‘No interference’ vs ‘attack on Constitution’: Govt, Opposition cross swords over Waqf (Amendment) Bill in Lok Sabha

New Age Islam News Bureau

1 April 2025

In 2006, Union minister Kiren Rijiju said, there were 4.9 lakh Waqf properties, and the total income from these was Rs 163 crore. (File photo)

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·         ‘No interference’ vs ‘attack on Constitution’: Govt, Opposition cross swords over Waqf (Amendment) Bill in Lok Sabha

·         Pakistan sends 35 tonnes of relief supplies to quake-hit Myanmar

·         Singaporean girl, 15, who wanted to fight for ISIS is first female teen to be given ISA restriction order

·         CAO calls New York Times article on extremism in Bangladesh ‘misleading’

·         Rainstorm: 5, 000 Residents Rendered Homeless in Kwara Community

·         Israeli airstrike kills Palestinian journalist and family in Khan Yunis, Gaza

·         Saudi Arabia welcomes Tajik-Kyrgyz-Uzbek border treaty and ‘eternal friendship’ pledge

·         UK residents threatened with prison for Russia links

·         Florida Republican defeats Democrat in US House special election

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India

·         'Will harm interests of Muslims': MK Stalin writes letter to PM Modi to withdraw Waqf Bill

·         Should we start digging up 30,000 mosques: RSS's Dattatreya Hosabale

·         On Waqf Amendment Bill, chorus from Srinagar: ‘India should not become another Myanmar…’

·         2020 Delhi Riots: Court orders further investigation against BJP leader Kapil Mishra

·         Several Muslim men arrested for waving Palestine flag after Eid prayers in UP’s Saharanpur

·         Razing of homes 'inhuman, illegal': Bulldozer action in Allahabad shocks Supreme Court's conscience

·         Conversion to Islam 'bona fide' if done by 'free will, with sound mind': Allahabad high court

·         RSS won’t block volunteers in Varanasi, Mathura temple efforts: Sangh's general secretary Hosabale

·         The crisis in Imarat Shariah: A constitutional perspective

·         Khaled Hosseini’s ‘The Kite Runner’ comes alive on stage in Bengaluru

·         Kiren Rijiju tears into Opposition in Waqf Bill debate speech: ‘If you try to mislead…’ | 5 quotes

·         ‘Balasaheb Thackeray opposed Waqf too’: Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske slams opposition for ‘misleading’ people

·         SC hands off mosque whitewash: Petition to stay Allahabad HC order for ASI action dismissed

·         ‘Roads are meant for walking’: CM Adityanath on namaz row

·         History will blame Nitish Kumar more than BJP: Prashant Kishor on Waqf bill

·         Uttarakhand Waqf Board chairman says those opposing Waqf bill are 'political Muslims'

·         HC directs MC chief to settle Sanjauli mosque dispute by May 8

·         In Malda village, Muslim neighbours help family of Hindu labourer perform his last rites

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Pakistan

·         Navy fully committed to protect maritime borders: Naval Chief

·         BYC leader Sammi Deen Baloch's name removed from MPO

·         PTI founder 'orders immediate reversal of appointments by Junaid Akbar'

·         Larkana court orders CAA to restore flights from Mohenjo Daro airport

·         PM inquires after health of President Zardari

·         PM expresses condolences over passing of Saeedullah Niazi

·         PPP backs coalition govt for larger interest of country: Gilani

·         Govt taking possible steps to reduce power tariff: Kh Asif

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Southeast Asia

·         Putra Heights fire: Former minister calls for 'zakat', 'sedekah' to help victims rebuild lives

·         Minister hails M'sian spirit as temple, mosque open doors to victims

·         COMMENT | Temple and mosque: A question too difficult to ask?

·         Eid Travels: Nearly 2 Million Vehicles Leave Greater Jakarta

·         Safety level assessment on every unit affected by fire to start tomorrow - Police

·         Ministry of National Unity wants MCMC to investigate racist statement by individual

·         ‘The worst I’ve experienced’: Malaysians in Thailand recount fear as Myanmar quake tremors hit Bangkok

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South Asia

·         Houses attacked in Narail on Eid night over establishing supremacy

·         2 BNP leaders injured in attack by 'Jubo League, BCL activists' in Noakhali

·         5 hurt in clash over jilapi distribution in Patuakhali

·         Section 144 in Jaldhaka over BNP's factional dispute centring Eid fair

·         46 Afghans with German Resettlement promise die before transfer

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Africa

·         Groups’ clash kills five, mars Sallah celebration in Jos

·         Rivers Will Emerge Stronger from Political Crisis, Fubara Optimistic During Eid Visits

·         Rainstorm destroys schools, mosques, others in Kwara community

·         Banditry: Sokoto Man Who Renounced His Faith Reverts To Islam

·         ‘They Were Not Hunters’ – Residents Insist As Security Operatives Lockdown Uromi

·         DRC: Convicted warlord Lubanga announces new rebel movement in Ituri province

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Mideast

·         Israel expands military effort in Gaza, defense minister says

·         Turkish opposition calls for boycott over jailed students

·         Three Palestinians injured in settler attack on West Bank village

·         Islamic Jihad condemns Israeli aggression on Beirut's southern suburb

·         PM: Iraq rejects the threats facing the Islamic Republic of Iran

·         Bombing Iran would push it to develop nuclear weapons

·         US adding second aircraft carrier to fleet in Middle East

·         Three injured in Iraq when an axe-wielding man attacks an Assyrian Christian new year parade

·         Nationwide power outage in Syria due to malfunctions, energy minister’s spokesperson says

·         UN food agency closes the rest of its bakeries in Gaza

·         West Bank teenager dies in Israel jail

·         Iraq’s PM, Syria’s president stress ‘new chapter’ in countries’ relationship

·         A cultural landmark inspired by traditional Islamic, ME artistry

·         Iran’s culture minister rejects Larijani’s remarks on nuclear fatwa

·         Officials, global experts to attend 11th Doha Islamic Finance Conference

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Arab World

·         Madinah Retreats: Culture, spirituality to power up the soul

·         KSrelief supports thousands in Sudan, Somalia, Lebanon

·         Over 1 million pilgrims benefit from golf cart service at Grand Mosque during Ramadan

·         Saudi leadership offers condolences to ruler of Umm Al-Quwain after death of mother

·         Female tour guides prove key to improving the Makkah pilgrimage experience

·         Saudi drug busts lead to multiple arrests

·         Dean of the Diplomatic Corps applauds Saudi Arabia for successful Umrah season

·         Trump to visit Saudi Arabia in May, White House confirms

·         Saudi publishers connect globally at Bologna fair

·         Saudi Arabia to see peak rainfall in April, forecaster says

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Europe

·         Tourists and residents evacuated as volcano erupts in Iceland

·         Heydar Aliyev Foundation celebrates Ramadan with martyrs' families

·         Woman who reported predatory officer blamed by Met

·         Met to cut 1,700 staff to plug £260m 'black hole'

·         Putin envoy to visit Washington – media

·         Election rumours swirl in Ukraine – could Zelensky be mulling a summer poll?

·         Putin begins biggest Russian military call-up in years

·         Harry charity engulfed by cash fears, insiders claim

·         Public satisfaction with NHS hits record low

·         Messages reveal prison staff violence towards inmates

·         Italy calls Le Pen sentence a blow to democracy

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North America

·         Prosecutors seeking death penalty for suspected CEO killer

·         US prosecutors to seek death penalty for Luigi Mangione

·         Three big unknowns ahead of Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariffs

·         Canada MP quits election race over Chinese bounty comments

·         Body of fourth missing US soldier found in Lithuania

·         Massive layoffs begin at top US health agency

·         Cory Booker breaks record for longest Senate speech after 24 hours

·         US state-funded media puts employees on unpaid leave

·         ‘Progress’ emerging in US talks – Lavrov

·         CAIR, Partners to Announce 50+ Orgs Demanding Maryland Protect Student Data Amid Federal Crackdown on Campus Free Speech

Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau

URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/constitution-amendment-waqf-bill-lok-sabha/d/135040

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‘No interference’ vs ‘attack on Constitution’: Govt, Opposition cross swords over Waqf (Amendment) Bill in Lok Sabha

by Vikas Pathak

April 2, 2025

In 2006, Union minister Kiren Rijiju said, there were 4.9 lakh Waqf properties, and the total income from these was Rs 163 crore. (File photo)

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The discussion on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha saw a heated debate on Wednesday, with the government seeing it as a necessary corrective measure to bring transparency to the running of the Waqf Boards, and the Opposition accusing the Centre of interference in the religious practices of the Muslim community in contravention of the Constitution.

Recalling the history of amendments to the Waqf Act in India since colonial times, Union Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju said that the UPA government handed over 123 properties in Delhi to the Waqf Board just before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections to serve its “vote bank politics” – a statement that Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi called misleading when he spoke just after the minister.

“In 2013, some steps were taken that will make you think why such steps were taken. In 2013, it was provided that any person – of any religion – could create a Waqf. This diluted the original Act. Then it was provided that there could be only Shias in Shia Board and only Sunnis in Sunni Board. One provision was brought under Section 108 that the Waqf Board would override any law of the land. How is this acceptable?” Rijiju charged. “Cases were going on since 1970. CGO complex, etc., were claimed by the Waqf Board. The UPA government denotified 123 properties and gave them to the Waqf Board. Even the Parliament building where we are sitting was being claimed. Had the (Narendra) Modi government not come to power, all these would have been given away,” Rijiju added.

Dismissing the charge that the Centre was interfering in Muslim religious practices, Rijiju said, “The government is not interfering in any religious practice or institution. There is no provision in this to interfere in the management of any mosque. This is simply an issue of management of a property.”

He then cited court judgments to argue that management of Waqf properties was a secular act not dealing with religion. “The Kerala High Court ruled that the Waqf Board is a statutory body, and not a representative body of Muslim community. The Allahabad High Court ruled that Mutawali does not have proprietary rights, and that his powers are of a secular and not religious character. The Rajasthan High Court ruled that management of property of a temple is of a purely secular character. So, please stop saying why a non-Muslim can be included in a body relating to Muslims,” Rijiju said.

“You said in 2013 that any person can create Waqf. We have reversed it to say that only such a person who follows Islam for at least five years can create Waqf. We have allowed Shia, Sunni, backward Muslims, women and expert non-Muslims to be part of the Waqf Board…. There can be four non-Muslims in it. And there have to be two women. Look at the Waqf Boards till now. Where are the women?” Rijiju said.

In 2006, Rijiju said, there were 4.9 lakh Waqf properties, and the total income from these was Rs 163 crore. “It is now Rs 166 crore after you added properties to it. This is unacceptable. Even the Sachar Committee said that Rs 12,000 crore would have been generated as revenue if the Waqf properties were managed well. How much it would have benefited poor Muslims. Today, there are 8.72 lakh Waqf properties. Things would have changed for the good if these were managed well,” he added.

“Registered properties will not be interfered with – this law is prospective and not retrospective. The disputed properties will be decided by court,” Rijiju said, adding, “These were the people who claimed that Muslims’ citizenship would be snatched by CAA? Has that happened? Will you apologise for misleading people?”

The Joint Committee of Parliament that scrutinised the Bill recommended an officer higher than collector to have powers to decide on Waqf properties, Rijiju said, adding that the government has accepted the suggestion. “We have disallowed the creation of any Waqf property in tribal lands to deprive Adivasis of their land. We have agreed to the committee’s recommendation of a three-member Waqf tribunal. We have fixed their tenure. We have also opened the path of going to the court if one is not satisfied with the decision of the Waqf Board. We have made the law of limitation apply to the Waqf Act so as to prevent prolonged litigation. Earlier, any land could be declared Waqf property under Section 40. We have removed the provision, which used to be rampantly misused,” he underlined, asserting that the committee had undertaken extensive consultations.

Calling the Bill an attack on the Constitution, Gogoi said, “Through this Bill, the government wants to dilute the Constitution, defame minority communities, divide Indian society, and disenfranchise minority communities.  Recently, their double-engine governments did not allow people to read namaz on roads. How many minority MPs do you have?”

“I will tell how they are anti-Constitution. The Bill talks about any person showing or demonstrating that he is practising Islam. People will have to give certificates to the government as to which religion they believe in. Do they ask any other community whether you practise your religion for five years?” he sought to know.

Gogoi asserted that permitting any person – and not just a Muslim – to create a Waqf was actually a secular principle, adding that more than two members of the Waqf Board could be women even in the 1995 Act. “Their eyes are on the properties and lands of a certain community. Tomorrow, they will eye the lands of other communities,” he alleged.

“Clause 44 removes Section 110 dealing with powers of the Board to make regulations with the permission of the state government. Section 109 – the power of the state government to make rules – has been restricted. They are removing the provision of election of members of the Board,” Gogoi said.

“They say that courts were powerless after the ruling of the Waqf Tribunal. This is false. The high court had the power to intervene under the 2013 Act. Under the parent Act, under Section 96, the Centre had the power to give directions to the state governments, who could give directions to the Board in case of injustice. How many times in the last 11 years did you give any direction?” Gogoi added, countering the charges of the government.

He then accused the Centre of targeting the Muslim community. “Are you trying to taint a community that fought the Revolt of 1857 alongside Mangal Pandey? When you were not supporting the Quit India Movement, that community supported it…. Our nationalism is to be united in mutual love for Bharat Mata. It is respect for the tricolour that you did not respect. It is respect for the freedom struggle that you did not take part in. They complain when reports come from the US that minorities are not safe in India,” he said.

Supporting the Bill, the BJP’s Ravi Shankar Prasad said, “The Waqf Board is not a religious body; it is just a statutory body. The Mutawali is just a manager. I will quote from M Hidayatullah, a legal luminary, to prove this. As per him, the Mutawali is just a manager. So, should the Centre be quiet when such misuse is happening?”

“I want to ask how many schools and hospitals were built on Waqf property? How many orphanages were made? If good funding comes due to this (to be passed) Act, why do they have a problem? They have a problem because of politics. They also created a ruckus after the Shah Bano judgment of the Supreme Court… Rajiv Gandhi reversed the Shah Bano verdict through Parliament,” Prasad said, accusing the Congress of minority appeasement.

Countering Gogoi’s point that the high court had powers even in the existing law, Prasad said that people could not move the court under it, though the high court could take cognisance of a Waqf-related issue if it wished.

Source:indianexpress.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/govt-opposition-waqf-amendment-bill-lok-sabha-9920309/

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Pakistan sends 35 tonnes of relief supplies to quake-hit Myanmar

By Web Desk

April 01, 2025

Pakistan dispatches humanitarian assistance consignment containing 35 tonnes of relief supplies for quake-hit Myanmar on April 1, 2025. — PID

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On the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, a relief consignment containing 35 tonnes was dispatched by the government to quake-hit Myanmar on Tuesday.

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry saw off the cargo flight at Islamabad International Airport, Radio Pakistan reported.

The aid package includes tents, blankets, tarpaulins, water modules, ready-made food and medicines. It will be delivered to Myanmar authorities at Yangon airport.

The death toll from a major earthquake last week in Myanmar is at 2,719, the chief of the ruling junta said on Tuesday, with the figure expected to exceed 3,000.

In a speech carried on state television, Min Aung Hlaing said there were 4,521 people injured and 441 missing after Friday's 7.7 magnitude quake.

Shelter, clean water and medicine are in short supply following the earthquake that has caused significant structural damage and had a devastating human toll, the United Nations' Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Tuesday.

A 7.7 magnitude earthquake on Friday severely damaged critical infrastructure, including major bridges and roads, Reuters reported.

"The time window for critical search and rescue is narrowing ... Shelter, clean water, medicine are in short supply. People in affected areas spent the night in the open because there is no electricity or running water," OCHA's Myanmar Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Marcoluigi Corsi told reporters in Geneva via video link from Yangon.

Multiple UN Agencies have raised the alarm about the shortage of drinking water, with concerns of cholera spreading.

"It is really dire — the most immediate need is water, it is super hot out there...Water pipes and septic tanks have broken," said Julia Rees, Unicef's Deputy Representative, via the video link.

The World Health Organization said hospitals were overwhelmed and that medical supplies were running out, and that there were shortages of running water and fuel.

The UN's refugee agency, UNHCR, has identified the situation as a top-level humanitarian crisis and is mobilising stocks like plastic sheets, sleeping material and mosquito nets.

Response efforts have been complicated by severe damage to roads and bridges, meaning it took UNHCR teams 13 hours to reach Mandalay from Yangon, in what should usually be a eight-hour journey, according to the organisation.

"The most urgent requirements is shelter and relief items … there is also the risk of explosive ordnance - due to the last four years of active conflict," UNHCR representative Babar Baloch told reporters in Geneva.

Source:thenews.com.pk

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1297146-pakistan-sends-35-tonnes-of-supplies-to-quake-hit-myanmar

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Singaporean girl, 15, who wanted to fight for ISIS is first female teen to be given ISA restriction order

APRIL 02, 2025

ByCHING SHI JIE

Separately, a 17-year-old Singaporean teenager was detained in March for plotting mass shooting against Muslims in mosques.

PHOTO: AsiaOne file

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A 15-year-old Singaporean girl, who wanted to marry an Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) fighter and fight for the terrorist group, has been issued with a restriction order under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

The student, who was issued with the restriction order in February, is the first female youth to be dealt with under the ISA, the Internal Security Department (ISD) said on Wednesday (April 2).

Separately, a 17-year-old Singaporean teenager was detained in March for plotting mass shooting against Muslims in mosques.

ISD said the boy, who was radicalised by violent far-right extremist and racist ideologies, had been planning the attack since early last year.

It added that at the point of arrest, he admitted that he had yet to carry out the attacks only because he was unable to procure a gun.

Girl pledged allegiance to ISIS through online chatbot

Meanwhile, the girl's path to radicalisation began in June 2023 after encountering ISIS propaganda online.

Within weeks, she became convinced that ISIS was a legitimate religious army defending Muslims in Iraq and Syria.

Viewing the group's goal of establishing an Islamic caliphate as noble, ISD said that she supported the terror group's use of violence to "cleanse the world of kuffar (disbelievers) whom she identified as non-Muslims and Shi'ite Muslims".

In July 2023, the girl pledged allegiance to ISIS's former caliph, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, online through an ISIS chatbot.

"She saw herself as ISIS member thereafter," said ISD.

8 romantic online relationships with ISIS supporters

Between September 2023 to last April, the youth searched for flights from Singapore to Syria on three occasions and considered saving money to fund her travel to Syria.

She also intended to seek travel advice from her online network of ISIS supporters, said ISD.

Aspiring to support the ISIS cause by marrying a fighter from the group in Syria, she hoped to raise sons who would become mujahideen, or fighters.

She sought romantic online relationships with overseas-based ISIS supporters by frequently reposting propaganda on her social media accounts.

ISD said that the girl was in at least eight short-term romantic online relationships with overseas ISIS supporters, including an alleged ISIS fighter based in Syria.

"While the youth's priority was to marry an ISIS fighter and raise a pro-ISIS family, she was also willing to become a female mujahideen to fight for ISIS in Syria," ISD said. "Influenced by footage of female ISIS fighters online, she hoped to die a martyr.

"She thought that she could travel to Syria and receive weapons training from ISIS once she was there."

The girl admitted to sharing ISIS-related content with some of her schoolmates, but none of them took the materials seriously and did not report to their teachers.

ISD said that its investigation to date indicates that the youth had acted alone and was unsuccessful in radicalising her schoolmates.

"The youth's mother was aware that her daughter was consuming pro-ISIS materials and had advised her against doing so," the department added.

"However, she did not think the youth's behaviour warranted further intervention."

Boy, 17, identified as 'East Asian Supremacist'

On the 17-year-old boy, ISD said that his radicalisation began in 2022 after encountering Islamophobic and far-right extremist materials online.

"His exposure to the materials, coupled with his pre-existing racist views against Malays, led him to develop an aversion towards Islam and Malays/Muslims," ISD said.

ISD said that the boy was an online contact of Nick Lee Xing Qiu, the 18-year-old student who was given an ISA detention order last December.

"Similar to Lee, he identified himself as an 'East Asian Supremacist', believing that Han Chinese, Korean and Japanese ethnicities were superior to Malays and Indians," the department said, adding that the youth regularly reposted Islamophobic and far-right extremist materials on social media to incite hatred against Muslims.

In November 2023, he came across an edited video of far-right terrorist Brenton Tarrant's March 2019 mass shootings of Muslims in Christchurch, New Zealand, on social media.

He then searched online for the full livestreamed video, as well as information on the shooter.

"He felt a sense of satisfaction from watching Muslims being shot on Tarrant's video, and saw Tarrant as a hero for killing Muslims," said ISD.

The youth later learnt about the Great Replacement Theory, which propagated the idea that the indigenous white population in Western countries were in danger of being replaced by non-white immigrants.

He then became convinced that such an event was happening in Singapore, and posted online that there should be individuals like Tarrant here to shoot Malays and Muslims to prevent them from replacing Chinese as the dominant race.

Set target of killing at least 100 Muslims in Jurong West mosque

By early 2024, ISD said that the boy thought of emulating Tarrant and shoot Muslims at mosques.

"The youth also fantasised about killing Jews but did not have any concrete attack plans to this end."

Between February and April last year, the boy reached out to an online contact based in the US who claimed to be a gun maker and suggested 3D printing the gun parts and ammunition.

But he did not follow through with the idea due to the "cost and technical feasibility", said ISD.

The boy also reached out to a foreign contact to buy a Glock 19 pistol into Singapore, but it did not materialise either.

He later considered buying guns and ammunition in Malaysia or Thailand, and smuggle them into Singapore.

"To ensure that he would be able to handle a gun, he watched online videos on handling firearms and planned to visit a shooting range in the US," said ISD.

In June 2024, the boy shortlisted five mosques as potential targets for his attack.

They are Masjid Maarof, Masjid Jamek Queenstown, Masjid Darussalam, Masjid An-Nur, and Masjid Hajjah Fatimah.

"While he wanted to conduct attacks against all five mosques to achieve a high "kill count", he had given greater thought to attacking Masjid Maarof, as he frequented the Jurong West area," said ISD.

His plan was to attack when Muslims were leaving the mosque after Friday prayers.

"He set a target of killing at least 100 Muslims, to outdo Tarrant and other far-right shooters in casualty numbers."

"He wanted his attacks to inspire other like-minded Singaporeans into undertaking violence and planned to livestream his attacks to emulate Tarrant.

"He intended to kill himself after conducting his attacks, before the arrival of the police."

ISD said that his parents were aware of his hatred towards Muslims and the excessive amount of time he was spending online, but did not seek help from the authorities.

Shanmugam: 'Thankful ISD has intervened so far every single time'

Speaking to reporters at Masjid Maarof on Wednesday, Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam said that the trend of Singaporean youth being dealt with under ISA is concerning.

"We all need to be thankful that ISD has intervened so far every single time, successfully. But as I keep saying, We have to get it right every time," he said.

"Those who are either on the far right or with tendencies towards extremism on the Islamic side have to only get it right once, and they will kill some people. So we need to be very careful."

Shanmugam was also asked about the difficulties of families intervening after noticing signs of their children's radicalisation.

"It's a question of judgement. Families may not realise that how far advanced is a radicalisation," he said. "They may say, 'oh, this young man is saying these things. We will just talk to him and he will get out of it.'"

Shanmugam said that parents should alert the authorities early if they suspect their children have been radicalised, so that they can "look forward to a life rehabilitated instead of getting killed in some venture".

ISD also urged anyone who knows or suspects that a person has been radicalised to contact its hotline 1800-2626-473.

Source:asiaone.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.asiaone.com/singapore/singaporean-girl-15-who-wanted-fight-isis-first-female-teen-be-given-isa-restriction

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CAO calls New York Times article on extremism in Bangladesh ‘misleading’

02 Apr 2025

Senior Correspondent - bdnews24.com

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The Chief Advisor’s Office (CAO) has strongly criticised an article published by The New York Times (NYT), calling it “misleading” and an “oversimplification” of Bangladesh's political and social landscape.

The NYT report highlights a surge of Islamic extremism in the country.

In a statement released on Tuesday via the Facebook page “CA Press Wing Facts,” the office of Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus took issue with the report, titled “As Bangladesh Reinvents Itself, Islamist Hard-Liners See an Opening”.

The media statement asserted that the article presents a “troubling” and “one-sided” portrait of Bangladesh’s trajectory.

“The NYT article provides a handful of incidents to paint a picture of a country spiralling into extremism,” the statement read.

“This approach is not only misleading but harmful. In a nation of 180 million people, it is unconscionable to define the entire country by a few isolated events.”

The response from the CAO outlined several areas where it said the article had failed to provide a balanced view.

The four-part list of objections by the CAO is included in full below:

1. Acknowledging Bangladesh's progress and challenges:

“While the article highlights certain incidents of religious tension and conservative movements, it overlooks the broader context of progress.

Bangladesh has made substantial strides in improving the conditions for women, and the interim Government has been particularly committed to their security and well-being.

This is a government that has prioritised women's rights and security, a focus that stands in stark contrast to the bleak image painted in the article.

One significant example is the 'Youth Festival 2025,' where nearly 2.7 million girls from all corners of the country participated in 3,000 games and cultural activities.

This widespread participation across regions, marginalised communities, and even the youth from indigenous groups underscores the thriving and dynamic engagement of women and girls in Bangladesh's social and cultural life.

The fact that one soccer game faced opposition does not erase the success of the other 2,999 events, which were celebrated by countless participants and communities.

To focus on a single interruption to one event misrepresents the vibrancy and determination of the country's youth, especially women.

Another claim that Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus "has not pushed back hard enough against extremist forces" is not only false, but it also disregards his lifelong commitment to empowering women.

As Chief Advisor Yunus has been unwavering in his advocacy for women's rights. A father of two daughters, Yunus has built his entire career and the Grameen Bank around a deep belief in the power of women, which ultimately earned him the Nobel Prize.

His dedication to advancing women's rights and protecting their freedoms is a cornerstone of his work and reputation.”

2. Correcting misconceptions about religious violence:

“In a country like Bangladesh, it is important to distinguish between political unrest and religious violence. Many of the clashes between different groups in the wake of Sheikh Hasina's departure and since have been misrepresented as sectarian violence, when in reality, they were largely political in nature.

Political factions often use religion to galvanise support, which complicates the issue and risks conflating political unrest with religious persecution. It is misleading to frame the entire situation as a sectarian conflict, as it ignores the true political and socio-economic factors at play.

The interim Government has made clear its commitment to protecting all minority communities, and its ongoing work with law enforcement and counterterrorism efforts underscores this commitment.

Bangladesh's efforts to combat extremism through social reforms and collaboration with the international community should not be overshadowed by the spread of misinformation.”

3. Bangladesh's role on the global stage:

“Bangladesh is quietly transforming into one of Asia's economic powerhouses, with a growth trajectory that promises immense opportunities for global investors.

Against all odds, Bangladesh's economy has stabilised, showing remarkable resilience.

