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Jerry Jones: Mike McCarthy Extension 'Not Crazy At All'Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah start a ceasefire after nearly 14 months of fightingNetanyahu's office says his security Cabinet has approved ceasefire deal with Hezbollah
Corteva Inc. stock rises Monday, outperforms marketOur community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A motorist says he "still can't get rid of the stench" in his car following a sewage spill on the M8 - despite taking his vehicle through a car wash twice. The westbound slip road on the M8 at junction 25A for Braehead was shut due to “contaminated water” on the route at around 8.30am on Friday. Scottish Water said a burst sewer main caused some localised flooding of the carriageway and surrounding area near Braehead Shopping Centre in Renfrewshire. One motorist said on social media that his car had been “completely engulfed in raw sewage”. He added: “Been through car wash twice now and still heavily contaminated and stench is terrible.” People travelling to the shopping centre were advised to leave the M8 at J26 and take Renfrew Road to the mall. Scottish Water said at 5pm on Friday the road had reopened following a clean-up. The firm said in a statement: “Scottish Water used all resources available to complete this work and enable the road to be reopened as quickly as possible in order to help alleviate traffic congestion in the area. “The utility, which is now planning repair work for the burst main in liaison with Amey Highways, apologises for the inconvenience and disruption to road users, and thanks them for their patience and understanding during this incident.” Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile , select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond. Sign up to our daily newsletter .JERUSALEM — Israel approved a United States-brokered ceasefire agreement with Lebanon's Hezbollah on Tuesday, setting the stage for an end to nearly 14 months of fighting linked to the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. In the hours leading up to the Cabinet meeting, Israel carried out its most intense wave of strikes in Beirut and its southern suburbs and issued a record number of evacuation warnings. At least 24 people were killed in strikes across the country, according to local authorities, as Israel signaled it aims to keep pummeling Hezbollah in the final hours before any ceasefire takes hold. Israel's security Cabinet approved the ceasefire agreement late Tuesday after it was presented by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his office said. U.S. President Joe Biden, speaking in Washington, called the agreement “good news” and said his administration would make a renewed push for a ceasefire in Gaza. An Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire would mark the first major step toward ending the regionwide unrest triggered by Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. But it does not address the devastating war in Gaza. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to bring peace to the Middle East, but neither he nor Netanyahu have proposed a postwar solution for the Palestinian territory, where Hamas is still holding dozens of hostages and the conflict is more intractable. Still, any halt to the fighting in Lebanon is expected to reduce the likelihood of war between Israel and Iran, which backs both Hezbollah and Hamas and exchanged direct fire with Israel on two occasions earlier this year. Netanyahu presented the ceasefire proposal to Cabinet ministers after a televised address in which he listed a series of accomplishments against Israel’s enemies across the region. He said a ceasefire with Hezbollah would further isolate Hamas in Gaza and allow Israel to focus on its main enemy, Iran, which backs both groups. “If Hezbollah breaks the agreement and tries to rearm, we will attack,” he said. “For every violation, we will attack with might.” Netanyahu's office later said Israel appreciated the U.S. efforts in securing the deal but "reserves the right to act against every threat to its security.” It was not immediately clear when the ceasefire would go into effect, and the exact terms of the deal were not released. The deal calls for a two-month initial halt in fighting and would require Hezbollah to end its armed presence in a broad swath of southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops would return to their side of the border. Thousands of additional Lebanese troops and U.N. peacekeepers would deploy in the south, and an international panel headed by the United States would monitor all sides’ compliance. But implementation remains a major question mark. Israel has demanded the right to act should Hezbollah violate its obligations. Lebanese officials have rejected writing that into the proposal. Biden said Israel reserved the right to quickly resume operations in Lebanon if Hezbollah breaks the terms of the truce, but that the deal "was designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities.” Hezbollah has said it accepts the proposal, but a senior official with the group said Tuesday that it had not seen the agreement in its final form. “After reviewing the agreement signed by the enemy government, we will see if there is a match between what we stated and what was agreed upon by the Lebanese officials,” Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chair of Hezbollah’s political council, told the Al Jazeera news network. “We want an end to the aggression, of course, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of the state” of Lebanon, he said. “Any violation of sovereignty is refused.” In this screen grab image from video provide by