Don’t Want Hatred Against Muslims, Kashmiris: Himanshi Narwal, Wife Of Naval Officer Killed In Pahalgam Attack
New Age Islam News Bureau
02 May 2025
Image for representation. | Diptendu Dutta/AFP
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· Don’t Want Hatred Against Muslims, Kashmiris: Himanshi Narwal, Wife Of Naval Officer Killed In Pahalgam Attack
· ‘Resolving Kashmir Dispute Would Cement Trump’s Legacy As Peacemaker’: Pakistan’s Envoy To US
· Islamic Medicine Is Cheap, Effective: Experts in Prophetic Medicine
· Raid on Al-Aqsa Mosque and Flag-Raising on So-Called "Israeli Independence Day"
· UK Muslim Groups Urge Starmer to Recognize Palestinian State
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India
· Bus Driver, A. R Mulla, From Karnataka Suspended For Offering Prayer In Bus
· Amit Shah Invokes Sholay-Style ‘Chun Chun Ke’ Retribution Vow For Pahalgam Terror Attack
· Delhi High Court Says Ramdev ‘Not In Control’, Finds Prima Facie Contempt In 'Sharbat Jihad' Row
· ‘Lights off protest’ by Muslims against Waqf amendment
· West Bengal: Two Sanatani Ekta Manch members arrested for pasting Pakistani flag
· Three Mangaluru Policemen Suspended For Failure To Intervene The Mob Lynching Of A Muslim Man
· Tahawwur Rana not cooperating, could expose Hafiz Saeed network: NIA to Delhi court
· Communal clashes erupt in Nainital after Muslim man arrested for allegedly raping minor girl
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Pakistan
· Pakistan Presses Diplomatic Gains As Tensions Simmer
· Mengal reiterates demand for Mahrang’s release
· Release Imran to unite nation, says PTI
· Shahid Khaqan Abbasi opposes use of force for political stability
· PHC seeks KP govt response to plea against changes in DDAC law
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Africa
· Tinubu Tasks Christians, Muslims on Peaceful Co-existence, National Consensus
· What My Kidnapper Told Me When We Met In A Mosque – Abuja-Kaduna Train Attack Victim Narrates
· Sudan’s war-ravaged Khartoum tiptoes back to life after recapture by army
· Cameroon joins Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition
· Army Confirms Explosion At Maiduguri Barracks Was Due To Heat, Not Terrorists
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Mideast
· Syrian Druze Spiritual Leader Al-Hijri Slams ‘Genocidal Campaign’, Israel Issues Warning
· Israeli Military Strikes Near Syria’s Presidential Palace After Warning Over Sectarian Attacks
· Children broken in mind and body by Israeli ‘abomination’ in Gaza
· Gaza rescuers say Israeli strikes kill at least 29
· Weekend round of nuclear talks between US and Iran postponed
· Devastated father wonders why an Israeli strike killed his 4-year-old daughter
· 26th International Islamic Fiqh Academy begins Sunday: Awqaf
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Europe
· Baku, ICESCO Ink Memorandum To Boost Cultural Cooperation In Islamic World
· War in Ukraine not ending 'any time soon', Vance says
· Four ways the film Conclave sheds light on the secretive way popes are chosen
· NZ Islamic Charity, Humanitarian Group To Provide 3D-Printed Limbs For Gaza Children
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South Asia
· True Dignity, Freedom Found Only on Afghan Soil: Deputy PM Baradar
· Next seven months are crucial for Bangladesh economy: Alam
· Police-public relations must be based on trust and respect
· Foreign Minister Meets Hamas Leadership in Doha
· Afghanistan ranks 175th in Global Press Freedom Index
· UN warns of worsening drought and rising humanitarian needs in Afghanistan
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Arab World
· Saudi Arabia Important As Red Sea Is Its Front Yard, Says Chief Of EU Naval Mission
· Spotlight on Saudi architecture at Venice Biennale panel
· How Saudi schools are using AI to personalize learning and streamline administration
· Saudi Arabia to take part at Athens defense expo
· Saudi, Japanese FMs discuss crude oil supply, cooperation in Riyadh
· Photography competition winners celebrate Saudi landscapes and stories
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North America
· CAIR: Protect Religious Freedom for All Americans After Notorious Islamophobes Named to Religious Liberty Commission
· CAIR Welcomes Charge in Alleged Racist Arson of Historic Tennessee Social Justice Center Where Rosa Parks Trained
· CAIR Offers ‘Know Your Rights’ Training in Arkansas
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Southeast Asia
· Leadership Demands Concrete Plans, Not Rhetoric, Says Nizar Najib In Swipe At PAS
· PM Anwar, late Pak Lah receive Kosovo’s top award in recognition of Malaysia’s early support for independence
· ‘We dont care’ if defending Islam, Malay rights drives away your support, says Umno’s Akmal Saleh
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/muslims-kashmiris-pahalgam-attack-killed/d/135406
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Don’t Want Hatred Against Muslims, Kashmiris: Himanshi Narwal, Wife Of Naval Officer Killed In Pahalgam Attack
Scroll Staff
May 02, 2025
Image for representation. | Diptendu Dutta/AFP
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The wife of an Indian Navy officer who was among the 26 killed in the Pahalgam attack has appealed that no Muslims or Kashmiris be harmed in the aftermath of the terror incident, reported ANI.
“We do not want people going against Muslims or Kashmiris,” Himanshi Narwal, the wife of Navy Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, was quoted as saying by the news agency. “We want peace and only peace.”
She added that the family is seeking justice and wants those responsible for Vinay Narwal’s death to be held accountable.
Twenty-six persons were killed and 17 were injured on April 22 in the terror attack that took place in the Baisaran area of Anantnag district. The terrorists targeted tourists after asking their names to ascertain their religion, the police said. All but three of those who died were Hindu.
Following the attack, incidents of violence and intimidation against Muslims were reported from Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
In view of this, the civil rights group People’s Union for Democratic Rights on Tuesday urged educational institutions to ensure the safety and well-being of Kashmiri students.
In a press release, the group expressed “deep concern over the unchecked Islamophobia, the violation of rights during the crackdown in the region and the harassment of Kashmiri students” after the attack.
Source: scroll.in
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‘Resolving Kashmir Dispute Would Cement Trump’s Legacy As Peacemaker’: Pakistan’s Envoy To US
May 2, 2025
SRINAGAR: Indian security personnel stand guard as people walk through Lal Chowk. Following the Pahalgam attack, Kashmiris living in other parts of India have complained of intimidation and harassment, while held Kashmir has witnessed an extraordinary build-up of security personnel.—AFP
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KARACHI: Pakistan’s envoy to the United States has called on President Donald Trump to step in and help ease soaring tensions with India, Dawn.com reported.
In a recent interview, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US Rizwan Saeed Sheikh told Newsweek that for a president “standing for peace in the world as a pronounced objective during this administration”, there was no “higher or flashier flashpoint” than the Kashmir issue.
The call for Trump to play a role in reducing the tensions came as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to top Pakistani and Indian leaders, urging a de-escalation of tensions in the Subcontinent.
“If we have a president who is standing for peace in the world as a pronounced objective during this administration, to establish a legacy as a peacemaker — or as someone who finished wars, defied wars and played a role in de-confliction, resolving the disputes — I don’t think there is any higher or flashier flash point, particularly in nuclear terms, as Kashmir,” Newsweek quoted him as saying.
“We are not talking about one or two countries in that neighbourhood who are nuclear-capable. So, that is how grave it is,” he said.
In his inaugural speech as the US president, Trump had said: “My proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and unifier.”
On his watch, a ceasefire — which has since been broken — was secured between Israel and Hamas, and the US has also been engaging with Ukraine and Russia to halt their war.
According to Newsweek, Mr Sheikh contended that the Trump administration would need to pursue a more comprehensive and sustained initiative than in past US attempts to defuse crises that have erupted between Pakistan and India.
“I think with this threat that we are facing, there is a latent opportunity to address the situation by not just [focusing] on an immediate de-escalatory measure, or a de-escalatory approach,” the envoy said.
He called for a more durable and lasting solution to the Kashmir dispute, “rather than allowing the situation to stay precarious and pop up again and again at the next drop of a hat on this side or that side”.
If the long-standing Kashmir dispute was resolved, the ambassador said, the population of South Asia could live in peace. “All the other issues between Pakistan and India are not major issues,” he noted.
‘Geo-economics’ over geopolitics
Separately, speaking to the Washington Post, Mr Sheikh said that the country could not afford a distraction at a point when things were looking up, economically.
“The only thing we need right now is a peaceful neighborhood.”
“We do not want to fight, particularly with a bigger country,” Mr Sheikh told Newsweek.
“We want peace. It suits our economic agenda; it suits our nationhood. It suits every objective that we have currently. But we want peace with dignity. We would not want to do it, but if it is imposed, then we would rather die with dignity than survive with indignity,” he asserted.
Reiterating Pakistan’s stance, the envoy rejected any involvement of his country in the Pahalgam attack, arguing that the fallout of such an operation could only serve to harm rather than benefit Pakistan’s interests.
“Pakistan is focusing on a matter of a deliberate, considered, pronounced shift of our foreign policy, a pivot from geopolitics to geo-economics,” the envoy told Newsweek.
‘Outlandish’ Indian claims
Terming it “so outlandish, so far-fetched, to blame Pakistan” for the Pahalgam attack, Sheikh said Islamabad was awaiting evidence from New Delhi to prove a link between the incident and Pakistan.
Moreover, the envoy said the attack could be a “false-flag operation” conducted to intentionally lay the blame on Pakistan. He acknowledged he could not yet back up the claim, but there was “enough circumstantial evidence, history, […] immediate backdrop and setting […] to entertain that possibility.
Speaking about India’s unilateral suspension last week of the IWT, Sheikh warned that if there was “even an attempt or a semblance of an attempt” to stop or hold water, then it would be a declaration of war.
While contending that it was “physically impossible” to hold water, the envoy said “all bets are off if it’s about food security of 250 million people”.
“If you threaten me with this kind of a situation, which is existential, what is your expectation of response?” he asked.
Source: dawn.com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1907870
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Islamic Medicine Is Cheap, Effective: Experts in Prophetic Medicine
by Tajudeen Adebanjo
May 2, 2025
Experts in Prophetic Medicine have called on Nigerians to embrace Islamic medicine due to its cost effective and efficiency.
They made this assertion during the Annual Prophetic Medicine Conference organised by Islamic and Prophetic Medicine Practitioners of Nigeria, Southwest Zone in Lekki, Lagos.
One of the speakers, Prof. Ahmad Adekilekun, highlighted the efficacy and effectiveness of Islamic medicine in preventing ailments in the human system.
Adekilekun, a Professor of Anatomy at the Federal University of Health Sciences, Ila Orangun, Osun State, said most medical practitioners encourage people to embrace preventive medicine.
He stated that Islamic medicine is part and parcel of the Islamic faith.
“As medical practitioners, what we have discovered is that Islamic medicine is more of preventive than curative. Preventive medicine is what we always encourage people to engage in. If Islamic medicine is more of preventive, you will agree with me that the very best people should adopt Islamic and Prophetic medicine. When you practice Islamic medicine, you won’t have ailments. It would have prevented the ailments.”
According to him, Islamic medicine is not only about herbs, as there are some practices and skills that were demonstrated by the Holy Prophet and his companions in their days, which healed a lot of ailments.
He called for increased awareness on Islamic and Prophetic medicine among Muslims, expressing confidence that the faithful will embrace it.
Deputy National President of Islamic and Prophetic Medicine Practitioners Association of Nigeria, Dr. Opeyemi Abdullah, said the purpose of the annual conference is to harness resources for the certification and licensing of their members.
Dr. Abdullah, who is also the Zonal President of the B Zone, said the association aims to take the practice of Prophetic medicine to a high level.
He said Islamic medicine is way different from African traditional medicine because the former has its roots in the tradition of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
“For Prophetic medicine, you must have evidence from the Qur’an or Hadith, and it must not go against any of the dictates of Islam,” he said.
He urged the public to embrace Islamic medicine, noting that apart from serving as a alternative to Orthodox medicine, it is cheaper and safe.
“Islamic medicine is cheap, safe, and provides solutions to some medical conditions that Western medicine does not have a solution for. It means if you are looking for a medical system that is cheaper, you can come to Islamic medicine. If you are considering safety, you can come to Islamic medicine. Then, if you have approached Western medicine and your problem is not solved, another area you can look into is Islamic and Prophetic medicine,” he said.
Dr Opeyemi called on practitioners of Islamic and Prophetic medicine to get licences from relevant regulatory bodies, adding that the association is ready to assist them.
Source: thenationonlineng.net
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https://thenationonlineng.net/islamic-medicine-is-cheap-effective-say-experts/
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Raid on Al-Aqsa Mosque and Flag-Raising on So-Called "Israeli Independence Day"
01 May 2025
Extremist "Temple" groups continued their calls for participation in the raids on Thursday, marking the so-called "Israeli Independence Day," the anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba (catastrophe) according to the Hebrew calendar.
According to the Palestinian Ma'an News Agency, extremist "Temple" groups and their most prominent activists published their calls on various platforms and websites, they also hung the invitations on main streets, calling for widespread participation in the raids on Al-Aqsa Mosque, performing prayers there, and raising Zionist flags inside it.
Source: saba.ye
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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3474022.htm
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UK Muslim Groups Urge Starmer to Recognize Palestinian State
May 2, 2025
DayofPal— Hundreds of prominent Muslim organizations, community leaders, and individuals across the UK have called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to formally recognize the State of Palestine and immediately halt all military support to Israel.
The demands were made in a strongly worded letter coordinated by the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), which is set to be delivered to 10 Downing Street on Tuesday. The letter accuses the UK government of complicity in genocide in Gaza.
“For the past 18 months, we have seen the indiscriminate slaughter of Palestinians daily and found very little support from the government to take practical steps to prevent this,” the letter states.
It condemns what it sees as the UK’s contradictory stance, issuing vague statements of concern while continuing to supply weapons components, conduct surveillance flights, and permit UK citizens to join the Israeli military.
