Mustafa Qadri

CNN Journalist

[Mustafa Qadri @Mustijournalist]

Hi Isheverything,

Coming from someone who stammers, we have heard this dry banter over a million times.

Wouldn’t be surprised if you used this every week as a desperate attempt to get laughs.

Stick to judging people working in Tesco.

Regards

[Mustafa Qadri @Mustijournalist]

Despite having over 3000 people on death row, why are women in Pakistan being killed at an alarming rate?

You may have heard of the murder of 17 year-old TikTok star, Sana Yousaf, who was shot dead after turning down repeated advances from a man who developed a one sided obsession.

The killer - Umar Hayat, 23 - was sentenced to death for carrying out the murder in June last year.

Yousaf's murder reflects a stark reality women in Pakistan face from abusive and toxic men. Over 7,500 Pakistani women were murdered between 2021 to 2024.

The state's reliance on capital punishment for convicted murderers is clearly failing to deter violence against women.

Since 2014, Pakistani authorities hung more than 500 convicted felons, with over 3000 awaiting their fate in death row.

[Mustafa Qadri @Mustijournalist]

UAE caught in a “vicious cycle” amid fresh Iran attacks, former US advisor warns

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is caught in a “vicious cycle,” as Iranian strikes risk pushing Abu Dhabi closer to the US and Israel, a former advisor to the US Defense Department says.

Iran struck the major Emirati oil port of Fujariah yesterday, injuring three Indian nationals, according to authorities.

“It really is a kind of this vicious cycle here,” Jasmine El Gamal told CNN’s Becky Anderson on Connect the World earlier today.

“The more the UAE bore the brunt… in those early weeks, the more the UAE doubled down publicly on its strategic alliance with the US and Israel, which in turn made it more of a target for Iran.”

Iran had threatened to strike the UAE if it deepened its ties with Israel.

“If the Emiratis become pawns of Israel and make a mistake, they will learn a lesson they will never forget,” an Iranian military spokesperson warned, according to semi-official Iranian news agency Tasnim.

“If the UAE takes an unwise action, all its interests will become targets for Iran, and no part of the Emirati facilities will be safe,” the spokesperson added.

Since the war with Iran began, the UAE has left the Arab-led oil coalition OPEC and accepted military aid from Israel.

[Mustafa Qadri @Mustijournalist]

Here is what some of the world leaders had to say about Iran's strikes on the UAE:

Lebanon: President Joseph Aoun affirmed “full solidarity” with Abu Dhabi and labeled Iran’s attacks as “an assault on humanitarian values and international law.”

Pakistan: The key mediator between Iran and the US criticized Iran’s attacks and encouraged the ceasefire to be “upheld and respected.” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on X that “it is absolutely essential that the ceasefire be upheld and respected, to allow necessary diplomatic space for dialogue leading to enduring peace and stability in the region.”

India: Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the attack, which injured three Indian nationals, as “unacceptable” and called for “safe and unimpeded navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.”

European Union: President of the EU Council António Costa also expressed his support for Emirati President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and urged Tehran to engage in diplomatic efforts: “Iran must engage in negotiations to ensure the ceasefire in Middle East holds. The EU will continue to work with our partners toward de-escalation, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and a lasting diplomatic solution for regional security.”

Canada: Prime Minister Mark Carney condemned Iran’s “unprovoked” attack and commended the UAE’s “defensive efforts to protect civilians,” while encouraging “de-escalation and diplomacy in the region.”

[Mustafa Qadri @Mustijournalist]

Iran should “declare victory” and strike a peace deal with the US, says ex-foreing minister @JZarif

Tehran has an “upper hand” and should use it to secure a “comprehensive peace deal… to end 47 years of belligerence”

“Don’t keep fighting - declare victory and make a deal that ends this conflict and prevents the next one”

Proposed deal:
Limits on Iran’s nuclear programme
Reopening the Strait of Hormuz
In exchange for lifting all US sanctions

Zarif: this is “a deal Washington wouldn’t take before but might accept now”
Calls for a “non-aggression pact” where both sides commit not to strike each other

Argument: rising global costs + growing US isolation create leverage for Tehran

Deal would let Iran shift focus from defense to improving domestic conditions

“Use this catastrophe as an opportunity” - current war could make a long-term agreement easier

[Mustafa Qadri @Mustijournalist]

• Iran now have an upper hand in negotiations, Trump signals “desperation” - former Pentagon adviser says
• Trump said in a speech on Wednsday to “bring them (Iran) back to the stone ages.”
• Former Pentagon adviser @jasmineelgamal said: “What the Iranian regime is getting from President Trump’s speeches is that he is actually desperate to make a deal.”
• “They know that if they continue to impose these costs on the US, Gulf allies, global energy markets, they have a better chance of getting to the negotiating table on their terms.”

[Mustafa Qadri @Mustijournalist]

Iran accused of recruiting children for military and security roles, @hrw says

Human Rights Watch has described Iran’s reported attempts to recruit children as young 12 for military and security related tasks as a “war crime”.

