Waqf Case: SC Asks Centre Whether It Is Willing to Allow Muslims to Be Part of Hindu Religious Trusts
New Age Islam News Bureau
16 April 2025
Supreme Court of India
Shutterstock
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· Waqf Case: SC Asks Centre Whether It Is Willing to Allow Muslims to Be Part of Hindu Religious Trusts
· Extremist Minister of "National Security" In The Zionist Entity's Extremist Government "Ben-Gvir," Storms Ibrahimi Mosque
· Muslim Prisoners in England More Likely to Be Subjected to Force, Charity Finds
· Boko Haram Has Been Significantly Degraded — Minister Idris Declares
· Three Personnel Martyred, 20 Hurt in Mastung Blast; Explosives Planted in Motorcycle to Target Police Bus
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India
· 'If You De-Notify Waqf by User, It'll Be an Issue': SC To Centre During Hearing On Waqf Amendment Act, 2025
· Pakistan Should Look at Its Own Abysmal Record of Protecting Rights of Minorities: India
· Won’t Allow Any Anti-Waqf Protest: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma
· Supreme Court Upholds Urdu Signage in Maharashtra, Calls It ‘Finest Specimen of Hindustani Culture’
· Clashes Erupt in Maharashtra's Nashik During Dargah Demolition Drive; 21 Cops Injured,15 Persons Arrested
· Congress MP Digvijaya Singh Seeks FIR Against Yoga Guru Ramdev for 'Sharbat Jihad’ Remark
· BJP should understand history of Muslim reservation in Karnataka before slamming caste census
· HC Adjourns Hearing till May 5 In Gyanvapi Case
· Flare-up pall on Poila Baisakh: Businesses suffer 'double loss' as fear grips Murshidabad
· MLC Amer Ali Khan urges secular and democratic forces to oppose Waqf Act
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Mideast
· Hamas: "Ben-Gvir's Storming Ibrahimi Mosque Is Dangerous Escalation That Requires Resistance Escalation"
· Ayatollah Khamenei: Iran's issues should not be linked to Amman negotiations, red lines clear to us
· Khamenei says Iran-US talks going well but may lead nowhere
· Israeli Authorities Close Hebron’s Ibrahimi Mosque During Passover Holiday
· Iran summons Argentina’s chargé d’affaires over false claims
· Hezbollah: Al-Aqsa incursions are shameless aggression & cause for anger for every Muslim in world"
· Qaddumi calls for declaring general jihad in Islamic countries in support of Palestine
· Iranians in Qom, other cities hold pro-Gaza rallies
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Europe
· Largest Education Union Accuses Farage of ‘Scapegoating Muslims And Jews’
· UK police investigate vandalism of Muslim children’s graves
· A UK-US deal sounds good but it is all about the detail
· Ancient oak tree cut down by Toby Carvery
· Man fined $5,000 after hugging German chancellor
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Africa
· The decision to shut schools for Ramadan is inconsiderate
· Hajj 2025: Appoint Hajj Ad hoc Officials on Merit, CSO Tasks NAHCON, SMPWBs
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Pakistan
· No Evidence of Malice in Military Trial of Civilians, Constitutional Bench Notes
· Imran Khan says 'granted permission to no one for talks' with establishment
· No discussion on Imran Khan in meeting with US delegation: Ayaz Sadiq
· Over 1,000 Afghan nationals brought to refugee camp at Rawalpindi’s Golra Mor, say police
· Rally held in Islamabad to express solidarity with PPP leader Babar
· Four Karachi Port Trust high-ups named in probe over dredging contract violations
· PM Shehbaz announces special package for Pakistani diaspora
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South Asia
· Ensuring Public Comfort and Refugee Care Is a Moral Obligation: Islamic Emirate
· Jamaat ameer meets Khaleda in London
· Islamic Emirate Denies Claims of American Weapons Smuggling from Afghanistan
· Investigation of 4 July uprising cases at final stage
· EC approves draft of national development strategy
· Washington Post’s report about using U.S. leftover weapons against Pakistan untrue, Fitrat
· Kazakhstan cooperates with Islamic Emirate in various sectors, Ambassador
· Expanding bilateral cooperation: Moscow should remove IEA from “banned groups”
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Arab World
· Saudi Center Adopts Advanced Artery Stent Technique
· When Pixels Meet Fabric: How Gaming Is Reshaping Fashion Culture In Saudi Arabia
· Saudi foundation, UN sign deal to tackle food waste
· Madinah forum focuses on elevating pilgrim experience
· Manga Arabia to launch Korean comics in Arabic
· US energy secretary visits Saudi Aramco HQ, Shaybah oil field
· Saudi program supports farmers for rose sector growth
· Saudi leadership offers condolences to Malaysia after death of former PM
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North America
· How Trump Squandered His Chance to Win Over Muslim &Arab Americans
· Bringing Together Maori and Muslim Voices On Screen
· Muslim-led clinics serve as a resource for South Los Angeles and beyond
· Noor Islamic Cultural Center sues city of Hilliard after zoning denial
· Elgin mosque hit by vandalism attack as community support praised
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Southeast Asia
· Ayer Kuning By-Election: PN Candidate Told To Stop Religious Talks At Mosques
· Istanbul's Hagia Sophia prepares for next big quake
· No original Saudi donation letters shown during MACC’s 2015 Saudi trip, 1MDB trial hears
· Najib tries to get IGP as his witness in 1MDB trial; Home Ministry seeks to set aside subpoena
· Man detained over TikTok video insulting PM Anwar, police urge caution on 3R issues
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/waqf-case-muslims-hindu-religious-trusts/d/135191
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Waqf Case: SC Asks Centre Whether It Is Willing To Allow Muslims To Be Part Of Hindu Religious Trusts
16.04.25
Supreme Court of India
Shutterstock
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SC asks Centre whether it is willing to allow Muslims to be part of Hindu religious trusts
SC asks Centre how "waqfs by user" would be registered as there may be lack of documents
JPC had 38 sittings, examined 98.2 lakh memorandums before Parliament's both houses passed it: Solicitor general Tushar Mehta in Waqf case.
There was constitution of joint parliamentary committee and elaborate exercise was undertaken, says Centre.
Waqf by user is established practice of Islam, cannot be taken away: senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi for a litigant.
CJI says he was not hearing any arguments on aspect of staying the law.
CJI Sanjiv Khanna says one high court may be asked to deal with pleas.
Waqf Act will have all India ramifications, pleas should not be referred to high court: senior counsel Abhishek Singhvi.
We are not saying there is any bar on SC in hearing, deciding pleas against the law, says CJI.
How can state decide whether, and how I am a Muslim or not and hence, eligible to create waqf? Sibal asks.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal refers to Waqf Amendment Act, says he challenges provision that says only Muslims can create waqf.
How can government say only those who are practicing Islam for last 5 years can create waqf? Sibal asks.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday began hearing on a batch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justices Sanjay Kumar and K V Viswanathan outlined two aspects.
"There are two aspects we want to ask both the sides to address. Firstly, whether we should entertain or relegate it to the high court? Secondly, point out in brief what you are really urging and wanting to argue?" the CJI said.
"The second point may help us in deciding the first issue to some extent," the CJI added.
The hearing is underway with senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioners' side, making submissions.
The Centre recently notified the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, which got the assent of President Droupadi Murmu on April 5 after its passage from Parliament following heated debates in both houses.
The bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha with 128 members voting in favour and 95 opposing it. It was cleared by the Lok Sabha with 288 members supporting it and 232 against it.
As many as 72 petitions, including those by AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Congress MPs Imran Pratapgarhi and Mohammad Jawed, have been filed challenging the validity of the Act.
The Centre, on April 8, filed a caveat in the apex court and sought a hearing before any order was passed in the matter.
A caveat is filed by a party in the high courts and the apex court to ensure that no orders are passed without hearing it.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/waqf-amendment-act-challenge-supreme-court-hearing/cid/2094410
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Extremist Minister of "National Security" In The Zionist Entity's Extremist Government "Ben-Gvir," Storms Ibrahimi Mosque
15 Apr 2025
The so-called minister of "national security" in the Zionist entity's extremist government, Itamar Ben-Gvir, led today, Tuesday, the storming of settlers to the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron governorate, south of the occupied West Bank.
Palestine Today quoted local sources as saying, "Ben-Ghafir stormed the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, coinciding with the so-called Jewish Passover.
In an aggression that is repeated annually in mid-April and within the systematic Judaization policy, thousands of Zionist settlers stormed, on Tuesday afternoon, the Ibrahimi Mosque and the Old City neighborhoods in Hebron, southern West Bank, under the pretext of celebrating the "Jewish Passover", amid tight military protection from the Zionist enemy forces, which closed the roads leading to the neighborhoods surrounding the mosque.
Source: saba.ye
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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3466064.htm
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Muslim Prisoners in England More Likely to Be Subjected to Force, Charity Finds
16 April 2025
Maslaha, a social justice charity, requested data from nine prisons with higher than average Muslim populations. Photograph: In Pictures/Corbis/Getty Images
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Muslim prisoners are disproportionately subjected to force including pain-inducing techniques by jail staff, according to new data.
Freedom of information requests found that in eight out of nine prisons with high Muslim populations, Muslim men were more likely than the average inmate to be confronted with batons, made to wear rigid bar handcuffs, or deliberately held in a painful position.
The figures have been disclosed amid demands for a crackdown on Muslim gangs within the prison estate, after claims they are effectively running some prisons.
In one incident, the Manchester Arena bomber Hashem Abedi attacked three officers with hot cooking oil and homemade knives, leaving two of them in hospital.
Maslaha, a social justice charity, requested data from nine prisons with higher than average Muslim populations. The request covered 2023 – the latest full year available – and called for statistics covering the use of batons and rigid bar handcuffs.
The charity also requested figures covering pain-inducing techniques such as thumb flexion, wrist flexion, inverted wrist hold and “mandibular angle” – putting pressure on a nerve below the ear.
At Belmarsh, a prison in south-east London often used to hold terrorist suspects, Muslim prisoners made up 32% of the population in 2023. Over the same period, Muslim men were subjected to 43% of incidents involving the use of rigid bar handcuffs and 61% of incidents involving the use of pain-inducing techniques.
At HMP Whitemoor, in Cambridgeshire, Muslim prisoners constituted 43% of the prison population. But more than half – 55% – of the use of rigid bar handcuffs and pain-inducing techniques over the year was on Muslim prisoners.
At HMP Isis in Thamesmead, south-east London, Muslim prisoners made up 45% of the inmates. But batons were used on Muslim prisoners in more than 57% of the incidents where batons were drawn, and 56% of incidents of pain-inducing techniques involved Muslim prisoners.
At HMP/YOI Feltham B in west London, Muslim prisoners were 42% of the population. Figures showed they were subjected to 53% of the uses of rigid bar cuffs, 57% of the instances where batons were drawn and 64% of pain-nducing techniques.
At HMP Woodhill, in Milton Keynes, Muslim prisoners constituted 37% of the population but were subjected to 49% of the uses of rigid bar handcuffs, 63% of instances of batons being drawn and 64% of incidents using pain-inducing techniques.
Only in one of the nine prisons – HMP The Mount in Bovingdon, Hertfordshire – was the use of force lower for Muslims compared with the overall population.
Raheel Mohammed, the director of Maslaha, said the data “lays bare the realities of life” for Muslims in prison. He claimed they were “being targeted by the use of force, subjected to dangerous pain-inducing techniques, and singled out for deliberately humiliating treatment”.
Mark Fairhurst, the national chair of the Prison Officers’ Association, disagreed with that interpretation of the data. “Staff only use force at the last resort when necessary and when it is used, it is always proportionate and reasonable,” he said.
Ministry of Justice data shows there were 15,594 Muslim prisoners in England and Wales in September last year, accounting for 18% of all inmates despite comprising only 6.5% of the population.
Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, has claimed Islamist gangs are “ruling the roost” in UK jails after the Abedi attack. He told GB News: “There should not be these Islamist gangs taking control of our prisons.”
In April last year, HM Prison & Probation Service made it a national priority to address racial disproportionality in the use of force. This included a new framework that measures disparities in the use of force between white and ethnic minority people in prison, which will allow for increased accountability and positive changes on a prison-by-prison basis.
A Prison Service spokesperson said: “We recognise the use of force in prisons needs greater supervision and have already introduced mechanisms to reduce the disparities in how it is used. Our new race disparity unit will help tackle racial discrimination further.”
Source: yahoo.com
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https://uk.news.yahoo.com/muslim-prisoners-england-more-likely-040003554.html
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Boko Haram Has Been Significantly Degraded — Minister Idris Declares
April 15, 2025
By Ikenna Ngere
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has stated that Boko Haram, the jihadist group responsible for years of violence in Nigeria’s northeast, has been “significantly degraded” and is now “standing on its last leg.”
Idris made the remark during an interview aired on France24 on Tuesday, where he spoke about Nigeria’s ongoing battle against insurgency.
The Minister maintained that the militant group, which has terrorised Nigeria for over a decade, no longer holds the strength or territory it once did.
“I think they’re on their last legs.
“Hitherto, they were holding territories especially in the north eastern part of Nigeria—local governments, towns, cities—now it’s no longer the case.
“They’ve largely dissipated; they’ve ran into the bushes and coming to take some soft targets.
“We’re not saying we have 100 percent exterminated Boko Haram, but I think that we have degraded Boko Haram significantly for them to pose any significant challenge for us as a country,” the minister told France24.
His comments come just days after Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, sounded the alarm on renewed Boko Haram activity, calling recent attacks and military withdrawals in parts of the state a “significant setback” in the counter-insurgency effort.
Zulum urged the federal government and security forces to intensify operations to prevent Boko Haram and other extremist factions from regaining a foothold.
Yet, Idris remains confident in the progress made by Nigerian security forces. He pointed out that groups like Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have suffered immense damage and are nearing total collapse.
The minister added that the government is also targeting other violent groups like Lakurawa, saying efforts are underway to bring them down entirely.
“We’re not saying we have 100 percent exterminated Boko Haram, but… we have degraded Boko Haram significantly,” he reiterated, maintaining optimism in the nation’s long, hard-fought battle against terrorism.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/04/15/boko-haram-has-been-significantly-degraded-minister-idris-declares/
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Three Personnel Martyred, 20 Hurt in Mastung Blast; Explosives Planted in Motorcycle to Target Police Bus
Saleem Shahid
April 16, 2025
People examine the damage to a bus, which was carrying security personnel in Mastung district, after it was targeted by a remote-controlled bomb.—AFP
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QUETTA: At least three personnel of Balochistan Constabulary (BC) were martyred and 20 others sustained injuries in a bomb attack that targeted a police bus on Dasht Road in Mastung district, some 35km south of Quetta, on Tuesday.
Officials said that the bus was coming from Kalat police lines to drop the Balochistan Constabulary contingent comprising 35 personnel in the Kund Masoori area of Mastung for providing security to the ongoing sit-in of the Balochistan National Party-Mengal in the Lakpass area when the blast took place close to the vehicle.
As a result of the powerful explosion, the police bus was badly damaged and three BC personnel lost their lives on the spot while 20 others were injured. Police and personnel of other law enforcement agencies rushed to the site, cordoned off the area and shifted the bodies and injured to Nawab Raisani Memorial Hospital, Mastung.
“We have received three bodies and 20 injured personnel,” a spokesman for the hospital said, adding that the condition two of the injured was serious. They would be shifted to trauma centre in the Civil Hospital of Quetta, he said.
Police said the explosives planted in a motorcycle was detonated with a remote-controlled device when the police bus reached Kund Masoori area at Dasht road.
The bomb disposal squad examined the blast site and confirmed that the explosive was planted in the motorcycle and collected evidence, further investigation is underway. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.
However, the banned BRAS has claimed the responsibility of the attack on FC and levies camp in Galangoor area of Noshki district.
While condemning the bomb blast, spokesman for the Balochistan government Shahid Rind said that the BC contingent bus was targeted when they were going to provide security to the BNP sit-in in Lakpass area of Mastung district.
He said that all injured personnel were shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment, while those in serious condition were being moved to Quetta for treatment.
Authorities have launched a detailed investigation into the incident and called for a comprehensive report.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief over the martyrdom of three personnel and prayed for the early recovery of the injured.
President Zardari reiterated the nation’s resolve for continuous efforts to wipe out terrorism from the country.
PM Shehbaz declared that the nation would thwart the nefarious designs of terrorists, who were enemies of humanity.
While condemning the attack, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti expressed solidarity with the families of the martyred personnel.
“Those involved in this heinous act do not deserve any leniency,” he said.
Source: dawn.com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1904493/three-personnel-martyred-20-hurt-in-mastung-blast
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India
'If You De-Notify Waqf by User, It'll Be an Issue': SC To Centre During Hearing On Waqf Amendment Act, 2025
Apr 16, 2025
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday heard multiple petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025.
It noted that undoing "waqf by user" would create several issues and sought the central government's reply to over 100 petitions challenging the Act. However, it refused to put a stay on the operation of the law.
On inclusion of non-Muslim members in the Central and state Waqf boards, the apex court asked if the BJP-led Centre would "allow Muslims to be part of Hindu religious trusts". It ruled that ex-officio members could be appointed regardless of religion but others had to be Muslims.
The court is set to hear the matter at 2pm on Thursday.
What SC said on removal of 'waqf by user' provision?
The top court noted that most of the mosques were built during 14th and 15th century and and producing a "registered deed" was impossible.
"Many of the masjids are created in 14th or 15th centuries. To require them to produce a registered deed is impossible. Most of the cases, say Jama Masjid Delhi, the waqf will be waqf-by-user," CJI Sanjiv Khanna said. "If you are going to de-notify waqf-by-user properties, it will be an issue," he added.
Kapil Sibal had argued that the abolition of the 'waqf by user' provision struck at the core of religious practice, asserting, "Its my integral part of religion, its recognised in Ram Janbhoomi judgment. Problem is, they will say if a waqf is created 3000 years ago, they will ask for deed."
The removal of the provision is another point of contention driving the anti-Waqf protests. Under the Waqf Act of 1954, properties could be designated as waqf if they had long been used for religious or charitable purposes, even in the absence of official documentation. The amendment does away with this classification, raising concerns and ambiguity over the legal status of many such properties.
What SC said on inclusion of non-Muslim in Waqf council?
The apex court has sought clarification over non-Muslim members in the Waqf council. "Will you allow Muslims to be part of Hindu religious trusts," it asked. It said that ex-officio members could be appointed regardless of their faith but others members had to be Muslims.
According to the Act, in the Central Waqf Council, up to two of the 22 appointed (non-ex officio) members may be individuals from non-Muslim communities. State Waqf Boards may include up to two non-Muslim members among the 11 appointed (non-ex officio) positions.
What SC said on violent protests against Waqf Act?
Addressing the anti-Waqf protests that turned violent in Bengal's Murshidabad killing three, SC said that it was "very disturbed".