The letter also criticizes the government’s treatment of Palestinians seeking refuge in the UK, contrasting it with the warm welcome extended to Ukrainian refugees after Russia’s invasion.
“Although the two conflicts have their unique features, the Palestinian civilians being killed in their tens of thousands are no less human and no less deserving of the right to self-determination and safety,” the letter reads.
The signatories issued four main demands: The immediate facilitation of humanitarian aid into Gaza, a halt to all UK arms exports and military assistance to Israel, a call for an end to mass killings and the release of all hostages and prisoners, and the he formal recognition of Palestine as a sovereign and independent state.
The appeal comes on the same day Starmer and Foreign Secretary David Lammy met with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa.
The UK government announced a £101 million aid package to the occupied Palestinian territories, and Lammy signed a memorandum of understanding to support recognition of a Palestinian state as part of a future two-state solution.
Wajid Akhter, secretary general of the MCB, said the letter reflected the British Muslim community’s desire for a “foreign policy rooted in justice, humanity and international law.”
“We have rightly mobilized a coalition of the willing to oppose Russia’s illegal occupation of Ukraine, yet the illegal occupation of Palestine and the mass killing of Palestinian civilians is met with silence,” Akhter said. “We urge Prime Minister Keir Starmer to show moral leadership and act swiftly.”
He added that Britain has a historic opportunity to lead on the global stage. “Nearly 150 countries already recognize a Palestinian state. If Britain delays, it risks being on the wrong side of history,” he warned.
While Labour has pledged support for Palestinian statehood, the government has said recognition should occur “at the right time” and not be taken unilaterally.
The letter has been signed by a broad coalition including UK mosques, Muslim charities, and grassroots organisations.
Source: daysofpalestine.ps
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https://daysofpalestine.ps/uk-muslim-groups-urge-starmer-to-recognize-palestinian-state-end-military-support-to-israel/
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India
Bus Driver, A. R Mulla, From Karnataka Suspended For Offering Prayer In Bus
May 1, 2025
A bus driver from Karnataka has been suspended after he allegedly stopped a bus to offer prayer while en route to Vishalgad from Hangal on April 29. The videos and images of the driver, A. R Mulla offering prayers has gone viral on social media. He allegedly stopped the bus while passengers were on board.
After the incident the Transfer Minister of Karnataka Ramalinga Reddy wrote a letter to the Managing Director of NWKRTC requesting for an enquiry about the allegation on the driver.
The letter also mentions that although the citizens are entitled to religious freedom, such practices, however, should not interfere when someone is on duty. He also added that incidents like this must not happen in the future.
Reddy wrote, “Every person has the right to religious freedom but those in public service must follow certain rules and regulations stopping a bus full of passengers while on a journey is objectionable.”
The videos and images of the driver were met with anti-Muslim hatred. Several users criticised the driver stating that the action disrupts public transport and “endangers passengers.” Many others spoke in defence of the driver noting that individuals are free to practice religion everywhere and that namaz barely takes 10 to 20 minutes. Until the inquiry is completed, Mulla is suspended from duty.
Source: muslimmirror.com
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https://muslimmirror.com/bus-driver-from-karnataka-suspended-for-offering-prayer-in-bus-inquiry-underway/
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Amit Shah invokes Sholay-style ‘chun chun ke’ retribution vow for Pahalgam terror attack
J.P. Yadav
02.05.25
Home minister Amit Shah on Thursday vowed retribution for the Pahalgam terror attack, stressing that “har vyakti ko chun chun ke jawab bhi milega, jawab bhi diya jayega (every person will be identified and given a befitting reply)”.
Shah was speaking at an event in Delhi to inaugurate a statue of Bodofa Upendranath Brahma, former president of the All Bodo Students’ Union. This was his first public reaction to the April 22 terror attack.
“By killing our 27 citizens, the terrorists should not think they have won the war. I want to tell all those who spread terror — this is not the end of the war,” Shah said, before promising to punish each and every perpetrator by appearing to borrow the famous
Sholay dialogue.
Two days after the attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had at a rally in Bihar vowed revenge, stressing India’s resolve to “identify, trace and punish every terrorist and their backers” responsible for the Pahalgam strike. In his monthly radio address, Modi had said the “blood of every Indian was boiling”, again promising to avenge the attack.
Shah, who in the past had claimed that all was well in Kashmir, hailed Modi’s decisive leadership and said his government would spare none. “If someone, by carrying out a cowardly attack, thinks that it is their big victory, then understand one thing — this is the Narendra Modi government, no one will be spared,” he said.
Shah said that not only 140 crore Indians but the whole world was standing with India in the fight against terrorism. “I want to iterate the resolve that until terrorism is eradicated, our fight will continue and those who have committed it will certainly be given appropriate punishment,” he said.
Modi has also held a series of high-level security meetings and is learnt to have granted “full operational freedom” to the armed forces.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/amit-shah-invokes-sholay-style-chun-chun-ke-retribution-vow-for-pahalgam-terror-attack-prnt/cid/2097061
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Delhi High Court says Ramdev ‘not in control’, finds prima facie contempt in 'sharbat jihad' row
Amiya Kumar Kushwaha
02.05.25
Delhi High Court on Thursday said yoga practitioner Ramdev was “not in control of anyone” and lived in his own world, finding him in prima facie contempt of its order on his controversial “sharbat jihad” remark against Hamdard’s Rooh Afza.
Ramdev said he would remove the contentious comments from his latest video.
The court had ordered him not to issue any statement or share videos in future on Hamdard’s products.
“In view of the last order, his affidavit as well as this video are prima facie in contempt. I will issue a contempt notice now. We are just calling him here,” Justice Amit Bansal said after being informed on Thursday that despite the court’s April 22 directions, Ramdev published a video making objectionable statements.
“He (Ramdev) is not in control of anyone. He lives in his own world,” the judge remarked.
Ramdev’s counsel urged the court to take up the matter after some time as the arguing counsel was unavailable.
The court deferred the hearing for some time.
Hamdard National Foundation India had filed a plea against Ramdev and his Patanjali Foods Ltd over the controversial remarks.
The court had on the last occasion said Ramdev’s remark of “sharbat jihad” on Hamdard’s Rooh Afza had shaken its conscience and was indefensible, prompting him to give an assurance that he would immediately take down the related videos and social media posts.
The counsel for Hamdard claimed that while promoting Patanjali’s “gulab sharbat”, Ramdev alleged the money earned from Hamdard’s Rooh Afza was used to build madrasas and mosques.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/delhi-high-court-says-ramdev-not-in-control-finds-prima-facie-contempt-in-sharbat-jihad-row-prnt/cid/2097058
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‘Lights off protest’ by Muslims against Waqf amendment
May 1, 2025
Mumbai: Responding to a call by All India Muslim Personal Law Board, Muslims in the city observed a 15-minute ‘Batti Gul' (lights off) on Wednesday (9-9.15 pm) to protest the newly enacted Waqf (Amendment) 2025 Act.
"Supporting the Personal Law Board's call to keep lights off for 15 minutes Wednesday evening, we appealed to the people to keep their sectarian differences aside and join the campaign. The response was overwhelming as it was a peaceful demonstration of a united voice against an unconstitutional law," said Samajwadi Party leader and Islam Gymkhana president Yusuf Abrahni.
At 9 pm, most Muslim homes, shops, mosques, and other institutions saw the lights off. Many recorded images where a few homes and streets in Muslim-dominated areas were visible. The Personal Law Board appealed to Muslims and others who opposed the Waqf law to share videos of this protest on social media platforms.
Social activist Dr Azeemuddin, sharing several videos on WhatsApp groups, said that many places in Nalasopara observed this lights-off protest to reject the Waqf law, which Muslims see as an attempt to "usurp their religious properties".
Supreme Court asked the govt not to implement provisions of the law until it hears petitions challenging the controversial law on May 5. Of around 70 petitions, the court is scheculed to hear five, one of them by city social worker Jameel Merchant.
Source: indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/lights-off-protest-by-muslims-against-waqf-amendment/articleshow/120799589.cms
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West Bengal: Two Sanatani Ekta Manch members arrested for pasting Pakistani flag
May 1, 2025
In a disturbing incident aimed at inciting communal unrest, a Pakistani national flag was found pasted on the wall of a public washroom near Akaipur railway station, located under the jurisdiction of Gopalnagar Police Station. The incident, which triggered alarm among local residents, prompted an immediate police response.
Following a swift investigation, the authorities identified and apprehended two individuals involved in the act: Chandan Malakar, aged 30, and Progyajit Mondal, aged 45. Both are residents of the area and are known to be affiliated with a political party, as well as the organization Sanatani Ekta Manch.
Upon interrogation, the duo confessed to deliberately placing the Pakistani flag on the wall. Further, they revealed a disturbing plan to inscribe inflammatory slogans such as “Hindustan Murdabad” and “Pakistan Zindabad” alongside the flag. Their intent, as uncovered during the investigation, was to provoke communal sentiments and create disturbances in the region.
The authorities acted promptly, registering a specific case against the accused and arresting both individuals. The investigation so far indicates that the act was premeditated and executed with the clear intention of disrupting communal harmony.
Law enforcement officials are continuing their probe to ascertain if more individuals were involved or if the act is part of a larger agenda. Security in the surrounding areas has been tightened to prevent any escalation or reaction from local communities.
This incident highlights the fragile nature of communal peace and the need for vigilance against attempts to exploit sensitive sentiments. Authorities have urged the public to remain calm and report any suspicious activity as further efforts are made to ensure peace and order. — With Agencies Inputs
Source: muslimmirror.com
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https://muslimmirror.com/west-bengal-two-sanatani-ekta-manch-members-arrested-for-pasting-pakistani-flag/
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Three Mangaluru policemen suspended for failure to intervene the mob lynching of a Muslim man
May 1, 2025
Three Police officers from Mangalore rural police station has been suspended for dereliction in controlling a mob lynching of a Muslim man on April 27.
Ashraf who was originally from Kerala was beaten to death by a mob at a cricket ground. Initially the incident was named under Unnatural Death Report (UDR). Later, one of the witnesses, Deepak reached out to police and informed them about the lynching.
So far 20 suspects have been arrested for the mob lynching, the incident has caused public outcry especially on police after it was found that the police did not act promptly.
Shivakumar, Head Constable Chandra and Constable Yallalinga have been suspended for failing to act swiftly in the matter. The officers also didn’t inform higher authorities.
Head constable Chandra did not consider Deepak testimony about the lynching. The Autopsy report revealed that Ashraf had died due to Mob violence. The negligence of constable Yallalinga came to be known, who failed to report the incident despite being present on the cricket ground and inspector Shiv Kumar who is the head at rural police station Mangaluru failed to intimate the higher authorities.
Ths suspension order states, “Despite prior knowledge about the incident the Mangalore rural Police stations udr number 14/2025 registered the case based on the statements of the complainants and the postmortem of the body. Despite having all the information, the police inspector did not inform the higher authorities about the group killing.”
The autopsy report had revealed chilling details of how Ashraf was killed. The report indicates that he had serious injuries to his head, limbs, back, buttocks and genitals and that he died due to blunt force drama and wooden logs.
Initially, it was alleged that Ashraf had chanted “Pakistan Zindabad,” for which he was beaten. However, it was found that he was mentally unstable. We should I witnesses who alleged that when Ashraf was drinking a cup of tea which was kept near by the group who was playing cricket a guy name this Sachin confronted and attack him along with Sachin Ravindra Nayak, the husband of BJP corporator Sangeetha Nayak started to assault with cricket bat and other objects. Soon after, a mob led by a hindutva club called “Samrat guys” sprung and attacked Ashraf until he passed away.
The family of Ashraf expressed their grief with the local media channels and stated that his death comes as a major blow to the family especially four days after the death of his grandmother.
Source: muslimmirror.com
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https://muslimmirror.com/three-mangaluru-policemen-suspended-for-failure-to-intervene-the-mob-lynching-of-a-muslim-man/
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Tahawwur Rana not cooperating, could expose Hafiz Saeed network: NIA to Delhi court
01.05.25
The National Investigation Agency has informed a Delhi court that Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana could spill the beans on Lashkar-e-Toiba and its future terror plans.
The agency's argument came on April 28 while seeking Rana's custody before special NIA judge Chander Jit Singh.
According to sources, the NIA said, "Hafiz Saeed is an accused in the case and his terror organisation is still involved in terror attacks in India. Rana's custody is required to unearth the operational details of the organisation." The agency said it was interrogating Rana in a "measured" manner considering his health as opposed to his claims of being questioned 20 hours a day.
The NIA sought his custody claiming non-cooperation from Rana.
"There is contention of non-cooperation of accused in investigation, coupled with the fact of the extent, gamut, depth and widespread nature of the present case which has allegation of hatching the conspiracy at a global level in the sense of accused been from one country and then settled in another country where they hatched conspiracy against India, the request of NIA seeking further police custody remand of accused does have merit," the agency said.
The court after perusing the case diary, said it appeared the NIA was investigating the case "earnestly".
The court on April 28 extended by 12 more days the NIA custody of 26/11 Mumbai attack accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana.
He was produced in court with his face covered amid tight security.
Rana, a close associate of 26/11 main conspirator David Coleman Headley alias Daood Gilani, a US citizen, was brought to India after the US Supreme Court on April 4 dismissed his review plea against his extradition to India.
On November 26, 2008, a group of 10 Pakistani terrorists went on a rampage, carrying out a coordinated attack on a railway station, two luxury hotels and a Jewish centre, after they sneaked into India's financial capital using the sea route.
As many as 166 people were killed in the nearly 60-hour assault.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/tahawwur-rana-not-cooperating-could-expose-hafiz-saeed-network-nia-to-delhi-court/cid/2097025
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Communal clashes erupt in Nainital after Muslim man arrested for allegedly raping minor girl
Scroll Staff
May 01, 2025
Communal clashes broke out in Uttarakhand’s Nainital on Wednesday night after a 65-year-old Muslim man was arrested for allegedly raping a 12-year-old girl, Hindustan Times reported, quoting an unidentified police official.
