Khamenei's Love For India Was Real: Iranian Envoy Illahi Recalls Memory Of Supreme Leader In Emotional Lucknow Gathering
New Age Islam News Bureau
02 April 2026
· ‘Khamenei Love for India was real’: Iranian envoy Illahi recalls memory of Supreme Leader in emotional Lucknow gathering
· Iran calls US demands ‘irrational’ ahead of Trump war speech
· Saudi FM discusses current regional situation with Kuwaiti counterpart, UN chief
· Lamine Yamal condemns Spain fans' 'ignorant and racist' anti-Muslim chants against Egypt
· Trump urges allies to ‘go to Strait of Hormuz and just take it’
· Islamic group accuse Plateau governor of ignoring Muslim victims in Jos attack
· Anwar admits justice still out of reach for many, vows reforms to close gap
· Bangladesh expresses solidarity with UAE amid Middle East conflict
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India
· Allahabad HC gives administration free hand to prevent religious meets over law and order concerns
· Owaisi: Bengal parties exploited Muslims, did nothing for them
· Indian Navy nearly struck Pakistan at the time of Operation Sindoor, says chief Tripathi
· A new book asks whether Muslim voters in West Bengal prefer TMC despite anti-incumbency
· ‘Alliance to continue in 2029 Lok Sabha polls’: Owaisi and Humayun Kabir join forces in Murshidabad
· Modi targets Congress’s ‘dangerous law’ pitch in Assam, promises UCC; Priyanka alleges corruption
· Consider objection to Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque inspection: SC to MP high court
· J&K ministers question withdrawal of security escorts after gunfight in Ganderbal
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Mideast
· Surging ‘Jewish terrorism’ in West Bank condemned but unpunished
· Israel reports Iranian missile attacks after Trump address
· Iranian president: ‘We harbor no enmity toward American people’
· Armed teenagers on patrol strike fear into Tehran residents
· Beirut is bursting as over 1 million people flee Israeli strikes and evacuation orders
· Bahrain takes helm of UN Security Council, pledges action on Iranian aggression
· Strikes kill two fighters in northwestern Iraq
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Arab World
· Saudi, Greek defense ministers discuss Iranian attacks on countries in the region
· Saudi aid agency KSrelief provides hot meals and food baskets for displaced Palestinians in Gaza
· AI takes center stage at Umrah and Ziyarah Forum
· Jeddah’s bakery scene gets a European twist
· KACST hosts AI chip design hackathon
· 18th-century anchor sheds light on Jeddah maritime history in Red Sea Museum
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Europe
· Islam scholar from Oxford jailed 18 years for rape
· Windsor mosque hopes dashed as day centre plans move forward
· Keighley duo visit mosques as part of 30-day Ramadan journey
· EU taps interest from frozen Russian assets to give €1.4 billion to Ukraine
· Poland refuses to lend Patriot missile systems for Iran war
· Paris accuses right-wing mayors of betraying EU
· Russia tests groundbreaking cancer treatment
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North America
· CAIR Calls for Accountability After U.S.-Israel Bombing of Historic Mosque in Iran
· Texas judge further halts utility district involved with Islamic development
· CAIR-AZ Calls for Hate Crime Probe of Threatening Letter Sent to Glendale Mosque
· CAIR-GA Denounces Event Planners’ Decision to Refuse Entry to Palestinian Muslim Activist at Cory Booker Event
· CAIR Hopeful SCOTUS Will Reject Trump Administration’s Attempt to Gut Birthright Citizenship
· CAIR-SFBA: City of Saratoga to Recognize American Muslim Appreciation and Awareness Month
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Africa
· Jos Attack: Religious Leaders Causing Division – Miyetti Allah
· Jos killings: MURIC faults Mutfwang for ignoring Muslim victims
· South Africa deploys 2,200 soldiers as gang violence plagues Cape flats
· SEC Chairman: Islamic banking gaining wider acceptance
· Uganda, Egypt discuss Iran war impact on Africa's energy and food prices
· Tinubu’s Fresh $6.9 Billion Loan Targets Poverty Alleviation, Says Economist
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Southeast Asia
· Ahmad Zahid: Stop blaming government for fuel prices, Malaysia in ‘crisis preparation mode’
· JAIPs officer charged with submitting false claims amounting to RM135,000
· Police seize seven tonnes of pig carcasses at illegal jetty in Sungai Merbok
· Lawyering must evolve beyond statutes in AI era, says Anwar
· Malaysia resilient but cautious amid prolonged West Asia conflict
· Anwar announces WFH from April 15 to ease fuel use
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South Asia
· Kabul Sends Five-Member Delegation to China Talks With Pakistan
· Russian fuel: US open to Dhaka’s waiver request
· PM conveys solidarity, support to Oman
· Pakistan Report Says March Security Deaths Fell 35% Amid Cross-Border Strikes
· Thousands of Foreign Tourists Visited Country’s Historical Sites in One Year, NSIA Says
· Kabir, UNAMA Deputy Discuss Humanitarian Coordination
· $5.34 Million Contract Signed for Namaksar Salt Mine in Herat, Ministry
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
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‘Khamenei Love for India was real’: Iranian envoy Illahi recalls memory of Supreme Leader in emotional Lucknow gathering
Apr 2, 2026
LUCKNOW: Lucknow’s Chota Imambara witnessed an intense outpouring of grief and reverence on Wednesday night as Abdul Majeed Hakeem Ilahi, special representative of Iran’s Supreme Leader in India, addressed a packed Majlis-e-Tarheem. While the gathering reflected mourning, the central thread of Ilahi’s speech was Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei’s deep and enduring love for India and its people, a sentiment that resonated strongly with the audience.
Speaking in Persian and translated into Urdu by local scholar Qamar Husnain, Ilahi said Khamenei’s connection with India was not symbolic but deeply personal and intellectual.
He recalled how the Supreme Leader followed Indian scholarship closely, read books by Indian authors, and remained aware of the country’s intellectual traditions. “He knew Indian scholars by name and would often refer to their work,” Ilahi said, underlining the depth of that engagement.
Ilahi admitted that for years he had wondered why Khamenei held such affection for India. That question, he said, found its answer only after the leader’s death. “I now understand why he loved India so much,” he told the gathering, pausing as silence spread across the Imambara.
He pointed to the widespread mourning witnessed across the country, cutting across religious lines. “I have seen it with my own eyes,” Ilahi said. “Shia, Sunni, Hindu, Sikh, Christian. The grief was not limited to one community. People from all backgrounds expressed sorrow, shed tears, and showed their love.” This shared emotional response, he said, revealed the real bond between Khamenei and India.
Describing India as a land of justice, spirituality and humanity, Ilahi said it was natural for people here to feel connected to a leader who stood for dignity and moral values. His remarks triggered visible emotion in the audience, with many attendees quietly weeping and others nodding in agreement.
After dwelling on Khamenei’s connection with India, Ilahi turned to other aspects of his life, portraying him as a leader who combined power with simplicity. He said that despite holding the highest office in Iran for decades, Khamenei never owned a personal house. Even his family, including his four sons, continued to live in rented accommodation. The claim drew murmurs of surprise and admiration from the gathering.
“He had authority, influence and position, yet chose a life of detachment from material wealth,” Ilahi said, presenting it as a reflection of his character.
Narrating a striking episode, Ilahi said that when Khamenei was warned about threats to his life and advised moving to a secure bunker with his family, the leader refused. Instead, he asked how protection could be ensured for millions of ordinary Iranians, especially the poor who had no shelter. “How can I save myself when my people remain unprotected?” Ilahi quoted him as saying, describing it as a reflection of his deep sense of responsibility.
He further described Khamenei’s spiritual discipline, saying he would wake hours before dawn for prayers and remain composed even during crises. Ilahi also drew parallels between Khamenei and Imam Hussain, saying both embodied sacrifice, patience and unwavering resolve.
As the speech concluded, the atmosphere inside Chota Imambara remained heavy with emotion.
Source: indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/khamenei-love-for-india-was-real-iranian-envoy-illahi-recalls-memory-of-supreme-leader-in-emotional-lucknow-gathering/articleshowprint/129961310.cms
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Iran calls US demands ‘irrational’ ahead of Trump war speech
April 01, 2026
People attend a funeral ceremony for the Revolutionary Guards Navy Commander Alireza Tangsiri in Tehran on April 1, 2026. Tangsiri was killed in US-IOsraeli strikes. (Majid Asgaripour/WANA via REUTERS)
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WASHINGTON: Iran said Thursday that Washington’s demands were “maximalist and irrational” and denied any negotiations were under way on a ceasefire to end the war in the Middle East, as President Donald Trump prepared to make a national address on the conflict.
Trump claimed Wednesday that Iran’s president had asked for a ceasefire but said Tehran must first reopen the Strait of Hormuz, spurring global attention on his 9 p.m. (0100 GMT Thursday) televised address from the White House.
“Messages have been received through intermediaries, including Pakistan, but there is no direct negotiation with the US,” said Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei, quoted by the ISNA news agency.
He accused Washington of making “maximalist and irrational” demands and said Iran was ready for any attack, including an invasion by ground forces.
Writing on Truth Social ahead of his address, Trump said the United States would consider a ceasefire “when Hormuz Strait is open, free, and clear. Until then, we are blasting Iran into oblivion or, as they say, back to the Stone Ages!!!“
But Iran’s Revolutionary Guards vowed to keep the Strait of Hormuz, through which Gulf oil and gas exports reach global markets, closed to the country’s “enemies.”
One-fifth of global oil normally passes through the narrow strait, and its effective closure has sent energy prices soaring and destabilized the world economy.
Trump’s address will be his first since US-Israeli strikes on February 28 sparked the war, and comes amid plunging approval ratings, economic jitters and spiralling diplomatic fallout.
Trump’s tone has see-sawed between combative and conciliatory since the war began. On Tuesday, he said the month-long conflict could be over in “two weeks, maybe three.”
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has said the country has the “necessary will” for a ceasefire, but only if its foes guaranteed hostilities would not resume.
Hours before Trump’s address, Pezeshkian asked the American people whether the conflict was truly putting “America First,” accusing Washington of war crimes and of being influenced by Israel.
Tehran announced Wednesday evening another barrage of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and US bases in the Gulf, striking Israeli cities including Tel Aviv and Eilat as well as US military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait.
Israel’s military said early Thursday its air defenses were operating to intercept missiles fired from Iran.
As Israel prepared for the Passover holiday, which began at sunset Wednesday, air-raid sirens warning of incoming missiles sounded repeatedly in the Tel Aviv area.
Emergency services said an Iranian missile attack Wednesday morning wounded 14 people, including an 11-year-old girl.
The Revolutionary Guards also confirmed hitting an oil tanker in the Gulf that they said belonged to Israel. A British maritime security agency said the vessel was struck off Qatar, reporting damage but no casualties.
‘Resist to the end’
An AFP journalist reported huge explosions in Tehran on Wednesday afternoon and earlier strikes near the former US embassy.
Iran’s new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not been seen publicly since his father was killed in an airstrike on the war’s first day, said “the cruel and ruthless American and Zionist enemy knows no human, moral or vital limits.”
Thousands of Iranians gathered in Tehran for the funeral of the Guards’ naval commander, killed in an Israeli airstrike.
“We will resist until the end,” said Moussa Nowruzi, a 57-year-old mourner.
Iranian media reported that former Iranian foreign minister Kamal Kharazi was seriously wounded in a strike that also killed his wife.
Iranian media also reported Wednesday that a passenger airport in Isfahan province and steel complexes in other parts of the country had been damaged in strikes.
In Lebanon, seven people were killed in strikes around south Beirut, the health ministry said Wednesday, with the Israeli military saying it had struck a senior Hezbollah commander.
AFP correspondents at the scene saw a blackened, debris-strewn street.
Lebanon’s health ministry said Israeli attacks had killed more than 1,300 people in the country since war erupted between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah on March 2.
Across the Gulf, strikes in Kuwait caused a large fire at its international airport, Bahrain reported a fire at a business facility, and Saudi Arabia said several drones were intercepted.
A Bangladeshi national was killed by falling shrapnel from an intercepted drone in the United Arab Emirates.
“Every day, we hear the sound of drones,” said Waad Abdulrazaq, a 31-year-old truck driver near Iraq’s Irbil international airport. “We hear them in the morning, and we hear them at night. We can no longer sleep or live in peace.”
Prices turmoil
Optimism sparked by Trump’s comments on the timeline for the end of the war pushed oil prices down Wednesday, and stock markets rallied in Europe, Asia and the United States.
Still, average US gasoline prices topped $4 a gallon for the first time in four years, European inflation spiked and more governments began unveiling support measures.
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi FM discusses current regional situation with Kuwaiti counterpart, UN chief
April 01, 2026
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan meets with his Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah in Riyadh on Wednesday. (SPA)
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RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan discussed the current situation in the region with his Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah in Riyadh on Wednesday.
The two officials also reviewed relations between their countries and issues of common interest, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Sheikh Jarrah is on an official visit to the Kingdom and was welcomed earlier on Wednesday at King Khalid International Airport by Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Elkhereiji.
On Wednesday, Prince Faisal held a phone call with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to discuss the international efforts made to address regional developments and their impacts.
Source: arabnews.com
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Lamine Yamal condemns Spain fans' 'ignorant and racist' anti-Muslim chants against Egypt
1 April 2026
“Football is for enjoying it and cheering, not for disrespecting people" said Yamal.
Credit: AP
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Spain's Lamine Yamal has condemned "ignorant and racist" behaviour after fans repeatedly made anti-Muslim chants during a game against Egypt.
The Barcelona winger appeared visibly upset by the chanting at the RCDE Stadium in his home city on Tuesday night.
In a post on Instagram, he said: "I am a Muslim. Yesterday in the stadium, the chant 'The one who doesn’t jump is Muslim' was heard.
"I know it was aimed at the rival team and it wasn’t something against me - but as a Muslim, it doesn’t stop being disrespectful and something intolerable.”
The Spanish football federation (RFEF) condemned the acts, while Catalan regional police said they were investigating.
Yamal added: “I understand that not all the fans are like that… but to those who sing these things: using a religion as a joke in a stadium makes you look like ignorant and racist people.
“Football is for enjoying it and cheering, not for disrespecting people for who they are or what they believe in.”
Spain's head coach, Luis de la Fuente also spoke out against the fans' behaviour.
“I feel total and absolute repulsion towards any xenophobic or racist attitudes. They are intolerable," de la Fuente said after his side's 0-0 draw.
FIFA will await reports from officials in attendance of the pre-World Cup friendly before deciding whether to take further action.
Spain are due to play Saudi Arabia at the World Cup, and also face Cape Verde and Uruguay in Group H of the 48-team tournament.
Egypt has games against Belgium, New Zealand and Iran in Group G.
Spain was hosting Egypt for the game, which was originally set to take place in Qatar before the region was affected by the Iran war.
Source: itv.com
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Trump urges allies to ‘go to Strait of Hormuz and just take it’
2 Apr, 2026
© Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
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US President Donald Trump has urged countries that buy oil from the Middle East to unblock the Strait of Hormuz by force unless Iran reopens the vital shipping route to all vessels.
He made the appeal in his first address to the nation on Wednesday, after weeks of chastising NATO members for refusing to send warships to the region and join the US and Israel in their war efforts.
“To those countries that can’t get fuel, many of which refuse to get involved in the decapitation of Iran… build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait and just take it. Protect it,” Trump said. He argued that securing the strait would be easy, saying the US had “decimated” Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and “dramatically curtailed” its drone and missile capabilities.
In his address, Trump vowed to intensify airstrikes over the next two to three weeks, suggesting the war would continue if Iran refuses to accept his demands.
The US-Israeli war on Iran has triggered a global energy shock that Washington has struggled to contain, sending oil prices surging and pushing fuel costs sharply higher for consumers worldwide. The conflict has effectively choked flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for roughly one-fifth of global oil supply.
Global crude prices have spiked above $100 a barrel, with Brent rising more than 60% in March to around $118 and US West Texas Intermediate climbing past $100, marking the steepest monthly gains in decades. US consumers were also hit as average gas prices rose above $4 a gallon this week for the first time since 2022.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed this week that he had been receiving messages from Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff, but denied that the countries were holding talks behind the scenes.
Iranian officials have said that Tehran would end the conflict on its own terms and accused the US of sabotaging previous negotiations.
Source: rt.com
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Islamic group accuse Plateau governor of ignoring Muslim victims in Jos attack
Mojeed Oladipupo
April 1, 2026
The Plateau chapter of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has raised concerns over what it described as issues of inclusivity in a broadcast by Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State, on the killings in Anguwan Rukuba area of Jos north LGA.