the Israeli Government Press Office, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu makes a televised statement Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, in Jerusalem, Israel. Even as Israeli, U.S, Lebanese and international officials have expressed growing optimism over a ceasefire, Israel has continued its campaign in Lebanon, which it says aims to cripple Hezbollah’s military capabilities. An Israeli strike on Tuesday leveled a residential building in the central Beirut district of Basta — the second time in recent days warplanes have hit the crowded area near the city’s downtown. At least seven people were killed and 37 wounded, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. Strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs killed at least one person and wounded 13, it said. Three people were killed in a separate strike in Beirut and three in a strike on a Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon. Lebanese state media said another 10 people were killed in the eastern Baalbek province. Israel says it targets Hezbollah fighters and their infrastructure. Israel also struck a building in Beirut's bustling commercial district of Hamra for the first time, hitting a site that is around 400 meters (yards) from Lebanon’s Central Bank. There were no reports of casualties. The Israeli military said it struck targets in Beirut and other areas linked to Hezbollah's financial arm. The evacuation warnings covered many areas, including parts of Beirut that previously have not been targeted. The warnings, coupled with fear that Israel was ratcheting up attacks before a ceasefire, sent residents fleeing. Traffic was gridlocked, and some cars had mattresses tied to them. Dozens of people, some wearing their pajamas, gathered in a central square, huddling under blankets or standing around fires as Israeli drones buzzed loudly overhead. Hezbollah, meanwhile, kept up its rocket fire, triggering air raid sirens across northern Israel. Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee issued evacuation warnings for 20 buildings in Beirut's southern suburbs, where Hezbollah has a major presence, as well as a warning for the southern town of Naqoura where the U.N. peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL, is headquartered. UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti told The Associated Press that peacekeepers will not evacuate. The Israeli military also said its ground troops clashed with Hezbollah forces and destroyed rocket launchers in the Slouqi area on the eastern end of the Litani River, a few kilometers (miles) from the Israeli border. Under the ceasefire deal, Hezbollah would be required to move its forces north of the Litani, which in some places is about 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of the border. Hezbollah began firing into northern Israel, saying it was showing support for the Palestinians, a day after Hamas carried out its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, triggering the Gaza war. Israel returned fire on Hezbollah, and the two sides have been exchanging barrages ever since. Israel escalated its campaign of bombardment in mid-September and later sent troops into Lebanon, vowing to put an end to Hezbollah fire so tens of thousands of evacuated Israelis could return to their homes. More than 3,760 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon the past 13 months, many of them civilians, according to Lebanese health officials. The bombardment has driven 1.2 million people from their homes. Israel says it has killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members. Hezbollah fire has forced some 50,000 Israelis to evacuate in the country’s north, and its rockets have reached as far south in Israel as Tel Aviv. At least 75 people have been killed, more than half of them civilians. More than 50 Israeli soldiers have died in the ground offensive in Lebanon. Chehayeb and Mroue reported from Beirut. Associated Press reporters Lujain Jo and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut contributed. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
A new documentary by German filmmakers is set to offer a less-than-glowing review of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s efforts to establish them as extremely wealthy global influencers and philanthropists since they departed royal life nearly five years ago. “Harry and Meghan set the bar very high,” Ulrike Grunewald, the director of “The Lost Prince,” told The Daily Mail over the weekend . The documentary is set to air in Germany on Tuesday. “They want to be global benefactors who bring about tangible change. So far, they have not lived up to this image at all.” For the 45-minute film, Grunewald wanted to look into whether the Duke and Duchess of Sussex succeeded in “finding freedom” by leaving the U.K. and moving to the United States. During their exit, the couple also vowed to become financially independent entrepreneurs and world-renowned thought leaders. To answer questions about the couple’s post-“Megxit” life, Grunewald said she did reporting in the couple’s new hometown of Montecito, looked into the work of their Archewell Foundation and Harry’s involvement in the Invictus Games and examined recent reports that they’ve “separated” — at least professionally. “I was interested in whether Harry and Meghan’s strategies for an independent life are working,” Grunewald said. “After four years, the results are very mixed.” “Now they mainly appear separately, as they were unable to create a functioning image together,” Grunewald said. They have come down to earth.” On one hand, Harry may have found a new sense of personal freedom by leaving the confines of royal life. “To be fair, from