In the last seven months, exports have grown almost 12 percent. The banking sector has remained intact after the political upheaval, and the local currency exchange rate has held steady at around Tk 123 to the USD.

Looking ahead, Bangladesh is projected to advance to become a middle income country by 2026, and potentially the world's 9th largest consumer market by 2030.

Where is the recognition of the incredible work done by the 84-year-old Muhammad Yunus over the past eight months? He has been tirelessly crisscrossing the globe to secure a better future for Bangladesh.

Last week, during his visit to China, the Chinese government and businesses committed US$2.1 billion in loans, investments, and grants to Bangladesh.

Next week, Dhaka will host the Investors Conference, bringing over 2,300 participants from 50 countries, including top officials from global companies like Meta, Uber, and Samsung.

The world is increasingly recognising Bangladesh as a rising economic power. This is a story of hope, strength, and unprecedented opportunity-one that deserves to be told with the respect and attention it merits.”

4. Avoiding oversimplification and smearing a nation:

“The NYT article provides a handful of incidents, such as the release of a man who hurled abuse at a woman, to paint a picture of a country spiralling into extremism.

This approach is not only misleading but harmful. In a nation of 180 million people, it is unconscionable to define the entire country by a few isolated events.

Bangladesh is a diverse and dynamic society with a rich history of resilience, culture, and progressive thought.

Bangladesh is not alone in facing the challenge of religious extremism; this is a global issue that many countries confront in different forms.

However, Bangladesh has continuously worked to address these challenges through law enforcement, social reforms, and counterterrorism initiatives.

The country's commitment to protecting its diverse population-whether Muslim, Hindu, Christian, or any other community-remains steadfast.

While there will always be hardliners who spew hatred at rallies and on social media, it is our responsibility to deny them the oxygen their anger requires.

Furthermore, the notion that the rise of extremism is an inevitable outcome of Bangladesh's political transition is far too deterministic.

The country's democratic spirit and vibrant civil society are powerful forces that continue to hold back the full rise of extremist ideologies.

While challenges remain, the long-term direction of Bangladesh will not be shaped solely by the actions of extremists.

The people of Bangladesh, particularly its youth and women, are determined to continue the fight for a just, democratic, and inclusive society.

Finally, Bangladesh's history of resilience, its commitment to democracy, and its focus on women's empowerment are all testaments to the fact that the country will continue to move forward, despite the challenges it faces.

Rather than focusing on a few negative examples, we should recognise the broader picture of progress, resilience, and determination that defines Bangladesh today.”

Source:bdnews24.com

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Rainstorm: 5, 000 Residents Rendered Homeless in Kwara Community

2 Apr, 2025

No fewer than 5,000 residents of Ogele Community in Asa Local Government Area of Kwara State have been rendered homeless due to a rainstorm that ravaged the community.

Already about 50 houses have been affected by the rainstorm as many residents have been sleeping in mosques, churches and other uncompleted buildings in the community.

The incident, according to THISDAY checks, happened last Sunday, around 8:00 pm and also wreaked havoc on public places like schools and individual houses.

A visit by our correspondent to the town on Tuesday showed the people of the town are still counting the effects of the rainstorm.

Among the places visited by our correspondent includes, Ansarul Islam Primary School, Community Secondary School, Health Center, Mosques, and Quranic schools as the rainstorm damaged the affected property.

One of the residents of the town, Mr. Nurudeen Fehintola, said the house of the 139-year-old Mufti of Ogele and its environs were affected by the storm, including Alhaji Abdulsalam Ibrahim’s house.

“As Muslims celebrate Eid-l-fitr after the completion of the Ramadan fast, our community was thrown into a solemn mood by the rainstorm disaster,” he lamented.

The rainstorm that greeted the community on Sunday evening left many residents homeless, helpless and devastated owing to the destruction of public infrastructures and properties owned by residents and the indigenes.

Other facilities destroyed include concrete poles and high-tension electric wire linking Ogele, Afon and adjoining communities.

Other victims of the rainstorm who appeared sad and devastated said they were still counting their losses.

They appealed to the government at all levels and public-spirited individuals and organisations for help.

The Community leader, Aare Ogele, Ishola Abubakar Akanbi, whose residence was also affected, reinforced the call of the victims who he said are being ripped off of their belongings and sources of livelihood.

The Chairman of Ogele Descendants Progressive Union (ODPU), Issa Akanbi-Oniyo, and others corroborated the view of the community leader, saying the incident left many residents retarded and homeless.

Source:thisdaylive.com

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Israeli airstrike kills Palestinian journalist and family in Khan Yunis, Gaza

April 01, 2025

LONDON: A Palestinian journalist and his entire family were killed early on Tuesday in an Israeli airstrike west of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip.

Mohammed Saleh Al-Bardawil, a presenter at Al-Aqsa radio station, was killed with his wife and three children in their apartment in the Emirati neighborhood of Khan Yunis.

On Tuesday, an Israeli military drone struck the Al-Bardawil apartment, according to a report from the Wafa news agency.

He is the third Palestinian journalist to be killed since Israel resumed its attacks on various areas of the Gaza Strip on March 18. The Palestinian Information Center has reported the killing of at least 209 journalists in Gaza since October 2023.

Israel’s renewed attacks on Gaza in March killed at least 1,001 Palestinians and injured 2,359 others, the majority of whom are children and women. The overall death toll in Gaza has reached 50,399 since the Israeli war began on Oct. 7, 2023.

Source:arabnews.com

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Saudi Arabia welcomes Tajik-Kyrgyz-Uzbek border treaty and ‘eternal friendship’ pledge

April 02, 2025

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Tuesday welcomed the border deal forged between Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan on the Fergana Valley, a long-disputed region that has ignited bloody clashes.

In a statement issued by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Kingdom also congratulated the three Central Asian neighbors for signing a Khujand Declaration on Eternal Friendship, wishing them “continued stability and prosperity.”

Saudi Arabia has maintained deep ties with Central Asian countries, even hosting the GCC Central Asian Investment Forum 2024 in May last year.

The border deal signed on Monday by presidents Emomali Rakhmon of Tajikistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan and Sadyr Japarov Kyrgyzstan, formalized the point where their countries’ borders meet in the mountainous valley.

The densely populated region has been the scene of numerous conflicts — mainly for control of water that is running out in a region badly hit by climate change.

The three leaders met several days before an EU-Central Asia summit in Uzbekistan. Relations between the former Soviet republics, long strained by rivalries, have warmed recently.

Borders in Central Asia were often drawn up under the Soviet Union and never properly demarcated.

But in recent years, Central Asian countries have announced border agreements to regulate the sharing of water, facilitate trade and ensure the stability of this resource-rich region.

In the Tajik city of Khujand, the three presidents also called in similar statements for “reinforcing the cooperation between brotherly nations” — including in energy and transport.

The Tajik and Kyrgyz leaders also inaugurated a section of a joint high-voltage line to supply Pakistan and Afghanistan with energy produced by Central Asian hydroelectric power stations.

The summit follows the signing of border treaties in mid-March between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, and between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan in 2023.

Source:arabnews.com

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UK residents threatened with prison for Russia links

1 Apr, 2025

The UK government has announced that anyone working for the Russian state in Britain must register under a “foreign influence” monitoring system expected to take effect by the summer, or risk going to jail for five years.

Unveiling the policy in parliament on Tuesday, Security Secretary Dan Jarvis said that individuals “carrying out an activity under an agreement” with certain Russian state institutions will be required to register under the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS).

The measure, which has already been extended to include individuals working on behalf of Iran, is described by officials as a national security tool aimed at combating malign foreign interference. Russia is now being placed under the scheme’s most stringent category.

“Russia represents a serious threat to national security,” Jarvis told MPs.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy, in a government press release, said that Moscow has “pursued an increasingly hostile policy towards the United Kingdom and its interests” in recent years. He cited harassment of diplomats, cyber operations, and alleged attempts to recruit spies to commit sabotage on British soil.

Under the new system, individuals linked to multiple branches of the Russian state – including the president, parliament, all ministries and their agencies, intelligence services, armed forces, police, judiciary, and political parties will be required to declare their activities in the UK.

The measure follows an earlier decision in March to classify Iran’s government, intelligence services, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps under the highest level of FIRS scrutiny.

The British government has stated that failure to comply with registration requirements could result in criminal prosecution and a prison sentence.

Western governments have for years accused Russia of exerting foreign influence in various countries through disinformation campaigns, cyberattacks, and covert political support. This began with accusations that Moscow interfered in the 2016 US presidential elections, which has since been debunked. Russia has consistently denied these claims, dismissing them as unfounded and politically motivated.

Source:rt.com

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https://www.rt.com/news/615115-uk-russia-links-prison/

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Florida Republican defeats Democrat in US House special election

2 April 2025

Republican State Senator Randy Fine has defeated Democrat Josh Weil in a closely watched special Florida congressional election to fill the seat held by National Security Advisor Michael Waltz.

The result dashes Democratic hopes of pulling what would have been a stunning upset in a district that Donald Trump carried by 30 points in last November's presidential election.

The narrow margin of Fine's victory on Tuesday, however, is likely to leave Republicans uneasy about their prospects in next year's national mid-term congressional elections. Waltz won the seat by more than 30 points in November, according to the BBC's news partner CBS, while Fine's margin was around 14 points ahead of Weil with nearly all votes counted.

Democrat Weil, a strong Gaza supporter who clashed with Fine's anti-Palestinian stance, made waves by raising more than $12m in campaign donations, compared to the approximately $1m brought in by his opponent. That disparity, along with polls that showed a contest within the margin of error, had put this congressional race in the national spotlight.

It also prompted a last-minute influx of national Republican support that included telephone town halls by Trump and other prominent conservatives. Those efforts appear to have paid off, as Republican turnout climbed in the final days of early voting and in-person ballots cast by Republicans exceeded party expectations on election day.

At a polling location in the Valdosta Public Library in Daytona Beach, a steady stream of voters clad in American flag hats and Trump paraphernalia served as a vivid illustration of a last-minute surge of conservative support for Fine.

"People are getting the message that they need to turn out to vote," said Mary Fikert, a Fine campaign volunteer stationed at a small tent in the library's expansive parking lot. "It was embarrassing that it was so close."

The Republican prevailed in the other Florida special election, to fill the seat vacated by firebrand conservative Congressman Matt Gaetz. That contest never drew the kind of national fundraising dollars, or attention, that the Fine-Weil matchup garnered.

Republicans still hold only a narrow majority in the House of Representatives after Tuesday's results, but it appears to be a sustainable margin through next year's election, improving what would have been gloomy prospects of advancing Trump's legislative agenda if Fine had been defeated.

Democrats may be buoyed by the relative success achieved by Weil, a public school teacher who has never held elective office. His message focused on what he characterised as the dire consequences of the White House's efforts to slash government programmes and personnel. That resonated in the conservative region, which is populated by military veterans and retirees, although it was not enough to carry him to victory.

Even before results were announced, Democrats predicted that their progress here in Florida would be a harbinger of larger success in next year's congressional mid-term elections. That remains to be seen.

Republicans, on the other hand, will be relieved that electoral disaster was averted, even if some candidates in more closely contested races next year face a less hospitable political climate than they enjoyed in 2024.

Source:bbc.com

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India

 

'Will harm interests of Muslims': MK Stalin writes letter to PM Modi to withdraw Waqf Bill

Apr 2, 2025

NEW DELHI: Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin on Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought a "complete withdrawal" of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

Stalin's letter to PM Modi, shared by the Tamil Nadu chief minister's office on X, came on a day when the Lok Sabha is holding an eight-hour discussion on the Waqf Bill. The Bharatiya Janata Party-led ruling National Democratic Alliance has the numbers to ensure the bill's passage, while Stalin's Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) is a member of the opposition INDIA bloc, which is opposing the bill.

"The Constitution of India grants every citizen the right to follow their respective religion and it is the duty of the elected governments to uphold and protect this right. However, the proposed amendments to the Waqf Act, 1995 have not taken into consideration the constitutional protection given to minorities and are bound to severely harm the interest of Muslim community," Stalin wrote.

The DMK head described provisions in the existing Waqf Act as "time-tested" and "protector" of the Waqf Board's properties.

On the other hand, the amendments proposed in the new act would "weaken" the powers and responsibilities of Waqf Boards in the management and protection of their properties, he argued.

Further, Stalin cited three proposed amendments to back his claim that the proposed "large-scale modifications" would "dilute the very spirit of the Act itself."

"The mandatory inclusion of two non-Muslim members in State Waqf Boards will undermine the religious autonomy of the Muslim community's ability to manage its religious and charitable endowments independently. Removal of the 'Waqf by user' provision threatens the status of many historical Waqf properties. The stipulation that the individuals who practiced Islam for at least five years only can donate properties to Waqf will prevent non-Muslims from donating properties to Waqf which will hinder the syncretic culture of the country," Stalin noted.

"Since the existing Waqf Act, 1995 is adequate and has clear-cut provisions to safeguard the interest and properties of Waqfs, it is our view that there is no need for such far reaching amendments to the existing Waqf Act, 1995," he concluded.

Source:indiatimes.com

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Should we start digging up 30,000 mosques: RSS's Dattatreya Hosabale

Apr 2, 2025

NEW DELHI: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has reiterated its opposition to the gathering demand for reclamation of thousands of mosques allegedly built after demolition of temples.

RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale has made it clear that Sangh was against the idea. Giving the background of RSS's support for the movement started by "sadhus and sants" for construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and saying the Sangh would not stop its members from supporting the efforts of VHP and others for taking possession of sites of Kashi Vishwanath Mandir in Varanasi and Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura, Hosabale suggested that the push for mass re-conversion of mosques allegedly built on temple sites fell into a different category.

"But if we talk about all the other mosques and structures, should we start digging up 30,000 mosques and attempt to reverse history? Would that not create more hostility and resentment in society? Should we move forward as a society or stay stuck in the past? How far do we go in history?" Hosabale said in an interview with Kannada weekly, Vikrama.

Delineating the stand which was first articulated by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, the Sangh general secretary said the demand for control of allegedly disputed mosque sites could only be pursued at a huge cost to society's other priorities like eradication and untouchability. "If we keep doing this, when will we focus on other vital societal transformations? What about eliminating untouchability? How do we instil values in youth?" he said.

Hosabale, who is next only to Bhagwat in hierarchy, also seemed to caution that single-minded pursuit of the reclamation agenda could be at the expense of other issues which have been of equal concern for those pushing for it - preservation of culture and languages, conversions, cow slaughter, love jihad. "The Sangh has never said anybody should ignore or not work on these issues," he said.

Hosabale further said the movement for re-conversion of disputed sites was not in keeping with the conception of a temple. "Consider the concept of a temple. Is a former temple that has been turned into a mosque still a divine space? Should we focus on finding Hindutva in remains of a stone structure, or should we awaken Hindutva within those who have distanced themselves from it? Instead of searching for traces of Hindu heritage in stone buildings, if we revive the Hindu roots within them and their communities, the mosque issue will resolve on its own," he told Vikrama.

Source:indiatimes.com

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On Waqf Amendment Bill, chorus from Srinagar: ‘India should not become another Myanmar…’

by Bashaarat Masood

April 2, 2025

As the Waqf amendment bill was tabled in Parliament, political parties in the Valley put up a united front in opposing it.

While the ruling National Conference (NC) said its MPs will strongly oppose the bill, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) called it a “conspiracy against Muslims”.

Warning that India is going the Myanmar way, former chief minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti termed the bill a “deliberate” targeting of Muslims and urged the majority community to stand up against it.

“This is Gandhi ji’s country and it should run by the Constitution, not by the agenda of the BJP,” Mufti said. “If the people of the country want that India should not become another Myanmar or if they want that what happened to Kashmiri Pandits should not happen – for which we are sorry even today and for which the people of the country taunt us even today – they should stand up. If they watch in silence, nobody can stop this country from disintegration.”

Mufti termed the proposed amendment a conspiracy to disempower Muslims but hoped that the people of the country would stand against it. “I have no hope from the BJP. We are seeing for the last 10-12 years how Muslims are being lynched, their mosques bulldozed and their graveyards occupied,” she said. “The Hindus of this country have to come forward.”

J&K People’s Conference president Sajad Lone called it “another right-wing trespass” and an attack on the religious rights of Muslims.

“Waqf, by definition, is the custodian of properties collectively owned by Muslims. It is an Islamic concept,” Lone posted on X. “The proposed amendment by Parliament is a blatant interference in our faith aimed at divesting rightful custodians of their authority.”

On Tuesday, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had made it clear: “We have said it already that it is difficult for us to accept this bill. It seems that only one religion is being targeted. I have been saying it time and again that every religion has its institutions, its charity wings. Our charity is done through Waqf, and to target Waqf like this is unfortunate because it seems that only our charitable institutions are being targetted.”

Omar said that the Parliament has to take a call and “our members will strongly oppose” the amendments.

Source:indianexpress.com

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2020 Delhi Riots: Court orders further investigation against BJP leader Kapil Mishra

April 1, 2025

A Delhi court has directed the police to conduct further investigation against BJP leader and Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra in connection with the 2020 northeast Delhi riots. The direction came after a complaint was filed by Mohd. Ilyas, who accused Mishra and others of being involved in the violence.

The court, led by Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Vaibhav Chaurasia, noted that the case warranted further investigation as a cognizable offence was found related to one of the incidents mentioned in the complaint.

Ilyas alleged that on February 23, 2020, he witnessed Mishra and his associates blocking roads and damaging Muslim street vendors’ carts. He claimed that Mishra was accompanied by police officials, including the Deputy Commissioner of Police (northeast), who stood by him and threatened protesters to vacate the area or face consequences.

Ilyas sought the registration of an FIR against Mishra, then SHO of Dayalpur police station, and five others, including BJP MLA Mohan Singh Bisht and former MLAs Jagdish Pradhan and Satpal Sansad.

The Delhi Police, however, opposed the plea, arguing that there was a planned conspiracy to implicate Mishra in the case. The police maintained that Mishra had no involvement in the riots. Despite the opposition, the court found that the material presented by the prosecution indicated Mishra’s presence in the area, and the allegations made by the complainant were credible.

The court also noted that Mishra’s statements, which distinguished “us” and “them” in reference to Muslims, raised concerns that required further investigation.

The judge observed that Mishra’s presence could not be dismissed, especially since he admitted to being in North East Delhi a day before the riots started. Furthermore, the court directed the examination of DCP Ved Prakash Surya, who was allegedly seen telling protesters that if they did not end their demonstration, they would face dire consequences.

The court suggested that Surya might possess critical information that could shed light on the events leading to the riots.

The court’s order to further investigate Mishra and the others involved underscores the need to explore all aspects of the allegations to determine the truth behind the 2020 northeast Delhi violence. The case continues to draw attention due to its political and communal sensitivities. — With Agencies Inputs

Source:muslimmirror.com

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Several Muslim men arrested for waving Palestine flag after Eid prayers in UP’s Saharanpur

April 1, 2025

Several Muslim youths were arrested in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, allegedly for waving the Palestinian flag after Eid prayers. The incident, which occurred at Ghanta Ghar, was captured on video and quickly went viral on social media.

The footage shows a group of young Muslim men holding both Indian and Palestinian flags while chanting slogans in support of Palestine. Based on the video, the police registered a case and initiated an investigation.

Saharanpur’s SP City, Vyom Bindal, stated that the video depicted youths waving a foreign flag and raising slogans. He assured that authorities were aware of the situation and would take appropriate action.

However, families of the arrested youths, who reside in Janak Nagar, denied any involvement in the demonstration and claimed that their sons were taken by the police without any justification.

One of those detained, 40-year-old Falak, was arrested from his home. His mother, Akbari, accused the police of misconduct, claiming that around 15 to 20 officers barged into their house, where only women and children were present. She alleged that the police did not have a warrant and misbehaved with her when she questioned them. Akbari also said that Falak had just returned from offering prayers when the police took him. The family provided CCTV footage showing officers entering their home as evidence of the incident.

Another youth, 21-year-old Uzaif, was arrested while he was asleep. His father, Naseem, recounted the incident, saying that the police arrived at around 1 p.m., woke Uzaif up, and asked him to identify the boys seen in the viral video. When Uzaif claimed he didn’t recognize anyone in the video, the police took him away without offering any further explanation. Another parent reported a similar experience, stating that when the police arrived and asked for their son, they immediately took him away without giving any reason.

The families made several visits to the police station in search of information about their children, but they received no answers. Later that evening, the police informed them that the youths had been booked under Section 151 of the CrPC, which allows for detention in case of preventive action. The families were asked to leave without being provided a copy of the FIR. At the time of reporting, no further details were available, and the case remained under investigation.

Source:muslimmirror.com

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Razing of homes 'inhuman, illegal': Bulldozer action in Allahabad shocks Supreme Court's conscience

R. Balaji

02.04.25

The Supreme Court on Tuesday described as “inhuman and illegal” the Uttar Pradesh government’s decision to demolish the homes of six families in Allahabad with bulldozers, saying the action had “shocked” its “conscience”.

The court awarded a compensation of ₹10 lakh to each family, to be paid within six weeks, saying it was the only way of teaching a lesson to the authorities for their “highhandedness” and ensuring that they follow the due process of the law.

“This case shocks our conscience. There is something called right to shelter, due process of law and rule of law in this country. Residential premises have been demolished in a highhanded manner…. The authorities, especially the development authorities, must remember that the ‘right to shelter’ is also a fundamental right and integral to Article 21 (life and liberty) of the Constitution,” a bench of Justice Abhay S. Oka and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan observed.

The court order is yet to be uploaded. Two of the petitioners were identified in court as Zulfiqar Ali Haidi, an advocate, and Ali Ahmed, a college professor. All six petitioners are residents of Lukerganj in Allahabad. The demolitions were carried out on

In an interview with the news agency PTI that was published on Tuesday, Uttar Pradesh chief minister and BJP leader Yogi Adityanath said he was of the view that the “bulldozer justice” started by his government was a “necessity, not an achievement”. He claimed that the apex court had supported the use of bulldozers for such action.

The petitioners argued in court that they were the rightful owners of the houses and had been residing there for decades. They said the local authorities demolished the properties on the wrong presumption that they belonged to gangster turned politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf Ahmed who were killed in April 2023 allegedly by rival gang members while being taken by police for a medical check-up.

The top court referred to another instance of bulldozer action, in Ambedkarnagar district. “There is a recent video in which small huts are being demolished by bulldozers. There is a small girl running away from the demolished huts with a clutch of books in her hand. They are very disturbing and shocking,” Justice Bhuyan remarked.

At the last hearing on March 24, the bench had asked the Allahabad petitioners to give an undertaking that they would reconstruct the houses during the pendency of the dispute. However, the petitioners’ lawyers submitted on Tuesday that they did not have the financial resources for reconstruction and would rather prefer compensation for the loss suffered.

Attorney-general R. Venkataramani, appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government, opposed the plea on the ground that the houses had been demolished as they were illegal and that several such properties had been razed, not just those of the petitioners.

Justice Oka, heading the bench, noted that the authorities had issued the first showcause notice to the occupants under the UP Urban Planning and Development Act, 1973, on December 18, 2020, and thereafter on January 8, 2021. In both instances the notices were pasted on the premises in violation of the law instead of being served through a registered post.

Finally on March 6, 2021, the authorities issued a registered notice and demolished the houses on the verynext day.

“Genuine efforts are required to be made for effecting service of notices in person to the affected person. It cannot be that the person entrusted with the job of serving notice goes to the address and affixes it after finding that on that date the person concerned is not available,” the bench said.

It added: “In this case, action was taken within 24 hours of serving a registered notice, thereby denying the appellants the right to avail their remedy of appeal under sub-section 2 of Section 27 of the UP Urban Planning and Development Act, 1973.”

“The action of demolition is completely illegal (and) violates the right of appellants to shelter under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. The purpose of Section 27 of the Act was to provide reasonable opportunity to the aggrieved persons to file an appeal but in this case no such exercise appeared to have been conducted,” the court said.

Source:telegraphindia.com

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Conversion to Islam 'bona fide' if done by 'free will, with sound mind': Allahabad high court

Apr 02, 2025

The Allahabad high court has observed that the conversion of a person to Islam can be deemed bona fide if he/she is an adult, is of sound mind and has embraced the religion because of his/her belief in the oneness of God. The court also said a person's faith in the prophetic character of Mohammed is also a prerequisite for conversion.

The court made the remark while dismissing a petition by Taufik Ahmad, who had sought quashing of proceedings against him on charges of rape and unlawful religious conversion of a Hindu girl to Islam through misrepresentation under the UP anti-conversion law, reported PTI.

Justice Manju Rani Chauhan said in an order dated March 27: "A conversion of religion by an individual to Islam can be said to be bona fide if he/she is major and of sound mind and embraces Islam by his/her own free will and because of his/her faith and belief in the oneness of God (Allah) and prophetic character of Mohammed".

Compromise on rape not acceptable: Court

The court also dismissed the petitioner's contention that the two sides reached a compromise in the 2021 case. The bench said any compromise in the case of rape isn't acceptable to the court.

"Any compromise or settlement concerning the offence of rape, against the honour of a woman, which shakes the very core of her life and tantamount to a serious blow to her supreme honour, offending both, her esteem and dignity, is not acceptable to this court," the order said.

The court said that the object of the UP anti-conversion law was to provide for the prohibition of unlawful conversion from one religion to another by misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by any fraudulent means.

It said any religious conversion is considered bona fide when there is a "change of heart" and "honest conviction" in the tenets of a new faith "in lieu of the tenets of the original religion".

Source:hindustantimes.com

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RSS won’t block volunteers in Varanasi, Mathura temple efforts: Sangh's general secretary Hosabale

Apr 1, 2025

NEW DELHI: The RSS will not stop its volunteers from taking part in the efforts to restore Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi and Srikrishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura, Dattatreya Hosabale, the RSS general secretary, said but emphasised the pointlessness of discovering temples beneath mosques.

He cautioned that such archaeological pursuits might divert attention from crucial social reforms, including the eradication of untouchability and cultural preservation.

Speaking to Vikrama, a conservative Kannada weekly, Hosabale highlighted contemporary societal issues including "conversions, cow slaughter, love jihad", amongst other pressing concerns.

"The Vishwa Hindu Parishad and dharma gurus spoke about three temples. If some swayamsevaks are involved in efforts related to these three temples, Sangh is not stopping them," Hosabale said.

Hindu organisations maintain that Islamic invaders demolished the Srikrishna Temple and Kashi Vishwanath Temple, subsequently constructing mosques at these locations.

Hosabale clarified the Sangh's position on the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, stating they weren't its initiators.

He explained that religious leaders collectively decided to reclaim Ram Janmabhoomi and sought Sangh's backing, which was granted based on cultural significance.

The RSS deputy chief questioned the practicality of investigating temples beneath mosques.

He raised pertinent questions about excavating thousands of mosques and reversing history, wondering if such actions would foster social harmony or create further divisions.

Hosabale emphasised that focusing on the past might detract from addressing crucial social reforms, including eliminating untouchability and preserving cultural heritage.