In a statement on Wednesday, Abubakar Sadiq Yusuf, chairman of MURIC in Plateau, said the governor’s address did not mention four Muslims reportedly killed in the attack.
He said MURIC acknowledged Governor Mutfwang’s visit to the affected community and the imposition of a 48-hour curfew to prevent further escalation of violence.
The group also commended the state government for providing medical care for victims and supporting burial arrangements.
However, Yusuf said the governor’s broadcast failed to recognise some of the victims, especially the Muslims among them.
Part of the statement read: “While we acknowledge the governor’s concern for all victims, it is important to respectfully highlight that among those who lost their lives were four Muslims, with 10 others reportedly missing, whose mention was not captured in the address.
“For the sake of justice, equity and inclusivity, every victim must be recognised, regardless of religious or ethnic background.”
The organisation also questioned remarks in the governor’s broadcast praising residents for avoiding reprisals.
The group called on security agencies to intensify investigations and ensure transparency in the handling of the case.
It also urged authorities to bring those responsible for the killings to justice, stressing that accountability is necessary to restore public trust.
The organisation further called on residents of Plateau State to embrace peaceful coexistence and avoid actions capable of escalating tensions.
Source: politicsnigeria.com
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Anwar admits justice still out of reach for many, vows reforms to close gap
By Kenneth Tee
02 Apr 2026
KUALA LUMPUR, April 2 — Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim acknowledged today that many of Malaysia’s poorest and most marginalised still lack meaningful access to justice, a gap his government aims to bridge.
Anwar said a guiding principle of the rule of law is that the same set of laws must be accessible to and enforceable upon all, stressing that upholding this foundation is as vital to citizens within a nation as it is to the global community of states.
“But we recognise, of course, that much work lies ahead.
“The ultimate goal is a point of legal singularity where there is access to justice for every single citizen in our countries, such that no one is left without a remedy,” he said in his speech at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Legal Education Association Conference 2026 at Universiti Malaya here.
He said that, for this reason, his government has made access to justice a central pillar of its broader reform agenda.
“All these, in the struggle to ensure the continuity of justice, reflect what we are advancing in Malaysia through the ethos of our civilisational development, Malaysia Madani,” he said.
Anwar also said the need to espouse the law with humanity is not a mere ideal among the stars but a real goal that should be accorded serious contemplation.
He said it bears remembering that the law facilitates the day-to-day lives of citizens, reminding current and upcoming law practitioners to ensure the law is utilised for the public good.
“Lawyers must be more than just experts of the legal minutiae such as researching and drafting.
“They must be the ethical authority, the moral anchor if I may, ensuring that what is correct is also just. They must also have empathy to navigate the human trauma lying beneath legal disputes.
“It is necessary to comprehend the needs of the public, and not to gate-keep the law within a gilded cage that makes it inaccessible to the common man,” he said.
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/04/02/anwar-admits-justice-still-out-of-reach-for-many-vows-reforms-to-close-gap/214789
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Bangladesh expresses solidarity with UAE amid Middle East conflict
02 Apr 2026
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has conveyed Bangladesh’s firm solidarity with the leadership, government, and the brotherly people of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the context of the ongoing war situation in the Middle East.
Tarique, in a letter to UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, expressed deep concern over the attacks, the loss of lives, injuries, and damage to property there, according to a statement from Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The PM’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir handed over the letter yesterday to UAE’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The prime minister also expressed his appreciation for the UAE’s continued support for Bangladeshi expatriates and for the measures taken to ensure their safety and well-being. He reaffirmed Bangladesh’s readiness to provide any necessary support and invited the UAE president to visit Bangladesh.
When Humaiun Kobir handed over the PM's letter in the UAE, the country's foreign minister extended condolences over the deaths of two Bangladeshi expatriates in the attacks and reiterated his government’s commitment to protecting all residents regardless of nationality. He also thanked Bangladesh for its solidarity.
Humaiun Kobir commended the restraint demonstrated by the UAE leadership and highlighted the importance of resolving conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy. The discussion also covered the strong state of bilateral relations, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to deepen cooperation across sectors of mutual interest.
The foreign affairs adviser is currently visiting several Gulf countries as the prime minister’s special envoy to convey messages and reinforce Bangladesh’s engagement in the region.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/diplomacy/news/bangladesh-expresses-solidarity-uae-amid-middle-east-conflict-4141666
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India
Allahabad HC gives administration free hand to prevent religious meets over law and order concerns
02.04.26
Allahabad High Court has allowed district administrations to prevent religious gatherings in private properties if there is an apprehension of a law-and-
order issue.
The order assumes significance in the backdrop of a fortnight-old observation of the high court that the district magistrate and superintendent of police should resign if they are not capable of maintaining law and order during a religious event.
The bench of Justices Saral Srivastava and Garima Prasad passed the order on Wednesday in response to a petition filed by Tariq Khan of Bareilly district. The district administration had prevented Khan from organising an event within the boundaries of his building.
Additional advocate-general Anup Trivedi told the court that 52 to 62 people had assembled on Khan’s campus to offer namaz during the month of Ramzan. This was a threat to the security and harmony of the area, he said.
Khan’s counsel, Rajesh Kumar Gautam, assured the court that the petitioner will not invite so many people for namaz in the future.
The court asked the state administration to withdraw the notices served to people in similar cases.
The bench of Justices Siddharth Nandan and Atul Sridharan had on March 14 quashed the order of the Sambhal administration to limit the number of people for namaz in mosques and asked the district magistrate and the superintendent of police to resign or seek transfer if they were incapable of maintaining law and order.
This order was passed in response to a petition by Munazeer Khan of Sambhal, who had sought protection of the court against the Sambhal administration, which had stated last year that the number of those who visit masjids to offer namaz would be monitored and a ceiling would be fixed.
“It is the duty of the state to ensure that any community gathers and peacefully practises their religion at a community centre,” the high court had observed.
Munazeer had told the court that the police visited Ghosiya Masjid in Hayatnagar, Sambhal, in February 2025 and said that only 20 people could visit and offer namaz there in a day, and that a group of 5-6 persons could offer namaz at a time in the shrine.
Recently, Chhattisgarh High Court held that there was no need to obtain permission from any authority to organise a religious event in a private area. The order was in response to two Hindus who had held a Christian prayer meeting on their campus.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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Owaisi: Bengal parties exploited Muslims, did nothing for them
TNN | Apr 2, 2026
Behrampore: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday alleged that Trinamool Congress and other parties in Bengal exploited Muslims for votes but did nothing for them,.
Owaisi, while addressing a poll rally at Naoda in Murshidabad in support of candidates fielded by Humayun Kabir's Aam Janata Unnayan Party, said Muslims had voted for the governing parties or alliances in the state over the past 50 years — Congress, Left Front and TMC — but their condition has not improved.
"We have joined hands with Kabir for the sake of Muslims in Bengal, to ensure greater representation (of the community) in political decision-making and for their true development. Together, we will give a jolt to Mamata Banerjee and her party," Owaisi said. "Time has come to elect Muslim netas who can bring about your economic development."
The AIMIM neta said only 7% of state govt employees are Muslims, though the community accounts for 30% of Bengal's population. "It's time exploitation of Muslims stopped. To ensure that, elect netas who can ensure economic development while remaining true to the secular, inclusive spirit of India, which is being violated by both BJP and TMC," he told the large gathering.
"We oppose SIR. Our writ petition on this matter is still pending before Supreme Court. Citizenship is not within the purview of EC" Owaisi later told reporters.
Source: indiatimes.com
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Indian Navy nearly struck Pakistan at the time of Operation Sindoor, says chief Tripathi
01.04.26
The Indian Navy was just minutes away from striking Pakistan from the sea during Operation Sindoor, navy chief admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi said on Wednesday. The operation was carried out last year following the Pahalgam terror attack.
Speaking at a naval investiture ceremony, admiral Tripathi awarded Yudh Seva Medals to two senior naval officers for their distinguished service during the operation.
“It is now not a hidden fact that we were just minutes away from striking Pakistan from sea when they requested stoppage of kinetic actions,” he said.
The Navy Chief also spoke on the ongoing West Asia conflict, saying that since the war involving the US, Israel, and Iran began, more than 20 merchant vessels have been attacked in the region. Nearly 1,900 vessels remain stranded.
Daily traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has dropped to six-seven transits, compared to a pre-conflict average of about 130.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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A new book asks whether Muslim voters in West Bengal prefer TMC despite anti-incumbency
Sayantan Ghosh
Apr 2, 2026
In the spring of 2021, as West Bengal braced itself for one of the most polarising assembly elections in recent history, I returned from Delhi to cast my vote. The pandemic was at its peak, and the city carried a palpable sense of unease – of both disease and politics. That unease surfaced most vividly in an unlikely place: the backseat of an Uber cab.
My driver that day was a middle-aged man named Rafiq Ali. His voice carried both exhaustion and conviction, as though he had repeated the same conversation many times. Curious about the atmosphere of the election, I asked him how he felt about the political climate in Bengal. His reply was blunt: “The BJP is trying to finish our community. If they come to power, they will send us to Bangladesh. We are scared of the CAA.”
The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), passed in 2019, had become one of the most contentious political issues in Bengal. I gently pointed out that the law did not, in principle, strip Indian Muslims of their citizenship. Yet Rafiq shook his head. “Today it is CAA. Tomorrow it will be NRC. After that, something else. All they want is to isolate us.”
For him, the legal text of the CAA mattered far less than the political intent he read into it. His fear was not of the law as it stood but of the trajectory it represented.
I pressed further: If Muslims in Bengal were so deeply apprehensive of the BJP, did that mean they supported Mamata Banerjee wholeheartedly? His answer revealed a far more complex political calculation. “I don’t know why people say Mamata is pro-Muslim. Look at the violence across Bengal. In many cases, it is our community that has suffered. We are nothing but a vote bank. Still, what choice do we have?”
Rafiq paused at a traffic signal, and his frustration spilt out. “We cannot vote for the BJP. And if we look at the Left, what do we see? A party that cannot even protect its own workers, let alone a community as large as ours. So, we vote for Didi – not because we admire her, but because she is the only one who can stop the BJP.” It was a reluctant loyalty, born less of ideological alignment and more of existential fear. Mamata Banerjee, for Rafiq, represented a defensive wall against the tide of Hindutva. Yet that wall was not beyond criticism. He spoke of corruption, of scams, of everyday violence that left many in his community disillusioned. “If tomorrow there is a leader who can stop the BJP and also end these scams and violence, we will vote for that leader,” he concluded with quiet certainty.
That ride through Kolkata’s congested lanes left me with a lasting impression. In Rafiq’s words lay the dilemma of Bengal’s Muslims in 2021: trapped between fear of exclusion and disappointment with those who claimed to protect them. Politics, in that moment, was not about choice – it was about survival.
From 2016 onwards, the political landscape of West Bengal underwent a significant transformation as the BJP sharpened its campaign against the ruling TMC. The BJP, seeking to establish itself as a formidable force in a state long dominated by the TMC and previously the Left Front, adopted an aggressive narrative that often centred on communal issues. This period marked a noticeable rise in tensions between Hindu and Muslim communities, fuelled by political rhetoric and strategic mobilisation. The BJP’s approach frequently involved targeting the Muslim community through provocative speeches and actions, framing the TMC’s policies as appeasement of minorities, particularly Muslims, to consolidate its Hindu voter base.
This strategy not only deepened communal divides but also set the stage for recurring episodes of violence, which both parties exploited to advance their political agendas. The escalation of communal tensions was evident in the increasing number of reported incidents of violence.
According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), West Bengal recorded 27 communal riots in 2015, resulting in five deaths and 84 injuries. This was a significant jump from the 16 incidents reported in 2014, signalling a troubling trend. By 2017, the situation had worsened dramatically, with the NCRB documenting 58 incidents of communal violence, leading to nine fatalities and 230 injuries. These clashes were particularly concentrated in border districts such as Murshidabad, Malda and North 24 Parganas, where demographic diversity and cross-border dynamics with Bangladesh added complexity to local tensions. Muslim-majority areas, in particular, became flashpoints, with incidents often sparked by religious processions or disputes over cultural practices. The BJP capitalised on these events, portraying them as evidence of the TMC’s failure to maintain law and order, while alleging that the state government’s policies favoured Muslims at the expense of Hindus. Conversely, Muslim communities increasingly suspected BJP involvement in instigating unrest, either through provocative actions or by amplifying divisive narratives.
The BJP’s strategy extended beyond rhetoric to the active promotion of Hindu festivals as platforms for political mobilisation. Ram Navami, traditionally a minor festival in West Bengal compared to Durga Puja, emerged as a significant point of contention starting in 2016. The BJP and its affiliated organisations, such as the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal, began organising large-scale Ram Navami processions across the state. These events were marked by displays of swords, tridents and other weapons, accompanied by slogans that were often perceived as provocative by Muslim communities. In 2018–19, for instance, processions in areas like Howrah and Asansol saw participants brandishing arms, leading to clashes that heightened communal tensions. Reports from that year noted that such processions deliberately passed through Muslim-dominated neighbourhoods, escalating the potential for conflict. Mamata Banerjee, in response, repeatedly called for peace and urged communities to avoid provocation, but her appeals often fell short in the face of charged atmospheres. The TMC accused the BJP of orchestrating these events to polarise voters, while the BJP countered by alleging that the TMC restricted Hindu religious freedoms, citing instances like the state’s decision to regulate Durga Puja idol immersions to avoid clashing with Muharram processions in 2016 – a move that drew criticism from the Calcutta High Court for appearing to favour one community over another.
In a conversation with me, Shyamal Dasgupta, a 47-year-old bank employee from Howrah, reflected on the changes he has witnessed in his locality. “First of all, in our area, at least, I am born and brought up here, so is my wife, and my parents have been staying here since the 1950s – we have never seen such Ram Navami processions,” he said. According to him, the sudden rise of these aggressive celebrations is directly linked to the BJP’s political presence in Bengal.
Dasgupta identifies as a Hindu but made it clear that his discomfort lies not with the festival itself but with the confrontational nature of the processions. “I have no problem with any celebration, but why instigate Muslims? The BJP and their supporters deliberately play Jai Shree Ram songs and raise slogans in front of our local mosque. This is unnecessary.” His concern is that such acts, far from fostering harmony, are deliberately designed to provoke the Muslim community.
He added that these actions have triggered repeated clashes between Hindus and Muslims, creating a climate of unease. “I do not know if this is helping the BJP politically or not, but the atmosphere of fear is increasing among the Muslims which is indeed helping the TMC,” Dasgupta observed.
The judicial response to these incidents further underscored the political tug of war. The BJP frequently approached the Calcutta High Court, seeking investigations by central agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into cases of communal violence. Several notable cases reflect this pattern. In 2023, riots in Howrah and Hooghly during Ram Navami celebrations prompted the Calcutta High Court to order an NIA probe, with a fact-finding committee concluding that the violence was “pre-planned, orchestrated, and instigated”.
These judicial interventions were often celebrated by the BJP as victories against the TMC’s alleged bias, while the TMC argued that such probes were politically motivated to undermine its authority. The communal polarisation had a profound impact on West Bengal’s Muslim community. Until 2016, Muslim voters were a diverse bloc, with significant support for the TMC but also substantial backing for the Left Front and Congress, particularly in rural areas. However, the BJP’s aggressive Hindu nationalist rhetoric post 2016 instilled a growing sense of insecurity among Muslims. The Left and Congress attempted to position themselves as alternatives, condemning both the TMC and BJP for fanning communal discord. They argued that the TMC’s occasional engagement in what has been termed “soft Hindutva” – such as organising Hanuman Jayanti celebrations to counter the BJP’s narrative – contributed to the divisive atmosphere.
Despite these efforts, the Muslim community increasingly gravitated towards Mamata Banerjee, viewing her as a bulwark against the BJP’s perceived anti-Muslim agenda. Her public statements condemning violence and her refusal to implement Central policies like the Waqf (Amendment) Act in 2025, which sparked further unrest in Murshidabad, reinforced this perception. The Murshidabad violence of 2025, which claimed three lives and displaced hundreds, was described by Banerjee as a “pre-planned” conspiracy, with accusations levelled against the BJP and even the Border Security Force (BSF) for exacerbating tensions.
In my interaction with the West Bengal State Jamiat-e-Ulama’s general secretary, Mufti Abdus Salam Qasmi, he expressed deep concern over the rhetoric used by the BJP towards Muslims. He argued that the language employed by BJP leaders, from the national level down to grassroots workers, is not only offensive but also calculated to serve a political purpose.
