Most Hate Speeches In India Against The Religious Minorities, Attempts Made To Provoke Majority To Attack A Religious Minority”: Supreme Court Judge
New Age Islam News Bureau
06 April 2025
Justice Oka spoke of the need to “strike a balance” while evaluating whether a speech amounts to hate speech, lest it stifle the fundamental right to free speech and expression.
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• Most Hate Speeches In India Against The Religious Minorities, Attempts Made To Provoke Majority To Attack A Religious Minority”: Supreme Court Judge
• Islamist Found Guilty Of Targeting US Churches In Elaborate Bomb Scare Network Targeting Christians
• 'Kabul': Tracing The Chaotic Withdrawal Of US Troops From Afghanistan
• Balochistan CTD Foils Terror Plot, Seizes 70kg Of Explosives
• North African Muslims Help Jews Celebrate Passover
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India
• Waqf Bill Attacks Muslims, Sets Precedent To Target Other Communities: Rahul On Church Land
• 'Not Anti-Muslim'; SNDP General Secretary Clarifies Remarks On Malappuram
• Beed Mosque Blast: 2 Accused Charged With UAPA
• Muslim Body To Lead Nationwide Protest Against Waqf Act Until Law Repealed
• BJP Targeting Christians After Muslims: Venugopal
• Oppn misleading that religious places will be occupied, Muslim rights snatched: RSS leader Indresh Kumar
• Karnataka high court bats for UCC, says will ensure gender justice for all
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North America
• CAIR-Arizona Welcomes Arrest for Threat, Harassment Targeting Worshipers at Avondale Mosque
• UN rights experts call on Pakistan to stop repatriation plan for Afghans
• Thousands flock to San Francisco Tenderloin for neighborhood's 1st-ever Eid street fair
• Thousands of anti-Trump protesters gather in Washington, other US cities
• Netanyahu’s second US sit-down with Trump
• US revokes all South Sudan visas, bars future issuance until deportees accepted
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South Asia
• Advancing Towards Democratic Process Is Our Top Priority: Salahuddin
• Son of British couple held by Taliban asks US for help
• Kumamoto firm delivers halal Japanese beef in Muslim countries
• How aid cuts have brought Afghanistan’s fragile health system to its knees
• Green Shoots of US-Taliban Diplomacy
• Iran exports non-oil goods worth $2.2b to Afghanistan in 11 months
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Pakistan
• Major Operation Against Marchers ‘Imminent’, Says BNP’s Mengal
• Positive developments begin in Pakistan, says Azma Bukhari
• Quetta braces for BNP long march as impasse persists
• LHC to hear Imran’s bail pleas in eight May 9 cases on 10th
• Punjab opposition rejects ‘PM’s token power cut’
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Africa
• Tinubu’s Eid Reflections: Beyond The Prayers
• Dutsen-Tanshi incident: Bauchi CP appeals for calm, initiates discreet probe
• ‘Is Nigeria becoming a police state?’ Peterside reacts to Emir Sanusi’s invitation to Abuja
• I have capacity to defeat Soludo – Moghalu says as he emerges LP guber candidate
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Mideast
• Iranian President Sacks Deputy For 'Lavish' Antarctic Cruise
• Israel, Turkey Ponder How To Split Syria Into Spheres Of Influence Until Stable Governance Takes Hold
• Iran’s President Says Country Wants Dialogue ‘On Equal Footing’ With US
• Veteran Iranian judge Hossein-Ali Nayyeri laid to rest in Tehran
• Iran currency falls to record low against dollar as tensions with US mount
• Iran top diplomat rejects direct negotiations with U.S.
• Iran Denies Reports Of Casualties In US Airstrike On Yemen
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Europe
• Two British MPs Detained By Israel, British Foreign Minister Says
• 'Our Muslim burial site will put us at peace'
• Bolton lad hailed as BBC Asian Network Artist of the Week
• Taekwondo champ Aneila Afsar to star in Gladiators semi-final
• U.K. automaker Jaguar Land Rover suspends U.S. shipments
• Zelensky Hails Progress in Talks with French, UK Military Chiefs
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Southeast Asia
• ‘Do Not Continue Conflicts’: Mohamad Hasan Urges Myanmar Junta To Extend Ceasefire For Quake Aid, Recovery Efforts
• Saifuddin Nasution reportedly sends legal letter over Facebook user's claims
• Police dismiss social media claims of fatality in Putra Heights fire
• Final safety checks done on Putra Heights blaze-hit homes, Fire Dept to review report before release
• Authorities probe cause of boulder crash on JalanBuli Sim-Sim in Sandakan
• Abang Johari announces RM200m development project to reshape Miri’s urban landscape
• Can Malaysia steer Asean through trade war, recession fears at next week’s finance summit?
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Arab World
• Muslim World League Condemns Israeli Strikes On Saudi Cultural Center, School In Gaza
• 1,500 Child Volunteers Join Hands For Ramadan Iftar Drive
• Bahrain’s parliamentary delegation calls for unified Asian, Islamic parliamentary support for Palestine at IPU assembly
• Saudi Arabia ready to host Art Week Riyadh
• ‘Bahr’ play brings maritime heritage to Baha in Theater Tour initiative
• Saudi governor of Digital Government Authority met Rwandan minister
• Kingdom arrests 18,407 illegals in one week
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/religious-minorities-attack-supreme-court-judge/d/135071
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Most Hate Speeches In India Against The Religious Minorities, Attempts Made To Provoke Majority To Attack A Religious Minority”: Supreme Court Judge
April 6, 2025
Justice Oka spoke of the need to “strike a balance” while evaluating whether a speech amounts to hate speech, lest it stifle the fundamental right to free speech and expression.
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Supreme Court judge Justice A S Oka has said that in cases of hate speech that come to the top court most are against “religious minorities or castes which are in minority, oppressed classes like Scheduled Castes”.
Speaking via virtual mode at an event organised Friday by students of the Columbia Law School, Justice Oka said, “It’s 75 years of the existence of the Constitution, we celebrated that event on January 26 this year. But after 75 years also, there are many instances of hate speeches. Most of the hate speeches in India.. I may be wrong there because I have only the perspective of cases which come before the court… At the grassroots level, what really happens, activists like Colin Gonsalves (referring to Senior Advocate Colin Gonsalves who also addressed the gathering) will be able to tell you more effectively. But in the court, we come across cases where mostly these hate speeches are against the religious minorities or castes which are in minority, oppressed classes like Scheduled Castes.”
“There are instances in India where there are hate speeches against the religious minorities and attempts are made to provoke members of the majority to attack a religious minority,” he said.
“Keep aside the penal part of it, whether a speech becomes an offence. But basically, these speeches disturb the social harmony and perhaps the activists will be able to tell you in better fashion, or those who are studying the pattern of hate speech in India very systematically, they will be able to tell you, there can be political reasons also for hate speeches,” he said.
“Maybe some political leaders, for gaining advantage in terms of electoral politics, for gaining advantage to get votes, may be indulging in hate speeches. But that’s a matter of study and it requires study because we always believe that we should have a very healthy democracy and if in a healthy democracy, political elements are going to use hate speeches, it’s a matter of great concern,” he said.
Underlining that all speech cannot, however, be categorised as hate speech based on individual perceptions, Justice Oka spoke of the need to “strike a balance” while evaluating whether a speech amounts to hate speech, lest it stifle the fundamental right to free speech and expression.
“Somebody may say that so and so delivered a hate speech. But please remember that only because one or two individuals or three or four or a group of individuals feel that it is hate speech, it does not become hate speech. There are judgments laying down in what cases it will be a hate speech. It’s not individual perception. Because if we go by individual perception that a particular utterance is a hate speech, and we start branding it as hate speech, we will be compromising on the fundamental right of freedom of speech and expression,” he said.