He reiterated society's current challenges, including "conversions, cow slaughter, love jihad", and other significant issues.

Regarding sacred spaces, he contemplated whether a converted temple-mosque retained its divine nature.

The RSS leader suggested prioritising the revival of Hindu consciousness rather than searching for physical evidence of heritage, stating this approach might naturally resolve mosque-related disputes.

Addressing caste matters, Hosabale stated that whilst caste practices within families might be acceptable, using caste for discrimination or political advantage becomes problematic.

Regarding 'Akhand Bharat', he clarified it transcends geographical unity.

He confirmed their unchanged position on territorial unity, noting the continued observance of Akhand Bharat Sankalp Diwas.

Hosabale emphasised that achieving 'Akhand Bharat' requires a strong, organised Hindu society within India, acknowledging changed global geopolitics.

He concluded that whilst 'Akhand Bharat' remains their aspiration, successful reintegration depends on society's preparedness for such assimilation.

Source:indiatimes.com

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The crisis in Imarat Shariah: A constitutional perspective

April 1, 2025

By Maulana Dr. Abul Kalam Qasmi Shamsi

Imarat Shariah: A Prestigious Institution

Imarat Shariah of Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, and Bengal is a significant and esteemed institution in the country. It has not only guided people within India but has also provided direction internationally. Established in 1921, it has now completed 100 years of its existence.

Challenges Faced by Imarat Shariah

Throughout its history, Imarat Shariah has encountered several crises, yet, by the grace of Allah, it has been protected every time. One of the most tumultuous events occurred when the former Amir-e-Shariat, Maulana Syed Mohammad Wali Rahmani, passed away, and the election for a new Amir-e-Shariat became necessary. However, even in this critical moment, Allah ensured the institution’s stability.

Once again, reports of turmoil within Imarat Shariah have emerged. Having studied this institution in depth, I am well-versed in its rules and regulations. Therefore, I present an analysis of the situation in light of its constitution and trust deed.

Imarat Shariah’s Governance Structure

Imarat Shariah is a prestigious institution that has completed 100 years.

Every institution functions according to its constitution, not through disorder. Imarat Shariah also operates under a constitution and a trust deed, which govern its administration.

According to the constitution and trust deed, Imarat Shariah has specific committees: Majlis-e-Shura (Consultative Council), Majlis-e-Arbab-e-Hal-o-Aqd (Council of Elders and Decision Makers), and the Trust Committee. The powers of these committees are clearly defined, and the institution functions accordingly.

The most significant position within Imarat Shariah is that of the Amir-e-Shariat. As per the constitution and trust deed, this is the most authoritative position in the institution.

Election of the Amir-e-Shariat

I was actively involved in the election process of the Amir-e-Shariat and was also a member of the election committee. The constitution of Imarat Shariah stipulates that the Amir-e-Shariat must be an Islamic scholar (Aalim). Among the candidates, the name of the current Amir-e-Shariat, Maulana Faisal Wali Rahmani, was also considered. To verify his credentials, a committee of scholars was formed, which concluded that he qualified as an Aalim. Since there was no religious impediment, his name was included in the election process.

As multiple candidates were expected, a systematic approach was adopted. During a general meeting, nominations were invited, and three names emerged. One candidate withdrew, leaving two contenders. A democratic voting process was conducted, and Maulana Ahmed Wali Faisal Rahmani was duly elected as the Amir-e-Shariat through the Majlis-e-Arbab-e-Hal-o-Aqd.

Current Controversy and Its Analysis

Once again, turmoil has surfaced in Imarat Shariah. Upon investigating the matter, I found two primary reasons behind the controversy:

The claim that the Amir-e-Shariat is not a qualified Islamic scholar.

The allegation that he is not an Indian citizen.

There is also a claim that the Trust Committee has the authority to remove him from his position. However, according to the constitution and trust deed of Imarat Shariah, the Trust Committee does not have the power to dismiss the elected Amir-e-Shariat.

Authority Over Appointment and Dismissal

The election of the Amir-e-Shariat is the exclusive right of the Majlis-e-Arbab-e-Hal-o-Aqd.

The power to remove the Amir-e-Shariat also rests solely with the Majlis-e-Arbab-e-Hal-o-Aqd.

No other committee, including the Trust Committee, has the authority to remove the Amir-e-Shariat. Therefore, any claim that the Trust Committee has dismissed the Amir-e-Shariat is in direct violation of the constitution and trust deed of Imarat Shariah.

Examining the Allegations

I examined the reasons presented by the Trust Committee for attempting to remove the Amir-e-Shariat:

Not an Islamic Scholar – This allegation contradicts the earlier decision of the scholars’ committee, which had already determined his scholarly status. This decision was accepted by both supporters and opponents at the time of the election, making it inappropriate to raise the issue again.

Not an Indian Citizen – This is a legal matter and should be addressed accordingly. After consulting several legal experts, I was informed that Imarat Shariah is an NGO, and there is no legal requirement for an NGO’s office-bearer to be an Indian citizen. While there could be other concerns regarding this, it is a separate issue altogether.

Another claim suggests that many of his statements contradict Islamic teachings. I have personally reviewed his speeches and videos. In religious discourse, differences of opinion among scholars are common, and presenting these differences for public understanding does not amount to deviating from Islam.

Conclusion

Based on the above analysis, the authority to remove the Amir-e-Shariat lies solely with the Majlis-e-Arbab-e-Hal-o-Aqd. No other committee has this power. Furthermore, the allegations against him lack a solid foundation. Therefore, preserving the dignity and integrity of Imarat Shariah is the collective responsibility of the Muslim community.

May Allah protect this institution from discord and strife.

Source:muslimmirror.com

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https://muslimmirror.com/legal-story-the-crisis-in-imarat-shariah-a-constitutional-perspective/

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Khaled Hosseini’s ‘The Kite Runner’ comes alive on stage in Bengaluru

April 02, 2025

PRAVEEN SUDEVAN

Few novels leave an imprint on our minds quite like The Kite Runner. Khaled Hosseini’s powerful story of friendship and redemption, set against the backdrop of Afghanistan’s turbulent past, has moved millions across the globe. Now, thanks to Arena Theatre Productions, the evocative story is coming to life on stage. Adapted by American playwright Matthew Spangler, the production will be staged at Good Shepherd Auditorium on April 5.

Director Tahera, the founder of Arena Theatre Productions, recalls her own experience with the novel. “I remember reading the novel years ago when it had just come out, and I completely agree on how moving and touching it was. The story always remains with you, no matter how many years have passed. Even if you don’t remember every detail, you will still recall the characters and certain lines from The Kite Runner. ‘For you, a thousand times over,’ definitely resonates with many.”

Matthew’s adaptation has been widely praised for its ability to condense the novel’s vast scope into a gripping two-hour production without losing its emotional weight. “Every scene captures the core of the story. People who come to watch it will feel that nothing is missing; everything has been beautifully encapsulated in those two hours. The playwright has done a fantastic job,” says Tahera.

The story delves into its themes of class struggle, privilege, oppression, and redemption. “The themes of The Kite Runner, are unfortunately still relevant today. Although the book is set in the 1970s, it addresses issues that persist in modern times. The story delves into the complexities of Muslim culture, highlighting classism and the Shia-Sunni conflict. It shows how friendships across different social classes are often frowned upon, yet Amir’s journey demonstrates the profound impact of these relationships,” Tahera says.

Live music will add further depth to the production. “Each scene in the play represents a specific chapter from the book. We’ve structured it so that every important phase is captured effectively within these scenes. One of the highlights is the live music, which adds authenticity to the cultural setting of Afghanistan. We’ve put a lot of effort into replicating the costumes and overall atmosphere to stay true to the story’s roots.”

Tahera also draws a parallel between The Kite Runner and Bollywood cinema. “ Like our Hindi films, every scene is deeply human at a very basic level. These emotions are so pure and relatable. I often say everyone has an Amir within them, and we’re all searching for our Hassan. The characters are not simply black or white; they are grey from the beginning. The story beautifully depicts Amir’s chance at redemption, showing how he seizes it to start anew, filled with fresh faith and hope.”

The journey of bringing The Kite Runner to life has been deeply fulfilling for the director. “I read The Kite Runner about 15 years ago, before I even started my journey in theatre. I remember narrating the story to friends who were non-readers, and they were captivated by it. Even then, I was certain that this story could be brilliantly adapted for the stage.”

A highlight of the evening will be the presence of Matthew Spangler, who will be flying down from San José to watch the performance and interact with the audience after the show.

The Kite Runner (English, 2 hours and 15 minutes) is recommended for audiences aged 16 and above. It will be staged on April 5 at Good Shepherd Auditorium, Richmond Town. Tickets start at ₹499 and are available on BookMyShow.

Source:thehindu.com

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Kiren Rijiju tears into Opposition in Waqf Bill debate speech: ‘If you try to mislead…’ | 5 quotes

Apr 02, 2025

Union minister of Parliamentary affairs Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday tabled the controversial Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in the Lok Sabha and initiated the discussion on behalf of the government. During his address, Kiren Rijiju teared into the Opposition for being against the bill and highlighted why it was important to introduce the recommended modifications.

Here top 5 quotes from Kiren Rijiju's speech:

“We have accepted several recommendations made by the JPC in the bill and have introduced an important amendment. This will give ‘umeed’ (hope) that a new dawn is about to come. That is why the name of the new act is also UMEED (Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development Act)”

“I want to say that the discussion that has taken place on the Waqf Amendment Bill in the Joint Committee of both Houses has never been done in the parliamentary history of India to date. I thank and congratulate all the members of the Joint Committee.”

“The Muslim community is welcoming the bill with open arms. Some people here are surely opposing the bill, but I want to invite them to my home so they can witness the Muslim delegations meeting me and welcoming the bill, it will change the way you think. You aren't aware of the level of acceptance of the bill among the Muslim community.”

“The government is not going to interfere in any religious institution. The changes made in the Waqf law by the UPA government gave it overriding effect over other statutes, hence the new amendments were required…If today you again try to mislead, spread falsehoods, then you will have to face the truth. Then we will bring another bill, and I will once again unveil the reality... If a Muslim individual creates a Waqf, the first requirement is to ensure the rights of the women in the family.... This bill has nothing to do with religion, but deals only with properties."

“Waqf Bill is not interfering in any religious system, any religious institution, or any religious practice in any way.”

Source:hindustantimes.com

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‘Balasaheb Thackeray opposed Waqf too’: Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske slams opposition for ‘misleading’ people

Apr 2, 2025

NEW DELHI: Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske on Wednesday extended his support to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, asserting that the opposition is misleading people by claiming the bill is against Muslims.

Speaking to ANI, Mhaske said, "The Opposition is spreading misinformation that the Waqf Amendment Bill is against Muslims only for their own gains... Balasaheb Thackeray had also opposed Waqf. Sanjay Raut is a liar and a puppet of Rahul Gandhi."

The Lok Sabha on Wednesday took up the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, for consideration. The bill, first introduced in August last year, incorporates recommendations made by the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC).

Backing the amendments, BJP leader Siddharth Nath Singh emphasized the need for reforms, stating, "This bill needs improvement as it is becoming outdated. There is a demand for timely changes so that the public benefits. PM Modi’s government wants poor Muslims to benefit from this bill... but Akhilesh Yadav is opposing it because he does not want this."

Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva also criticized those opposing the bill, saying, "I feel pity for their mentality. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill aims to restore the rights of those who have been deprived. It was introduced in August last year and was reviewed by the JPC, which received suggestions from across India." He further added, "If poor Muslims benefit from this bill and their development happens, I don't understand what the opposition has to object to."

Supporting the government's move, Maharashtra Minority Commission chairman Pyare Khan stated that the bill ensures rights for poor Muslims. "No government has ever truly worked for Muslims. If they had, the condition of Muslims in this country would not be like this. Now that the government is taking steps to grant them their rights, we should welcome it rather than oppose it," he said.

Source:indiatimes.com

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SC hands off mosque whitewash: Petition to stay Allahabad HC order for ASI action dismissed

R. Balaji

02.04.25

The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to interfere with an Allahabad High Court order that had directed the Archaeological Survey of India to whitewash the Mughal-era Shahi Jama Masjid in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal, which is at the centre of a communal dispute.

“We are not inclined to interfere with the impugned order. The petition is dismissed,” a bench of Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar said in an order while dismissing an appeal filed by Satish Kumar Agarwal challenging the high court’s directive.

Advocate Barun Sinha, appearing for the petitioner, contended that the high court’s order needed to be set aside as it would cause grave prejudice to the Hindu claimants’ contention that the mosque was built by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb on the ruins of an ancient temple.

However, the bench refused to go into the merits of the case and dismissed the petition.

A single-judge bench of the high court had on March 12 directed the ASI to whitewash the shrine and asked the Sambhal mosque committee to bear the cost.

“The ASI shall undertake the whitewashing work and complete the same within one week from today,” Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal had said in his order.

“Further, no extra lighting shall be put on the walls, as it may cause damage to the monuments, but exterior lights in the shape of focus lights/LED lights may be used by the ASI for lighting of the outer area of the alleged Masjid,” the order stated.

On November 29, the apex court had restrained the Sambhal civil court that had ordered a survey of the mosque from proceeding further till the high court had decided on the matter. It had also directed the administration to be “totally neutral” and maintain peace.

Four youths were killed outside the mosque on November 24 in an alleged mob-police clash that had broken out during the court-ordered survey to ascertain whether the shrine stood over the remains of a destroyed temple.

During the last hearing, the apex court had asked additional solicitor-general K.M. Natraj, appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government, to explore the possibility of “mediation” to resolve the issue under Section 43 of the Mediation Act.

According to Section 43 of the Act, “any dispute likely to affect peace, harmony and tranquillity amongst the residents or families of any area or locality may be settled through community mediation with prior mutual consent of the parties” instead of prolonging the matter through judicial battles.

Source:telegraphindia.com

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‘Roads are meant for walking’: CM Adityanath on namaz row

April 2, 2025

Yogi Adityanath, the no-nonsense ascetic UP chief minister who wears anti-wokeism on his sleeve, has a clear message for Muslims: you will get a fair share of the state’s development but don’t expect special concessions just because you are a minority.

That means you can’t hold namaz on roads, or do illegal activities. If you do, be ready to face “bulldozer justice”.

In an interview with PTI, when asked about his supporters seeing him as a future PM, he said, “Politics is not a full-time job for me. Ultimately, I am a yogi (monk) at heart.”

“There will be a time frame for this as well,” he said to a question on how long he sees himself in politics. “I am the CM of Uttar Pradesh, and the party has placed me here to serve the

people.”

Rejecting criticism of any discrimination against Muslims, Adityanath said Muslims are 20% of the state’s population but their share is 35-40% among the beneficiaries of government welfare schemes and asserted that he does not believe either in discrimination or in appeasement.

Asked about the row over the warning by his administration in Meerut against offering namaz on roads, he defended the move, saying there was nothing

wrong in it.

“Roads are meant for walking. Those who are speaking (against the decision) should learn discipline from Hindus. Sixty-six crore people arrived in Prayagraj. There was no robbery, destruction of property, arson, abduction… This is called religious discipline. If you want benefits, you should also follow discipline,” he said.

Slamming critics of Waqf (Amendment) Bill, he said Waqf boards have become a den of selfish interests as well as “loot khasot” (property grabbing), and have done little for the welfare of Muslims.

Citing examples of charity in fields like education and health by Hindu temples and mutts, he asked if any Waqf board has done welfare work like this despite having properties many times more. Forget about the entire society, have Waqf properties been used for any welfare of Muslims, he asked.

“It (Waqf) has become a medium to capture any government property. This reform is the need of the hour, and all reforms draw opposition. I believe Muslims will benefit from this (proposed law),” he said.

With his “bulldozer model” now adopted by other states too, Adityanath told PTI he did not consider the popular practice as an achievement but a necessity. The bulldozer can be used to create infrastructure and remove encroachments as well, he said. “It seems to me we have shown how it can be used in a better way.”

He also claimed that the Supreme Court has supported the UP administration’s use of bulldozers and never reprimanded it. However, again on Tuesday, the SC came down heavily on the UP government and Prayagraj administration for demolishing homes without legality.

Explaining his perspective on the intersection of religion and politics, Adityanath said, “We limit religion to a confined space and restrict politics to a handful of people, and that is where the problem arises. If politics is driven by self-interest, it will create problems. But if it is for the greater good, it will provide solutions. We have to choose between being part of the problem or the solution, and I believe this is what religion also teaches us.”

He also slammed any politics over language, asserting that the states whose leaders are furthering it are on a gradual decline, and said several languages such as Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali or Marathi can become the cornerstone of national unity. He said the UP government was teaching languages such as Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali and Marathi to students. “Does this diminish Uttar Pradesh in any way? Does it make UP look small?” he asked.

The CM said everyone believes Hindi should be respected, but India has adopted the three-language formula. “This three-language formula ensures that regional languages also get the same respect. Every language has its own speciality which becomes the cornerstone of national unity,” Adityanath said.

On the future of Congress, he said the party has lost its connection with its origins, strayed from its values and faces an existential crisis as it was headed towards writing its own death

certificate.

Meanwhile, reacting to Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav’s recent statement that BJP government develops cow shelters since they like foul smell, Adityanath said they have abandoned the cows, with their leader claiming that cow dung has an unpleasant smell.

“This shows their true nature. They used to hand over cows to butchers. When we sent the butchers to hell, the Samajwadi Party had a problem,” he said.

He pointed out that those with ties to cow smugglers and butchers would never understand the service of cow. “They only see the smell in cow dung, but they don’t see the foul smell in their actions,” Yogi added.

Source:indianexpress.com

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https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/lucknow/roads-are-meant-for-walking-cm-adityanath-on-namaz-row-9919488/

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History will blame Nitish Kumar more than BJP: Prashant Kishor on Waqf bill

Apr 2, 2025

Jan Suraaj Party chief Prashant Kishor on Wednesday called the Waqf Amendment Bill an attempt at political polarisation and also attacked Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar for supporting it.

Speaking to ANI, Kishor said the Bill is being pushed through without taking the affected communities into confidence. He pointed out that many Muslims feel threatened by it and criticised the government for rushing the legislation.

"It is unfortunate... If changes impact any section, they should be taken into confidence. Many Muslims feel threatened. The government is rushing this for polarisation politics," Kishor said.

Kishor did not hold back in his attack on Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar. He argued that the BJP does not consider Muslims its vote bank, but leaders like Nitish Kumar claim to support the community while backing laws that harm them. He accused Kumar of hypocrisy, saying that despite invoking leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Ram Manohar Lohia, and Jayaprakash Narayan, Kumar is helping the BJP pass a Bill that many Muslims oppose.

"The government does not have a majority in the Lok Sabha. If leaders like Nitish Kumar refuse to support this Bill, it cannot become law. When history is written, the blame for this law will fall more on leaders like Nitish Kumar than on the BJP," Kishor said.

Last week, Kishor also participated in a protest against the Waqf Amendment Bill organised by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) at Gardanibagh in Patna.

His party, Jan Suraaj, has been trying to appeal to Muslim voters by presenting itself as an alternative to the RJD. He claims that Muslims vote for RJD out of fear of the BJP and accuses Nitish Kumar's JD(U) of betraying them.

The Waqf Amendment Bill is set to be tabled in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. The bill has faced resistance from opposition parties and Muslim organisations like the AIMPLB. Despite opposition, the NDA has a majority in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, making its passage likely.

Source:indiatimes.com

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Uttarakhand Waqf Board chairman says those opposing Waqf bill are 'political Muslims'

Apr 2, 2025,

NEW DELHI: Uttarakhand Waqf Board chairman Shadab Shams on Wednesday criticized the opposition for opposing the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024. He said that poor Muslims have expectations from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and described the situation as "70 saal vs Modi Karyakal" (PM Modi’s term versus the past 70 years).

Shams said that the Central government, under PM Modi, has decided to bring poor Muslims into the mainstream.

"Poor Muslims have hopes from PM Modi, and that is why we have named this amendment bill as 'Ummeed'. Union minister Kiren Rijiju is the ray of hope. PM Modi's government has decided that it will bring the poor Muslims into the mainstream. It is '70 saal Vs Modi Karyakal'," Shams said while talking to the news agency ANI.

He further criticized the opposition, saying they had 70 years in power and misused Waqf resources.

"They (the opposition) looted the Waqf. They looted the rights of the poor. They are scaring the Muslims by saying that mosques will be taken away. Those who are opposing are not Muslims. They are political Muslims of Congress, Samajwadi Party, AAP, and Janata Dal. There are NGOs and committees behind them, such as Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind and the Muslim Personal Law Board, who want to go to the Rajya Sabha through a backdoor. All of them are Waqf beneficiaries. They are worried that it would be taken away from them. They are worried because it will be taken away from the rich. We are sure that PM Modi will pass the Waqf Amendment Bill and give the poor Muslims their rights," he added.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, is scheduled to be introduced in Parliament today. Both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress have asked their MPs to be present.

The bill will be presented after the Question Hour and will be followed by an 8-hour discussion, which may be extended.

Allies of the BJP and Congress have also instructed their MPs to be present in Parliament on April 2 and 3.

The opposition has opposed the bill, with Samajwadi Party (SP) chief whip Dharmendra Yadav instructing all SP MPs in the Lok Sabha to attend the discussion.

The bill was first introduced in the Lok Sabha in August last year. A Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), led by Jagdambika Pal, was later formed to review it.

The bill seeks to amend the Waqf Act, 1995, to improve the management and regulation of Waqf properties. It proposes renaming the Act, updating the definition of Waqf, improving registration procedures, and increasing the use of technology in maintaining Waqf records.

The Waqf Act, 1995, was originally enacted to regulate Waqf properties, but concerns have been raised about mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments.

Source:indiatimes.com

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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/uttarakhand-waqf-board-chairman-says-those-opposing-waqf-bill-are-political-muslims/articleshow/119890438.cms

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HC directs MC chief to settle Sanjauli mosque dispute by May 8

Apr 02, 2025

The Himachal Pradesh high court has directed the municipal corporation (MC) commissioner to settle the Sanjauli mosque case before May 8, noting that the matter has been pending for the last 16 years.

The HC passed the order on March 28 while taking up a plea filed by Shimla MC seeking extension to dispose off the case. The HC added that it will not entertain any plea seeking more time.

The court also disposed a contempt petition filed by residents of Sanjuali, seeking proceedings against MC commissioner for failing’ to settle the dispute by October last year, in contravention of a court order.

The MC commissioner had granted the mosque committee till March 2025 to pull down unauthorised structures. The committee informed the MC chief that they have demolished 50% of the structure.

“If the MC commissioner fails to settle the matter before May 8, we will pursue contempt proceedings,” said advocate Jagat Pal, representing Sanjauli residents.

“The case has been going on with the MC for 16 years. Junior engineer filed a report thrice, in which the mosque was declared illegal,” he added.

The mosque committee had cited a lack of funds and winter for slow progress in demolition of the three floors.

On October 5, 2024, the Shimla MC commissioner had ordered the demolition of three illegal floors of the mosque. Following protests in Shimla on September 11, demanding the demolition of an unauthorised portion of the mosque, the committee had given an undertaking to the MC commissioner, offering to carry out the demolition on their own.

On September 11, at least 10 persons, including six police personnel and four protestors, were injured after the police resorted to baton charges and used water cannons as agitators broke the barricades and reached the vicinity of the mosque.

A complaint in the matter was first filed with the MC authorities in 2010.

Source:hindustantimes.com

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https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/hc-directs-mc-chief-to-settle-sanjauli-mosque-dispute-by-may-8-101743531105632.html

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In Malda village, Muslim neighbours help family of Hindu labourer perform his last rites

Apr 1, 2025

Malda: In a heartwarming display of communal harmony, the Muslim community in Malda's Ramdhantola village came together to support a bereaved Hindu family, setting aside recent tensions in the region.

Following Eid prayers, local Muslims collected funds to assist the family of Tinku Mandal, 37, a migrant labourer who died unexpectedly in Delhi on Sunday morning. Mandal, the sole breadwinner of his family, left behind his wife Tumpa and four minor children.

The family faced significant financial challenges in bringing back Mandal's body home and performing the last rites. While relatives and neighbours initially gathered some funds, it proved insufficient. The Muslim residents of Barabagan and Kachari More stepped in, collecting donations even after their Eid prayers on Monday.

"We collected money after Eid prayers to stand by our neighbour. It was our duty, and we have learned to live this way," said Rahim Sk, who, along with Rojina Biwi and Taher Sk, delivered the collected funds to the grieving family.

The gesture holds particular significance given the recent communal tensions in Mothabari. Beauty Mandal, a relative of the deceased, expressed gratitude, saying: "It would have been impossible for us to bring the body home and perform the final rites without the support of our Muslim brothers."

This act of compassion has emerged as a beacon of hope, demonstrating how community bonds can transcend religious boundaries during times of crisis.

Source:indiatimes.com

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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/in-malda-village-muslim-neighbours-help-family-of-hindu-labourer-perform-his-last-rites/articleshow/119875999.cms

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Pakistan

 

Navy fully committed to protect maritime borders: Naval Chief

April 02, 2025

Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf has reaffirmed Pakistan Navy's steadfast commitment to protect country's maritime borders.

He was talking to the officers and men of Pakistan Navy during his visit to forward posts in Coastal and Creeks Areas, as well as several Pakistan Navy ships.

Highlighting the crucial role of Pakistan Navy in regional stability, the Naval Chief emphasized that safeguarding national interests remains paramount, even during festive occasions.

He commended the unwavering dedication and high morale of Pakistan Navy personnel in undertaking the task of defending this vital frontier amidst harsh terrain of marshes, swamps, and unpredictable waterways.

Admiral Naveed Ashraf also lauded their sacrifices in maintaining vigilance and operational readiness and encouraged them to continue their mission with the same professionalism and resolve.

The Naval Chief expressed his complete satisfaction with the operational preparedness of Pak Marines in the Creeks Area.

Source:radio.gov.pk

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https://www.radio.gov.pk/02-04-2025/pak-navy-fully-committed-to-protect-maritime-borders-naval-chief

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BYC leader Sammi Deen Baloch's name removed from MPO

April 01, 2025

The name of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leader Sammi Deen Baloch has been removed from an earlier detention order under section 3 of the Sindh Maintenance of Public Order (3 MPO) with 'immediate effect'.

The order issued by the Sindh Home Department today further stated that jail authorities are instructed to release Sammi if "she is not required in any other case or otherwise".

Police detained the BYC leader after she led a protest in Karachi against the arrest of the movement's leadership, including Dr Mahrang Baloch, in Balochistan.

Mahrang was taken into custody earlier, along with 16 other activists from their protest camp in Quetta, a day after they alleged police of beating up three of their protestors to death during an anti-riot action.

Officials alleged that Sammi, along with Abdul Wahab Baloch, Raza Ali, and others, was inciting road blockades and sit-ins, which could disrupt law and order in the city.

The Home Department further claimed that the presence of the detained individuals in public places posed a potential threat to peace and stability.

