Arab-American YouTuber Addison Pierre Maalouf, known as YourFellowArab, has reportedly been kidnapped in Haiti while on a quest to interview Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier, head of the Revolutionary Forces of the G9 Family and Allies criminal group. The kidnapping occurred on March 14 and was carried out by the 400 Mawozo gang, which had previously kidnapped 16 Americans and one Canadian in October 2021. The gang has demanded a $600,000 ransom, of which $40,000 has been paid. The US State Department is aware of the kidnapping but has no further information at this time. Fellow YouTuber Miles “Lord Miles” Routledge claims to have spoken with Maalouf via his kidnappers' phone and stated that Maalouf had entered Haiti 10 days prior to film the riots. The situation in Haiti has been marked by unrest and gang violence, resulting in the resignation of the Prime Minister and numerous deaths and displacements. [6020a6ea]
In another tragic incident, Um Fahad, a well-known social media influencer in Iraq, was shot and killed by an armed motorcyclist in front of her home in central Baghdad. The assailant opened fire as Fahad parked her Cadillac, killing her and taking her phone before fleeing the scene. The shooting took place in the Zayoona neighborhood, where another prominent Iraqi researcher and security expert, Hisham al-Hashimi, was also killed in 2020. Fahad's neighbor witnessed the shooting and saw her lying on the steering wheel. Social media influencers in Iraq have expanded their role from promoting beauty products to government projects and programs. Last year, Fahad was sentenced to six months in prison for posting obscene content on social media. The Iraqi parliament recently passed an amendment to the country's prostitution law, which now punishes same-sex relations with a prison term of 10 to 15 years. The law also bans organizations promoting 'sexual deviancy.' [e9955b7a]
In a separate incident, a 37-year-old Indian woman named Shanifa Babu died after falling from the 19th floor of a residential building in Fujairah, UAE. The incident occurred on Sunday morning, and her body was found in a pool of blood. Shanifa's husband, Sanuj Babu, runs a construction company in Fujairah. She leaves behind two daughters. Shanifa was an active social media influencer, known for sharing trending fashion reels on Instagram. The Fujairah Police have launched an investigation into the incident. [fa4a4209]
Additionally, an Iraqi Kurdish pilgrim named Ahmed Muhyidddin died in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on Sunday, becoming the fifth Kurdish pilgrim to die during this year's Hajj. Muhyiddin, a resident of Gorbin village near Erbil, passed away after completing the Arafat ritual. He had obtained a one-year visa specifically for performing the Hajj this year. [1f6e5d9c]
In Eldama Ravine, a family is in shock after discovering that their kin died in Saudi Arabia two years ago. The family was unaware of the death until recently. The cause of death and any circumstances surrounding it are not mentioned in the article. The discovery has left the family devastated and in disbelief. They are likely going through a difficult time as they process the news and come to terms with their loss. [63527cb9]