his point of view Harry wanted the best for his own family,” Grunewald said. “And sure he has now gained valuable experience in California and learned what it means to have to stand on his own two feet. He would never have been able to do that in the close circle of the royal family.” But Harry now has decide for himself what he has to offer to the world, Grunewald said. Sure, he still carries “the glamor” of being the son of King Charles III and of the late Princess Diana, Grunewald said. “But in the tough atmosphere of the Hollywood industry,” this allure can wear off, she said. Grunewald is likely referring to the couple’s struggles to become Hollywood media moguls. In late 2020, Harry and his American TV actor wife signed multimillion-dollar deals with Netflix and Spotify, saying that they planned to create “impactful” content “that informs,” “gives hope” and “unlocks action.” But the couple notoriously parted ways with Spotify in 2023, after Meghan only produced one 12-episode podcast and they were branded “grifters” by one of the platform’s executives and star podcasters, Bill Simmons. As for Netflix, they starred in “Harry and Meghan,” their blockbuster 2022 blockbuster docu-series about their acrimonious departure from royal life. But they also began to lose some public good will in both the U.K. and the United States, due to the perception that they had gone too far in publicly criticizing Harry’s royal relatives in the docu-series and in interviews. While lovers of royal gossip also turned Harry’s 2023 memoir, “Spare,” into a global best-seller, it also became clear that some people started to become uncomfortable with Harry’s choice to reveal family secrets. “People have long memories and few revelations can be more damaging to their image than the private details that Harry and Meghan have made public themselves in the last few years,” Grunewald said. Meanwhile, their Netflix partnership has gone “somewhat downhill,” The Times UK also reported . Harry’s documentary about his work with the Invictus Games failed to make Netflix top 10, and there’s still no sign of Meghan’s Netflix cooking show, which is said to have been finished over the summer. Next week, Netflix releases “Polo,” a documentary series that the couple co-executive produced. But neither Harry nor Meghan appear in the series, which happens to be about an elite sport that most people probably don’t care about. The trailer also tries to market the documentary as a Bravo-like reality TV show about “dirty, sweaty boys ... riding” — hardly “impactful” content that “gives hope” and “unlocks action.” Former British friends of Harry reportedly were left in “appalled hysterics” over the “tacky” new series, while a Hollywood executive cautioned that the couple were “running out of last chances” to prove they can make compelling TV that is not about themselves, the Daily Beast reported. The Daily Mail preview about the new German documentary doesn’t address whether it looks into Meghan’s other commercial endeavors, including the premiere of her Netflix cooking show which could coincide with the launch of her new life-style brand, American Riviera Orchard. But Meghan’s company has been the subject of numerous reports about bureaucratic difficulties with the US trademarks office and questions over whether she has the business savvy to get her line of strawberry jam and other products ready to sell. Harry and Meghan also may be struggling in other areas of their post-Megxit life, according to “The Lost Prince.” For one thing, the couple don’t appear to have “integrated” themselves into Montecito’s elite social circles, Grunewald told the Daily Mail. “The cultural life is very lively, but everything often takes place in closed circles and Harry and Meghan rarely take part in these activities,” Grunewald said. “They seem have isolated themselves a lot.” In the past four years, Harry and Meghan, together or separately, have turned up at a few star-studded events in and around Montecito and Santa Barbara. For example, in 2023, they attended Kevin Costner’s annual star-studded fundraiser for local first responders at his estate near Santa Barbara. More recently, they appeared at the September launch of a new book store near their Montecito home, owned by celebrated literary agent Jennifer Rudolph Walsh and cosmetics mogul Victoria Jackson, said to be a good friend of Meghan’s. Their Montecito neighbors Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres also joined the party, though DeGeneres has recently left California and established a new home in the U.K. Nonetheless, Grunewald’s documentary suggests that Harry and Meghan don’t spend much time in Montecito. A neighbor, Richard Mineards, told Grunewald that the couple haven’t set out to “put down particularly deep roots” in the area. Every once in a while, they’re seen at the local market or on walks — always with security guards in tow. “Sometimes you will see her at the farmers’ market or with a dog, but generally you don’t see her and you just don’t see much of him,” Mineards said. As for the Archewell Foundation, Grunewald argues that the nonprofit, launched with great fanfare in 2020, doesn’t seem to be effectively organized, while the Invictus Games appears to be a bright spot in the couple’s portfolio — even if the filmmaker said that Harry is little more than “a figurehead.” Harry founded the International sports competition for wounded veterans and service people. Jack Royston, the royal reporter for Newsweek, is reportedly interviewed for “The Lost Prince” and says, “I believe that Invictus is genuine and authentic work. Harry is completely devoted to it.”
