CAIRO // An audio recording purported to be of Al Qaeda's No 2 in Yemen has surfaced on the internet with the militant figure denying government reports that he was killed in a US drone strike last month.
In the message, a man claiming to be Saudi-born Saeed Al Shihri says reports of his death were a "rumour to cover up the killing of innocent Muslim civilians".
The authenticity of the audio could not be independently confirmed. It was produced by Al Qaeda's media arm in Yemen, Al Malahem, and posted on militant websites late last night.
Yemeni officials, speaking anonymously in line with regulations, have said Mr Al Shihri and six others travelling with him died in a September strike on their vehicle. The missile was believed to have been fired by a US-operated, unmanned drone aircraft.
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