“The kind of language the BJP leaders use against the Muslims, from the top-most level to the ground-level leaders, is not only disrespectful but also clearly done in view of pushing their own agenda,” Qasmi told me. According to him, the BJP’s politics deliberately seeks to demonise them. “Today, Muslims want justice and security because indeed they are scared. The BJP is openly scaring us,” he said, drawing attention to instances of atrocities against Muslims in other states. For example, in recent years, several incidents of violence against Muslims in India have drawn national attention. In Haldwani, Uttarakhand (2024), six people were killed after police demolished a madrasa and mosque, triggering riots and mass displacement. In Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh (2024), clashes during an Archaeological Survey of India inspection of a mosque left five Muslims dead. In Nagpur, Maharashtra (2025), communal violence over Aurangzeb’s tomb caused injuries and demolitions of Muslim properties. Each case reflected escalating communal polarisation and alleged state bias.
Qasmi added that similar attempts were made in Bengal, but the state’s Muslims have remained cautious and politically aware. “Look at the kind of atrocities that take place against Muslims in other states. In Bengal also they tried the same. But Bengal’s Muslims know very well what is good for them and they decide accordingly.”
The BJP, in turn, used Banerjee’s stance to further its narrative of TMC’s minority appeasement, accusing her of shielding perpetrators of violence to secure Muslim votes. This was particularly evident in the aftermath of the 2025 Murshidabad riots, where BJP leaders claimed that over 400 Hindu families were forced to flee, alleging police inaction under Banerjee’s leadership. The TMC countered that the BJP was exploiting the situation to stoke communal fears ahead of the 2026 state elections. This cycle of accusation and counter-accusation deepened the polarisation, with both parties engaging in what analysts have described as “competitive communalism”.
The TMC’s efforts to balance its appeal to Muslim voters while retaining Hindu support often placed it in a precarious position, as seen in incidents like the 2017 controversy over Durga Puja immersions, which the BJP framed as evidence of favouritism towards Muslims. The communal tensions in West Bengal during this period were not merely spontaneous but were deeply intertwined with political strategies. The BJP’s rise in the state, from a marginal player to the main opposition by 2019, was fuelled by its ability to tap into Hindu anxieties, particularly in border areas where issues like infiltration were contentious. Meanwhile, the TMC’s responses, including Banerjee’s vocal opposition to Central policies and her appeals for communal harmony, were seen by critics as pragmatic moves to consolidate her core voter base. The Left and Congress, while vocal in their criticism of both parties, struggled to regain ground as the communal narrative overshadowed their secular rhetoric.
Political scientist Sibaji Pratim Basu believes Bengal’s Muslim community continues to back Mamata Banerjee primarily because of the larger political environment in the country. He tells me, “The Muslims of Bengal have nowhere to go in terms of the fact that the kind of political party in power at the Centre and their policies are often seen as being against minorities.” In such a situation, he explains, the search for safety and security becomes the foremost concern for the community.
Basu points out that Mamata has successfully projected herself as the protector of minorities in Bengal. “The Muslims will want security and in Bengal Mamata is providing that security to them. Therefore, they will keep supporting Mamata,” he says. This sense of protection outweighs any dissatisfaction with her government’s performance on other fronts, such as development or governance.
According to Basu, the loyalty of Bengal’s Muslims is not rooted only in political patronage but in a much deeper question of survival and identity in an increasingly polarized national climate. As long as Mamata Banerjee maintains her image as a shield against marginalisation, Basu argues, Muslims in Bengal are unlikely to abandon her leadership.
Source: scroll.in
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‘Alliance to continue in 2029 Lok Sabha polls’: Owaisi and Humayun Kabir join forces in Murshidabad
Ravik Bhattacharya, Atri Mitra
Apr 1, 2026
In his first rally in West Bengal alongside suspended Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Humayun Kabir, MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday made a dual declaration: a promise to bring forth political leadership from the state’s Muslim community and an announcement that his party, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), will continue its alliance with Kabir’s Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) in the 2029 parliamentary elections.
The AIMIM and the newly formed AJUP held a public meeting at a field in Nowda in Murshidabad district on Wednesday. While the upcoming Assembly polls will mark AJUP’s debut, the AIMIM had contested six seats in Bengal in 2021 but lost. However, the party has ventured into the state on the back of its recent success in Bihar, where it won five seats in the Seemanchal region.
“We are not together just for the Assembly polls. We will fight together even in the 2029 Lok Sabha polls. Our aim is to make more and more of our (alliance) candidates win this time. It is time Muslims in Bengal bring a change,” Owaisi said, amidst cheers from the crowd.
This is the first of a series of campaign rallies and public meetings that Owaisi and Kabir are scheduled to address in Bengal.
Speaking from a makeshift stage on a field covered by a thin green and yellow cloth overhead, amidst a crowd of thousands blowing whistles—the AJUP’s election symbol—both Owaisi and Kabir talked about an alternative before the Muslims of Bengal.
“First, it was the Congress. They did not do anything for you. Then came the Left. What benefit did you get? Then, Mamata Banerjee ruled for 15 years. Did you get government jobs? Why are youths in Murshidabad and Malda escaping to different parts of the country for jobs? Aap ko vote chapne ka machine bana diya (you have been turned into voting machines)” Owaisi said. “Now you have an opportunity to become a leader. Humayun is providing that opportunity to you. If you don’t choose a leader from your side, you will never have a voice,” he added.
Ravik Bhattacharya is a highly experienced and award-winning journalist currently serving as the Chief of Bureau of The Indian Express, Kolkata. With over 20 years of experience in the media industry, Ravik possesses deep expertise across a wide range of critical subjects and geographical areas. Experience & Authority Current Role: Chief of Bureau, The Indian Express, Kolkata. Expertise: Extensive reporting across West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, and the Andaman Nicobar Islands. Ravik specializes in politics, crime, major incidents and issues, and investigative stories, demonstrating a robust command of complex and sensitive subjects. Experience: His long and distinguished career includes key reporting roles at several prestigious publications, including The Asian Age, The Statesman, The Telegraph, and The Hindustan Times. Ravik's current role marks his second stint with The Indian Express, having previously served as a Principal Correspondent in the Kolkata bureau from 2005 to 2010. Major Award: Ravik's authority and quality of work are substantiated by his winning of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award in 2007 for Political Reporting. Education: His strong academic foundation includes a Bachelor's degree with English Honours from Scottish Church College under Calcutta University, and a PG Diploma in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Ravik Bhattacharya's extensive tenure, specialized beat coverage, and notable award confirm his status as a trusted and authoritative voice in Indian journalism, particularly for stories emanating from Eastern India.... Read More
Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain. Experience Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express. Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news. Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions. Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal. Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla. Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent. Education Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting. Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University. Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur. Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India.... Read More
Source: indianexpress.com
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Modi targets Congress’s ‘dangerous law’ pitch in Assam, promises UCC; Priyanka alleges corruption
Sukrita Baruah
Apr 2, 2026
Addressing an election rally in Assam Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleged that the Congress is promising a “dangerous new law” that will target the “majority community”. He also promised implementation of a Uniform Civil Code in the state and claimed a third consecutive NDA win is assured.
Modi addressed two rallies in Assam. In Gogamukh in Dhemaji district, he did not name any Congress leader but appeared to refer to a declaration by Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi that, if elected, the party would introduce legislation to penalise hate speech.
Referring to the UPA government’s Communal Violence Bill, Modi said: “Before the 2014 election, the Congress government had tried to create a communal violence act. The aim was its appeasement of its pakka votebank. This Bill considered the majority community to be culprits and religious minorities were considered to be always victims. This Bill was communal on its own. That’s why BJP and NDA did not allow this law to be made… Now 12 years later, Congress here in Assam is announcing making a similar law. This is not an accusation by me. Congress leaders themselves are openly making these announcements. It is completely clear that the Congress can now do anything to get power.”
On the same day, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also campaigned in Assam. Addressing a rally in Nazira, she accused the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government of corruption and misuse of public resources.
“One family is looting everything in Assam. And when they are not looting, mines, lands and every other asset is being handed over to big industrialists,” PTI quoted her as saying.
She also took a dig at the phrase “double-engine government”, calling the Assam government a “double-ghulami government.”
In his rally, Modi referred to various development promises in the BJP manifesto, including 2 lakh government jobs, investment in infrastructure and flood mitigation, expansion of welfare schemes, and a UCC exempting the state’s tribal population and areas under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
Referring to industrial development and ongoing work on a semiconductor chip assembly and testing facility in the state, Modi said, “Assam’s identity will be chai and chip too. This is our roadmap for ‘Viksit Assam’. I assure you, that if you bring a BJP government again, Assam will progress more rapidly. This is Modi ki guarantee.”
Source: indianexpress.com
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Consider objection to Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque inspection: SC to MP high court
02.04.26
The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked Madhya Pradesh High Court to consider the objections raised by the Muslim side to the Archaeological Survey of India's inspection of the disputed Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque premises in Dhar district, which includes videography and clicking of colour photographs.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant passed the order after hearing senior advocate Salman Khurshid appearing for Maulana Kamaluddin Welfare Society, additional solicitor-general K.M. Natraj representing the state government and advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain appearing for the Hindu Front for Justice.
At the centre of the dispute is the 11th-century ASI-protected monument that the Hindus insist was a temple dedicated to Saraswati before it was destroyed by the Mughals. The Muslim claimants maintain that it is the Kamal Maula Mosque.
The title dispute is pending before the high court, which had earlier directed the ASI to conduct a scientific survey and submit a sealed-cover report of the findings.
Under an ASI-mandated treaty, Hindus have been worshipping at the site on Tuesdays and Muslims on Fridays since 2003.
On Wednesday, Khurshid raised concerns regarding the accessibility of evidence.
"We have raised several objections. We request that the videography be handed over and colour photographs of the survey be provided so we can properly frame our objections," he said.
The bench, which included Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi, noted that the high court had already addressed the procedural timeline for these objections.
Justice Bagchi observed that while some objections were listed in the survey report, others were yet to be addressed.
He noted that the videography would be played in court, allowing all parties to contest its correctness.
Jain told the bench that the high court would take up the matter on Thursday.
Without going into the merits of the issue, the apex court emphasised that all objections regarding the survey must be heard by the high court in accordance with the principles of natural justice.
"The high court shall, accordingly, take an appropriate decision on the objections, including those which are found arising from the videography," the bench said.
"All the issues are left open to be adjudicated by the high court. The parties may, accordingly, raise their respective contentions before the high court," the bench added.
On March 16, a high court bench of Justices Vijay Kumar Shukla and Alok Awasthi had set April 2 for the regular hearing of the petitions related to the disputed complex and said it would inspect the site. The two judges examined the complex on March 28.
On January 22, the top court had ruled that both Hindus and Muslims could offer prayers at separate earmarked places within the compound of the disputed monument on Friday, January 23, which coincided with Basant Panchami.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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J&K ministers question withdrawal of security escorts after gunfight in Ganderbal
Muzaffar Raina
02.04.26
Security forces have gunned down a militant in an overnight exchange of fire in Ganderbal district, the incident prompting ministers in the Omar Abdullah-led government to question the withdrawal of their security escorts at a time militancy persists in Jammu and Kashmir.
The administration led by lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha is facing heat from
Valley-based MLAs for allegedly withdrawing their security escorts.
There was an uproar in the Assembly on Tuesday over the security rollback at National Conference headquarters in Srinagar, with chief minister Omar Abdullah terming the move “incomprehensible” as it came less than a month
after an assassination attempt on party president Farooq
Abdullah.
The army on Wednesday said they had killed a militant in an operation that started on Tuesday evening at Arahama in Ganderbal.
“During the search, vigilant troops observed suspicious activity. On being challenged, terrorists opened
fire and their own troops
retaliated,” Srinagar-based Chinar Corps posted on X
on Wednesday.
The army said the identity of the militant was being ascertained.
A spokesman said the cordon was tactically reorganised amid intermittent firing during which “the troops effectively retaliated with calibrated response, resulting in elimination of one terrorist”.
Officials said the anti-terror operation was in progress.
Deputy chief minister Surinder Choudhary asked whether the situation in Jammu and Kashmir was truly normal as was being touted.
“The LG is removing the security of a few MLAs. We should also ask the DGP (director-general of police) why the Ganderbal encounter is underway if the situation is normal in Jammu and Kashmir?” Choudhary told reporters in Jammu.
Recalling the attack on Farooq, he said: “You are giving security to only select MLAs on a pick-and-choose basis. This is a joke of democracy. I hope the LG will intervene and do justice in this matter.”
National Conference MLA and party’s chief spokesman Tanvir Sadiq said the Ganderbal encounter proved
that claims of normalcy were untrue.
“On one hand, we say that the situation is normal now. But on the other hand, such incidents show that terror incidents are still happening here,” he said.
In September, two soldiers and two militants were killed in a gunbattle in Kulgam district of south Kashmir.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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Mideast
Surging ‘Jewish terrorism’ in West Bank condemned but unpunished
April 02, 2026
JERUSALEM: Violence by extremist Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank has reached unprecedented levels since the start of the war with Iran, with NGOs and opposition figures denouncing an environment of impunity.
While so-called “Jewish terrorism” has drawn widespread condemnation both in Israel and abroad, little has been done to curb it.
Assaults by violent settlers against Palestinians have been carried out for years, often to the indifference of mainstream Israeli society.
But the recent surge has prompted criticism from influential rabbis, settler leaders and even military chief Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, who described the attacks as “morally and ethically unacceptable.”
According to Reem Cohen, a researcher at the Tel Aviv?based Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), “there has been an increase in acts of Jewish terrorism since the start of the war with Iran,” along with a rise in “the severity of the acts.”
In an interview with AFP, Cohen, who authored a report on the issue in January, denounced the impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators.
“The Israeli government and security forces... have not responded with determination,” Cohen wrote in his report.
One of the first measures taken by Defense Minister Israel Katz upon assuming office in 2024 was to cancel administrative detention — a form of virtually unlimited custody — for Israeli suspects of violent crimes in the West Bank. It was maintained for Palestinians.
At least six Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since the beginning of March in violence attributed to extremist settlers.
That figure for the whole of 2024 stood at five, according to UN data.
“Jewish terrorism against Palestinians in the West Bank has evolved from marginal, local incidents into a widespread phenomenon that occurs as part of a fight for control of the territory and an increasing effort to uproot Palestinian presence,” Cohen wrote.
- ‘Ideological support’ -
Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967. Excluding east Jerusalem, more than 500,000 Israelis now live there in settlements considered illegal by the UN, among some three million Palestinians.
Settlement building in the territory has continued under every Israeli government since the occupation began.
But it has accelerated significantly under the current coalition of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which contains far-right parties and is considered one of the most right-wing in Israeli history.
It has surged even more since October 7.
After the outbreak of the second intifada, the Palestinian uprising in the early 2000s, groups of radicalized settlers living outside formal settlements, known as the “hilltop youth,” pursued what they called a “price tag” policy, carrying out random revenge attacks on Palestinians after every anti?Israeli assault.
Since October 7, such violence has become a daily occurrence, “with the ideological support of certain members of the government,” Cohen said, in a reference to far?right ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.
During the ongoing war with Iran, the head of the left-wing Democrats party, Yair Golan, accused the government of “supporting Jewish terrorism” and harming Israel’s security by forcing the army to “put out fires (the government had) lit” in the West Bank.
Videos posted on social media, sometimes by the perpetrators themselves, show hundreds of young men — often masked and armed with sticks or automatic weapons — entering Palestinian villages to sow terror.
- ‘Hilltop barbarians’ -
Violent settlers have with increased frequency torched Palestinians’ homes, uprooted their olive trees and killed their cattle.
In a recent investigation into these groups, which operate mainly in rural areas near the cities of Nablus in the northern West Bank and Hebron in the south, the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth called them “hilltop barbarians.”
Since October 7, settlers have established more than 175 farms and outposts in the West Bank with the tacit consent of Israeli authorities.
Though illegal under Israeli law, these outposts are meant to create facts on the ground and receive protection from the army, according to the NGO Peace Now.
The hardcore “hilltop youth” reject all authority and espouse a theocratic and anti?democratic vision of Jewish sovereignty over the West Bank — with any means to achieve it deemed legitimate.
According to several Israeli media outlets, Netanyahu recently requested that the army take action against the extremists, whom he publicly condemned in November, saying they were not representative of the settler movement.
According to the INSS, “90 percent of settler violence cases in the West Bank are closed without indictments,” and Israeli soldiers, instead of arresting the culprits, at times take part in the assaults.
Source: arabnews.com
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Israel reports Iranian missile attacks after Trump address
April 02, 2026
JERUSALEM: Israel’s military said air defenses responded to waves of Iranian missile fire early Thursday, including at least two attacks after US President Donald Trump delivered an address to the American public about the war.