The man accused of the crime, identified as Usman, worked as a contractor and allegedly raped the minor on April 12 after luring her with money, according to The Indian Express. A first information report was registered in the matter on Wednesday night under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
Following this, a group of men from the Hindu community vandalised shops and eateries belonging to Muslims in the area where Usman’s office is located.
The mob also threw stones at a mosque, shouted anti-Pakistan slogans and damaged several vehicles, PTI quoted unidentified police officers as saying.
The situation was brought under control by 12.30 am on Thursday, Superintendent of Police Crime Jagdish Chandra told the Hindustan Times.
“We are gathering visuals of the individuals who were part of the crowd, involved in stone pelting,” said Chandra. “Heavy deployment of police is in place. We will not allow anybody to take the law into their hands and strict action will be taken if anybody does so.”
The traders’ associations in the area announced that the market would be closed for the time being.
Source: scroll.in
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Pakistan
Pakistan presses diplomatic gains as tensions simmer
Syed Irfan Raza
May 2, 2025
• PM meets China envoy, speaks to Qatari ruler to share concerns over Indian belligerence; Dar talks to Slovenian counterpart
• Shehbaz, Zardari vow no compromise on sovereignty, ask world to rein in New Delhi’s ‘terrorism’
• Army chief inspects military exercise, vows befitting response in case of aggression
• Tarar says situation on the border is ‘ever evolving’
ISLAMABAD: As Pakistan-India tensions continue to simmer in light of the Pahalgam attack in the held Kashmir, Pakistan on Thursday engaged a host of friendly nations, including China, to seek their support for de-escalation measures between the nuclear states and to take them into confidence regarding the ‘weaponisation’ of the Indus Waters Treaty by India.
The hostilities, which led to the downgrading of ties between the neighbours, also came up during a contact between President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, as both dignitaries noted with concern the “belligerent attitude and provocative statements” by India, which posed a threat to regional peace and stability.
In his contacts with Qatar’s ruler Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani on Thursday evening, PM Shehbaz discussed developments in South Asia and expressed concerns over India’s weaponisation of the waters of the Indus Basin. The PM, according to a statement, deemed the action unacceptable, emphasising that the Indus water was the lifeline of the 240 million people in Pakistan.
In his meeting with Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong, PM Shehbaz informed the Chinese envoy that the belligerent actions by India could distract Pakistan from its ongoing counter-terrorism efforts against militant outfits operating from Afghanistan. He informed the envoy that the peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue was the only way to ensure “lasting peace” in South Asia and also thanked him for China’s support to Pakistan in its demand for a transparent probe into the attack.
The premier said that India’s decision to weaponise water was extremely regrettable, as there was no provision for either party to unilaterally walk away from its commitments under the Indus Waters Treaty. During the meeting, the Chinese ambassador thanked the PM for sharing Pakistan’s perspective on the emerging situation due to India’s propaganda and unilateral actions, the Prime Minister’s Office said.
‘No compromise’
The breakdown in ties with India also featured prominently in a meeting between the president and the premier on Thursday. They affirmed that Pakistan would never compromise on the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, and would respond to any act of aggression in a “befitting manner”.
They said the Pakistani nation was united and stood behind its military, which was capable of responding to any threat or aggression. They also reviewed Pakistan’s response to India’s “belligerent posture and any possible acts of aggression”. They said that the international community should take note of India’s involvement in funding, training and sending militants into Pakistan to carry out terrorist activities.
The two also highlighted the urgency of implementing United Nations Security Council resolutions to grant the Kashmiri people their right to self-determination, noting it would help bring lasting peace and stability to the region.
Separately, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also had a conversation with Slovenia Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon and briefed her on the evolving situation. In his contact, FM Dar rejected India’s baseless allegations and denounced unilateral actions, including holding the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, as a clear violation of international law. FM Fajon called on both countries to exercise restraint and resolve issues through diplomacy.
‘Let there be no ambiguity’
As civilian leaders took world leaders into confidence, army chief General Asim Munir warned that any “misadventure” by India would be met with a quick and decisive response.
“Let there be no ambiguity: any military misadventure by India will be met with a swift, resolute, and notch-up response. While Pakistan remains committed to regional peace, our preparedness and resolve to safeguard national interests are absolute,” he was quoted as saying by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
According to the ISPR, COAS Munir visited the Tilla Field Firing Ranges in Jhelum to witness ‘Exercise Hammer Strike’, a high-intensity, field training exercise conducted by the military’s Mangla Strike Corps. Speaking on the occasion, the army chief reaffirmed the military’s “unyielding resolve” to defend the nation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity at all costs.
The COAS lauded the “high morale, combat proficiency, and war-fighting spirit” of the officers and troops, terming them the “embodiment of Pakistan Army’s operational excellence”.
‘No proof’
Meanwhile, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said India failed to provide proof of Pakistan’s involvement in the Pahalgam incident. About allegations levelled by India, he said they kept blaming Pakistan, adding that New Delhi used such incidents as pretexts to attack Pakistan in the past. “They will have to tell the world who was involved. You cannot just say that Pakistan was behind this…” he said, adding that Pakistan demanded an impartial inquiry to prove that it had nothing to do with Pahalgam.
He said Islamabad also engaged the friendly nations to share with them its perspective regarding the recent tensions.
To another query, he said, “The situation is fluctuating and sometimes escalation is high and sometimes it is low; sometimes engagement with the diplomatic community, and this is an ever-evolving situation.”
“We keep receiving intelligence reports, and having said that, our armed forces are on alert…we are conducting exercises, and there is much at the operational level which I cannot share right now,” he said, adding that there was a possibility that India could attack Pakistan. “Yes, there is a possibility, that is why I said that Pakistan is always well prepared to defend that and our armed forces are ready for self-defence,” he added.
He said he had shared the information about the potential attack “very timely” with the world as a form of deterrence.
“There are three forms of deterrence: one is our capability, which is our very strong military… second is the resolve…of the nation…and third is the communication,” he added. “So, communication plays a big part in averting crises.”
Source: dawn.com
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Mengal reiterates demand for Mahrang’s release
May 2, 2025
QUETTA: Balochistan National Party (BNP-M) President Sardar Akhtar Mengal on Thursday reiterated his party’s demand for the release of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) Chief Organiser Dr Mahrang Baloch and other detained political workers, vowing to continue the struggle until the recovery of all missing activists.
Speaking at the Balochistan Bar Association, Mr Mengal criticised the authorities for their inaction following a suicide attack near the BNP-M sit-in camp in the Lakpass area. “It has been over three weeks, yet no investigation has been initiated, nor have the perpetrators been identified,” he regretted.
Mr Mengal, a former chief minister of Balochistan, expressed dismay at the silence of state institutions, lamenting that the authorities concerned had yet to launch an investigation.
“The judiciary and parliament were not working independently and not playing their true role,” he claimed, adding that those who simply read out decisions written by others were decorated with medals.
He also expressed doubts about the legitimacy of the electoral process, referring to what he described as “Form-47 manipulation” — a term often used to denote rigging through falsified results. “Rubber-stamp legislators cannot make decisions based on merit. A rubber-stamp parliament cannot lead the country towards progress,” he said.
He warned that the limited provincial autonomy granted under the 18th Amendment was under threat. He also condemned the state’s failure to address enforced disappearances across Balochistan. “My faith in the parliamentary system has eroded completely,” he said.
Mr Mengal also criticised Islamabad’s role in regional conflicts, stating: “We pushed Afghanistan into war for dollars and ran this country on the fuel of Afghan refugees for 40 years.
Source: dawn.com
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Release Imran to unite nation, says PTI
Ikram Junaidi
May 2, 2025
ISLAMABAD: As tensions escalate with India, the PTI has demanded an immediate release of its founder and former prime minister Imran Khan to “unite the nation”.
The demand was made during a joint meeting of the party’s political committee and core committee held on Thursday to thoroughly deliberate on the prevailing political and security situation in the country.
Central information secretary Sheikh Waqqas Akram said the party expressed grave concern over the escalating national security situation and the absence of credible leadership at a time when the country was facing severe external threats.
He stated that the PTI demanded an immediate and unconditional release of the imprisoned PTI founder Imran Khan, emphasising that his leadership was not only indispensable but also vital for the survival and cohesion of the Pakistani nation in this defining moment.
According to him, the PTI founder’s ability to mobilise and unite the nation, credibility on national security, and his unwavering resolve were unmatched.
He went on to say that silencing and keeping the PTI founder in solitary confinement at such a critical time was not only a miscarriage of justice but an enmity towards the state and the people.
The PTI leader further said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, India — driven by the extremist ideology of the RSS — has emerged as a growing threat to regional peace. “We unequivocally condemn this war-mongering and expansionist ambitions that imperil regional stability.”
Mr Akram said that in stark contrast to the government’s inaction, the hero of Balakot, Imran Khan, was demonstrating unmatched courage and clarity of purpose from prison. He asserted that despite being subjected to nearly two years of unjust imprisonment, and denied access to legal counsel and his family, Imran Khan remained the only voice consistently defending Pakistan’s sovereignty and calling for national unity.
He further said that Imran Khan had made it clear: “Peace is our priority, but it must not be mistaken for weakness.”
Source: dawn.com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1907909/release-imran-to-unite-nation-says-pti
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Shahid Khaqan Abbasi opposes use of force for political stability
Saleem Shahid
May 2, 2025
QUETTA: Former prime minister and Awam Pakistan Party (APP) chief Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has opposed the use of force as a means to restore political stability in the country, arguing that such issues should be addressed through meaningful negotiations to end hatred and uncertainty.
Speaking at a joint press conference at Sarawan House on Thursday, alongside former senator Nawabzada Lashkri Raisani, Mr Abbasi emphasised that the genuine representatives of the people should be entrusted with resolving Balochistan’s longstanding issues. He criticised the establishment of the “Form 47 government”, asserting that only authentic public representation could bring real change.
Former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor Sardar Mehtab Abbasi, former federal minister Humayun Aziz Kurd and other political figures were also present during the press conference.
Mr Abbasi said the “Form 47 government” had failed to deliver anything to Balochistan or to Pakistan at large.
Highlighting the province’s continued suffering over the past 15 years, he pointed to recent tragic events, including the hijacking of a train — a scenario he described as unthinkable in the 21st century.
He said that despite the presence of numerous security check posts in and around Quetta, people still felt unsafe. The former PM asserted that Pakistan could only progress if the Constitution was implemented in letter and spirit.
“It is not possible for Pakistan to prosper while Balochistan remains impoverished,” Mr Abbasi said. He said that true peace could not be restored until Balochistan’s resources were used to benefit the province’s youth.
On the occasion, Mr Raisani expressed concern over the recently-passed Mines and Minerals Act 2025, calling it a gross violation of the Constitution and the 18th Amendment.
He warned investors that any agreements made under the act would be annulled when an opportunity arises, rendering such investments void.
He said the law was passed with the collaboration of both government and opposition figures, adding that the law had drawn opposition from both religious and nationalist leaders in Balochistan.
He also condemned the federal government for selling the Reko Diq project to foreign entities under what he described as a non-representative setup.
He said that 99 per cent of the elected representatives were the product of “Form 47” manipulation, and that the act had shattered the hopes of Balochistan’s future generations, who had long looked to their province’s natural resources for progress and prosperity.
Source: dawn.com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1907905/shahid-khaqan-abbasi-opposes-use-of-force-for-political-stability
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PHC seeks KP govt response to plea against changes in DDAC law
May 2, 2025
PESHAWAR: Peshawar High Court has issued notice to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government seeking its response to a plea challenging the inclusion of Members of National Assembly (MNAs) in district development advisory committees (DDACs) by amending relevant law.
A bench consisting of Justice Mohammad Naeem Anwar and Justice Kamran Hayat Miankhel issued the order after preliminary hearing of the petition jointly filed by two MPAs of Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarian Ahmad Kundi and Ehsanullah Khan, requesting the court to declare as illegal and unconstitutional KP Establishment of District Development Advisory Committee (Amendment) Act, 2024.
The petitioners have also sought interim relief, requesting the court to suspend the impugned amendment till final disposal of the petition.
The respondents in the petition are KP government through its chief secretary and provincial secretaries of law and local government departments.
Advocate Sultan Mohammad Khan appeared for the petitioners and stated that DDAC was an important and vital link in the governance structure, especially for the utilisation of developmental funds in a legal and transparent manner.
He said that DDAC was established and its working was regulated through Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Establishment of District Development Advisory Committees Act of 1989 (DDAC Act). He stated that last year chief minister ordered appointment of chairmen of DDACs in 30 of the districts across the province.
He said that the said 30 chairmen were all MPAs affiliated with the ruling party in the province. He said that in the remaining six districts, the chairmen were not appointed as the elected MPAs in those districts were mostly from opposition parties.
He argued that the present petitioners filed a petition in the high court against the non-appointment of chairmen of DDACs in the said six districts by the provincial government.
The counsel stated that the petitioners sought directives of the court for the government to appoint chairmen of DDACs in the districts of Dera Ismail Khan, North Waziristan, Upper Dir, Upper Chitral, Kurram and Kohistan Lower.
He pointed out that the chief minister then ordered appointment of MNAs as chairmen of DDACs in the said districts, which was also challenged by the petitioners in the high court.
He argued that in order to circumvent and defeat the pray made in that petition, the provincial government passed the impugned Establishment of DDAC (Amendment) Act through its brute majority in the assembly.
He stated that through the said amendment changes were made in Section 3 of DDAC Act and MNAs of the relevant districts were also included in the committees.
He contended that the amendment was in violation of different provisions of the Constitution including articles 66, 126, 141, 142 and 143 along with Fourth Schedule of the Constitution.
Mr Sultan argued that the provincial legislature had gone beyond its powers, functions and jurisdiction under the Constitution by including MNAs in the law. He added that the provincial legislature was not empowered to make a law for the MNAs, who fell under the federal domain.
He contended that being elected public representatives, the petitioners had a genuine cause of action to approach the court to correct the illegalities and discrimination being committed by the respondents.
Source: dawn.com
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Africa
Tinubu Tasks Christians, Muslims on Peaceful Co-existence, National Consensus
2 May 2025
From Tony Icheku in Owerri
President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday urged the leadership of Nigeria’s two major religions – Christianity and Islam – to leverage their very unique positions to point their respective congregations towards peaceful co-existence, as well as upholding moral values.