He pointed out that the Supreme Court and High Courts have laid down tests to determine what is hate speech and said “because when the courts deal with these hate speeches… courts also have to keep it in mind that the laws must be interpreted in such fashion and such manner that freedom of speech and expression is not taken away”.
He said “if there is no freedom of speech and expression, there is no promotion for arts, literature”. Referring to his recent judgement in the case against Congress Rajya Sabha MP Imran Pratapgarhi over an Instagram post, he said “in the judgement, we have also referred to various other aspects of art, satire, stand-up comedy. If this is divorced, in the sense that we start attacking this part of freedom of speech and expression, there won’t be any dignity to survive in life. Right to live with dignity will disappear.”
“Therefore, when courts have interpreted these provisions regarding hate speeches, the courts have tried to strike a balance. The courts have always ensured that freedom of speech and expression is protected. In fact, for offences under Section 153A IPC, there is a test laid down. Now the test is ultimately… the court has to consider what is the effect of those spoken words or written words or those expressions or visible signs… The test is what will be the effect of spoken words by considering standards of reasonable, strong-minded, firm and courageous individuals and the standard is not based on the standard of people who are weak or those who are having oscillating minds. We can’t go by the standard of those people who have a sense of insecurity or they always feel that somebody criticising them is a threat to their power,” he said.
He said “if we say that a particular speech is hate speech because it affects somebody who is very weak, and (has an) oscillating mind, then perhaps the scope of hate speech will be very widened and then we will be depriving ourselves of the freedom of speech and expression. So striking the balance is very, very important”.
“In a democratic set-up, dissent is also very crucial. When we talk about the right to express (our) own views, dissent is also very important… It is necessary for any healthy democracy to have dissent. There is a right to protest also. If something is happening in society which, according to an individual, is not correct, he has the right to protest also… But it is necessary to remember that the protest and dissent have to be by constitutional methods,” he said.
“Right to dissent is required, right to protest is also required, it is part of a dignified life. Because if as a human being, I feel that a government policy is completely wrong, it is against the interest of the common man, I should have the right to protest. Otherwise, my life… is not meaningful at all,” he said.
Justice Oka said there are universities in India where students are allowed to form associations or unions and this is to enable them to to express their grievances. “It is very important for our universities also to allow the students to express themselves, allow the students to protest if they are suffering from injustice, within the four corners of law,” he said.
He said “the provisions regarding hate speeches, or provisions which make certain speeches or utterances or spoken or written words as offences… cannot be abused or misused to prevent people from expressing their views, from expressing their dissent”.
He said the “real challenge is to educate masses against hate speeches… Unless you are able to educate masses against hate speeches, these efforts made by the courts by issuing directions will have its own limitations”.
Pointing out that the Preamble to the Constitution speaks about various freedoms and fraternity, he said, “If we are able to maintain fraternity, we are able to educate masses about the importance of fraternity, automatically the instances of hate speeches will go down. This education is very important.”
Source: Indianexpress.Com
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Islamist Found Guilty Of Targeting US Churches In Elaborate Bomb Scare Network Targeting Christians
APRIL 6, 2025
View of a golden cross of a Christian church (illustration)
(photo credit: INGIMAGE)
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Zimnako Salah planted fake bombs across four churches in Arizona, California, and Colorado and worked separately to construct a real one, according to a US jury that found the 45-year-old guilty on Thursday.
Salah planted the fake bombs from September to November of 2023, after watching extremist content online, according to the US Justice Department. This content, including ISIS videos, featured “infidels dying.”
At two of the churches, Saleh was confronted by security before he was able to plant the fake bombs. However, in two instances, he was able to strap the items to bathrooms and call in a fake bomb threat to incite panic.
The jury found that Salah’s motivation had been “to obstruct the free exercise of religion of the congregants who worshipped there,” according to the department, which saw the charges escalated to include a hate crime charge.
“This Department of Justice has no tolerance for anyone who targets religious Americans for their faith,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The perpetrator of this abhorrent hate crime against Christians will face severe punishment.”
While causing bomb scares, Salah had been constructing an IED capable of fitting in a backpack, the department said. An FBI Bomb Technician seized items from a storage locker belonging to Salah that an FBI Bomb Expert testified at trial served as component parts of an improvised explosive device.
“The Sacramento Division of the FBI is proud of our collaboration with local partners in bringing Mr. Salah to justice. His deliberate targeting of multiple places of worship and calculated efforts to spread panic were intended to terrorize people of faith and disrupt the peace of our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “The FBI remains committed to protecting the American people and will continue to work within the confines of the law to hold individuals accountable for acts of terrorism whether those acts are true threats or intended as hoaxes.”
“Planting a hoax bomb at the Roseville church was not an isolated incident or a prank for this defendant,” said Acting US Attorney Michele Beckwith for the Eastern District of California. “His actions were designed to threaten and intimidate the congregation because he disagreed with their religious beliefs. Thanks to the coordinated efforts of federal and local law enforcement, the attorneys from my office, and our DOJ partners in Washington, DC, our communities are safer with yesterday’s verdict. People of all religions should be able to worship freely and exercise their First Amendment rights in this country without fear of violence.”
Salah, who will appear before the courts on July 18 for sentencing, faces a maximum penalty of six years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
Source: Www.Jpost.Com
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'Kabul': Tracing the chaotic withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan
By Audrey Fournier
06-04-2025
"Kabul," a series created by Olivier Demangel and Thomas Finkielkraut. DOMNIKI MITROPOULOU/CINÉTÉVÉ/24 25 FILMS/FRANCE TÉLÉVISIONS
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At the heart of the new series Kabul lies a question that no one wants to answer: What if it had all been in vain? Developed by Olivier Demangel (co-creator of the Tapie series, released in English as Class Act) and Thomas Finkielkraut, Kabul goes back to the summer of 2021 and the seismic upheaval in Afghanistan when, under the administration of President Joe Biden, the US withdrew its troops after 20 years of military presence, having never succeeded in building a lasting peace in the territory.
With six episodes, the French-German production is currently being screened and competing in the international section of the Séries Mania Festival in Lille (March 21-28). Kabul's narrative takes place during the two weeks following the implementation of the withdrawal of American troops and the return to power of the Taliban. The idea is excellent, and the story's sense of urgency – a precipitous race to the country's borders – galvanizes its early scene. However, the effect is soon weakened and overstretched by the different points of view through which the shift in power is
Source: Www.Lemonde.Fr.Com
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Balochistan CTD foils terror plot, seizes 70kg of explosives
Saleem Shahid
April 6, 2025
QUETTA: The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of Balochistan Police foiled a major terror plot on Saturday, recovering a large cache of explosives, arms and ammunition from an area on Sariab Road.
During the operation, officials recovered a 20kg improvised explosive device fitted with a remote detonation mechanism, along with 50kg of high-grade explosive material buried underground.
In addition, five hand grenades and three 9mm pistols with live ammunition were seized from the site. All explosives and weapons were secured without incident.
“Acting on confirmed intelligence regarding a potential sabotage attempt targeting critical infrastructure, the CTD launched a swift and coordinated operation,” the spokesperson said. A combing search was conducted with support from the Bomb Disposal Unit.
Forensic analysis of the recovered material is under way, while intelligence-based follow-up operations are underway to identify and apprehend those involved in the foiled plot.