After the first attack, police said officers were called to “several” impact sites in central Israel, with media reports putting the number at nine.
Four people were lightly wounded in the Tel Aviv area, the reports said, citing medics.
Israeli media attributed the damage across a relatively wide area to the use of cluster munitions, which explode mid-air and scatter bomblets.
Iran and Israel have previously accused each other of using cluster bombs.
Within about six hours of the first attack, the military announced it had again “identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel” three more times, triggering air raid sirens across much of northern and central Israel.
The military’s Home Front Command later said residents were “permitted to leave protected spaces in all areas of the country.”
There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage as a result of the later attacks.
On Wednesday, as Jewish Israelis were preparing to celebrate the Passover holiday, emergency services said Iranian missile fire wounded 14 people, including an 11-year-old girl.
In northern Israel, there were also air raid sirens early Thursday warning of incoming attacks from Lebanon, according to the Home Front Command.
Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, an Iran ally which joined the war on March 2, claimed rocket fire targeting Israeli troops in border areas and a drone attack on a village.
There were no reports of any casualties or damage.
Source: arabnews.com
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Iranian president: ‘We harbor no enmity toward American people’
April 01, 2026
WASHINGTON: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a letter addressed to the American people on Wednesday that his country harbors no enmity toward ordinary Americans.
He said in his letter that portraying Iran as a threat was “neither consistent with historical reality nor with present-day observable facts.”
The president added that both confrontation and engagement between Iran and the US are accessible, adding that Iran will endure any aggression by the US.
“Today, the world stands at crossroads. Continuing along the path of confrontation is more costly and futile than ever before. The choice between confrontation and engagement is both real and consequential; its outcome will shape the future for generations to come," said Pezeshkian. “Throughout its millennia of proud history, Iran has outlasted many aggressors. All that remains of them are tarnished names in history, while Iran endures — resilient, dignified, and proud.”
Pezeshkian did not mention a ceasefire offer last week by President Trump, though he accused Israel of dragging the US into a war against Iran.
“Is it not also the case that America has entered this aggression as a proxy for Israel, influenced and manipulated by that regime? ” asked Pezeshkian.
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Armed teenagers on patrol strike fear into Tehran residents
April 01, 2026
PARIS: In the security crackdown ordered by Iranian authorities since the start of the war, an unsettling new sight on the streets of Tehran has put residents on edge: teenagers armed with machine guns.
During the first weeks of the war against the United States and Israel, checkpoints sprang up around the capital, often comprising police or military vehicles, with traffic cones and barriers blocking the roads.
In recent days, following highly publicized airstrikes on their positions, some of the most visible barriers have been removed, but security forces remain a noticeable presence on the streets.
Iranian authorities have confirmed they are recruiting children as young as 12 for paramilitary group patrols, traffic checks and other duties.
“Around 9 pm, I was feeling suffocated and nostalgic, so I got in the car to drive around town,” a 28-year-old woman told AFP on Monday on condition that her identity be protected.
“I came across two checkpoints in the north of Tehran, with teenagers aged 13 or 14, weapons in their hands, who were stopping vehicles,” she added in a message sent to an AFP correspondent abroad.
One of the boys opened the passenger door and sat down next to her.
“He asked for my mobile phone and checked everything, even my photographs. It was extremely intrusive,” she added.
Hundreds of Iranian authorities have been arresting people for connecting to the international Internet, which remains banned and largely inaccessible, while those caught sending information overseas have been accused of spying.
Another Tehran resident told AFP last week he had been through a checkpoint of military vehicles, then “just 100 meters (330 feet) ahead, there are several private cars with teenagers stopping vehicles.”
“They open car doors without permission, open dashboards and check phones,” he added.
‘Do not abandon’
Iranian authorities say minors as young as 12 are being allowed to join the country’s much-feared Basij volunteer paramilitary force, reviving memories of the 1980s when thousands of children fought during the Iran-Iraq war.
Basij units, part of the ideological army of the Revolutionary Guards, are believed to have played a role alongside other security forces in the violence against anti-government protesters in January which left thousands dead.
Rahim Nadali, an official with the Revolutionary Guards in Tehran, said on state television last week that Basij units had been inundated with volunteers.
“Considering the ages of those requesting to join, we have now lowered the minimum age to 12 years old, because children aged 12-13 want to be involved,” he said.
Analysts have varying interpretations of the move, with some seeing it as a sign of desperation, or a lack of volunteers.
Others said the move was evidence of a more radical turn by authorities.
In a statement at the weekend, the powerful speaker of parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf urged supporters to “not abandon the streets, because missiles, streets and straits have squeezed the enemy’s throat.”
The reference to “straits” was to the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic shipping route off Iran’s coast that Tehran has all but closed.
‘Hard-line support base’
The crackdown is designed to suppress any chances of a popular uprising, which was encouraged by US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the start of the war, analysts said.
As well as manning checkpoints, pro-government supporters form street patrols at night.
“They take cars fitted with speakerphones and they give them flags and they march with lots of noise and shout slogans in the streets,” another resident in a Tehran suburb told AFP recently.
Hamidreza Azizi, an academic and author on Iran, said the idea was “to prevent any opposition calls for people to come onto the streets.”
Azizi, a visiting fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, said that Iran’s government was leaning on its most devout supporters.
“The legitimacy deficit in the Islamic republic has led it to rely on its minority hard-line support base which has proved to be effective in supporting the regime in the middle of the war,” he told a discussion organized by the International Crisis Group, a think-tank, on Monday.
The New York-based Human Rights Watch campaign group said the recruitment of children for military purposes was “a war crime when the children are under 15” and would put them at risk of US-Israeli attacks.
“What this boils down to is that Iranian authorities are apparently willing to risk children’s lives for some extra manpower,” Bill Van Esveld, associate children’s rights director at the group said in a statement.
Source: arabnews.com
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Beirut is bursting as over 1 million people flee Israeli strikes and evacuation orders
April 02, 2026
BEIRUT: Beirut is bursting.
It’s been a month since Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel after the US-Israeli attack on its patron, Iran, triggering Israeli bombardment of Lebanon and a ground invasion. Since then, more than 1 million people from southern and eastern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburbs have fled. Many have crammed into the ever-tighter spaces of the country’s capital where the bombs have not yet fallen.
Israel’s attacks and evacuation orders — unprecedented in scope, covering what humanitarian agencies estimate to be 15 percent of this tiny country — have emptied villages in south Lebanon and pushed almost the entire population of the southern suburbs into Beirut, shifting the city’s center of gravity, reshaping its geography and stirring fears about its future.
A huge tent encampment has sprouted up in the grassy field between a yacht club and nightlife venue, transforming the Beirut waterfront. Some families squat in storefronts, live in mosques and sleep in the cars they drove here, double- and triple-parking convoys on thoroughfares. Others huddle in tents pulled together from sheets of tarp along the curving coastal corniche or around Horsh Beirut, a park of pine trees on the outskirts of an area of the southern suburbs known as Dahiyeh.
“It’s horrid because we feel this tension, that we’re not wanted here,” said Noor Hussein, who settled at the waterfront in early March after fleeing the first Israeli airstrikes on Dahiyeh. She watched a stream of well-to-do joggers navigate a maze of tents and soiled mattresses, her three youngest children clambering onto her lap.
“We don’t want to be here,” she said. “We have nothing here and nowhere to go.”
Experts say this displacement is unprecedented
Waves of displacement have upended this city before, most recently during the 2024 Israel-Hezbollah war. But experts struggle to recall such a dramatic exodus — about 20 percent of the country’s population, according to government statements — hitting Beirut so fast.
“The scale and intensity of this is just unprecedented,” said Dalal Harb, the spokesperson for the United Nations refugee agency in Lebanon. She said the figure of 1 million displaced is almost certainly an undercount because it misses anyone who has not formally registered as displaced with the Ministry of Social Affairs.
The government has converted hundreds of public schools into shelters and pitched tents for displaced families beneath the bleachers of the city’s main sports stadium. Charities have scrambled to help, with one refashioning an abandoned slaughterhouse destroyed in Beirut’s 2020 port explosion into a dormitory for almost 1,000 displaced people.
But urban researchers note a staggering number of people on the streets compared with past conflicts, making it difficult for ordinary residents to block out the war and the misery it has wrought.
“This is relatively new, that you have so many people spending time in these open spaces, who are very vulnerable, living in very precarious conditions,” said Mona Harb, a professor of urban studies at the American University of Beirut. “You have to confront this visually when you’re coming and going to work, to school ... and there are strong, mixed feelings associated with this presence that’s unregulated.”
Families say they’ve struggled to find space at government-run shelters in Beirut and would rather brave the elements than travel north to cities where they might find better accommodations but where they have no relatives or connections.
“The further away we go, the more we’ll lose hope about finding our way back,” said Hawraa Balha, 42, when asked why her family of four was squeezing into the small car they drove from the devastated southern border village of Duhaira rather than sleeping in an available shelter further north. “We don’t want to move again.”
Residents of the suburbs of Dahiyeh have largely opted to remain in Beirut. That way, every so often, they can retrieve belongings and check whether their homes are still standing, albeit in furtive dashes under the threat of bombardment. Hussein said her kids grew so desperate for a shower after nearly a month without a bathroom that they rushed home to wash up last week despite the incessant buzz of Israeli drones.
As more tents appear, Lebanon’s sectarian balance is at risk
The prospect of hundreds of thousands of Shiites on the move has inflamed Lebanese sensitivities about the country’s fragile sectarian balance. Ever since its bloody 15-year civil war, Lebanon has relied on a power-sharing agreement to accommodate the interests of Christians, Shiite Muslims and Sunni Muslims, the country’s largest religious groups, which make up roughly equal shares of the population.
“It’s generating anxieties in Beirut, where the bulk of the displacement is, that this may cause a significant transformation in the demographic balance within the country, or within certain spaces and cities,” said Maha Yahya, director of the Beirut-based Carnegie Middle East Center.
Each day that passes, more tents appear at the waterfront settlement. Children have started to complain of skin rashes. Heavy rainfall recently flooded the grassy lot and seeped into tents, leaving a trail of soggy clothes and sore throats. A fight broke out last week as volunteers arrived to distribute donations.
“We’re not used to living like this — we had a house, we had normal lives,” said Lina Shamis, 51, warming herself by a fire at the foot of a billboard advertising luxury watches. She, her three adult daughters and their small children set up camp here after heeding Israeli evacuation orders for Dahiyeh in a panic, carrying almost nothing with them.
“Now the kids are out of school and hungry, and our neighborhood is gone,” she said. “All I feel is despair.”
With Israel thrusting deeper into Lebanon and threatening to seize Lebanese territory as far as the Litani, a river 20 miles (30 kilometers) north of the Israeli border, the situation of displaced people in Beirut “will be even worse than what we’re seeing now,” warned Harb, from the UN refugee agency.
“The needs will continue to increase,” she said. “It’s an imminent humanitarian catastrophe.”
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Bahrain takes helm of UN Security Council, pledges action on Iranian aggression
Ephrem Kossaify
April 01, 2026
NEW YORK CITY: As his country assumed the rotating presidency of the Security Council for April, Bahrain’s envoy to the UN, Jamal Fares Alrowaiei, warned that continuing Iranian attacks against Gulf states risk setting a dangerous global precedent.
Speaking on Wednesday as he outlined Manama’s priorities during its month-long stint, Alrowaiei said the recent Iranian aggression against Bahrain and other countries, which started shortly after the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran began on Feb. 28, should not be viewed as a purely regional issue.
“We consider this not a national or regional matter but an international matter of concern,” he said, warning that the potential security and economic consequences extend far beyond the Middle East.
“Iran’s irresponsible behavior, if left unaddressed, can become a norm that we can see replicated in other regions in the world — and this is something nobody wants to see happen.”
The attacks against Bahrain, its fellow Gulf Cooperation Council members and Jordan constitute a “flagrant violation” of international law and the UN Charter, Alrowaiei said.
He highlighted repeated breaches of Security Council Resolution 2817, a measure presented by Bahrain last month on behalf of the GCC states and Jordan that condemned the Iranian attacks on states in the region and shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. It garnered broad international backing from more than 130 UN member states.
Bahrain has formally raised the issue in several communications to the UN secretary-general, and stressed its right to defend itself under Article 51 of the UN Charter.
“We continue to reserve the right of self-defense,” Alrowaiei said.
Alrowaiei dismissed as baseless the allegations by Tehran that countries in the region had launched attacks against it. He said Gulf states have consistently sought to build “bridges of peace and cooperation” with Iran but were instead met with “surprising” and “premeditated” aggression.
“All the excuses used to justify Iran’s attacks are invalid,” he said. “They are trying to find excuses only in the minds of Iran to attack our region.”
He added that the broad international backing for Resolution 2817 underscored what he described as the “false nature” of Tehran’s claims.
Alrowaiei outlined four overarching priorities for Bahrain’s presidency of the Security Council this month: consolidating peace and stability, addressing traditional and emerging security threats, ensuring inclusion, and advancing multilateralism.
“These priorities will shape our program of work in a cross-cutting manner,” he said.
Beyond the situation with Iran, he also signaled that Bahrain will be paying close attention to broader developments in Middle East, including the Palestinian issue. The council will monitor the situation in the West Bank, he said, and support governance and peace efforts in Gaza.
Alrowaiei also stressed the importance of safeguarding Lebanon and preventing it from being drawn into the wider regional conflict.
“It is important that we support Lebanon’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity,” he said, as he called for backing for the Lebanese government in its efforts to maintain national stability.
Unchecked escalation of violence risks normalizing cross-border attacks, he warned.
“The problem is Iranian; it needs Iran to address it — especially when the region is striving for stability, development and peace,” Alrowaiei said.
Source: arabnews.com
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Strikes kill two fighters in northwestern Iraq
April 01, 2026
IRBIL, Iraq: Strikes in northwestern Iraq killed two fighters from the former paramilitary coalition Hashed Al-Shaabi on Wednesday, the alliance said, blaming the US and Israel.
Iraq has been unwillingly drawn into the war started by Israel and the US on February 28, with strikes targeting both US interests and pro-Iran groups in the country.
The alliance, also known as the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), is now part of Iraq’s regular armed forces although it also contains pro-Iran factions.
Two fighters, including a commander, were killed in two strikes on a position in Tal Afar district in Nineveh Governorate, near the Syrian border, a PMF statement said.
It said four were wounded in the “treacherous Zionist-American attack.”
Earlier, an official with the group had put the number of wounded at six.
Earlier, a drone attack near Irbil, capital of the northern autonomous Kurdistan region, caused a massive fire at the storage facilities of an engine oil firm.
Irbil hosts a major US consulate complex, while its airport houses military advisers attached to a US-led international anti-jihadist coalition. Both have been regularly targeted since the outbreak of war.
Irbil’s governor Omed Khoshnaw said the attack had started at around 7:00 am local (0400 GMT) and that four drones had targeted the facility.
He said a double-tap attack had occurred “while the teams were still working, the same site was attacked by another drone.”
A fourth drone was “destroyed mid-air before reaching its target,” he said.
Iraqi firm Sardar Group confirmed in a statement that the facility, a warehouse located around five kilometers (three miles) from Irbil, was attacked.
It said there were no casualties.
The strike followed a heavy night of attacks near the regional capital, with Khoshnaw saying some 20 drones had been shot down over the city.
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Arab World
Saudi, Greek defense ministers discuss Iranian attacks on countries in the region
April 01, 2026
RIYADH: Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman discussed regional developments in light of continued Iranian attacks on the Kingdom and other Arab countries with his Greek counterpart on Wednesday.
During a meeting in Riyadh, Prince Khalid and Nikos Dendias also discussed the repercussions of the attacks on international peace and security, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Prospects for joint cooperation between the two countries in the military and defense fields were also reviewed, SPA said.
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Saudi aid agency KSrelief provides hot meals and food baskets for displaced Palestinians in Gaza
April 01, 2026
RIYADH: A central kitchen managed by the Saudi aid agency KSrelief provided 24,000 hot meals for displaced families in Gaza on Tuesday as part of efforts by authorities in the Kingdom to support the people of the territory.
The agency’s partner in the territory, the Saudi Center for Culture and Heritage, oversaw delivery and organized distribution in the field, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
KSrelief also handed out food baskets at refugee camps in Khan Younis after a humanitarian aid convoy delivered a large number of the baskets to Gaza on Tuesday.
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AI takes center stage at Umrah and Ziyarah Forum
SALEH FAREED
April 01, 2026
MADINAH: At this year’s Umrah and Ziyarah Forum in Madinah, artificial intelligence was a key focus, bringing together government entities, private and nonprofit sectors, Umrah operators, investors, developers, hospitality leaders, technology providers, and other stakeholders to discuss its current impact and challenges.