President Tinubu speaking during the first Triannual Conference of Nigerian Inter-Religious Council, NIREC in Owerri, the Imo State Capital noted that the theme of the meeting – ‘Building Mutual Trust and National Unity’ – could not be more apt, timely, relevant or compelling than at the present time and situation in Nigeria.
Tinubu, represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, noted that NIREC being a forum which brings together leaders of the two major religions in the country, has a pivotal role towards building national consensus and peaceful coexistence. He commended the leadership and members of NIREC for consistently positioning itself as a beacon of hope and moral compass and a bridge between faith in Nigeria’s diversity.
In his remarks, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma thanked NIREC for choosing the State to host the Conference and commended the Council for keeping faith in their mission to strengthen religious understanding and promoting unity in the Country.
He urged the religious leaders to “remain resolute in leading the way to a united Nigeria, where peace, love, and mutual trust are the bedrock of national pride.”
Uzodimma also commended the Co-Chairmen of NIREC, the Sultan of Sokoto, Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar and the Christian Association of Nigeria Chairman Arch-Bishop Daniel Okoh for their leadership commitment to this important course of having a untied, strong and prosperous Nigeria.
He expressed appreciation that the Council’s efforts since its establishment have continued to yield positive results in curtailing the incidence of religious conflicts and disagreements, and advised that religion must not be twisted into a weapon of division in our society.
Governor Uzodimma who regretted that “we often waste energy in arguments that do not add value to our national growth and development,” challenged all to embrace love for one another to see possibilities in every individual rather than remain entrapped in stereotypes and suspicions.
He urged religious leaders to use their influence to encourage love, respect, tolerance and understanding among the people of diverse faiths, as well as preach against crime, killings, terrorism and insurgency.
The Secretary of NIREC, Rev. Fr. Prof. Cornelius Omonokhua said the Inter-religious Council has a firm belief that the narrative of religious and ethnic based conflicts can be changed hence the theme of the first meeting.
He regretted that religious and ethnic varieties that ought to add beauty to our corporate existence has been weaponised to make us see one another as rivals, and called on our leaders to uphold the truth and fear of God for the children with a curriculum that does not destroy the authentic teaching of religion and history in the schools.
The Co-Chairmen of the Council, Sultan of Sokoto, Mohammad Sa’ad Abubakar, His Eminence Daniel Oko, Chairman Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), in their respective remarks called for genuine commitment of all towards peace building and national development.
They charged all to be weary of profiling people based on ethnicity and religion, but challenged everyone to come together and work towards loving one another and always praying for good leadership.
Goodwill messages were given by the Abia State Governor, represented by his Commissioner for Local Government, Prince Uzor Nwachukwu, the Catholic Bishop of Owerri Archdiocese, Most Rev (Dr) Lucius Ugorji, the Imo State Chapter of CAN, Rev Divine Eches Divine, the Chief Imam of Muslims in Imo State, Alhaji Suleiman Njoku, and the Co-Chairmen of the Youth wing of NIREC.
The former Chairman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Nze Fidelis Ozichukwu Chukwu and Alhaji Alatare Sulyman Musa presented papers at the event.
Apart from ranking religious leaders, the event attracted several dignitaries including the Etsu Nupe, the deputy Governor of Imo State, Lady Chinyere Ekomaru, former Governor of Imo State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, and key monarchs from Imo State.
Source: thisdaylive.com
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https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2025/05/01/tinubu-tasks-christians-muslims-on-peaceful-co-existence-national-consensus/
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What My Kidnapper Told Me When We Met In A Mosque – Abuja-Kaduna Train Attack Victim Narrates
May 1, 2025
By Richard Ogunsile
A victim of the 2022 Abuja-Kaduna train attack, Comrade M Muhammad, has shared insights from a conversation he had with one of his kidnappers at a mosque in Kaduna State.
Naija News recalls that on March 28, 2022, an Abuja–Kaduna train was attacked in Katari, just 15 minutes before it was due to reach its destination.
Many passengers were taken hostage, while others lost their lives or sustained injuries due to the bandits’ bombing of the train.
The train was said to have departed from Abuja’s Idu station at 6 pm and was expected to arrive at the Rigasa train station in Kaduna by 8 pm.
In a recent interview with Daily Trust, Muhammad recounted his hour-long discussion with one of his abductors, whom he encountered at the mosque.
He expressed his sense of peace with the kidnapper, identified only as Abubakar, explaining that he had chosen to forgive him, recognising that while some did not survive the ordeal, he was fortunate enough to do so.
Muhammad said: “Yes, it’s true that I saw the guy Abubakar at the Mosque as posted on my social media. Actually, he was shocked to see him, but I smiled at him, which made him comfortable.
“We stepped outside and he told me that he has now repented now riding Okada. He also told me that one of their notorious commanders, Baba Adamu, had been killed by soldiers, and I was happy to hear that news.
“Others may be surprised that I forgave him and left him to go because even before seeing him on that day, I had already forgiven them.”
Muhammad, however, said he would not forgive the government for what happened to him on the night of March 28, 2022, “because the train was attacked due to the government’s negligence.”
He stated that, according to intelligence reports, the government had been informed of a potential attack on the train but failed to take preventive measures.
The victim further expressed feelings of abandonment by the government after their release, noting that they had to personally cover the expenses for the therapy sessions required during their recovery.
“We spent 196 days, which was 7 months in captivity, and after our release, the government did nothing to support us apart from the drip and anti-malaria treatment given to us.
“Many of us, me inclusive, battled with trauma and had to be going to the Neo Psychiatric hospital for months seeking treatment without government support,” Muhammad narrated.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/05/01/what-my-kidnapper-told-me-when-we-met-in-a-mosque-abuja-kaduna-train-attack-victim-narrates/
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Sudan’s war-ravaged Khartoum tiptoes back to life after recapture by army
May 02, 2025
KHARTOUM: In war-ravaged Khartoum donkey carts clatter over worn asphalt, the smell of tomatoes wafts from newly reopened stalls and pedestrians dodge burnt-out cars left by two years of war.
Life is slowly, cautiously returning to the Sudanese capital, weeks after the army recaptured the city from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) who had held it since soon after fighting erupted in April 2023.
Stallholder Maqbool Essa Mohamed was laying out his wares in the large market in the southern neighborhood of Kalakla.
“People feel safe again,” he said. “Business is moving and there’s security.”
Just weeks ago this market was deserted – shops shuttered, streets silent and snipers perched on rooftops.
In a lightning offensive in March, the army recaptured the city center, including the presidential palace and the airport, and the RSF was shed back into the western outskirts of greater Khartoum.
But the RSF remain within artillery range of the city center, as they demonstrated twice this week with a bombardment of the army’s General Command headquarters last Saturday followed by shelling of the presidential palace on Thursday.
Since April 2023, Sudan has been torn apart by a power struggle between army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.
The fighting has killed tens of thousands of people and uprooted 13 million.
In greater Khartoum alone, more than 3.5 million people have fled their homes, leaving entire neighborhoods abandoned.
Within the next six months, the UN expects more than two million displaced people to return to the capital if security conditions allow.
Kalakla, a neighborhood on the road to Jebel Awliya – once an RSF bastion – suffered heavily during the war.
Its location close to a military base made it a prime target, with RSF fighters encircling the area and cutting off food and water for the civilians trapped inside.
In July 2023 activists called it “uninhabitable.”
But now women can be seen on the roadside brewing tea – a common sight before the war – as a man dragging his suitcase stands beside a minibus, newly arrived in the war-torn neighborhood.
Public transport has yet to return to normal as fragile security conditions and crumbling infrastructure impede movement.
With buses packed to capacity, weary commuters climb atop vehicles, preferring the risky ride over an indefinite wait for the next bus – which may not come for hours.
From January, the army began advancing in the greater Khartoum area and by late March had wrested back control of both Khartoum and the industrial city of Khartoum North just across the Blue Nile.
Standing amid the wreckage of the presidential palace, army chief Burhan declared: “Khartoum is free.”
The paramilitaries are now confined to the southern and western outskirts of Omdurman, the third of the three cities that make up greater Khartoum.
Both sides in the conflict have been accused of war crimes, including deliberately targeting civilians and indiscriminately bombing residential neighborhoods.
The RSF in particular has been notorious for systematic sexual violence, ethnic cleansing and rampant looting.
“They left nothing,” said Mohamed Al-Mahdi, a longtime resident. “They destroyed the country and took our property.”
Today, Mahdi steers his bicycle through the recovering market, where vehicles, animal carts and pedestrians jostle for space under the wary eye of the army.
Earlier this month, Sudan’s state news agency reported that the army-backed government plans to restore the water supply to the area – a basic necessity still out of reach for many.
But for vendor Serelkhitm Shibti, the costs of the war are not about lost income or damaged infrastructure.
“What pains me is every drop of blood that fell in this land, not the money I lost,” he said.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2599240/middle-east
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Cameroon joins Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition
May 01, 2025
The Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition announced that Cameroon has officially joined, becoming the 43rd member state of the coalition, led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The step underscores a growing commitment to combating terrorism and fostering regional and international security and stability, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday.
The announcement was made during an official ceremony at the coalition’s headquarters in Riyadh, where the flag of Cameroon was raised alongside the flags of the 42 member states; a powerful symbol of unity and solidarity in the fight against terrorism.
The event was attended by Maj. Gen. Mohammed bin Saeed Al-Moghedi, acting secretary-general of the IMCTC, Iya Tidjani, Cameroon’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, the Cameroonian representative to the coalition, a delegation from Cameroon’s embassy, and representatives of member states.
Al-Moghedi welcomed Cameroon’s admission to the coalition, describing it as a significant step that strengthens joint efforts to combat terrorism and enhances coordination and integration in the intellectual, media, financial, and military fields.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2599208/saudi-arabia
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Army Confirms Explosion At Maiduguri Barracks Was Due To Heat, Not Terrorists
May 1, 2025
By Enioluwa Adeniyi
The Nigerian Army has confirmed that the explosion at the Giwa Barracks in Maiduguri on Wednesday was triggered by high temperatures and not a terrorist attack.
The incident, which caused widespread concern, was clarified by the Army’s acting Deputy Director of Public Relations, Capt. Reuben Kovangiya.
In a statement issued on Wednesday in Maiduguri, Kovangiya explained that the explosion occurred in one of the barracks’ ammunition storage facilities due to the ongoing intense heatwave affecting the region.
“The explosion was due to the current high temperatures in Maiduguri, which led to the detonation of some munitions,” Kovangiya stated.
He reassured the public that the situation had been contained following a swift response from emergency services. Kovangiya also highlighted the coordinated efforts of the Borno State Fire Service and other fire trucks from sister security agencies, who worked together to extinguish the fire.
“The situation has been brought under control,” he added, praising the collaborative efforts of the emergency response teams.
Kovangiya further assured the public that troops from Operation HADIN KAI had been deployed around the barracks to prevent any potential security threats and protect civilians from opportunistic criminal activities.
“Troops of Operation HADIN KAI have been deployed to protect the public and prevent miscreants from taking advantage of the situation,” he said.
In light of the growing concerns, Kovangiya urged residents of Maiduguri and its surrounding areas to disregard any speculation that the explosion was a result of an attack, emphasising that it was purely an accidental occurrence.
“Residents are advised to remain calm and disregard any rumours or speculations regarding an attack within the Maiduguri Metropolitan Council,” he stated, assuring the public that all necessary measures had been taken to ensure safety and prevent similar incidents in the future.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/05/01/army-confirms-explosion-at-maiduguri-barracks-was-due-to-heat-not-terrorists/
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Mideast
Syrian Druze Spiritual Leader Al-Hijri Slams ‘Genocidal Campaign’, Israel Issues Warning
May 01, 2025
DAMASCUS: Syrian Druze spiritual leader Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri on Thursday condemned what he called a “genocidal campaign” against his community after two days of sectarian clashes left 101 people dead.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned his country would respond “with significant force” if Syria’s new authorities fail to protect the Druze minority.
The violence poses a serious challenge to the new Syrian authorities who ousted longtime ruler Bashar Assad in December.
It comes after a wave of massacres in March in Syria’s Alawite heartland on the Mediterranean coast in which security forces and allied groups killed more than 1,700 civilians, mostly Alawites, according to rights groups.
It was the worst bloodshed since the ouster of Assad, who is from the minority community.
Hijri in a statement on Thursday denounced the latest violence in Jaramana and Sahnaya near Damascus as an “unjustifiable genocidal campaign” against the Druze.
He called for immediate intervention by “international forces to maintain peace and prevent the continuation of these crimes.”
Israel has ramped up its support for Syria’s Druze, with Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on Thursday urging the international community to “fulfil its role in protecting the minorities in Syria — especially the Druze — from the regime and its gangs of terror.”
In a later statement, Katz said: “Should the attacks on the Druze resume and the Syrian regime fail to prevent them, Israel will respond with significant force.”
The fighting involved security forces, allied fighters, and local Druze groups. It resulted in the deaths of 30 government loyalists, 21 Druze fighters, and 10 civilians, including Sahnaya’s former mayor, Husam Warwar.
In the southern province of Sweida, which is the heartland of the Druze minority, 40 Druze gunmen were killed, 35 of them in an ambush on the Sweida-Damascus road on Wednesday.
Blasphemous audio
The violence was sparked by the circulation of an audio recording attributed to a Druze citizen and deemed blasphemous.
AFP was unable to confirm the recording’s authenticity.
Truces was reached in Jaramana on Tuesday and in Sahnaya on Wednesday.
The government announced it was deploying forces in Sahnaya to ensure security, and accused “outlaw groups” of instigating the clashes.
However, Hijri said he no longer trusts “an entity pretending to be a government... because the government does not kill its people through its extremist militias... and then claim they were unruly elements after the massacres.”
“The government (should) protect its people,” he said.
Syria’s new authorities, who have roots in the Al-Qaeda jihadist network, have vowed inclusive rule in the multi-confessional, multi-ethnic country, but must also contend with pressures from radical Islamists.