On March 26, Sammi challenged her 30-day detention in the Sindh High Court (SHC).

Source:thenews.com.pk

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PTI founder 'orders immediate reversal of appointments by Junaid Akbar'

By Shabbir Dar & Web Desk

April 01, 2025

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan on Tuesday ordered immediate reversal of appointments made by the party's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President Junaid Akbar.

Khan also said that KP speaker should submit his resignation if a decision was taken by the party's committee.

Khan's statement was quoted by PTI leader Azam Swati, who met him today at Rawalpindi's Adiala jail.

Talking to the media outside the jail premises, Swati said he met the PTI founder with two other leaders.

He said that Khan expressed his confidence in Salman Akram Raja's loyalty to the party, saying that the latter would not go against the PTI leadership.

He also said that they apprised the PTI founder about corruption in Mansehra, adding that he urged Khan to bring forward the matters related to the party's committee.

It is noteworthy to mention here that the former ruling party had formed a three-member committee to keep an eye on the KP government and ensure that none of the cabinet members could get involved in misuse of power or corruption in the province.

According to The News, Khan suggested former governor Shah Farman, senior lawyer Qazi Anwar and the party member of the National Assembly from the Malakand region, Junaid Akbar Khan to be part of the committee.

However, Akbar was later dropped from the committee and replaced by Brig (retired) Mussadiq Abbasi. Abbasi is presently working as Special Assistant to KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Anti-Corruption.

Swati, speaking to the media, further said that the PTI founder also ordered the immediate reversal of appointments made by PTI KP President Akbar. He added that they told Khan that Akbar was doing a good job as the party's top leader in the PTI-ruled province.

Furthermore, Khan was also briefed on matters related to the PTI in Punjab, said Swati. He said that Aliya Hamza was being obstructed. He claimed that Sardar Khan and Ikram Ullah were also facing corruption accusations.

Commenting on Khan's jail term, Swati said that they have to secure release for the PTI founder.

The former minister said that KP CM was not a silent spectator on corruption, and he met Khan after getting permission from Gandapur.

PTI Secretary General Raja also addressed the media outside the prison. He said that he would discuss the related matters with Akbar following Swati's statement.

Raja said that a discussion could be held on complaints against the Punjab leadership. He, however, ruled out infighting among the Punjab leadership regardless of some minor differences.

Prior to this development, PTI leaders, who gathered at Adiala jail to meet Khan, had arguments with the jail officials after several leaders were not given permission to enter the premises.

The leaders included Swati, Nadia Khattak, Mubashir Awan, Raja, Niaz Ullah Niazi, Faisal Malik, and Shoaib Shaheen. However, the jail administration only allowed Swati, Khattak and Mubashir to meet the PTI founder.

Raja criticised that the jail officials were picking people to meet Khan despite court orders that directed Adiala's administration to follow a list provided by him, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan or Intezar Panjutha.

After an exchange of harsh words, the jail administration allowed a few PTI leaders to meet Khan.

Last week, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) restored visiting days for incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan, allowing people to meet him every Tuesday and Thursday.

Only those individuals whose names are provided by PTI founder's coordinator Raja will be permitted to meet him.

The latest development in the legal saga about the former prime minister's visitation rights as IHC Acting Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar heard the combined pleas on the said issue.

The three-member bench, which also includes Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir and Justice Muhammad Azam Khan, was formed by Justice Dogar last week who also merged various petitions about Khan's meeting rights in response to a plea filed by jail Superintendent Abdul Ghafoor Anjum.

Source:thenews.com.pk

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Larkana court orders CAA to restore flights from Mohenjo Daro airport

M.B. Kalhoro

March 31, 2025

LARKANA: The Larka­­na circuit bench of the Sindh High Court has directed the Civil Aviation Authority to immediately enforce its earlier order passed on March 9, 2022, asking the authority to restore flights to and from Mohenjo Daro Airport, and submit compliance report.

A constitutional bench comprising Justices Mohammad Saleem Jessar and Adnan-ul-Karim Memon issued the directive here the other day while hearing three identical petitions filed between 2017 and 2019.

The petitioners Advocate Sajjid Hussain Mahesar (Constitutional Petition No.D-922, 2017), Advocate Imdad Ali Mashori (CP No.D-959, 2017) and Advocate Rafique Ahmed Abro (CP No.146, 2019) requested the court order resumption of PIA flights at Mohenjo Daro Airport.

Despite having promised to restore full services, the PIA violated its commitment and suspended flights at Mohenjo Daro Airport on Nov 22, 2018, which had not since been restored, according to Mr Mahesar.

The bench stressed that the federal government (aviation division) must explain why compensation for the [suspended] routes [to and from Mohenjo Daro] had not been determined, and submit a report.

The court ordered director general of the CAA to conduct a comprehensive inquiry to determine designated airlines for Mohenjo Daro Airport as a secondary route, their actual service delivery and the CAA’s obligations in cases of non-compliance.

The petitioners said that Mohenjo Daro Airport suffered from infrequent and unreliable PIA flights, despite prior court order, while private airlines had reportedly been prevented from operating at the airport.

They requested the court to mandate two PIA flights daily between Larkana and Karachi, and sought authorisation for private airlines to operate flights on Mohenjo Daro-Larkana route by restoring the old Sukkur via Menara Airport route.

Advocate Balosch A. Junejo, who represented the CAA and Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA), explained the recent division of the CAA into three entities: the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (regulator), the PAA (airport operations and air navigation) and an air accident investigation body.

He confirmed the Mohenjo Daro Airport met the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s standards. Its runway was suitable for Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 aircraft, subject to weight limits, he said, adding the airport had a history of supporting Boeing 737 operations and over 50 years of PIA service, demonstrating its regional importance.

Advocate Irfan Ali Soomro, who appeared on behalf of PIA, pledged to restart flights, after internal discussions, from Mohenjo Daro to northern cities within a week.

As the CAA report showed private airlines were not operating required socio-economic routes, and the authority admitted to enforcement failure, the court ordered immediate enforcement and submission of compliance report.

Established in 1967, Mohenjo Daro Airport was the third busiest in the province and it used to handle five weekly PIA passenger flights, two charter flights and various non-scheduled and VIP/VVIP flights before its operation was halted without reasonable justification.

The bench said that in order to address public inconvenience in Larkana, the court mandated the Director General of the CAA to conduct a comprehensive inquiry to determine the designated airlines for Mohenjo Daro Airport as a secondary route, their actual service delivery and the CAA’s obligations in cases of non-compliance.

The order said that a report be submitted to the court’s sub-registrar within a month and officials from PIA and CAA were required to attend the next hearing on April 9, 2025.

Source:dawn.com

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PM inquires after health of President Zardari

April 01, 2025

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif today reached out to President Asif Ali Zardari to inquire about his health following news of his illness.

The Prime Minister prayed for the President's speedy recovery and expressed that the entire nation's prayers are with him during this time.

Source:radio.gov.pk

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PM expresses condolences over passing of Saeedullah Niazi

April 01, 2025

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif today telephoned Hafeezullah Niazi and Inamullah Niazi to express his condolences on the passing of their brother, Saeedullah Niazi.

He prayed for the elevation of the deceased’s ranks and for patience for the bereaved family.

The Prime Minister expressed his deepest sympathies to the family of the late Saeedullah Niazi during this difficult time.

Source:radio.gov.pk

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PPP backs coalition govt for larger interest of country: Gilani

April 02, 2025

Chairman Senate Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani says Pakistan Peoples Party is supporting the coalition government in the larger interest of the country and its people.

Addressing a ceremony in Multan, he said the PPP had always advocated for rights of the people and development across the country without any discrimination.

He said the party did not have any ministerial or advisory positions but wanted the process of development to benefit all.

Source:radio.gov.pk

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Govt taking possible steps to reduce power tariff: Kh Asif

April 02, 2025

Minister for Defense Khawaja Muhammad Asif has said that incumbent government is taking all possible steps to reduce power tariff to provide relief to common man.

Talking to a private television channel, he said the reduction in power tariff could be announced in next few days.

Replying to a question, the Federal Minister said Pakistan's armed forces are committed to eradicate terrorism from the country.

He assured that the federal government will extend its full support to the provincial government in Balochistan to fulfill all genuine demands of the province.

He ruled out the possibility of any talks with the Balochistan Liberation Army due to its involvement in terrorist activities and killing innocent labourers.    

Source:radio.gov.pk

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Southeast Asia

 

Putra Heights fire: Former minister calls for 'zakat', 'sedekah' to help victims rebuild lives

By Malay Mail

02 Apr 2025

KUALA LUMPUR, April 2 — Victims of the recent gas pipeline fire in Putra Heights may be eligible for zakat, especially those who lost their homes, income, or incurred debt due to the fire, said former religious affairs minister Datuk Seri Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri.

In a Facebook post yesterday, Zulkifli said victims of disasters such as fires can be categorised as asnaf al-gharimin (those in debt) and qualify for zakat.

“The giving of zakat in the form of cash is preferable to help them bear the cost of recovery, home repairs, and basic post-disaster needs,” he said.

“At the same time, I encourage Muslims to continue showing solidarity through sedekah (charity) to help victims affected, whether they are Muslim or non-Muslim,” he added.

Zulkifly also said that those with assets but no cash may still qualify based on zakat guidelines, while displaced victims may fall under asnaf ibn sabil.

As of yesterday, a total of 364 people from 74 families affected by the fire had been evacuated to two relief centres.

Source:malaymail.com

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Minister hails M'sian spirit as temple, mosque open doors to victims

Apr 2, 2025

Sharing a photograph of a Muslim man performing his prayers at the Sri Maha Kaliamman Temple along Jalan Putra Harmoni, National Unity Minister Aaron Ago Dagang praised the true spirit of unity among Malaysians following the devastating gas pipeline explosion in Putra Heights.

Both the temple and the Masjid Putra Heights had sheltered victims of the blaze, which left dozens injured and damaged more than a hundred houses and vehicles.

Thanking both the mosque and temple, Aaron said...

Source:malaysiakini.com

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COMMENT | Temple and mosque: A question too difficult to ask?

Apr 2, 2025

COMMENT | After publishing my recent article, I found myself returning to it over and over again, not to edit, but to understand. I had asked what I believed was a fair and honest question:

What if the roles were reversed?

It was posed with care, free from accusation or malice. It was simply an invitation to reflect on how consistently we apply our values, especially when they involve sacred spaces, heritage, and belonging.

Yet, within hours, the reaction made something clear. Many were not ready to engage with the question.

Some accused it of touching on the so-called 3R sensitivities - race, religion, and royalty. However, I still...

Source:malaysiakini.com

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Eid Travels: Nearly 2 Million Vehicles Leave Greater Jakarta

Erfan Maruf

 April 2, 2025

Jakarta. Nearly 2 million vehicles had left the Greater Jakarta area during the Eid holidays, according to the state-run toll operator Jasa Marga.

The Greater Jakarta area encompasses Jakarta, Bogor, Tangerang, and Bekasi and is locally known as Jabodetabek. Jasa Marga reported that 1.96 million vehicles had exited Jakarta on March 21-31. This year's Eid fell on March 31. These figures took into account the traffic in the four main toll gates: Cikampek Utama (Trans-Java toll-bound), Kalihurip Utama (Bandung-bound), Kalihurip Utama (Merak-bound), and Ciawi (Puncak-bound).

"This marks a 25.5 percent increase compared to normal days, which would usually see around 1.56 million vehicles [exiting Jabodetabek]. Traffic has also grown 0.5 percent from 1.95 million vehicles during last year's Eid holidays," Jasa Marga's corporate communication and community development head Lisye Octaviana said Tuesday.

Jasa Marga recorded almost 1.1 million eastbound vehicles over the said period. They were traveling to the Trans-Java toll and Bandung. Some 491,987 vehicles left to head to Merak, while the remaining 375,676 were going to Puncak.

Government estimates show that 146.48 million people are expected to travel for the Eid homecoming, down 24 percent from last year's holiday season. Some 33.69 million people will travel using their own cars, while 24.76 million others choose to take the bus.

Source:jakartaglobe.id

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Safety level assessment on every unit affected by fire to start tomorrow - Police

Bernama

01-04- 2025 '

KUALA LUMPUR: A thorough inspection and safety level assessment will be made on every unit involved in the gas pipeline fire at Jalan Putra Harmoni, Putra Heights Subang Jaya, Selangor starting tomorrow.

Selangor Police Chief Datuk Hussien Omar Khan said inspections would be carried out by Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), the Public Works Department (PWD) and the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) before residents are allowed to return to their respective homes.

“The inspection will identify the level of damage, which houses the occupants can be allowed to go home, which ones are not allowed, which are safe and which are not safe,“ he told reporters at the Scene Control Post (PKTK) here today.

In addition, Hussien said some residents whose homes were less affected had been given permission to return home temporarily to collect essential items such as documents and medicines from 6.30pm today.

“We allowed two representatives from each house to go home and take their important belongings. But for now, none of the residents (involved in the fire) are allowed to stay at home,“ he said.

In addition, Hussein said although no reports of property theft had been received so far, the police assured that they would closely monitor the affected areas with personnel stationed on every road in the residential area.

“The fire brigade will also be on standby in this area for the next 20 hours, for monitoring duties or facing any eventuality,“ he said.

Hussein said so far a total of 364 victims from 74 families were involved in the fire and are currently housed in two temporary evacuation centres (PPS), namely at the Putra Height Mosque and the Subang Jaya City Council Multipurpose Hall.

“I would also like to convey the message from the Ministry of Health (MOH) that those who have symptoms due to ‘hydrocarbon hazard’ such as sore throat and cough should immediately go to a health clinic for health screening.

“For those who have families or acquaintances believed to be involved in this incident but cannot be contacted, they are urged to contact the Subang Jaya District Police Headquarters control centre at 03-78627100,“ he said.

He said currently, a total of 224 personnel consisting of the police, firefighters, Civil Defence Force, MOH as well as local authorities and district offices are on duty in the affected areas.

Source:thesun.my

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Ministry of National Unity wants MCMC to investigate racist statement by individual

Bernama

01-04- 2025

PUTRAJAYA: The Office of the Minister of National Unity has lodged a report with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) regarding a racist and provocative statement on social media uploaded by an individual on platform X

National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Dagang said they also hoped that the individual would be investigated and appropriate action taken in accordance with Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

“The Ministry of National Unity is committed to ensuring that the harmony and unity of Malaysians continues to be preserved. Therefore, any form of statement or action that can undermine unity and fuel hatred is completely unacceptable.

“I would like to remind all parties to be more ethical in the use of social media and avoid any actions that could trigger racial and religious tensions,“ he said in a post on his X platform.

Aaron, meanwhile, also called for a joint rejection of any form of extremism, provocation and slander that could affect the peace of the country.

Earlier, two tweets by user X, @AmirRidhwann dated March 5 and March 26, went viral that were provocative and racist against the Indian community, but the latest check found that the posts have been deleted.

Source:thesun.my

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‘The worst I’ve experienced’: Malaysians in Thailand recount fear as Myanmar quake tremors hit Bangkok

02 Apr 2025

BANGKOK, April 2 — Malaysian residents in the Thai capital, especially those in high-rise buildings, were jolted by a powerful earthquake in Myanmar last Friday, leaving many in shock and seeking safety.

The powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar’s Sagaing Region at around 1 pm local time, followed by a second earthquake measuring 6.4 in magnitude, triggering tremors in Thailand.

Malaysian Dr Hwee Khim Boo, 63, said this was the first time she had encountered tremors after living in Bangkok for more than 30 years.

Hwee said when the tremors hit Bangkok last Friday, she was at work in her office in Sam Phran District and did not immediately realise what was happening.

“I was in my office on the second floor when, all of a sudden, the table and the blinds started shaking. My first thought was, ‘Am I having an episode of vertigo?’

“Then I looked out through my glass door, and all of my employees had stood up. One of my staff members then asked me to evacuate as the building was shaking,” she told Bernama when contacted recently.

Hwee, who is also the chairman of the Malaysian-Thai Chamber of Commerce (MTCC), said the tremors lasted for over a minute and all employees, including production workers, gathered at the meeting point before conducting a headcount.

“Afterwards, I felt dizzy and had a headache until the next morning. I had to take paracetamol to relieve it,” she recounted.

Chairman of Malaysians and Indians in Bangkok (MIB) Dr Silva Kumar, who resides at Shiva Tower in the Sukhumvit district, said last Friday’s tremor was the worst he had experienced compared to the one that struck Bangkok three years ago.

“In my 28 years in Bangkok, this was the worst. Three years ago, we felt a mild tremor, but it was nothing significant. This time, the building we live in, which has a heavy and strongly built structure, swayed from left to right for about a minute.

“It was scary, unimaginable, and we were unprepared. In fact, all the residents in my building felt the same,” he said.

Another Malaysian, Ten Voon Teng, 72, who has lived in Thailand for 46 years, said it was the most terrifying day for him in Bangkok.

Ten said he realised that it was an earthquake when he saw wires swinging violently and began to feel dizzy.

“I have experienced earthquake tremors before, but last week was the worst because the entire city of Bangkok felt the tremors. We are grateful that no damage occurred to our double-storey house in Min Buri district. After inspecting our home, we decided to continue staying there,” he said.

As of Tuesday, the earthquake caused tremors in Thailand’s capital and has so far claimed 20 lives and injured 32 people.

Dozens remain missing at a construction site in the Chatuchak District near Bang Sue Grand Station, which collapsed. — Bernama

Source:malaymail.com

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South Asia

 

Houses attacked in Narail on Eid night over establishing supremacy

Apr 2, 2025

At least ten houses were vandalised and looted in Lohagara upazila of Narail on Monday night, allegedly due to a dispute over local dominance, locals said.

The incident took place at Satrahajari village, where houses bore visible signs of destruction, including broken walls and slashed tin fences. Inside, televisions, refrigerators, wardrobes, and other household items were found smashed.

According to victims, the attack stemmed from a long-standing rivalry between Sayeed Mina, the current member of No 1 Ward (Satrahajari) under Noagram Union, and former member Aktar Kazi.

Around 8:00pm on Eid night, Aktar and his men allegedly launched an attack on at least ten families supporting Sayeed, including those of Jalil Molla, Mofizur Molla, Mannan Molla, Nazrul Molla, Abu Taher Mina, Jabbar Mina, Tariqul Mina, and Naeem Mina.

Jalil Molla, one of the victims, said, "When I returned from the market, I found my house ransacked. The locks on my box were broken, and Tk 51,000 in cash, which I had saved to build a house, was missing. They even took my wife's gold chain and earrings. Our TV, fridge, and other valuables were smashed."

Another victim, Mofizur Molla, said, "I am not involved in politics. My house was attacked just because I am related to the Mina family. They looted Tk 21,000 in cash, gold ornaments, and five sacks of coriander, five sacks of lentils, and ten sacks of paddy."

Lekjan Begum, another affected resident, added, "On Monday night, without any reason, Aktar and his men took Tk 3 lakh in cash and about three voris of gold. We are still in fear, as another attack could happen anytime."

However, Aktar denied the allegations, saying, "I was not involved in the incident and was not even present at the scene. Their accusations are baseless. I have heard about the vandalism, but no looting took place. Moreover, my people were not responsible. I do not know who carried out the attack."

Police confirmed the attack but are yet to give details about the incident.

Md Ashiqur Rahman, officer-in-charge (OC) of Lohagara Police Station told The Daily Star this morning, "The allegations of looting are under investigation. As of now, we have not received any formal complaint regarding Monday night's incident. If a complaint is filed, legal action will be taken after proper investigation," he added.

"There has been a long-standing dispute over dominance between the two union parishad members. Both parties have filed cases in this connection in the past."

Source:thedailystar.net

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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/crime-justice/news/houses-attacked-narail-eid-night-over-establishing-supremacy-3861941

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2 BNP leaders injured in attack by 'Jubo League, BCL activists' in Noakhali

Apr 2, 2025

Two BNP leaders was injured in an attack allegedly by Jubo League and banned Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists in Noakhali's Sadar upazila yesterday.

The attack took place around 7:15pm at Debipur village of Neyajpur Union, Sadar Upazila BNP General Secretary VP Jasim Uddin, said, adding that preparations for filing a case were underway.

The victim are Zakir Hossain alias Alo, 45, the general secretary of Neyajpur Union BNP, and Khandaker Arafat Ahmed Dipu, the union's Jubo Dal joint convener.

Quoting locals, Kamrul Islam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Sudharam Police Station, said the Sadar upazila BNP president had hosted a feast for party leaders and workers for Eid-ul-Fitr. After the event, Zakir left Maijdi town for home. As he reached the Debipur Firingi Pole area around 7:15pm, Jubo League and Chhatra League leaders and activists allegedly set up a barricade to stop his motorcycle. Led by Jubo League activist Piyas, they allegedly beat Zakir and took him to a nearby field, where he was attacked with sharp objects.

During the attack, Arafat who was accompanying Zakir was also injured. Locals later rescued them and admitted them to the 250-bed Noakhali General Hospital.

Attempts to contact accused Jubo League leaders Piyas and Babul were unsuccessful, as their mobile phones were switched off.

Kamal Uddin Babul, president of Newajpur Union BNP, alleged that the attack was premeditated.

"BNP leader Zakir was attacked and injured by Jubo League-Chhatra League leaders who blocked the road. He is in critical condition," he said.

BNP leader Jasim claimed that the attack was carried out by local Jubo League-Chhatra League activists, led by Jubo League leaders Piyas and Babul.

"When I visited the hospital, Zakir whispered to me that Jubo League leader Piyas was behind the attack," he added.

The OC said "The process of filing a case regarding the incident is underway."

Source:thedailystar.net

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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/crime-justice/news/2-bnp-leaders-injured-attack-jubo-league-bcl-activists-noakhali-3861961

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5 hurt in clash over jilapi distribution in Patuakhali

Apr 1, 2025

At least five persons, including a woman, were injured in a clash that broke out over distributing jilapis in Galachipa upazila of Patuakhali yesterday.

The incident took place after Eid prayers around 9:00am at Kaisar Ali Sikder Bari Jame Mosque in Lamna village under the upazila.

Locals said two groups locked in an altercation over the financial accounts of jilapi distribution. They later attacked each other with sticks and locally-made weapons, leading to a violent clash.

The injured were identified as: Md Russel, 32; Abdur Rahman, 40; Md Razzak, 33; Fatema, 28; and Zahidul Islam, 38. All of them are residents of Lamna village.

Three of them have been admitted to Galachipa Upazila Health Complex, while the others received primary treatment.

Abdur Rahman, one of the injured, claimed there had been a longstanding dispute over the mosque's founder's name.

On the night before Eid, it was decided that 15 kilogrammes of jilapis would be purchased for distributing among the worshippers. However, after the prayers, a group of 10-12 people, led by Dulal Sikder, Alamin Sikder, and Firoz Sikder, launched the attack once they were asked to sit for the financial calculations, he alleged.

Sultan Sikder, president of the mosque committee, said, "I am not currently in the area, but I have heard about the incident. I will look into the matter upon my return."

Meanwhile, a written complaint has been filed with Galachipa Police Station over the incident.

Contacted, Milon Hawlader, inspector (Investigation) of Galachipa Police Station, said after receiving the complaint, police went to the scene. Legal action will be taken based on the investigation.

Source:thedailystar.net

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Section 144 in Jaldhaka over BNP's factional dispute centring Eid fair

Apr 1, 2025

The local administration in Jaldhaka upazila of Nilphamari has imposed Section 144 in the municipal area following a dispute between two factions of the BNP over an Eid fair.

The restriction came into effect from 9:00am to 6:00pm on Tuesday, as per the order issued by Executive Magistrate and Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Zayed Imrul.

According to local sources, a group affiliated with BNP, under the banner "Jatiyatabadi Shakti", organised a five-day Eid mela at Jaldhaka Government Pilot High School ground starting from the evening of Eid day.

However, tension escalated in the upazila when organisers alleged that Upazila BNP General Secretary Moinul Islam along with his supporters attacked the fair's organising committee and vandalised the venue.

Among those allegedly attacked were fair convener and Jaldhaka Upazila Sweschchhasebak Dal Secretary Alomgir Hossain and Jaldhaka Government Degree College Chhatra Dal convener Abu Sayeed.

In response to the alleged attack, the fair organisers announced a protest rally and human chain at 10:00am on Tuesday (today) at Thana Mor.

Meanwhile, the upazila and municipal BNP leaders, opposing the fair, declared a counter-programme at the same time at the Jaldhaka Government Pilot High School field, claiming the event was being used for extortion and other unethical activities.

With rising tensions, the upazila administration enforced Section 144 to prevent any untoward incidents, banning any gathering in the area.

Ahmed Sayeed Chowdhury, vice-president of Nilphamari district BNP, said the fair was organised without consulting senior BNP leaders, which led to the confrontation.

He said Moinul Islam and his group dismantled the fair's entrance gate on Monday night, intensifying the conflict.

Meanwhile, Jaldhaka Police Station Officer-in-Charge Arju Md Sajjad Hossain said the situation remained under control, with additional police deployed to prevent any escalation.

Source:thedailystar.net

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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/politics/news/section-144-jaldhaka-over-bnps-factional-dispute-centring-eid-fair-3861711

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46 Afghans with German Resettlement promise die before transfer

By Fidel Rahmati

April 2, 2025

Forty-six Afghans promised resettlement in Germany have died before their transfer, with 2,800 still waiting for relocation.

According to a report by Deutsche Welle, 46 Afghan nationals, who had received promises of resettlement in Germany, have died before being transferred. Clara Bunker, a member of Germany’s Left Party in the parliament, questioned the federal government about the number of these deaths and the conditions under which they occurred.

German Ministry of Defense data reveals that since July 2023, four former local employees working for Germany have died, one of whom died due to violence. The German Ministry of Foreign Affairs also reported five deaths, one of which occurred in an accident, while the rest were natural causes.

Clara Bunker, who is responsible for migration issues within the Left Party, criticized the delays in the Afghan resettlement program. She emphasized the urgency of fulfilling promises made to these individuals, arguing that the delays had contributed to the deaths of some of those awaiting resettlement. She urged German authorities to expedite the process to prevent further fatalities.

The Afghan nationals who received resettlement promises from Germany had been working with German agencies or involved in human rights and democracy efforts. These activities placed them at significant risk under Taliban rule in Afghanistan, which is why they were granted resettlement opportunities.

Despite the ongoing crisis, the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that, as of mid-March, 2,800 Afghan nationals still awaited their resettlement to Germany. Many of these individuals are currently residing in Pakistan, where they face the risk of being deported back to Afghanistan.

Bunker also stressed that if the resettlement process had not been delayed for months, or in some cases years, many of these lives could have been saved. She called on German authorities to prioritize completing the resettlement of Afghan nationals, whose lives remain at risk due to the ongoing political instability in their home country.

The deaths of Afghan nationals awaiting resettlement in Germany highlight the consequences of bureaucratic delays and the urgent need for faster action. As 2,800 individuals remain in limbo, their fate underscores the broader challenges faced by countries like Germany in fulfilling their resettlement promises while ensuring the safety of vulnerable populations.