Discussions and workshops covered topics such as enhancing pilgrims’ and visitors’ experiences through AI, integrating sustainability and digital systems into the Umrah and Ziyarah ecosystem, and using digital technologies to document and present sites linked to the life of the Prophet Muhammad.
Industry experts spoke to Arab News about how AI could transform the experience for millions of visitors.
Safa Soft showcased YUUSR.COM, an AI-driven Umrah booking platform developed as part of its digital ecosystem, representing a new wave of technology solutions aimed at improving access to Umrah services.
The platform was recently introduced to international markets at ITB Berlin, a major travel industry event, and is now being presented in the Kingdom to Umrah operators and stakeholders.
Hosam Al-Asali, CEO of Safa Soft, said: “YUUSR.COM enables travellers to search, compare and book Umrah packages online through a digitally integrated experience, with a strong focus on price competitiveness and accessibility.
“Our focus is on building solutions that are integrated, efficient and aligned with the needs of the sector,” he added.
Industry participants also noted that the Umrah sector has historically been marked by fragmented booking processes and limited price transparency.
The emergence of AI-driven platforms such as YUUSR.COM signals a shift toward more connected, transparent, and user-centric service models.
According to Al-Asali, Safa Soft is also showcasing a range of supporting solutions that underpin the operational backbone of Umrah services.
These include Safa Visa, a visa management system that enables secure data handling and streamlined submission processes; Bravo, a platform connecting Saudi Umrah companies with service providers while maintaining compliance and operational visibility; and OTA, a solution that enables travel agencies to deploy customized booking platforms.
“Together, these solutions are designed to connect the full Umrah journey, from initial search and booking through to visa processing and service delivery, within a single digital framework,” Al-Asali added.
Elm, a digital solutions company, showcased an integrated suite of technologies designed to enhance the Umrah performer and visitor journey.
During the forum, Elm presented a portfolio of digital solutions supporting different stages of the pilgrim journey.
Among the highlights are Nusuk AI, which provides multilingual guidance, and Nusuk Marhaba, which serves as a first point of welcome within an integrated reception system across land, air, and seaports, helping ensure a smooth arrival experience for pilgrims.
Ahmed Elhayek, head of the AI department at the University of Prince Mugrin, highlighted the impact of advanced technologies tailored to the needs of Umrah visitors and the role of AI in pilgrimage management.
He told Arab News: “Here in Madinah, we are using AI to develop long-term solutions that enhance the sustainability of Umrah services, including managing human movement by analyzing crowd flow and predicting congestion, offering multilingual guidance, updates on mosque crowd levels, queue predictions for transport boarding, prayer slots and movement planning, intelligent options for reducing congestion, and using big data to anticipate pilgrims’ needs.”
Elhayek said they have been working on Madinah GPT, an AI-driven research initiative designed to transform the visitor experience in the city, both intellectually and spiritually.
Madinah GPT connects more than 1,000 historical landmarks linked to the life of the Prophet Muhammad using AI technologies, including RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) and agentic AI.
He said: “Our vision is to create an immersive, interactive journey that blends audio, visuals, and intelligent storytelling — allowing visitors to engage with key moments of history in a meaningful and engaging way.”
The forum, which concluded on Wednesday, continued to strengthen its position as a leading specialized platform, attracting participants from more than 160 countries and over 32,000 visitors.
It featured 120 exhibiting entities and 150 speakers who contributed through 25 sessions and 50 workshops. The event also saw the signing of more than 4,200 agreements, reflecting strong interest in developing the sector.
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Jeddah’s bakery scene gets a European twist
SALEH FAREED
April 01, 2026
JEDDAH: Swedish chef Niklas Yousef Johansson and his Welsh partner have launched an artisanal bakery in Jeddah, drawing customers from across the city as well as from Riyadh and Makkah.
The pair opened Fox & Irish bakery in February this year, operating from a small space inside Al-Kaki supermarket in Al-Safa district. Since then, long queues have formed ahead of opening hours as demand has grown.
Before moving to Saudi Arabia, the two trained and worked in bakeries across Sweden, the UK, France and Turkiye, refining their craft and exploring international baking traditions before deciding to open their own venture.
“Our concept is simple — only fresh, natural ingredients and traditional methods are used to make our artisanal sourdough and pastries,” Johansson told Arab News.
Through a mutual Saudi friend who also worked in the industry, they secured a space at the supermarket.
“Having your own space is probably every pastry chef’s dream but we took things slowly. The owner of Al-Kaki’s supermarket is a friend of ours, he offered us a small corner to start our business,” Johansson said.
He noted that the plan to open a bakery in Saudi Arabia started two years ago but they had to study the market first. “Once we agreed on everything to enter the Saudi market with our new project, we decided to start small and take things step by step,” he said.
Johansson, a Muslim convert also known as Yousef who landed in Jeddah three months ago, added: “We opened our bakery during the first day of Ramadan and during the first four days of the holy month, we had no customers at all but after the help of a Saudi friend who posted online a video featuring our fresh sourdough bread and cinnamon rolls. The video went viral. Since then, Alhamdullah, we have noticed a massive boost in our sales.”
The Swede expressed his happiness living in Saudi Arabia and residing close to the Two Holy Mosques. “I embraced Islam 20 years ago and just arrived to Saudi Arabia four months ago.
“I am extremely happy to be here, this happiness that I am feeling could not be expressed in words especially when I am close to the Two Holy Mosques.”
After their video caught the eye of viewers and went viral on the internet, Arab News also headed to their location and witnessed the long line of customers who swarm the counter an hour ahead of the opening.
Until they can afford to hire and train a baking crew, they are both personally baking everything themselves to ensure quality control.
“We are sourcing all our ingredients from Sweden, UK and other parts of Europe to ensure we are catering the original tastes,” Johansson explained. “For example, we use the organic butter from New Zealand for the sourdough breads and add Belgium chocolate for the cinnamon rolls.”
Johansson said he wants to offer the community the best European tastes and quality. “Our aim is to create a high-quality bakery with reasonable prices here in Jeddah.
“It is not about money but we want to offer good quality products with reasonable prices,” he added.
Asked about any challenges that they have encountered, he explained that opening a bakery anywhere in the world is not easy, “because it is a new country, new rules, new challenges,” he noted.
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KACST hosts AI chip design hackathon
April 01, 2026
RIYADH: The King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology in Riyadh has opened registration for the second Chipathon hackathon, organized by Academy 32 in collaboration with the Saudi Semiconductors Program.
The hackathon focuses on designing electronic chips for artificial intelligence accelerator applications and is open to male and female university students throughout the Kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Registration is open until April 4.
The initiative sets out to identify and develop national talent while enhancing skills in electronic chip design for AI applications.
It offers hands-on experience that combines academic knowledge with real-world industry challenges, encourages innovation, and helps build globally competitive designers.
Hackathon stages include registration, selection and team formation, online training starting April 5, chip design challenges, and concludes with a final ceremony displaying team outcomes.
The initiative aims to attract more than 1,000 students and develop 10 advanced AI-focused chip prototypes, contributing to the national innovation ecosystem.
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18th-century anchor sheds light on Jeddah maritime history in Red Sea Museum
April 01, 2026
JEDDAH: A historic iron anchor greets visitors at the Red Sea Museum in Historic Jeddah, offering a glimpse into maritime activity in the Red Sea over the past two centuries.
Dating back to the mid-to-late 18th century, the anchor was discovered along the Red Sea coast near Jeddah, according to a Saudi Press Agency report.
Today, it stands as one of the museum’s most striking artifacts, measuring about 2.7 meters in length and weighing between 350 kg and 400 kg.
The piece has been carefully reconstructed using 3D scanning and digital restoration technologies, allowing experts to restore its original form with a high degree of scientific accuracy.
Laboratory analysis using portable X-ray fluorescence confirmed that the anchor is made of iron. Its design, featuring a long shank, straight arms, and shovel-shaped flukes, closely resembles British anchors from the 18th century, a style also used by Portuguese fleets at the time.
The similarities point to the extent of European maritime influence in the Red Sea during that era.
Beyond its technical features, the anchor highlights the Red Sea’s historical role as a major trade and cultural corridor, the SPA reported.
Ports such as Jeddah served as key hubs connecting global trade routes and facilitating cultural exchange over the centuries.
The Red Sea Museum continues to offer visitors an immersive cultural experience through its collections, with a platform for promoting dialogue and cultural exchange.
It aligns with the Kingdom’s commitment to preserving its cultural and natural heritage as part of Saudi Vision 2030 objectives.
The initiative is part of efforts to revitalize Historic Jeddah and transform it into a global cultural destination, blending a rich heritage of history and art and offering visitors a quality experience that bridges the past and the future.
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Europe
Islam scholar from Oxford jailed 18 years for rape
1 April 206
By Matt Simpson
A former Oxford professor of Islamic studies has been jailed for 18 years raping three women.
Prominent Islam scholar Tariq Ramadan was sentenced by a court in Paris two years after he was jailed for a separate rape in Switzerland.
The 63-year-old did not attend the trial as he was in Geneva being treated for multiple sclerosis, according to his lawyers.
The scholar, who was a senior research fellow at St Antony’s College, has always denied the charges and his lawyers branded the trial a "farce", the BBC and other national outlets have reported.
Judge Corinne Goetzmann said the sentencing reflects the "extreme seriousness of the acts" in her verdict.
She also said a warrant had been issued for Ramadam's arrest in Switzerland, the BBC said.
Switzerland does not have an extradition treaty with France meaning the Swiss authorities have no requirement to send him to France.
French newspaper Le Perisien has reported that Ramadam is also to be banned from French territory once he has served his sentence.
He told the publication after the court ruling: "I will not let this decision stand."
Born in Switzerland in 1962, Ramadam is the grandson of Hassan al Banna, the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Ramadam studied philosophy, literature and social sciences at the University of Geneva and Arabic and Islamic studies for his PhD.
He is a scholarly European Muslim, whose books, grounded in Islam’s textual sources, show him to be a skilled interpreter of Islamic history.
A controversial figure, Ramadan was previously ejected from the United States as an extremist, judged to have provided material support to terrorist organisations.
Some eight Muslim countries have also denied him entry through their borders, including in 2016 Mauritania in Africa and in 2018 Qatar.
He has received global praise for his academic work, including being ranked as one of the 100 most important innovators of the 21st century by Time magazine.
According to St Antony’s College website, Ramadan is the president of the think tank European Muslim Network in Brussels and a member of the International Union of Muslim Scholars.
In 2017, the University of Oxford announced that "by mutual agreement, and with immediate effect" Ramadan had taken "a leave of absence".
In a past interview with Der Spiegel, he said: “God has established norms and the norm is that a man is meant for a woman and a woman is meant for a man” and that Islam is “very clear” that homosexuality “is not allowed”.
Source: thisisoxfordshire.co.uk
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Windsor mosque hopes dashed as day centre plans move forward
2 April 2026
Elena Chiujdea
Windsor and Maidenhead council is progressing plans to turn two buildings in Windsor into supported living accommodation – dashing hopes of the Windsor Muslim Association that the site could be turned into a permanent home for the group.
The Windsor Day Centre and Oakbridge Day Centre in Imperial Road sit on council-owned land.
One has been used as a day centre for people with learning disabilities whilst the other is a former day centre for older people which closed in 2021.
In July last year, councillors backed the plans to repurpose the two buildings into at least 22 supported living apartments.
One building will be dedicated for older adults and one for younger people aged 18-25.
At a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, councillors agreed to start looking for an organisation that will take over the site on a long lease of at least 125 years and help provide the supported living accommodation.
Councillor Adam Bermange, the cabinet member for adult services planning and governance, said the council is expecting to have a development partner chosen by August this year.
The day centre facilities will then be relocated to another site, the meeting heard.
The Oakbridge building is a community asset and before the supported living plans could move forward, a notice of proposed disposal was published by the council in July 2025.
This allowed any community groups the chance to negotiate an offer if they wished to buy the site.
Speaking at the York House meeting, Mohamed Arif from the Windsor Muslim Association (WMA) said the charity had put forward £5million to purchase the two buildings and the associated car park.
Rashidah Alli, a member of the WMA, told the meeting: “Despite our long presence [in Windsor] we remain a community without a permanent home.
“Our ability to expand the services we offer to the wider community is limited. But having a place to call home would change that.
“It would strengthen the community cohesion across Windsor and ensure this site continues to serve the purpose for which it was recognised as a valued community asset.”
But the offer put forward by the charity was considered by the council to be unviable, the meeting heard.
Cllr Chris Moriarty (Lib Dem, Cox Green) recognised the impact the charity has had in Windsor but explained that the viability aspect is not just about ‘a headline figure’.
He said: “It’s no doubt that the headline figure we’re talking about is significant money, I’m not going to downplay that.
“But we’ve also got to consider assets not just on their transactional value but also on their ongoing value to the council.”
If the council considered disposal, the site would now need to be put on the open market.
Once occupied, the supported living accommodation is projected to bring in annual revenue savings of over £216,000 based on 2025 care prices.
Leader of the council, Cllr Simon Werner (Lib Dem, Pinkneys Green) said the group’s search for a permanent home is ‘so important’ and was happy to meet with the Windsor Muslim Association to see what the council can do to help.
Cllr Bermange added: “At present, too many people are placed in residential care or sent out [of] the borough, reducing independence and straining families.
“This [supported living accommodation] is absolutely not institutional care. It is modern, high-quality supported living, designed to uphold dignity, enhance wellbeing, and support people to live as independently as possible.”
The ground floor accommodation will be dedicated to those with more complex needs, and first floor flats will be for people ‘ready for greater independence’, he added.
The accommodation is scheduled to be open in March 2028.
Source: sloughobserver.co.uk
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.sloughobserver.co.uk/news/25985735.windsor-mosque-hopes-dashed-day-centre-plans-move-forward/
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Keighley duo visit mosques as part of 30-day Ramadan journey
2 April 2026
By Shuiab Khan
A man who visited 30 different mosques during the month of Ramadan alongside his niece said they wanted to showcase the ‘beauty and diversity’ of the buildings.
Asif Iqbal was joined by his niece, Fathima Sajid during the Muslim holy month visiting mosques in in Bradford, Leeds, Keighley, Oldham, Rochdale and Halifax, as well as locations in Blackburn, Accrington, Nelson and Brierfield.
Asif said the aim was also to focus on mosques that provide dedicated spaces and facilities for women.
They documented each visit through short-form videos on YouTube to capture the distinct ‘atmosphere, community spirit, and personal reflections’ from every mosque.
Asif, who hails from Keighley, said: “The idea came from wanting to do something different and impactful during Ramadan.
"I run a platform called Halal or Haram, where I explore lifestyle topics through an Islamic lens, and I wanted to create something that combines spirituality, community, and storytelling.
“The concept of visiting 30 mosques in 30 days felt like a unique way to showcase the beauty of local masjids while inspiring others to reconnect with them.
“What surprised me the most was how every mosque had its own unique character and atmosphere, despite being in different regions.
“Some were grand and well-known, while others were smaller and hidden gems, but each one had a sense of peace and warmth that really stood out.”
He said the 30-day mosque journey was a powerful and emotional experience.
“Visiting a different masjid each day during Ramadan gave us a deeper appreciation of the diversity and unity within the Muslim community.
“Sharing this journey with my niece made it even more special, as it became not just content creation, but a meaningful bonding experience and a way to pass on values and create memories.”
Asif said at each mosque they received an ‘incredible’ welcome.
“Every mosque we visited was welcoming, friendly, and open. Whether it was a smile at the door or people taking the time to speak with us, there was a real sense of brotherhood and community that made each visit memorable.
“We tagged each mosque just before visiting them on our social media platform and also tagging them when we uploaded the videos.”
Asif has now launched a podcast.
He said: “We go deeper discussing our experiences at each mosque, what we learned, and highlighting the different approaches to inclusivity and community across these spaces.
“This project offers a fresh, human-centred perspective on Ramadan, community life, and women’s experiences in mosques—something we believe would resonate strongly with a wider audience.”
Following the Ramadan journey, Asif is hoping to plan visits at other times.
He added: “The response has been very positive, so I’m planning to continue visiting and showcasing more mosques beyond Ramadan, not just locally but potentially across the UK.
“The goal is to keep highlighting the beauty and importance of our masjids and encouraging more people to visit them regularly.
Source: keighleynews.co.uk
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.keighleynews.co.uk/news/25988736.duo-visit-lancs-mosques-part-30-day-ramadan-journey/
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EU taps interest from frozen Russian assets to give €1.4 billion to Ukraine
1 Apr, 2026
The European Commission has announced a new financial aid package for the cash-strapped Ukrainian government using the revenue generated from frozen Russian assets. The sum of €1.4 billion ($1.63 billion) would largely be spent on covering Kiev’s debts to its Western backers, the statement said.