Source: www.Dawn.Com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1902423/balochistan-ctd-foils-terror-plot-seizes-70kg-of-explosives
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North African Muslims Help Jews Celebrate Passover
By Rabbi Allen S. Maller
April 6, 2025
United States Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro at a Mimouna celebration in Ashkelon, 2013. Photo Credit: U.S. Embassy Tel Aviv, Wikipedia Commons
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Modern analytical techniques have shown a strong genetic link between ancient Canaanites and modern-day Jewish and Arab populations in the Levant, with many groups sharing over half their ancestry with Bronze Age inhabitants of the region.
And thanks to their Muslim neighbors, Jews living in Muslim countries from Morocco in the west to Iran in the east, were able to celebrate their annual Passover liberation from Pharaoh’s bondage, not only spiritually but also physically, according to the religious principle that the celebration should ‘begin with the darkness of oppression and end with the light of freedom and independence.
To understand this statement, non-Jews must know that during the week of Passover (the Feast of Unleavened Bread; celebrated by Reform Jews world wide plus all Jews in the Land of Israel for 7 days, and by Orthodox and Conservative Jews outside of Israel for 8 days) the Torah declares no leaven grain products (of wheat, barley, oats, rye etc.) should be found in Jewish homes:
“Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, on the first day remove (all) leaven from your houses; for whoever eats anything leavened from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from The People of Israel. On the first day you shall have a holy assembly, and another holy assembly on the seventh day; no work at all shall be done on them, except (for) what must be eaten by every person, that alone may be prepared by you. You shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this day I brought your multitudes out of the land of Egypt; so observe this day throughout your generations as a permanent ordinance.”(Exodus 12:15-20)
So how does each Jewish household get rid of all their bags of grain before the first day, and from where do they get bags of grain to start eating after the last day of Passover? You can burn the bags of grain, but that is wasteful.
Or you can give your bags of grain to your non-Jewish neighbors, and get them back after Passover is over: provided you trust your neighbors not to allow the grain to become polluted and impure. In Christian countries, with their long history of persecuting Jews this solution was rarely done.
In Muslim countries however Jews trusted their Muslim neighbors who also carefully observed Halal laws of ritual purity. And this is how a new Jewish holiday developed in North Africa.
It would be a major mistake to judge from the Palestinian-Israeli political conflict in the 20th century that Jewish-Muslim relations have usually been poor. The opposite is true. Prior to the rise of secular, political, nationalism in the 19th century, and the rise of politicized religion within Judaism and Islam in the 20th century, Jewish-Muslim relations were usually characterized by neighborliness and amity as the North African Jewish celebration of Mimouna (pronounced Meemouna) shows.
The Moroccan Jewish festival of Mimouna, a 24-hour food-centered celebration, begins right after the week of Passover ends. All Jewish homes were emptied of leavened bread and flour during the week of Passover. At the end of the week of Passover, all Jews could eat leavened bread and pastry again. However, they actually couldn’t because they had emptied their homes of all ordinary flour so there was nothing to bake with. And that is when their North African Muslim neighbors came in.
Shaul Ben-Simhon, who immigrated to Israel in 1948 at age 18, said that in Morocco the holiday of Passover brought Jews and Muslims together each year. Ben-Simhon recalled the tradition of Arab neighbors bringing flour to his home, so his mother and grandmother could make baked goods. Often this was the same bags of flour that Jews had given to their Muslim neighbors a day prior to the start of Passover, so Jews could rid their homes of leavened flour prior to Passover.
When, after the end of Passover, Muslims came to Jewish homes to return the flour, they were always invited to stay for a few hours and enjoy the soon to be baked goodies.
Thus, Jewish homes were filled with neighbors, friends and family exchanging traditional Arabic blessings of good luck and success while awaiting the laden trays of delicious Mimouna baked goods. The celebration often was repeated the next day with even more pastry and joy.
In Israel, unfortunately, for the first two decades of statehood, the festival was hardly observed at all. “In the early days of the state, we Moroccans were busy with absorption and working hard, often in construction. We didn’t have the energy or self-confidence to celebrate Mimouna,” said Ben-Simhon.
That changed in 1968, when Ben-Simhon, age 38 and a high-ranking official in the Histadrut, Israel’s trade union alliance, organized a Mimouna celebration in Lod in a bid to help the integration of Moroccan immigrants into Israeli society. His effort to raise the community’s morale attracted 300 participants. The next year, Ben-Simhon moved the celebration to Jerusalem, then got mayor Teddy Kollek’s support, and a crowd of 5,000 showed up. This grew into a major celebration in Jerusalem’s Sacher Park that today draws over 100, 000 people.
This event inspired the revival of Mimouna all across Israel; where Moroccan Jews and Israelis of all ethnic backgrounds flock to smaller public and private celebrations. A special law even requires bosses to grant employees unpaid leave on the day of Mimouna, if they want to carry on celebrations from the previous evening.
Unfortunately, the Orthodox Rabbinical bureaucracy in Israel had long ago arranged for a formal “sale” of all the leavened flour in the state of Israel to a few Arab Muslims or Christians, so the much more personal, private transfer to one’s Arab neighbors rarely takes place today in Israel.
Perhaps, a restoration of this part of the Passover tradition will help bring Jews and Arabs in Israel closer together. Ben-Simhon believes that Mimouna promotes unity between families and neighbors. (In Morocco, it was a day when people would also visit each other to end grudges.)
There are several theories regarding how the celebration got the name Mimouna. I think it comes from the Arabic word Amina and the Turkish word Emina that sound similar to the Hebrew word Emunah (faithful).
Indeed, Emin, Emina and Ahmina are names in Turkish and Arabic, meaning a faithful or trusted one. Jews trusted their Muslim neighbors to guard the flour faithfully from becoming impure, and their Muslim neighbors always did just that.
Perhaps the revival of the Jewish-Muslim celebration of Mimouna in Israel could stimulate Muslims and Jews in other parts of the world to reach out to each other and share traditional pastries made from both leaven and unleavened flour. Passover starts on the evening of April 12, 2025 and ends after sundown on April 19 for all Jews in Israel and for Reform Jews worldwide, and after sundown on April 20 for Orthodox and Conservative Jews outside of Israel.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Jewish and Muslim groups or individuals invited each other to break bread together for Mimouna this year and pray together for more “Celebration of Muslim-Jewish Amity.” Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib says, “From the river to the sea is an aspirational call for freedom, human rights, and peaceful coexistence, not death, destruction, or hate.” I say we can make it aspirational and doable by making it focus on both people first and the land second
“From the river to the sea Palestinians and Israelis should be freed of hatred and suffering by ‘a two state for two peoples sharing of the land peacefully solution.'”
Source: Www.Eurasiareview.com
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India
Waqf Bill attacks Muslims, sets precedent to target other communities: Rahul on Church land
Anita Joshua
06.04.25
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday harked back to his warning that the Waqf (Amendment) Bill “sets a precedent to target other communities in the future” and flagged an article published on the web portal of the RSS mouthpiece Organiser that sought to draw the government’s attention to the land held by the Catholic Church in the country.
The article, accessed by this paper on Friday evening, has since been withdrawn from the portal. Titled “Who has more land in India? The Catholic Church vs Waqf Board debate”, the article sought to fact-check Union minority affairs minister KirenRijiju’s claim that waqf boards in the country collectively owned the largest amount of land apart from the government. That “distinction” belongs to the Catholic Church, the article said, citing data from the government land information website.
Quoting The Telegraph report on the article, Rahul posted on X: “I had said that the Waqf Bill attacks Muslims now but sets a precedent to target other communities in the future. It didn’t take long for the RSS to turn its attention to Christians….’’