"Once Supreme Court is seized of the matter, this should not happen," the CJI said.
Violent protests erupted in Murshidabad on April 11 over the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Act, leading to the deaths of three individuals, injuries to many others, and significant property damage.
According to the West Bengal Police, 150 people have been arrested so far in connection with the violence, and security has been stepped up with heavy police deployment in affected areas such as Samserganj and Dhuliyan.
The BJP-led central government recently notified the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, following its passage in Parliament amid intense debates in both houses. The bill received President Droupadi Murmu’s assent on April 5. It was approved in the Lok Sabha with 288 votes in favour and 232 against, while in the Rajya Sabha, it passed with 128 members supporting and 95 opposing it.
However, a total of 72 petitions have been filed challenging the validity of the Act. Petitioners include AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, the DMK, and Congress MPs Imran Pratapgarhi and Mohammad Jawed. In response, the Centre filed a caveat in the Supreme Court on April 8, requesting to be heard before any orders are issued.
Source: indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/if-you-de-notify-waqf-by-user-itll-be-an-issue-sc-to-centre-during-hearing-on-waqf-amendment-act-2025/articleshow/120339859.cms
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Pakistan Should Look at Its Own Abysmal Record Of Protecting Rights Of Minorities: India
April 16, 2025
Kallol BhattacherjeeKALLOL BHATTACHERJEE
Pakistan has no ‘locus standi’ to comment on India’s internal affairs, said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday in a hard-hitting statement after Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) described the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 as an “infringement over the religious and economic rights of Indians Muslims”.
“We strongly reject the motivated and baseless comments made by Pakistan on the Waqf Amendment Act enacted by the Parliament of India. Pakistan has no locus standi to comment on a matter that is internal to India. Pakistan would do better to look at its own abysmal record when it comes to protecting the rights of minorities, instead of preaching to others,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.
What the Waqf Bill means for madrassas and Muslim education | Explained
Pakistan’s Foreign Office had called the new law that was passed by the Parliament on April 3 a “discriminatory legislation” saying, “We strongly believe it is an infringement over the religious and economic rights of Indian Muslims. Particularly the Act usurps the property rights of Muslim community and could potentially dispossess them of a number of mosques, shrines and other holy places.”
“The passage of this discriminatory legislation is also reflective of the growing majoritarianism in India. There are serious apprehensions that it will contribute to further marginalisation of Indian Muslims,” said the MoFA spokesperson in Islamabad in response to a question during a briefing last Thursday.
Source: thehindu.com
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https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/pakistan-should-look-at-its-own-abysmal-record-of-protecting-rights-of-minorities-india/article69454159.ece
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Won’t Allow Any Anti-Waqf Protest: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma
15 Apr 2025
GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said his government would not allow any protest or demonstration on the streets of the state against the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Act.
“The matter is in the Supreme Court. If anyone has anything to say in its favour or against it, he or she can approach the apex court. It will be properly discussed there by the judges,” Sarma told the media.
“If some people take to the roads opposing the Act, others supporting it will also take to the roads. There will be a fight then. But we don’t want any fight or conflict in Assam. We all must maintain our brotherly relationship and take the state forward,” Sarma said.
He said he had nothing to say if somebody was opposing or supporting the Act, but nobody would be allowed to hit the streets.
Asked if he will invite the leaders of All Assam Minorities Students’ Union (AAMSU) for talks, the chief minister reiterated that the organisation could go to the Supreme Court.
Last Wednesday, scores of protestors were detained by the police in different parts of central and western Assam when they were heading to Guwahati to stage a demonstration against the Waqf (Amendment) Act. The AAMSU was the organiser of the demonstration.
Then, on Sunday, a rally against the Act turned violent in southern Assam’s Silchar town in Cachar district. The protestors had resorted to stone pelting when the police tried to disperse them.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Apr/15/wont-allow-any-anti-waqf-protest-assam-cm-himanta-biswa-sarma
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Supreme Court upholds Urdu signage in Maharashtra, calls it ‘finest specimen of Hindustani culture’
by Ananthakrishnan G
April 16, 2025
Supreme Court on Urdu Signboard: Upholding the use of Urdu on the signboard of a municipal council building in Maharashtra, the Supreme Court on Tuesday said language is culture and must not become a cause for dividing people, and Urdu “is the finest specimen of Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb, or the Hindustani tehzeeb”.
The bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and K Vinod Chandran refused to interfere with the Bombay High Court’s finding that the use of Urdu is not prohibited under the Maharashtra Local Authorities (Official Languages) Act, 2022, or in any provision of law.
A former councillor had filed a petition challenging the use of Urdu on the signboard of the Patur Municipal Council building in Akola district of Maharashtra.
“Our misconceptions, perhaps even our prejudices against a language, have to be courageously and truthfully tested against the reality, which is this great diversity of our nation: our strength can never be our weakness. Let us make friends with Urdu and every language,” the SC said.
The court said it is a “misconception that Urdu is alien to India”, adding that “it is a language which was born in this land”.
Writing for the bench, Justice Dhulia elaborated on the bench’s views on Urdu and languages in general. “Language is not religion. Language does not even represent religion. Language belongs to a community, to a region, to a people; and not to a religion,” said the judgment.
“Language is culture. Language is the yardstick to measure the civilisational march of a community and its people. So is the case of Urdu, which is the finest specimen of Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb, or the Hindustani tehzeeb, which is the composite cultural ethos of the plains of northern and central India,” it said.
“Before language became a tool for learning, its earliest and primary purpose will always remain communication,” Justice Dhulia said. “The purpose here for the use of Urdu is merely communication. All the municipal council wanted to do was to make an effective communication. This is the primary purpose of a language, which the Bombay High Court has laid emphasis on,” the court said.
“We must respect and rejoice in our diversity, including our many languages. India has more than hundred major languages. Then there are other languages known as dialects or ‘mother tongues’ which also run into hundreds. According to the 2001 Census, India had a total of 122 major languages including the 22 scheduled languages, and a total of 234 mother tongues. Urdu was the sixth most spoken scheduled language of India. In fact, it is spoken by at least a part of the population in all States and Union Territories, except perhaps in our North-Eastern States,” it said.
“In the 2011 Census, the number of mother tongues increased to 270. However, it is to be noted that this number was also arrived at by taking into consideration only those mother tongues which had more than 10,000 speakers. Thus, it would not be wrong to say that the actual number of mother tongues in India would run into thousands. Such is the immense linguistic diversity of India,” it said.
“The prejudice against Urdu stems from the misconception that Urdu is alien to India. This opinion, we are afraid, is incorrect as Urdu, like Marathi and Hindi, is an Indo-Aryan language. It is a language which was born in this land. Urdu developed and flourished in India due to the need of people belonging to different cultural milieus who wanted to exchange ideas and communicate amongst themselves. Over the centuries, it attained… greater refinement and became the language of choice for many acclaimed poets,” it said.
The court noted that the language debate started even before Independence. “It was accepted by a large number of Indians that the language which is a product of amalgamation of various Indian languages such as Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi, is what is known as ‘Hindustani’, which a large mass of this country speaks,” it said.
Jawaharlal Nehru “acknowledged that Hindustani is bound to become the all-India medium of communication, since it is spoken by a large number of people in the country. At the same time, he recognised the importance of provincial languages by emphasising that the intention was not to replace provincial languages with Hindustani. Thus, he put forward the idea of Hindustani as a compulsory second language”, the court said.
“It is clear that the country was moving forward to accept Hindustani as its national language during our struggle for Independence”, but that did not happen. “It is now clear that the main reason behind this was the Partition of the nation in 1947 and adoption of Urdu by Pakistan as its national language. The ultimate victim was Hindustani,” it said.
The court said that “under Article 343 of the Constitution, Hindi is the official language, while the use of English was made permissible for official purposes for a period of 15 years”. “But this does not mean that Hindustani and Urdu have become extinct. This was never the intention of the framers of the Constitution,” it said.
“Even today, the language used by the common people of the country is replete with words of the Urdu language, even if one is not aware of it. It would not be incorrect to say that one cannot have a day-to-day conversation in Hindi without using words of Urdu or words derived from Urdu. The word ‘Hindi’ itself comes from the Persian word ‘Hindavi’. This exchange of vocabulary flows both ways because Urdu also has many words borrowed from other Indian languages, including Sanskrit,” it said.
“Urdu words have a heavy influence on Court parlance, both in criminal and civil law. From adalat to halafnama to peshi, the influence of Urdu is writ large in the language of the Indian Courts. For that matter, even though the official language of the Supreme Court and the High Courts as per Article 348 of the Constitution is English, yet many Urdu words continue to be used in this Court till date. These include vakalatnama, dasti, etc,” it said.
The court said that Urdu has also been adopted by many States and Union Territories as the second official language. “When we criticise Urdu, we are in a way also criticising Hindi, as, according to linguists and literary scholars, Urdu and Hindi are not two languages, but one language,” it said.
“Hindi and Urdu met a roadblock in the form of the puritans on both sides and Hindi became more Sanskritised and Urdu more Persian. A schism exploited by the colonial powers in dividing the two languages on religion. Hindi was now understood to be the language of Hindus and Urdu of the Muslims, which is such a pitiable digression from reality; from unity in diversity; and the concept of universal brotherhood,” it said.
Upholding the HC view, the SC bench said: “A municipal council is there to provide services to the local community of the area and cater to their immediate day-to-day needs. If people or a group of people, residing within the area covered by the municipal council are familiar with Urdu, then there should not be any objection if Urdu is used in addition to the official language i.e. Marathi, at least on the signboard of the municipal council. Language is a medium for exchange of ideas that brings people holding diverse views and beliefs closer and it should not become a cause of their division.”
Source: indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/india/urdu-isnt-alien-born-in-this-land-says-sc-clears-its-use-in-signboard-9946418/
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Clashes Erupt in Maharashtra's Nashik During Dargah Demolition Drive; 21 Cops Injured,15 Persons Arrested
16 Apr 2025
NASHIK: Twenty-one police personnel were injured and three police vehicles damaged when a few people allegedly attacked them while opposing the demolition of an unauthorised dargah in Maharashtra's Nashik city, officials said on Wednesday.
The incident took place late Tuesday night and police resorted to lathi-charge and lobbed teargas shells to disperse the mob and brought the situation under control, they said, adding 15 persons have been detained in connection with the violence.
The injured police personnel were on security duty during the anti-encroachment drive at the spot when the incident occurred.
The situation is currently peaceful, a senior police official said.
At around 6 am on Wednesday, the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) personnel removed the unauthorised Satpeer Baba Dargah located in Kathe Galli area of the city, following an order of the Bombay High Court, the police said.
"As per the HC order, the Satpeer Dargah trustees started the process of removing the structure on Tuesday night.
A mob gathered to oppose the removal and pelted stones at police and Muslim leaders who went to pacify the protesters," Nashik Commissioner of Police Sandeep Karnik said.
"Police resorted to lathi-charge and lobbed teargas shells to disperse the mob and brought the situation under control.
Three police vehicles were damaged and 21 police personnel injured in the attack. The dargah was demolished in the morning and the process to file an FIR and arrest (those involved in the violence) is on," he said.
At around 11.30 pm on Tuesday, the trustees had reached the spot to remove the encroachment and started the work.
At that time, a mob of miscreants gathered at Usmania Chowk near the structure. They did not listen to the dargah trustees and other people who went to pacify them, DCP Kirankumar Chavan said.
"Police officials present at the place also tried to pacify them, but they did not listen to them. The miscreants pelted stones and damaged some vehicles. Mild force was used to control them," he said.
"As many as 15 persons have been detained and 57 motorcycles belonging to suspects have been seized. The situation is peaceful and under control at present," Chavan said.
Nearly 50 NMC personnel were engaged in the anti-encroachment drive at the dargah on Wednesday morning, which was carried out using four earth-excavators, six trucks and two dumpers, as per civic officials.
Notably, several unauthorised structures near the dargah were removed by the civic body's anti-encroachment team in February this year.
However, a section of local residents and members of Hindu outfits who then gathered at the site said the dargah itself was unauthorised and must be removed.
Nashik Central MLA Devyani Pharande had also said the NMC's anti-encroachment drive in February was not complete and the entire site should be cleared.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Apr/16/ashes-erupt-in-nashik-during-dargah-demolition-drive-21-cops-injured15-persons-arrested
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Congress MP Digvijaya Singh seeks FIR against Yoga Guru Ramdev for 'Sharbat Jihad’ remark
15 Apr 2025
BHOPAL: Congress’s Rajya Sabha member and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh submitted a complaint accusing Yoga Guru Ramdev of inciting religious sentiments among people to increase sale of his product.
In a complaint submitted at the TT Nagar police station in Bhopal on Tuesday, he also accused the Yoga Guru of spreading hatred, animosity and hostility among people on communal lines through the video released on his ‘X’ account on April 3.
Singh further demanded that Ramdev be booked by the police for outraging religious feelings and promoting enmity among groups on the basis of religion.
While addressing the Yoga Guru as ‘ Vyapari (businessman) Ramdev,’ in his complaint, Singh alleged that as the owner of Patanjali Ayurveda Limited company, with the aim of increasing his business, he released a video on April 3 on his official ‘X’ account.
“In the video while marketing Patanjali's Gulab Sharbat, he (Ramdev) said that there is a company in the name of Sharbat which gives Sharbat, but the money derived from its sale is used to build madrasas and mosques. Okay, this is their religion, but if you drink that Sharbat, then mosques and madrasas will be built and if you drink Patanjali's Gulab Sharbat, then Gurukul will be built, Acharya Kulam will be built, and Patanjali University Indian Education Board will move forward."
"That is why I say that there is something called Sharbat Jihad, just like Love Jihad. Vote Jihad is going on, Sharbat Jihad is also going on. This statement of Ramdev is hurtful to religious sentiments and is full of animosity.”
“It has an adverse effect on religious sentiments and amounts to a punishable offence under Section 196 (1) (a), 299 of the Indian Penal Code 2023 and various sections of the IT Act,” Singh submitted in his complaint.
Singh said that Ramdev has built an empire worth crores of rupees by taking the help of religion and nationalism to sell his products, whereas many of Patanjali's products have not met the set standards and have been banned by competent court.
"He didn’t keep himself away from taking advantage of the opportunity even in the Covid pandemic and tried to deceive the whole country by making false promises of making a vaccine for Corona, and later apologised after being reprimanded by the Supreme Court. But even today he is misleading the public by his actions and playing with their religious sentiments,” Singh added.
According to Singh, the entire country knows the 'Hamdard' company, which businessman Ramdev has mentioned without naming it, has been trading Ayurvedic and Unani medicines in our country for about 100 years.
Businessman Ramdev's opposition to "Rooh Afza" syrup just because the owner of the company is a Muslim, amounts to hate speech and calling the sale of the said syrup "Sharbat Jihad" is unconstitutional.
Later talking to journalists, the septuagenarian Congress MP said, “I’ll wait for a week, if the FIR isn’t registered by Bhopal Police by then, I’ll move to the Court in the matter.”
While interacting with journalists further, the former MP CM also questioned why vast tract of land allotted to Patanjali Group in MP for varied business purposes, including Yoga, organic fertilizers, organic cotton production and food processing in Raisen, Narsinghpur, Jhabua, Satna, Sagar, Shivpuri, Guna and other districts was lying unutilized.
“The MP government cancelled land allotment to Infosys as the allotted land wasn’t being utilised by the IT major, so why is similar action not being initiated against him (Ramdev) and his business group?”
Reacting to Singh’s complaint against the Yoga Guru, Madhya Pradesh’s cabinet minister Vishwas Sarang addressed the former MP CM as ‘Diggy Miyan.’
“Diggy Miyan has an objection to saffron clothes worn by Baba Ramdev and not actually Baba Ramdev. He is slagging Baba Ramdev, but has taken pride in the past while glorifying controversial and extremist Islamic preacher Zakir Naik," he said
"Baba Ramdev, who has promoted Yoga across the world for healthy living, is seen by him (Singh) as a villain. Are foreign forces sponsoring him (Singh), does he derive pleasure in speaking against Sanatan Dharma, how far will he take his politics of minority appeasement?," he added.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Apr/15/congress-mp-digvijaya-singh-seeks-fir-against-yoga-guru-ramdev-for-sharbat-jihad-remark
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BJP should understand history of Muslim reservation in Karnataka before slamming caste census
Apr 16, 2025
by Vijayakumar M Boratti
Census in modern India has never been a matter of mere numbers. It invariably contains social and political overtones. Moreover, any effort to enumerate caste has always elicited caste assertions and opposition to it. So, it is not surprising that the Karnataka government’s recent decision to make public the survey of the state’s social, economic and educational demography, aka the caste survey, conducted in 2015, has stirred the hornet’s nest. While it has become a matter of concern for castes like the Vokkaligas and the Lingayats, it is a “wait and watch” situation for other communities.
Following the announcement of a similar census in Telangana, Rahul Gandhi’s repeated promise to conduct a pan-India caste census and the manifesto promise of Congress in Karnataka pushed CM Siddaramaiah to make the survey public after a gap of nearly a decade. It was actually conducted under the supervision of H Kantharaj, former president of the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes.
The caste census in Karnataka, which includes the details and enumeration of every community, was conducted nearly after 85 years. The present census of the Karnataka government claims to provide a “scientific” and “accurate” picture of caste and communities with an exhaustive profile of their social and economic status, along with sub-castes of OBCs, minorities, SC/STs and even traditional forward castes.
At a time when the BJP is trying to consolidate the Hindu vote in Karnataka using polarisation tactics, the report may thwart its attempts by bringing back the politics of caste assertion. The caste survey makes one remember the legacy of Devaraj Urs who engineered the reservation policy for the Ahinda castes back in the 1970s, inviting the wrath of the Lingayats and the Brahmins. Though the Karnataka government is trying to defend its announcement by resorting to the discourse of policy matters and equal opportunities, the BJP seems to be afraid that caste politics would weaken Hindutva. It is not losing any opportunity to slam the Congress government, invoking the tried-and-tested trope of “Muslim appeasement”. Notably, the Muslims, according to the report, constitute the single largest group after the Scheduled Castes.
Though the Karnataka government has plans to debate and discuss the commission’s report in the Assembly, certain “stereotypical” views are being circulated. For example, the Congress government wants to consolidate its Ahinda votes, or that the Muslims outnumber all other castes and communities in Karnataka, or that the government is pursuing Muslim appeasement for its electoral votes. These narratives are already gaining popularity. A few mainstream Kannada television channels are over-enthusiastically spreading these narratives without taking note of the history and ground realities.
Source: indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/bjp-understand-history-muslim-reservation-karnataka-slamming-caste-census-9947267/
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HC adjourns hearing till May 5 in Gyanvapi case
Apr 16, 2025
PRAYAGRAJ: Allahabad high court on Tuesday deferred till May 5 hearings on a petition challenging a Varanasi court's refusal in 2023 to order an ASI survey of Gyanvapi mosque's wuzukhana (ablution pond) area, except a purported 'shivlinga', reports Rajesh Kumar Pandey. The 'shivlinga' was found during a court-mandated survey of the mosque in 2022.
Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal of HC noted that Supreme Court had in Dec last year restrained courts across the country from passing interim or final orders on religious structures. The revision plea was filed by Rakhi Singh, one of the Varanasi plaintiffs seeking the wuzukhana survey. HC granted time to the mosque management committee to file its counter-affidavit on the matter.
Source: indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/hc-adjourns-hearing-till-may-5-in-gyanvapi-case/articleshow/120326922.cms
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Flare-up pall on Poila Baisakh: Businesses suffer 'double loss' as fear grips Murshidabad
Snehamoy Chakraborty
16.04.25
Narayan Chandra Sarkar has never witnessed such a dull and low-key Poila Baisakh in his 50 years as a businessman at the Dhulian market in Samserganj.
After four days of closure owing to the waqf-related violence in the area that claimed three lives, he opened his wholesale and retail grocery shop on Tuesday for halkhata (new ledger) puja, a tradition that has run in his family for over a century.
He decorated the shop with flowers, bought several red-coloured new ledgers where he would write the names of customers after they settled their dues, and made arrangements for sweet packets for them. “It’s around 2pm but not a single customer has visited my shop. I hope at least a few will come in the afternoon,” said the 65-year-old grocer, showing an empty halkhata.
The fear that has gripped the area following the communal flare-up on Friday has marred the festive spirit, with most people not daring to step out. The atmosphere of mistrust after the clashes also appears to have had a bearing on the participation in Poila Baisakh rituals as around 80 per cent of the local population are Muslims.
Sarkar said hundreds of customers usually visit the shop on this day to repay their dues, and the money collected helps him pay the big merchants from whom he purchases commodities on credit.
“Last year, dues to the tune of ?5 lakh were cleared on Poila Baisakh. This annual collection helps businessmen like me pay our suppliers. This year, it’s a double loss: I have to repay my dealers from my savings and I won’t be able to collect last year’s dues anytime soon,” Sarkar added.
As part of the halkhata tradition, traders across Bengal invite their customers to their shops on Poila Baisakh. Many shop owners gift calendars and sweet packets to customers who repay their debts on this day.
Manabendra Mukhopadhyay, head of the Bengali department at Visva-Bharati, said halkhata has been a tradition in Bengal since the 17th century.
“In earlier days, local zamindars used to organise Punyaha — an occasion to collect due taxes from their vassals — on the Bengali New Year. Big traders gradually adopted this practice to collect dues and the tradition persists, especially in the rural and semi-urban pockets of Bengal,” Mukhopadhyay said.
Sarkar is one of the very few businessmen whose shops have reopened at the Dhulian market in the aftermath of the violence in the larger Samserganj area.
Most business establishments — including motorcycle showrooms, large ready-made clothing stores, restaurants and even medical shops — are closed, giving the Dhulian Bidhan Sarani market a deserted look.
A police officer said shops were gradually reopening and the situation was expected to improve from Wednesday.
Several traders in Dhulian said the violence, which began with a protest related to the amended waqf act, had throttled their Poila Baisakh business this year.
“Our market is one of the biggest in Murshidabad. Buyers from outside Dhulian also come in large numbers to purchase new clothes for the Bengali New Year. I have lost business worth at least ?10 lakh,” said Nitesh Kumar Jain, the owner of a readymade clothing store at Bidhan Sarani near theDhulian municipality.
Multiple traders said the Dhulian cloth market was a popular hub and people from neighbouring Malda district and Jharkhand’s Pakur frequented the place. Till last week, the market was abuzz with activity.
“It’s not easy to restore normalcy. Traders like me panicked after a two-storey shop that was over 100 years old was looted and set on fire during the violence. It’ll take time for us to regain the confidence to reopen our shops,” said Jain, standing near his shop. He demanded that a BSF or CRPF camp be set up in the area to helprestore trust.
Though some traders began reopening their shops by Tuesday evening, the number was still low compared to the total numberof establishments.
Poila Baisakh is not a festival for Hindu traders only — it is also celebrated by the local Muslim community.
“Till last year, I used to visit my dealer’s shop at the Bidhan Sarani market and receive a packet of sweets and a calendar. The halkhata celebration is part of our tradition too — there has never been any enmity between the two communities. Hindu traders also invest during Eid as it boosts the local market,” said Ismail Sheikh, a confectionery shop owner in Samserganj.
Tinku Sheikh, a sweet shop employee at Old Dakbungalow More in Samserganj, said he used to make around 20,000 laddus for Poila Baisakh as local traders would order them for halkhatacelebrations.
“This year, there were no orders. We could open our shop only on Tuesday,”Tinku said.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/flare-up-pall-on-poila-baisakh-businesses-suffer-double-loss-as-fear-grips-murshidabad-prnt/cid/2094300
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MLC Amer Ali Khan urges secular and democratic forces to oppose Waqf Act
April 15, 2025
Terming the recently amended Waqf Act 2025 a direct assault on the constitutional and religious rights of Muslims in the county, Congress MLC Amer Ali Khan said that the legislation violates Article 25, which guarantees the Right to Freedom of Religion, and accused the BJP-led central government of using the law as a tool to erode autonomy and allow encroachments on Waqf lands worth lakhs of crores.
Addressing a public meeting at Kamareddy on Tuesday, Mr. Khan described the Act as a “draconian measure” aimed at seizing Waqf properties and stripping Muslims of their personal laws and religious autonomy.
“This is not just about land or property. It is a deliberate wound to the dignity of Muslims and the soul of our Constitution,” he added.
Mr. Khan said the Waqf Amendment Act is not only a legal assault but also a calculated political move to weaken the Muslim community. “We cannot stay silent while our protections are dismantled. Let us rise, protest, and reclaim the idea of India,” he urged.
“Today it is us. Tomorrow, it could be any other community,” he said, calling on all secular and democratic forces to stand united.
Mr. Khan said the Waqf Amendment Act is not only a legal assault but also a calculated political move to weaken the Muslim community.
Referring to widespread poverty among Muslims, especially in Hyderabad, he raised serious questions about the effectiveness of previous government efforts.
“BRS says it spent ?12,000 crore on minority welfare. But why are Muslims still living in poverty and miserable conditions?” he asked.
He reaffirmed that the Congress party would fight this law both politically and legally, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the people.
The Congress MLC conducted a two-day protest rally against the Waqf Amendment Act, 2025, which began in Adilabad on Monday, passed through Nizamabad, and culminated with a massive public meeting in Kamareddy, where thousands participated.
Source: thehindu.com
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https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/mlc-amer-ali-khan-urges-secular-and-democratic-forces-to-oppose-waqf-act/article69453326.ece
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Mideast
Hamas: "Ben-Gvir's storming Ibrahimi Mosque is dangerous escalation that requires resistance escalation"
15 Apr 2025
The leader of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), Abdul Rahman Shadid, considered the storming of the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron by the extremist minister of the Zionist enemy government, Itamar Ben-Gvir, as an additional and dangerous escalation against Islamic sanctuaries.
In a press statement on Tuesday, Shadid emphasized that the incitement of enemy leaders and his desecration of the holy sites is part of the escalating war of extermination against the Palestinians and their holy sites, calling for an escalation of resistance and thwarting the enemy's settlement plans.
He pointed out that the enemy authorities take advantage of the Jewish holidays and seasons to increase their attacks and implement settlement plans, with the support of the right-wing enemy government.
Shadid stressed the importance of protecting Islamic holy sites in the West Bank and occupied Quds, and mobilizing people to continue resistance and respond to the crimes of the enemy and settlers.
On Tuesday, dozens of settlers, including extremist minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, stormed the Ibrahimi Mosque in the Old City of Hebron, south of the occupied West Bank.
Source: saba.ye
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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3466121.htm
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Ayatollah Khamenei: Iran's issues should not be linked to Amman negotiations, red lines clear to us
15 Apr 2025
Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has emphasized that Iran's problems should not be linked to the negotiations with the United States, noting that they are one of dozens of actions undertaken by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During his reception of a group of government members, members of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, senior officials of the judiciary, and officials of some institutions on the occasion of the beginning of the Iranian New Year, Ayatollah Khamenei emphasized that the Islamic Republic views these negotiations with neither excessive optimism nor excessive pessimism, and that a decision has been made regarding a step that has been implemented well in its early stages. He explained: "Of course, we are very pessimistic about the other side, but we are optimistic about our own capabilities."
He added, "The mistake made in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) should not be repeated." He referred to the nuclear agreement. During the negotiations over the JCPOA, all issues in the country were linked to the progress of the negotiations, noting that investors do not invest in the country when they see that everything depends on negotiations.
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution believed that the best way to confront the sanctions is to invest in production, explaining, "We do not have the power to lift the sanctions, but we can neutralize them. There are many ways and domestic capabilities for this, and if this goal is achieved, the country will become immune to these sanctions."
He considered expanding relations with neighbors and economic centers in Asia, Africa, and other countries important, noting that this work also requires follow-up, especially with regard to changing some practices at the intermediate levels.
Avoiding "excessive optimism and pessimism" in these talks, Ayatollah Khamenei said, "The country's decision to negotiate was implemented well in the first steps, but after that, we must proceed with caution, as the red lines are very clear for us and for the other side."
He continued: "The negotiations may or may not reach a conclusion. We are neither very optimistic nor very pessimistic about these talks. Of course, we are very pessimistic about the other side, but we are optimistic about our capabilities."
The leader concluded his remarks by addressing the latest developments in Gaza, pointing to the unprecedented crimes committed by the criminal Zionist gang in its deliberate attacks on patients, journalists, ambulances, hospitals, and oppressed children and women in Gaza. He explained that these crimes require extraordinary cruelty, which the occupying criminal gang possesses.
He emphasized that coordinated action by the Islamic world in the economic, political, and even operational spheres, if necessary, is an urgent need. He said: "We are confident that God will bring down His punishment on these oppressors, but this does not absolve governments and peoples of their grave responsibilities."
Source: saba.ye
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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3465970.htm
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Khamenei says Iran-US talks going well but may lead nowhere
April 15, 2025
TEHRAN: Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday he was satisfied with talks with arch-foe the US but warned they could ultimately prove fruitless.
Tehran and Washington are due to meet again in Muscat on Saturday, a week after top officials held the highest-level talks since the landmark 2015 nuclear accord collapsed.
US President Donald Trump, who pulled out of the deal during his first term, revived his “maximum pressure” sanctions campaign after returning to office in January.
In March, he sent a letter to Khamenei urging talks and warning of possible military action if Iran refused.
Saturday’s talks were “well carried out in the first steps,” Khamenei said, quoted by state television. “Of course, we are very pessimistic about the other side, but we are optimistic about our own capabilities.”
But he added that “the negotiations may or may not yield results.”
Despite having no diplomatic ties since Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, both sides described the talks as “constructive.”
Iran insists discussions remain “indirect” and mediated by Oman.
On Monday, Trump again threatened to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities if no deal was reached, calling Iranian authorities “radicals” who should not possess nuclear weapons.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2597192/middle-east
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Israeli authorities close Hebron’s Ibrahimi Mosque during Passover holiday
April 15, 2025
LONDON: Israeli authorities closed the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron, which is in the occupied West Bank, as part of security measures during the Jewish holiday of Passover.
Jamal Abu Aram, the Palestinian director of the Hebron Waqf Department, said that Israeli authorities on Monday evening closed the mosque, with all its corridors and courtyards, for two days.
The closure meant Palestinians were barred from accessing the site as Israeli settlers celebrated the Jewish holiday of Passover, the Wafa news agency reported.
Passover is observed from April 12 to April 20, when Jewish communities commemorate the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt more than 3,000 years ago.
The Ibrahimi Mosque, known to Jews as the Cave of the Patriarchs, has been a site of conflict since 1994. Israeli authorities have imposed strict military and security measures in the old city of Hebron, where the mosque is located, with nearly 1,500 soldiers stationed there to protect the 400 settlers in the area.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2597147/middle-east
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Iran summons Argentina’s chargé d’affaires over false claims
Apr 16, 2025
In response to the unlawful and internationally improper move by the Argentine Prosecutor’s Office in levelling allegations against senior officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Chargé d’Affaires of Argentina in Tehran was summoned by Issa Kameli, Director General for the Americas at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Chargé d’Affaires was delivered the Islamic Republic of Iran’s official note of strong protest.
During the meeting, Kameli conveyed the Islamic Republic’s categorical rejection and condemnation of the unfounded accusations made by the Argentine judiciary and official authorities. He emphasized that the decision by the AMIA case prosecutor to level accusations against senior officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran constitutes yet another deviation in the protracted judicial proceedings related to a suspicious incident dating back to 1994, and only serves to deepen the numerous unanswered questions and ambiguities surrounding the case—ambiguities that have persisted due to the continuous interference and influence of individuals affiliated with the Zionist regime, which has turned the case into a political instrument for advancing that regime’s anti-Iranian agenda.
Kameli emphasized that this prosecutorial action is in manifest contravention of fundamental principles and norms of international law, particularly those pertaining to sovereign equality and political independence of states. He described the measure as an unfortunate precedent in international relations and asserted that such conduct not only escalates diplomatic tensions between the two countries but also constitutes an internationally wrongful act, thereby entailing the international responsibility of the Argentine government.
Calling upon the competent authorities of the Argentine government to rectify this misguided course, Kameli warned of the legal and political repercussions arising from the prosecutor’s actions. He underscored that the Islamic Republic of Iran reserves its inherent right, under international law, to take all necessary and proportionate measures to safeguard its rights and interests.
Source: mehrnews.com
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https://en.mehrnews.com/news/230645/Iran-summons-argentine-envoy-over-false-accusations
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Hezbollah: Al-Aqsa incursions are shameless aggression & cause for anger for every Muslim in world"
15 Apr 2025
The Lebanese Hezbollah condemned, on Tuesday, the crime of hundreds of settlers, over three consecutive days, desecrating the sanctity of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, by storming its courtyards and performing Talmudic rituals and committing provocative practices, under the protection of the Zionist enemy forces and led by extremist figures from the Knesset.
The party said in a statement that what Al-Aqsa Mosque was subjected to is "an aggressive and shameless scene in which the enemy aims to create a new and dangerous reality in the context of its settlement and Judaization project aimed at changing the Arab and Islamic identity of Al-Quds and its holy sites, thinking that its crimes in Gaza and the West Bank will distract the attention of the nation from its repeated violation of the first of the two Qiblas and the heart and crown of the Palestinian cause."
"These aggressive practices, in which the enemy and its settlers take advantage of religious holidays and occasions to desecrate Al-Aqsa Mosque, are a cause for anger for every Muslim in the world and a provocation to the feelings of the Arab , Islamic peoples , their countries, and must prompt them to take serious action to stop these violations," it added.
The party called on the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Arab League, the scientific metropolises, the scholars of the nation and the free world, to take urgent action and assume their historical responsibilities, raise the voice loudly in the face of the continuous desecration of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and work effectively and strongly to stop the US-backed Zionist criminality on Palestine and the region.
On Tuesday morning, hundreds of extremist settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque from the Mughrabi Gate, under heavy guard by the Israeli enemy police, on the third day of the so-called "Passover" Jewish holiday.
The Department of Islamic Endowments in occupied Al-Quds reported that 1231 settlers stormed Al-Aqsa and toured its courtyards.
Source: saba.ye
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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3466122.htm
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Qaddumi calls for declaring general jihad in Islamic countries in support of Palestine
15 Apr 2025
The representative of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in Tehran, Khaled al-Qaddumi, on Tuesday called for declaring a general jihad in Islamic countries in support of Palestine.
"About 16 months have passed since the start of the war in Gaza, and the ugly and hateful face of the Zionist criminals has been fully exposed," Mehr News Agency quoted Qaddumi as saying.
"This war was conducted entirely with the green light and complicity of America and other Western countries, making it a battle between right and wrong," he added.
The Hamas representative in Tehran continued: "The number of martyrs and wounded in Gaza Strip has so far reached about 165,000, and the number of crimes committed by the Zionist entity is increasing every day."
He added: The great Palestinian writer Abdul Wahab al-Misiri once said that there are two reasons for the survival of the Zionist entity; the first is the wide support of Western countries, and the second is the inaction of Arab countries and their lack of support for Palestine.
The Hamas representative in Tehran added: "The third issue that we are witnessing in the West Bank is the construction of settlements by the Zionist entity and the transformation of major Palestinian cities such as Ramallah, Nablus and other cities into areas similar to Gaza Strip, while encircling their borders and strictly controlling any movement at their entrances."
Qaddumi said: "The situation today has gone beyond a mere declaration of support for Gaza, and a general jihad must be declared in Islamic countries in support of Palestine."
Source: saba.ye
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3466074.htm
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Iranians in Qom, other cities hold pro-Gaza rallies
Apr 15, 2025
A large crows attended the "I hold on to my promise towards Palestine" held in the holy Jamkaran Mosque in Qom in support of the oppressed people of Gaza where the demonstrators renewed their allegiance to the Imam of the Age (Imam Mahdi) on Tuesday evening.
Similar rallies were held in other cities in Iran on Tuesday afternoon.
The demonstrators called for the liberation of the defenseless people of Gaza and the destruction of the child-killing Zionist regime.
Source: mehrnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://en.mehrnews.com/news/230638/Iranians-in-Qom-other-cities-hold-pro-Gaza-rallies
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Europe
Largest education union accuses Farage of ‘scapegoating Muslims and Jews’
April 15, 2025
The largest education union in the country has passed a motion labelling Reform UK as “racist and far-right” and who are “scapegoating Muslims, Jews and others who do not fit their beliefs.”
Delegates at the annual conference of the National Education Union (NEU) also called for the union’s political fund to be used to help campaign against Reform UK election candidates whose policies and campaigns were “racist”.
A motion, passed by delegates at the conference on Tuesday, said it believes Reform UK is a “racist and far-right party because of its policies around immigration and its campaigns against migrants”.
It said Nigel Farage’s party“seek to build on the despair, poverty and alienation in our society by scapegoating refugees, asylum seekers, Muslims, Jews and others who do not fit their beliefs”.
Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the NEU, has repeatedly faced criticism of pursuing an extreme anti-Israel agenda that has infuriated many Jewish members, particularly in the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas massacre.
In 2021, Kebede appeared at a pro-Palestine rally in Newcastle and told those in attendance “it’s about time we globalise the intifada.”
At this year’s NEU conference in Harrogate another motion on Israel was passed by delegates.
Commenting on the motion’s repeated condemnation of Israel’s war in Gaza, Kebede did stress the need for the hostages still held by Hamas to be released.
He said:“Over the past 16 months, the NEU has called repeatedly for a ceasefire in Gaza and for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.
“We have watched in horror as Israel’s deadly attacks on Gaza have resumed, hostages have remained in captivity and attacks on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank have escalated.
