A teenage law student was shot dead by a hitman hired to end a feud between two rival tyre companies, a court was told.
Aya Hachem, 19, was in the wrong place at the wrong time when the dispute between the businesses in Blackburn, north-west England, reached a deadly conclusion, Preston Crown Court was told.
The hitman, Zamir Raja, was brought from Manchester to try to kill the head of Quickshine Tyres and fired two shots as he was driven past the business in May last year, with one bullet hitting Hachem.
The trial started on Thursday of eight people accused of murdering Hachem, who moved with her family from Lebanon to the UK more than a decade ago, The Times reported.
The shooting was the culmination of a long-running dispute between Feroz Suleman, the owner of RI Tyres, and Quickshine boss Pachah Khan, the apparent target of the hit.
The trial heard that the companies were based next to each other in Blackburn and the feud started in 2019 when Quickshine started selling tyres having previously been a car-wash.
They accused each other of stealing customers and a fire was started at RI Tyres as the dispute escalated. Arson and death threats were exchanged and a police-brokered effort to resolve the row failed.
Prosecutor Nicholas Johnson said that each of the eight in the dock were accused of playing a part.
"Raja was a hitman brought in from south Manchester to do a job,” he said. “Raja's intended target, or one of his intended targets, was Pachah Khan.”
He said Hachem had nothing to do with any of the feuding parties. “She was simply unlucky,” he said. “She was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
The eight, including Mr Suleman, 40, of Blackburn and Mr Raja, 33, deny murder and the attempted murder of Mr Khan.
The trial continues.
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Frankenstein in Baghdad
Ahmed Saadawi
Penguin Press
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
Tewellah by Nawal Zoghbi is out now.
Naga
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HAJJAN
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Profile of MoneyFellows
Founder: Ahmed Wadi
Launched: 2016
Employees: 76
Financing stage: Series A ($4 million)
Investors: Partech, Sawari Ventures, 500 Startups, Dubai Angel Investors, Phoenician Fund
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
Hydrogen: Market potential
Hydrogen has an estimated $11 trillion market potential, according to Bank of America Securities and is expected to generate $2.5tn in direct revenues and $11tn of indirect infrastructure by 2050 as its production increases six-fold.
"We believe we are reaching the point of harnessing the element that comprises 90 per cent of the universe, effectively and economically,” the bank said in a recent report.
Falling costs of renewable energy and electrolysers used in green hydrogen production is one of the main catalysts for the increasingly bullish sentiment over the element.
The cost of electrolysers used in green hydrogen production has halved over the last five years and will fall to 60 to 90 per cent by the end of the decade, acceding to Haim Israel, equity strategist at Merrill Lynch. A global focus on decarbonisation and sustainability is also a big driver in its development.
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
The biog
Title: General Practitioner with a speciality in cardiology
Previous jobs: Worked in well-known hospitals Jaslok and Breach Candy in Mumbai, India
Education: Medical degree from the Government Medical College in Nagpur
How it all began: opened his first clinic in Ajman in 1993
Family: a 90-year-old mother, wife and two daughters
Remembers a time when medicines from India were purchased per kilo
Company%20profile
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