On Wednesday night, during a discussion on the bill in the Lok Sabha, Rahul had posted on X: “The Waqf (Amendment) Bill is a weapon aimed at marginalising Muslims and usurping their personal laws and property rights. This attack on the Constitution by the RSS, BJP and their allies is aimed at Muslims today but sets a precedent to target other communities in the future.”
Source: Www.Telegraphindia.Com
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'Not anti-Muslim'; SNDP General Secretary clarifies remarks on Malappuram
APRIL 06 , 2025
SNDP General Secretary VellappallyNatesan on Sunday defended his statements on Malappuram and asser
Stating that Muslims make up 56 per cent of Malappuram’s population, Natesan said that the district
The SNDP general secretary slammed the Muslim League and questioned whether they have ever had a Hin
The SNDP leader alleged that the controversy surrounding his words are an attempt to divert attentio
Source: Www.Onmanorama.Com
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Beed Mosque Blast: 2 Accused Charged With UAPA
6 April 2025
Police have invoked the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) section for “terrorist act” against two men arrested in the case of blast at a mosque in Maharashtra's Beed district, officials said.
Gelatin sticks went off at the mosque in ArdhaMasla village in Georai tehsil on March 30, on the eve of Eid-ul-Fitr, allegedly after an altercation between two groups during a procession, leading to the arrest of the two men.
The Beed police initially registered a case under various BNS sections, including 298 (injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class), 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings, covering insults) and 196 (promoting enmity between).
During the investigation, the police have now invoked BNS section 113 (terrorist act) and UAPA sections 15, 16 and 18 that deal with the “terrorist act, punishment for terrorist act and conspiracy”, an official said.
Source: Www.Onmanorama.Com
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https://www.outlookindia.com/national/beed-mosque-blast-uapa-invoked-against-two-arrested-men
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Muslim Body To Lead Nationwide Protest Against Waqf Act Until Law Repealed
Apr 06, 2025
New Delhi:The AIMPLB has said that it would lead a nationwide movement against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, in coordination with all religious, community-based and social organisations, and that the campaign would continue until the legislation was fully repealed.
Slamming National Democratic Alliance (NDA) constituents such as the JD(U), TDP and the LJP (Ramvilas) that backed the Waqf bill in Parliament, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) said the support extended by certain parties to the BJP's communal agenda had fully exposed their so-called secular facade.
In a statement, the AIMPLB emphasised it would lead a nationwide movement against these amendments in coordination with all religious, community-based and social organisations and that the campaign would continue until the amendments were fully repealed.
The leadership will not shy away from any sacrifice in this cause and, along with all justice-seeking forces in the country, will initiate a strong movement within the constitutional framework against these "oppressive amendments", the AIMPLB said.
He said the board would not only take the legal route to challenge in the Supreme Court these discriminatory and unjust amendments but would also employ all democratic and peaceful means of protest, including demonstrations, symbolic protests such as wearing black armbands, roundtable meetings with fellow citizens, and press conferences.
Source: Www.Ndtv.Com
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BJP targeting Christians after Muslims: Venugopal
Apr 5, 2025
Kottayam: AICC general secretary KC Venugopal said that the Centre is undermining the protection guaranteed by the Constitution to minorities and the BJP is targeting Christians after Muslims.
Speaking to reporters in Alappuzha on Saturday, Venugopal said that legislation should be made in accordance with the Constitution. The Waqf Amendment Bill is an attack on freedom of religion, he added.
He also said that the Munambam issue is a just one. The stand of the Congress right from the beginning is to resolve it. The state govt was asked to provide all legal protection to the residents of Munambam, he said.
Source: Timesofindia.Com
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Oppn misleading that religious places will be occupied, Muslim rights snatched: RSS leader Indresh Kumar
Apr 06, 2025
The senior RSS leader was speaking to media in Kaithal on the Waqf and praised the BJP-led union government for taking the feedback of lakhs of people, before bringing the bill that was passed by both houses of the Parliament earlier this week.
National Executive Member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Indresh Kumar on Saturday said that during the debate on Waqf (Amendment) bill in the Parliament, opposition parties spread propaganda that the religious places of Muslims will be occupied and the rights of Muslims will be snatched away, just like they did on the Citizen Amendment Act (CAA).
The senior RSS leader was speaking to media in Kaithal on the Waqf and praised the BJP-led union government for taking the feedback of lakhs of people, before bringing the bill that was passed by both houses of the Parliament earlier this week.
Kumar, who is also the Margdarshak (guide) of The Muslim Rashtriya Manch, the Muslim wing of the RSS, said that now the Waqf Board will be free from mafia, which has been engaged in many malpractices and there was no transparency.
“It can be said that it had become a den of some religious and some political mafia, and Muslims were not getting the benefit of any welfare scheme from this. Now, with this bill that will become an Act, the Waqf Board has got complete freedom from the mafia,” he said.
Source: Www.Hindustantimes.Com
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Karnataka high court bats for UCC, says will ensure gender justice for all
Apr 6, 2025
BENGALURU: The Karnataka high court has made a strong pitch for implementing the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), urging both the state and central govts to frame legislation under Article 44 of the Constitution. The court emphasises that such a legislation would ensure equal and gender-justice across communities.
Justice HanchateSanjeevkumar made this observation whilst handling Regular First Appeals regarding property claims of a deceased Muslim woman. The judge said: "The enactment of legislation on UCC will achieve the object and aspirations enshrined in the Preamble of the Constitution, bringing about a truly secular democratic republic."
The court said such legislation would promote gender justice, ensure equal rights and opportunities for all, and ensure individual dignity. Justice Sanjeevkumar cited examples of Goa and Uttarakhand, which have already taken steps toward implementing UCC.
Source: Timesofindia.Com
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North America
CAIR-Arizona Welcomes Arrest for Threat, Harassment Targeting Worshipers at Avondale Mosque
April 5, 2025
The Arizona chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Arizona) today welcomed the arrest of a suspect who allegedly threatened to kill worshipers at an Avondale, Arizona, mosque.
According to police, Michael Hanson, 37, went to the West Valley Islamic Center on March 24 after watching the film “American Sniper.” Hanson reportedly harassed worshippers and allegedly threatened to bomb the mosque. Anti-Muslim materials were reportedly found on his phone.
“We welcome the arrest in this troubling case and thank law enforcement authorities for their swift and professional actions to protect the Muslim community and its religious institutions from threats and harassment,” said CAIR-Arizona Executive Director AzzaAbuseif.
Abuseif urged community and mosque leaders to use advice offered in its “Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety” booklet to help keep those facilities safe. Much of the advice in the booklet is applicable to houses of worship of all faiths.
Source: Www.Cair.com
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UN rights experts call on Pakistan to stop repatriation plan for Afghans
Ellie Cho
April 5, 2025
UN human rights experts on Friday called on Pakistan to stop displacing Afghans from the cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, and further urged authorities not to carry out deportations to Afghanistan.
The UN experts urged the Pakistani government to continue its role as a neighboring host country for Afghan refugees. The experts stated: “We urge Pakistan to immediately stop mass internal relocations, deportations, arrests, evictions, intimidation, and other pressures on Afghans to cross the border into Afghanistan, and to uphold the absolute and non-derogable principle of non-refoulement.”
At least 1.6 million Afghans have arrived in neighboring host countries since 2021, primarily relocating to Pakistan and Iran. In September 2023, however, the government of Pakistan announced a repatriation plan to return “illegal foreigners.” In response, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) issued a joint statement in October 2023, urging Pakistan to maintain protection space for Afghans in need of safety.
The UNHCR and IOM also expressed concerns about serious protection risks for those who are forcibly displaced, particularly women and girls, amid the severe humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. They continued to call on all countries to stop the forcible displacement of Afghans and to ensure safe returns.
