UAE sentences former Khashoggi lawyer to 3 years in prison
Dubai, Jul 17: The United Arab Emirates has sentenced an American citizen and the former lawyer of Jamal Khashoggi the dissident Saudi journalist who was killed at Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul in 2018 to three years in prison on charges of money laundering and tax evasion.
The lawyer, US citizen Asim Ghafoor, was also ordered to pay a fine of USD 816,748 stemming from his in absentia conviction, the UAE's state-run WAM news agency reported late on Saturday, adding that he would be deported after completing his sentence.
Ghafoor's lawyer dismissed the charges as absolutely not accurate at all.
I'm just hoping for a fair trial. I hope there's no political motivation here, his US-based lawyer Faisal Gill said. He had never heard anything about these charges and all of a sudden he's put in jail.
The UAE framed Ghafoor's arrest as a coordinated move with the US to combat transnational crimes.
Emirati state-run media said American authorities had requested the UAE's help with an investigation into Ghafoor's alleged tax evasion and suspicious money transfers in the Emirates.
Gill cast doubt on that claim, saying, "If the US had anything against him, why wouldn't they just deal with it in the US?"
The autocratic Gulf Arab sheikhdom announced the prison sentence a day after Washington-based human rights watchdog Democracy for the Arab World Now, DAWN, raised alarm about its board member's arrest from Dubai International Airport.
DAWN said that Ghafoor, a close friend of Khashoggi who previously represented him and his fiance, Hatice Cengiz, was in transit to Istanbul on Thursday to attend a wedding when plainclothes Emirati security agents scooped him up and sent him to an Abu Dhabi detention facility before he could change planes.
The US Embassy in Abu Dhabi did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Nandini joins RCB as official dairy partner for IPL-2026 T-20 season
Bengaluru (PTI): The KMF on Tuesday announced that its brand Nandini has partnered with RCB for the 2026 edition of the IPL T-20 cricket, which is scheduled to begin from March 28.
Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) is the state's leading dairy cooperative brand and second-largest dairy co-operative in India.
"KMF-Nandini is partnering with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for the 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League T-20 cricket, which is scheduled to begin from 28 March-2026. RCB, the defending champions of the tournament, are one of the league's most popular franchises with a worldwide fan presence," KMF said in a statement.
Speaking about the association, B Shivaswamy, Managing Director, KMF said, "KMF and RCB represent the coming together of two great national brands rooted in Karnataka and we are looking forward to interacting with the passionate fans of RCB during the league this season."
According to him, KMF-Nandini has been designated as the "Official Dairy Partner' of this League and will be entitled to various activations as part of the association.
"We are delighted to be partnering with the RCB team. It is a reiteration of our continued support of sport," it added.
Rajesh Menon, Chief Operating Officer, RCB, said: "We are delighted to partner with KMF (Nandini) for this season. As two iconic brands rooted in Karnataka, this partnership is built on shared values of excellence, trust and a deep connection with our community. Nandini's legacy and household presence across the state make this association truly special, and we look forward to creating meaningful moments for fans together throughout the season."