Fabian Hurzeler said Albion did not deserve boos at full-time against Brentford. The head coach felt his side were out of luck as they were held to a 0-0 draw at the Amex . And he pinpointed where they need to improve as they look to end their winless run. The Seagulls are six without a victory after their stalemate with the Bees. Head coach Hurzeler said: “A bit similar to the games before so I think we deserved more. “We played good, we played with a lot of intensity, especially in the first half, we created a lot of chances. “In the end, we don't have the game luck at the moment. We have to work hard for this, we have to use some momentum in the right moments, we have to score. BRIGHTON V BRENTFORD AS IT HAPPENED “We still try to stay positive. I think there were several positive things today. We kept a clean sheet, we created a lot of chances. “I think there were not enough chances for Brentford so keep positive, be honest with each other, be more consistent in the way we attack the box and try to try to improve for the next game. “I wouldn’t say it’s a confidence of belief thing, it's more like the luck. I think we hit the post. “Against us, the goalkeepers, they always get better and better, I have the feeling. “We have to work hard, I'm sure that the momentum will come back and the game luck will come back, but in the end it's our responsibility and our fault and we don't try to search for any excuses. “We have to be honest and critical to ourselves and have to admit that it's not good enough at the moment and that we have to work harder and improve in several things.” There was some mild and short-lived booing at full-time. Hurler said: “I think that the team doesn't deserve that because, like I said, in all the games we had in the last weeks, they were all good, they were all intense, they were all where we thought we deserved more and we try to work hard to satisfy our supporters. “We try to give them also what they deserve, we try to make them proud but in the end it's not a wish concert, the Premier League is tough. “We know that there will be periods where we have to go through, especially with this young squad.”Trudeau told Trump Americans would also suffer if tariffs are imposed, a Canadian minister saysJERUSALEM — Israel approved a United States-brokered ceasefire agreement with Lebanon's Hezbollah on Tuesday, setting the stage for an end to nearly 14 months of fighting linked to the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. In the hours leading up to the Cabinet meeting, Israel carried out its most intense wave of strikes in Beirut and its southern suburbs and issued a record number of evacuation warnings. At least 24 people were killed in strikes across the country, according to local authorities, as Israel signaled it aims to keep pummeling Hezbollah in the final hours before any ceasefire takes hold. Israel's security Cabinet approved the ceasefire agreement late Tuesday after it was presented by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his office said. U.S. President Joe Biden, speaking in Washington, called the agreement “good news” and said his administration would make a renewed push for a ceasefire in Gaza. An Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire would mark the first major step toward ending the regionwide unrest triggered by Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. But it does not address the devastating war in Gaza. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to bring peace to the Middle East, but neither he nor Netanyahu have proposed a postwar solution for the Palestinian territory, where Hamas is still holding dozens of hostages and the conflict is more intractable. Still, any halt to the fighting in Lebanon is expected to reduce the likelihood of war between Israel and Iran, which backs both Hezbollah and Hamas and exchanged direct fire with Israel on two occasions earlier this year. Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike on Dahiyeh, in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. Netanyahu presented the ceasefire proposal to Cabinet ministers after a televised address in which he listed a series of accomplishments against Israel’s enemies across the region. He said a ceasefire with Hezbollah would further isolate Hamas in Gaza and allow Israel to focus on its main enemy, Iran, which backs both groups. “If Hezbollah breaks the agreement and tries to rearm, we will attack,” he said. “For every violation, we will attack with might.” Netanyahu's office later said Israel appreciated the U.S. efforts in securing the deal but "reserves the right to act against every threat to its security.” It was not immediately clear when the ceasefire would go into effect, and the exact terms of the deal were not released. The deal calls for a two-month initial halt in fighting and would require Hezbollah to end its armed presence in a broad swath of southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops would return to their side of the border. Thousands of additional Lebanese troops and U.N. peacekeepers would deploy in the south, and an international panel headed by the United States would monitor all sides’ compliance. But implementation remains a major question mark. Israel has demanded the right to act should Hezbollah violate its obligations. Lebanese officials have rejected writing that into the proposal. Biden said Israel reserved the right to quickly resume operations in Lebanon if Hezbollah breaks the terms of the truce, but that the deal "was designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities.” Hezbollah has said it accepts the proposal, but a senior official with the group said Tuesday that it had not seen the agreement in its final form. “After reviewing the agreement signed by the enemy government, we will see if there is a match