Source: Www.Jurist.org
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Thousands flock to San Francisco Tenderloin for neighborhood's 1st-ever Eid street fair
By Anser Hassan
April 6, 2025
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- It was perfect weather in San Francisco Saturday as one of the city's more notorious neighborhoods, the Tenderloin, looked to Build a Better Bay Area with a street fair to celebrate Eid.
"My goodness. This is a beautiful sight looking out on all of you. Block after block," San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie told the crowd who came out to celebrate the first-ever night market-style street fair in the Tenderloin.
Organizers say it was an opportunity to show case the neighborhood's small businesses and show off local restaurants in a part of the city that is often overlooked.
The event was organized to coincide with the Eid, the Muslim holiday marking the end of the month of Ramadan, given that the Tenderloin has the city's largest Muslim community.
Source: Abc7news.com
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Thousands of anti-Trump protesters gather in Washington, other US cities
April 06, 2025
Thousands of protesters gathered in Washington, DC, and across the US on Saturday (April 5), part of some 1,200 demonstrations that were expected to form the largest single day of protest against President Donald Trump and his billionaire ally Elon Musk since they launched a rapid-fire effort to overhaul government and expand presidential authority.
People streamed onto the expanse of grass surrounding the Washington Monument under gloomy skies and light rain. Organizers told Reuters that more than 20,000 people were expected to attend a rally at the National Mall.
Some 150 activist groups had signed up to participate, according to the event's website. Protests were planned in all 50 states plus Canada and Mexico.
Terry Klein, a retired biomedical scientist from Princeton, New Jersey, was among those who gathered by the stage beneath the Washington Monument.
She said she drove down to attend the rally to protest Trump's policies on "everything from immigration to the doge stuff to the tariffs this week, to education. I mean, our whole country is under attack, all of our institutions, all the things that make America what it is."
The crowd around the memorial continued to build throughout the day. Some carried Ukrainian flags and others wore Palestinian keffiyeh scarves and carried "Free Palestine" signs, while Democrats from the US House of Representatives blasted Trump's policies on stage.
Wayne Hoffman, 73, a retired money manager from West Cape May, New Jersey, said he was concerned about Trump's economic policies, including his widespread use of tariffs.
Source: Www.Asiaone.com
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Netanyahu’s second US sit-down with Trump
Apr 06, 2025
US President Donald Trump will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in their second White House sit-down since Trump’s return to office.
Monday’s visit, confirmed by a White House official and Netanyahu’s office on Saturday, comes as Israel deploys troops in a new security corridor across Gaza to pressure the Hamas militant group.
Netanyahu’s defence minister has said Israel will seize large areas of the territory and add them to its so-called security zones.
Last month, Israel shattered the ceasefire with a surprise bombardment in Gaza after trying to pressure Hamas to accept proposed new terms for the ceasefire, a move supported by the White House.
Israel has pledged to escalate the war in Gaza until Hamas returns the remaining hostages seized in the October 7, 2023, attack that sparked the war, disarms and leaves the territory.
Source: Www.Thenewdaily.com.au
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https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/news/world/us-news/trump-news/2025/04/06/trump-netanyahu-white-house
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US revokes all South Sudan visas, bars future issuance until deportees accepted
By Alexandra Koch
April 5, 2025
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday announced the U.S. will revoke visas held by South Sudanese passport holders and no others will be issued, effective immediately.
Rubio attributed the change to "the failure of South Sudan's transitional government to accept the return of its repatriated citizens in a timely manner," according to a statement posted on X.
The U.S. Department of State on Saturday wrote in a statement that it is time for the transitional government of South Sudan to "stop taking advantage" of the U.S.
"Enforcing our nation’s immigration laws is critically important to the national security and public safety of the United States," according to the statement. "Every country must accept the return of its citizens in a timely manner when another country, including the United States, seeks to remove them. "
Source: Www.foxnews.com
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South Asia
Advancing towards democratic process is our top priority: Salahuddin
06 Apr 2025
DHAKA, April 5, 2025 (BSS) – BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed today said their high demand is that the Chief Adviser must urgently announce an election roadmap so that the national elections can be held by December.
“Just as we want reforms, we want justice for genocide, but the issue of advancing the democratic process must be our top priority,” he told journalists after a meeting between BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and the leaders of Hefazat-e-Islam at the BNP Chairperson’s office in Gulshan this evening.
Salahuddin claimed that both the parties reached an consensus on the issue of election in the meeting which was focused on various issues including cases filed against Hefazat-e-Islam leaders, the trial of genocide, electoral reforms and the upcoming parliamentary elections.
The BNP leader said that Hefazat-e-Islam agreed with the call for the elections to take place by December, adding, “Hefazat-e-Islam and its allies political parties will devise appropriate strategies to ensure the election is held on time.”
Salahuddin went on to express concerns about delays in the election process, stating, “The Chief Adviser had assured us about the December elections, and it was reiterated multiple times before the nation.”
Source: Www.Bssnews.Com
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https://www.bssnews.net/news/260446
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Son of British couple held by Taliban asks US for help
Aleks Phillips
06-04-2025
The son of a British couple who were detained by the Taliban nine weeks ago is calling on the US to help secure their release from an Afghan prison.
Their son, Jonathan, called on the White House to intervene after Faye Hall, an American who was detained alongside them, was released last week by the Taliban, which returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021.
He told BBC News the detention of his parents - who have lived in Afghanistan for 18 years and ran education projects - had been "harrowing and exhausting" for their family.
Mr Reynolds said: "Anybody who has the ability to unlock that key and let them out, whether it be the Taliban, whether it be the British government or whether it be the American government, I would ask - do it now, please.
Ms Hall became the fourth US citizen to be released by the Taliban since January after talks between officials in Kabul - in what the group described as a "goodwill gesture" towards the Trump administration.
Source: Www.Bbc.Com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckge171pnrvo
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Kumamoto firm delivers halal Japanese beef in Muslim countries
April 6, 2025
UKI, Kumamoto Prefecture--A Wagyu beef producer and seller here is rapidly expanding its exports to the Islamic world, attracting considerable attention and serving as a business model for Japanese companies.
Sugimoto-Honten Co., headquartered in the Toyonomachi district of Uki, embarked on the international shipment of its KurohanaWagyu beef from the renowned Japanese Black breed in 2021.
Expecting Sugimoto-Honten to serve as a “model” for businesses to pitch Japan-made merchandise to the global market, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has designated the stock farmer as a “flagship producer and exporter.”
Exporters must qualify for halal certification to sell food items to Muslim countries. The word “halal” means “permitted” under Islamic law in Arabic.
For example, pork is strictly forbidden for consumption under Islamic law. This prohibition extends not only to pork itself but also to food products containing pork-derived ingredients and domestic animals fed with pork-based food.
Source: Www.Asahi.Com
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https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15669117
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How aid cuts have brought Afghanistan’s fragile health system to its knees
ANAN TELLO
April 05, 2025
LONDON: Amid sweeping foreign aid cuts, Afghanistan’s healthcare system has been left teetering on the brink of collapse, with 80 percent of World Health Organization-supported services projected to shut down by June, threatening critical medical access for millions.
The abrupt closure of the US Agency for International Development, which once provided more than 40 percent of all humanitarian assistance to the impoverished nation of 40 million, dealt a devastating blow to an already fragile health system.
upporters of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) rally outside the US Capitol on February 05, 2025 in Washington, DC, to protest the Trump Administration's sudden closure of the agency. (AFP)
searcher and public health expert Dr. Shafiq Mirzazada said that while it was too early to declare Afghanistan’s health system was in a state of collapse, the consequences of the aid cuts would be severe for “the entire population.”
