principal partners relationship.“Our partnership with McLaren Racing complements NEOM’s commitment to driving sustainable solutions and tackling some of society's most pressing challenges,” Nadhmi al-Nasr, the CEO of NEOM said.The partnership will reportedly allow both parties to pool their resources and arrive at results that can have a broader impact on the automotive and sports industries.NEOM McLaren Formula E Team will be formed through the acquisition of the Mercedes-EQ Formula E Team, expected to complete later this year, which will see the reigning champion team become part of the McLaren racing family, the statement clarified.Saudi Arabia has invested significantly in motorsport in recent years, with the Ministry of Sport signing agreements to host Formula E, Extreme E, Formula One and the Dakar Rally.Read more:Saudi Arabia: Major artists to exhibit art installations at AlUla’s Arts ValleySaudi Space Commission, Huawei launch Saudi Arabia’s first tech experience centerSaudi Arabia to invest $3.4 billion in vaccine, biomedical drugs sector
Source: Al Arabiya
Full Article: NEOM, McLaren developing program for Saudi graduates, announce new racing partnership