Germany’s resettlement program for Afghan nationals remains under intense scrutiny, with critics calling for greater efficiency in fulfilling its commitments. The situation serves as a reminder of the broader humanitarian challenges posed by ongoing conflicts and political instability.

Source:khaama.com

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https://www.khaama.com/46-afghans-with-german-resettlement-promise-die-before-transfer/

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Africa

 

Groups’ clash kills five, mars Sallah celebration in Jos

By Isa Abdulsalami Ahovi, Jos

02 April 2025

The clash between two rival deadly groups known as Sara Suka has left five of their members killed, thereby ruining the otherwise peaceful Eid-el-Fitr celebration in Jos.

The groups clashed many hours after Muslims finished their prayers on Sunday in a hinterland of Jos North Local Council of Plateau State at the Al-Mohap praying ground. It was gathered that there had been a long-standing feud between the two rival groups, which had been simmering before the latest incident.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson for Plateau State Police Command, DSP Alfred Alabo, could not be reached for comment on the incident. Apart from that, the Eid-el-fitri celebration in Jos, Plateau State capital, was peaceful.

The state Governor Caleb Mutfwang, in a special broadcast, urged the Muslims to live peacefully with Christians and other faiths. He commended the resilience, devotion and discipline exhibited by the Muslim community throughout the Ramadan period.

Mutfwang described what he called the ‘unity’ month as a time of deep reflection, spiritual renewal and moral fortification, underscoring its significance in strengthening faith and fostering compassion.

“This season of sacrifice and self-denial has brought invaluable lessons, shaped our character and reinforced our faith.

“I encourage you to sustain the spirit of prayer and intercession for continued peace and prosperity in our dear state and country,” the governor said.

Source:guardian.ng

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https://guardian.ng/news/nigeria/groups-clash-kills-five-mars-sallah-celebration-in-jos/

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Rivers Will Emerge Stronger from Political Crisis, Fubara Optimistic During Eid Visits

2 Apr, 2025

Funmi Ogundare in Lagos and Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has assured residents that the ongoing political crisis in the state would ultimately strengthen the people and not weaken them.

Fubara made the statement when he received Muslim leaders from 20 Islamic-based groups, including the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, at his private residence in Port Harcourt, during an Eid-el-Fitri Sallah visit.

The Amanayabo of Opobo and Treaty King, Dandeson Douglas Jaja V, in his intervention yesterday, emphasised the importance of resolving the ongoing crisis in the state through dialogue for the well-being of the people.

But a pressure group under the aegis of Supreme Council for Sim (Worldwide) urged President Bola Tinubu to end the anarchy in Rivers State.

Addressing the delegation of Muslim leaders, Fubara urged them and his supporters to trust in God’s process.

He said, “This season is one of love, sharing, and sacrifice. You have come to share in our pain and have made a great sacrifice through your prayers.

“As Christians, we believe that everything happens for a purpose, and I strongly believe that this situation is leading us towards a greater purpose.”

The governor acknowledged that the current political tension might leave many feeling depressed, but emphasised that supernatural forces could be at play beyond human understanding.

“No matter what we see, we must remain steadfast. In all things, we give glory to Almighty God. I believe that, in the end, we will emerge stronger,” he added.

Fubara reaffirmed his commitment to justice and equality, stressing that his administration envisioned a society where no one was oppressed.

“We believe in egalitarianism, and if our beliefs bring us some pain, so be it. The most important thing is that we stand on the side of truth and righteousness,” he stated.

Fubara regretted that he was unable to formally reach out to the Muslim Ummah during their celebrations but promised that the relationship between religious groups and the government would be strengthened once the current uncertainties were resolved.

He assured the leaders that their pending requests would be addressed after the crisis.

Speaking earlier on behalf of the Muslim Ummah, Alhaji Nasir Awhelebe Uhor declared their solidarity with Fubara, assuring him of their prayers and support as he navigates the current political challenges.

Opobo Monarch Calls for Dialogue

The Amanayabo of Opobo and Treaty King, Dandeson Douglas Jaja V, yesterday, emphasised the need to resolve the ongoing crisis in Rivers State through dialogue for the overall wellbeing of the people.

King Jaja, who was on The Morning Show, Arise TV Channel, spoke on the state of emergency declared by Tinubu, the impact of the state of emergency on the local economy, and the involvement of former Governor Nyesom Wike in the current situation.

He acknowledged the fact that while the president might have made a gaffe, the appointment of an administrator could bring stability and allow for a resolution of the ongoing issues.

“I think the action by Mr. President must be based on all the secret information and those exactly, if he’s in that part,” Jaja said.

The Amanayabo also spoke about the changes brought by the state of emergency. According to him, the most noticeable impact has been economic.

“No self-respecting investor would want to go to Rivers State that is not democratically ruled,” he stated, warning that this would result in a downturn in the local economy.

He also stated that political activities had calmed, which he believed provided an opportunity for a peace panel to step in and facilitate dialogue between the conflicting parties.

Asked if he supported the state of emergency, King Jaja V   stressed the need to reform internally and engage in constructive dialogue to resolve the state’s issues.

Although he refrained from directly criticising Tinubu’s decision, he acknowledged that the president likely acted on the   information made available to him at the time.

Group Tells Tinubu to End Chaos in Rivers

A pressure group under the aegis of Supreme Council for Sim (Worldwide) urged President Bola Tinubu to end an alleged state of anarchy in Rivers State.

The group made the call yesterday, during a press briefing in Port Harcourt, in reaction to the ongoing political crisis in the state.

National Chairman of the council, Oji Ngofa, who spoke on behalf of the group, condemned the declaration of a state of emergency in the state.

“There is no war, no widespread violence, and no breakdown of law and order warranting emergency declaration,” Ngofa said.

The group stated that the suspension of Fubara, his deputy, and the House of Assembly members was not only unlawful but also a subversion of democracy and imposition of autocratic federal control over a duly elected state government.

Supreme Council for Sim (Worldwide) stated, “What is going on in the state as a manufactured crisis for political control as the state of emergency declaration is not about security, it is about power grabbing and control.

“Mr president’s unconstitutional proclamation was presumably driven by the protracted insidious political crisis in Rivers State, sponsored by his appointee, which culminated in the recent protracted ruling of the Supreme Court.”

Source:thisdaylive.com

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https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2025/04/01/rivers-will-emerge-stronger-from-political-crisis-fubara-optimistic-during-eid-visits/

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Rainstorm destroys schools, mosques, others in Kwara community

April 2, 2025

by Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

Rainstorm has destroyed some public and residential buildings in Ogele, Asa Local Government Area of Kwara State.

The storm also rendered scores of residents homeless

The incident, which occurred in the night of Eid- el- Fitr celebration, affected schools, mosques and other buildings.They included the Ansarul Islam Primary School,  Community Secondary School, health centre and Mosques

Other were concrete poles and high tension wires supplying electricity to Ogele, Afon and other communities.

Some victims of the rainstorm said they were still counting their losses.

They appealed to the government, individuals and organisations for help.

Aare Ogele, Alhaji Abubakar Akanbi, whose residence was also affected, called for government’s aid for the victims, including the Mufti of the community.

Chairman, Ogele Descendants Progressive Union (ODPU), Alhaji Issa Akanbi-Oniyo, said the   incident had left many residents homeless.

Source:thenationonlineng.net

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https://thenationonlineng.net/rainstorm-destroys-schools-mosques-others-in-kwara-community/

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Banditry: Sokoto Man Who Renounced His Faith Reverts To Islam

By Abubakar Auwal

1 Apr 2025

Musa Abubakar, the indigene of Sokoto state, who recently renounced his faith because of banditry, has reverted to Islam.

Abubakar had led two of his three wives into his new found religion until last Saturday when they publicly returned to Islam.

It was learnt that Abubakar who hailed from Sabon Birni local government area was forced to relocate to Taraba state because of the security situation in his community.

While in Taraba, he converted to Christianity and persuaded his wives to also join the religion.

However, his action attracted criticism even among his kinsmen and this led to the intervention of some prominent people in Sokoto, particularly Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, who set up a committee of Ulamah to meet with Abubakar.

Members of the committee included the Grand Khadi of Sokoto, Malam Ahmad Umar Helele; Sarkin Malamai, Malam Yahya Na-Malam Boyi; and Malam Bashir Gidan Kanawa who served as its Secretary.

At their meeting, Abubakar was said to have listed his grievances which prompted him to convert to Christianity.

Briefing newsmen on their findings, Kanawa said Abubakar lacked religious knowledge after being rendered jobless by banditry.

“So he became frustrated and depressed and decided to relocate to Taraba where he was lured into Christianity with financial support,” he said.

Narrating his ordeal, Abubakar said he converted to Christianity some months ago but had now reverted to Islam due to the intervention of his relatives, community and religious leaders.

“I am now back to my religion of Islam with all my family. I regret my actions and the inconveniences it might have caused my relatives and leaders. I am back to Sokoto. I will start doing business here,” he said

He promised that he and his wives would dedicate their lives to Islam.

Also speaking, Abubakar’s elder brother, Alhaji Adamu Sabon Birni, said: “I lost my father to banditry. Bandits killed him after collecting millions of Naira from us. But that did not make me to renounce my religion. Because banditry is not only in Sokoto, is everywhere in the North and our leaders are doing their best to curtail it.

“But we are happy, he realized his mistake and revery to Islam.”

The wives who spoke separately also promised to support their husband to stay in Sokoto and in Islam.

Source:dailytrust.com

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https://dailytrust.com/banditry-sokoto-man-who-renounced-his-faith-reverts-to-islam/

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‘They Were Not Hunters’ – Residents Insist As Security Operatives Lockdown Uromi

April 2, 2025

Security forces have taken over strategic locations in Uromi, the headquarters of Esan North-East Local Government Area in Edo State, following last Thursday’s mob killing of 16 northern travellers.

The deployment of police, military personnel, and plainclothes operatives across major junctions and suspected hotspots aims to prevent possible reprisals. Residents, however, remain gripped by fear as the town adjusts to the heavy security presence and uncertainty about what may follow.

A visit to the area on Monday revealed that many residents are now cautious about speaking openly, especially to strangers. The arrest of at least 14 individuals—reportedly picked up randomly in connection with the killings—has heightened anxiety in the community.

Some locals believe the ongoing wave of kidnappings in Edo Central and surrounding regions may have triggered the mob’s reaction. Yet, most agree that nothing justifies taking the law into one’s own hands.

Federal CID Takes Over Investigation

In addition to local police, military patrols were spotted near highways and vulnerable areas. Residents also reported the presence of plainclothes security agents monitoring movement.

A commercial motorcyclist, who initially agreed to speak to Vanguard, quickly withdrew his comments when asked about the killings. “I don’t work here, I work in Ekpoma. I only chose to work here today. I only heard of the incident when I came home,” he said.

Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu, confirmed that the Force Headquarters has taken over the case.

“The Force Headquarters has taken over the investigation, so it is no longer in our hands. But our men are still on ground to ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order,” he stated.

Banks on Alert, Residents Fear Escalation

It remains unclear whether banks and businesses will fully reopen, as many had operated skeletal services last Friday following rumors of retaliatory attacks.

A banker, who spoke anonymously, said: “We will observe how things go today. Last Friday, some banks didn’t open at all while others shut their doors early. If there’s any sign of trouble, we’ll close again. Security agencies are monitoring, but tension remains.”

The banker recalled a painful incident from last year involving the kidnapping and death of the Head of Operations of a first-generation bank in Igueben.

The banker said: “He was kidnapped and later found dead. Even the mortuary rejected the body because it had decomposed. That incident shook us. It explains, to some extent, the rage people feel. But jungle justice is never the answer.”

He added, “These used to be peaceful areas, but now, many kidnappings go unreported. Some victims are even abducted from their own homes.”

Governor Okpebholo’s Response

Governor Monday Okpebholo has attempted to ease tensions by suspending the local vigilante head and visiting the families of the victims as well as the government of Kano State. Yet, fears persist.

“We don’t know when or how the reprisals may happen. That’s the most frightening part,” said Hope Osajie, a trader on New Agbor Road. “We’re hearing they might target villages, not towns—places like Agbede or Ewu. Security agencies must be more proactive.”

Locals Maintain Victims Were Not Hunters

A resident near Uromi market insisted that the slain travellers were not hunters, contradicting earlier claims.

“A driver coming from the east saw them loading guns into a truck and alerted the Ubiaja vigilantes. When they tried to stop the truck, the driver nearly ran them over. Vigilantes followed and tipped off the Uromi team, who intercepted the truck. While searching the vehicle, one of the occupants stabbed someone with a jackknife, and that’s what triggered the chaos,” the resident explained.

Others blamed the incident on long-standing government failure.

“The government has failed in its duty to protect us. People are afraid to go to their farms. Some have been kidnapped from their homes,” said a man who identified himself as Idemudia. “We have cried and protested, but nothing changed. What happened last Thursday was the result of people’s frustration. Still, it doesn’t make what happened right.”

Source:naijanews.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.naijanews.com/2025/04/02/they-were-not-hunters-residents-insist-as-security-operatives-lockdown-uromi/

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DRC: Convicted warlord Lubanga announces new rebel movement in Ituri province

April 2, 2025

Could the Democratic Republic of Congo be forced to face even more instability soon?

Thomas Lubanga, a war criminal convicted by the International Criminal Court, recently announced the formation of the Convention for the Popular Revolution (CPR) movement in eastern Congo's Ituri province.

The announcement comes as Congolese armed forces have been struggling for months to fight off a rapid advance from another rebel group, the Rwandan-backed M23 movement, into North and South Kivu.

A historical precedent

It is not the first time that Lubanga would be at the helm of a rebel movement. In the early 2000s, he founded the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC) movement, a political and military group involved in the Ituri conflict.

In 2012, Lubanga was convicted to 14 years in prison for recruiting child soldiers, but was released in 2020.

He is currently based in neighbouring Uganda.

According to Reuters, Lubanga said that the CPR was both a political and an armed movement and that bringing peace to Ituri province required "an immediate change of government".

He however claimed that the group has for now not launched any military operations.

It is furthermore unclear how many combatants Lubanga might control.

Source:africanews.com

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https://www.africanews.com/2025/04/01/drc-convicted-warlord-lubanga-announces-new-rebel-movement-in-ituri-province/

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Mideast

 

Israel expands military effort in Gaza, defense minister says

April 02, 2025

JERUSALEM: Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced a major expansion of the military operation in Gaza on Wednesday, saying large areas of the enclave would be seized and added to the security zones of Israel.

In a statement, Katz said there would be large-scale evacuation of population from areas where there is fighting, and urged Gazans to eliminate Hamas and return Israeli hostages as the only way to end the war.

He did not make clear how much land Israel intends to seize, however.

It has already set up a significant buffer zone within Gaza, expanding an area that existed around the edges of the enclave before the war and adding a large security area in the so-called Netzarim corridor through the middle of Gaza.

At the same time, Israeli leaders have said they plan to facilitate voluntary departure of Palestinians from the enclave, after US President Donald Trump called for it to be permanently evacuated and redeveloped as a coastal resort under US control.

Israel resumed air strikes on Gaza and sent ground troops back in this month, after two months of relative calm following the conclusion of a US-backed truce to allow the exchange of hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

Efforts led by Qatari and Egyptian mediators to get back on tracks talks aimed at ending the war have failed to make progress yet.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the application of military pressure is the best way to get the remaining 59 hostages back.

Source:arabnews.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2595642/middle-east

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Turkish opposition calls for boycott over jailed students

April 01, 2025

ISTANBUL: The leader of Turkiye’s main opposition party has called for a boycott on Wednesday to protest the detention of students rallying in support of Istanbul’s jailed opposition mayor.

“Stop all purchases! Supermarkets, online shopping, restaurants, petrol, coffees, bills, buy nothing,” said Ozgur Ozel, head of the CHP party to which mayor Ekrem Imamoglu belongs, on Tuesday.

“I invite everyone to use their consumer power by participating in this boycott,” added Ozel, echoing an appeal launched by student groups.

Ozel said 301 students have been arrested and detained for taking part in the protests against the detention on March 19 of Imamoglu, widely considered President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s greatest political rival.

In the wake of his message, the Istanbul public prosecutor’s office said it was opening an investigation against people who had launched or shared calls for a boycott, according to the official Anadolu news agency.

That investigation would notably probe “incitement to hatred,” the agency added.

Lawyers and politicians supportive of Imamoglu have denounced rough treatment of students by police.

The CHP leader had already launched a call to boycott dozens of Turkish companies and groups reputed to be close to the government, in a bid to put pressure on the authorities.

Imamoglu’s arrest on corruption charges, which he denies, have set off a wave of popular protests unseen in Turkiye for more than a decade.

Turkiye’s authorities had banned demonstrations in Istanbul, the large western city of Izmir and the capital Ankara in response.

Source:arabnews.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2595607/middle-east

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Three Palestinians injured in settler attack on West Bank village

April 01, 2025

JERUSALEM: Three Palestinians were injured on Tuesday in an attack by Israeli settlers near the city of Nablus in the Occupied West Bank, Palestinian media reported.

Local media said around 300 settlers attacked the Palestinian village of Duma, setting fire to farms and damaging vehicles, and that three residents were shot with live and rubber bullets.

The Israeli military said dozens of Israeli civilians had set fire to property in the area, after which “a violent confrontation” developed between Israelis and Palestinians.

Israeli soldiers and police officers were dispatched and “began operating to disperse the violent confrontation,” the Israeli military said in a statement.

All three victims were transferred to a hospital for medical treatment, Palestinian medics said.

Palestinians in the West Bank have regularly complained of the growing violence and strength of settler incursions in Palestinian areas, which have seen repeated attacks.

Source:arabnews.com

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2595605/middle-east

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Islamic Jihad condemns Israeli aggression on Beirut's southern suburb

01 Apr 2025

Gaza - Saba: The Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement condemned the Israeli aggression on Beirut's southern suburb on Tuesday, stressing that it is a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement.

In a statement, the movement said that the aggression on the suburb is an attempt to destabilize Lebanon and shuffle the cards to serve its aggressive agenda.

Source:saba.ye

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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3459488.htm

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PM: Iraq rejects the threats facing the Islamic Republic of Iran

APRIL 01, 2025

PM Muhammed S. Al-Sudani received a phone call on Tuesday from the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian, on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr.

During the call, the two leaders exchanged Eid al-Fitr greetings. They emphasized "the importance of coordination among Islamic countries in facing challenges and risks, in a manner that contributes to achieving security and stability for all Islamic nations," according to a statement by the PM's Media Office - received by the Iraqi News Agency - INA.

Al-Sudani affirmed "Iraq’s rejection of the threats facing the Islamic Republic of Iran and reiterated Iraq’s keenness on Iran’s security and stability."

The two leaders also discussed "the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation in various fields in ways that serve the interests of both countries and their peoples."

Source:ina.iq

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https://ina.iq/eng/39079-pm-iraq-rejects-the-threats-facing-the-islamic-republic-of-iran.html

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Bombing Iran would push it to develop nuclear weapons

Apr 1, 2025

“If America or Israel bomb Iran under the nuclear pretext, Iran will be compelled to move toward producing an atomic bomb,” Ali Larijani said during a televised interview on Monday.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he would order military strikes against Iran if Tehran did not strike a new deal with Washington on its nuclear program. “If they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing,” he said in an interview with NBC News.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Khamenei has, in a religious decree (fatwa), prohibited the development, possession, and use of nuclear weapons. In the Monday interview, Larijani referred to that fatwa and said the religious prohibition is stronger than a mere political order. But, he said, military strikes against Iran would not be without consequences. “The people will pressure us to build a nuclear bomb.”

Trump sent a letter to Iran via an emissary from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on March 12, requesting that negotiations be opened into a deal that he says would stop Iran from building a nuclear weapon. This is while, in 2018, he pulled out of a multinational nuclear deal with Iran. On February 4, the U.S. president signed a presidential memorandum to restore a hostile policy from his first term of “maximum pressure” on the Islamic Republic.

Iran, which has relayed its response to Trump’s letter via Oman, has ruled out direct negotiations with the United States as long as the “maximum pressure” policy and the military threats are in place.

Source:mehrnews.com

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https://en.mehrnews.com/news/230093/Bombing-Iran-would-push-it-to-develop-nuclear-weapons

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US adding second aircraft carrier to fleet in Middle East

April 02, 2025

WASHINGTON: The United States is increasing the number of aircraft carriers deployed in the Middle East to two, keeping one that is already there and sending another from the Indo-Pacific, the Pentagon said Tuesday.

The announcement comes as US forces hammer Yemen’s Houthi rebels with near-daily air strikes in a campaign aimed at ending the threat they pose to civilian shipping and military vessels in the region.

The Carl Vinson will join the Harry S. Truman in the Middle East “to continue promoting regional stability, deter aggression, and protect the free flow of commerce in the region,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement.

“To complement the CENTCOM maritime posture, the secretary also ordered the deployment of additional squadrons and other air assets that will further reinforce our defensive air-support capabilities,” Parnell said, referring to the US military command responsible for the region.

“The United States and its partners remain committed to regional security in the CENTCOM (area of responsibility) and are prepared to respond to any state or non-state actor seeking to broaden or escalate conflict in the region,” he added.

The Houthis began targeting shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden after the start of the Gaza war in 2023, claiming solidarity with Palestinians.

Houthi attacks have prevented ships from passing through the Suez Canal, a vital route that normally carries about 12 percent of world shipping traffic. Ongoing attacks are forcing many companies into a costly detour around the tip of southern Africa.

A day before the carrier announcement, US President Donald Trump vowed that strikes on Yemen’s Houthis would continue until they are no longer a threat to shipping.

“The choice for the Houthis is clear: Stop shooting at US ships, and we will stop shooting at you. Otherwise, we have only just begun, and the real pain is yet to come, for both the Houthis and their sponsors in Iran,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform.

Trump added that the Houthis had been “decimated” by “relentless” strikes since March 15, saying that US forces “hit them every day and night — Harder and harder.”

He has also ramped up rhetoric toward Tehran, with the president threatening that “there will be bombing” if Iran does not reach a deal on its nuclear program.

Trump’s threats come as his administration battles a scandal over the accidental leak of a secret group chat by senior security officials on the Yemen strikes.

The Atlantic magazine revealed last week that its editor — a well-known US journalist — was inadvertently included in a chat on the commercially available Signal app where top officials were discussing the strikes.

The officials, including Trump’s National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, discussed details of air strike timings and intelligence — unaware that the highly sensitive information was being simultaneously read by a member of the media.

Source:arabnews.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2595621/middle-east

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Three injured in Iraq when an axe-wielding man attacks an Assyrian Christian new year parade

April 01, 2025

IRBIL: The annual parade by Assyrian Christians in the Iraqi city of Dohuk to mark their new year was marred Tuesday when an axe-wielding man attacked the procession and wounded three people, witnesses and local officials said.

The parade, held every year on April 1, drew thousands of Assyrians from Iraq and across the diaspora, who marched through Dohuk in northern Iraq waving Assyrian flags and wearing colorful traditional clothes.

Witnesses said the attacker, who has not been officially identified, ran toward the crowd shouting Islamic slogans.

He struck three people with the axe before being stopped by participants and security forces. Videos circulated online showed him pinned to the ground, repeatedly shouting, “Daesh, the Daesh remains.”

The victims included a 17-year-old boy and a 75-year-old woman, both of whom suffered skull fractures. A member of the local security forces, who was operating a surveillance drone, was also injured. All three were hospitalized, local security officials said.

At the hospital where her 17-year-old son Fardi was being treated after suffering a skull injury in the attack, Athraa Abdullah told The Associated Press that her son had come with his friends in buses. He was sending photos from the celebrations shortly before his friends called to say he had been attacked, she said.

Abdullah, whose family was displaced when Daesh militants swept into their area in 2014, said, “We were already attacked and displaced by Daesh, and today we faced a terrorist attack at a place we came to for shelter.”

Janet Aprem Odisho, whose 75-year-old mother Yoniyah Khoshaba was among the wounded, said she and her mother were shopping near the parade when the attack happened.

“He was running at us with an axe,” she said. “All I remember is that he hit my mother, and I ran away when she fell. He had already attacked a young man who was bleeding in the street, then he tried to attack more people.”

Her family, originally from Baghdad, was also displaced by past violence and now lives in Ain Baqre village near the town of Alqosh.

Assyrians faced a wave of hate speech and offensive comments on social media following the incident.

Ninab Yousif Toma, a political bureau member of the Assyrian Democratic Movement (ADM), condemned the regional government in northern Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region and Iraqi federal authorities to address extremist indoctrination.

“We request both governments to review the religious and education curriculums that plant hate in people’s heads and encourage ethnic and religious extremism,” he said. “This was obviously an inhumane terrorist attack.”

However, he said that the Assyrian community had celebrated their new year, known as Akitu, in Duhok since the 1990s without incidents of violence and acknowledged the support of local Kurdish Muslim residents.

“The Kurds in Duhok serve us water and candy even when they are fasting for Ramadan. This was likely an individual, unplanned attack, and it will not scare our people,” he said, adding that the community was waiting for the results of the official investigation and planned to file an official lawsuit.

“The Middle East is governed by religion, and as minorities, we suffer double because we are both ethnically and religiously different from the majority,” he said. “But we have a cause, and we marched today to show that we have existed here for thousands of years. This attack will not stop our people.”

Despite the attack, Assyrians continued the celebrations of the holiday, which symbolizes renewal and rebirth in Assyrian culture as well as resilience and continuous existence as an indigenous group.

At one point, as the injured teenager was rushed to the hospital, some participants wrapped his head in an Assyrian flag, which was later lifted again in the parade— stained with blood but held high as a symbol of resilience.

Source:arabnews.com

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Nationwide power outage in Syria due to malfunctions, energy minister’s spokesperson says

April 01, 2025

DAMASCUS: Syria suffered a nationwide power outage on Tuesday night due to malfunctions at several points in the national grid, a spokesperson from the energy ministry told Reuters.

The spokesperson said technical teams were addressing the issues.

Syria suffers from severe power shortages, with state-supplied electricity available for only two or three hours a day in most areas. Damage to the grid means that generating or supplying more power is only part of the problem.

Damascus used to receive the bulk of its oil for power generation from Iran, but supplies have been cut off since Islamist Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham led

the ouster of Tehran-allied former president Bashar Assad in December.

The former interim government under President Ahmed Al-Sharaa has pledged to quickly ramp up power supply, partly by importing electricity from Jordan and using floating power barges.

Damascus also said it will receive two electricity-generating ships from Turkiye and Qatar to boost energy supplies.

Source:arabnews.com

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UN food agency closes the rest of its bakeries in Gaza

April 01, 2025

DEIR AL-BALAH: The UN food agency is closing all of its bakeries in the Gaza Strip, officials said on Tuesday, as food supplies dwindle after Israel sealed the territory off from all imports nearly a month ago.