“WHO funding is only one part of the system,” he told Arab News, pointing out that Afghanistan’s health sector is fully funded by donors through the Afghanistan Resilience Trust Fund, known as the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund before August 2021.
Source: Www.Arabnews.Com
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Green Shoots of US-Taliban Diplomacy
SURINDER SINGH OBEROI
April 5, 2025
U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Adam Boehler and former Ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad made an unannounced visit to Kabul on March 20, 2025, where they met with the Taliban’s acting foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi. Perhaps the first visit by senior U.S. officials to the Afghan capital since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. The talks, as suggested by several media reports, were facilitated by Qatari mediation on the release of an American citizen, George Glezmann, an airline mechanic detained in Afghanistan for over two years. Within 24 hours, Glezmann was free, flown to Doha, and subsequently returned to the United States. Most of the analysts were quick to say that it was a deal lifting $20 million in bounties on three senior figures of the Haqqani Network, including Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, who was on the State Department’s list, Rewards for Justice website. Glezmann, as reported, is the third American national to be released by the Taliban this year, highlighting Qatar’s continuing role as a crucial intermediary in U.S.-Taliban diplomacy.
It has reignited speculation about Washington’s evolving relationship with the regime in Kabul. This development, coupled with the decision to lift the bounty on Taliban leaders such as Sirajuddin Haqqani, raises several questions about what comes next in U.S.-Afghanistan diplomacy. Is the West that usually follows the US finally going to reconsider its stand on Afghanistan and its interim government? Will Afghanistan’s frozen assets finally be released? Is the United States planning to reopen its US embassy in Kabul? Has Zalmay Khalilzad, the controversial Afghan-born diplomat who played a pivotal role in America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan, once again become a key interlocutor between Washington and the Taliban?
The U.S. decision to remove the bounty on Haqqani and other Taliban leaders on the surface appears to be a goodwill gesture. However, a closer look suggests that Washington’s engagement with the Taliban has always been transactional, driven by counterterrorism concerns, security, and regional stability rather than economic interests.
Now, China and Russia, who in recent years have deepened their ties with the Taliban, are perhaps forcing the U.S. to rethink its strategy toward the war-torn nation. It is a known fact that China continues to make inroads into Afghanistan’s vast mineral wealth. Beijing is already in advance negotiations with the Taliban in economic cooperation, the only country recognising the Taliban’s Ambassador in their country, and making gains in the untapped mineral sector, which includes an estimated $1 trillion worth of resources.
Russia, on the other hand, continues to position itself as a major diplomatic player in the region and would not like to see the US entering Afghanistan again. Russia, despite its heavy engagement in Ukraine, has expressed willingness to help ease tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan. Russian Ambassador to Pakistan Albert Khorev said on March 19, 2025, that Moscow is ready to facilitate talks through the “Moscow Format” if both parties consent. This Russian diplomatic effort aims to address ongoing disputes around security and border issues. Russia sees an opportunity to strengthen its regional influence, especially as tensions with the West over Ukraine persist.
The U.S. cannot afford to ignore Afghanistan indefinitely. Re-establishing a diplomatic presence in Kabul may not signify full recognition of the Taliban regime, but it would enable Washington to better monitor developments on the ground and potentially exert some influence over rebuilding relationships with the interim government.
Zalmay Khalilzad was earlier President Donald Trump’s chief negotiator with the Taliban. Surprisingly, he has now emerged as an important interlocutor in this evolving scenario. The Afghan-born diplomat has a long history of dealing with Kabul’s power players, both before and after the U.S. withdrawal. ZalmayKhalilzad’s reappearance alongside Glezmann upon the latter’s release in Kabul represents US signals that he remains still confident of Donald Trump and is a trusted channel of communication between Washington and the Taliban. But his track record is mixed. The 2020 Doha Agreement, which he helped broker, laid the groundwork for the U.S. military withdrawal but failed to ensure a stable transition. Many analysts worldwide blame him for overestimating the Taliban’s willingness to compromise, leading to the rapid fall of the Afghan government in 2021. Now, as he is again seen in the picture, speculation grows about his possible return as a U.S. envoy. Critics, however, warn that he may once again misjudge t
Source: Www.Greaterkashmir.Com
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Iran exports non-oil goods worth $2.2b to Afghanistan in 11 months
April 5, 2025
ForoudAsgari said that Afghanistan was Iran’s fifth top export destination in the mentioned 11-month period.
On February 21, the governors of Iran and Afghanistan’s central banks met on the sidelines of a banking technology summit in Yekaterinburg, Russia, to discuss strengthening monetary and banking cooperation, Iran’s central bank said.
Iran’s central bank chief, Mohammad Reza Farzin, and his Afghan counterpart Noor Ahmad Agha, emphasized the importance of expanding financial collaboration to support growing economic and trade exchanges between the two countries, the statement added.
Also, in last October, ports and maritime officials of Iran and Afghanistan met to discuss investment opportunities for the Afghan private sector in Iran’s southeastern Chabahar Port.
In the meeting attended by the director general of the Ports and Maritime Department of Sistan-Baluchestan Province, the governor-general of the province, some MPs, and officials of the Afghanistan Trade and Industry Ministry, the opportunities for cooperation and participation of the private sector of Afghanistan in Chabahar port were introduced and reviewed.
Qasem Askari-Nasab, the director general of the Ports and Maritime Department of Sistan-Baluchestan Province, welcomed the request of the Afghan government to invest in the Iranian port while introducing the commercial facilities and capacities of Chabahar’s Shahid Beheshti port to the Afghan side.
Source: Www.Tehrantimes.Com
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Pakistan
Major operation against marchers ‘imminent’, says BNP’s Mengal
Abdullah Zehri
April 6, 2025
As the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) sit-in entered its 10th day on Sunday and protesters were set to march on Quetta, party chief Sardar Akhtar Mengal said a “major operation against [protesters] is imminent” as security forces encircled the marchers.
The BNP-M had announced a “long march” from Wadh to Quetta last Friday to protest against the arrests of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leaders and activists, including Dr Mahrang Baloch and Sammi Deen Baloch, as well as the police crackdown on their sit-in in Quetta. Sammi was released on Tuesday.
The BNP-M deadline for the acceptance of its demands, including the release of Mahrang, ended on Saturday midnight. According to its announcement, the BNP-M will start on Sunday (today) its long march towards Quetta from the Lakpass area of Mastung, where the party has been staging its sit-in for the last 10 days.
According to Mengal, the previous two rounds of negotiations were not successful as the government delegations did not enjoy any authority to make decisions on the demands tabled by the BNP during the talks.
A day earlier, Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind offered the BNP-M to march till Quetta’s Shahwani Stadium on Sariab Road and warned the party of action if the city’s Red Zone is breached.
Source: www.Dawn.Com
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Positive developments begin in Pakistan, says Azma Bukhari
April 06, 2025
LAHORE: - Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari has said that a series of positive developments has begun in Pakistan, while those who wrote letters to the IMF are now in distress. Addressing a press conference at DGPR, she announced that another piece of good news for the public is on the way, which Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will soon reveal. Criticizing political opponents, Bukhari said so-called YouTubers and a “party of chaos” are disturbed by the government’s relief measures for the people. She claimed that Chief Minister Gandapur’s position in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) is under threat, with members of his own party labeling him corrupt. “Corruption stories in KP are common knowledge, yet the media and YouTubers remain silent,” she stated. “No infrastructure was built, no medicines were provided, and forests in Chitral suffered a national loss of Rs 86.6 billion,” she added, accusing the KP government of distributing billions through the Tiger Force under the guise of hospitals, mosques, and wheat procurement. Highlighting Punjab’s efforts, Bukhari said Rs 1.11 billion in savings were passed on to the public through Ramadan bazaars. She also noted that reforms in theaters are being met with resistance, including blackmail and legal threats from owners. “After approval from Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, a new plan will be introduced to improve theaters,” she said. On the water issue, she emphasized dialogue over public rallies. Bukhari also shared that after Eid, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will announce a reduction in electricity prices, providing major relief during the summer. “Convincing the IMF was not easy, but it was necessary to deliver this relief,” she added. She thanked the Prime Minister on behalf of the Punjab government for halting the rapid increase in electricity bills and credited him with stabilizing the economy and averting Sri Lanka-like conditions.