between what we stated and what was agreed upon by the Lebanese officials,” Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chair of Hezbollah’s political council, told the Al Jazeera news network. “We want an end to the aggression, of course, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of the state” of Lebanon, he said. “Any violation of sovereignty is refused.” In this screen grab image from video provide by the Israeli Government Press Office, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu makes a televised statement Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, in Jerusalem, Israel. Even as Israeli, U.S, Lebanese and international officials have expressed growing optimism over a ceasefire, Israel has continued its campaign in Lebanon, which it says aims to cripple Hezbollah’s military capabilities. An Israeli strike on Tuesday leveled a residential building in the central Beirut district of Basta — the second time in recent days warplanes have hit the crowded area near the city’s downtown. At least seven people were killed and 37 wounded, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. Strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs killed at least one person and wounded 13, it said. Three people were killed in a separate strike in Beirut and three in a strike on a Palestinian refugee camp in southern Lebanon. Lebanese state media said another 10 people were killed in the eastern Baalbek province. Israel says it targets Hezbollah fighters and their infrastructure. Israel also struck a building in Beirut's bustling commercial district of Hamra for the first time, hitting a site that is around 400 meters (yards) from Lebanon’s Central Bank. There were no reports of casualties. The Israeli military said it struck targets in Beirut and other areas linked to Hezbollah's financial arm. The evacuation warnings covered many areas, including parts of Beirut that previously have not been targeted. The warnings, coupled with fear that Israel was ratcheting up attacks before a ceasefire, sent residents fleeing. Traffic was gridlocked, and some cars had mattresses tied to them. Dozens of people, some wearing their pajamas, gathered in a central square, huddling under blankets or standing around fires as Israeli drones buzzed loudly overhead. Hezbollah, meanwhile, kept up its rocket fire, triggering air raid sirens across northern Israel. Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee issued evacuation warnings for 20 buildings in Beirut's southern suburbs, where Hezbollah has a major presence, as well as a warning for the southern town of Naqoura where the U.N. peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL, is headquartered. UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti told The Associated Press that peacekeepers will not evacuate. A police bomb squad officer inspects the site where a rocket fired from Lebanon landed in a backyard in Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel, Tuesday Nov. 26, 2024. The Israeli military also said its ground troops clashed with Hezbollah forces and destroyed rocket launchers in the Slouqi area on the eastern end of the Litani River, a few kilometers (miles) from the Israeli border. Under the ceasefire deal, Hezbollah would be required to move its forces north of the Litani, which in some places is about 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of the border. Hezbollah began firing into northern Israel, saying it was showing support for the Palestinians, a day after Hamas carried out its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, triggering the Gaza war. Israel returned fire on Hezbollah, and the two sides have been exchanging barrages ever since. Israel escalated its campaign of bombardment in mid-September and later sent troops into Lebanon, vowing to put an end to Hezbollah fire so tens of thousands of evacuated Israelis could return to their homes. More than 3,760 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon the past 13 months, many of them civilians, according to Lebanese health officials. The bombardment has driven 1.2 million people from their homes. Israel says it has killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members. Hezbollah fire has forced some 50,000 Israelis to evacuate in the country’s north, and its rockets have reached as far south in Israel as Tel Aviv. At least 75 people have been killed, more than half of them civilians. More than 50 Israeli soldiers have died in the ground offensive in Lebanon. Chehayeb and Mroue reported from Beirut. Associated Press reporters Lujain Jo and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut contributed. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
Colts hope for another late-season playoff pushAfter the convictions of PTI activists by military courts, all eyes are on the constitutional bench which will decide the legality of this form of justice. The constitutional bench, with a fresh six-month extension, is likely to resume hearing the military courts' case soon after winter vacations. On October 23 last year, the larger bench, led by Justice Ijazul Ahsan, declared that trials of civilians in military courts are unconstitutional. Subsequently, the government filed intra-court appeals against the SC judgment. The larger bench, led by Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, suspended the SC judgment and allowed the trials of civilians in military courts. Recently, the constitutional bench allowed military courts to announce the decisions. Interestingly, the bench did not refer to any legal provision in the Constitution in its interim order. So far, the constitutional bench has been unable to create a significant impact as it has not passed a