Ukraine’s Western supporters froze $300 billion in Russian sovereign assets following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022. The majority is held at the Belgian-based Euroclear depository. In late 2023, the EU decided it could tap the annual revenues generated by the assets by declaring them ‘windfall profits’ that do not count as part of the foreign sovereign assets it could not legally confiscate.
Russia has said it considers any use of its frozen assets to be theft. It also warned it could retaliate by seizing €200 billion in Western assets held in Russia, but has so far refrained from doing so.
The package in April is the fourth tranche using the interest from the frozen funds, according to the commission’s statement. The previous tranche was delivered in August 2025. According to Brussels, “95% of the proceeds will be used to support Ukraine via the Ukraine Loan Cooperation Mechanism,” which was developed to assist Kiev in repaying loans from the EU and G7 nations.
The announcement comes as Ukraine faces a massive budget shortfall, with a projected deficit of around $53 billion for 2025-28 and a forecasted 18.4% deficit in the 2026 budget. El Pais reported in October 2025 that the Ukrainian government could run out of money as early as this month.
In December, the Bank of Russia filed a lawsuit against Euroclear in a Moscow court seeking $232 billion in compensation for frozen assets and lost profits.
The regulator additionally announced that it could expand its lawsuit over frozen assets beyond the Belgian-based depository to include European banks that also hold its funds.
Source: rt.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.rt.com/news/636999-eu-russian-assets-ukraine/
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Poland refuses to lend Patriot missile systems for Iran war
1 Apr, 2026
Poland will not relocate its American-made Patriot air defense missile systems to the Middle East to help the US intercept attacks from Iran, Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz has said.
Despite US President Donald Trump claiming that the Pentagon has an “unlimited” stockpile of weapons, the US-Israeli bombing campaign launched on February 28 has failed to thwart Iran’s ability to strike American bases in the region.
On Tuesday, the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita reported that the US had requested that Warsaw lend at least two of its Patriot systems, along with PAC-3 MSE missiles previously sold to Poland, for the war with Iran.
“Our Patriot batteries and their armament are used to protect Polish airspace and NATO’s eastern flank. Nothing is changing in this regard, and we are not planning to relocate them anywhere,” Kosiniak-Kamysz wrote on X on Tuesday.
“Our allies fully understand how important our mission here is. Poland’s security is an absolute priority.”
Seven US service members have been killed and nearly 350 wounded in Iranian strikes since the conflict began. Iranian missiles and drones have damaged or destroyed several expensive US radars and an E-3 Sentry AWACS command and control aircraft, according to satellite imagery and on-scene footage.
Trump has admonished NATO members in Europe for refusing to send warships to help the US secure the Strait of Hormuz, threatening to withdraw from the military bloc, which he described as a “paper tiger.” One of the most vocal opponents of the Iran war is Spain, which has refused to allow the US to use its airspace and joint bases for attacks on Iran.
Source: rt.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.rt.com/news/637004-poland-refuse-us-patriot-request/
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Paris accuses right-wing mayors of betraying EU
1 Apr, 2026
The French government has lashed out at right-wing mayors who have stripped European Union flags from town halls following their election wins. Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot condemned the acts as a “betrayal,” framing them as an erosion of freedom and democracy.
The controversy follows municipal elections last month in which Marine Le Pen’s right-wing National Rally (RN) won in dozens of small and mid-sized French towns, more than tripling its mayoral and council positions since the last vote.
In a symbolic gesture, some newly elected RN mayors began their mandates by removing EU flags from town halls. In at least two instances, the mayors removed the flag themselves and posted footage on social media. One of them said that the only “worthy” flag is the blue-white-red French standard.
“This is a betrayal of who we are,” Barrot wrote on X on Tuesday. “This [EU] flag is the flag of a possible hope; it is the flag of freedom, justice, and democracy,” he argued.
Led by veteran politician Marine Le Pen and party president Jordan Bardella, the Euroskeptic RN is France’s largest opposition party, holding a plurality of seats in parliament.
The party has long argued EU policies undermine French sovereignty, particularly on borders, migration, and economic rules. It advocates stricter immigration and asylum policies, prioritizing French citizens in social benefits, and reforms that would give national law primacy over EU rules.
The RN previously called for a referendum on France leaving the EU, with ‘Frexit’ a central issue in its 2017 campaign, but has since abandoned that position.
In the 2026 municipal elections, RN candidates campaigned on security, fiscal management, and local identity, often under the slogan “a safer and better-managed city.”
Le Pen has also criticized aspects of the EU’s policy toward Russia, calling for greater emphasis on diplomacy.
A three-time presidential candidate who reached the run-off in 2017 and 2022, Le Pen was sidelined last year after a French court convicted her of misusing EU funds. She denies wrongdoing.
Her protege, Bardella, remains a leading figure in opinion polls ahead of the 2027 presidential race.
Source: rt.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.rt.com/news/636976-france-right-wing-towns-eu-flags-betrayal/
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Russia tests groundbreaking cancer treatment
1 Apr, 2026
A Russian melanoma patient has received the first personalized cancer vaccine in what is hoped to be a breakthrough in the treatment of the disease, the Russian Health Ministry said in a statement to TASS on Wednesday.
Last year, the ministry approved two domestically-made medicines: Neooncovac, an mRNA-based vaccine for advanced melanoma, and Oncopept, a peptide treatment targeting aggressive colorectal tumors. Both began human pilot trials in 2025.
On Tuesday, Neooncovac was administered to its first clinical patient, a 60-year-old male with stage three skin cancer, according to Aleksandr Ginzburg, scientific director of the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, which helped develop the breakthrough anti-tumor medicine.
“So far, he is doing well; there have been no adverse reactions to the drug,” Ginzburg told Russian news portal Gazeta.ru on Wednesday. “He is 60 years old and has stage three melanoma with metastasis. The vaccine specifically helps fight metastases.”
Samples were taken from the patient’s tumor and non-tumor tissue, and researchers analyzed the genome to create a customized vaccine that trains the immune system to attack cancer cells, Ginzburg explained.
According to Andrey Kaprin, head of the National Medical Research Center of Radiology at the Russian Health Ministry, this approach represents a new method of treatment.
“This is a fundamentally different approach – not simply treating the disease, but ‘training’ the immune system to recognize and destroy precisely those cells that pose a threat,” he told TASS on Wednesday.
The patient will be given 8-9 doses of the medicine at intervals of 2-3 weeks, with his immune response recorded after each injection. Results are expected after three months of treatment.
Preclinical animal trials had shown tumors disappearing in many cases, with metastases responding in around 90% of tests, Ginzburg has previously said.
Neooncovac is currently in the final stages of being made available for free treatment under Russia’s national health insurance system, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko told reporters on Wednesday.
The Gamaleya Center, which made the first registered Covid-19 vaccine, Sputnik V, is also working on medicines targeting other oncological conditions, including pancreatic, kidney and non-small cell lung cancer – one of the cancers with the highest mortality rate worldwide.
Source: rt.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.rt.com/russia/636979-russia-tests-groundbreaking-cancer-treatment/
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North America
CAIR Calls for Accountability After U.S.-Israel Bombing of Historic Mosque in Iran
April 1, 2026
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called for accountability following the reported U.S.-Israel bombing of a historic mosque in Iran.
Israeli and US forces carry out airstrikes on Iran, including an attack on historic Jameh Mosque in Zanjan city.
In a statement, CAIR said:
“Blowing up mosques in Iran risks turning this illegal war for Israel into a war on Islam for Israel. The Trump administration must reveal who conducted this attack on a mosque and hold them accountable, whether officials in the Pentagon or Israel.”
CAIR previously called on Congress to conduct a transparent and independent investigation into the reported massacre of 165 schoolgirls and teachers at an Iranian elementary school in a bombing reportedly perpetrated by the United States or Israel amid their joint bombing of Iran.
Last month, CAIR called on Congress to force an end to the U.S.-Israel war on Iran after former Director of the National Counterterrorism Center Joe Kent resigned and admitted that the war was initiated “due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”
Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-calls-for-accountability-after-u-s-israel-bombing-of-historic-mosque-in-iran/
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Texas judge further halts utility district involved with Islamic development
By Mack Shaw
April 1, 2026
COLLIN COUNTY, Texas - A temporary injunction has been issued against a North Texas utility district after the state accused them of illegally acting in support of a controversial Islamic development.
The move follows a temporary restraining order issued against the Double R Municipal Utility District (MUD) last month, and precedes a trial set for later this year.
MUD injunction
The latest:
The temporary injunction was granted Monday by Judge Christine A. Nowak in the 493rd Judicial District. The Monday hearing was set on March 19, when the original TRO was issued to prevent a March 20 meeting of the MUD's acting board of directors from taking any effective action.
The new TI further enforces the TRO's preventative actions, and also renders decisions made by the board after September 12, 2025, null and void.
What's next:
A trial has been set for Nov. 16, 2026.
What they're saying:
"My office has proven that these radicals were unlawfully appointed to the board of Double R MUD and that their actions to advance the EPIC City development were illegal and void," said Attorney General Paxton. "We will continue to expose and stop anyone who attempts to exploit our governmental entities or Texas law to advance unlawful or dangerous agendas."
Texas utility district restrained
The backstory:
The original TRO enjoined the MUD from taking actions in their board meeting scheduled for Friday, March 20. The defendants in the TRO, referred to as the "purported directors," were barred from taking up or deciding on most of the agenda items they had planned.
Those defendants, named as Yaneli Molina, Hatim Mahmoud Yusuf, Nadeem Ashraf Khan, Asim Hussain Khan, and Faisal Abbas, are accused of breaking portions of the Texas Water Code. The order says they "did not own taxable property within Double R MUD’s geographic boundaries as they existed prior to the purported annexation of lands on September 12, 2025."
According to a previous state lawsuit, the MUD was inactive until September 2025, when developers involved in the Meadow, previously EPIC City, allegedly "engineered the takeover" of the district rather than creating a new one for the development. Paxton claimed this was to avoid state regulation, calling the actions "highly unusual."
What the board can't do
Double R MUD's Friday agenda is not readily available online or included in AG Ken Paxton's Thursday release announcing the TRO, but the order gives a list of specific items the board can't do until the court takes further action:
Act as board members or run the district at all
Appoint or remove directors, or reorganize the board
Enter into contracts or take on financial obligations (like issuing bonds or other debts)
Approve legal, engineering, or financial work tied to those decisions
Submit certain filings to regulators unless required
Set up offices or hold meetings outside the district improperly
Go forward with the planned March 20 meeting or act on its agenda (except for things needed to participate in the lawsuit)
North Texas Islamic development
Dig deeper:
EPIC City has drawn the attention of Governor Greg Abbott, Paxton and other Texas leaders as a facet of the ongoing crusade against "Sharia law." The proposed development would be a Muslim-centric community surrounding a new mosque and K-12 private school. Lawmakers have been attempting to halt it every step of the way.
EPIC and their developers have also been targeted by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, who previously sent a letter to CCP about the permits required to create a municipal utility district.
Gov. Greg Abbott has also asked the Texas Rangers to investigate the mosque and related businesses. In a post about EPIC City on social media, Abbott commented, "Sharia law is not allowed in Texas."
The mosque was also sent a letter from the Texas Funeral Service Commission and has drawn the attention of the Texas Workforce Commission.
Paxton opened an investigation into communications between EPIC and city officials in Plano, Richardson and Wylie. His office is also looking into CCP.
Sen. John Cornyn requested a DOJ investigation into EPIC City in April, bringing up concerns that the community could discriminate based on faith. The investigation was dropped in June.
Source: fox4news.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.fox4news.com/news/texas-judge-further-halts-utility-district-involved-islamic-development
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CAIR-AZ Calls for Hate Crime Probe of Threatening Letter Sent to Glendale Mosque
April 1, 2026
The Arizona chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-AZ) today called on state and federal law enforcement authorities to investigate a threatening letter sent to a mosque in Glendale, Arizona, as a possible hate crime.
The letter, allegedly sent to the United Islamic Center of Arizona, said, “Leave our country,” and apparently contained bacon. [NOTE: Muslims are prohibited from consuming pork products and bigots often use pigs or pork to deliberately offend Muslim sensibilities.]
“This reported threatening and Islamophobic act is deeply disturbing and appears intended to intimidate members of the local Muslim community,” said CAIR-AZ Executive Director Azza Abuseif. “We urge local, state and federal law enforcement authorities to investigate this incident as a potential hate crime and to take all necessary steps to ensure the safety and security of the mosque and its congregants.”
She also called on public officials to speak out against hate and to reaffirm their commitment to protecting religious freedom for all.
Abuseif urged community leaders to utilize CAIR’s “Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety” booklet, which offers advice on how to help keep religious facilities safe. The advice in the booklet is applicable to houses of worship of all faiths.
Last week, CAIR-AZ welcomed the indictment of a man who reportedly fired at worshipers at a Phoenix mosque.
CAIR-AZ also called for a hate crime investigation of reported vandalism targeting a crescent moon Ramadan display put up by Muslim students in Tempe.
CAIR-AZ recently called on Arizona residents of all faiths and backgrounds to urge their state legislators and Governor Hobbs to oppose an unconstitutional, bigoted bill, SB1018, that purports to ban “sharia law” from being enforced in the state.
The resurgence of “anti-Sharia” bills nationwide reflects a coordinated political effort to weaponize fear of Islam for political reasons.
Last year, CAIR released a congressional briefing memo, “Weaponized Islamophobia: The Return of the Anti-Sharia Hoax,” to every member of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, along with a companion educational document titled “Sharia in American Life.”
In January, CAIR-AZ welcomed a letter sent to Arizona legislators signed by dozens of local civil rights, advocacy and faith-based organizations who strongly oppose a defamatory resolution attacking CAIR-Arizona by anti-Muslim lawmaker Rep. John Gillette, who has previously referred to Muslims as “savages.”
According to CAIR’s most recent civil rights report, complaints of anti-Muslim bias and discrimination have continued to rise nationwide, reflecting an ongoing pattern of Islamophobia impacting communities across the country.
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.
Do you like reading CAIR press releases and taking part in our action alerts? You can help contribute to CAIR’s work of defending civil rights and empowering American Muslims across the country by making a one-time contribution or becoming a monthly donor. Supporters like you make CAIR’s advocacy work possible and defeating Islamophobia an achievable goal. Click here to donate to CAIR.
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Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/breaking-cair-az-calls-for-hate-crime-probe-of-threatening-letter-sent-to-glendale-mosque/
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CAIR-GA Denounces Event Planners’ Decision to Refuse Entry to Palestinian Muslim Activist at Cory Booker Event
April 1, 2026
The Georgia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Georgia), the local chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy group (CAIR), today denounced the decision of the event planners at Senator Cory Booker’s book event to refuse entry to Atlanta based Palestinian rights activist Jawahir Sharwany. Senator Raphael Warnock was also in attendance.
Sharwany was the only visibly Muslim and Palestinian woman waiting peacefully in line to enter the event, for which she had purchased a ticket. While she waited for her turn to enter the church, private security guards singled Sharwany out – they told her they would not allow her to enter the church. When Ms. Sharwany, who had been simply standing in line and talking to other attendees as they waited to enter the venue, refused to leave, the private security guards called 911 and reported her as a threat against the church.
Both the church and Senator Booker’s team have said that they were not in charge of admittance and security. Instead, the event was hosted and its security employed by Brave + Kind, a local bookstore, without the Senators’ offices allegedly knowing anything about the security procedures.
According to eyewitness reports, other attendees, who were not visibly Muslim or Palestinian, were allowed to enter the church. They then went on to “disrupt” the event.
In a statement, Azka Mahmood, CAIR-Georgia’s Executive Director, said:
“We are appalled by this overt display of anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian discrimination outside a house of worship, at an otherwise public event where senators who purport to represent all Americans, regardless of faith and ethnicity, were the central speakers. Regardless of who was ultimately responsible for event security, singling out and calling the police on a Muslim Palestinian woman for simply standing in line to hear her representatives speak is reprehensible. We call on everyone involved, including Senators Booker and Warnock’s offices, to issue a public apology to Ms. Sharwany for subjecting her to such humiliation.”
CAIR-Georgia has submitted an open records request to the Decatur Police Department to obtain a transcript of the 911 call identifying Ms. Sharwany as a threat and has requested a copy of any body camera footage the police department may have from the event.
CAIR-Georgia’s mission is to protect civil rights, promote justice, empower American Muslims, and enhance the understanding of Islam.
Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-ga-denounces-event-planners-decision-to-refuse-entry-to-palestinian-muslim-activist-at-cory-booker-event/
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CAIR Hopeful SCOTUS Will Reject Trump Administration’s Attempt to Gut Birthright Citizenship
April 1, 2026
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today said it is hopeful that the U.S. Supreme Court will ultimately reject the Trump administration’s attempt to gut birthright citizenship.
CAIR previously joined other faith-based advocacy organizations in submitting an amicus brief supporting birthright citizenship.
The Supreme Court today heard arguments in Trump v. Barbara, a case that could upend more than a century of settled law on birthright citizenship case. In 2025, President Trump issued an order that would deny citizenship to U.S.-born children unless at least one parent is a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.
In the amicus brief to the court by many different organizations, CAIR stated:
“CAIR recognizes that birthright citizenship is one of the Constitution’s most important and fundamental guarantees. Removing this guarantee would upend the Constitution, spark widespread confusion, and potentially strip an untold number of Americans—including some American Muslims—of their lifelong status as Americans, none of which the Constitution requires.”
In a statement today, CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said:
“The Constitution is clear: anyone born in the United States, with few technical exceptions, is a citizen of this nation. This longstanding principle, rooted in the 14th Amendment, has helped define who we are as a country for more than a century. Attempts to dismantle birthright citizenship are not only legally baseless, but they are also harmful to the stability and unity of our nation.
“We are hopeful that the Supreme Court will uphold the Constitution and reject this misguided effort to undermine one of our most fundamental rights. Stripping away birthright citizenship would create chaos, threaten the rights of millions, and erode the very foundation of equal protection under the law.”
Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-hopeful-scotus-will-reject-trump-administrations-attempt-to-gut-birthright-citizenship/
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CAIR-SFBA: City of Saratoga to Recognize American Muslim Appreciation and Awareness Month
April 1, 2026
This evening, the Saratoga City Council will present a proclamation recognizing April 2026 as American Muslim Appreciation and Awareness Month (AMAAM) at its 7 p.m. meeting.
The proclamation recognizes “the rich history, contributions, and enduring impact of Muslim communities” and commends “their positive role in strengthening our city, state, and nation.” The presentation is scheduled to take place during the first few minutes of the meeting.
CAIR-SFBA is an office of CAIR, America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-sfba-city-of-saratoga-to-recognize-american-muslim-appreciation-and-awareness-month/
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Africa
Jos Attack: Religious Leaders Causing Division – Miyetti Allah
April 1, 2026
The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has berated religious leaders over the recent attack in Plateau state.
Naija News reports that suspected bandits attacked the Angwan Rukuba community in Jos North LGA of the state on Sunday.
The attack sparked outrage on social media, prompting the state government to impose a 48-hour curfew in the affected local government area.
Reacting to the development in a statement on Tuesday, MACBAN president, Baba Othman-Ngelzarma, accused religious leaders of inciting repeated violence in the state through “reckless and inflammatory rhetoric”.
He said, “MACBAN views with grave concern the recurring cycle of violence in Plateau, which continues to undermine peaceful coexistence and threaten national unity.
“We are particularly disturbed by the alleged role played by some religious leaders and influencers. Instead of promoting peace and tolerance, they have chosen to fan the embers of division through reckless and inflammatory rhetoric.
“Such actions are irresponsible, dangerous, and contribute directly to the escalation of violence and intolerance in our communities.”
Othman-Ngelzarma called on all religious, traditional, and community leaders to exercise restraint, promote dialogue, and actively work towards a de-escalation.
“Words matter. In fragile environments like ours, they can either heal or destroy.
“MACBAN also calls on security agencies to act decisively and professionally,” he said.
The Miyetti Allah leader urged security agencies to ensure the prosecution of individuals inciting violence, including any religious figures found culpable.
“Those responsible for instigating violence, whether through direct action or inciting statements, must be identified, investigated, and brought to justice without fear or favour. Impunity only emboldens further violence,” he added.
The MACBAN leader urged relevant authorities to intensify intelligence gathering to identify perpetrators and their sponsors.
He also advised security agencies to strengthen security presence in vulnerable communities to prevent further attacks.
“The sanctity of human life must remain non-negotiable. MACBAN reiterates its commitment to peaceful coexistence, mutual respect, and national unity,” he said.
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2026/04/01/jos-attack-religious-leaders-division-miyetti-allah/
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Jos killings: MURIC faults Mutfwang for ignoring Muslim victims
By News Desk
April 1, 2026
By Fatima Muhammad Tanko — The Plateau State chapter of the Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, has raised concerns over what it described as issues of inclusivity and fairness in Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s recent broadcast on the Anguwan Rukuba killings in Jos North Local Government Area.
In a statement signed by its chairman, Abubakar Sadiq Yusuf, the group commended the governor for his swift response, including his visit to the affected community and the imposition of a 48-hour curfew to prevent further escalation of violence.
MURIC also acknowledged the state government’s intervention in providing medical care for victims and its commitment to supporting burial arrangements.
However, the organisation expressed concern that the governor’s address did not specifically mention four Muslims reportedly killed and 10 others declared missing in the incident.
“While we acknowledge the governor’s concern for all victims, it is important to respectfully highlight that among those who lost their lives were four Muslims, with 10 others reportedly missing, whose mention was not captured in the address,” the statement said.
“For the sake of justice, equity and inclusivity, every victim must be recognised, regardless of religious or ethnic background,” it added.
The group also questioned remarks in the broadcast commending residents for avoiding reprisals, asking whether the identities of the perpetrators had been established.
MURIC called on security agencies to intensify investigations, ensure transparency and bring those responsible to justice, stressing that accountability remains key to restoring public trust.
It further urged residents of the state to embrace peaceful coexistence and avoid actions capable of deepening divisions.
Source: dailynigerian.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://dailynigerian.com/jos-killings-muric-faults-mutfwang-for-ignoring-muslim-victims/
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South Africa deploys 2,200 soldiers as gang violence plagues Cape flats
April 2, 2026
South African soldiers moved into gang-ridden Cape Town townships on Wednesday, as two people were killed in fresh violence, nearly 50 days after the president ordered the deployment.
Troops in full combat gear and carrying assault rifles stepped from armoured vehicles that arrived with sirens blaring in Mitchells Plain, a neighbourhood in the Cape Flats.
The low-lying area, nestled between tourist magnet Cape Town and the scenic winelands, is a hotspot for murder and plagued by gang turf wars and retaliatory attacks.
Two men, aged 25 and 33, were shot and killed in a 5 am (0300 GMT) attack in the neighbouring sprawling area of Hanover Park.
Earlier, around 2:45 am, a 27-year-old man was wounded in a separate shooting in Mitchells Plain.
"I am afraid for my children," said a 65-year-old grandmother on condition of anonymity, suspecting her backyard was being used as a night lookout.
"All night, I don't sleep," she said, adding that her daughter leaving at 4 am makes her "so anxious."
Shootings happen at all hours, including when children are going to and coming from school, said 69-year-old retiree Malvin Gordan.
The deployment was a welcome relief, he said, with the troop's "presence alone" forcing gang members to stand back.
The Cape Flats saw one of its deadliest weeks last August when police recorded 59 murders in seven days.
The violence and elsewhere prompted President Cyril Ramaphosa in February to announce the deployment to boost the country's struggling police force, saying crime was one of the biggest threats facing South Africa.
Excluding countries at war, South Africa has one of the world's highest homicide rates, with an average of 60 killings reported each day.
Codenamed "Operation Prosper," the deployment will last a year and cover five of the nine provinces, including Gauteng, home to the financial capital Johannesburg, according to a plan presented to parliament.
It mobilises more than 2,200 soldiers to support police in tackling the surge in crime and illegal mining.
South Africa has repeatedly turned to the army in times of crisis, from enforcing strict Covid‑19 lockdowns in 2020 to deploying troops during the deadly riots sparked by the jailing of ex‑president Jacob Zuma in 2021.
Soldiers were also sent into the streets in 2023 after a wave of truck burnings raised fears of wider unrest.
In 2019, around 1,300 soldiers were deployed to back up police in the gang-afflicted Cape Flats areas surrounding Cape Town.
Source: africanews.com
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https://www.africanews.com/2026/04/01/south-africa-deploys-2200-soldiers-as-gang-violence-plagues-cape-flats/
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SEC Chairman: Islamic banking gaining wider acceptance
By Daily Trust
1 Apr 2026
Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Alhaji Aliyu Katuka, says non-interest banking is gaining wider acceptance in Nigeria, driven by increasing awareness and economic benefits.
Katuka said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group Day in Lagos.
He noted that growing investor confidence in the capital market was strengthening market integrity and supporting Nigeria’s drive toward a one trillion dollar economy.
According to him, Islamic banking, also known as non-interest or Sharia-compliant finance, is gradually being embraced by Nigerians across religious divides.
“Initially, many non-Muslims had limited knowledge about non-interest banking, which slowed adoption, but ongoing sensitisation is improving understanding and acceptance,” he said.
Katuka said users of Islamic banking products were satisfied with the benefits, especially in areas of job creation, infrastructure development, education and healthcare financing.
He explained that although the segment remained relatively small compared to conventional banking, it was growing steadily and showing strong potential.
“Non-interest banking is still evolving, so direct comparison with conventional banking may not reflect its true potential, but the growth trajectory is encouraging,” he said.
The chairman said the model aligned with Nigeria’s financial inclusion strategy by offering alternative financing options to underserved populations.
He stressed the need for sustained public awareness campaigns to deepen understanding and drive broader adoption.
“The focus should be on the benefits to society, not religious differences. It is about economic development and shared prosperity for all Nigerians,” he said.
Katuka expressed optimism that increased participation in non-interest finance would further support economic growth and development. (NAN)
Source: dailytrust.com
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https://dailytrust.com/sec-chairman-islamic-banking-gaining-wider-acceptance/
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Uganda, Egypt discuss Iran war impact on Africa's energy and food prices
April 2, 2026
Uganda's state minister for foreign affairs has met with Egypt's foreign minister in Cairo to discuss how the ongoing war involving Iran is affecting Africa's energy security, inflation and food prices.
Badr Abdelatty and Henry Oryem Okello took questions from reporters during a press briefing in Egypt's new administrative capital, just east of Cairo.
Their meeting comes as Egypt looks for ways to cut back on oil-powered electricity during the U.S.-Israel war with Iran, introducing at least one measure that challenges Cairo’s reputation as the city that never sleeps.
The government has ordered new nationwide early closing times for shops, restaurants and cafes, forcing many to shut during key evening hours.
Global energy prices have surged since February 28, when the U.S. and Israel launched massive airstrikes on Iran. Tehran hit back with attacks on oil and gas infrastructure across the Persian Gulf and by squeezing shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Those price spikes are hitting Egypt hard. It's more than 108 million people who use around 20 billion dollars’ worth of oil products every year, including fuel for power plants.
Egypt currently imports about 28 percent of its gasoline and 45 percent of its diesel.
Abdelatty also said Egypt remains committed to backing water projects in Uganda and across the southern Nile Basin, including the construction of new dams.
Source: africanews.com
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https://www.africanews.com/2026/04/01/uganda-egypt-discuss-iran-war-impact-on-africas-energy-and-food-prices/
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Tinubu’s Fresh $6.9 Billion Loan Targets Poverty Alleviation, Says Economist
April 1, 2026
A Professor of Economics at the Lagos Business School, Bongo Adi, has described the $6.9 billion foreign loan secured by President Bola Tinubu as a strategy aimed at addressing poverty in the country.
Naija News reports that Adi made this known on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, during an appearance on Channels Television’s programme, The Morning Brief.
The National Assembly had on Tuesday approved the President’s request for a $6.9bn external loan facility.
A key component of the approval mandates that 40 per cent of the funds be channelled into capital projects captured in the 2025/2026 budgets.
The decision followed the adoption of a report by the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debt, which recommended the allocation to ensure the loan directly supports infrastructure and development initiatives.
Speaking on the development, Adi linked the borrowing to efforts to stimulate sectoral development and reduce poverty levels in Nigeria.
“Let’s bring it down to the translation of that borrowing, to raise sector development on poverty alleviation. You will agree that the level of poverty we are currently confronting in Nigeria is at levels we have never seen in our history,” he said.
He, however, painted a grim picture of the current situation, noting that the country is witnessing unprecedented hardship.
“So what I can see is that this government seems to be supervising the highest level of poverty in our country’s history,” he added.
The economist explained that the government’s decision to borrow is driven by rational economic considerations.
He said, “The government is also a rational agent just like individuals, so they are looking at how to maximise their returns at the least cost.
“For the government, I think their maximisation problem is to borrow as much as they can. Given their fiscal situation, they make it seem to speak in their favour.”
Adi further noted that Nigeria’s external reserves, estimated at about $50bn, have helped boost creditor confidence.
“You have an external reserve of 50 billion, so everybody, even the creditors, has confidence that this government can repay,” he said.
According to him, the government may not be overly concerned about long-term repayment obligations since such debts are typically spread over several years.
He cited loan repayment timelines of between five and 10 years, suggesting that current officeholders may not bear the full burden.
“So you can see that everything speaks in the direction of more borrowing. You can’t stop it because, given the rationality at play here, I think the rational choice is for the government to borrow,” he stated.
Adi acknowledged that while macroeconomic and fiscal reforms may be yielding some results, their impact has yet to significantly reach ordinary Nigerians.
“Given the time lag, again with the collapse of infrastructure, it begins to appear that the time lag keeps retracting, and we begin to see the cascade to the micro level to the ordinary man or woman on the street,” he said.
He noted that widespread hardship continues to shape public perception of government policies.
“So this is the challenge that we have, currently the misery of the population is exacerbating, and that’s why people are not so happy when they hear the government is borrowing more money,” he added.
The economist also pointed to persistent infrastructure challenges, particularly in the power sector, as a major constraint on productivity.
“What can you say to that when there is no light and productivity is at an all-time low, even though at the macro front, we seem to be doing well?” he queried.
He added that improvements recorded at the macroeconomic level are largely driven by developments in the oil sector, which he said is still underperforming.
Adi further noted that many Nigerians are still grappling with the aftermath of key policy decisions, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange market.
According to him, these reforms, while necessary, have continued to exert pressure on households and businesses, deepening the economic strain on the population.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2026/04/01/tinubu-6-9-billion-loan-poverty-alleviation/
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Southeast Asia
Ahmad Zahid: Stop blaming government for fuel prices, Malaysia in ‘crisis preparation mode’
02 Apr 2026
PUTRAJAYA, April 2 — Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the country is currently in crisis preparedness mode following global uncertainties which affect fuel prices.
Therefore, Ahmad Zahid who is also the minister of rural and regional development, asked all parties not to point fingers at the government regarding the fuel price hike.
He said the current situation was caused by the global crisis and required the cooperation of all parties to deal with it together.
“We should not feel complacent and only point fingers at the government, especially the Prime Minister. The fact is that it is a global crisis that we must all face together,” he told the media after the monthly assembly of the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW), here today.
Asked if the opposition continued to play up the fuel price hike issue as political capital, Ahmad Zahid said that it should not happen since the current situation was a direct result of international geopolitical developments.
“Ask them (the opposition) to go to the Strait of Hormuz now or try going to a West Asian country, (let) them see for themselves.
“We are actually lucky... so don’t keep using this global problem as a fault by the government. This is the reality we have to accept,” he said.
Ahmad Zahid asked all parties not to point fingers and to come together to find a solution.
He said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is also scheduled to hold a meeting with all Menteris Besar and Chief Ministers this evening to clarify the current situation and ensure that the state government understands the challenges facing the country following the global energy crisis. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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JAIPs officer charged with submitting false claims amounting to RM135,000
2 Apr 2026
A suspended Perlis Islamic affairs officer faces three charges for allegedly submitting false claims totalling RM135,000 for new converts.
KANGAR: An Assistant Islamic Affairs Officer pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here today to three charges of submitting false claims amounting to RM135,000 related to the re-registration of new converts between 2022 and 2024.
Mohammad Nurhelmy Norman, 29, who has been suspended from work and is working as an e-hailing driver, entered the plea before Judge Datuk Nu’aman Mahmud Zuhudi.
According to the charges, he is accused in his capacity as an Assistant Islamic Affairs Officer Grade S29 in the Dakwah Division of the Perlis Islamic Religious Affairs Department s (JAIPs) of using documents containing false details with the intent to deceive his principal.
The charges involve claims for the re-registration of two converts amounting to RM3,500 in 2022, 15 individuals totalling RM40,000 in 2023, and 33 individuals totalling RM91,500 in 2024.
All the offences were allegedly committed at the JAIPs office at Kompleks Islam Perlis, Persiaran Jubli Emas.