During Ramadan, Rs 3.57 billion worth of goods were sold in Punjab’s Ramadan bazaars. Around 28,000 people benefitted from Rs 30 million worth of free home deliveries. By August, 13 new ‘Sahulat Bazaars’ will be established, and existing ones will be converted to solar energy at a cost of Rs 690 million. A mobile program titled “Sahulat on the Go” will also be launched at 14 locations. In transport, Rs 2.2 million in overcharging fines were imposed, and Rs 1.1 million was returned to passengers. Bukhari added that all medicines will now be visibly available in markets, with a special CM desk set up for complaints. She further mentioned that during Eid, a coordinated sanitation campaign created 100,000 job opportunities at a cost of Rs 1 billion. She demanded accountability for Rs 600 billion in federal law and order funds and called for proper audits before distributing NFC Award funds. Bukhari concluded by asserting that the PML-N’s legacy is one of development, and that this tradition will continue into the future.
Source: www.nation..Com
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Quetta braces for BNP long march as impasse persists
Saleem Shahid
April 6, 2025
QUETTA: All efforts so far made to break a deadlock between the provincial authorities and the leadership of the Balochistan National Party-Mengal failed to bear fruit on Saturday, with both sides sticking to their positions on the eve of the long march.
The BNP-M deadline for the acceptance of its demands, including the release of Dr Mahrang Baloch, ended on Saturday midnight. According to its announcement, the BNP-M will start on Sunday (today) its long march towards Quetta from the Lakpass area of Mastung, where the party has been staging its sit-in for the last 10 days.
According to Sardar Akhtar Mengal, the previous two rounds of negotiations were not successful as the government delegations did not enjoy any authority to make decisions on the demands tabled by the BNP during the talks.
“We stick to our demands, which were presented during the negotiations, including the release of BYC leader Dr Mahrang Baloch and allowing long march participants to enter Quetta,” he said.
He said another delegation headed by former Senate chairman Sadiq Sanjrani visited the sit-in camp along with Deputy Speaker of the Balochistan Assembly Ghazala Gola and Education Minister Raheela Hameed Khan Durrani.
Source: www.Dawn.Com
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LHC to hear Imran’s bail pleas in eight May 9 cases on 10th
Wajih Ahmad Sheikh
April 6, 2025
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has fixed the hearing of post-arrest bail petitions filed by incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf founding chairman Imran Khan in eight cases of May 9 riots, including the Jinnah House attack.
The bail petitions mainly argue that the prosecution failed to establish the petitioner’s association with the unfortunate occurrences narrated in the FIRs.
They say the petitioner has been implicated in the May 9 cases as a result of a well-orchestrated plan merely to harass and humiliate him for political reasons even though admittedly he was in the custody of the NAB.
Source: www.Dawn.Com
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Punjab opposition rejects ‘PM’s token power cut’
April 6, 2025
LAHORE: Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly Malik Ahmad Khan Bhachar has accused the prime minister of hoodwinking the people of Pakistan by slashing just Rs7 from the Rs60 power tariff, pointing out that it stood at Rs17 during the PTI government.
Flanked by party MPAs, MrBhachar told a presser at Lahore Press Club on Saturday that the incumbent ‘Form-47 government’ did not give any relief to the agriculture sector.
The opposition leader said wheat was being sold at a minimum rate of Rs2,000 per 40kg, making it a lucrative product for hoarders. He said farmers raised a canola crop, but the government imported soybeans instead.
He criticised the government’s tall claims about providing solar panels and inverters, noting the equipment remained deficient in operating tubewells.
Source: www.Dawn.Com
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https://www.dawn.com/news/1902369/punjab-opposition-rejects-pms-token-power-cut
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Africa
Tinubu’s Eid Reflections: Beyond The Prayers
06-04-2025
As Nigerians celebrated Eid-el-Fitr last Sunday, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, President Bola Tinubu’s messages carried more weight than the typical festive greetings we’ve become accustomed to from our leaders.
His first Eid-el-Fitr celebration in Abuja since taking office in 2023 offered a blend of spiritual guidance and practical governance insights that deserve our attention.
Standing at the Abuja National Eid Prayer Ground surrounded by Vice President KashimShettima, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, National Security Adviser (NSA) NuhuRibadu, and members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), the President urged Nigerians to embrace the spirit of the season through greater love and compassion. “We should give thanks to the Almighty Allah,” he said. “We saw the beginning; we started together and ended together in good health and happiness, in prayers for our country and all our people.”
In what seemed like a genuine appeal amid challenging economic times, he asked that we not return to “the old and unacceptable paths” but remain steadfast in practicing the virtues learned during Ramadan, particularly in caring “for the vulnerable, the orphans and the less privileged.”
These sentiments were powerfully echoed by the Chief Imam of the National Mosque, Dr. Abdulkadir Salman Sholagberu, who led the prayers. The Imam’s metaphorical warning against abandoning Ramadan’s teachings was particularly striking: “Your example is like someone who was given paradise, then he got old, became helpless, feeble, weak and turned back against Allah.”
The Imam’s question resonates deeply in our often-divided nation: “During the fast, we showed love to one another; we cared for people in need, we extended charity, and our country was peaceful. Why should we return to rancour after Ramadan?” Indeed, why should we?
Source: Leadership.Ng
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https://leadership.ng/tinubus-eid-reflections-beyond-the-prayers/
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Dutsen-Tanshi incident: Bauchi CP appeals for calm, initiates discreet probe
By DanlamiNmodu
April 5, 2025
Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, CP Sani-OmoloriAliyu, mni, has called for calm over the incident involving the Chief Imam of Galli Mosque in Bauchi Metropolis.He has also initiated a discreet probe into the incident.
A statement on the incident Saturday by the State Police Command said the Imam made inappropriate remarks towards the late Malam Idris AbdulazeezDutsen-Tanshi during his Friday sermon.
CSP Ahmed Mohammed Wakil, Police Public Relations Officer, Bauchi Command said the remarks by the Imam, “incited unrest among the followers of late Malam Idris, who subsequently gathered at the Mosque to express their discontent.”
The statement reads in full: “On April 4, 2024, at about 14:45 hours, a concerned citizen reported an incident involving Ahmad Isa Jaja, the Chief Imam of Galli Mosque in the Jahun area of Bauchi Metropolis.
Source: Newsdiaryonline.Com
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‘Is Nigeria becoming a police state?’ Peterside reacts to Emir Sanusi’s invitation to Abuja
TaofeekOyedokun
April 6, 2025
AtedoPeterside, prominent businessman and founder of Stanbic IBTC, has criticised the Nigeria Police Force for summoning the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, to Abuja over an alleged murder during last Sunday’s Eid-el-Fitr celebrations in Kano.
In a post on his official X account on Sunday, Peterside questioned the rationale behind inviting the traditional ruler, describing the action as unnecessary and an act of harassment.