judgment on a legal matter. However, the government is satisfied with the constitutional bench's performance. That is why it got a six-month extension by a majority of seven to six members of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP). However, the majority of the JCP desired that all SC judges be nominated for constitutional benches. With this in mind, lawyers are skeptical whether the present constitutional bench will decide the military courts' case in an expeditious manner. On the other hand, the United States, European Union, and United Kingdom are raising their voice against the trials of civilians in military courts. Lawyers believe it is not easy for the constitutional bench to endorse these trials after the international backlash. During the tenure of former CJP Umar Ata Bandial, the government told the SC that a lengthy sentence would not be awarded to the accused persons. Justice Bandial hoped that the right to appeal would be granted to suspects being tried in military courts. However, this was not entertained. Advocate Abdul Moiz Jaferii says that on May 9, 2023, rioters belonging to a political party acted criminally and damaged public property. "Instead of being prosecuted for this offence with the due process in civil courts, we saw the target of their ire, a government department, decide that it was going to deliver a befitting response," he says. "The army proceeded to play judge, jury, and executioner with these individuals," he adds. Jaferii also says that the Supreme Court declared these military trials and the detentions of civilians by the military to be illegal. "We then saw a new law allow for a new appeal against the Supreme Court decisions, and that pronouncement was suspended. Thereafter, we have seen absolute stagnation and no recognition of the urgency involved here. Justice Shahid Waheed was on the appellate bench, and he remarked that the scope of an intra-court appeal in the Supreme Court was very limited." The lawyer recalls that the next time a bench was assembled, Justice Waheed was absent. "In Justice Qazi Faez Isa's tenure, Justice Aminuddin led this bench and achieved absolutely nothing other than allowing the military more and more space to do what they wanted as interim measures. Then came the 26th Amendment and it has borne fruit today." He states that a bench, unwilling to decide fundamental issues of liberty, allowed the military to announce conditional judgments, which have been duly given with much sternness and warning. Jaferii continues that this is not justice. "It is the usurpation of due process allowed by our own Supreme Court. It is a lesson taught to all of us through the barrel of a gun. This is an example of the warnings lawyers issued about fundamental rights violations that can occur post the 26th Amendment, when you allow the executive to capture the judiciary. On the other hand, Hafiz Ehsaan Ahmad says the trial of civilians by military courts on violation of military laws had never been the subject of any discussion or controversy since 1975 in Pakistan. "Every political party, including their heads, supported such trials in military courts on different occasions. It is also important that no foreign government ever remarked on such military trials under the Pakistan Army Act 1952. It is also important that after the judgment of the Field General Court Martial, the right of appeal is available to the accused under the Pakistan Army Act. After being aggrieved, the accused can challenge the sentence before the high court under Article 199 of the Constitution, and then before the Supreme Court under Article 185 as a matter of right, and finally under Article 188 of the Constitution in the form of a review. He further explains that since 1972, the military courts in Pakistan tried 1,875 civilians for the commission of offences under the Pakistan Army Act and of Official Secrets Act. He adds that of them, only 180 civilians were tried by the military courts from 2018 to 2022 in the PTI govt tenure. "The accused convictions since had been regularly challenged in the superior courts of Pakistan, and most of the time, these sentences were upheld by the high courts and the supreme court. He said statements by the USA, European Union, and the Foreign Office of the UK on military trials of civilians, particularly on the announcement of sentences of 25 persons issued in pursuance of a Supreme Court order dated 13th December 2024, are uncalled for. "It seems to be only for public optics, and a matter of meddling in the internal affairs of Pakistan. This is particularly true since the Supreme Court of Pakistan, vide its 1975 judgment and thereafter, repeatedly held in various decisions that the trial of civilians for violating military laws, including the Pakistan Military Act 1952 and Official Secrets Act 1923, was not against fundamental rights. He continues that the court additionally decided that it was not against due process of law nor discriminatory, nor a violation of any transparency. "Resultantly, it was not against the concept of a fair trial, and the present sentences have also been announced by military courts in pursuance of the Supreme Court orders issued on December 13, 2024. He also clarifies that the Supreme Court is the ultimate arbitrator in the Constitutional and judicial system of Pakistan. "The matter of the trial of civilians by military courts is still pending in the Supreme Court, and even the sentences announced recently will be subject to the final decision of the Supreme Court. "Therefore. It is unnecessary to make immature statements at this stage, and we should wait for the final outcome." COMMENTS Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive. For more information, please see our