“The NEU works with trade unions around the world on access to education, addressing teacher shortages and education in conflict zones. These issues are acute and urgent in Palestine. 17,400 children have been killed during Israel’s war on Gaza and access to learning for other young people destroyed.”
In another sign of the union’s often disproportionate focus the Middle East, figures for the NEU’s International Solidarity Fund showed nearly £300, 000 earmarked for Palestine, with £40 to a Send My Friend To School initiative.
Speaking to media at the annual conference Kebede renewed his attack on Reform UK.
“I think there’s an awful lot of racists who are getting involved in Reform,” he said.
“I think Nigel Farage is a right-wing populist.”
He also labelled Farage a “pound shop Donald Trump.”
When asked about the union’s stance on Reform UK at a press conference in County Durham on Tuesday afternoon, Farage accused the NEU leader of being a “self-declared Marxist” who he claimed was determined that “children should be poisoned at school” about everything to do with the country.
The Reform UK leader said: “He is encouraging literally indoctrination of teenagers in our schools by telling kids that Reform is a racist party.”
Farage added: “If we win the 2029 General Election we will go to war with the National Education Union and all the left-wing teaching unions”.
Source: jewishnews.co.uk
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/largest-education-union-accuses-farage-of-scapegoating-muslims-and-jews/
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UK police investigate vandalism of Muslim children’s graves
15 April, 2025
Hertfordshire police have launched an investigation into the vandalism of 85 Muslim graves located in Carpenders Park Lawn Cemetery, Watford.
Police said the majority of damage was done to graves which were "the resting place of babies and young children" and have since launched extra patrols in the area as well as called for any witnesses to come forward with information.
One inspector told reporters that senior officers have started working with local community leaders to identify the families of those buried at the site.
"In the coming days we will engage further with the Muslim community who will have been particularly impacted by this horrendous crime," inspector Will Rogers-Overy said.
The New Arab reached out to the MET police to ask if the vandalism was an Islamophobic hate crime, however, did not receive an answer by the time of publication.
Images from the cemetery, owned by Brent Council, show scores of plaques removed from the ground and scattered across the ground.
Following the vandalism, a statement from Wadi Funeralcare read: "We await an update from Hertfordshire Police with regards to the investigation. This incident has deeply shaken our community, but the swift response and shared outrage remind us of the strength we have when we stand together".
The funeral care service further called on members of the community to join them in demanding accountability and justice, urging them to reach out to Brent Council and express their concerns.
Many key figures and local Muslims in the community voiced alarm at the situation.
Conservative councillor Abbas Merali denounced the act as "barbaric" and said it has "caused immense anguish to grieving families and profound hurt across our community".
The chief superintendent of Hertfordshire Police, Jon Simpson said: "At this stage, we are keeping an open mind as to the nature of this incident and in the coming days we will continue to engage with our Muslim communities to provide support and reassurance".
However, Muslims have called on the police to treat it as an Islamophobic attack, highlighting that no other graves had been targeted.
The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) also weighed in on the vandalism, saying it "appears to be an Islamophobic attack".
"We urge that this be met with the full weight of accountability - and formally recognised for what it is: a targeted act of hate," they added, noting that the Muslim community needs reassurance that such acts will not be ignored.
In a comment given to her funeral provider, Alicia Hussain confirmed her daughter’s grave was affected by the vandalism, calling it "cruel, cold, deeply violating".
"I recently became aware — through social media, not official communication — that babies’ graves had been vandalised at Carpenders Park cemetery. To my horror, upon arriving my daughter’s and other baby graves had a police cordon tape around them," she added.
Hussain stated the incident took place on Thursday, but did not receive any official correspondence about what had happened, leaving her to find out through social media.
Grieving parents "deserve better," she said, referring to the lack of communication from Brent Council.
Source: newarab.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.newarab.com/news/uk-police-investigate-vandalism-muslim-childrens-graves
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A UK-US deal sounds good but it is all about the detail
April 15, 2025
US Vice-President JD Vance said there was a "good chance" a trade deal could be reached with the UK, suggesting it would be easier to land than with other European countries due to "a much more reciprocal relationship".
UK business and trade minister Sarah Jones welcomed Vance's comments and said talks to secure a deal with the US were ongoing, but declined to provide a timeline on their progress.
"Nobody wants tariffs. No one wants a tariff war. We want to secure a deal with the US," she added.
The real question about positive comments by Vice-President JD Vance and Jones about a UK-US trade deal, is what they actually mean by the term "deal".
Just after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's visit to the White House in February, it was rather telling that the UK delegation referred to what was being negotiated as an "economic deal".
This was meant to show that this "deal" was not about an extensive free trade agreement, covering nearly all goods.
In Trump's first term, negotiations between the UK and US progressed fairly well up until the point controversial issues about medicine pricing and food standards emerged.
Trump's team told me back then that they were waiting to see how close the UK would remain to European Union rules after Brexit.
This time around, the "deal" seems to have been about science, technology and artificial intelligence cooperation in return for avoiding tariffs.
The US has wanted to talk about the UK's "tech tax" on mainly US digital companies, and has raised issues about the Online Safety Act.
However, there is a big problem now.
The US has now levied a 10% tax on UK imports as part of what it called its "reciprocal tariffs".
But there is no general problem with this trading relationship. In fact, the UK buys more from the US than the other way around.
The mood music from Washington is that this 10% tariff is not for negotiation with anyone. That is the baseline tariff that has been levied on nearly all of America's trading partners.
Making an exception for one country would simply invite significant trade diversion.
But the UK is in a different position than other nations.
Most countries had faced higher tariffs - as illustrated on Donald Trump's big board - such as on electronics manufacturers in East Asia and they want to keep the levy at the 10% rate.
The net result is that the UK may not have much to negotiate here, and yet is being treated very harshly, given there is no US trade deficit.
Factor in the exemptions for electronics which benefit the likes of China and the fact that cars, a major industry for Britain, are being tariffed at 25% and the UK side has much to complain about.
Another issue is that all this is being done at the same time as the post-Brexit reset negotiations are being outlined ahead of the UK-EU summit next month.
The word is that the UK and EU would like to secure an ambitious deal which aligns closely on export rules. The aim of this reset would be to rid food and farm exports of most red tape.
The US has taken an interest in this in the past. Could the US make it part of their negotiation?
In addition, many US officials have mentioned a desire for allies to join it in containing China.
The US might also try to force a choice on the UK here, or at least encourage action to keep out diverted Chinese goods.
All this would fly in the face of the UK government's entire sell to the world that Britain could be the "most connected economy in the world" with strong links into European goods markets, US technology and the east Asia market, including China.
There is a final factor here, which is very intriguing.
Given last week's chaos in financial markets including for US government debt, it is now the case that the US needs these deals, especially the easy pickings with its closest allies.
The UK has more leverage than it did a month ago. The PM may not want to use it but the US cannot afford to make the UK stall or walk away.
Source: bbc.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly2rwdzznno
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Ancient oak tree cut down by Toby Carvery
April 15, 2025
The cutting down of an ancient oak in north London was ordered on health and safety grounds by the pub chain that owns Toby Carvery after it was told the tree was dead.
The felled oak, estimated to be about 500 years old, was found by council workers at the edge of Whitewebbs Park in Enfield earlier in April. An emergency tree preservation order has now been imposed on what remains of the tree, which is near a Toby Carvery.
The tree, with a girth of 6m (20ft), was a nationally significant pedunculate oak listed on the Woodland Trust's ancient tree inventory.
A spokesperson for Mitchells & Butlers said: "We took necessary measures to ensure any legal requirements were met."
'Done the decent thing'
The pub chain spokesperson added: "This was an important action to protect our employees and guests as well as the wider general public, to whom we have a duty of care."
Earlier, a Mitchells & Butlers source said the company had "done the decent thing" although they apologised to locals who loved the tree.
Enfield Council's leader, Ergin Erbil, previously said they were treating the matter as criminal damage and had reported it to the police.
The Met Police confirmed it had received a report from the council, but it is understood the force believes there is no evidence of criminality.
The spokesperson for Mitchells & Butlers said: "The tree was cut back after we were advised that it caused a serious health and safety risk.
"Upon further inspection, our specialist arboriculture contractors made the assessment that the split and dead wood posed a serious health and safety risk and advised that the tree was unsafe and should be removed.
"We are grateful to our expert contractors for warning us of this hazard so swiftly, allowing us to act before anyone was harmed."
Benny Hawksbee, a member of the Guardians of Whitewebbs group, said "the tree belonged to Enfield and to our national heritage - I am devastated.
"We have now placed a legal protection [Tree Preservation Order] on the tree and are looking at ways to help it grow back."
Jon Stokes, director of trees, science and research at the Tree Council, said the felling of such a "magnificent" tree was shocking.
"Ancient oaks can live up to 1,000 years old and are as precious as our stately homes and castles," he said.
"Our nation's green heritage should be valued and protected and we will do everything we can to achieve this."
The Woodland Trust's head of campaigning Adam Cormack said: "This depressing sight is a reminder to all of us that not every ancient tree is in a safe place.
"It is very unusual to see the felling of an oak tree of this size and age. Legally protected status for heritage trees like the Whitewebbs Oak is long overdue."
The trust's Living Legends petition, which aims to secure such status for heritage trees, and which attracted more than 100,000 signatures, was handed in to Downing Street in November.
The issue of tree preservation was highlighted after the destruction of the Sycamore Gap tree in September 2023.
There was outrage when the tree, which stood in a dip next to Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland, was chopped down.
Daniel Graham, 39, and Adam Carruthers, 32, both from Cumbria, are accused of causing criminal damage put at more than £600,000.
The men, who deny the charge, will appear before a jury at a trial starting on 28 April at Newcastle Crown Court.
Source: bbc.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cewgypewepno
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Man fined $5,000 after hugging German chancellor
16 Apr, 2025
A German man was fined €4,500 ($5,100) on Tuesday for sneaking into Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s motorcade and hugging him on the tarmac. The defendant, whose name was withheld by the authorities, also had his driver’s license suspended for two and a half years.
In May 2023, the man, driving a dark Audi, joined the chancellor’s motorcade as Scholz was returning to Berlin after the 25th anniversary of the European Central Bank in Frankfurt. Once the convoy arrived at Frankfurt Airport, the driver exited his car, shook Scholz’s hand, and hugged him on the tarmac. He was then detained by police.
According to Deutsche Welle, the man insisted he had joined the convoy by mistake. He explained that he was high on cocaine and had been partying for two days. The court found him guilty of driving under the influence of drugs and trespassing.
“People saying hello and greeting me is never something that particularly affects me,” Scholz said shortly after the encounter, as quoted by AFP. “That’s very normal and I didn’t find this situation dramatic either.”
The chancellor’s spokesman, Wolfgang Buechner, later told reporters that Scholz “didn’t feel threatened at any point.”
Nevertheless, the lapse in security sparked public scrutiny, given the rise in verbal abuse and physical attacks on German politicians in recent years.
In 2024, an assailant struck Franziska Giffey, Berlin’s economy minister, in the head during an event at a library. That same year, a group of teenagers attacked Matthias Ecke, a member of the European Parliament, while he was hanging campaign posters, and aggressive bystanders cursed and spat on Green Party politician Yvonne Mosler on the street.
Source: rt.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.rt.com/news/615815-man-fined-hugged-scholz/
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Africa
The decision to shut schools for Ramadan is inconsiderate
16 Apr 2025
The adamant posture of four governors of Bauchi, Katsina, Kebbi, and Kano states, and their failure to rescind their decision to close schools for the just-concluded Ramadan fasting certainly has set back the educational progress of the pupils. This is needless, considering that many of the pupils are underage and most probably did not fast as strictly enjoined in the Holy Quran.
Although, Muslims are required to engage in lifestyle suitable and commensurate for the observance of fasting during Ramadan, Islam does not require adherents to completely alter their work routine or educational pursuits during Ramadan, the teaching of which in fact, is for Muslims to abstain from food and drinks even while going about their normal duties.
It is indeed unfortunate that the governors stood their ground at the expense of the pupils, despite the many calls on them to rescind their decision to shut educational institutions for religious considerations in their respective jurisdictions for over a month.
Thoughtful citizens, including Muslims, had hoped that the governors would, as in most Islamic countries, at least adjust the school time to accommodate the wishes of the authorities. Former primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Archbishop Nicholas Okoh rightly argued that even ‘nations like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates where Islam is central and Ramadan deeply revered do not shut down schools for the entire fasting period. Alas, reason did not prevail in this matter.
The consequence was that for about a month, pupils and students in basic schools were denied the precious opportunity to study and keep pace with their counterparts in other parts of the country. Notably, the other children at school during the Ramadan period are in regions of the country that are already educationally ahead of these states. The gap can only widen if governors will adopt the attitude to deny young people the fair and just right to education as and when due.
As far back as July 1980, Chief Obafemi Awolowo had cause to worry that ‘the educational gap between the Western States and the Northern States is too wide for comfort…it would be criminal for anyone who has the power and the means to close it, to allow it to widen further’.
If public schools can be shut down for religious observance, the entire machinery of government may, in future, be shut down for the same reason. Furthermore, if on the whim of a governor, private schools can be summarily closed without consulting their proprietors, it is not a distant possibility that private businesses can suffer the same fate someday. This, indeed, is a frightening possibility in a democracy. Eze Onyekpere of the Centre for Social Justice rightly describes the forced closure as antithetical to common sense and an infringement on the rights of others.
The closure decision would have been less insensitive had the governments concerned consulted key stakeholders in the education sector, such as the Parents Teachers Association (PTA), the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). Dr. Aminu Usman, who heads the Hisbah Board in Kano State, is reported to have even threatened private schools if they did not obey the order to shut down.
Section 10 of the extant Constitution declares unequivocally that ‘The Government of the Federation or a State shall not adopt any religion as State Religion.’ This clear separation of State from religion denies, we should think, any government the use of its powers to force obedience on any citizens except on his or her volition, contrary to the stand of MURIC spokesman, Ishaq Akintola that the decision to close schools is completely a Muslim issue.
Ordinarily, the governments of Kebbi, Katsina, and other states should be at the forefront of ensuring that schools run regularly, efficiently, and effectively for the obvious reasons that they consistently are mentioned in the not-too-noble list of educationally disadvantaged jurisdictions.
They simply have a lot of catching up to do – at national and global levels. Press reports indicate that by UNESCO calculations, Kebbi, Kano, Katsina, and Bauchi states have the highest percentages of out-of-school children among the 18.3 million in the country. Northern candidates for exams into secondary and tertiary public institutions are undeservedly conceded entry scores lower than those of their colleagues in other parts of the country.
This is not respectable at all. It is to say that the beneficiaries are incapable of competing fair and square with their peers elsewhere. But it cannot be true. If properly motivated, guided and challenged, all states, including those in the North, are evidentially full of brilliant and competent people, young and old. It is even dangerous to lower standards to accommodate the less than capable because, in the competitive global environment, the country’s collective development and progress will correspondingly suffer.
The governments of these four states and other states in the North are reminded that Section 14 (2)(b) imposes upon them the duty to ensure the ‘security and welfare of [their] people’. This overarching provision includes in Section 18 ‘that Government shall direct its policy towards ensuring that there are equal and adequate educational opportunities at all levels. Moreover, the affected children are mostly those whose parents have no access, like their rulers, to the humongous resources to send their children abroad for uninterrupted, seamless education.
Arbitrary closure of schools for reasons of religion is only one more example of the anti-education values that pervade Nigeria’s political class –North and South. Professor Tunji Olaopa, chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, has lately written on the ‘government’s anti-intellectual posture’ that has damaging consequences on government effectiveness. He noted that ‘this state of affair [results in] the failure to ground the framework and protocols of [governments’] policymaking practices on economic and statistical rationalities’.
Since 1999, federal and state allocation to the education sector in their annual budgets rarely hit – talk less of exceed- the UNESCO recommended 15-26 per cent and even more preferably 4-6 per cent of national GDP. The National Policy on Education (NPE) 2013 in Section 155 requires that ‘at least 26 per cent …of the Federal, States, and Local Governments budgets should be dedicated to funding education at all levels’. Even the Federal Government is in breach of its own documented policy. The 2025 budget allocates less than 10 per cent to the education sector.
Sadly, these practices are legion and age-old. A hostile attitude to education is characteristic of people who would rather rule than lead and govern. It is a ‘feudalism-centred’ mindset that seeks to keep the majority in servitude and reserve the best of all things for themselves. It is a pity that governors in the North and elsewhere will take measures that lend credence to this line of thought.
Source: guardian.ng
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://guardian.ng/opinion/the-decision-to-shut-schools-for-ramadan-is-inconsiderate/
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Hajj 2025: Appoint Hajj Ad hoc Officials on Merit, CSO Tasks NAHCON, SMPWBs
Apr 16, 2025
As the airlift of Nigerian pilgrims to Hajj 2025 inches closer, Independent Hajj Reporters, (IHR), a registered faith-based Civil Society Organization (CSO) that reports and advocates workable Hajj policies has called on the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and the States Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards/Agencies and Commissions to lay down a merit-based procedure in the selection and appointment of ad hoc officials for the forth coming hajj exercise.
IHR said the call became imperative because of previous experiences where some government-appointed ad hoc Hajj officials abandoned their primary responsibilities of assisting, guiding and serving Nigerian pilgrims as soon as they step their feet in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
“They are often also the first contingent to be flown home, effectively abandoning the very pilgrims they are supposed to assist in Saudi Arabia,” the CSO said.
IHR in a statement signed by its national coordinator Ibrahim Muhammad on Tuesday said the roles of officials are extremely crucial to the success of Hajj operations because neither NAHCON nor States’ Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards have enough manpower to provide adequate services for Nigerian pilgrims, especially during offshore operations.
IHR said: “NAHCON and States’ Muslim Pilgrims Boards should adopt a merit-based criterion for selection of adhoc teams like what is obtained in Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia and other top Hajj participating countries.
“These countries do calls for applications, conduct interviews for willing candidates, screen them and made those that are eventually selected to sign an undertaking detailing their responsibilities in Saudi Arabia, the minimum and maximum days they are expected to spend in Saudi Arabia, the government approved financial benefits for the ad hoc officials and penalty for failure to adhere to the engagement terms which includes complete blacklist from any future hajj exercise.
“We are concerned that political pressures by influential politicians and nepotistic considerations from some Hajj administrators have polluted the credibility in the selection of ad hoc officials at both national and state levels.
“There are instances where staff of the pilgrims’ boards who are trained for the Job are left out of hajj trips while political clientelistic candidates are included.
“This category of hajj officials sometimes converts themselves into pilgrims to be served, demanding preferential treatment and constituting an additional burden to Hajj administrators in Saudi Arabia,
“While we take cognisance of the limitations of NAHCON and the State’s Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, it is preferable to allocate free complimentary Hajj seats for political patronage and allow professional considerations to determine the choice of ad hoc officials who will serve our dear pilgrims in their quest to attain Hajj mabrur.