On Wednesday, a foreign ministry statement vowed to “protect all components” of Syrian society, including the Druze, and rejected “foreign interference.”
Israeli air strikes
Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani on Thursday reiterated Syria’s rejection of demands for international intervention, posting on X that “national unity is the solid foundation for any process of stability or revival.”
“Any call for external intervention, under any pretext or slogan, only leads to further deterioration and division,” he added.
Israel sees the new forces in Syria as jihadists and carried out strikes near Damascus on Wednesday. Israel said its forces were ordered to hit Syrian government targets “should the violence against Druze communities continue.”
“A stern message was conveyed to the Syrian regime — Israel expects them to act to prevent harm to the Druze community,” a statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said.
Israel has attacked hundreds of military sites in Syria since Assad’s overthrow.
It has also sent troops into the demilitarised buffer zone that used to separate Israeli and Syrian forces on the Golan Heights and voiced support for Syria’s Druze.
Israel’s military said Thursday two injured Syrian Druze had been evacuated to northern Israel for treatment.
A United Nations statement urged “all parties to exercise maximum restraint” and “uphold their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law.”
Source: arabnews.com
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Israeli military strikes near Syria’s presidential palace after warning over sectarian attacks
May 02, 2025
DAMASCUS, Syria: Israel’s air force struck near Syria’s presidential palace early Friday hours after warning Syrian authorities not to march toward villages inhabited by members of a minority sect in southern Syria.
The strike came after days of clashes between pro-Syrian government gunmen and fighters who belong to the Druze minority sect near the capital, Damascus. The clashes left dozens of people dead or wounded.
The Israeli army said in a statement that fighter jets struck adjacent to the area of the Palace of President Hussein Al-Sharaa in Damascus. It gave no further details.
Pro-government Syrian media outlets said the strike hit close to the People’s Palace on a hill overlooking the city.
The Druze religious sect is a minority group that began as a 10th-century offshoot of Ismailism, a branch of Shiite Islam. More than half of the roughly 1 million Druze worldwide live in Syria. Most of the other Druze live in Lebanon and Israel, including in the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Mideast War and annexed in 1981. In Syria, they largely live in the southern Sweida province and some suburbs of Damascus.
Source: arabnews.com
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Children broken in mind and body by Israeli ‘abomination’ in Gaza
May 01, 2025
GENEVA: Palestinian children in Gaza are being physically and mentally broken by two months of an Israeli blockade on humanitarian aid and incessant pounding by airstrikes, UN health chiefs said on Thursday.
More than 1,000 children had lost limbs, thousands had severe spinal cord and head injuries from which they would never recover and many were psychologically damaged, World Health Organization emergencies chief Mike Ryan said.
“We have to ask ourselves, how much blood is enough to satisfy whatever the political objectives are?” he said. “We are watching this unfold before our very eyes, and we’re not doing anything about it.
“We are breaking the bodies and minds of the children of Gaza. We are starving the children of Gaza. We are complicit. As a physician I am angry. It is an abomination.”
Israel has interrupted or blocked the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza since the war began in October 2023, and imposed a total blockade on March 2. Since then the UN has repeatedly warned of a humanitarian catastrophe on the ground, with famine looming, and it said this week that acute malnutrition among Gaza’s children was worsening.
Meanwhile Israel continues to pound civilians in Gaza with daily airstrikes and artillery bombardments. Civil defense chiefs said at least 29 Palestinians were killed on Thursday. They included eight who died in an airstrike on the Abu Sahlul family home in Khan Younis refugee camp, four killed in another strike on Al-Tuffah in Gaza City, and others who died in an attack on a tent sheltering displaced people near the central city of Deir Al-Balah.
“We came here and found all these houses destroyed, and children, women and young people all bombed to pieces,” survivor Ahmed Abu Zarqa said after a deadly strike in Khan Younis.
“This is no way to live. Enough, we’re tired, enough. We don’t know what to do with our lives any more. We’d rather die than live this kind of life.”
Source: arabnews.com
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Gaza rescuers say Israeli strikes kill at least 29
May 01, 2025
GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories: Gaza’s civil defense agency said Thursday Israeli bombardment killed at least 29 people since midnight in the war-ravaged territory, which has been under Israeli aid blockade for nearly two months.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meanwhile said that while the military’s mission was to bring home all the hostages from Gaza, its “supreme goal” was to achieve victory against Hamas.
Israel resumed its campaign in the Gaza Strip on March 18, after a two-month truce collapsed over disagreements between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas whose 2023 attack triggered the conflict.
Civil defense official Mohammed Al-Mughayyir said Thursday’s toll included eight people killed in an air strike on the Abu Sahlul family home in Khan Yunis refugee camp in southern Gaza.
Four people were killed in an air strike east of Shaaf in Gaza City’s Al-Tuffah neighborhood, he told AFP.
At least 17 more were killed in other attacks across the Palestinian territory, including one that hit a tent sheltering displaced people near the central city of Deir el-Balah, the agency said.
“We came here and found all these houses destroyed, and children, women and young people all bombed to pieces,” said Ahmed Abu Zarqa after a deadly strike in Khan Yunis.
“This is no way to live. Enough, we’re tired, enough!
“We don’t know what to do with our lives any more. We’d rather die than live this kind of life.”
At Nasser Hospital
AFP images showed residents digging through rubble in search of bodies, which were carried away on stretchers under blankets.
At Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, rescuers rushed a screaming wounded child out of an ambulance, as a group of women mourned.
“What have the children done wrong? What have we done wrong? Enough is enough. Just drop a nuclear bomb on us,” said Ghada Abu Sahlul as she mourned the death of a relative.
The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said on Thursday that at least 2,326 people have been killed since Israel resumed strikes, bringing the overall death toll since the war broke out to 52,418.
The Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
Militants also abducted 251 people, 58 of whom are still being held in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.
Source: arabnews.com
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Weekend round of nuclear talks between US and Iran postponed
May 01, 2025
DUBAI: Planned negotiations between Iran and the United States this weekend over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program have been postponed, Oman announced Thursday.
A message online from Omani Foreign Minister Badr Al-Busaidi made the announcement in a post on the social platform X.
“For logistical reasons we are rescheduling the US Iran meeting provisionally planned for Saturday May 3rd,” he wrote. “New dates will be announced when mutually agreed.”
Al-Busaidi, who has mediated the talks through three rounds so far, did not elaborate.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei issued a statement describing the talks as being “postponed at the request of Oman’s foreign minister.” He said Iran remain committed to reaching ”a fair and lasting agreement.”
Meanwhile, a person familiar with the US negotiators said that America “had never confirmed its participation” in a fourth round of talks in Rome. However, the person said the US expected the talks to occur “in the near future.” The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door negotiations.
Rome soon will see the Vatican begin the conclave on Wednesday to pick a new pope after the death of Pope Francis. Two other rounds of talks have been held in Muscat, the capital of Oman.
The talks seek to limit Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of some of the crushing economic sanctions the US has imposed on the Islamic Republic closing in on a half-century of enmity. The negotiations have been led by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to unleash airstrikes targeting Iran’s program if a deal isn’t reached. Iranian officials increasingly warn that they could pursue a nuclear weapon with their stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels.
Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers did limit Tehran’s program. However, Trump unilaterally withdrew from it in 2018, setting in motion years of attacks and tensions. The wider Middle East also remains on edge over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, the US continues an airstrike campaign, called “Operation Rough Rider,” that has been targeting Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who long have been backed by Iran. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth early Thursday warned Iran over the rebels
“Message to IRAN: We see your LETHAL support to The Houthis. We know exactly what you are doing,” he wrote. “You know very well what the US Military is capable of — and you were warned. You will pay the CONSEQUENCE at the time and place of our choosing.”
Last Saturday’s round of talks, which included experts drilling down into the details of a possible deal, also took place as an explosion rocked an Iranian port, killing at least 70 people and injuring more than 1,000 others.
Source: arabnews.com
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Devastated father wonders why an Israeli strike killed his 4-year-old daughter
May 01, 2025
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip: Massa Abed, 4, brought a rubber ball and her doll to play with friends on the street near her family’s home on Sunday. It was a mundane day in Zawaida, the central Gaza town where the Abeds returned weeks ago, with calm largely restored in the area.
But that afternoon, an Israeli strike hit a tent on the side of the road, killing Massa and some of the other children.
Her older brother, 16, grabbed Massa’s little body and rushed to the hospital on a donkey cart. When she was pronounced dead, he wailed, holding her.
Days later, Massa’s father, Samy Abed, turned the green ball in his hand, describing the incident to The Associated Press.
“She had a ball on her lap with a doll in her hand. Will she fight them with her football or doll?” he said. “She’s 4 years old. What can she do? She can’t even carry a rock.”
The Israeli army did not respond to requests for comment on the strike, and it remains unclear why the area — near the city of Deir Al-Balah — was struck or who was targeted. Israeli officials have often blamed Hamas for civilian casualties, saying the Palestinian militant group regularly operates from residential areas and hospitals and accusing it using civilians as human shields.
Since Israel resumed attacksmore than a month ago, at least 809 children have been killed, said Zaher Al-Wahidi, a spokesperson with Gaza’s Health Ministry.
Overall, the ministry says, more than 52,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the war, in October 2023. Ministry officials do not differentiate between civilians and militant deaths but say that more than half the dead have been women and children. Israel says it has killed over 20,000 militants, without providing details on those deaths.
On March 18, a surprise Israeli bombardment shattered a six-week ceasefire mediated by the US, Qatar and Egypt; hundreds of Palestinians were killed. Mediation efforts to restore the ceasefire have faltered, and Israel has vowed more devastation if Hamas doesn’t release the remaining hostages kidnapped in its rampage on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
That Hamas attack killed some 1,200 people and abducted 250 others. Israel says 59 hostages remain in captivity, at least 35 of whom are believed to be dead.
Israel has imposed a blockade on Gaza, not allowing food, medicine, or assistance to enter the strip. The United Nations World Food Program said its stockpiles that it used to feed over 600,000 people daily are empty. Israel says the blockade’s aim is to increase pressure on Hamas to release the rest of the hostages and to disarm.
At the hospital where Massa’s brother brought her, bodies of her young playmates lay nearby — a reminder, relatives said, of children in danger as attacks continue.
Massa had the confidence and bubbly personality of a teenager, socializing and conversing with everyone, her father said as he scrolled through photos and videos where she played and posed for the cameras.
He soon turned to photos of her body at the hospital.
“We see her when we’re asleep. When we wake up, we remember her,” he said.
Majdi Abed, Massa’s uncle, says he has regular visions of her. “I was sitting right here at 7 a.m., and I felt the girl coming toward me,” he said, describing how he frequently bursts into tears upon realizing it’s not really Massa.
The family still expects her to show up at their breakfast table.
But, her father said, “her spot is empty.”
Source: arabnews.com
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26th International Islamic Fiqh Academy begins Sunday: Awqaf
May 01, 2025
Doha, Qatar: Under the patronage of Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, the 26th session of the Conference of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy, affiliated with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), will start next Sunday.
The Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs announced that the convening of the 26th session of the conference, which will continue until May 8, comes as part of the efforts and activities undertaken by the International Islamic Fiqh Academy to promote collective ijtihad and to examine contemporary fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) issues that concern Muslim communities, with the participation of a distinguished group of scholars, jurists, and experts from various countries around the world.
The conference will address a number of contemporary fiqh, economic, and medical topics, in addition to issuing legal rulings and recommendations that contribute to offering appropriate Sharia-based solutions to current challenges.
The International Islamic Fiqh Academy is regarded as a trusted scholarly body for collective fiqh reasoning, with its members and representatives meeting annually to study emerging and contemporary issues and provide Sharia-compliant solutions to modern life challenges through a collective academic approach.
Source: thepeninsulaqatar.com
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Europe
Baku, ICESCO ink memorandum to boost cultural cooperation in Islamic world
01 May 2025
The Baku International Multiculturalism Centre (BIMC) and the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ICESCO) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding.
This document aims to implement joint projects in the fields of education and culture, and to strengthen dialogue and mutual understanding in the Islamic world, Caliber.Az reports, citing the BIMC.
BIMC Executive Director Ravan Hasanov highlighted the Centre’s role in promoting Azerbaijan’s state policy of multiculturalism, which is based on shared values, on the international stage.
"The signed memorandum marks a new stage in the cooperation between BIMC and ICESCO. We believe that this partnership will help encourage cultural diversity and enhance mutual understanding in the Islamic world. Through joint projects, academic research, and youth programs, we will achieve an even broader dissemination of multicultural values," Hasanov noted.
Established in 2014, the Baku International Multiculturalism Centre is a non-commercial organisation dedicated to preserving and promoting tolerance, as well as cultural, religious, and linguistic diversity, in line with the ideology of Azerbaijanism. The Centre represents Azerbaijan as a hub of multiculturalism on the global stage and explores existing multicultural models.
Founded in 1982 and headquartered in Rabat, Morocco, ICESCO is a specialised international organisation affiliated with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). It focuses on strengthening cooperation among its 54 member states in the fields of education, science, culture, and communication. ICESCO aims to promote cultural diversity, dialogue, and understanding among diverse peoples, contributing to world peace and security.
Source: caliber.az
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War in Ukraine not ending 'any time soon', Vance says
02 May 2025
US Vice-President JD Vance has said the war in Ukraine is "not going to end any time soon", in an interview with Fox News.
Vance said the question facing the US administration now was how it could help Russia and Ukraine "find middle ground" to end the conflict that has been raging for more than three years.
But, Vance added, "it's going to be up to [Russia and Ukraine] to come to an agreement and stop this brutal, brutal conflict".
His comments came shortly after Washington signed a deal with Kyiv to share the profits of Ukraine's rare earth minerals in return for future US security assistance.
Vance made the comments in a wide-ranging interview, in which he defended Trump's approach to the war in Ukraine.
"Yes, of course, [the Ukrainians] are angry that they were invaded," he said. "But are we going to continue to lose thousands and thousands of soldiers over a few miles of territory this or that way?"
Trump suggested this week that Ukraine might be willing to cede Crimea - which Russia invaded in 2014 - in order to reach a truce settlement.
But Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky had earlier implied that he would be unable to accept Russian control of the peninsula, citing the Ukrainian constitution.
In a separate interview with Fox News on Thursday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there needed to be a "breakthrough" in the conflict soon, otherwise Trump "will have to decide how much time to dedicate to this".
Russian President Vladimir Putin this week announced a temporary three-day ceasefire from 8 May, to coincide with anniversary celebrations marking the end of World War Two.
Ukraine's foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, called for an immediate 30-day ceasefire in response.
But fighting between the two countries has continued.
On Thursday night, a Russian drone attack on Ukraine's south-eastern city of Zaporizhzhia injured 14 people, but caused no deaths.
Separately, Moscow accused Ukraine of using drones to target a market in Russia-controlled southern Ukraine, also on Thursday. Seven were killed and more than 20 were injured, according to Russian officials.
Kyiv denied the accusations, adding that the attack was only targeted at military personnel.
Source: bbc.com
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Four ways the film Conclave sheds light on the secretive way popes are chosen
02 May 2025
The 2024 film Conclave - a box office hit and Oscar winner - tells the story of a papal election in which there are no obvious favourites. For many people, it was a glimpse into the rarefied world of the Vatican, and the highly secretive process of choosing a leader for the Roman Catholic Church.
On Wednesday 7 May, life follows fiction when 134 cardinals begin the process of electing a successor to Pope Francis. As viewers of the film will know, the papal conclave will take place entirely behind the closed doors of the Sistine Chapel, beneath its world-famous Michelangelo frescoes.
Nobody outside the confines of the Vatican will know the outcome until a plume of white smoke curls from its chimney, signifying that the Roman Catholic Church has a new leader.
But what does the film tell us about how the conclave could unfold, and why do people find the process so fascinating?
'Intense responsibility'
Adapted from the bestselling novel by Robert Harris, Conclave shows the cardinal-electors isolating themselves within the confines of the Vatican during the process of the election.
They are not allowed communication with anyone outside the conclave - although given the practicalities, they are not entirely cut off.
"They all need feeding, they're not totally hermetically sealed off from the world," says Stephen Bullivant, professor of theology and the sociology of religion at St Mary's University, Twickenham.
This self-imposed isolation is a tradition which stretches back hundreds of years.
In part, it is aimed at preventing the electors being influenced by external factors, although the idea of a process that happens behind closed doors may seem at odds with the modern world's "focus on transparency, visibility and scrutiny", according to Anna Rowlands, professor of Catholic social thought and practice at the University of Durham.
The film invokes an "incredible, introspective atmosphere" and sense of withdrawal from the world, she says. "I struggle to think of a more intense responsibility and feeling than being locked away in conclave."
'Lots of politicking'
On the screen, claustrophobic and intense deliberations, strategic huddles and tactical moves abound. One cardinal undermines a frontrunner to improve their own chances. Others with unlikely prospects urge their supporters to change their vote.
This conflict of interests and competing ideologies provides much of the film's drama. "It's essentially about the political machinations that go on," Nick Emerson, the film's editor, told the BBC earlier this year.
While some cardinals will think the most important part is following divine guidance, others will have anxiety over making a quick decision, says Tina Beattie, professor emerita of Catholic studies at the University of Roehampton.
Given that Pope Francis's health had been poor for a while, it is likely that, even before the conclave, "there will have been lots of politicking and jostling for position already behind the scenes", she adds.
"There will be all those tussles going on and [the cardinals] won't all be of one mind."
Although in the film, some of the tensest scenes are focused on the act of voting, in reality, much of the drama may come in meetings in the days before conclave officially begins.
During this time, the participants will be "getting to know each other, working out what the priorities are and learning how to work together as a body so they can come up with a unified decision", says Prof Rowlands, who is nearing the end of a two-year secondment to the Vatican.
A complete unknown?
In the film, an unknown cardinal - secretly appointed by the late pope - is catapulted into the fray.
In real life, this would not be possible. Although any baptised Roman Catholic male is theoretically eligible to be made pope, all cardinals voting in the conclave would need to have been appointed publicly by a previous pope.
Having said this, the imminent election may be one of the most unpredictable there has ever been. About 80% of the cardinals eligible to vote have been appointed in the past 12 years by Pope Francis. He consciously chose people from across the globe and with diverse political backgrounds.
Many of Francis's appointees are from the developing world - "places and contexts which are not normally given a red hat", says Prof Rowlands.
This adds a level of uncertainty as to their priorities and the ultimate decision.
'A very human thing'
The film presents the cardinals as fallible human beings jostling for power.
Director Edward Berger told the BBC last year that while the conclave was thought of as "an ancient spiritual ritual", he wanted to bring the participants "into modernity".
"We put them on this pedestal, and when you look closer, they're going to have cell phones, they're going to smoke, they have the same problems and vices and secrets as we do."
Prof Rowlands says the film provides a peek behind a process, with all elements of human nature and human life in it: "Loss. grief, ambition, fear, temptation, courage."
She adds: "It's a very, very human thing, a conclave... It's got a divine purpose to it, but it's a very human thing."
Source: bbc.com
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NZ Islamic charity, humanitarian group to provide 3D-printed limbs for Gaza children
May 02, 2025
An Islamic charity group says there is an urgent need to provide prosthetic limbs for children injured in Gaza.
The Federated Islamic Association of New Zealand (FIANZ) and UNICEF Aotearoa have imminent plans to launch a production facility in Jordan to 3D-print limbs for Gaza amputees.
FIANZ spokesperson Abdur Razzaq said thousands of children have been maimed in the conflict.
"They're orphans, (some of) these children who have seen their mothers and fathers killed, they've lost all their family and everything - they've also lost their arms.
"Just to give them a prosthetic, a smile on their face, that life is meaning something - we can't delay it."
He said there was a desperate need for prosthetic limbs, particularly for children, and the partnership with UNICEF was a continuation of the association's humanitarian aid work in the region.
Cellphone images of the children and digital measurements could be used to 3D-print bespoke limbs, he said, with the aim of updating the limbs to fit as the child grew.
Razzaq said the more than $250,000 had been raised for the project should provide limbs for thousands of children and hoped to see it launch within weeks.
He said the goal was to make it sustainable, not a "one-off, ad-hoc" solution.
"It's not going to be easy, it is going to be expensive, but it is much, much needed."
UNICEF Aotearoa said 3D prosthetics cost about a sixth of the price of traditional prosthetics and it was collaborating with manufacturers and hospital and physiotherapist teams in the region.
"Partnerships with existing hospitals and facilities will help UNICEF ensure children in Gaza are still reached despite incredibly difficult conditions at the border and the breaking of the previous ceasefire," it said in a statement.
UNICEF Aotearoa chief executive Michelle Sharp said she hoped the ground-breaking project would become a blueprint for the future.
Source: rnz.co.nz
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South Asia
True Dignity, Freedom Found Only on Afghan Soil: Deputy PM Baradar
2025-05-01
KABUL(BNA): Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund, the Islamic Emirate’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, visited the Anzargi camp in the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar province yesterday, where he met with Afghans recently repatriated to the country.
Speaking to the returnees, Baradar emphasized that life under foreign rule cannot offer true happiness, lasting progress, a sense of ownership, or dignity. “You must have realized by now that in lands controlled by others, there is no real joy, no sustainable development, no pride, and no feeling of belonging,” he said. “Freedom, dignity, and a genuine sense of ownership and happiness are found only on one’s own soil.”
During his address, Baradar pledged the Islamic Emirate’s full commitment to supporting returnees in rebuilding their lives. He assured them that the government will use every possible means to improve their living conditions and resolve the challenges they face. He reiterated that their presence in the homeland is valued and that they will not be left alone in their struggle to reintegrate.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
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Next seven months are crucial for Bangladesh economy: Alam
May 2, 2025
Observing that the next seven months are crucial for Bangladesh's economy, Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam yesterday said the interim government has taken an ambitious plan to expand the capacity of Chittagong Port sixfold.
"The Interim Government, led by Professor Yunus, appears aware of the stakes. It has unveiled an ambitious plan to expand the capacity of Chittagong Port sixfold - to 7.86 million TEUs," he wrote in a statement posted on his verified Facebook account.
Alam said this would not be possible without partnering with top global port operators.
If successful, such partnerships would send a strong signal to international investors and businesses: Bangladesh is open for business, he said.
"The next seven months are crucial. They could make - or break - Bangladesh," he added.
About the largest export-oriented economies, the press secretary said indeed, reading the New York Times, World Street Journal or Financial Times makes it clear: the old order born from Bretton Woods and institutionalised by the WTO is fading.
The biggest winners of that era — Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, China, Vietnam, and Malaysia — prospered by building export-led economies geared toward the U.S. and European markets, he said.
Alam said Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines followed suit, albeit at a slower pace. South Asia, meanwhile, lagged behind, he said.
"Now, it may finally be Bangladesh's turn. Can we seize this moment?" he questioned.
Noting that politics will play a key role, the press secretary said encouragingly, even the Islamists now seem to understand the need to be business-friendly.
Logistical challenges, however, could be the make-or-break factor, he said.
"Our capacity to ship large volumes of goods quickly and efficiently will soon be tested. Failure here would derail Bangladesh's ambition to emerge as a manufacturing powerhouse," he added.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/next-seven-months-are-crucial-bangladesh-economy-alam-3885061
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Police-public relations must be based on trust and respect
May 1, 2025
Citizens want to see the police transformed into a politically neutral and people-friendly service, rather than an instrument of state repression, said participants at a discussion marking the third day of the four-day police week.
Speakers also stressed creating a bridge between police officials and citizens based on trust and mutual respect. These views emerged during an exchange meeting titled "People's police in public perception: a bond of security and trust" held this afternoon at Rajarbagh Police Lines in Dhaka.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Baharul Alam presided over the event with Dr Salimullah Khan attending as the key discussant. A diverse panel of prominent citizens -- including university teachers, journalists, industrialists, top former and current police officials and civil society members -- spoke in the meeting.
The speakers called for greater accountability, independence, and public trust in the police service. Salimullah Khan said, "Public confidence in police has declined -- a matter that needs open, honest discussion."
He stressed addressing the root cause of the gap between the police and the public and said police should not be put against the public.
IGP Baharul Alam said when the police uphold human values and protect rights, they earn respect and trust. "History teaches us that true power lies not in weapons, but in the confidence of the people."
Editor of New Age Nurul Kabir said when the state becomes oppressive, it does not allow the police to serve the people.
Police must be able to discern between right and wrong to become people's police, he said, as quoted by a press release from the police headquarters.
Industrialist Syed Nasim Manzur highlighted the need to strengthen police capabilities and ensure their operational independence.
Dhaka University teacher Sazzad Siddiqui said misuse of police by the state must stop. "The image of the police will brighten if police can work independently."
Public Service Commission Member Professor Chowdhury Saima Ferdous urged the police to stand with vulnerable communities. "If the police stay true to justice, they will earn a place of trust in new Bangladesh."
Former IGP, Nurul Huda said, "The political leaders must give police the room to work independently. The current culture of 'chase and counter-chase' between police and the people must change."
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/news/police-public-relations-must-be-based-trust-and-respect-3884881
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Foreign Minister Meets Hamas Leadership in Doha
2025-05-02
KABUL(BNA): Foreign Minister Mawlavi Amir Khan Muttaqi held a meeting with Ismail Darwish, chairman of the Hamas leadership council, along with other council members, in Doha, Qatar, on Thursday.
During the meeting, which included prayers for the martyrs of Gaza, Minister Muttaqi praised the courage and resilience of the Mujahidin in their ongoing struggle. He strongly condemned the actions of the Israeli regime, characterizing them as genocide and inhumane.
Mawlavi Amir Khan Muttaqi expressed solidarity with the Palestinian people, stating, “The Afghan people support the legitimate struggles of our brotherly Palestinian people and wish them success in their endeavors.”
The meeting underscores Afghanistan’s continued diplomatic engagement with Palestinian leaders and its commitment to supporting their cause on the international stage.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
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https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/foreign-minister-meets-hamas-leadership-in-doha/
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Afghanistan ranks 175th in Global Press Freedom Index
By Fidel Rahmati
May 2, 2025
Afghanistan ranks 175th in the 2025 Global Press Freedom Index, reflecting severe restrictions on media and declining journalistic freedom.
Afghanistan ranks 175th out of 180 countries in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), reflecting a persistently dire situation for media under Taliban rule. While the country climbed three spots from last year, its overall score of just 17.88 out of 100 underscores an ongoing crisis in media freedom.
On Friday, May 2, Reporters Without Borders released its annual report on global press freedom, stating that Afghanistan has ranked 175th out of 180 countries, highlighting the country’s ongoing media crisis under Taliban rule.
RSF reports that since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, Afghanistan’s media environment has suffered severe setbacks. Independent journalism has been heavily restricted, media pluralism has largely disappeared, and journalists — particularly women — face targeted repression. According to RSF, Taliban authorities enforce rigid control over content, effectively allowing only state-approved narratives.
Afghanistan scores poorly across all five key indicators: political context, legal framework, economic environment, sociocultural factors, and safety of journalists. In the legal indicator, Afghanistan ranks 178th; in security, 175th; and in the economic domain, 165th. This multi-dimensional decline paints a picture of a deeply hostile environment for the press.
The report highlights that many female journalists have left the profession due to threats and coercion, particularly from the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. Several media outlets have shut down, while others operate under fear and censorship, severely compromising journalistic independence and ethical reporting standards.
Globally, press freedom is also on the decline. For the first time since RSF began the Index, the global average score has dropped to a level categorized as “difficult situation” — worse than the previous “problematic” status. RSF attributes this decline to political pressure, economic hardship, media ownership concentration, and dwindling public trust in journalism.
While Norway retains its position as the freest country for media, RSF warns that nearly one-third of the global population now lives in countries where press freedom is described as “very serious”. Afghanistan is emblematic of this regression, standing out as one of the world’s harshest environments for journalists.
RSF has urged the international community to act decisively against the growing threats faced by Afghan journalists. The organization calls for concrete support for independent media and renewed advocacy for freedom of expression in Afghanistan. Failure to respond risks the total erasure of press freedom in a country already burdened by conflict and authoritarian control.