Israel, which tightened its blockade and later resumed its offensive to pressure Hamas into accepting changes to their ceasefire agreement, said that enough food had entered Gaza during the six-week truce to sustain the territory’s roughly 2 million Palestinians.

Markets largely emptied weeks ago, and UN agencies say the supplies they built up during the truce are running out.

Gaza is heavily reliant on international aid because the war has destroyed almost all of its food production capability.

Mohammed Al-Kurd, a father of 12, said that his children go to bed without dinner.

“We tell them to be patient and that we will bring flour in the morning,” he said.

“We lie to them and ourselves.”

A World Food Programme memo circulated to aid groups on Monday said that it could no longer operate its remaining bakeries, which produce the pita bread on which many rely.

The UN agency said it prioritized its remaining stocks to provide emergency food aid and expand hot meal distribution.

Olga Cherevko, a spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said that the WFP was closing its remaining 19 bakeries after shuttering six others last month.

She said that hundreds of thousands of people relied on them.

The Israeli military body in charge of Palestinian affairs, known as COGAT, said that more than 25,000 trucks entered Gaza during the ceasefire, carrying nearly 450,000 tonnes of aid. It said that amount represented around a third of what entered the entire war.

“There is enough food for a long period if Hamas lets the civilians have it,” it said.

UN agencies and aid groups say that they struggled to bring in and distribute aid before the ceasefire took hold in January. Their estimates for how much aid actually reached people in Gaza were consistently lower than COGAT’s, which were based on how much entered through border crossings.

The war began when militants attacked southern Israel

on Oct. 7, 2023.  Israel’s offensive has killed more than 50,000 Palestinians, including hundreds killed in strikes since the ceasefire ended, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t say whether those killed in the war are civilians or combatants.

Israel sealed off Gaza from all aid at the start of the war but later relented under pressure from Washington.

Israel has demanded that Hamas release several hostages before commencing talks on ending the war, negotiations that were supposed to have begun in early February.

It has also insisted that Hamas disarm and leave Gaza, conditions that weren’t part of the ceasefire agreement.

Hamas has called for implementing the agreement, in which the remaining hostages would be released in exchange for the release of more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire, and an Israeli pullout.

Source:arabnews.com

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West Bank teenager dies in Israel jail

April 01, 2025

JERUSALEM: A teenager from the West Bank who was held in an Israeli prison for six months without being charged died after collapsing in unclear circumstances, becoming the first Palestinian under 18 to die in Israeli detention, officials said.

Walid Ahmad, 17, was a healthy high schooler before his arrest in September for allegedly throwing stones at soldiers, his family said.

Rights groups have documented widespread abuse in Israeli detention facilities holding thousands of Palestinians who were rounded up after the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that ignited the war in the Gaza Strip.

Prison authorities deny any systematic abuse and say they investigate accusations of wrongdoing by prison staff. But the Israeli ministry overseeing prisons acknowledges conditions inside detention facilities have been reduced to the minimum level allowed under Israeli law.

Israel’s prison service did not respond to questions about the cause of death.

It said only that a 17-year-old from the West Bank had died in Megiddo Prison.

This facility has previously been accused of abusing Palestinian inmates, “with his medical condition being kept confidential.” It said it investigates all deaths in detention.

Khalid Ahmad, Walid’s father, said his son was a lively teen who enjoyed playing soccer before he was taken from his home in the occupied West Bank during a predawn arrest raid.

Six months later, after several brief court appearances during which no trial date was set, Walid collapsed on March 23 in a prison yard and struck his head, dying soon after, Palestinians officials said, citing eyewitness accounts from other prisoners.

The family believes Walid contracted amebic dysentery from the poor conditions in the prison, an infection that causes diarrhea, vomiting, and dizziness — and can be fatal if left untreated.

The Western-backed Palestinian Authority says he is the first Palestinian under 18 to die in Israeli detention — and the 63rd Palestinian from the West Bank or Gaza since the start of the war.

Palestinian prisoner rights groups say that is about one-fifth of the roughly 300 Palestinians who have died in Israeli custody since the 1967 Mideast war, when Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem.

The Palestinians want all three territories for their future state.

The Palestinian Authority says Israel is holding the bodies of 72 Palestinian prisoners who died in Israeli jails, including 61 who died since the beginning of the war.

Conditions in Israeli prisons have worsened since the start of the war, former detainees told The Associated Press. They described beatings, severe overcrowding, insufficient medical care, scabies outbreaks and poor sanitary conditions.

Israel’s National Security Ministry, which oversees the prison service and is run by ultranationalist Cabinet Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, has boasted of reducing the conditions of Palestinian detainees “to the minimum required by law.”

It says the policy is aimed at deterring attacks.

Israel has rounded up thousands of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, saying it suspects them of militancy.

Many have been held for months without charge or trial in what is known as administrative detention, which Israel justifies as a necessary security measure. Others are arrested on suspicion of aggression toward soldiers but have their trials continuously delayed as the military and Israel’s security services gather evidence.

Walid sat through at least four court appearances over videoconference, his father said.

Each session lasted about three minutes, and another hearing was scheduled for April 21, Walid’s father said. In a February session, four months after Walid was detained, his father noticed that his son appeared to be in poor health.

“His body was weakened due to malnutrition in the prisons in general,” the elder Ahmad said. He said Walid told him he had gotten scabies — a contagious skin rash caused by mites that causes intense itching — but had been cured.

“Don’t worry about me,” his father remembers him saying.

Khalid Ahmad later visited his son’s friend, a former soccer teammate who had been held with Walid in the same prison.

The friend told him Walid had lost weight but that he was OK.

Four days later, the family heard that a 17-year-old had died in prison.

An hour and half later, they got the news that it was Walid.

“We felt the same way as all the parents of the prisoners and all the families and mothers of the prisoners,” said Khalid Ahmad.

“We can only say, ‘Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed to him we shall return.’”

Walid’s lawyer, Firas Al-Jabrini, said Israeli authorities denied his requests to visit his client in prison.

But he says three prisoners held alongside Walid told him that he was suffering from dysentery, saying it was widespread among young Palestinians held at the facility.

They said Walid suffered from severe diarrhea, vomiting, headaches, and dizziness, the lawyer said.

He said they suspected the disease was spreading because of dirty water, as well as cheese and yogurt that prison guards brought in the morning and that sat out all day while detainees were fasting for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Megiddo, in northern Israel, “is the harshest prison for minors,” Al-Jabrini said.

He said he was told that rooms designed for six prisoners often held 16, with some sleeping on the floor. Many complained of scabies and eczema.

Thaer Shriteh, spokesperson for the Palestinian Authority’s detainee commission, said Walid collapsed and hit his head on a metal rod, losing consciousness.

“The prison administration did not respond to the prisoners’ requests for urgent care to save his life,” he said, citing witnesses who spoke to the commission.

The lawyer and the Palestinian official both said an autopsy is needed to determine the cause of death.

Israel has agreed to perform one, but a date has not been set.

“The danger in this matter is that the Israeli occupation authorities have not yet taken any action to stop this disease and have not provided any treatment in general to save the prisoners in Megiddo prison,” Shriteh said.

Source:arabnews.com

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Iraq’s PM, Syria’s president stress ‘new chapter’ in countries’ relationship

April 01, 2025

LONDON: President of the Syrian Arab Republic Ahmad Al-Sharaa stressed the significance of starting a new chapter in his country’s relationship with Iraq during a phone conversation with its Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani.

The two leaders spoke on Tuesday, the final day of Eid Al-Fitr, which marked the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. The parties discussed enhancing bilateral relations between Syria and Iraq while maintaining economic ties, the Syrian Arab News Agency reported.

Al-Sharaa and Al-Sudani stressed the need to begin a new chapter in their countries’ relationship, focusing in the future on collaborative efforts to address regional challenges and prevent tensions, the SANA added.

Discussions also focused on enhancing border security, cooperation against drug smuggling, and coordination to maintain stability.

Iraq welcomed the formation of Syria’s transitional government this week, reiterating its commitment to its neighbor’s security and sovereignty. Al-Sharaa emphasized his respect for Iraq’s sovereignty, pledging non-interference in its domestic affairs, the SANA said.

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A cultural landmark inspired by traditional Islamic, ME artistry

APRIL 01, 2025

JOEY AGUILAR

The Souq Waqif Art Centre shines a spotlight on its vital role in Doha’s art scene, showcasing unique works created by Doha-based artists this Eid al-Fitr holidays.

Featured artists include Hamad Alsaady, Sinchai Zonputh, Seena Anand, Ismail Bousba, Archana Bhardwaj, and Othman Belkadi, alongside sculptor Naser al-Samarae, among others.

The artworks present a rich mosaic of styles and mediums, reflecting the artists’ individual perspectives and their connection to Qatari culture. Known as a cultural landmark inspired by traditional Islamic and Middle Eastern artistry, this art centre offers a vibrant space for festival-goers to immerse in a diverse collection of paintings, sculptures, and more.

Apart from traditional portraiture, many of the displayed creations pay homage to the Arabian horse, a potent symbol of Arab heritage and culture. These pieces capture the grace, power, and legacy of these magnificent creatures, celebrating their enduring significance.

Some of the paintings employ imaginative compositions, forming recognisable Qatari symbols and landmarks to create visually rich and engaging narratives on canvas.

Like Ramadan, the Eid al-Fitr celebrations brought a surge of visitors to the art centre, not only within Qatar but also from neighbouring GCC countries, particularly Saudi Arabia. They meticulously examine the exhibited works, and even interact with the artists.

According to local art enthusiasts, this direct engagement provides a chance to gain insights into the creative process and appreciate the dedication behind each piece. Such heightened interest underscores the institution’s success in becoming a regional hub for artistic expression and cultural exchange.

The centre continuously fosters a direct and embracing relationship with the community since it opened on August 5, 2013 through a stream of art presentations, exhibitions, and public courses offered year-round. Organised into five specialised departments (Sculpture, Painting, Arabic Calligraphy, Handicrafts, and Pottery), the art centre offers unique opportunities for learning and exploration.

The Arabic Calligraphy department offers introductory workshops focused on Islamic decorative art and Arabic calligraphy, teaching aspiring artists the techniques and special equipment required to create the intricate geometrical patterns and calligraphic dimensions characteristic of traditional Islamic art.

The Painting department, meanwhile, conducts art classes covering various painting methods, introducing participants to different techniques and tools and building a strong foundation for their artistic skills.

The Handicrafts department organises a diverse range of workshops, including glass-painting, cold ceramic, paper art, and cross-stitch, while the Pottery department hosts introductory workshops that teach the techniques used to create art murals and pottery.

The centre also actively strives to engage and encourage young people to develop their artistic skills, broaden their imaginations, and empower them technically.

Source:gulf-times.com

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Iran’s culture minister rejects Larijani’s remarks on nuclear fatwa

April 1, 2025

In a post on the social media platform X, Salehi emphasized that the Supreme Leader’s fatwa prohibiting the development and use of nuclear weapons is not a mutable ruling based on jurisprudential discretion or changing political circumstances.

“This is not a fatwa issued in the realm of ijtihadi matters, subject to change,” he wrote. “Rather, it is rooted in foundational and immutable principles of Islam.”

Salehi further stated that Islam must be understood as a religion of peace and a safeguard for humanity, not one that accepts perpetual threats to global security.

His comments came in response to remarks by Ali Larijani, who had suggested that Iran might be compelled to pursue nuclear weapons if the United States acts wrongly abd attacks Iran

“Iran does not seek nuclear weapons, but if the Americans make a mistake, we may be forced to take a different path,” Larijani said in a televised interview.

Source:ifpnews.com

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Officials, global experts to attend 11th Doha Islamic Finance Conference

APRIL 01, 2025

The 11th Doha Islamic Finance Conference, set to take place in Doha on April 8 has attracted wide participation of Islamic finance experts, representatives from government entities, international organisations, financial and academic institutions specialising in economics, finance, and technology.

The event will showcase the latest developments and innovative insights, with a strong focus on future trends at the local, regional, and global levels.

It aims to advance Islamic finance by fostering global dialogue among experts, researchers, and decision-makers while exploring how advanced technologies can unlock new opportunities to enhance the sector’s resilience and sustainability.

Under the patronage of HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, the 11th Doha Islamic Finance Conference will be held under the theme ‘Integration of Blockchain and AI: The future of Islamic finance’.

Organised by Bait Al-Mashura Finance Consultations, the conference is supported by the official sponsorship of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI), the strategic partnership of Dukhan Bank, the diamond sponsorship of General Directorate of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, and the bronze sponsorship of Qatar Financial Centre (QFC).

The inaugural session will feature a keynote address by Prof. Dr. Koutoub Moustapha Sano, Secretary General, International Islamic Fiqh Academy, alongside esteemed speakers, including Sheikh Muhammed bin Hamad bin Jassim al- Thani, Executive Board Member and Managing Director of Dukhan Bank, Strategic Partner; Sheikh Dr. Khalid bin Muhammed bin Ghanem al-Thani, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs; and Prof. Dr. Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti, Chairman of the Higher Organising Committee of Doha Islamic Finance Conference.

Source:gulf-times.com

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Arab World

 

Madinah Retreats: Culture, spirituality to power up the soul

NADA HAMEED

April 01, 2025

JEDDAH: In the sacred embrace of Madinah, one of Islam’s holiest sites, a new culture-oriented wellness experience is offering a journey that integrates spirituality, culture, and heritage.

The inspiration behind Madinah Retreats stems from founder Moatassem Al-Bitar’s experience in the wellness and spiritual tourism industry in Saudi Arabia and beyond.

Recognizing key gaps in traditional retreat models and leveraging Saudi Arabia’s tourism vision, he envisioned a paradigm shift that blends modern wellness practices, cultural expeditions, and spiritual experiences into a single journey.

With a background as a corporate culture change and people engagement manager, Al-Bitar has curated over 50 retreats across Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the US, serving more than 400 participants.

His academic training spans diverse fields, including organizational behavior, Islamic spirituality, and intercultural studies.

Officially launched in 2024 after five years in the making, the initiative held its second retreat, under the theme “The Arrival,” earlier this year in Madinah.

Al-Bitar told Arab News: “Every retreat we design starts with clear intentions and objectives, supplemented by a story and a theme that aligns with a particular destination.”

The retreats feature a collective of facilitators who work together toward a unified intention, ensuring a balanced and immersive experience.

“One of our main goals is to promote different destinations in Saudi Arabia that are perfectly ideal for wellness-centric experiences, in addition to its unmatched culturally enriching character,” Al-Bitar said.

“We seek to partner with pertinent governmental initiatives and entities that fulfill the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 for wellness tourism and exceptional experiences.”

Al-Bitar explained that each retreat is meticulously structured around three core pillars: spirituality (meditative practices and inner reflection); culture (heritage site visits, traditional storytelling, and local experiences); and wellness (movement–based practices, mindfulness exercises, and healing foods).

By integrating these elements into daily programs, Madinah Retreats offers a journey tailored to the needs of participants and is a “philosophy of being rooted, real, and rich.”

The retreats target individuals and groups seeking genuine transformation in their well-being, spiritual connection, and cultural enrichment. They provide a safe and accepting space where participants are respected on their unique paths to healing.

Madinah, which is the spiritual capital of Islam, is popularly known as the Illuminated City. It offers an atmosphere of peace and rejuvenation, and its diverse topography and climate make it ideal for nature-based healing.

“Madinah is widely recognized as a destination where the heart feels at peace, the body feels rejuvenated, the mind feels clarity and the soul feels enriched,” said Al-Bitar. “The city’s rapid development and recognition as a top global tourism destination further enhance its appeal.”

The Madinah Retreats experience is usually hosted in a traditional farm resort surrounded by nature. Participants visit cultural and historic sites, explore the city’s vibrant social scene, and experience local cuisine, contemporary art, and community traditions.

“During the retreat we offer meditation, breathwork, self-reflection, yoga, tai chi, and other somatic therapies, creative expression as a healing tool, as well as locally sourced, nourishing meals,” Al-Bitar added.

The somatic practices guided by expert facilitators enhance body awareness and overall well-being.

Al-Bitar said: “Connecting with nature and animals has proven therapeutic benefits. Madinah Retreats incorporates nature-based and equine therapy to help participants reconnect with their original disposition, providing an irreplaceable form of healing.”

Cultural storytelling is also an essential component, allowing participants to explore the hidden wisdom of each landmark and understand local traditions and historic practices.

No prior experience in meditation or wellness practices is required, making the retreats accessible to all.

Honoring his Egyptian roots, Al-Bitar is expanding the retreats to Siwa, Egypt.

Siwa Oasis, nestled within a breathtaking desert landscape, is characterized by vast dunes, striking limestone outcrops, and distinctive geomorphological features that enhance its appeal as a tourist destination.

“The expansion to Siwa, Egypt, was inspired by the oasis’ 160-year-old tradition of reconciliation — Eid El-Solh, a celebration of harmony,” Al-Bitar said.

“Siwa’s natural healing elements, such as salt lakes, hot springs, and lush landscapes, mirror many of Madinah’s restorative qualities.”

Al-Bitar said that Madinah Retreats will also explore the Kingdom’s hidden gems by hosting retreats in Abha, Aseer, Al-Ahsa, and other locations rich in healing nature and cultural heritage.

Retreat prices range from SR5,000 ($1,333) to SR10,000, depending on the location, program, facilitators, transportation, and accommodation.

Madinah Retreats follows a collaborative model, partnering with local service providers, facilitators, and experts to provide an experience that remains true to the cultural essence of each destination.

Al-Bitar said: “Our content caters to people from different backgrounds, both English and Arabic speakers. Our agenda is characterized by being spacious and offers ample time for self-guided practices. Our way of delivery is strictly non-intrusive.”

Participants leave Madinah Retreats feeling “transformed, enriched, and connected to their most authentic selves.”

Al-Bitar said that the experience embodied the profound wisdom: “You presume you are a small entity, but within you is enfolded the entire universe.”

Madinah Retreats also provides a customized retreat model that caters to corporations and teams, as well as add-on visits such as expeditions in AlUla.

Source:arabnews.com

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KSrelief supports thousands in Sudan, Somalia, Lebanon

April 01, 2025

RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief has delivered thousands of food, clothing and shelter packages to some of the world’s most vulnerable people, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

In Sudan, KSrelief distributed 1,900 food baskets to vulnerable and displaced families in Ad-Damir, a city in River Nile State, benefiting 11,400 people.

In Somalia, the aid agency provided 500 clothing bags, 100 shelter kits and 70 tents in Hargeisa, aiding 4,020 people.

In Lebanon, KSrelief distributed 1,048 food baskets in Beirut and Arsal, assisting 5,240 individuals.

The efforts are part of Saudi Arabia’s ongoing humanitarian initiatives to support affected communities worldwide.

Since its launch in May 2015, KSrelief has implemented 3,389 projects worth nearly $7.9 billion in 106 countries, working with 309 local, regional, and international partners.

Source:arabnews.com

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Over 1 million pilgrims benefit from golf cart service at Grand Mosque during Ramadan

April 01, 2025

MAKKAH — More than one million worshippers benefited from the electric golf cart service at the Grand Mosque in Makkah during Ramadan, according to the General Authority for the Care of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque.

The authority reported a record-breaking night on the 27th of Ramadan, with 57,000 individuals transported using the golf carts in a single evening.

The electric cart service, introduced to support elderly and disabled pilgrims performing tawaf, operates on the roof of the Mataf area.

The authority provided 50 electric golf carts to meet the needs of pilgrims seeking accessible mobility during their rituals.

The initiative is part of the broader efforts to enhance the pilgrim experience at the Grand Mosque and ensure ease of movement, particularly during peak seasons like Ramadan.

Source:saudigazette.com.sa

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Saudi leadership offers condolences to ruler of Umm Al-Quwain after death of mother

April 01, 2025

RIYADH: The leaders of Saudi Arabia offered their condolences to Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al-Mualla, the ruler of the emirate of Umm Al-Quwain in the UAE, following the death on Monday of his mother, Sheikha Hessa bint Hamid Al-Shamsi.

King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman expressed their heartfelt sympathies along with their prayers that God will grant eternal rest to Sheikha Hessa, as well as solace and strength for her family and loved ones during this time of sorrow.

Authorities in Umm Al-Quwain have declared three days of mourning in her honor.

Source:arabnews.com

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Female tour guides prove key to improving the Makkah pilgrimage experience

TAREQ AL-THAQAFI

April 01, 2025

MAKKAH: Amid a record-breaking influx of pilgrims this year, female tour guides in Makkah have become an integral part of the experience.

Their fluency in multiple languages and deep knowledge of the Holy City’s history and landmarks have made them invaluable to both pilgrims and visitors.

They share information, help visitors navigate sacred sites and teach people about culture and religion — all of which help make the experience even more memorable.

One of the women, Itimad Ghazzawi, said: “Our mission is to enrich (pilgrims’) journey — not just by guiding them through rituals, but by offering a deeper connection to the Islamic heritage and culture embedded in this sacred city.”

She explained that tour guides speak multiple languages, as Makkah brings together people from all around the world.

“We strive to master these languages to become a bridge between the pilgrim and this sacred city,” she said. “Through storytelling, we reveal the meaning behind each site, trace the city’s historical evolution and bring to life the journeys of the Prophet, his noble companions, and the defining moments that shaped Islamic history.

“We also offer reassurance to pilgrims, many of whom are visiting for the first time and may feel uncertain about where to begin or how to perform the rituals properly. We help them navigate the holy sites, from Makkah’s historic mountains and museums to its valleys, ravines, Jabal al-Nour and the Cave of Hira, making every step smoother and more meaningful.”

She added: “Some arrive feeling anxious about the crowds or overwhelmed by language barriers, and we’re there to ease those worries, instill confidence, and ensure their pilgrimage is both smooth and spiritually fulfilling.”

Fellow guide Rania Chaudhry emphasized that enriching the pilgrim experience required extensive knowledge.

“We go far beyond surface-level facts,” she told Arab News. “We delve into historical texts, study key Islamic events and consult trusted sources, research extensively, and listen to historical narratives to ensure everything we share is both accurate and meaningful.

“At the same time, we embrace modern technology, using apps and interactive platforms to connect with visitors and deliver guidance in ways that are engaging, accessible, and relevant.”

She added being a tour guide was “a mission, one that fills us with pride. It is an opportunity to serve the guests of God and reflect an honorable image of Makkah, as well as of Saudi women, who have become an integral part of this meaningful field.

“There’s a profound sense of fulfillment in a pilgrim’s eyes filled with gratitude, knowing they felt more at ease, more connected and better informed during their visit to this sacred place.”

While at times the guides face challenges — such as navigating heavy traffic or responding to complex and unexpected questions — Chaudry said these only strengthened their commitment.

“Such experiences push us to sharpen our skills,” she said.

“We are honored to be part of each pilgrim’s journey, helping them see Makkah with eyes of understanding and hearts full of reverence. We love what we do, because it allows us to serve the guests of God and enrich their spiritual journey with knowledge, passion and purpose.”

Source:arabnews.com

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Saudi drug busts lead to multiple arrests

April 01, 2025

RIYADH: Saudi authorities carried out multiple drug-related arrests across the Kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

The General Directorate of Narcotics Control arrested three citizens and a Yemeni resident in Najran for selling tablets regulated by medical circulation laws.

In another operation, a Yemeni and a citizen were arrested with 56,119 tablets.

Authorities in Al-Dayer, Jazan, foiled an attempt to smuggle 33,450 tablets.

Border Guard patrols in Al-Aridah, Jazan, thwarted the smuggling of 31 kg of hashish and arrested six Yemenis for smuggling 83 kg of qat.

Two Pakistanis were arrested in Jeddah with 4 kg of methamphetamine, also known as shabu.

Border Guard patrols in Al-Raboah, Asir, arrested eight Yemenis and Ethiopians for smuggling 144 kg of qat.

Authorities also arrested four citizens in the Eastern Province for selling hashish and amphetamines.

Preliminary legal procedures were completed, and all seized items were transferred to the relevant bodies.

Authorities have urged the public to report drug smuggling or selling by calling 911 in Makkah, Riyadh and the Eastern Province, or 999 in other regions.

Reports can also be submitted, in strict confidence, to the General Directorate of Narcotics Control at 995 or via email at 995@gdnc.gov.sa

Source:arabnews.com

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Dean of the Diplomatic Corps applauds Saudi Arabia for successful Umrah season

RASHID HASSAN

April 01, 2025

RIYADH: Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassador of Djibouti to Saudi Arabia Dya-Eddine Said Bamakhrama on Tuesday praised Saudi Arabia for its hosting of the Umrah season amid elaborate arrangements and assistance provided to worshipers in the holy cities.

Bamakhrama told Arab News: “I congratulate the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the success of the Umrah season in the month of Ramadan, and the huge number visits to the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah.

“More than 122 million people, pilgrims, visitors and worshipers paid a visit during the holy month of Ramadan to the Two Holy Mosques. All of them performed their rituals and worship with humility and tranquility, amid cleanliness and safety. The movement of the masses was organized smoothly and securely,” said the envoy.

“All of this would not have been achieved without the grace and mercy of Allah, and then the keenness and interest of the government of Saudi Arabia in serving the Two Holy Mosques and the holy lands in the most perfect manner,” he added.

“I pray to Allah to perpetuate these efforts and bless them and those who all were involved in making it a successful Umrah season,” he said.

More than 122 million people visited Islam’s two holiest mosques in Saudi Arabia during the sacred Islamic month of Ramadan that ended on Saturday, with the Eid Al-Fitr celebration beginning Sunday.

A total of 122,286,712 visitors were received at the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah during Ramadan, the CEO of the General Authority for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, Ghazi Al-Shahrani, said.

Al-Shahrani added that the number of Umrah performers reached 16,558,241, while worshipers totaled 75,573,928 at the Grand Mosque and 30,154,543 at the Prophet’s Mosque.

He extended heartfelt congratulations to King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for their support for the Umrah season and on the occasion of Eid Al-Fitr.

Al-Shahrani also expressed his gratitude to all who contributed to serving the guests of Allah, praying that their efforts be rewarded.

Source:arabnews.com

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Trump to visit Saudi Arabia in May, White House confirms

April 01, 2025

RIYADH: US President Donald Trump is to visit Saudi Arabia in May, the White House confirmed on Tuesday.

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said: “The president will be heading to Saudi Arabia in May. As for specific dates and details, we will be reading those out to you as soon as we possibly can.”

The trip to the Kingdom will be the first foreign trip of Trump’s second term as president.

Regarding a potential ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, Leavitt said that Trump “has made it clear that’s what he wants to see” and “his team remains engaged on it every day.”

Saudi Arabia has hosted talks involving the US and Russia, and the US and Ukraine as Trump facilitates moves toward a ceasefire.

Source:arabnews.com

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Saudi publishers connect globally at Bologna fair

April 01, 2025

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia inaugurated its pavilion at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, held from March 31 to April 3 at the BolognaFiere Exhibition Center in Bologna, Italy.