“These developments will negatively impact the degree of hajj services to be rendered to our dear pilgrims who struggle to pay their Hajj fares and also pay an additional sum as service charges.”
Source: thisdaylive.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2025/04/16/hajj-2025-appoint-hajj-ad-hoc-officials-on-merit-cso-tasks-nahcon-smpwbs/
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Pakistan
No evidence of malice in military trial of civilians, Constitutional Bench notes
Nasir Iqbal
April 16, 2025
ISLAMABAD: Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar of the Supreme Court’s constitutional bench has acknowledged the difficulty the bench faced in identifying any violation of due process in the conviction of civilians by military courts for their involvement in the arson attacks and violence on May 9, 2023.
“Nothing is before the court to consider whether violation of due process of law as guaranteed under Article 10A of the Constitution or any malice in law or fact was committed during the military courts trials against May 9 accused,” Justice Mazhar noted on Tuesday.
He was part of the seven-judge constitutional bench hearing a set of 38 intra-court appeals moved by the federal government, provincial governments, Shuhada Forum Balochistan and others against the October 2023 judgement.
The judge recalled how the then SC in the F.B. Ali case had with them all the relevant records of the case in which the bench held that the matter could be considered on the touch stone of the fundamental rights since Brig F.B. Ali had retired then.
Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan observed that the F.B. Ali case laid down a principle, but the decision revolved around the 1962 Constitution when the guarantees of fair trial provided under Article 10A were not part of the Constitution. He said the court then had dilated upon the availability of the fundamental rights available to him then though F.B. Ali did not get any relief.
On behalf of the defence ministry, senior counsel Khawaja Haris Ahmed emphasised that Article 6(3)A of the 1962 Constitution, now Article 8(3)A of the 1973 Constitution, was never taken as defence in the F.B. Ali case. Article 8(3)A says laws inconsistent with or in derogation of fundamental rights will be void but the provision will not apply to any law relating to the members of the armed forces etc.
Source: dawn.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.dawn.com/news/1904484/no-evidence-of-malice-in-military-trial-of-civilians-constitutional-bench-notes
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Imran Khan says 'granted permission to no one for talks' with establishment
By Shabbir Dar
April 15, 2025
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan said on Tuesday that jailed party founder Imran Khan did not grant permission to any party leader for holding talks with the establishment.
His statement comes days after PTI leader Azam Swati's claimed that he had received the nod from Khan to contact the establishment to settle issues for bringing political stability to the country.
Last week, Swati, while talking to a private news channel, claimed that he would meet 'someone' after which he would be able to say what the future course of action would be.
He also hinted at the inclusion of former president Dr Arif Alvi and some others in the negotiation process, adding that he would be "meeting someone next Wednesday" and wanted Alvi and some other friends to join him.
Talking to reporters outside Rawalpindi's Adiala jail after meeting Khan, Gohar said that the party founder has given him "six statements" today.
"PTI founder said that he has not pressurised anyone to strike a deal," said Gohar, adding that Khan also stated that his party would unveil its narrative on the mining and minerals act after consulting political leaders.
Gohar added that he would discuss the mining and minerals bill with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.
A recently tabled bill in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly by the ruling PTI to regulate investment in the province's mining and minerals sector has sparked a sharp debate, drawing criticism from opposition parties, allies, and even voices within the PTI itself.
Opponents argue the proposed law threatens to undermine provincial autonomy and hand greater control of KP's natural resources to the federal government.
However, the KP government maintains the legislation has been misunderstood and insists it is designed to curb illegal mining and attract investment.
The bill was introduced in the provincial parliament at a time when the federal government was eagerly promoting the country's mineral reserves to attract foreign investment.
Gohar urged the PTI leadership to refrain from making statements on the matter until Gandapur and the political leadership meet with Khan.
Moreover, the PTI founder "expressed concerns" over matters related to Afghan refugees and, particularly, Afghanistan.
Pointing towards discontent among PTI leaders, the PTI founder issued strict directives to the party leaders not to give statements against each other anymore.
The jailed ex-premier also gave his directives regarding the grand opposition alliance, saying that the PTI should work on a short agenda to ally with the opposition parties.
"PTI founder said that all opposition parties will have to gather [on a single platform for [the protection of] democracy," said Gohar.
Today's meeting between Khan and PTI leaders was once again hit by controversy as Gohar criticised that the party granted permission to "only two lawyers" for the meeting by their list; however, "five lawyers met the PTI founder today".
It is noteworthy to mention here that the PTI leaders who met Khan today at Adiala jail include Gohar, Barrister Salman Safdar, Faisal Chaudhry, Ali Imran, and Rai Salman.
The PTI lawmaker also slammed the jail authorities for barring Khan's family members from meeting him at the jail. "We condemn you for not allowing Khan's sisters to meet him."
He recalled the Islamabad High Court's clear instructions to the jail authorities for allowing meeting with Khan twice a week.
'Doors of negotiations not closed'
PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram clarified that ex-PM Khan has never closed the doors of negotiations and added that talks could only be held in national interests, covering the core issues, including the supremacy of law and constitution.
He reiterated that the PTI founder believed in getting justice from the courts. Akram added that the PTI founder decided to seek release from courts but was not by striking any deal.
The party spokesperson elaborated that Khan instructed for a briefing by CM Gandapur on the mines and minerals bill, which would be passed [from the KP Assembly] after his approval.
The top leader also ordered PTI leaders to refrain from giving conflicting statements regarding the said legislation. Moreover, the PTI founder also asked the KP Assembly to introduce a resolution for Afghan refugees, Akram concluded.
Source: thenews.com.pk
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No discussion on Imran Khan in meeting with US delegation: Ayaz Sadiq
April 15, 2025
ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq stated on Tuesday that the United States congressional delegation made no reference to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, who is currently incarcerated, during their meeting.
In a statement, the NA speaker said the US lawmakers clearly stated that they had nothing to do with Pakistan's internal politics.
The statement comes in the light of recent allegations by PTI chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan of being not invited to the government officials' meeting with the US delegation in Pakistan.
The US officials have been holding meetings with the government officials on the sidelines of the Pakistan's Minerals Forum 2025.
However, Sadiq refuted Gohar's claim, saying that the lawyer-turned-politician and PTI Chief Whip Amir Dogar had been invited to a dinner hosted for the US delegation.
“It was a chance for PTI leaders to sit and talk with the Americans — the same people they seek help from,” he remarked.
He said the federal government's ally, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had also expressed interest in discussing canal-related matters during the meeting. “Thirty people raised the issue of canals, but the opposition missed the opportunity to properly address it,” Sadiq said.
The NA speaker further stated that when the PPP submitted a resolution regarding canals, he reminded them that the issue had already been debated and that the Deputy Prime Minister IShaq Dar had also issued a statement on it.
Sadiq questioned how legislation could move forward if the quorum was not complete. He said production orders for members had been issued, jails declared as sub-jails, and all records were available on the website.
“I believe in talks with the opposition,” he said, but added, “No one can be forced to sit at the table over any issue.”
He shared that he had reached out to BNP-M chief Akhtar Mengal and was also in contact with JUI-F Emir Maulana Fazlur Rehman. “If the opposition wants, I am ready to invite government members as well,” he said.
Sadiq concluded by saying a decision had been made that quorum would not be pointed out during the question hour. He warned, “If a no-confidence motion is brought, their own people will break away.”
Speaking to reporters on Monday, PTI Chairman Gohar said that he had received no prior notice about a recent meeting of the government officials with a United States delegation.
Gohar emphasised that neither an invitation card was sent to him nor was there any contact made via WhatsApp regarding discussions.
PTI senior leader and Leader of Opposition in the Senate Syed Shibli Faraz also criticised NA Speaker Sadiq for not inviting leaders of opposition in the National Assembly and the Senate to his meeting with US congressmen while inviting other party members.
It may be noted that PTI leader Atif Khan, who was invited to the meeting with US delegation, had also said that there was no discussion regarding the party founder or his release.
After the meeting, Atif Khan said that he and Dr Amjad were present in the meeting from the PTI, and it has come to his knowledge that Barrister Gohar and Omar Ayub were invited.
"I do not know whether the two leaders were invited or not; people from political parties and federal ministers were present in the meeting," he noted.
Source: thenews.com.pk
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https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1301608-no-discussion-on-imran-khan-in-meeting-with-us-delegation-ayaz-sadiq
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Over 1,000 Afghan nationals brought to refugee camp at Rawalpindi’s Golra Mor, say police
Mohammad Asghar
April 16, 2025
RAWALPINDI: As many as 1,040 Afghan nationals were brought to the Afghan refugee camp at Golra Mor on Tuesday, but 15 of them managed to escape.
Of the total number of Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders brought to the Afghan refugee holding centre, 964, including 199 females and 253 children, were deported back to their home country, sources said.
Following the government’s directives, the police continued their crackdown against Afghan nationals, they said.
On the other hand, Rawalpindi City Police Officer (CPO) Syed Khalid Hamdani directed the SPs of Rawal, Potohar and Saddar divisions to compile details of ACC holders who live in Rawalpindi district and who have either been relocated to the Afghan refugee camp or have voluntarily left for Afghanistan.
The CPO, in his directive to SPs, said that he had already ordered them to provide the list of 7,912 ACC holders so they could be detained and shifted to the Afghan refugees’ detention centre at Golra Mor for repatriation.
According to sources, the SPs had been asked to direct all the station house officers (SHOs) to ensure checking of Afghan nationals with ACCs and those who had still not been detained and shifted to the refugee camp.
The CPO also sought the details of the houses, with photographs, where they had been residing and an affidavit from the owners of those houses. All the details of ACC holders must be sent to the foreign branch of the CPO office on Tuesday, the sources said.
The government had officially set a deadline of March 31 for ACC holders to leave Pakistan voluntarily. However, the process of detaining Afghan nationals who do not have documentation and are residing in Rawalpindi and Islamabad is still underway.
On Tuesday, as many as 1,040 Afghan nationals, including 588 males, 100 females, and 253 children, were brought to the Afghan refugee camp near Golra Mor.
Of the total number of ACC holders, 964, including 550 males, 180 females, and 234 children, were deported back to Afghanistan. Fifteen individuals managed to escape.
The CPO expressed concern over the ‘disappointing’ performance of SHOs of all police stations regarding the detention of illegal Afghan nationals and directed them to report to him every four hours on progress in detaining illegal Afghans and shifting them to the camp.
The CPO also directed that SHOs whose performance was unsatisfactory must appear before him on Saturday to explain the reasons.
He categorised the Afghan nationals to be detained as ACC card holders, visa overstays and those having no legal proof of stay. However, the police have been directed not to detain Afghans holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards.
The district police had already chalked out a security plan for the Golra Mor camp. A team of police officials headed by an SP has been deployed around the detention centre to ensure security. The road passing in front of the detention centre has been declared a highly sensitive area.
As part of the move against illegal foreigners, including Afghan nationals, the intelligence agencies have been monitoring the implementation of the repatriation plan of Afghan nationals.
Source: dawn.com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1904478/over-1000-afghan-nationals-brought-to-refugee-camp-at-rawalpindis-golra-mor-say-police
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Rally held in Islamabad to express solidarity with PPP leader Babar
April 16, 2025
ISLAMABAD: Activists of the civil society, local members of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and representatives of media and lawyers on Tuesday held a rally outside the National Press Club (NPC) to condemn the act of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) of launching an inquiry against former senator and human rights activist Farhatullah Babar on the basis of an ambiguous complaint filed by an ordinary citizen against him on corruption charges.
Carrying placards and banners inscribed with slogans to express solidarity with Mr Babar, the speakers condemned the baseless allegations levelled by the FIA and demanded immediate withdrawal of notices.
Mr Babar, who is the also head of the PPP’s Human Rights Committee, has long been an advocate for transparency and human rights.
The speakers in their speeches said that Mr Babar was known for his commitment to human rights and minority rights and was a man of integrity.
Prominent among those who attended the rally were chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) Munize Jahangir, Imtiaz Alam, Tahira Abdullah, Nasir Zaidi, Dr Bashir, Tariq Ghouri, Tariq Usmani, Farhat Fatima, PPP Senator Sehar Kamran, retired Capt Syed Wasif, Tariq Ghouri, incharge of the PPP Central Secretariat Syed Sibte Haider Bukhari and Chairman of the Shaheed Bhutto Foundation Asif Khan.
When some of the speakers criticised the PPP leadership for not raising its voice over the FIA action, some of the party leaders present at the rally assured the participants that the party would firmly stand by Mr Babar and raise the matter with the concerned quarters.
It may be recalled that the FIA last week issued a questionnaire to Mr Babar, directing him to submit comprehensive financial records and asset details.
The notice, signed by FIA Deputy Director Mohammad Afzal Khan Niazi mandated Mr Babar to disclose “full details” of movable/immovable assets, bank accounts, and vehicles registered in his name, income tax declarations, tax submissions, and sources of income, besides details of all the properties held by his spouse and dependents.
Moreover, the former senator has also been asked to provide details of the benefits, foreign funds and Senate privileges received during his senatorship and documentation of public expenditures.
Source: dawn.com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1904477/rally-held-in-islamabad-to-express-solidarity-with-ppp-leader-babar
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Four Karachi Port Trust high-ups named in probe over dredging contract violations
Azfar-ul-Ashfaque
April 16, 2025
• Defence ministry asked to take action against ‘two naval officers working on deputation’ at KPT
• Ministry of Maritime Affairs to take action against ex-KPT chairman Sayadian Zaidi, GM Raghibul Khair
• PM orders KPT board to invite bids afresh for multibillion-rupee maintenance dredging contract
KARACHI: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered strict action against four senior Karachi Port Trust (KPT) officials, including two belonging to the Pakistan Navy, after a high-level inquiry held them responsible for committing serious violations in the award of a multibillion-rupee contract for maintenance dredging of Karachi port, it has emerged.
Official documents reviewed by Dawn suggested that the PM also ordered the KPT Board of Directors to “review the procurement process while ensuring that the re-tendering process is carried out in strict compliance with the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority Rules 2007”.
Sources said there has been no permanent chairman in the KPT for a long time and one of the general managers had been holding the “look-after charge” until April 5.
They said the Prime Minister’s Inspection Team (PMIT) had conducted an inquiry into the allegations that the KPT last year recommended the award of the dredging contract to an alleged favourite firm by ignoring the report of a technical committee that expressed concern over its capacity to dredge the channel.
A committee, led by the PMIT chairman and comprising the cabinet secretary, managing director of the PPRA, a representative from the Intelligence Bureau and two co-opted members, investigated the matter thoroughly and submitted a 32-page report to the prime minister last month.
In the report, a copy of which is available with Dawn, the PMIT named then KPT chairman Syed Sayadian Raza Zaidi and three general managers — retired Rear Admiral Habibur Rehman, Rear Admiral Rizwan Ahmed and Engineer Raghibul Khair — responsible for the “lapses and aberrations” in executing the dredging tender process and recommended to the prime minister “strict disciplinary action” against them.
The officials said since the responsible persons include two high-ranking naval officers, the prime minister ordered authorities to share the probe report with the “ministry of defence to initiate appropriate disciplinary action against Pakistan Navy officers serving on deputation at KPT”.
According to a PM Office letter sent to the ministry of maritime affairs, the prime minister asked the authorities to take disciplinary action against then KPT chairman Zaidi and Engineer Raghib “for acts of omission and commission in the procurement process as highlighted in the report”.
‘Invitation for bids’
It all began in July last when the KPT invited bids for dredging four million cubic meters to maintain its navigation channel. Four international companies applied and three of them proposed dredging with equipment larger than 15,000 cubic meters capacity.
It is worth mentioning here that dredging a channel involves removing accumulated sediments, mud, trash and other debris from the sea bottom to maintain its depth and width. Maintenance dredging refers to the removal or relocation of sediment that builds up on the seafloor of existing shipping channels in order to preserve the required depth and to ensuring the safe and efficient operation of ports.
The fourth bidder, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), proposed underpowered equipment due to which a technical team of the KPT disqualified it. However, the final evaluation report declared the Chinese company eligible and qualified for the dredging award due to its lowest bid.
Later, one of the three remaining bidders moved the PPRA which also raised concerns over the transparency of the process adopted by the KPT.
When the issue was highlighted by the media, the prime minister tasked the PMIT with investigating the matter, any deviations, omissions, or violations in the technical and financial evaluation of the tendering process as well as to review the rationale for qualifying or disqualifying bidders, identify responsible individuals or departments, and provide recommendations for addressing the issues and safeguarding public interest.
The committee reviewed the role of former chairman Zaidi and was of the view that he “did not address the observations raised by the concerned officers and allowed the deletion of capacity condition in the tender document”.
It said that he did not take any advice or consultation from the legal department on the tender documents and PPRA and observed that “ulterior motives cannot be ruled out”.
About GM-Engineering Rear Admiral Habibur Rehman, the committee observed that “he was evasive of his duties as GM-E and encouraged the shifting of the handling of maintenance dredging works to GM (P&D) which under the job description, falls under his domain”.
It stated: “The officer himself committed that he was not competent enough to handle his own assignment, which clearly reflects his incompetency putting KPT at a technical and financial loss.”
The officer was blamed for a delay in the maintenance dredging despite the fact that the job fell within his purview as the GM-E.
The committee found that Rear Admiral Rizwan Ahmed being the GM-Operations of KPT did not raise objections on the issues and facilitated the chairman despite the fact that he was responsible for the safe entry and sailing of vessels at the KPT channel.
The report also stated that GM (P&D) Engineer Raghib accepted the assignment of handling of maintenance dredging tender despite the fact that it fell under the purview of GM-E Habibur Rehman.
Source: dawn.com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1904509/four-karachi-port-trust-high-ups-named-in-probe-over-dredging-contract-violations
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PM Shehbaz announces special package for Pakistani diaspora
April 15, 2025
ISLAMABAD: A day after the country recorded record remittances of $4.1 billion, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a special package for overseas Pakistanis, including the establishment of special courts for the speedy disposal of their cases.
Paying tribute to their services for the nation, the premier made the announcement on Tuesday while addressing the First Annual Overseas Pakistanis’ Convention in the federal capital, a day after the country recorded record remittances of $4.1 billion.
“Special courts have been established in Islamabad for speedy disposal of cases related to overseas Pakistanis.” He elaborated that such courts would also be set up in all provinces.
The premier added that the Pakistani diaspora would be provided the facility to attend hearings via a video link, adding that they would be facilitated with e-filing.
"There will be a 5% quota for overseas Pakistanis in federal universities. 3,000 children of overseas Pakistanis will be given admission in the medical colleges," the premier announced.
In addition to this, the premier announced a five-year age relaxation in government jobs for overseas Pakistanis.
In a bid to facilitate the Pakistani diaspora, the PM said that online sale deed registration has been launched in Punjab, adding that an special office had been designated for them in the province.