As press freedom continues to erode in Afghanistan, international advocacy, humanitarian support, and policy intervention remain critical. Sustained pressure on the Taliban and aid for embattled journalists — particularly women and minority voices — is essential to prevent further deterioration and preserve the remaining pillars of a free press.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/afghanistan-ranks-175th-in-global-press-freedom-index/
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UN warns of worsening drought and rising humanitarian needs in Afghanistan
By Fidel Rahmati
May 1, 2025
The UN warns Afghanistan faces a worsening drought crisis, urging urgent aid as millions struggle with food, water, and livelihood shortages.
Tom Fletcher, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and head of OCHA (UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs), has issued a grave warning about the intensifying drought crisis in Afghanistan. In a video message released on Thursday, May 1, Fletcher shared details of his visit to Spin Boldak district in Kandahar, where communities are struggling with severe water shortages and failed crops.
Fletcher announced that the United Nations has allocated $17 million to provide emergency food, clean water, and livelihood support for affected populations. He stressed that this funding is only a fraction of what is required to address the needs of millions who face hunger and displacement due to ongoing climate-induced disasters and economic collapse.
According to Fletcher, climate change is having an increasingly devastating impact on Afghanistan’s rural population. Farmers are no longer able to grow staple crops like wheat, leaving entire families without food security. He emphasized that humanitarian action must be paired with long-term climate adaptation and resilience-building strategies.
This warning comes amid additional concerns over the mass return of Afghan refugees from neighboring countries, particularly Pakistan and Iran.
The forced deportation of tens of thousands of Afghans adds further pressure on already strained local resources and humanitarian services, intensifying the ongoing crisis. OCHA and other UN agencies have raised alarm over the potential for widespread displacement, food insecurity, and disease outbreaks.
Fletcher has previously warned that the reduction in international aid to Afghanistan could result in the death of millions. With humanitarian funding in sharp decline since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, many NGOs and UN agencies have faced operational constraints, despite the urgent and growing needs across the country.
In response, agencies such as the World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF have echoed OCHA’s concerns, urging the international community not to abandon Afghanistan during a time of worsening climate shocks and displacement. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has also confirmed that prolonged drought conditions now threaten over 25 out of 34 Afghan provinces.
To prevent further deterioration, humanitarian leaders have called for renewed international cooperation, flexible funding, and unhindered access for aid workers. Without sustained investment in both emergency relief and long-term resilience, Afghanistan may face one of the worst climate-driven humanitarian crises in the region.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/un-warns-of-worsening-drought-as-humanitarian-needs-soar-in-afghanistan/
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Arab World
Saudi Arabia important as Red Sea is its front yard, says chief of EU naval mission
RASHID HASSAN
May 01, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is an important regional power that needs to be kept informed of security operations in the Red Sea, Rear Adm. Vasileios Gryparis, commander of the EU military mission EUNAVFOR Aspides, has told Arab News.
The EU on Feb. 19 last year launched a maritime security operation, EU Naval Force Operation Aspides, in response to escalating Iran-backed Houthi attacks on warships and merchant vessels in the Red Sea, northwestern Indian Ocean, and the Gulf.
In an interview with Arab News, Gryparis, who was in Riyadh as part of a regional tour, said that the Gulf countries, especially Saudi Arabia, were important to help safeguard the freedom of navigation in the region.
He said: “Among the very important countries in the area is Saudi Arabia. So, my intention here is to inform the Kingdom about what we are doing.
“Because the Red Sea, where we operate, is the front yard of the Kingdom, we believe and we are honest in that we have to inform all the countries in the area that what we do is benefiting everybody.”
He thanked the Gulf Cooperation Council countries’ authorities for their involvement in the MV Sounion tanker operation which helped to prevent 150,000 tonnes of oil from being spilled into the Red Sea.
He said: “This was dealing with probably an imminent environmental disaster. It’s one of the reasons for this visit, and also to thank the GCC authorities for their contribution.”
Commenting on Operation Aspides’ role in regional maritime security, he added: “It is crucial to build up the confidence of the shipowners and the shipping companies, and (that) they return gradually to their original trade. Of course, we are talking about civilians that are not used to being threatened in this way.”
He said that the actions of the force were “not only protecting the livelihoods of countries in the area, but also the lives of the local people.”
He added: “You can imagine that if we had had an oil spill from the MV Sounion tanker, this would have been three to four times worse than the Exxon Valdez oil spill, a major environmental disaster in Alaska in 1989.”
On the challenges posed by the Houthis, Gryparis said: “It is important to allow the shipping industry to understand that somebody is caring for them.
“We don’t mind about the nationality of the seafarers, because we believe in the freedom of navigation and the value of human life, so we are protecting exactly those values.”
Yemen’s maritime borders became a battleground in a wider regional and international power play following the start of the conflict in Gaza.
The Houthis have hindered maritime traffic through the Bab Al-Mandab Strait, which provides access to the Red Sea and Suez Canal.
On continuing the operation and its resulting challenges, Gryparis said: “This (the operation) is going to be here until this problem is solved.”
He added: “We are not allowed to enter the territorial seas and the airspace of Yemen. And any kinetic action that we take should always be necessary, proportionate and limited to the internal channel.”
The EU Council has recently extended the mandate of the maritime security operation until February 2026.
Gryparis said: “They trusted me and my operation that we are delivering. So, they understood the results that we have provided so far.
“They understood that the problem has not been solved yet, and they gave us extra time in order to reach the goal.
“Besides that, they entrusted me and my operation with new tasks. So, that means that they have good confidence in our capabilities.”
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2599188/saudi-arabia
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Spotlight on Saudi architecture at Venice Biennale panel
May 01, 2025
RIYADH: A discussion on Saudi architecture will be held on the sidelines of the Venice Biennale of Architecture on May 7.
Diriyah Art Futures, or DAF, announced their collaboration with Italian architecture firm Schiattarella Associati to host a panel in Venice, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
The panel, titled “A New Era for Art in Saudi Arabia: Building Future Institutions and Pioneering Architectures,” will discuss the role of contemporary design and digital innovation in Saudi architecture.
Speaking at the panel will be Mona Khazindar, adviser to Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture; Haytham Nawar, director of Diriyah Art Futures; and Andrea and Amadeo Schiattarella, principal architects of Schiattarella Associati. The session will be moderated by acclaimed architect and art critic James Steele.
The panel talk is part of “Building of the Future,” an initiative highlighting leading global architectural projects that redefine contemporary design.
The panel will be held in the Querini Stampalia Foundation, one of Venice’s most prestigious cultural institutions. The event will bring together architects, cultural leaders, artists and media to engage in a dialogue about Saudi Arabia’s evolving role in the international creative and architectural landscape.
The foundation will also host an accompanying exhibition curated by Schiattarella Associati displaying models, sketches, videos, drawings, photographs and objects, inspired by the rocky escarpment of Diriyah’s landscape.
The exhibition, from May 7 to June 15, will showcase the Saudi Museums Commission’s contributions to Riyadh’s cultural development as part of Vision 2030.
Developed by the Saudi Museums Commission in partnership with Diriyah Co., DAF contributes to the global new media and digital art landscape by integrating regional voices and pioneering practices in art, technology and innovation.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2599177/saudi-arabia
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How Saudi schools are using AI to personalize learning and streamline administration
May 02, 2025
RIYADH: As Saudi Arabia forges ahead with its Vision 2030 initiative, artificial intelligence is becoming a cornerstone of its education reform.
Across the Kingdom, AI technologies are reshaping classrooms — personalizing learning, streamlining administration and helping students of all abilities engage with their studies in new ways.
“AI technology has significantly changed the way many students, including myself, approach studying and managing coursework,” Abdullah Mohammed, a law student at Imam Mohammad ibn Saud Islamic University, told Arab News.
“Tools like AI tutoring systems and study apps have made learning more efficient, personalized and accessible.”
While Mohammed said AI tools have enhanced his learning experience, he also acknowledged the need for caution.
“Some AI tools provide quick solutions without much depth, so if I’m not careful, I might miss the critical thinking part of the learning process,” he said.
Ultimately, however, Mohammed said he is confident AI has better prepared him for the job market.
The strategic alignment between AI and Vision 2030 is clear, according to Abdulrahman Al-Motrif, professor of information technology and educational computing at King Saud University.
“AI supports the goals of Vision 2030 by enabling personalized learning, optimizing resource management and facilitating access to quality education regardless of geographic location,” he told Arab News.
“AI systems can analyze student performance in real-time, allowing educators to tailor instruction to individual learning needs, thereby enhancing student outcomes and supporting the Kingdom’s ambition to cultivate a future-ready workforce.”
Al-Motrif also highlighted AI’s role in promoting inclusive education.
“AI reinforces Vision 2030’s emphasis on equity, accessibility, and lifelong learning by reaching remote communities and students with special needs,” he said.
This demonstrates AI’s impact not just as a technological innovation, but also as a powerful force for social transformation.
Leading platforms like Alef Education and Classera are already putting this vision into practice. Using real-time analytics, they adapt content to each student’s learning style, proficiency and pace.
A study by Alef Education found that students using AI-enhanced platforms achieved a 25 percent improvement in academic performance over just one semester — strong evidence of AI’s ability to boost outcomes through personalized learning.
Crucially, AI is helping make education more accessible. In Saudi Arabia’s diverse learning landscape, tools such as speech-to-text software, adaptive interfaces and real-time assessments are opening doors for students with disabilities.
At King Saud University, collaborations with AI developers have produced tools for visually impaired students, converting written content into audio and using advanced screen-reading technology.
“AI has transformed the learning environment into a more interactive and engaging space,” said Al-Motrif. “Gamified learning platforms and intelligent tutoring systems provide immediate feedback and customized challenges.”
These innovations not only enhance academic performance, but also spark motivation and sustained engagement among learners.
AI is also streamlining back-end operations. Platforms like Madrasati now use AI to monitor attendance, track engagement and assess academic progress, freeing educators to focus more on teaching and mentoring.
Yet AI is not replacing teachers — it is redefining their roles.
“In AI-supported classrooms, educators serve as facilitators, mentors and human connectors in an increasingly digital ecosystem, using AI-generated insights to identify learning gaps,” said Al-Motrif.
Still, challenges remain. One significant obstacle is the shortage of Arabic-language content online — making up only 1.2 percent of global digital resources — which limits the effectiveness of AI systems trained on data-rich environments.
To fully realize AI’s benefits, Saudi Arabia must invest in digitizing traditional materials, promoting Arabic content creation and partnering with AI firms to develop language-specific algorithms.
Some institutions are already leading the way. Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University and King Abdulaziz University have adopted AI-powered systems to personalize instruction and track student performance, leading to higher satisfaction and retention rates.
These successes show that AI is not merely a technological upgrade — it is a catalyst for reimagining education.
By leveraging AI thoughtfully, Saudi Arabia has a unique opportunity to deliver high-quality, personalized and inclusive education while advancing its Vision 2030 goals.
But achieving this future will require more than just technology. It will demand investment, collaboration and a commitment to ensuring that innovation, pedagogy and policy move forward together.
With sustained effort, AI could become the foundation of a dynamic, future-ready education system — one that prepares all learners for the opportunities of the digital age.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2599220/saudi-arabia
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Saudi Arabia to take part at Athens defense expo
May 01, 2025
RIYADH: The Saudi pavilion, organzied by The General Authority for Military Industries, is participating at the Athens International Defense and Security Exhibition, which will take place at the Metropolitan Expo center at Athens International Airport from May 6-8.
Participating countries and international companies will showcase their latest systems in land, naval, and aerial defense, as well as cybersecurity.
The Saudi pavilion will feature the participation of both the General Authority for Defense Development and the Saudi Arabian Military Industries Co.
It will showcase the Kingdom’s significant achievements, programs, and initiatives in the defense industry, along with the latest advanced defense technologies and systems that reflect the high level of development in the national military industries.
Additionally, the pavilion highlights the policies and regulations adopted by GAMI to support both local and international investors, while promoting the promising investment environment in the Kingdom’s defense sector.
DEFEA is sponsored by the Greek Ministry of Defense and hosts over 346 exhibitors from 28 countries, attracting more than 23,000 visitors.
GAMI’s organization of the pavilion reflects its efforts to work in an integrated manner with the beneficiary and supporting government agencies.
It also demonstrates GAMI’s strong commitment to enabling national companies and enhancing partnerships with major international companies in the military industries sector.
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi, Japanese FMs discuss crude oil supply, cooperation in Riyadh
TAMARA ABOALSAUD
May 01, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met his Japanese counterpart, Takeshi Iwaya, in Riyadh on Thursday to discuss bilateral ties.
The ministers reviewed strategic and economic relations between Riyadh and Tokyo, and highlighted the need for continued cooperation, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Iwaya “expressed his gratitude for the stable supply of crude oil from Saudi Arabia over the years” and expects the Kingdom to continue its leading role in stabilizing the global crude oil market.
The ministry said that Prince Faisal “reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s commitment to the stable supply of crude oil to Japan” and called for improved cooperation in the crude oil sector, as well as in clean energy.
Prince Faisal and Takeshi discussed regional issues, including the necessity of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, US-Iran nuclear negotiations, the war in Ukraine and efforts to achieve a two-state solution to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Takeshi said that Japan is “deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation in Gaza,” and is “strongly urging Israel as well to stop this war,” his spokesperson told the press after the meeting.
He said “we need to have lasting peace, and a two state solution is the only solution that could achieve this peace (and) stability, and Japan has been supporting that,” deputy press secretary for Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Kaneko Mariko said.
“Even before the Gaza war started, Japan has been assisting and helping Palestinians to their capabilities so that they will be able to run the independent state, we’ve been assisting to make some economy there, agriculture and other areas as well,
“Since October 7… we've been sending humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, and also we’ve been reaching out to Israel and other countries in the region for lasting peace.”
The ministers discussed enhancing bilateral cooperation in space and defense. They agreed to arrange for the implementation of the Strategic Partnership Council, for which the two countries signed a memorandum in February.