Abdullatif Al-Wasel, CEO of the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission, said that the Kingdom’s involvement aims to showcase a range of programs, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

He added that these efforts focus on developing the publishing industry, fostering cultural engagement, supporting Saudi publishers and literary agents globally, and highlighting the Kingdom’s rich intellectual heritage and literary output.

Al-Wasel added that the fair provides a valuable platform for Saudi publishers to connect and exchange knowledge with international counterparts.

The Kingdom’s pavilion includes participation from cultural entities such as the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language, King Abdulaziz Public Library, King Fahd National Library and the Publishing Association.

The King Salman academy is showcasing its efforts to enhance the global presence of the Arabic language and support Arabic content in cultural and academic fields, the SPA reported.

The academy is presenting its latest publications, highlighting its contributions to linguistic and knowledge-based content development, as well as its projects in language planning, policy, computational linguistics, education and cultural initiatives.

Source:arabnews.com

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Saudi Arabia to see peak rainfall in April, forecaster says

April 02, 2025

Cairo: Saudi Arabia is expected to experience its peak rainfall in April, making it the rainiest month of the year, according to a weather forecaster.

“The peak of rainfall in the kingdom occurs in spring, with the highest levels recorded in April,” said Aqeel Al Aqeel, an analyst at the Saudi National Centre for Meteorology (NCM).

Speaking to Saudi TV channel Al Ekhbariya, Al Aqeel said the areas most affected this month, based on climate data, include Asir and Al Baha in the southwest, as well as Mecca and Taif in the west. These regions are expected to receive higher rainfall amounts than the rest of the country.

Satellite imagery shows a belt of thunderstorms forming, with heavy rain anticipated over the mountain peaks of Mecca, Al Baha, Asir, and Taif in the coming days, he added.

In its weather report for Tuesday, the NCM forecast thunderstorms with hail showers and strong dust-raising winds in parts of Medina, Ha'il, Tabuk, Al Jawf, and the Northern Borders.

Source:gulfnews.com

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Europe

 

Tourists and residents evacuated as volcano erupts in Iceland

2 April 2025

Tourists and residents have been evacuated as a volcano erupted in south-west Iceland, threatening a town and popular attraction.

The volcano has been spewing lava in a fiery display of orange and red since the eruption began in the morning, creating a huge crack in the ground which has grown to 1.2km (0.75 miles) long.

Multiple earthquakes have occurred in the volcanic area throughout the day.

The volcano is close to the fishing town of Grindavik and the famous Blue Lagoon spa. A small number of people refused to evacuate the town, local media reported.

Grindavik resident Asrun Kristinsdottir told the BBC she fled after hearing emergency sirens early in the morning.

Living near the volcano for most of her life meant she always had bags packed and ready to go. But she said this time was different because of "constant" quakes as she was preparing to leave.

The protective barriers around Grindavik have been breached, as a new eruptive fissure opened a few hundred meters inside, the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) reported.

It was "extremely difficult" to see this activity inside the town's safety barriers, said Ms Kristinsdottir, who serves as president of Grindavik town council.

People had been asked to "leave the danger zone", the region's police commissioner Ulfar Ludviksson told Iceland's RUV broadcaster. But he said individuals staying in "seven or eight houses there... have decided to remain in the town".

There were fears that the town was "in danger of having lava flows entering the inhabited area", said Rikke Pedersen from the Nordic Volcanological Centre.

A hot water pipe has broken in the northern part of Grindavik, which confirms that considerable cracking has occurred within the town, the IMO said.

However, volcanic activity eased off in the early afternoon on Tuesday.

Thormar Omarrson runs a pizza restaurant in Grindavik that was forced to close due to the eruption.

He told the BBC he had lived in the town for 30 years but relocated with his family in 2024 after the authorities warned about the increasing risk posed by eruptions.

Leaving was "heartbreaking", Mr Omarrson said. "My family was born and raised there and now their community is gone."

He said some of his friends in Grindavik had refused to evacuate: "When you live there in your home you want to be left alone in your home."

Most of the 4,000 residents of Grindavik left in a mass evacuation in 2023 because of the dangers of the volcanic activity. The volcano has erupted several times since.

The length of the magma that formed on Tuesday under the crater series stretched to about 11 km (6.8 miles) - the longest that has been measured since 11 November 2023, meteorologists said. The magma corridor extends about 3km further northeast than seen in previous eruptions.

Based on current wind direction, gas pollution from the eruption will travel northeast towards the capital area, the IMO added.

The eruption, which began around 09.45 local time (10:45 BST), occurred after several earthquakes hit the area known as the Sundhnuk crater range.

Multiple eruptions have occurred on the Reykjanes Peninsula since 2021.

The last time the peninsula had a period of volcanic activity was 800 years ago - and the eruptions continued for decades.

Iceland has 33 active volcano systems and sits over what is known as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the boundary between two of the largest tectonic plates on the planet.

Source:bbc.com

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Heydar Aliyev Foundation celebrates Ramadan with martyrs' families

1 April 2025

A special event was held with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in honor of Ramadan Bayram.

At the festive gathering attended by martyrs' families, verses from the Holy Quran were recited, and prayers were offered for the souls of the martyrs.

As part of the "My Son is a Hero" project by Fire Land Group, the event was organized with the support of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Ministry of Culture. Later, renowned Azerbaijani artists performed at the event.

Source:azernews.az

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Woman who reported predatory officer blamed by Met

2 April 2025

A woman who was groomed by a predatory police officer has received an apology from the Metropolitan Police after the force blamed her and spread false information about her mental health instead of investigating him.

Lorraine – not her real name – accused the Met of trying to discredit her over her complaints against PC Phil Hunter, whom she met when he made a welfare visit to her home in 2017.

In a letter seen by the BBC, Acting Det Ch Supt Neil Smithson, who leads the Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS), apologised for "a series of failings" over a seven-year period.

PC Hunter, who is no longer a police officer, was found guilty of gross misconduct at a disciplinary panel in August.

In a statement issued to the BBC, Det Supt Smithson said he had corresponded with Lorraine on a number of occasions.

"I do not underestimate the effect that this matter has had on this victim... I want to be clear, it is unacceptable for any officer to abuse their position of trust and I would like to acknowledge and apologise for the distress this has caused."

PC Hunter was described as a "sexual predator who used his position to take advantage of vulnerable women".

The letter the BBC has seen states that "victim-blaming has occurred towards you by members of the Metropolitan Police and this is not acceptable".

Lorraine said she found the details "shocking".

She said she had always suspected her complaints had not been investigated because the Met incorrectly believed she had poor mental health.

"I tried to report him over and over again and they completely ignored me and I now know why. To actually see it in black and white is just horrendous."

The disciplinary panel heard that, over a period of two years, PC Hunter sent Lorraine inappropriate messages, and tried to isolate her from friends and family, as part of a "deliberate" and "predatory" plan to have a sexual relationship with her.

PC Hunter retired in 2019, while under investigation for a case involving another vulnerable woman he had also met during a welfare visit, and with whom he had started a sexual relationship.

He was found guilty of gross misconduct a year later for his behaviour towards her.

Despite the DPS being aware that PC Hunter had already targeted another victim in similar circumstances, Lorraine's complaints were ignored.

The letter from the DPS admits her initial allegations were not recorded and were "not given the weight that they should have been", and that it took her "numerous attempts over a period of 18 months" before officers investigated.

It says decisions may have been influenced by the belief that Lorraine was suffering from mental health issues, which it conceded "did not have basis in fact".

'Fabricated' claims

The DPS's letter said that inaccurate information had been recorded about Lorraine on police systems, which were not updated when she provided the force with new information.

Instead, the information was shared with others over the following seven years.

A senior officer told social services that he believed Lorraine had mental health issues, and tried to contact her GP without her consent.

The Met also incorrectly told external agencies that Lorraine had fabricated some allegations, and defamatory information about her was passed by a third party to her GP.

Lorraine said she was deeply concerned that the Met appeared to suggest it might decide not to investigate allegations against predatory officers on the basis that the alleged victim had a mental health problem.

"Surely predators are more drawn to vulnerable people with mental health issues than people that can stand up to them, so it makes no sense to me. Surely they would investigate that more, not less, had it been true?

"What about other women who've come forward who do have a mental health issue of some description and they've completely ignored them on that basis?"

The DPS has also apologised for using a statement that Lorraine provided about former PC Hunter as a supportive document in his first gross misconduct hearing, instead of treating it as evidence that she was a victim.

Lorraine believes this was because of a reference she had made explaining that PC Hunter had appeared to be "a nice guy" when he hugged her during the welfare check and told her she was "lovely".

"The fact that I had said at the bottom [of the statement] that I thought he was very nice is irrelevant, absolutely irrelevant," she told the BBC.

Lorraine also told the BBC she was left more vulnerable to PC Hunter's behaviour because he had been able to discover information about her case from other police officers after leaving the force.

"He knew the Met were treating anything I said with contempt. I was terrified of him, absolutely terrified of him," she said.

"He knew so much about me, from police station gossip: where I was, where I was going, who I was seeing. He knew everything about me."

The letter from the DPS apologises if information about Lorraine was discussed between officers without a legitimate policing purpose.

Her experience was highlighted among the case studies in the damning review by Baroness Casey in March 2023, which said that Lorraine, referred to as "M", had been "traumatised" by both PC Hunter and her treatment by the DPS.

The review found the Met was institutionally misogynist, and called for urgent reforms including to the misconduct system.

Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has previously highlighted the issue of the number of rogue officers being brought before the courts and disciplinary tribunals. He described his intent to deal with the problem as "the strongest doubling down on standards for 50 years".

Officers have been redeployed from counter-terrorism and serious and organised crime to boost numbers at the DPS to focus on investigating complaints, according to the Met.

Source:bbc.com

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Met to cut 1,700 staff to plug £260m 'black hole'

2 April 2025

The Metropolitan Police will have to lose 1,700 officers, PCSOs and staff and cut a number of services as it faces a £260m hole in its budget for the coming year, the force has said.

The Royal Parks police team will go, as will officers placed in schools.

At the end of last year, the Met Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, warned of "eye-watering" cuts which could have seen the loss of 2,300 officers.

At the time the Met was facing a £450m budget gap.

That scenario has been avoided, with the Met getting more money from central government and from the mayor.

It said it is "grateful" for the extra cash, but it was not enough to avoid "substantial tough choices".

The force plans to make the savings buy recruiting fewer people and not replacing those who decide to leave, rather than making people redundant.

The Met said, despite the cuts, it would protect front line services like neighbourhood policing, tackling violence against women and girls, and efforts to reform the force.

It detailed a long list of other savings as it tried to protect the number of officers in those front line and neighbourhood teams:

Scrapping the Royal Parks Police

Getting rid of officers in schools

A 10% cut to forensics

An 11% cut to historic crime teams

A 25% cut to mounted police

A 7% cut to dog teams

Restricting front counter opening hours

Possibly taking firearms off the Flying Squad

While most cuts are likely to go ahead, the Met said it had been allocated an extra £32m that could see some of them scaled back.

The Met said the cuts place "an extraordinary stretch on our dedicated men and women".

It added it would work with the Home Office, mayor and MOPAC (the mayor's office for policing and crime) through the spending review, to put the Met on a firmer financial footing.

The cuts come despite a record £1.16bn for the Met from City Hall for the coming year - money it said had protected more than 900 neighbourhood policing jobs.

Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan blamed the funding crisis on the previous government.

He said the Met was "chronically underfunded" and cuts to policing in London were the real-term equivalent to more than £1.1bn.

Like the Met, Sir Sadiq will look to the government for more help for Scotland Yard in the spending review this June.

He said "tough decisions" have been made to protect neighbourhood policing and he was "under no illusions" about the challenges ahead.

He promised: "As mayor, I will continue to work with the new government and the Met - ahead of the forthcoming spending review - to ensure the Met gets the sustainable funding it needs to help us to build a safer London for everyone."

Source:bbc.com

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Putin envoy to visit Washington – media

2 Apr, 2025

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s economic envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, will visit Washington this week, CNN and Axios reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Dmitriev, the CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, participated in the meeting with US officials in Saudi Arabia on February 18, where the sides agreed to start normalizing bilateral relations. The meeting was part of US President Donald Trump’s efforts to broker an end to the Ukraine conflict.

According to reports, Dmitriev will meet with Trump’s Ukraine envoy, Steve Witkoff. He will be the first senior Russian official to visit the US since former President Joe Biden suspended diplomatic contacts in 2022. The US Treasury reportedly temporarily lifted sanctions against Dmitriev to allow him to enter the country.

Reacting to the reports about his visit, Dmitriev wrote “maybe” on his X account. “The resistance to US–Russia dialogue is real – driven by entrenched interests and old narratives,” he added. “But what if improved relations are exactly what the world needs for lasting global security and peace?”

On Sunday, Trump threatened to impose “secondary tariffs” on Russia if the countries fail to “make a deal on stopping the bloodshed in Ukraine.”

Russia has accused Ukraine of violating the mutual pause on attacks on energy infrastructure proposed by Trump during his call with Putin on March 18. Although Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky promised to respect the agreement, Russia has since recorded drone attacks on its fuel depots, as well as a missile strike on a gas metering station.

Moscow has insisted that any future settlement must address the root causes of the conflict, including NATO’s expansion eastward. Russia has demanded that Ukraine drop its plan to join the US-led military bloc and become a permanently neutral state. Moscow has also said Kiev must renounce claims on Crimea and four other regions that have voted to become part of Russia.

Source:rt.com

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Election rumours swirl in Ukraine – could Zelensky be mulling a summer poll?

1 April 2025

As Ukrainian cities are bombed almost nightly by Russia, the idea of holding elections here might seem fanciful.

But in the streets and offices of the capital, Kyiv, the prospect of the country going to the polls is once again being discussed.

Election rumours have come and gone in the three long years of Russia's full-scale war.

Each time they have been dismissed by government, opposition and public alike, arguing unity of effort against the Russian invader must come first.

A presidential election due in 2024 was suspended in line with martial law, which was introduced in Ukraine following Russia's full-scale invasion two years earlier.

But that hasn't stopped the Kremlin from claiming President Volodymyr Zelensky is an illegitimate leader and demanding new elections as a condition of a ceasefire deal – a talking point which has been repeated by President Trump.

BBC Verify on why elections in Ukraine were suspended

Now there has been a fresh flurry of speculation that Zelensky might just be thinking again as ceasefire talks proceed, and some sources speaking to the BBC suggest there are reasons to think elections could go ahead later this year.

The president's potential closest rival, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, former commander in chief of Ukraine's army, has felt the need to deny rumours about his intentions.

"My answer to this has not changed," he told the RBC-Ukraine news agency. "While the war continues, we all need to work to save the country, not think about elections. I don't comment on any rumours."

That the publicity-shy Zaluzhnyi, currently Ukraine's ambassador in London, felt the need to issue a statement was striking in itself.

The head of Ukraine's Central Election Commission, Oleh Didenko, also chose to speak publicly about the speculation.

He told the Ukrainska Pravda news website the law would have to be changed before any elections could take place. He said current rules stated that parliamentary elections must be held 60 days after the lifting of martial law, and 90 days for presidential elections.

But more time would be needed because of the war and that would require legal changes.

The Economist newspaper claimed Zelensky held a meeting last week to discuss an election and instructed staff to prepare for a vote once the United States had forced Russia into accepting a ceasefire, potentially as early as Easter.

This report was denied by several government sources.

"There is fake information there," one presidential source told BBC News Ukrainian. "There was no such meeting and there was no such instruction."

The government source said the main focus was achieving peace and there was little hope of the war ending by Easter.

So in the face of so many public denials, why do some still think an election might be in the offing?

First, some sources note Zelensky's support in the polls has picked up since he was harangued by Donald Trump and Vice-President JD Vance in the White House.

A poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) in March suggested the number of Ukrainians who trusted Zelensky was up a couple of points on the previous month at 69%.

Diplomats say the president might think now was his best chance of winning a second term rather than wait until political divisions emerge after the war.

Second, by winning a second term, Zelensky would call Russia's bluff and strengthen his hand in any long-term peace negotiations. Only last week President Vladimir Putin said the United Nations should take over Ukraine and organise a "democratic presidential election". His assumption – perhaps mistaken - is that Zelensky would be replaced.

Third, martial law must be renewed by parliamentary vote in early May. Zelensky could use that timetable to announce martial law would be allowed to lapse with elections held later in the summer.

Fourth, the Americans are convinced elections are coming. Steve Witkoff, President Trump's special envoy, told the Tucker Carlson podcast on March 21: "They've agreed to it. There will be elections in Ukraine."

Zelensky could use this pressure from the US – echoing Russian narratives – as a pretext, telling voters he had no choice but to hold elections.

Fifth, some Ukrainian sources believe logistical obstacles to elections can be overcome.

Millions of citizens are displaced overseas, on the front line and in occupied territories. The answer to that, some say, is to allow people to vote using a smart phone app called Diia. This contains people's core documents such as passport, identity card and drivers' licence.

Using Diia, some argue, would allow people to vote quickly, cheaply and safely without having to travel to a polling booth overseas or in the trenches. They point out Ukrainians have used it successfully to vote in the Eurovision Song Contest. They also note President Zelensky gave every Ukrainian almost £20 as a winter allowance last December, with many registering for it using Diia.

But there remain many arguments against elections.

Using Diia would require new legislation that might struggle to get through parliament. Diia could be vulnerable to cyber-attack and technical failure. Western governments may not consider it trustworthy; Russia certainly would not.

Even if Diia were used, identifying who could vote would still take time with incomplete and out-of-date registers.

Lifting martial law during a temporary ceasefire could create unexpected consequences – including the flight of hundreds of thousands of soldiers from the front line – just as Russia prepared a counterattack. Russia could strike queues of voters at polling stations.

Any elections, however quickly held, would allow war-time unity to be replaced by political rows. An election would allow Russia to deploy digital and other propaganda to try to shape the result.

Holding an election may also be seen as accepting Russian arguments that Volodymyr Zelensky's leadership is illegitimate because of the suspended elections last year.

Perhaps the strongest argument against elections is that Ukrainians themselves do not want them. That same March poll by the KIIS found about 78% of people opposed holding elections even after a complete settlement of the war.

Source:bbc.com

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Putin begins biggest Russian military call-up in years

1 April 2025

President Vladimir Putin has called up 160,000 men aged 18-30, Russia's highest number of conscripts since 2011, as the country moves to expand the size of its military.

The spring call-up for a year's military service came several months after Putin said Russia should increase the overall size of its military to almost 2.39 million and its number of active servicemen to 1.5 million.

That is a rise of 180,000 over the coming three years.

Vice Adm Vladimir Tsimlyansky said the new conscripts would not be sent to fight in Ukraine for what Russia calls its "special military operation".

However, there have been reports of conscripts being killed in fighting in Russia's border regions and they were sent to fight in Ukraine in the early months of the full-scale war.

The current draft, which takes place between April and July, comes despite US attempts to forge a ceasefire in the war.

There was no let-up in the violence on Tuesday, with Ukraine saying that a Russian attack on a power facility in the southern city of Kherson had left 45,000 people without electricity.

Although Russia has turned down a full US-brokered ceasefire with Ukraine, it says it did agree to stop attacking Ukraine's energy facilities. In an apparent attempt to deny Moscow had broken the terms of that deal, Russian officials said they had told Putin that Ukrainian drones had carried out attacks with little sign of a break.

Russia calls up conscripts in the spring and autumn but the latest draft of 160,000 young men is 10,000 higher than the same period in 2024.

Since the start of last year, the pool of young men available for the draft has been increased by raising the maximum age from 27 to 30.

As well as call-up notices delivered by post, Russia's young men will be receiving notifications on the state services website Gosuslugi.

In Moscow there were reports that call-ups had already been sent out on 1 April via the mos.ru city website.

Increasing numbers of Russians are trying to avoid the army by taking on "alternative civilian service". But human rights lawyer Timofey Vaskin warned on independent Russian media that every new call-up since the start of the war had become a lottery: "Authorities are coming up with new forms of refilling the army."

Quite apart from its twice-yearly draft, Russia has also called up large numbers of men as contract soldiers and recruited thousands of soldiers from North Korea.

Moscow has had to respond to extensive losses in Ukraine, with more than 100,000 verified by the BBC and Mediazona as soldiers killed in Ukraine.

The true number could be more than double.

Putin has scaled up the size of the military three times since he ordered troops to capture Ukraine in February 2022.

Russia's defence ministry linked the December 2023 increase in the size of the military to "growing threats" from both the war in Ukraine and the "ongoing expansion of Nato".

Nato has expanded to include Finland and Sweden, as a direct result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Finland has Nato's longest border with Russia, at 1,343km (834 miles) and Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said on Tuesday that his country would join other states neighbouring Russia in pulling out of the Ottawa convention banning anti-personnel mines.

Poland and the Baltic states made similar decisions two weeks ago because of the military threat from Russia.

Orpo said the decision to resume using anti-personnel mines was based on military advice, and that the people of Finland had nothing to worry about.

The government in Helsinki also said defence spending would be increased to 3% of economic output (GDP), up from 2.4% last year.

Source:bbc.com

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Harry charity engulfed by cash fears, insiders claim

2 April 2025

Financial worries and disagreements about fundraising helped inflame the row that has engulfed the charity founded by Prince Harry, insiders close to former trustees told BBC News.

An acrimonious boardroom battle has seen Prince Harry, his co-founder Prince Seeiso of Lesotho and trustees resign from their roles at the charity and insiders claimed personality clashes and tensions around leadership of the charity added to Sentebale's challenges.

The financial fears were despite the charity receiving an extra £1.2m from Prince Harry's earnings from his best-selling memoir Spare.

Sentebale said it had successfully hired consultants to find new US donors – and the one-off money from Spare was "incredibly useful" but did not represent a long-term "funding pipeline".

The claims and counter-claims over Sentebale are set to be examined by the Charity Commission, which will have to decide whether to escalate the concerns to a full statutory inquiry.

The watchdog is likely to hear financial concerns from former trustees, who resigned earlier this month after the chair Sophie Chandauka refused to step down.

"It is devastating that the relationship between the charity's trustees and the chair of the board broke down beyond repair, creating an untenable situation," said a statement from those trustees leaving the charity.

Among the likely claims are that £500,000 of Sentebale's money was spent on consultants in a strategy to get donations from wealthy individuals and foundations in the US, but which sources close to former trustees say had not delivered results.

Insiders say that if the US fundraising strategy had worked this crisis in running the charity might have been averted.

Ms Chandauka has widely used the title "Dr" both for the Sentebale charity and other business settings. This is a reference to an honorary award from Coventry University and is not an academic or medical qualification.

A spokeswoman for Sentebale told the BBC that the use of "Dr" was a "matter of personal choice" and there was "no legal restriction preventing honorary degree recipients from using the title".

A Sentebale spokeswoman rejected the claim that £500,000 had been spent on US consultants - and defended its approach to seeking new funds for a charity.

The charity told the BBC that it had hired a US firm called Lebec to help build a new fundraising strategy, and that by October 2024 a team of six consultants had set up 65 key relationships with potential donors, who might help Sentebale in the future.

It said the 12-month deal with Lebec, a women-led strategy firm, had successfully delivered links to "high-net-worth individuals, family offices, corporations, foundations and partner non-profits".

"Lebec provided the positioning strategy, the tools, and the insights to enter the US market successfully and with credibility," said a spokeswoman for Sentebale..

The shift to larger-scale US funding would appear to be a different style of approach from Sentebale's fundraising polo matches and celebrity events associated with Prince Harry.

Prince Harry, his co-founder Prince Seeiso of Lesotho and trustees resigned from their roles at Sentebale, as a "result of our loss in trust and confidence in the chair of the board".

They left a charity which was set up in 2006 to help young people in southern Africa living with HIV and Aids, a project which had strong emotional ties for Prince Harry and the legacy of his mother Princess Diana.

Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso said they were resigning from the charity with "heavy hearts".

Insiders say that relationships had been "fraught" by last autumn.

The trustees' walkout followed Ms Chandauka's refusal to step down as chair - and she responded with her own claims against her former colleagues.

She accused Prince Harry of trying to oust her and said she had raised her concerns with the Charity Commission, with a "whistleblower complaint about the bullying, the harassment and the misogyny".

Ms Chandauka argued that the controversy around Prince Harry leaving the UK had meant that he had become a barrier to funding from donors.

"It was pretty obvious to me that we had lost quite a number of corporate sponsors," she said in a Sky News interview.

Ms Chandauka also spoke about a dispute over a video at a fundraising polo match, where it had been claimed the Duchess of Sussex was manoeuvring her out of the way during a prize giving.

The body language seemed to be a sign of other tensions.

"Prince Harry asked me to issue some sort of a statement in support of the duchess and I said I wouldn't," said Ms Chandauka, who said she did not want the charity to be used as an extension of the publicity for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

There were other tussles over whether Prince Harry had caused disruption by wanting to bring a Netflix TV crew to a fundraising event.

But sources close to those who have left the charity do not accept that version of events.

If the Charity Commission announces it is going ahead with a "regulatory compliance case", it will gather evidence about the claims over how Sentebale has been managed and will decide whether the investigation needs to be escalated to the next level of a statutory inquiry.

Ms Chandauka has argued that the charity can continue without its founders and needs to change its focus to reflect the current needs in southern Africa. A friend of Prince Harry's says he feels as though "he's had one of his fingers cut off".

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Public satisfaction with NHS hits record low

2 April 2025

Public satisfaction with the NHS has hit a new low, according to the long-running British Social Attitudes survey.

Just 21% said they were satisfied with the NHS in 2024, with waiting times and staff shortages the biggest concerns.

Satisfaction rates have dropped sharply since the pandemic – in 2019, 60% were satisfied - with NHS leaders warning the findings should act as wake-up call for the health service.

The poll - the gold-standard measure of the public's view of the health service - has been running since 1983.

Nearly 3,000 people from England, Wales and Scotland were asked for their views last autumn.

There have been particularly sharp falls in satisfaction with three core services:

19% satisfied with A&E, compared to 54% in 2019

20% satisfied with dentistry, compared to 60% in 2019

31% satisfied with GP services, compared to 68% in 2019

The public in Wales were the most dissatisfied with the NHS.

Satisfaction with social care, which covers care homes and help in the home, was lower still, with just 13% saying they were satisfied - the same as last year.

'Horrific ordeal'

James Cullinane, 41, from Luton, is someone who has become frustrated with the state of GP care.

He said he struggles to get an appointment when he needs one for himself or his children – his 11-year-old son suffers with allergies.

"They constantly tell you to phone back every morning at 8am to see if there's appointments available – and there generally never are."

He said he has resorted to visiting local walk-in centres or phoning NHS 111.

"I can understand people's opinion of the NHS dropping," he added.

Susan Quenby told the BBC about what she described as a "horrific" ordeal after being taken to hospital with what turned out to be sepsis.

The 68-year-old from York went to A&E because of wounds that had been gradually getting worse and spent 17 hours in A&E before being taken to a ward.