The charges were framed under Section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, punishable under Section 24(2) of the same Act, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of no less than five times the value of the false claims, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
The court allowed him bail of RM12,000 with one surety and imposed an additional condition requiring him to report to the MACC office monthly.
The court set May 20 for mention for the submission of relevant documents.
The prosecution was conducted by MACC Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Fariz Abdul Hamid, while the accused was represented by lawyer Siti Salwa Ja’afar.
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/news/malaysia-news/courts/jaips-officer-charged-with-submitting-false-claims/
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Police seize seven tonnes of pig carcasses at illegal jetty in Sungai Merbok
2 Apr 2026
The Marine Police seized seven tonnes of pig carcasses and arrested seven men during a raid at an illegal jetty in Sungai Merbok, Kedah
GEORGE TOWN: The Marine Police Force (PPM) Region One seized seven tonnes of pig carcasses during a raid at an illegal jetty in Sungai Merbok, Kedah.
Region One PPM Commander ACP Jaffri Bidin said the operation, carried out at 2 a.m., resulted in the arrest of seven local men suspected of transporting pig carcasses without a permit.
The raid was conducted by the Marine Intelligence Unit as part of Ops Taring Landai and Ops Taring Gelora in the waters around Tanjung Dawai.
“Preliminary investigations indicate that the carcasses were believed to have been brought in from Thailand via sea routes before being transferred to land for local distribution,” he said in a statement.
Jaffri added that all suspects failed to provide any documents or permits from the Department of Veterinary Services.
In addition to the pig carcasses, authorities also seized two refrigerated lorries, a 40-foot fibre boat without registration numbers, three Yamaha 250-horsepower engines, and three bundles of keys.
The total value of the seizure is estimated at RM795,100.
The case is being investigated under Section 36(1) of the Animals Act 1953 and has been referred to the Kedah Veterinary Services Department for further action.
Source: thesun.my
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Lawyering must evolve beyond statutes in AI era, says Anwar
2 Apr 2026
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim urges lawyers to adapt with new skills as AI transforms the profession, emphasising ethics and public good
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has called for a fundamental shift in the values, skills and knowledge of the legal profession to maintain its relevance amid artificial intelligence and rapid global change.
Delivering a keynote address at the inaugural Commonwealth Legal Education Association (CLEA) Conference, he stated that the future of lawyering must extend beyond mastering statutes and precedents.
He argued that these traditional skills are increasingly becoming the domain of advanced AI systems.
“The lawyer of 2030 will therefore no longer be a ‘search engine in a suit’ because far more will be required,” Anwar said.
He emphasised that legal education must now cultivate skills not easily replicated by AI.
Anwar outlined that future lawyers must be competent in technology and possess the ability to make sense of vast data.
They must also act as ethical filters and ensure the law is utilised for the public good.
The conference, themed ‘Lawyering 2030 – Skills, Strategy & Legal Education’, was held at Universiti Malaya.
Also present were Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said and Chief Justice Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh.
Source: thesun.my
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Malaysia resilient but cautious amid prolonged West Asia conflict
1 Apr 2026
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says Malaysia’s stable economy provides a buffer, but warns against complacency as global supply chains face disruption.
KUALA LUMPUR: The prolonged conflict in West Asia is expected to require a lengthy recovery period, but Malaysia remains in a relatively stable economic position to weather the challenges.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the situation has disrupted global supply chains, particularly in energy, although the country has thus far managed to remain resilient.
He said recent developments indicate the conflict’s impact is now being felt globally, including in Malaysia.
“When this happens, it will certainly affect global supply chains, especially energy, and Malaysia is not spared,” Anwar said in a video message.
“However, we must be grateful as we are entering this phase with a relatively stable economy and are still able to maintain RON95, for example, at RM1.99.”
He stressed that any easing of the situation should not lead to complacency.
Discussions with regional leaders indicated the situation may worsen before it improves and will take a much longer time to recover.
The government is leveraging the National Economic Action Council, supported by credible figures, to help address the challenges.
Several special programmes involving the Cabinet and dedicated committees have also been held to manage fuel consumption while ensuring energy supply security.
“We are grateful that the planning by our national oil company, Petronas, has enabled us to ensure sufficient oil and gas supply at least until May,” Anwar said.
The government has also taken early measures, including encouraging a more moderate approach in Aidilfitri celebrations.
Anwar expressed appreciation to all parties who have embraced the spirit by avoiding extravagance.
He noted that excessive displays of wealth could be detrimental as many Malaysians continue to face economic pressures.
“Those who are more affluent and hold higher positions must not be negligent, but instead show concern and extend assistance during these challenging times,” he said.
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/news/malaysia-news/people-issues/malaysia-resilient-but-cautious-amid-prolonged-west-asia-conflict/
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Anwar announces WFH from April 15 to ease fuel use
1 Apr 2026
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announces a WFH policy for government bodies to reduce fuel consumption and manage energy costs.
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia will implement a work-from-home policy across ministries, agencies, statutory bodies and government-linked companies beginning April 15.
In a special address tonight , Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the move is part of measures to reduce fuel consumption and ensure a sustainable energy supply.
He said the move, agreed upon during the Cabinet meeting, is aimed at easing pressure on national energy resources amid ongoing global uncertainties.
“The objective is to reduce fuel usage and ensure the sustainability of energy supply. Further details will be announced,” he said during a special briefing on Wednesday.
Anwar who is also the Finance Minister stressed that the government is taking proactive steps to cushion the impact of the global energy crisis through its People’s Support Initiative, noting that Putrajaya is currently spending about RM4 billion monthly to absorb rising fuel costs.
Describing the situation as “extraordinary”, he said Malaysia is not immune to the spillover effects of the West Asian conflict, which has disrupted global supply chains, particularly energy.
Despite the challenges, he said the country remains relatively stable, supported by early interventions including controlled fuel usage, secured energy supply and coordinated planning with Petroliam Nasional Bhd( Petronas), which has ensured sufficient oil and gas supply at least until May.
The Prime Minister also announced that the Budi 95 fuel quota has been temporarily decreased to 200 litres per month from today while the use of subsidised diesel in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan will also be enforced immediately.
He also warned against the spread of false information, revealing that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has detected 96 instances of fake news related to fuel and electricity prices on social media.
“We have no choice but to act firmly. The authorities, including the police and MCMC, will take necessary action against those spreading false information for narrow political interests,” he said.
Anwar added that the government will continue engaging with stakeholders, including small contractors, farmers and fishermen, to address concerns and ensure targeted assistance reaches those most affected.
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/news/malaysia-news/people-issues/anwar-announces-wfh-from-april-15-to-ease-fuel-use/
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South Asia
Kabul Sends Five-Member Delegation to China Talks With Pakistan
By Fidel Rahmati
April 1, 2026
A five-member Taliban delegation joined talks with Pakistan in China as border clashes entered their fifth week and pressure grew for renewed dialogue and de-escalation.
A five-member Taliban delegation has taken part in talks with Pakistani officials in China, as both sides attempt to manage a worsening border conflict that has now entered its fifth week. Taliban-linked media said the delegation included officials from the foreign, interior, defense and intelligence institutions, reflecting the security-heavy nature of the discussions.
According to reports, the Taliban team included representatives from the foreign ministry, interior ministry, defense ministry and the intelligence directorate, signaling that the talks were not merely symbolic but tied directly to military and border tensions. Pakistani officials, however, told local media that the Urumqi meeting was not expected to produce an immediate ceasefire, and that major differences remain unresolved.
The meeting comes as fighting between the Taliban and Pakistan continues across parts of eastern Afghanistan, especially in Kunar, where recent shelling reportedly killed and wounded civilians, including children. The broader escalation began after Pakistan launched military operations in late February, accusing the Taliban of harboring militants behind attacks inside Pakistan, a claim Taliban has repeatedly denied.
The United Nations has meanwhile warned of a growing civilian toll and worsening humanitarian strain as shelling, airstrikes and border closures disrupt daily life. UN reporting from the first phase of the escalation documented significant civilian casualties inside Afghanistan, including women and children, while aid access and local services in border districts were also affected.
China has increasingly stepped in as a diplomatic channel between Islamabad and Kabul, urging both sides to resolve disputes through talks rather than force. Beijing has publicly called for restraint, face-to-face engagement and a ceasefire, and the latest Urumqi meeting appears to be part of that broader effort to prevent the conflict from spiraling further.
Efforts to lower tensions have so far produced only limited results. Similar contacts in recent months, along with informal peace efforts such as the joint peace jirga in Peshawar, have highlighted support for dialogue, but have not yet created a durable framework capable of stopping repeated cross-border fire and political mistrust.
The China meeting marks an important diplomatic opening, but it also underscores how fragile the current situation remains. With fighting still ongoing and both sides far apart on core security demands, the path to de-escalation appears uncertain despite renewed engagement.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/kabul-sends-five-member-delegation-to-china-talks-with-pakistan/
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Russian fuel: US open to Dhaka’s waiver request
02 Apr 2026
The US will positively consider Bangladesh’s request for a special waiver to buy refined diesel and other petroleum products from Russian sources, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office.
According to the statement, Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman met US Energy Secretary Chris Wright at the Department of Energy in Washington, DC, on Tuesday and explained the energy-related challenges Bangladesh is facing due to supply chain disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz amid the US-Israel war on Iran.
Bangladesh had earlier sent a letter making a similar request to the US.
Khalilur made the request in view of the upcoming planting season in Bangladesh so that farmers are not adversely affected and harvests and food security are not hampered, the statement said.
He explained that Bangladesh could not take advantage of the earlier limited worldwide waiver by the US on Russian oil shipments at sea, as none of the tankers was bound for Bangladesh at that time.
The two sides also discussed options for purchasing more refined oil produced from Russian crude in third countries to meet immediate needs.
Secretary Wright acknowledged the energy challenges Bangladesh is facing and expressed his country’s commitment to support Bangladesh during these difficult times to help ensure its energy security, the statement added.
He assured that he and his team would work closely with the relevant departments of the US government to this end.
The two sides also discussed longer-term cooperation on sustainable energy solutions for Bangladesh and the prospects of increasing procurement of US energy products.
Wright also congratulated Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on his election victory and said he looked forward to strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries in the coming days.
Tareq Md Ariful Islam, Bangladesh ambassador to the US; DM Salahuddin Mahmud, deputy chief of mission; and Fazle Rabbi, economic minister at the Bangladesh embassy in the US, were also present at the meeting.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/diplomacy/news/russian-fuel-us-open-dhakas-waiver-request-4141486
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PM conveys solidarity, support to Oman
2 April 2026
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman recently wrote a letter to Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, conveying Bangladesh’s solidarity with the leadership, government, and people of Oman in the context of the current regional situation.
Foreign Affairs Adviser to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Humayun Kabir yesterday called on the Foreign Minister of Oman Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi and handed over a personal letter from the PM, addressed to the Sultan of Oman.
The PM also conveyed Bangladesh’s readiness to extend any necessary support, should it be considered useful by the Omani government.
The foreign affairs adviser is currently undertaking a visit to several Gulf countries as the special envoy of the prime minister to convey his messages to the leadership and further reinforce Bangladesh’s engagement with the region.
The prime minister expressed his deep concerns regarding the attacks on Oman and loss of lives and property, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He expressed deep appreciation for the continued support extended by the Omani government in hosting a large number of Bangladeshi expatriates and for the measures taken to ensure their safety and wellbeing.
During the meeting, Kabir appreciated the constructive role played by Oman to negotiate the dispute between Iran and the US while promoting peace, dialogue and diplomacy in the region.
The discussion also covered the excellent state of bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Oman, with a shared commitment to further strengthening cooperation across sectors of mutual interest.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/pm-conveys-solidarity-support-oman-4141206
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Pakistan Report Says March Security Deaths Fell 35% Amid Cross-Border Strikes
By Fidel Rahmati
April 2, 2026
A new Pakistani security report says conflict-related deaths in the country dropped sharply in March, even as Islamabad expanded military operations across the border into Afghanistan.
The Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies said 331 people were killed in security incidents and conflict in March, down from 506 deaths recorded in February, marking a 35 percent decline. The think tank linked the drop to Pakistan’s cross-border military campaign, known as Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, which began in late February.
According to the report, the military operation targeted what Pakistan described as militant positions and support infrastructure inside Afghanistan. However, the Taliban have repeatedly rejected that claim and said Pakistani strikes hit homes, civilian areas and non-military sites.
The report also said civilian deaths inside Pakistan fell significantly in March, dropping to 39 from 132 a month earlier, a decline of around 70 percent. It added that injuries from security incidents also decreased by 37 percent, with 210 people wounded in March compared with 333 in February.
At the same time, several militant groups, including Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Jamaat-ul-Ahrar and Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen, reportedly warned of intensified attacks in response to Pakistan’s military campaign. Still, the think tank argued that the broader impact of those retaliatory threats remained limited during the month.
A separate wave of criticism has focused on one of the deadliest reported strikes of the month, when Pakistani warplanes allegedly hit the Omid drug rehabilitation center in Kabul. Human Rights Watch said the attack on the medical facility was unlawful and could amount to a possible war crime, while Pakistan denied targeting civilians.
Border tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have escalated sharply in recent months, driven by Islamabad’s accusations that the Taliban are sheltering militants behind attacks inside Pakistan. Taliban officials deny the charge and insist that Pakistan’s security crisis is a domestic issue.
The United Nations has also warned that cross-border shelling and airstrikes have caused civilian casualties and damage to homes and civilian infrastructure in Afghanistan. Rights groups and international agencies have called for accountability and stronger protection of non-combatants.
The latest figures may suggest a temporary decline in violence inside Pakistan, but they do not point to a lasting resolution. As cross-border strikes, militant threats and civilian harm continue, the broader conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan remains volatile and deeply dangerous.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/pakistan-report-says-march-security-deaths-fell-35-amid-cross-border-strikes/
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Thousands of Foreign Tourists Visited Country’s Historical Sites in One Year, NSIA Says
April 2, 2026
KABUL: The National Statistics and Information Authority (NSIA) said in a statement on Wednesday that 28,474 foreign nationals traveled to and from Afghanistan through airports and land borders during the past solar year.
The authority said that 16,276 individuals, including 728 women, entered the country over the past year, while 12,198 others, including 158 women, departed Afghanistan.
Among those who entered, 2,369 visitors arrived to explore Afghanistan’s historical and cultural sites, 115 came for education and training, and 13,792 individuals entered the country for work purposes, the statement said.
Since the return of the Islamic Emirate and the establishment of nationwide security, conditions have improved for both domestic and international visitors. The enhanced security environment has contributed to an increase in the movement of foreign nationals into and out of the country.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://thekabultimes.com/thousands-of-foreign-tourists-visited-countrys-historical-sites-in-one-year-nsia-says/
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Kabir, UNAMA Deputy Discuss Humanitarian Coordination
April 2, 2026
KABUL: The country’s Minister of Refugees and Repatriation, Mawlavi Abdul Kabir, in a farewell meeting with Indrika Ratwatte, the Deputy Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), discussed humanitarian coordination and support for displaced populations.
The meeting was also attended by senior UN officials, including representatives from UNICEF, UNHCR, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the ministry said in a statement the other day.
Ratwatte expressed appreciation for the cooperation extended by Afghan authorities during his tenure and commended government institutions for their efforts in assisting returnees and internally displaced persons.
He noted that, based on the Afghan side’s proposals, a significant portion of international aid has been directed toward long-term development projects.
Ratwatte further stated that despite global crises, the United Nations has managed to mobilize substantial funding for humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan and will continue its efforts in this regard.
Minister Kabir highlighted the importance of continued UN assistance, stating that the Islamic Emirate has allocated significant resources to support vulnerable populations and returnees.
He added that aid has already been distributed to displaced families in six border provinces, with preparations underway to extend support to additional areas.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://thekabultimes.com/kabir-unama-deputy-discuss-humanitarian-coordination/
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$5.34 Million Contract Signed for Namaksar Salt Mine in Herat, Ministry
April 2, 2026
KABUL: The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum said in a statement the other day that the Namaksar salt mine in Ghurian district of Herat province, covering an area of 10.51 square kilometers, has been awarded to a contracting company with an investment of $5.34 million.
Under the terms of the 15-year contract, the company will pay 1,500 Afghanis per ton and is required to operate in full compliance with Afghanistan’s mining laws and regulations, the statement said.
The project is expected to provide employment for hundreds of people, boosting local economic activity and contributing to the development of Herat’s mining sector.
The ministry emphasized that the investment in the Namaksar mine is a key step toward sustainable resource management and supporting the livelihoods of local communities.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://thekabultimes.com/5-34-million-contract-signed-for-namaksar-salt-mine-in-herat-ministry/