“An international airport will be established in Mirpur [capital of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK)],” the premier announced, saying that establishing an international airport in the city was a long-standing demand of overseas Pakistanis.
Furthermore, the premier announced that every year on August 14, overseas Pakistanis would be awarded civil awards for outstanding performance in their fields.
“15 overseas Pakistanis will be given civil awards every year,” he added.
'Brain gain'
Chief of the Army Staff Gen Asim Munir, addressing the event, termed the overseas Pakistanis the best example of “brain gain”.
The army chief said: “Those who create the narrative of brain drain, should know this is not brain drain but brain gain.”
Lauding the contributions of the Pakistani diaspora to the country, the army chief said: “You are not just ambassadors of Pakistan but the light of Pakistan that shines across globe.”
Even 10 generations of terrorists cannot harm Balochistan or Pakistan, he said, adding: “Balochistan is the fate of Pakistan and the crown jewel on our forehead.”
As long as the nation stands with the armed forces, no one could harm Pakistan, he asserted.
The army chief said: "Allah Almighty has blessed Pakistan with immense resources for which we should always be thankful [to God].”
“Today we are giving a clear message that whoever comes in the way of Pakistan’s progress, we will remove the obstacle together.”
Speaking on the occasion, Gen Munir lauded the sacrifices of martyrs who laid down their lives in lives in the line of duty and in war against terrorism.
“We want to take Pakistan to the place that Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah dreamed of,” he stated. "Pakistan's journey of development is ongoing," he said, adding that the question is not when Pakistan will develop — the question is how fast it will develop.
Source: thenews.com.pk
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South Asia
Ensuring Public Comfort and Refugee Care Is a Moral Obligation: Islamic Emirate
2025-04-15
KABUL(BNA): Mawlawi Abdul Salam Hanafi, the Administrative Deputy of the Prime Minister’s Office, during a meeting with Mawlawi Abdul Rahman Muslim Kunduzi, the Governor of Helmand, stated that addressing the problems of citizens and ensuring their comfort are among the duties and responsibilities of the Islamic Emirate.
The Press Office of the Prime Minister today released a statement saying that during this meeting, Mawlawi Abdul Rahman Muslim Kunduzi provided information on the general situation and local governance in the province. He stated that the Mujahideen and local officials in Helmand province are working tirelessly to serve the people and resolve their problems.
The Governor of Helmand also addressed the issue of assisting forced migrants returning from Pakistan to Afghanistan via Helmand province. He stated that all provincial officials are sparing no effort to provide services and shelter to the migrants, working around the clock to serve them.
Mawlawi Abdul Salam Hanafi, the Administrative Deputy of the Prime Minister’s Office, commended the efforts and performance of local officials in Helmand province. He stated that addressing the concerns of citizens and ensuring their well-being are among the core duties and responsibilities of the Islamic Emirate, urging local authorities to intensify their efforts in this regard.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
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Jamaat ameer meets Khaleda in London
Apr 16, 2025
The top leadership of Jamaat-e-Islami, including its Ameer Shafiqur Rahman, recently held a meeting with BNP Chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia at her son's home in London.
"After concluding their European tour, Shafiqur Rahman and Jamaat Nayeb-e-Ameer Syed Abdullah Abu Taher recently returned to Bangladesh following a meeting with former prime minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia in London," wrote Maruf Kamal Khan Sohel, former press secretary to Khaleda Zia, on social media.
"Tarique Rahman was also present during the extended meeting. It remains unclear what specific issues were discussed during the meeting between the two top Jamaat leaders and Begum Zia," he also wrote.
Khaleda is receiving treatment under the supervision of doctors from the London Clinic.
Prothom Alo spoke to the Jamaat ameer. He told the paper, "I met with Begum Zia. We worked together for many years. She is unwell, and our moral duty is to check on her. We met after a long time. We prayed for her and also asked for her prayers."
Shafiqur travelled to Brussels on April 4. He was accompanied by Taher and the ameer's international affairs adviser Mahmudul Hasan. The trip was part of Jamaat's broader diplomatic outreach in Europe.
From Brussels, Shafiqur and Taher travelled to London. Following an almost two-week-long trip, Shafiqur returned home on Monday morning. Taher is yet to return.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/politics/news/jamaat-ameer-meets-khaleda-london-3872191
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Islamic Emirate Denies Claims of American Weapons Smuggling from Afghanistan
2025-04-15
KABUL(BNA): Mullah Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate, has dismissed a recent report from the Washington Post alleging that American weapons were being smuggled out of Afghanistan and into the hands of militants.
In a statement, Fitrat labeled the report as “false,” asserting that the weapons in question were already circulating on the black market and had no direct connection to Afghanistan. He explained that these arms were initially brought into the region through Karachi during the foreign occupation and subsequently looted in Pakistan, leading to their availability on illicit markets.
Fitrat emphasized that the Islamic Emirate has taken measures to systematically store American weapons within Afghanistan and has implemented strict controls to prevent the purchase, sale, and smuggling of arms. He urged the international community to recognize the efforts made by the Emirate to maintain security and manage weapons within the country.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
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https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/islamic-emirate-denies-claims-of-american-weapons-smuggling-from-afghanistan/
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Investigation of 4 July uprising cases at final stage
15 Apr 2025
DHAKA, April 15, 2025 (BSS) - The investigation of four cases over the crimes committed during the July-August uprising is at the final stage and reports are expected to be submitted to the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) soon.
“Investigation of the cases filed over body burning incident in Ashulia, Chankharpul massacre, shooting a youth hanging from an under-construction building at Rampura and one against ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, is almost at the final stage and the reports will be submitted before the tribunal within the shortest possible time,” said the ICT Chief Prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam.
The chief prosecutor said these while speaking at a views-exchange meeting with the reporters covering the tribunal this morning. Tajul Islam said the formal trial will start after the tribunal takes the formal charges into cognizance.
Investigation into those cases and collection of relevant evidences are being hampered because there are many officers and employees in the administration who were loyal to the past fascist government, Tajul Islam said, adding that those quarters have already destroyed many documents relating to these cases.
Conspiracies were also hatched to lunch deadly attacks on the investigators and the prosecutors, the chief prosecutor said, adding that those quarters are trying to hamper or obstruct the investigation by providing huge illegal funds. They were also spreading rumors or misinformation against the investigators and prosecutors through social media, he said, adding that they have also been engaging lobbyist firm in this regard.
Advocate Tajul Islam said that the law enforcers are trying to arrest the absconding accused of the cases and a total of 24 officers under the supervision of the home ministry have been investigating those cases. A total of 17 prosecutors including the chief prosecutor have been working for the tribunal and as per the rules, the prosecutors may investigate the cases, if necessary, Tajul Islam added.
The students of different educational institutions of the country under the banner of ‘anti-discrimination student movement’ started agitation against the previous Awami League government for reforming quota in the government services from the beginning of July last year.
The then government used its administration and law enforcers to suppress the movement and at one stage, they carried out mass killing and committed crimes against humanity. Over 1000 people including students were reportedly killed and over 23,000 were injured, many of them were blind and crippled during the movement.
On August 5 last year, the then prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country.
Source: bssnews.net
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https://www.bssnews.net/news/263366
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EC approves draft of national development strategy
April 16, 2025
KABUL: The meeting of the Economic Commission was held with Mullah Abdul Ghani Beradar Akhund, on the chair, approving the draft of the National Development Strategy, the office of the deputy PM for Economic Affairs said in a statement Tuesday.
“The National Development Strategy draft is a comprehensive, unified, and long-term document aimed at defining and achieving key national objectives for the next five years,” the statement said. According to the statement, this strategy envisions a stable, prosperous Afghanistan with good relations with the region and the world.
The draft’s objectives include strengthening the rule of Islamic Sharia law, ensuring efficiency, transparency, and accountability, expanding effective relations with the region and the world, promoting sustainable peace and nationwide security, the statement added.
According to the statement, creating jobs and economic growth, preserving religious and national values, maintaining territorial integrity and Islamic sovereignty, improving the management effectiveness of national and natural resources, enhancing the provision of essential services, growing industries, trade, and the private sector, developing infrastructure, regional connectivity, and improving social security and environmental conditions will also be another goals of the draft.
During the meeting, the Ministry of Finance has been instructed to conduct the feasibility studies for the dams on the Natural River in the Mandol district of Nuristan and the Kalgush area of the Norgaram district in the current fiscal year budget, the statement added.
Proposals for the construction of a commercial park in Baghlan and the creation of an underground market in the center of Ghazni province, initiated by the private sector, were also approved by the commission, the statement further added.
According to the plans, the private sector will invest 209 million Afghani in the construction of the commercial park in Baghlan, and 309 million Afghani in the underground market in Ghazni, the statement concluded.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://thekabultimes.com/ec-approves-draft-of-national-development-strategy/
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Washington Post’s report about using U.S. leftover weapons against Pakistan untrue, Fitrat
April 16, 2025
KABUL: Mullah Hamdullah Fitrat, the deputy spokesperson of the Islamic Emirate, on Tuesday rejected the Washington Post’s report regarding the use of U.S.-leftover weapons by militants groups against Pakistan.
“The claim of smuggling American weapons from Afghanistan to Pakistan is not true, and the Islamic Emirate will not allow anyone to use Afghanistan soil against other countries,” Fitrat said.
The deputy spokesperson of the Islamic Emirate clarified that the American weapons that came to Afghanistan during the past 20 years of war have already been available in the black market, and the leftover American weapons in the country are securely stored in depots. This comes after Pakistani officials have consistently made excuses, claiming that the leftover U.S. weapons in Afghanistan are being used against Islamabad, a claim that has repeatedly been rejected by the Islamic Emirate.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://thekabultimes.com/washington-posts-report-about-using-u-s-leftover-weapons-against-pakistan-untrue-fitrat/
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Kazakhstan cooperates with Islamic Emirate in various sectors, Ambassador
April 16, 2025
KABUL: The Kazakh Ambassador to Kabul, Gaziz Akbasov, in a meeting with Mullah Nooruddin Turabi, the President of Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA), said that his country is committed to supporting the Islamic Emirate in various fields, according to a statement from the ANDMA the other day.
During the meeting, Akbasov announced a package of assistance to Afghanistan, which included 20,000 sacks of 50 kg flour (totaling 1,000 tons) and 49,720 sacks of 25 kg rice (approximately 1,243.839 tons), among other essential supplies.
He also announced a shipment of 3.5 tons of medicine and medical supplies, set to arrive at Kabul International Airport next week.
Meanwhile, Turabi highlighted the friendly relations between the two countries, calling for continued support from Kazakhstan.
Mullah Turabi raised concerns regarding the forced deportation of Afghan migrants from neighboring countries, emphasizing the need for a coordinated response to support vulnerable Afghans. The Kabul Times
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://thekabultimes.com/kazakhstan-cooperates-with-islamic-emirate-in-various-sectors-ambassador/
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Expanding bilateral cooperation: Moscow should remove IEA from “banned groups”
April 16, 2025
Authorities from the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and the Russian Federation met in a friendly environment to discuss economic and trade cooperation.
The Islamic Emirate’s Minister of Public Works and the Russian Ambassador talked about the expansion of economic and trade cooperation with the key topics, including the construction of a new tunnel besides repairing the current Salang Highway tunnel along the same route, as well as cooperating in the development of Afghanistan’s railway network.
“The two sides held comprehensive discussions on the repair and reconstruction of the Salang tunnel, the modernization of rail lines, and the procurement of necessary equipment and railway components from Russia,” said the Ministry’s spokesman.
Earlier, a high-profile Russian delegation (since the power takeover of the country by the Islamic Emirate) paid a one-day visit to Kabul, where, the held discussions with senior political and security leaders of the IEA for expanding bilateral relations.
The bilateral talks focused on strengthening political ties, enhancing security cooperation, and paving the way for the signing of economic agreements, a move highlighting Russia’s positive step to deepen and broaden its ties with Afghanistan.
This is clear that relations between Afghanistan and the Russian Federation have long been friendly, peaceful, and based on honesty, particularly after the resumption of power by the Islamic Emirate nearly four years ago.
The relationship between the two countries is highly significant in rebuilding Afghanistan’s infrastructure, particularly in highway and railway development, as the neighboring countries are interconnected through a rail network, but Afghanistan remained backward, despite a proper geopolitical position that plays a key role in ensuring connections between Central and South Asia.
Further and stronger trust between the two countries is the most important between the two sides, not only through economic and trade cooperation, which is now developing, but through Russia’s move to delist the Islamic Emirate from its banned groups as it has long pledged during various meetings with the Afghan authorities.
By removing the Islamic Emirate from its internationally banned groups, relations between the two nations improved further than ever, and Russia can do more for Afghanistan’s development and play a significant role in the country’s economic development and regional stability.
On the other hand, the move can provide more ways for Afghanistan under the Islamic system to go ahead politically, economically, and socially without any restriction, tighten cooperation with other Russian allies, and finally pave the way for the Islamic Emirate’s official recognition.
Likewise, Russia’s practical measure in removing the name of the Islamic Emirate from its banned groups will be a significant milestone in elevating and expanding the political relations between the two countries.
The move not only signifies the resolution of a major obstacle for the incumbent Islamic system in accessing international relations but also reinforces Russia’s positive stance regarding Afghanistan, both regionally and internationally, and introduces Afghanistan and Russia as the two close economic and political partners based on the two sides’ mutual interests.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://thekabultimes.com/expanding-bilateral-cooperation-moscow-should-remove-iea-from-banned-groups/
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Arab World
Saudi center adopts advanced artery stent technique
April 15, 2025
RIYADH: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center has treated patients with below-the-knee peripheral artery stenosis and occlusion using a minimally invasive, next-generation technique.
The procedure involves inserting a bioresorbable stent through a catheter in the thigh, avoiding open surgery, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
It restores blood flow, relieves pain, speeds wound healing and significantly reduces amputation risk.
The center is the first in the Kingdom — and the third worldwide outside the US — to adopt the advanced treatment method, the SPA added.
Implemented at the center in Riyadh and Jeddah, the technique uses a stent that dissolves naturally after restoring blood flow, eliminating the need for a permanent implant and reducing long-term complications.
The approach also improves circulation and shortens recovery time, helping patients regain mobility faster, according to the SPA.
The center plans to expand research and collaborate with global institutions to evaluate long-term outcomes, and advance treatment protocols for peripheral vascular disease.
Source: arabnews.com
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When pixels meet fabric: How gaming is reshaping fashion culture in Saudi Arabia
WAAD HUSSAIN
April 15, 2025
RIYADH: Gaming in Saudi Arabia is shaping fashion trends, influencing consumer behavior, and redefining personal identity among the Kingdom’s youth.
With nearly 70 percent of the population identifying as gamers, what began as a digital pastime has evolved into a lifestyle — and that lifestyle is now visible on the streets.
According to a study by Power League Gaming and Ipsos, the relationship between gaming and fashion in the Kingdom is “symbiotic and fast-evolving.”
Global brands are now actively entering the Saudi gaming scene. In 2023, Adidas became the official merchandise partner of Gamers8, the Kingdom’s largest gaming festival, co-branding esports jerseys and offering customizations on-site for fans.
“Gaming is culture in Saudi Arabia, and fashion is naturally blending into that culture,” said Matthew Pickering, CEO of Power League Gaming.
For many gamers clothing has become an extension of their in-game identity. Whether it is a hoodie inspired by a favorite title or a jersey from a national team, Saudi gamers are increasingly expressing their digital passions in real life.
Norah Shobili, a longtime gamer, noted that what started as basic T-shirts with logos has transformed into something deeper.
Shobili said: “Now it’s more like game skins — rare, valuable, and connected to status. I once won the official Saudi Overwatch team shirt from the 2023 World Cup. I tried it on, then put it back — I’m planning to frame it because it’s more valuable to me that way. It was a limited-edition piece sold only at the headquarters of Saudi electronic games.”
This shift from novelty to lifestyle is especially visible in streetwear. Pickering said: “Saudi gamers tend to gravitate toward casual, sporty clothing — limited-edition sneakers, graphic tees, hoodies tied to their favorite teams or games.”
That style is not just for men. Nearly half of Saudi gamers are women, and many have merged modest fashion with gaming aesthetics — bold makeup inspired by game characters and culturally mindful outfits that still nod to the gamer identity.
Gamer Roaa Al-Johani echoed this blend of style and sentiment, saying: “It’s not just about playing games. A lot of gamers show their love for gaming through how they dress. It’s like wearing your passion out loud.”
Shatha Al-Yousef, another gamer, shares that view. “From my perspective I see the worlds of gaming and fashion as almost inseparable. Every gamer has some aesthetic sense that reflects who they are — whether in-game or in real life,” she said.
“It’s not just about gameplay. Even your appearance has become part of what defines you as a gamer.”
Still, this movement is relatively new in the Kingdom. “I believe our community is now OK with whatever you wear if it doesn’t have someone’s face on it,” said Shobili. “?Other than that, dress however you like, and (you) will be stopped by someone who actually knows what you’re wearing.”
While global brands are jumping in, not all local voices are convinced of their authenticity. “I’ve never really seen meaningful collaborations between fashion brands and Saudi gamers,” Shobili added.
On the other hand, Al-Johani takes a more pragmatic view, saying: “They’re definitely commercial, but I honestly don’t mind that. I love when people get to express what they’re into — even if it’s part of a trend.”
Al-Yousef also finds value in wearing game-inspired clothing. She said: “I’ve seen a few outfits inspired by games that were really unique, though sometimes they mix characters from anime or generalize the gamer image, which doesn’t always feel accurate.
“Personally I love wearing pieces that connect me to my favorite characters — it makes me feel closer to the games I love.”
Pickering believes authenticity is the differentiator. “Successful campaigns are the ones that respect the community,” he said, pointing to projects like the Namshi x Adidas Fortnite Challenge, which generated over $1.4 million in sneaker sales and 39 million impressions. Another campaign with Maybelline New York targeted female gamers through a custom Fortnite challenge and increased conversion rates by over 3.6 percent.
What sets the Saudi market apart is its youth and energy. More than half of Saudi gamers are between 15 and 24, compared to only 29 percent in the UAE.
“It’s a young, dynamic audience that drives trends,” said Pickering. The market is also more gender-diverse than many might expect, significantly higher than in many neighboring markets.
Looking ahead, both gamers and experts agree that the next phase in the evolution will come with the upcoming Esports World Cup in Riyadh.
Speaking about the Overwatch World Cup, which was won by Saudi Arabia in 2023, Shobili said: “?After the OWWC, the gaming culture got more recognition by more people in the community, and with the Esport World Cup (around) the corner, many teams’ ... supporters are going to be seen wearing clans’ merchandise.
“?I believe this is an opportunity for local designers to be part of this international event.”
Al-Johani shares that hope, saying: “I’d love to see more events and collaborations. It’s so great when every group — gamers, anime fans, sports lovers — gets something that speaks to their interests.”