"I waited in A&E with oozing weeping open sores on both shins. I had to ask a nurse in A&E for somewhere to lie down as I felt so terribly ill with chills and a fever.

"Once in a bed, it was confirmed I had sepsis with a very high infection rate. I spent eight days in hospital on an antibiotic drip.

"While I was there my bed sheets were changed just once in a week. My legs wouldn't stop oozing so the sheets were filthy. I was worried about picking up another infection."

'Sobering reminder'

The survey, which was carried out before last year's Budget when the government announced a rise in funding, also found more than two thirds did not think enough was spent on the NHS.

But the public is also concerned about waste – with just 14% saying the NHS spends the money it has efficiently.

Bea Taylor, from the Nuffield Trust think-tank, which has published the findings along with the King's Fund, said: "Just five years after the British public were called on to 'Protect the NHS' at the start of the pandemic, these findings reveal just how dismayed they are about the state of the NHS.

"The government says the NHS is broken - and the public agree. But support for the core principles of the NHS – free at the point of use, available to all and funded by taxation – endures despite the collapse in satisfaction."

Louise Ansari, of the patient watchdog Healthwatch England, said the survey was a "sobering reminder" of the state of the NHS.

"Although many people tell us that they are grateful for the hard work of NHS staff, long waiting times and access issues across the health system have taken their toll on people's confidence in getting timely care in the first place."

And Saffron Cordery, interim chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents health managers, said: "These figures must be a wake-up call for the NHS.

"It's clear radical action is needed across the board to restore the public's faith in the NHS."

England's Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: "We inherited a broken NHS and this survey shows patients agree."

He said since the survey was carried out extra money had been invested and improvements were starting to be seen, but it would take time.

He said the forthcoming 10-year plan for the NHS, which is expected in the summer, would once again make the NHS the "envy of the world".

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Messages reveal prison staff violence towards inmates

2 April 2025

Leaked messages show prison staff at a Welsh prison laughing at violent encounters with inmates and making fun of self-harm incidents.

In them, one staff member at privately run HMP Parc in Bridgend responded to a complaint about an inmate and said: "The prisoners need to be broken mentally and physically."

It is understood the messages, seen by the BBC, were shared on social media last summer.

G4S, which runs HMP Parc, said it had a "zero tolerance" approach to staff behaviour that fell short of its standards.

In the messages, one exchange about an inmate said: "XXX opened the door and they smashed him into the shower lol."

A response to the message said: "Good! I hope they hurt him too."

A separate exchange used an expletive to describe punching an inmate "after he bit me so there's some closure", along with a laughing emoji.

Other messages included jokes about someone who was said to be at risk of taking their life and another offender who was seriously self-harming.

Some 17 inmates are known to have died at Parc in 2024 - more than any other prison.

In a letter to the Justice and Home Affairs Committee in October 2024, Prisons Minister James Timpson said the prison service's corruption unit was looking at the prison.

Last September, four of the prison's custody officers were arrested on suspicion of assault and misconduct in public office following reports of a series of incidents at HMP Parc.

All four have been released without charge, South Wales Police told the BBC.

The force said an additional arrest phase took place in January 2025 following the four arrests.

A 36-year-old man from Llanelli has been released under investigation, while a 35-year-old man from Bridgend, 40-year-old man from Swansea, 38-year-old man from Barry, 50-year-old man from Taibach and a 23-year-old woman from Cardiff have all been bailed for further inquiries until the end of April 2025.

South Wales Police Det Ch Insp Dean Taylor said: "The investigation remains ongoing, and officers are continuing to work closely with G4S."

A G4S spokesperson said: "Of the four individuals who were arrested and released without charge by South Wales Police, three have been dismissed from the company and one remains suspended from duty pending the outcome of a disciplinary process.

"The vast majority of our staff are hardworking and honest. We are absolutely committed to rooting out any wrongdoing."

In response to the messages, G4S added: "Our staff are expected to treat everyone with dignity and respect and we have a zero tolerance approach to dealing with any staff behaviour that falls short of our standards."

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Italy calls Le Pen sentence a blow to democracy

1 Apr, 2025

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has condemned the conviction of French presidential hopeful Marine Le Pen, saying it undermines the voice of millions of voters.

On Monday, Le Pen, the former leader of the conservative National Rally (RN) party, was sentenced to four years in prison for embezzlement, two of them suspended, and barred from holding public office for five years. If the conviction stands, it effectively rules her out of the 2027 presidential race.

Commenting on the verdict, Meloni told Italian newspaper Il Messaggero on Tuesday: “I don’t know the merit of the objections made to Marine Le Pen, nor the reasons for such a harsh decision. But I think that no one who cares about democracy can rejoice in a sentence that affects the leader of a large party and takes away representation from millions of citizens.”

Meloni joined a chorus of French and international politicians in criticizing the ruling, which many called undemocratic. Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini on Monday described the verdict as a “declaration of war by Brussels.” US President Donald Trump also weighed in, saying the criminal prosecution of Le Pen reminded him of the legal challenges he faced under former President Joe Biden’s administration.

According to Le Monde, prosecutors argued that Le Pen and several RN lawmakers misused European Parliament funds by diverting them from official duties to party activities in France. Le Pen denied any wrongdoing, called the verdict politically motivated, and said she would appeal.

Speaking on French television on Monday evening, Le Pen vowed to stay in politics and fight for her right to run. “I’m combative, I won’t let myself be eliminated,” she said.

Le Pen has run for president three times, finishing second in 2017 and 2022. Her party currently holds the largest number of seats in the National Assembly. According to an Ifop poll published in Le Journal du Dimanche on Sunday, 34-37% of those surveyed said they plan to vote for Le Pen in 2027 – over ten points more than her nearest rival, former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe.

A longtime critic of NATO policy in Eastern Europe, Le Pen has opposed Ukraine’s accession to the military bloc and has spoken out against EU sanctions on Russia.

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North America

 

Prosecutors seeking death penalty for suspected CEO killer

1 Apr, 2025

The US Department of Justice has asked for the death penalty for Luigi Mangione, who was charged with killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

“Luigi Mangione’s murder of Brian Thompson – an innocent man and father of two young children – was a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement on Tuesday.

“After careful consideration, I have directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in this case as we carry out President Trump’s agenda to stop violent crime and Make America Safe Again,” she added.

According to the prosecution, Mangione stalked Thompson and eventually shot him on a Manhattan street on December 4, 2024. “The murder was an act of political violence,” Bondi said.

Police arrested Mangione in Altoona, Pennsylvania on December 9 after an intense manhunt.

Mangione reportedly wrote a short manifesto expressing his frustration with the US healthcare system. “Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming … They continue to abuse our country for immense profit because the American public has allowed them to get away with it,” he wrote, according to journalist Ken Klippenstein.

In January, President Donald Trump directed the Department of Justice to pursue the death penalty “for all crimes of a severity demanding its use.”

“Capital punishment is an essential tool for deterring and punishing those who would commit the most heinous crimes and acts of lethal violence against American citizens,” the president wrote in an executive order.

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US prosecutors to seek death penalty for Luigi Mangione

2 April 2025

US prosecutors will seek the death penalty for Luigi Mangione, the man accused of shooting dead UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement on Tuesday that she had directed federal prosecutors to seek capital punishment for the "premeditated, cold-blooded assassination".

Mr Thompson was shot dead outside a hotel in New York on 4 December. Police arrested Mr Mangione, 26, days later in Pennsylvania after a nationwide manhunt.

He has pleaded not guilty to state charges, and has yet to enter a plea for separate federal charges. He is awaiting trial in a New York prison.

In the press release, Bondi said Mr Thompson's murder "was an act of political violence" and that it "may have posed grave risk of death to additional persons" nearby.

Investigators say Mr Mangione was motivated to kill Mr Thompson, 50, because of anger with US health insurance companies.

A lawyer for Mr Mangione called the decision "barbaric", accused the government of "defending the broken, immoral, and murderous healthcare industry", and said Mr Mangione was caught in a tug-of-war between state and federal prosecutors.

"While claiming to protect against murder, the federal government moves to commit the pre-meditated, state-sponsored murder of Luigi," said Karen Friedman Agnifilo in a statement.

Mr Mangione is facing 11 state criminal counts in New York, including first-degree murder and murder as a crime of terrorism.

If convicted of all the counts, he would face a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

But federal prosecutors have also separately charged Mr Mangione for using a firearm to commit murder and interstate stalking resulting in death. These charges make him eligible for the death penalty.

Prosecutors have said the federal and state cases will move forward parallel with one another.

Mr Mangione is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) Brooklyn.

New York prosecutors have already shared some evidence in their case against him, including a positive match of his fingerprints with those discovered at the crime scene.

According to New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Mr Mangione arrived in New York City on 24 November and stayed in a Manhattan hostel using a fake ID for 10 days before carrying out the attack against Mr Thompson.

The healthcare boss was shot in the back by a masked assailant on 4 December as he was walking into a hotel where the company he led was holding an investors' meeting.

A nationwide search led police to Mr Mangione five days later at a McDonald's hundreds of miles away in Altoona, Pennsylvania.

Police said that when they found Mr Mangione, he was in possession of a ghost gun - a firearm assembled from untraceable parts - a fake ID, a passport and a handwritten document indicating "motivation and mindset".

Mr Thompson's killing ignited a fraught debate about how the US healthcare system operates.

Some Americans, who pay more for healthcare than people in any other country, expressed anger over what they see as unfair treatment by insurance firms.

US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in December that the rhetoric on social media in the wake of the killing was "extraordinarily alarming".

"It speaks of what is really bubbling here in this country, and unfortunately we see that manifested in violence, the domestic violent extremism that exists," he told CBS's Face the Nation.

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Three big unknowns ahead of Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariffs

2 April 2025

Donald Trump says tariffs are coming. That message from the US president has been consistent.

But what tariffs and when? Import taxes have come so thick and fast since he took office that it can be hard to keep track.

Trump has already raised duties on Chinese imports, as well as steel, aluminium and some goods from Canada and Mexico. Higher levies on cars are due to go into effect this week.

We're now waiting for Trump to unveil the details of his plan for a wider set of tariffs, which his team has spent the last few weeks developing.

The White House is calling it "Liberation Day". So what might we learn on Wednesday?

How big are the tariffs?

The White House has not said how high the tariffs could go, although various possible rates have been floated by analysts.

On the campaign trail last year, Trump backed a 10% across-the-board tariff on all imports coming into the US, sometimes suggesting that could be 20% - even 60% on imports from China.

Once in office, he introduced the idea of "reciprocal" tariffs, suggesting the rates could vary country by country.

"Very simply, it's if they charge us, we charge them," he said in February, shortly before he ordered officials to develop such a plan.

The White House almost immediately complicated the picture, noting that their recommendations would reflect not just tariffs but also other policies they believe are unfair to US businesses, like Value Added Tax (VAT).

It has a led to a scramble, as businesses and political leaders try to get a sense of how big a new tax their products might be facing; and how whatever is announced on Wednesday will interact with other duties, such as those on steel and aluminium, already put into effect by Trump.

Officials in Europe, for example, are preparing for a double-digit tariff on their exports. Trump earlier this year said he planned to hit goods from the bloc with a 25% import tax.

Which countries could be affected?

The Trump administration has not confirmed which countries will be hit, although it has trailed Wednesday's announcement as a sweeping one.

On Sunday, the president said the new tariffs could apply to "all countries", suggesting a possible return to the across-the-board tariff he backed in the campaign.

It dashed hopes in some countries, such as the UK, that thought they might float under the radar, though many are still hoping eventually to work out some sort of deal.

But it is still unclear to what extent the tariffs will be universally applied or more targeted.

Last month, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said efforts were focused on the "Dirty 15" - the 15% of countries that account for the bulk of trade with the US and impose tariffs or other rules that put US firms at a disadvantage.

The Office of the US Trade Representative, as it prepared to craft recommendations, identified the countries in which it was "particularly interested".

They were Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the European Union, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the UK and Vietnam.

Trump himself has reserved some of his harshest criticism for historic allies and major trade partners, such as Canada and the EU.

"Friend has been, oftentimes, much worse than foe," he declared last week.

What impact will the tariffs have?

Tariffs are taxes on imports. So the big question is, who will pay?

Technically, there is a simple answer: the US firms bringing in the goods are the companies that will face the bill, especially if the White House starts levying the tariffs "immediately", as spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt suggested on Tuesday.

But the larger the tariffs are, the more firms will be looking for ways to offset those costs, either by changing suppliers, pushing business partners to share the burden - or by raising prices for Americans.

Many firms have said they are already preparing for that step. But it is a risky game because if companies raise prices too much, buyers will simply stay away.

The dynamics have raised the risks of an economic recession both in the US - and far outside its borders, where many firms rely on US sales.

Trump says companies looking to avoid tariffs can simply do their business in the US, but that's not an immediate, or easy fix, given the high costs of hiring and setting up factories.

Introduce currency swings and retaliation by other countries into the mix, and the repercussions of Trump's bid to reset global trade balances are likely to prove hard to predict long after Wednesday's announcement.

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Canada MP quits election race over Chinese bounty comments

2 April 2025

Canadian member of parliament Paul Chiang has quit as a Liberal Party candidate over comments he made suggesting a political rival should be turned over to the Chinese consulate in return for a bounty.

Tay, who is running for the Conservatives in the 28 April federal election, is one of a number of overseas activists who have been targeted by Hong Kong police for allegedly breaking the city's national security law.

Chiang said he is withdrawing from the race to avoid "distractions in this critical moment".

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who had previously defended Chiang, said on Tuesday he had accepted his candidate's resignation.

"As I said yesterday, his comments were deeply troubling and regrettable," said Carney as he campaigned in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

The Liberal leader had said the day before that Chiang would stay on as the party's candidate in a Toronto-area riding given that he had apologised for the remarks, which were made earlier this year at a Chinese-language media event.

Tay, who was born in Hong Kong and immigrated to Canada as an adult, is co-founder of Canada-based nonprofit group HongKonger Station, which promotes democracy and free speech.

Last December, Hong Kong police offered a HK$1m (C$184,000; $128,000) bounty for information leading to Tay's arrest, accusing him of incitement to secession and collusion with a foreign country.

The Conservative candidate, who is also running for a Toronto area seat, rejected Chiang's apology and called for his firing.

"His threatening public comments were intended to intimidate me, and they must not be tolerated," Tay said in a statement.

Hong Kong national security law: What is it and is it worrying?

Chiang announced he was stepping down in a social media post shortly after midnight, saying he had served with the "fullest commitment to keeping people safe and protecting our country's values".

His resignation came after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police told Canadian media the force is "looking into the matter".

"Foreign actor interference, including instances of transnational repression, continues to be a pervasive threat in Canada," a spokesperson told Globe and Mail.

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre on Tuesday criticised Carney for not removing Chiang when the comments came to light late last week.

"Mr Carney will never put this country first, he will always put himself first," he said.

Meanwhile, the Conservatives removed one of their candidates over comments made on a 2022 podcast, where he appeared to joke about former prime minister Justin Trudeau deserving the death penalty.

Poilievre told CTV News, which first reported on the remarks, that they were "unacceptable".

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Body of fourth missing US soldier found in Lithuania

2 April 2025

The body of a fourth US soldier has been found, a week after they went missing in Lithuania.

The soldier was part of a team of four who were conducting military drills in a large armoured vehicle when they disappeared near the city of Pabrade.

The vehicle – a M88A2 Hercules – and the bodies of the other three soldiers were found in a peat bog on Monday.

The search effort, followed by the difficult mission to drag the vehicle out of the bog, has involved hundreds of rescue workers from the US Army and Navy, as well as Lithuanian, Polish and Estonian Armed Forces, a statement said.

"This past week has been devastating. Today our hearts bear the weight of an unbearable pain... the world is darker without them," said Maj Gen Christopher Norrie in a statement released by US Army Europe and Africa.

Lt Gen Charles Costanza described the incident as a "tragic accident" and added that it was "humbling to watch the incredible recovery team from different commands, countries and continents come together".

The US Army is investigating what happened.

The statement did not specify where the final soldier's body was found. The team had been working near the border with Belarus.

The M88A2 Hercules, one of the largest military vehicles used by the US Armed Forces, is designed to recover damaged tanks and other vehicles from battlefields.

Two more M88A2 Hercules, plus bulldozers were needed to drag the sunken vehicle out of the swamp on Monday, in a recovery mission that saw teams working "day and night", the statement said.

The soldiers' identities have been withheld. They had been deployed to Lithuania as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve – a response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

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Massive layoffs begin at top US health agency

2 April 2025

Hundreds of federal health workers early on Tuesday learned their jobs had been cut, with many turned away at their office building doors, as the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) moved forward with its mass restructuring plan.

The layoffs included several top officials and affected agencies responsible for overseeing the nation's food and drug safety, as well as those fighting disease.

Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr announced last week that 10,000 workers would be laid off, and through voluntary departures, the workforce would be reduced from 80,000 to 60,000.

President Donald Trump has worked since inauguration day with adviser Elon Musk to slash the federal payroll.

The White House said last week that it planned to cut 3,500 full-time employees at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and 2,400 workers from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The administration has said it is cutting 1,200 employees from the National Institutes of Health, as well.

Health workers began hearing as early as 05:00 EDT (10:00 BST) on Tuesday that they were being dismissed.

Well before sunrise, Preston Burt, a communications specialist with the CDC's Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice for 10 years, received an email saying that he, along with his entire division, was laid off.

The division had hundreds of employees who worked with 33 states, primarily helping local health departments gather environmental health data and providing the public with information about hazards such as mercury and radon poisoning.

Two weeks ago, Burt and other division staff took part in an exercise to evaluate how to respond to a nuclear or radiological incident. All those staff members have been let go, he said.

"Now if there's a nuclear disaster, who are they going to call on as experts?" he asked.

While Burt was not shocked by the firing, others learned they had been laid off when they showed up to their offices and were unable to scan their badges to enter.

Employees waited in long lines outside to access the buildings during the confusion and chaos.

HHS is a department with a $1.8 trillion (£1.39 trillion) budget that oversees 13 agencies, including the CDC, the FDA and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

The top officials laid off in the restructuring included the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Jeanne Marrazzo. She succeeded Anthony Fauci in directing the agency that had led the US fight against Covid-19.

Marrazzo - and several other directors - were notified that they were being reassigned to HHS's Indian Health Service division in other locations, according to media reports. They were asked to decide by Wednesday whether they planned to accept the new roles.

The administration also fired FDA staff who were involved in the government's response to bird flu, according to Reuters. Outbreaks of the avian flu have caused egg prices to skyrocket, while cases in cows and humans have sparked concern among public health officials.

The cuts also come as the US is battling one of the worst measles outbreaks in a decade.

In a post on X, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who is still one of the more powerful members of the House of Representatives, said the administration's plans would "directly harm our most vulnerable communities and make America sicker".

"I will work with my colleagues in Congress to fight back against these shortsighted and irresponsible cuts," she said.

As a part of Kennedy's broader restructuring, HHS is also consolidating its 28 agency divisions into 15 new ones, including a new Administration for a Healthy America, to help carry out Kennedy's Make America Healthy Again agenda.

In announcing the changes, Kennedy, said HHS was "inefficient as a whole" and that the cuts would remove "bureaucratic sprawl".

In a statement, HHS has said the cuts will save taxpayers an estimated $1.8b per year.

HHS has made cuts to public health funding, too. Last month, the administration announced it was pulling back $11b in Covid-19-era funding that states and local health departments were using for other purposes, including mental health and addiction as well as infectious disease outbreaks like measles and bird flu.

Washington, DC, and 23 states on Tuesday sued the US government for slashing the funding.

Republican Bill Cassidy, of Louisiana, and Independent Bernie Sanders, of Vermont, who lead the senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions committee have requested Kennedy to testify at a 10 April hearing to explain his "proposed reorganization" of HHS.

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Cory Booker breaks record for longest Senate speech after 24 hours

2 April 2025

US Senator Cory Booker has broken the record for the longest speech ever delivered in the Senate.

The New Jersey Democrat's marathon address, a symbolic protest against President Donald Trump, in which he warned of a "grave and urgent" moment in American history, ended after for 25 hours and four minutes.

Although it was not a filibuster - a speech designed to obstruct passage of a bill - it held up legislative business in the Republican-controlled Senate. The rules for such speeches require a speaker to remain standing and forgo bathroom breaks.

The previous record was held by Republican Senator Strom Thurmond, who spoke for 24 hours and 18 minutes against the Civil Rights Act in 1957.

Booker said he would speak for as long as he was physically able as he began his address at around 19:00 local time on Monday evening. He concluded at 20:06 on Tuesday.

The 55-year-old, who is the fourth-ranking Democrat in the chamber, filled some of the time reading letters from constituents, who said they had been harmed by President Trump's policies.

The former presidential candidate also ran out the clock by discussing sports, reciting poetry and taking questions from colleagues.

Booker, who is African-American, spoke of his roots as the descendant of both slaves and slave-owners.

"I'm here because as powerful as he was, the people are more powerful," he said, referring to segregationist Thurmond's record-setting address 68 years ago.

As he reached the milestone, Booker said he was going to "deal with some of the biological urgencies I'm feeling".

He was able to give his jaw much-needed respite during the speech by taking questions from colleagues, including Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer of New York, Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York.

The Democratic Party, currently out of power in the White House, Senate and House of Representatives, rallied behind Booker's symbolic act of protest.

Booker's speech is also the longest in the Senate since a 21-hour filibuster in 2013 by Texas Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican, against Obamacare.

Cruz told CBS, the BBC's US partner, that a filibuster is a challenging physical feat.

For his own protest, he wore comfortable shoes and tried to drink as little water as possible - an approach he described as "nothing in, nothing out".

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US state-funded media puts employees on unpaid leave

2 Apr, 2025

The US state-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) began furloughing staff at its Prague headquarters on Tuesday, citing the lack of congressional grants for April.

RFE/RL was originally created to spread pro-Western propaganda in the Soviet bloc during the Cold War. The network was initially funded by the CIA and currently receives grants from the US Congress.

On March 14, President Donald Trump signed an executive order drastically reducing the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees RFE/RL and the Voice of America. On March 25, a DC judge temporarily blocked the USAGM from defunding RFE/RL.

The news organization said on Tuesday that, despite the ruling, it has not received new money from the government.

“Although USAGM rescinded its letter terminating RFE/RL’s grant agreement on March 26, RFE/RL has not received any of its congressionally appropriated funds since that date – and USAGM has not approved RFE/RL’s financial plan for April,” the news outlet wrote on its website.

RFE/RL added that it has asked the judge to grant a temporary restraining order guaranteeing its funding in April and an injunction to ensure it will have the money “for the remainder of the current fiscal year.”

“Our staff and their families are now paying the price as RFE/RL continues to wait for USAGM to provide our congressionally appropriated funds,” RFE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus said in a statement.

The White House has argued that the defunding of RFE/RL was part of Trump’s campaign to cut public spending and eliminate “unnecessary” bureaucracy.

Tech billionaire and Trump adviser Elon Musk, who leads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has called for RFE/RL to be “shut down.” “Nobody listens to them anymore,” Musk wrote on X in February.

Source:rt.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.rt.com/news/615119-radio-liberty-unpaid-leave/

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‘Progress’ emerging in US talks – Lavrov

1 Apr, 2025

Moscow and Washington are making progress in removing obstacles in diplomatic relations and plan to meet for the next round of talks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday.

Speaking to journalists, Lavrov noted that both presidents had approved the continuation of negotiations.

“There was a meeting in Istanbul, and a second round is being prepared,” Lavrov said, noting that the sides are “in contact by phone and video conference.”

Lavrov said he did not want to make predictions, but cited “some progress and a willingness on the part of our American partners to lift these completely unacceptable obstacles to the normal work of diplomats in both capitals.”

Russia and the US have imposed various restrictions on each other in recent years, including limiting the number of diplomatic personnel, constraining banking access, and seizing diplomatic properties.

A major flashpoint came in late 2016, when the administration of then-President Barack Obama restricted Russian diplomats’ access to residences in New York and Maryland and later seized additional Russian properties.

Relations deteriorated further under former President Joe Biden, with heightened tensions over the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, prompting further diplomatic and economic restrictions. These included the suspension of flights and closure of US airspace to Russian carriers in coordination with Washington’s Western allies.

Lavrov insisted that Moscow was not the one that initiated such measures, saying Russia responded “according to the principle of reciprocity, which no one has abolished” in diplomacy.

US President Donald Trump has moved away from many Biden-era policies, calling for a swift resolution to the Ukraine conflict and a reset in bilateral ties.

The two countries have held several rounds of high-level talks since Trump took office in January. A meeting in Riyadh on February 18 focused on restoring embassy operations and easing restrictions. The follow-up round in Istanbul on February 27, addressed diplomatic funding and Russia’s proposal to reinstate direct flights between the two countries.

Last week, expert delegations from both sides met again in Saudi Arabia, where, after 12 hours of negotiations, they agreed to revive the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Following the talks, Trump signaled Washington could consider lifting certain sanctions to advance the deal, which is seen as a step toward resolving the Ukraine conflict.

Source:rt.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.rt.com/russia/615112-russia-us-talks-progress/

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CAIR, Partners to Announce 50+ Orgs Demanding Maryland Protect Student Data Amid Federal Crackdown on Campus Free Speech

April 1, 2025

On Wednesday, April 2, 2025, the Maryland office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) will join students and partners to hold a news conference outside Johns Hopkins University to announce a joint letter signed by over 50 faith-based organizations and advocacy groups including CAIR Maryland, Jewish Voice for Peace Baltimore, Doctors Against Genocide and CASA calling on Governor Wes Moore, Attorney General Anthony Brown, and state lawmakers to take emergency action to prohibit colleges and universities in Maryland from sharing student data with federal agencies unless a warrant signed by a judge is presented.

Many students and faculty members at colleges and universities across the country have been recently detained by federal agents amid the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration, which has taken aim at campuses where student activists have criticized Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza. An alarming memo recently sent by Johns Hopkins University’s Office of General Counsel to faculty and staff instructs them to “not intervene if federal law enforcement officers arrive” on campus to detain any individual.

SEE: Johns Hopkins tells faculty not to ‘intervene’ in potential ICE detainments on campus

What we know about the college activists detained by federal agents

The coalition is demanding urgent legislative and executive action to protect students’ privacy and rights.

WHAT: News Conference to Announce Joint Letter Demanding Maryland Protect Students Amid Federal Free Speech Crackdown on Campuses

WHEN: Wednesday, April 2, 4pm

WHERE: Across the Street from The Beach @ Johns Hopkins University, 3339 N Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21218

CONTACT: CAIR Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry, zchaudry@cair.com, 410-971-6062; CAIR Maryland Outreach Coordinator Kimberly Syuardi, ksyuardi@cair.com, 202-850-9293

CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.      

La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.   

Source:cair.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-partners-to-announce-50-orgs-demanding-maryland-protect-student-data-amid-federal-crackdown-on-campus-free-speech/

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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/constitution-amendment-waqf-bill-lok-sabha/d/135040

 

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