Saudi Arabia and Japan are marking the 70th anniversary of their diplomatic relations. Tokyo is passing the baton to the Kingdom from Expo 2025 in Osaka, which concludes in October, to the Riyadh Expo 2030, the ministry added.
Ghazi Faisal Binzagr, Saudi ambassador to Japan, and Saud Al-Sati, deputy minister for political affairs, attended the meeting.
On Thursday, Takeshi also held talks with Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jasem Al-Budaiwi to discuss the Gulf’s partnership with Japan in energy security.
The two officials agreed to cooperate in various areas, including politics, security, trade and investment. They also exchanged views on Gaza, Syria, Iran, the Red Sea and East Asia.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2599183/saudi-arabia
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Photography competition winners celebrate Saudi landscapes and stories
NADA HAMEED
May 01, 2025
JEDDAH: Two new photography exhibitions in Jeddah are celebrating the work of the winners of a competition that awarded a total of SR400,000 in prize money to participants.
“Hayy Aynak — In a New Light” and “When the Fog Whispers” were opened by the Visual Arts Commission at Hayy Jameel on Wednesday.
The exhibitions will run until May 25 in conjunction with the third Kingdom Photography Award, which began earlier this year.
The award has become a prominent platform for capturing the spirit of Saudi Arabia through the lens of its creative talents.
This exhibition celebrates the Kingdom’s natural beauty, cultural richness and artistic innovation through photography.
The competition invites artists to explore a specific region of the Kingdom through their work.
Dina Amin, CEO of the Visual Arts Commission, told Arab News: “The idea is to start to create through the lens of different photographers and their creative process, a body of work that captures the richness of the landscapes of Saudi Arabia through different languages of expression, different creative processes, different types of photography and storytelling to really create a visual odyssey almost through the landscape, the people and the environment of Saudi Arabia today.”
She added: “If you look in today’s exhibition, you’ll see some of the photographers have chosen to look at natural environment, landscape. Others have chosen to look at population and populated environments, so to speak, whereas others are really looking at tradition and history. So, with each engagement, we start to have this beautiful journey.”
The “Hayy Aynak” exhibition presents the winning works from the third running of the award, which received more than 1,300 submissions and awarded a total of SR400,000 in prizes.
The exhibition celebrates the aesthetics and diverse landscapes of the Kingdom — from the buzz of urban life to the stillness of the desert.
An international jury evaluated the submissions and selected the most compelling and meaningful stories based on creativity, technical proficiency and the narrative power of visual storytelling.
The second exhibition, “When the Fog Whispers,” takes visitors on a personal and emotional journey to the Asir region, long a source of artistic inspiration thanks to its mist-covered mountains and deep-rooted cultural heritage.
Five artists were selected to create special photography projects that reflected their relationships with the Asir landscape. The resulting works are visually captivating and rich in reflection, documentation and human connection.
Mohammed Sumji, the curator of the third outing of the award, told Arab News about the experience of bringing photographers together to explore the distinctive landscape of Asir.
“We selected the region of Asir, and the five photographers that we selected were known to me, and I basically selected them based on their potential to make works especially around Asir because they practice dealing with either stories of people’s lived experiences or landscapes. I’m very happy with how it’s come out.”
Saudi photographer, Abdulmajeed Al-Ruwaidan, chose the theme “Roadside Stations” for his submission, documenting the architecture of old Saudi gas stations before they disappeared under modern development.
Elham Al-Dossary, also from Saudi Arabia, chose the theme “Crossing Asir,” blending her late father’s archive as a photographer with contemporary images to create a visual narrative that meditates on memory and transformation.
For the past two years, Ilham has been helping her father archive his work, and a small part of that archive is dedicated to his time in Asir.
“He has an archive at home that dates back to the 1960s and ’70s,” she told Arab News.
She continued: “The archive became a way to view Asir through a personal and familial lens.
“There’s a connection between me and my father — through the land, through the people — and I also wanted to explore more stories, not just about him, but about life there and the areas we photographed, like Al-Habla and others.”
Mohamed Mahdy, from Egypt, titled his collection “When the Land Loves You.” It is a poignant portrayal of the emotional connection between the people of Asir and their land, captured through nostalgic and heartfelt imagery.
Lina Geoushy, also from Egypt, called her collection “Daughters of Al-Qatt.” Hers is a colorful celebration of the women who sustain the traditional Al-Qatt Al-Asiri artform, recognized by UNESCO. Her photographs honor this living tradition.
She told Arab News: “This photo is especially important to me because it’s in this very rich village, Rijal Almaa … it plays on the idea of the inside and the outside, the internal spaces or imaginaries and the landscape; the lady in the photo is Sharifa Mahdy, who’s been practicing this art for 25 years, and she learnt it from the famous Fatima Abou Gahas.
“Apart from it being a life tradition, Qatt art has healing powers … it gives them confidence and positivity and it’s sort of like a refuge for them.”
Hicham Gardaf, from Morocco, created a collection titled “The Road to the Juniper.” It is a meticulously crafted visual journey through juniper forests, where nature becomes a silent cultural archive filled with untold stories.
He told Arab News: “I imagined this massive juniper tree with roots spreading across Asir — like routes we travel, all leading back to this one tree that connects the land, the people and their stories.”
Throughout the exhibition period, the Visual Arts Commission will also host a series of interactive workshops and panel discussions featuring local and international experts.
These sessions aim to create space for dialogue, skill development and knowledge exchange, enriching visitors’ experience and fostering artistic and professional growth across various fields of the visual arts.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2599172/saudi-arabia
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North America
CAIR: Protect Religious Freedom for All Americans After Notorious Islamophobes Named to Religious Liberty Commission
May 1, 2025
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today said the Trump administration must protect religious liberty for all Americans after it appointed multiple anti-Muslim extremists to a new Religious Liberty Commission ostensibly founded to “safeguard and promote America’s founding principle of religious freedom.”
A White House Fact Sheet on the commission states in part:
“The Commission is tasked with producing a comprehensive report on the foundations of religious liberty in America, strategies to increase awareness of and celebrate America’s peaceful religious pluralism, current threats to religious liberty, and strategies to preserve and enhance protections for future generations.”
CAIR did express concern about reports that the commission includes notorious Islamophobes like Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, Dr. Ben Carson and Pastor Franklin Graham.
In a statement, CAIR said: “Protecting religious liberty for everyone in America is an important goal that our government should pursue, but the inclusion of anti-Muslim extremists who have opposed religious freedom for American Muslims threatens to undermine the Religious Liberty Commission’s stated purpose. We call on the Trump administration to protect religious liberty for everyone in America and avoid elevating figures who only support religious freedom for one community.”
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
Do you like reading CAIR press releases and taking part in our action alerts? You can help contribute to CAIR’s work of defending civil rights and empowering American Muslims across the country by making a one-time contribution or becoming a monthly donor. Supporters like you make CAIR’s advocacy work possible and defeating Islamophobia an achievable goal. Click here to donate to CAIR.
Source: cair.com
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-calls-on-trump-admin-to-protect-religious-freedom-for-all-americans-after-anti-muslim-extremists-named-to-new-commission/
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CAIR Welcomes Charge in Alleged Racist Arson of Historic Tennessee Social Justice Center Where Rosa Parks Trained
May 1, 2025
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed federal charges against the suspect in the alleged racist arson of a historic social justice center in Tennessee.
A suspect whom authorities have linked to white supremacist movements has been arrested in the March 2019 fire that destroyed an office at the Highlander Research and Education Center, at which Rosa Parks and other civil rights leaders trained.
SEE: Man linked to white supremacist movement charged in fire at Tennessee social justice center | AP News
“We welcome the charges and hope they are taken as a sign that justice will be done even if it takes years ,” said CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison. “Hate-motivated attacks on historical buildings and monuments cannot be tolerated and must be prosecuted.”
Washington, D.C., based CAIR and the American Muslim community stand in solidarity with all those challenging antisemitism, systemic anti-Black racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, white supremacy, and all other forms of bigotry.
Source: cair.com
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-welcomes-charge-in-alleged-racist-arson-of-historic-tennessee-social-justice-center-where-rosa-parks-trained/
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CAIR Offers ‘Know Your Rights’ Training in Arkansas
May 1, 2025
On April 24 and 25, 2025, CAIR traveled to Arkansas to deliver “Know Your Rights” presentations regarding travel and law enforcement interactions to a local Muslim Student Association (MSA) and mosque.
The mosque event was attended by 60+ community members who had dozens of questions answered, ranging from rights they have at the border to how to respond during a traffic stop.
CAIR was honored to serve this community, including many international students and other vulnerable groups. CAIR offers a host of in-person and virtual workshops for communities all over the country.
Below are some of the available workshop topics:
• “Know Your Rights” – An interactive workshop for the Muslim community with one of CAIR’s attorneys, covering rights as employees, students, travelers, or when interacting with law enforcement/FBI agents.
• Anti-Bullying – A session defining identity-based bullying and introducing prevention and response strategies. This can be delivered in two formats: one for Muslim youth and another for their parents/adult allies.
• “Working with the Media” – A workshop for community leaders and activists providing tools and skillsets for media interviews and addressing tough issues effectively.
• Civic Engagement Training – A session equipping community leaders and activists with the skills to engage positively with local government and law enforcement.
If you are interested in bringing CAIR to your community, reach out to amilhem@cair.com.
Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-offers-know-your-rights-training-in-arkansas/
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Southeast Asia
Leadership demands concrete plans, not rhetoric, says Nizar Najib in swipe at PAS
02 May 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, May 2 — Umno’s Datuk Mohamad Nizar Najib has warned against political rhetoric that lacks substance, stressing that governance should be based on concrete policies, not just religious posturing.
“Sometimes perception outweighs performance. We’ve increased state revenue and channelled it into programmes such as Bantuan Prihatin Pahang, benefiting fishermen, farmers, the B40 group and students,” the son of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said in a podcast hosted by Sinar Daily, the English-language sister news site of Sinar Harian, aired today.
Taking direct aim at political rivals, especially Islamist PAS, Nizar criticised those who campaign on religious credentials but fail to present workable plans.
“Some portray themselves as more Islamic and claim they deserve to govern. But leadership requires real plans, not just rhetoric,” he said.
Nizar also defended Umno’s commitment to Islamic values, pointing to initiatives under the state government such as the construction of 37 mosques and legal measures to curb deviant teachings in Pahang.
“There’s no justification for a change in government. But we must manage the narrative and public perception – not to hold on to power, but to continue serving the people,” he added.
Despite his criticism of rivals, Nizar acknowledged that political dominance is not guaranteed.
“We must always be prepared. If the people want change, we need to be ready to defend our position,” he said.
He maintained that the current Pahang government, led by Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail, is performing well and remains committed to development.
“It would be different if we weren’t doing our job. But we are working hard to develop the state,” he said.
Nizar, who is also the state executive councillor for investment, industries, science, technology and innovation, noted Pahang’s longstanding political consistency, having remained under Umno rule since Malaya’s independence in 1957.
“Today, only Pahang and Sarawak have maintained the same ruling party since independence, and Pahang is the only Umno-led state that has never changed hands,” he said.
Nizar also highlighted Pahang’s political legacy, pointing out that the state has produced three prime ministers: his grandfather Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, his father Najib, and former Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
Source: malaymail.com
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PM Anwar, late Pak Lah receive Kosovo’s top award in recognition of Malaysia’s early support for independence
02 May 2025
PUTRAJAYA, May 2 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was today conferred the Order of Independence, Kosovo’s highest civilian award, by the country’s president, Vjosa Osmani Sadriu, in a ceremony held at the Perdana Putra Complex.
Earlier, Osmani, who is on a four-day official visit to Malaysia, was accorded an official welcome, including an inspection of a guard of honour mounted by three officers and 103 personnel from the First Battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment (Ceremonial), led by Major Muhammad Fikri Senan.
According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the award is the highest recognition granted by the Kosovo government to individuals who have made significant contributions towards the country's independence.
“The conferment recognises Malaysia’s unwavering support for Kosovo’s statehood and post-independence development, as well as Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s steadfast commitment to strengthening bilateral ties between both countries,” the statement said.
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek, foreign diplomats, and senior government officials were also present at the award ceremony.
The government of Kosovo will also confer the award on former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in recognition of his contributions during a pivotal moment in the country’s history.
“Under his stewardship, Malaysia became one of the earliest countries to recognise Kosovo’s independence on October 30, 2008,” the statement added.
Osmani arrived in Malaysia yesterday, marking her first visit to the country since taking office on April 4, 2021.
Malaysia officially recognised Kosovo on October 30, 2008, becoming one of the first Asian nations to do so. Diplomatic relations were formally established on March 18, 2011.
In 2024, total bilateral trade between Malaysia and Kosovo reached RM28.55 million (US$6.0 million), with Malaysia’s exports valued at RM25.92 million (US$5.5 million) and imports at RM2.63 million (US$550,000).
Key Malaysian exports include palm oil, electrical and electronic products, and manufactured goods, while imports from Kosovo primarily consist of raw materials and semi-precious stones. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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‘We dont care’ if defending Islam, Malay rights drives away your support, says Umno’s Akmal Saleh
02 May 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, May 2 — Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Akmal Saleh has said that the party will not compromise on matters regarding Islam, Malay rights and the monarchy, even among political allies.
In a Facebook post today, Akmal said that Umno has never been rhetorical about issues on 3R — royalty, religion, and race — unlike those who exploit these issues to gain votes.
“If defending Islam and the Malays as stated in the Constitution is why you do not want to support Umno, go ahead, we don’t even care,” he said.
“This is a country where Islam is the religion of the federation and Malay rights are enshrined in the Constitution, so please respect these matters before expecting us to respect you,” Akmal added.
Attached to Akmal’s post was a screenshot of a Malaysiakini article in which the United for the Rights of Malaysians Party (Urimai) criticised Umno for sidelining its Barisan Nasional (BN) allies, MCA and MIC.
Urimai reportedly said Umno had a “narrow ethno-religious agenda” that eroded MCA and MIC’s support among minority communities.
This followed MCA’s call for clearer direction from BN, which Umno leaders responded to by urging the party to remain loyal to the coalition.
Source: malaymail.com
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/muslims-kashmiris-pahalgam-attack-killed/d/135406