The future of fashion, Pickering believes, may be born on gaming platforms. With the rise of AI, AR, and VR, gaming is becoming a testbed for virtual fashion — digital skins, avatar style, and virtual stores. “We expect a future where a gamer in Jeddah shops a new collection in the metaverse, tries it on virtually, and receives both the in-game skin and real-world version at home,” he said.
As lines blur between reality and virtual life, fashion brands that embrace this shift early — especially in tech-savvy, youth-driven markets like Saudi Arabia — are likely to define the next generation of style.
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi foundation, UN sign deal to tackle food waste
April 15, 2025
RIYADH: The Grace Preservation Foundation signed a cooperation agreement on Tuesday with the UN Environment Programme to promote sustainability and reduce food waste through community awareness and joint initiatives.
The agreement aims to strengthen partnerships that support the charitable sector and contribute to national development goals, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
It establishes a framework for knowledge exchange, joint programs, food waste reduction efforts, and the development of scientific tools for data analysis and informed decision-making.
Abdullah Abdulrahman bin Saeed, the foundation’s secretary-general, said the agreement aligns with Vision 2030 and national priorities in sustainability and food security. He also emphasized the value of strategic cooperation in empowering community efforts.
The agreement covers food waste competitions and awards aligned with Sustainable Development Goal, the SPA reported.
Key activities include awareness campaigns, educational programs, and the UNEP “Recipe for Change” initiative.
Seasonal efforts will be launched during Ramadan, Hajj, and UN international days to promote food preservation and environmental responsibility.
Source: arabnews.com
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Madinah forum to discuss Islamic finance progress
April 15, 2025
JEDDAH: Under the patronage of Madinah Gov. Prince Salman bin Sultan, Al-Baraka Islamic Economics Symposium will be held on Wednesday under the theme “Islamic Banking in 50 Years: Achievements of the Past and Hopes for the Future.”
Hosted by Prince Muqrin University’s female campus, the event’s 45th edition will gather ministers, financial leaders, experts, and representatives from more than 15 countries.
The two-day symposium will explore six main topics and over 20 sub-themes, focusing on Islamic banking’s role in economic development, justice, and sustainability.
Scientific sessions will cover early foundations, current industry analysis across economies, and regulatory and technological shifts.
Future-focused discussions will highlight Shariah governance, financing mechanisms, Islamic windows, acquisitions, and the sector’s contribution to sustainable development.
Distinguished individuals and institutions will be honored for advancing Islamic economics in theory and practice.
Abdullah Saleh Kamel, the forum’s chairman, said that since 1981, Al-Baraka has been a key platform for dialogue on Islamic economics.
He said the 50-year milestone offers a chance to reflect and look ahead, reaffirming the commitment to innovation, financial inclusion, and Shariah-compliant progress.
Several cooperation agreements will also be signed, reinforcing the symposium’s role as a hub for intellectual exchange.
A documentary titled “Glimpses of Islamic Banking: From Inception to Contemporary Reality” will be screened, tracing the evolution of Islamic banking and its pioneers.
The symposium will also announce this year’s nomination topics for the Saleh Kamel Award for Islamic Economics, which honors his legacy and supports excellence in research.
Source: arabnews.com
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Manga Arabia to launch Korean comics in Arabic
April 16, 2025
Manga Arabia, a subsidiary of the Saudi Research and Media Group, announced on Tuesday that it will publish a selection of Korean webtoons in Arabic.
The Saudi Arabia company has partnered with Korean Kidari Studio and V-Bros, and will make the work available in its Manga Arabia Youth edition.
The selected webtoons include “Medical Return,” “Plants Human” and “A Compendium of Ghosts.”
The Manga Arabia apps for children and youth have 12 million users in more than 195 countries and over 220 distribution points in the Arab world.
Manga Arabia has expanded globally with its Tokyo-based company, Manga International.
Earlier this month, the firm signed a strategic partnership with Coamix, a renowned Japanese manga publisher.
This pact grants Manga Arabia licensing rights to translate and publish some of the most popular Japanese manga titles in Arabic.
Source: arabnews.com
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US energy secretary visits Saudi Aramco HQ, Shaybah oil field
April 15, 2025
RIYADH: US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright visited the headquarters of Aramco in Dhahran on Tuesday in the company of his Saudi counterpart, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman.
Amin Nasser, the president and CEO of the petroleum and natural gas giant, gave a briefing on the company’s latest initiatives and innovations, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
During his visit, Wright saw Aramco’s Exploration and Petroleum Engineering Advanced Research Center, the Accelerated Innovation Laboratory and the Fourth Industrial Revolution facility.
The two officials were also shown the Shaybah oil field and visitor center — one of Aramco’s environmental initiatives — in the Empty Quarter.
Wright, who arrived in the Kingdom on Sunday, has praised the Saudi leadership for supporting energy cooperation between the two countries.
He also discussed renewable energy sources, such as green hydrogen and solar power, with Saudi officials and stressed the need for long-term investment to meet rising global demand, the report said.
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi program supports farmers for rose sector growth
April 15, 2025
RIYADH: The Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Program, known as Saudi Reef, is showcasing its achievements in developing the rose and aromatic plant sector during the Rose and Aromatic Plants Global Forum in Taif.
The program highlights its efforts to grow this vital sector in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, focusing on food security, rural development, and improved agricultural efficiency, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
Majed Al-Buraikan, Saudi Reef assistant secretary-general for media and communication, emphasized that the program’s participation supports national efforts to empower rose and aromatic plant farmers and promote its initiatives in the field.
He noted that Saudi Reef is a strategic partner in driving sustainable agricultural transformation, particularly in regions like Taif, Jazan, and Asir, known for their rose and aromatic plant production.
Al-Buraikan added that the program supports more than 400 farmers and has achieved a 34 percent rise in rose production over the past four years, reaching 960 million roses annually.
The goal is to reach 2 billion roses annually by 2026, strengthening Saudi Arabia’s position as a leading global rose producer, the SPA reported.
Meanwhile, the National Research and Development Center for Sustainable Agriculture launched an initiative at the forum, distributing 15,000 tissue-cultured seedlings to promote sustainability and boost production.
The forum featured sessions on “Challenges of Taif rose cultivation” and “The future and challenges of medical tourism in the Kingdom.”
Scientific lectures covered topics such as sustainable development in rose use, carbon neutrality in the aromatic journey of the Taif rose, livelihood development for farmers, and the role of AI in enhancing product quality.
Arruddaf Park in Taif opens daily at 4 p.m. for visitors to explore the exhibition and enjoy the rose displays. The forum runs until April 26.
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi leadership offers condolences to Malaysia after death of former PM
April 15, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s king and crown prince sent cables of condolences on Tuesday to Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim Iskander after the death of the country’s former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
King Salman and Prince Mohammed bin Salman prayed for the deceased’s forgiveness and offered their condolences to his family.
85-year-old Abdullah died in hospital on Monday after a long illness and was buried on Tuesday after a state funeral.
Abdullah became prime minister in 2003, succeeding Mahathir Mohamad who resigned after 22 years in power.
Prince Mohammed also sent another cable to current Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in which he offered his condolences to the premier and the family of the deceased.
Source: arabnews.com
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North America
How Trump squandered his chance to win over Muslim & Arab Americans
15 Apr, 2025
When Donald Trump won the 2024 election over Kamala Harris, he did so with increased support from various minority groups that usually vote for the Democratic Party, including Latino voters, Black voters, young voters, and even Muslim voters.
Although Muslims were arguably Enemy #1 during Trump's 2016 campaign, second perhaps only to Mexican immigrants, 2024 was different. Instead of constantly using American Muslims as a political punching bag, the Trump campaign tried to capitalise on the breach between them and the Biden-Harris administration.
Long before President Biden's debate meltdown, Muslim voters had largely abandoned him due to his callous support for the genocide in Gaza.
Although many of those same Muslim voters were hopeful for a change when vice president Harris stepped into the race, they soon grew frustrated by her failure to meaningfully distinguish herself from Biden on Gaza, her refusal to let a Palestinian-American supporter speak at the DNC, and her embrace of warmonger, torture advocate and anti-Muslim bigot Liz Cheney.
He vaguely promised to pursue peace abroad, including in Gaza. “Get it over with and let’s get back to peace and stop killing people,” he said about a potential ceasefire during an interview in April 2024.
He went after the Democratic Party's embrace of Cheney, calling her a “war hawk” who “like her father, the man that pushed Bush to ridiculously go to war in the Middle East, also wants to go to war with every Muslim country known to mankind.”
He gleefully accepted endorsements from Muslim religious figures and local politicians in Michigan, some of whom were concerned over the Democratic Party's position on social issues. He even shared a stage with Muslim endorsers who were warmly applauded by a MAGA audience while wearing thobes and kufis.
Needless to say, if a group of Muslims dressed in such clothing had so much as approached a 2016 Trump campaign event, they would have been at risk of being tackled by security guards.
Although Trump in 2024 promised to reimplement a bigger “travel ban” and regularly dabbled in hateful rhetoric, even using 'Palestinian' as a racial slur, he managed to control himself just enough to get a second look from some Muslim voters and other minority groups.
In the end, a clear majority of Muslim voters still supported either Harris or Green Party candidate Jill Stein. However, an exit poll conducted by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) found that 21% of Muslim voters cast their ballot for president Trump.
Just before taking office, Trump did what those voters had begged Biden to do: force Benjamin Netanyahu to finally accept a ceasefire-and-captive release deal in Gaza.
With the genocide seemingly over thanks to him, Trump entered office with a historic opportunity to realign at least some of the voters who had abandoned the Democratic Party, including some American Muslims.
All the president had to do was maintain the ceasefire in Gaza, avoid new forever wars in the Middle East, fulfil his stated support for free speech, focus his immigration restrictions on hardened criminals instead of everyday immigrants, and treat all Americans with respect regardless of their faith or race.
Obviously, the Trump administration has gone in a completely different direction.
After letting Netanyahu torpedo the ceasefire deal and resume the genocide in Gaza, president Trump has repeatedly talked up the idea of supplanting Palestinians from Gaza and rebuilding the territory as a vacation spot owned by the United States. He has also entangled the US in a new forever war in Yemen, killing civilians on a daily basis without any apparent exit strategy.
Here at home, the Trump administration launched an unprecedented crackdown on free speech under the guise of fighting antisemitism, all for the benefit of the Israeli government.
In scenes reminiscent of Soviet Russia, masked ICE agents have been literally abducting Muslim students off American city streets. Columbia graduate Mahmoud Khalil, Tufts University PhD Rumesya Ozturk, Georgetown University researcher Badr Khan Suri all face the threat of deportation for the thought crime of criticising the Israeli government’s genocide.
Meanwhile, a draft version of a potential new Muslim ban was leaked showing 40 mostly Muslim and African countries on the list.
The administration's broader immigration crackdown has also gone beyond criminals as it promised, sweeping up everyday immigrants like a father of three from Maryland sent to El Salvador in violation of a court order.
In pursuing such policies, as well as wanton cuts to the federal work force and potential threats to Medicare and Social Security, Trump is squandering the historic opportunity to realign voters open to a new political home—including some American Muslim voters.
President Trump still has time to change course. Although he cannot bring back the untold number of Palestinians and Yemenis who have been slaughtered with US weapons over the past month, he can once again force an end to the genocide, stop bombing Yemen, complete negotiations over Iran's nuclear program without launching a new war, and refocus his immigration crackdown on violent criminals, not college students who dared to criticise a foreign government's war crimes.
Regardless of what president Trump does next, Muslim voters will likely maintain their political flexibility heading into the 2026 midterms and the 2028 elections, judging candidates by their stances and not their political party–come what may.
Source: newarab.com
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Bringing together Maori and Muslim voices on screen
16 April 2025
Two budding directors hope their new documentary series about identity and belonging in Aotearoa sow the seeds of change to overcome increasing division around the world.
Ahi Wananga (meaning 'the fires of discussion') is a six-part web series exploring what identity, belonging and resilience is to 12 young people from Aotearoa’s Muslim and Maori communities.
It was produced and co-directed for Re:News by Jessica Sanderson (Ngati Kahungunu, Te Atiawa, Pakeha) and Rouzie Hassanova (Pomak, Bulgarian Muslim).
The pair bonded after Sanderson shared the story of her Muslim midwife who helped her after experiencing a difficult childbirth in 2020.
"It was her [the midwife's] kindness and care during what was a pretty traumatic experience for me [that] really led to me wanting to do something for and with the Muslim community.
"I'm not Muslim, so I didn't feel appropriate to do it on my own and then I met Rouzie.
"We're both mothers, we're both directors, and we're coming at really similar things, similar callings I suppose in our lives, but from different cultural perspectives. We're just really curious and enjoy talking about those different perspectives and so it's that premise that we took to a series."
Each episode focuses on two people who share a passion and come from different walks of life, sharing their thoughts on identity and belonging.
Through their 'fires of discussion', they found shared values and even similar cultural art between the communities, Sanderson says.
"The patiki design in tukutuku panels being really similar to the design on the exterior of buildings in Yemen, like that was quite surprising to us. Those were two photographers just sharing their work and noticing that.
"But I think something I really love about the show too is where there were differences, there was a lot of respect around that and just curiosity, and I think that's something that we could all learn from in this time of like algorithms and keyboard warriors."
Hassanova says her whakapapa has inspired her story-telling and motivates her to humanise Muslim communities through film. The series celebrates Aotearoa’s manaakitanga and compassion, she says.
"When we started talking about the idea with Jess, we began talking about it because it's so important, especially now with everything going on here and globally.
"There's a lot of tension coming from different sources and so on … when it takes only a conversation really to kind of see what we all share and the human side of us and just kind of understand where people are coming from.
"I mean, even with the latest hikoi that took place, which was incredibly moving to me by the way, because I've only wished we could do that back home and unite in such a way that we can create change or push for change.
"It's important to talk and understand each other and, as Jess said, to approach this with respect."
Source: rnz.co.nz
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Muslim-led clinics serve as a resource for South Los Angeles and beyond
April 15, 2025
Fatima Gabir
LOS ANGELES – Amid rising anti-immigrant sentiment and contested definitions of who counts as American, one community of immigrants continues the work it began decades ago, confronting one of the most challenging issues for America: access to health care for those who have the least.
UMMA, or the University Muslim Medical Association, was founded by Muslim medical students at UCLA and Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science as a free clinic in response to the aftermath of the 1992 Los Angeles riots that left more than 50 people dead and 2,300 injured.
“When the founders went into the area around Watts (a neighborhood in South Los Angeles) after the unrest, it was very noticeable that there weren’t enough health centers and services in South Los Angeles,” said Leigh Stenberg, chief strategy officer at UMMA Health.
The clinic, which saw its first patient in 1996, became the first Muslim American organization to receive federal funding to serve underserved communities in 2008.
“I knew (the founders of UMMA Health) from the community, from the mosque,” said Siraj Mowjood, clinician at UMMA Health. “When I was an undergrad at UCLA, I volunteered at the clinic all four years … doing everything from filling medication boxes, cleaning over graffiti, whatever was needed.”
Today, the clinic – originally supported by volunteers and donations from the Muslim community – has grown to five sites across South Los Angeles.
“Based on our Islamic teachings of service and charity … it was very much a feeling of ‘we physicians are doing well and we need to give back to those who are not in the same circumstances,’” Mowjood said. “And as physicians, we have the skillset.”
The South Los Angeles clinic isn’t the only Muslim community-based initiative that emerged to help and heal. Around the same time, Muslim students and community members in Chicago launched IMAN — the Inner-City Muslim Action Network ) — to address the deep-rooted effects of urban poverty and neglect. Iman is also an Arabic word for “faith.”
Both UMMA Health and IMAN are a part of a growing network of Muslim community-based health organizations in the United States, with at least 110 clinics offering free or low-cost medical, dental and mental health services.
These are mostly small, volunteer-run clinics, with more than a third of them located in federally designated medically underserved areas.
As outlined in the 2018 survey that studied how Islamic values, volunteerism and health care priorities intersect in Muslim health clinics, “Muslim community-based health organizations are an integral and growing part of the health safety net for the most vulnerable people in the United States.”
Subsequent research tracked the growth of Muslim health organizations by decade, based on responses from 46 clinics, and found that 2% of those were founded in the 1980s, 4% in the 1990s, 26% in the 2000s and almost 60% in the 2010s.
“They serve fairly diverse communities,” said Gordon Shen, an assistant teaching professor at the University of Texas and the study’s lead researcher. “They’re really trying to match what resources they have and the services that they offer relative to what the community needs.”
Nearly half of the surveyed clinics reported providing services exclusively to patients living near or below the poverty line, as well as the uninsured and underinsured population – a widespread issue before the Affordable Care Act, said Lance Laird, a medical anthropologist and lead researcher of the latter survey.
“These are institutions created by Muslims for everyone else. Sometimes they’ll ‘grow up’ in an immigrant Muslim community (where) new arrivals get connected to the health care system,” Laird said.
Most of the clinics rely on individual private donations and fundraisers to support their work. Others have funding streams that include Muslim groups, other faith-based charities and local foundations. Half of the clinics received funds from state and local governments.
Unlike UMMA, the majority of Muslim community clinics are “not large enough to be qualified as a federally qualified health center … but they do certainly have aspirations to grow,” Shen said.
The health organizations do not brand themselves as religious-based despite their Muslim identity because they are “open to everyone,” according to the more recent study.
The organizations also believe they positively impact public perception of the Muslim community by providing free or affordable health care and challenging negative stereotypes.
However, a few of the clinics reported challenges due to their Muslim affiliation, noting a lack of support from other faith groups, hesitation to volunteer from some non-Muslim and an initial backlash from the surrounding local community.
On March 28, in the front yard of Holmes Avenue Elementary School near the Pueblo Del Rio public housing project in South Los Angeles, UMMA participated in a fair that included access to a free mobile health clinic, grocery giveaways and connections to state, county, and federal representatives who provided casework support.
“There are so many barriers to accessing services for far too many families,” said state Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, D-Los Angeles, who hosted the event and who represents the 28th Senate District – one of the most diverse parts of Los Angeles. “It could be a language barrier, transportation access, internet and digital divides. It could be trusting agencies enough to want to walk in and know that something bad won’t happen to you.”
One of the attendees, Natalie Dixon, took a diabetic test, saying that she’s been suspecting diabetes: “It’s helpful for low-income people who haven’t gotten insurance and don’t know if they got diabetes. They probably have headaches or symptoms of diabetes, and they wonder what their glucose is.”
At the fair, Dixon also picked up essentials, such as laundry detergent, metro passes, groceries and toys for her two boys. “A lot of people can’t afford the things they’re offering here. The groceries can be expensive, and some people get only a little bit of food stamps.”
UMMA Health sees several patients with hypertension and diabetes, who could end up in the emergency room if their conditions aren’t properly addressed. Los Angeles County already faces geographic disparities in preventable hospitalizations and ER visits.