“The military recruitment and use of children is a grave violation of children’s rights and a war crime when the children are under 15,” HRW said in a statement.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is reportedly trying to enlist civilians - including minors - to provide “cooking services and medical care, distribute items, and deal with damaged homes”.

They are also being called on to carry out security-based duties such as “staffing checkpoints, operational patrols, intelligence patrols, and vehicle convoys,” according to HRW.

“There is no excuse for a military recruitment drive that targets children to sign up, much less 12-year-olds,” said @billvanesveld , associate director in the children’s rights division of HRW.

“What this boils down to is that Iranian authorities are apparently willing to risk children’s lives for some extra manpower.”

Defa Press, a media outlet affiliated with Iran’s armed forces, earlier this week reported that the initiative was launched under the title “Homeland Defender Fighters for Iran.”

Iranian officials described the campaign as a way to mobilize public assistance and draw on citizens’ abilities across several fields, including defense-related tasks, logistical support and relief work.

The IRGC campaign included a propaganda poster of “two children, a boy and a girl, alongside two adults, including a man in a military uniform,” HRW said.

https://t.co/k2fEVXWXZJ

[Mustafa Qadri @Mustijournalist]

Iran would enter new negotiations with the US with "higher leverage" expert explains

Iran now has more leverage over the US as it can “bring chaos to the entire region” and “control the Strait of Hormuz,” a former Pentagon adviser said.

“Because they [Iran] have remained standing against the US and Israel” and “have been controlling the Strait of Hormuz, they are entering new negotiations with higher leverage,” Jasmine El-Gamal, a former Middle East adviser for the US Defense Department said.

Some of the conditions Iran may be looking to pursue include “security guarantees” and ensuring the regime is tied to Iranian soil, as they can threaten to “bring chaos to the entire region” when provoked, she told CNN’s Rosemary Church.

Her comments come amid conflicting signals over diplomacy, as US President Donald Trump said there were “major points of agreement” regarding a truce while Iran publicly denied direct negotiations.

Pakistan is reportedly preparing to host talks between the two sides, with Vice President JD Vance expected to attend.

https://t.co/h9yylpOlQk

[Mustafa Qadri @Mustijournalist]

Book your holidays early!
EasyJet urges customers to book early and warns of potential summer price hike

EasyJet is advising globetrotters to book air travel tickets early to avoid a potential price hike toward the end of the summer if the Middle East conflict continues, a spokesperson for the company told CNN.

“We simply don’t know what pricing will be as it is dependent on a number of different factors,” including capacity, costs and demand, the spokesperson said. “Passengers will be more likely to get the best fares if they book early.”

On Monday, CEO Kenton Jarvis told Reuters passengers are protected in the short term as EasyJet is highly hedged regarding its fuel requirements in the coming months. But he warned higher prices will start “feeding through to the consumer towards the back ​end of the summer” if the war continues.

Jarvis’ comments to Reuters came just days after he told CNN’s Richard Quest the airline will not introduce a fuel surcharge as it contradicts their budget-friendly policies.

The aviation industry is working to keep customers’ costs stable amid surging oil prices caused by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the vital waterway that allows the flow of 20% of the global oil supply.

https://t.co/yu3UzTzhUW

[Mustafa Qadri @Mustijournalist]

Hospitals in Lebanon may only have two weeks of supplies left, WHO warns

Hospitals across Lebanon are running so low on medical supplies, some could run out of stock within two weeks, a World Health Organization (@WHO) representative told CNN’s Becky Anderson.

Lebanon’s healthcare system is under mounting strain amid the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. At least 49 primary healthcare centers have shut down and casualties among medical staff continue to rise, with 53 killed and 117 injured, according to WHO.

“I have visited two hospitals who are managing casualties… and both of them have supplies enough only for two weeks” said Dr. Abdinasir Abubakar, WHO’s representative in Lebanon.

Abubakar said the impact extends far beyond damaged infrastructure. Mass displacement has forced many healthcare workers to flee, leaving already overstretched facilities without sufficient staff to operate.

“We have healthcare workers who are civilians as well, and they’ve had to evacuate. This means that we don’t have healthcare workers operating in those affected health facilities,” he said.

He also pointed to a growing mental health crisis among both civilians and frontline workers, compounding the pressure on emergency services. “We also have an increase in mental health among the civilians and healthcare workers. Whenever there is an emergency, the first thing that impacts people is mental health distress.”

[Mustafa Qadri @Mustijournalist]

Could the best course of option for Hezbollah in their war with Israel be to disarm and operate as a political party?

Former peace negotiator and Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Yezid Sayigh belives so.

If “Hezbollah disarm and revert to being purely a political party…this is probably the best-off ramp for Lebanon” he said.

“And it’s obviously something that Hezbollah completely rejects and resists,” as they will continue to follow Iran’s lead - which is at war with the US and Israel - leaving Hezbollah “intact and armed,” the former peace negotiator for Palestine said.