“A lot of our patients and a lot of low-income communities have historically had trouble with diabetes just because of the lack of access to fresh foods,” Stenberg said.
Public health goes far beyond health care and hospitals – it’s about creating conditions where people can live healthy lives, from ensuring clean drinking water and enforcing building codes to providing crisis response teams and access to food.
Muslim community-based health organizations are founded, contributed to and operated by immigrants, filling the critical gaps in that system.
“The fact that they (founders and volunteers) were immigrants, or children of immigrants should not be lost, and the fact that they (immigrants) need to give back shows that they are invested in the betterment of our communities in this country,” Mowjood said.
Source: cronkitenews.azpbs.org
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https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2025/04/15/muslim-clinics-resource-south-los-angeles-residents/
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Noor Islamic Cultural Center sues city of Hilliard after zoning denial
April 15, 2025
An affiliate of the Noor Islamic Cultural Center has sued the city of Hilliard after the Hilliard City Council turned down a zoning request for a new neighborhood center in a former BMW office building.
The suit, filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Columbus, said the city violated federal law and trampled upon the center's rights, which are protected by the U.S. and Ohio constitutions.
"City leaders ignored the City's Zoning Code and erected completely unfounded barriers to prohibit a neighborhood center that would provide much needed space for a growing mosque's members and other Hilliard residents to open businesses, have offices, educate their children — and, yes, to worship," the suit said.
"City leaders, however, improperly blocked the neighborhood center and prevented religious worship without any legitimate basis," the suit said.
The suit was filed by Britton Parkway Holding, an affiliate of the cultural center and a real estate holding company for the property.
The building at 5550 Britton Parkway has been vacant for years. BMW Financial Services formerly occupied the building, leaving in 2023.
Britton Parkway Holding bought the 226,000-square-foot office building in Feb. 2024, intending to use at least part of the space for a community center and prayer space.
But at a November meeting, Hilliard City Council unanimously denied zoning changes that would have allowed those and other uses for the building.
Noor's lawyers in December filed an administrative appeal in Franklin County Common Pleas Court.
The suit said the city has recognized there is no longer a market for massive office buildings like this one. It cites the city's adoption of a community plan that calls for the property to be redeveloped for mixed uses or as a neighborhood center.
"BPH purchased the property to transform the vacant office building into a dynamic neighborhood center featuring a creative mix of uses that will benefit the community," the suit said.
The center's plans included restaurants, offices, a school and a daycare, in addition to the community space.
Hilliard City Manager Michelle Crandall said last year that the building and site are a premium office location and how much that translates into the city being able to provide critical services, infrastructure and amenities.
Crandall also is named in the suit.
The suit claims that Hilliard favors Christian institutions, citing $600,000 approved by the Hilliard City Council in 2002 to help build a new YMCA community center on Cosgray Road, and approving the construction of the Rock City Church.
The suit asks for compensatory damages, plus a declaration that the cultural center's intended uses of the property are constitutional and reasonable, and an injunction preventing the city from taking any action to prevent the cultural center from developing the property.
City of Hilliard spokesman David Ball had no comment on the suit.
Britton Parkway Holding attorney Joseph Miller told WOSU that his clients rights have been violated. He said the plan for the BMW building conformed with zoning standards.
"The city of Hilliard won't be reasonable," Miller said.
Miller said he would think that Hilliard residents would expect better from their government.
In November, the city of Hilliard released a statement that said in part that it is the obligation of City Council to consider existing zoning, city regulations, and the community plan when making decisions. "We assure Hilliard residents, including those in our Muslim community, that this process was followed in accordance with our City zoning and land use policies."
Source: wosu.org
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https://www.wosu.org/politics-government/2025-04-15/noor-islamic-cultural-center-sues-city-of-hilliard-after-zoning-denial
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Elgin mosque hit by vandalism attack as community support praised
15 April 2025
The Muslim community at a mosque have praised the support from their area following a vandalism attack.
Elgin mosque, which is situated at 1 Gordon Street in the town, is believed to have suffered damaged windows as a result of the incident.
Buckie businessman Zafar Ali, who runs Buckie Furniture, Flooring and Mobility was initially contacted by the police on discovery of the vandalism.
He said: “The police phoned me this morning [Tuesday, April 15] to say that there were a couple of windows at the mosque needing repairs after the incident and asked to see our CCTV footage.
“This is about the second or third time that the mosque has been attacked and it’s getting a bit ridiculous - folk are a wee bit annoyed.
“What some people seem to forget that the people who use the mosque and others like it are part of their community. They’re your friends, your neighbours, your colleagues, the people who work hard to help provide the services and businesses vital to our community.
“All sorts of people use the mosque; for example, we’ve doctors coming in from as far as Aberdeen, Syrian refugees, converts to Islam, all kinds of diverse people. Our numbers have been going up at the mosque.”
He went on to say that despite the shock at the attack there was a determination to “look at the positive side”.
He continued: “It’s only a small, senseless minority that do things like this.
“The real story is the fact that the community of Moray is and has been very welcoming, supportive and accommodating and for that we are truly grateful.
“Personally I don’t think we were targeted as such, it was just a senseless act that you see directed against places of worship of all kinds.
“The wider community are rallying round to support us.
“We always like to look at the positive side of things and that’s what we’re going to do with this.”
Mr Ali added that if any neighbours believe they have captured something relevant on their CCTV to share it with the police.
Police Scotland have been approached for comment.
As stated by Mr Ali, it is not the first time the Islamic centre, which serves the whole of Moray, has been attacked.
On May 20, 2019, swastikas and obscene graffiti was sprayed on the building. In 2021 Mark Macpherson was jailed for 14 months after admitting the attack.
Source: grampianonline.co.uk
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https://www.grampianonline.co.uk/news/mosque-windows-smashed-in-vandalism-attack-379594/
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Southeast Asia
Ayer Kuning By-election: PN Candidate Told To Stop Religious Talks At Mosques
16/04/2025
TAPAH, April 16 (Bernama) -- Perikatan Nasional (PN) candidate Abd Muhaimin Malek has been advised by the Perak State Mufti Department to stop giving religious lectures and talks at mosques and surau following his nomination for the Ayer Kuning state by-election. His campaign manager, Misbahul Munir Masduki, said Abd Muhaimin has complied with the advice and has since stopped all religious teaching and preaching activities. "The candidate is fully following the advice issued by the Mufti Department," he said during PN’s daily press conference here today. When asked whether Abd Muhaimin’s religious teaching accreditation had been revoked, Misbahul Munir said he had no information on the matter. Earlier, Perak police recorded a statement from Abd Muhaimin – who is also the PAS Tapah Division chief – regarding his teaching credentials. The matter has since been referred to the Perak Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIPk) for further action. The Ayer Kuning by-election, scheduled for April 26, will see a three-way contest between Barisan Nasional (BN) candidate Dr Mohamad Yusri Bakir, Abd Muhaimin of PN, and Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) candidate Bawani KS
Source: bernama.com
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https://www.bernama.com/en/politics/news.php?id=2413284
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Istanbul's Hagia Sophia prepares for next big quake
16-04- 2025
ISTANBUL: The Hagia Sophia of Istanbul is no stranger to change -- through the centuries the city's architectural jewel has gone from church to mosque to museum, back to mosque again.
But the latest renovation aims not only to restore the wonders of the 1,488-year gem, but to ensure it survives the next earthquake to hit the ancient city.
From afar, its dome, shimmering rock and delicate minarets appear to watch over Istanbul, as they have for centuries.
As visitors get closer however, they see scaffolding covering its eastern facade and one of the minarets.
While “the renovation of course breaks a little bit the atmosphere of the appearance from the outside” and the “scaffolding takes away the aesthetic of the monument... renovation is a must,“ said Abdullah Yilmaz, a guide.
Hagia Sophia, a World Heritage Site and Turkey’s most visited landmark, “constantly has problems”, Hasan Firat Diker, an architecture professor working on the restoration, told AFP.
That is why it has undergone numerous piecemeal reconstructions over the centuries, he added.
'Global' makeover
The current makeover is the first time the site will undergo a “global restoration”, including the dome, walls and minarets, he said.
When it was first completed in AD 537, on the same spot where previous churches had stood, the Hagia Sophia became known as a shining example of the architecture of the Byzantine Empire, which ruled the city known as Constantinople at the time.
It served as a church until the fall of the city to the Ottomans in 1453, when it became a mosque.
In 1935, Mustafa Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey who forcibly remade the country into a secular one, turned the building into a museum.
It remained as such until 2020, when President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a practising Muslim who came to power at the head of an Islamist-rooted party, turned it back into a mosque.
Next big quake
Like the residents of this historic city, the Hagia Sophia has not only had to contend with the whims of its rulers -- it faces the constant danger from earthquakes that have regularly struck the metropolis, the last major one in 1999.
Like many buildings in the city of 16 million, which lies just kilometres from an active seismic fault line, Hagia Sophia does not meet building earthquake standards.
Its dome collapsed in an earthquake in 558 and the building has been damaged in other quakes that have hit the city since.
So the main goal of the restoration under way is to “reinforce the building against the next big earthquake” so that the ancient structure “survives the event with the least damage possible,“ said Ahmet Gulec, a member of the scientific committee supervising the works.
For the moment specialists are studying the dome to determine how best to both reinforce and restore it, Diker said.
The interior is for now free of any scaffolding. But eventually four huge pillars will be erected inside to support a platform from where specialists will restore the dome's paintings and mosaics.
“Once you’re inside... it’s perfect,“ marvelled Ana Delgado, a 49-year-old tourist from Mexico as the hum of laughter, conversation and movement filled the building following afternoon prayers.
“It’s magic,“ chimed in her friend, Elias Erduran, from the Dominican Republic.
Millions of visitors
Hagia Sophia saw 7.7 million visitors stream through its spacious interior last year.
Around 2.1 million of them are foreign tourists, many of whom pay 25 euros for an entry ticket, generating millions of euros annually.
Officials hope the inside pillars will not deter visitors from coming during the works, which are expected to last for several years. Officials have not said how much the renovation is expected to cost.
“The objective is that the visits and prayers continue” during the works, Gulec said.
And even if some visitors are disappointed not to have witnessed the building in all its glory, the important thing “is that one day my children will also be able to admire Saint Sophia,“ said Yana Galitskaya, a 35-year-old visitor from Russia.
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/world-news/istanbul-s-hagia-sophia-prepares-for-next-big-quake-OO13956844
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No original Saudi donation letters shown during MACC’s 2015 Saudi trip, 1MDB trial hears
By Ida Lim
16 Apr 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, April 16 — Malaysian investigators visited Saudi Arabia in 2015 to verify four donation letters linked to a purported Saudi prince amid a probe into RM2.6 billion found in then prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s bank accounts, but were not shown the original documents despite meeting the royal’s representative, the High Court heard today.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer Datuk Mohd Hafaz Nazar, who was part of a five-man team from the agency and the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) on the trip, said this while testifying as the 20th defence witness in Najib’s 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) trial.
“I think MACC at that point in time desperately wanted to sight the original four letters of donation that became the subject matter of investigation of MACC.
“As far as I could recall, we have not sighted the original documents while there,” Hafaz, now senior director of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Academy, told the High Court today.
In this trial, the prosecution has said over RM2 billion of 1MDB funds entered Najib’s private AmIslamic bank accounts, but the former prime minister has claimed that these were donations from Saudi Arabia’s royalty and had cited the four donation letters to support his claim.
Only photocopies of the four donation letters have been shown to the court during the 1MDB trial, and Najib previously claimed he had kept the original copies at his office at the Prime Minister’s Department and that he could not access them after losing the 13th general election in 2018.
During the Saudi trip, MACC recorded statements on 29 November 2015 from the purported Saudi royal Prince Saud Abdulaziz Majid Al Saud’s representative, Mohamad Abdullah Al-Koman, and also Eric Tan Kim Loong, who is now known to be Low Taek Jho’s associate.
Hafaz said today, however, that both Mohamad Abdullah’s and Tan’s statements to the MACC were actually converted from pre-prepared statutory declarations (SDs).
Hafaz said both individuals did not show any documents to the MACC and did not answer further questions.
Asked by Najib’s lawyer Wan Azwan Aiman Wan Fakhruddin why Mohamad Abdullah gave the statement on behalf of Prince Saud, Hafaz said the MACC was informed that the Saudi prince allegedly had immunity and that investigators had to record the statement through his intermediary or agent, Mohamad Abdullah.
Having only seen Prince Saud once during an introductory session before the statement was recorded, Hafaz said this arrangement “came to me as a surprise” as he had never recorded statements of witnesses through their representative.
“With no production of complementary documents, and not much opportunities for questions to be asked, generally I’m not happy,” Hafaz said regarding the statement taken from the alleged Saudi prince through his representative, adding that he had discussed this and shared his concerns with other MACC officers during the Saudi trip.
Both SDs prepared in advance
Three MACC officers were involved during the recording of the two statements, namely Hafaz, who was the deputy director of the MACC’s financial analysis division then; Fikri Ab Rahim, who was the head of the MACC’s anti-money laundering division then; and the RM2.6 billion case’s investigating officer, Mohd Nasharudin Amir.
After the trio’s discussion on what to do when Mohamad Abdullah produced a statutory declaration and with no other documents given to the MACC, Hafaz said Fikri had insisted on the recording of a statement.
Hafaz said he then suggested the statutory declaration be converted into a statement using the MACC’s format, and that the two other officers had asked him to take down the statement.
“If not mistaken, we asked Mohamad Abdullah whether he has a soft copy, he assured he has, but I couldn’t recall whether it was a thumb drive or floppy disk, so there was no independent typing of this document,” he said, adding that it was merely a “transferring” of the information from the statutory declaration into the MACC format.
Hafaz said he believed that the statutory declaration was “pre-prepared” and meant for the MACC, saying: “If it wasn’t because of MACC’s insistence on statement recording, probably that’s the only document that MACC will bring home.”
While Mohamad Abdullah’s statement to the MACC stated his confirmation of the alleged Saudi prince’s four donation letters to Najib and transactions made to Najib’s account, Hafaz later said there was no verification based on documents regarding the four letters.
Hafaz confirmed Mohamad Abdullah’s statement — on behalf of Prince Saud — also stated that Tan was a nominee for then Saudi ruler King Abdullah and other Saudi royal family members.
As for the MACC’s recording of Tan’s statement, Hafaz confirmed that a signed statutory declaration was also already prepared in advance and shown to the MACC.
But Tan said he had no additional documents to support his statutory declaration and his statement to the MACC, Hafaz said.
Tan confirmed to the MACC a list of 30 transactions he had made to Najib on the direction of his principal, but MACC investigators were not given any documents by Tan to check and cross-refer these transactions, Hafaz said.
Hafaz said he did not know if the MACC brought back those two statutory declarations shown during the recording of statements from Mohamad Abdullah and Tan.
When asked by deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib, Hafaz confirmed that there was no question and answer session during the MACC’s recording of statements from the two individuals, as everything was pre-prepared in the statutory declarations and then converted to the MACC’s format for statements.
Akram suggested that there was actually no recording of statements by the MACC and that there was merely a “cut and paste” from the soft copy of the statutory declarations into the MACC’s format.
Hafaz agreed as the key element of question and answer sessions did not happen: “Because when asked to Abdullah al-Koman and Tan Kim Loong, both of them said what they wanted to share with the MACC is only limited to the contents of the SDs only.”
He added that the MACC officers were not prohibited from asking further questions to the two, but said both of them stuck to only the SDs.
Among other things, Hafaz said he believed the MACC did ask for a copy of Prince Saud’s passport but it was not given, and also noted that there would usually be a copy of a passport or identity card attached to statements recorded by the MACC.
As for why both statements recorded by the MACC stated the location to be King Abdullah’s palace in Saudi Arabia, Hafaz confirmed that he had written the venue as the “Palace of King Abdullah” as that was what was told to him and he did not verify if it was actually a palace.
Najib’s 1MDB trial before trial judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah resumes tomorrow.
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/04/16/no-original-saudi-donation-letters-shown-during-maccs-2015-saudi-trip-1mdb-trial-hears/173281
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Najib tries to get IGP as his witness in 1MDB trial; Home Ministry seeks to set aside subpoena
By Ida Lim
16 Apr 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, April 16 - Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is trying to compel Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain to come to the High Court to testify as a defence witness in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) trial, as he wants to ask the top police chief about former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng and ex-1MDB in-house lawyer Jasmine Loo.
But the Home Ministry today said it will apply to set aside the subpoena or court-issued summons, which Najib obtained in order to call the IGP to be a witness in his 1MDB trial.
Senior federal counsel Muhammad Ilmami Ahmad this morning informed the High Court that Najib’s lawyers had given the subpoena to the IGP on April 14, and said the Home Ministry currently does not know and was not informed why the IGP is being asked to be a witness in Najib’s defence.
Najib’s lawyer Wan Azwan Aiman Wan Fakhruddin then said the defence does not actually need to give a reason, but went on to argue that the IGP’s testimony would be relevant to his client’s case.
Wan Azwan Aiman said Najib’s lawyers have been actively trying to find Ng — who has been brought back to Malaysia after being convicted in US in relation to 1MDB — and noted that the IGP had previously said Ng was in police custody.
Wan Azwan Aiman also argued it would only be fair if the IGP’s public statements on investigations relating to Loo and Ng are examined publicly in court, as those statements involve public interest.
He also said that Najib’s legal team wants the IGP to explain in court about the status of the three warrant of arrests previously issued by the court against Loo.
Trial judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah then scheduled May 5 to hear the Home Ministry’s application to set aside the subpoena on the IGP to appear as a defence witness in Najib’s 1MDB trial.
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/04/16/najib-tries-to-get-igp-as-his-witness-in-1mdb-trial-home-ministry-seeks-to-set-aside-subpoena/173250
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Man detained over TikTok video insulting PM Anwar, police urge caution on 3R issues
16 Apr 2025
KOTA BHARU, April 16 — A 25-year-old man was detained by police after uploading a video on TikTok that insulted Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim with the intention of stirring up public tension and boycotting the Aidilfitri Madani celebration that took place on April 12 at Pantai Irama, Bachok.
Bachok police chief Supt Mohamad Ismail Jamaluddin stated that the video contained offensive language and inappropriate nicknames for the prime minister. It also accused Anwar of deceiving the public at the event.
Following this, police received a report on April 11 and proceeded to arrest the suspect and confiscate his mobile phone for investigation.
The case is being investigated under Section 504 of the Penal Code, Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act, and Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act 1955.
A check conducted on the suspect’s mobile phone revealed explicit video and image content, according to the statement released today.
However, investigations into other offences are ongoing, pending a full report from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
Police have advised the public, especially social media account holders, not to spread content that touches on 3R (Royal, Race, Religion) issues, as it could breach public order. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/04/16/man-detained-over-tiktok-video-insulting-pm-anwar-police-urge-caution-on-3r-issues/173233
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/waqf-case-muslims-hindu-religious-trusts/d/135191