However, Sayih warned Israel will struggle to dismantle Hezbollah through military means alone. “The goal of the Israeli campaign in Lebanon… is to coerce their government and army into taking forcible action against Hezbollah, going house to house” and having to depend on “grassroots pressure,” he said.

“These are very nebulous goals. It’s difficult for Israeli firepower to achieve this on its own.”

[Mustafa Qadri @Mustijournalist]

Aged well…

[New York Post @nypost]

US accepts $400M jet from Qatar, will be used as Trump’s official plane https://t.co/RPXBI8fPjN

[Mustafa Qadri @Mustijournalist]

@nasdaily Israel is a settler colonial state propagated by the west

52% of Palestinians in Israel live below the poverty line

Under the british mandate between 1917-29 Zionist’s were displacing Palestinians

1.1 m Palestinians fled following the Nakba

This is a genocide.

[أنس الشريف Anas Al-Sharif @AnasAlSharif0]

This is my will and my final message. If these words reach you, know that Israel has succeeded in killing me and silencing my voice. First, peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessings.

Allah knows I gave every effort and all my strength to be a support and a voice for my people, ever since I opened my eyes to life in the alleys and streets of the Jabalia refugee camp. My hope was that Allah would extend my life so I could return with my family and loved ones to our original town of occupied Asqalan (Al-Majdal). But Allah’s will came first, and His decree is final. I have lived through pain in all its details, tasted suffering and loss many times, yet I never once hesitated to convey the truth as it is, without distortion or falsification—so that Allah may bear witness against those who stayed silent, those who accepted our killing, those who choked our breath, and whose hearts were unmoved by the scattered remains of our children and women, doing nothing to stop the massacre that our people have faced for more than a year and a half.

I entrust you with Palestine—the jewel in the crown of the Muslim world, the heartbeat of every free person in this world. I entrust you with its people, with its wronged and innocent children who never had the time to dream or live in safety and peace. Their pure bodies were crushed under thousands of tons of Israeli bombs and missiles, torn apart and scattered across the walls.

I urge you not to let chains silence you, nor borders restrain you. Be bridges toward the liberation of the land and its people, until the sun of dignity and freedom rises over our stolen homeland. I entrust you to take care of my family. I entrust you with my beloved daughter Sham, the light of my eyes, whom I never got the chance to watch grow up as I had dreamed.

I entrust you with my dear son Salah, whom I had wished to support and accompany through life until he grew strong enough to carry my burden and continue the mission.

I entrust you with my beloved mother, whose blessed prayers brought me to where I am, whose supplications were my fortress and whose light guided my path. I pray that Allah grants her strength and rewards her on my behalf with the best of rewards.

I also entrust you with my lifelong companion, my beloved wife, Umm Salah (Bayan), from whom the war separated me for many long days and months. Yet she remained faithful to our bond, steadfast as the trunk of an olive tree that does not bend—patient, trusting in Allah, and carrying the responsibility in my absence with all her strength and faith.

I urge you to stand by them, to be their support after Allah Almighty. If I die, I die steadfast upon my principles. I testify before Allah that I am content with His decree, certain of meeting Him, and assured that what is with Allah is better and everlasting.

O Allah, accept me among the martyrs, forgive my past and future sins, and make my blood a light that illuminates the path of freedom for my people and my family. Forgive me if I have fallen short, and pray for me with mercy, for I kept my promise and never changed or betrayed it.

Do not forget Gaza… And do not forget me in your sincere prayers for forgiveness and acceptance.

Anas Jamal Al-Sharif
06.04.2025

This is what our beloved Anas requested to be published upon his martyrdom.

[Mustafa Qadri @Mustijournalist]

How

[Ballon d'Or @ballondor]

Nominated for the 2025 Ballon d’Or ⤵️

Scott McTominay
@sscnapoli
@ScotlandNT

#ballondor

[Mustafa Qadri @Mustijournalist]

Dewsbury-Hall has more European trophies than Arsenal

[Mustafa Qadri @Mustijournalist]

@piersmorgan Claims to follow the facts but tells everyone Hamas beheaded 40 babies 🤥🤥

[Dr. Omar Suleiman @omarsuleiman]

Can’t sleep.

Watching Gaza get decimated from afar.

We’ve collectively failed you all. I’m reading your goodbye posts and praying for you, but so ashamed.

I can’t even say forgive us, because the world doesn’t deserve to be forgiven.

حسبنا الله ونعم الوكيل

[Mustafa Qadri @Mustijournalist]

You. Whaaaat a show and ending for everyone’s beloved sardonic lothario. Penn Badgley, hang him up in the Louvre.

[YOU @YouNetflix]

In the end, it all comes back to YOU. The fifth and final season is now playing.

[Darab Farooqui @darab_farooqui]

Here's another story of a Muslim hero:

A native Kashmiri guy saves a young boy from blazing gunshots and gunfire in Pahalgam's Baisaran area.

But you'll never know his name, and the media will never talk about him.