“What is @PoliceNG trying to turn Nigeria into? Has Nigeria become a Police State?” he asked. “Is there any question that the Commissioner of Police cannot legitimately ask the Emir of Kano in Kano on behalf of his Abuja bosses? Invitations across State boundaries are a form of ‘harassment’ and should be discouraged in the 21st Century.”
Peterside’s comment followed reports that the Emir was summoned to appear at the Force Intelligence Department headquarters in Abuja on April 8 by 10 a.m. over a killing that occurred during his Sallah procession in Kano.
TSource: Businessday.Ng
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I have capacity to defeat Soludo – Moghalu says as he emerges LP guber candidate
April 6, 2025
A former Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), George Moghalu has said that he has the capacity needed to defeat, Governor ChukwumaSoludo in the November 8, governorship election in Anambra State.
Speaking after his emergence as the Anambra governorship candidate for the Labour Party, Moghalu polled 573 votes to defeat John Nwosu who garnered 19 votes at the party’s primary election on Saturday.
His words, “I am ready for the challenge ahead. With my experience in public service and politics, I am confident in my capacity to defeat the incumbent, Governor ChukwumaSoludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance.’’
Source: Politicsnigeria.Com
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Mideast
Iranian president sacks deputy for 'lavish' Antarctic cruise
MaluCursino
06-04-2025
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has fired one of his deputies for taking a "lavish" trip to Antarctica with his wife during Nowruz, the Persian new year.
A picture of Dabiri and his wife posing in front of MV Plancius, which was bound for Antarctica, circulated widely on social media and caused outrage in Iran.
In a statement on Saturday, Pezeshkian said Dabari had been removed as vice president of parliamentary affairs for "indefensible" actions, regardless of whether they were financed from his own pocket.
"In a government that seeks to follow the values of the first Shia Imam (Imam Ali), and amid significant economic pressures on our people, the lavish travels of government officials, even when personally financed, are indefensible," Pezeshkian said.
Iran's economy is under significant strain, and subject to Western sanctions due in part to its support of groups including Hamas and Hezbollah, which have been proscribed terrorist organisations by the US, UK and the EU.
Source: Www.Bbc.Com
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Israel, Turkey ponder how to split Syria into spheres of influence until stable governance takes hold
Ron Ben-Yishai
06-04-2025
The tensions in Israel-Turkey relations, which reached a peak last week, slightly eased on Friday when Turkish Foreign Minister HakanFidan stated at a NATO conference in Brussels: "We do not want to see any confrontation with Israel in Syria. The Syrians alone should decide on the security matters of their country."
This statement by Fidan marked a notable improvement in a week when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan declared his hope that "Allah will destroy Israel," and Israeli Air Force fighter jets completely destroyed the T-4 military airport in Syria before the Turkish army entered and seized control of it.
The following morning, on Wednesday, Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Syrian leader al-Sharaa: "If you allow forces hostile to Israel to enter Syria and threaten Israeli security interests, you will pay a very heavy price." To clarify that the message was not solely directed at Syria's current ruler, Katz added: "The Air Force's activities yesterday at the T-4 airport in Hama and the Damascus area are a clear message and warning for the future. We will not allow harm to Israel’s security."
Katz refrained from mentioning Turkey by name, as Israel still hopes to avoid a direct confrontation and to reach an understanding with Ankara, potentially mediated by the United States and possibly Russia, regarding the division of influence and security arrangements in Syria. However, the bombing of four major military airports in Syria that night was a message directed at Turkey’s "sultan."
Erdoğan, his party, and his regime are ideologically aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood, of which Hamas is also a part. This is the primary reason for the longstanding hostility between Israel and Turkey, which became overt following October 7, particularly after the IDF began operations in the Gaza Strip.
Source: Www.Ynetnews.Com
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Iran’s president says country wants dialogue ‘on equal footing’ with US
5 April 2025
TEHRAN, Iran — Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday said his country was willing to engage in dialogue with the United States as equals, without clarifying whether Tehran would participate in direct talks.
It came after US President Donald Trump, who has called on Tehran to hold direct negotiations on its nuclear program, threatened to bomb Iran if diplomacy fails.
Trump has written to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, trying to jumpstart direct talks between Tehran and Washington. So far, Iran has maintained it is willing to engage in indirect talks, but such discussions under the Biden administration have failed to make headway.
On Thursday, Trump said he would prefer to hold “direct talks” with Iran. “I think it goes faster and you understand the other side a lot better than if you go through intermediaries,” the US president argued.
Source: Www.Timesofisrael.Com
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Veteran Iranian judge Hossein-Ali Nayyeri laid to rest in Tehran
April 5, 2025
TEHRAN – A funeral ceremony was held on Saturday morning at Tehran’s historic Ark Mosque for Hojjatoleslam Hossein-Ali Nayyeri, a long-serving and senior figure in Iran’s judiciary, who passed away on April 3 following a lengthy illness.
The ceremony drew the presence of top-ranking officials, including Judiciary Chief HojjatoleslamGholamhosseinMohseniEjei, along with a number of other senior judicial and government figures, and members of Nayyeri’s family.
Nayyeri held numerous high-profile judicial posts over the course of his career, including serving as the head of the Special Courts responsible for implementing Article 49 of the Constitution, president of the Supreme Disciplinary Court for Judges, and most recently, as a senior advisor to the head of the Judiciary.
In recent days, his passing was marred by the circulation of unfounded claims on social media alleging that Nayyeri had succumbed to injuries sustained during the January 18 terrorist attack at the Supreme Court, an incident that resulted in the martyrdom of Hojjatoleslams Mohammad-Reza Raazini and Mohammad Moqiseh. However, these rumors were swiftly and decisively rejected by the Judiciary's official media center, which issued a statement on January 18 confirming that Nayyeri was not present at the scene of the attack and had not been harmed in any way.
Source: Www.Tehrantimes.Com
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Iran currency falls to record low against dollar as tensions with US mount
5 Apr 2025
Iran’s rial currency has hit a record low against the US dollar amid growing tensions between Tehran and Washington over Iran’s nuclear programme.
The exchange rate had plunged to more than 1 million rials during festivities for Persian New Year, Nowruz, as currency shops closed and only informal trading took place on the streets, creating additional pressure on the market.
As traders resumed work Saturday, the rate fell even further to 1,043,000 to the dollar. Some traders in Tehran even switched off electronic signs showing the going rate as uncertainty loomed over how much further the rial could drop.
Iran’s economy has been severely affected by international sanctions, particularly after President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the US from Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers in 2018.
Source: Www.Aljazeera.Com
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https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/5/irans-currency-falls-to-record-low-as-tensions-with-us-mount
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Iran Denies Reports Of Casualties In US Airstrike On Yemen
Apr 06, 2025
No Iranian personnel were killed in a recent US airstrike on Yemen, according to Iran's Tasnim news agency, which is known to have close ties to the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).
The statement came in response to a claim made by Yemen's Minister of Information, Moammar al-Eryani, who posted on social media platform X on Friday that 70 members of the Houthi group -- including senior field commanders and Iranian experts from the IRGC -- were killed in a US strike on Tuesday.
The attack reportedly targeted a Houthi gathering in Al-Fazah, a coastal area in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, Xinhua news agency reported.
Source: Www.Thehindu.Com
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Europe
Two British MPs detained by Israel, British foreign minister says
06-04-2025
Israel has detained two British members of parliament and refused entry to the officials who were visiting as part of a parliamentary delegation, British Foreign Minister David Lammy said in a statement late on Saturday (local time).
Sky News, citing a statement from the Israeli immigration ministry, said that the detained parliamentarians are Labour MPs Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed, who were rejected because they were suspected of plans to "document the activities of security forces and spread anti-Israel hatred".
Yang represents the Earley and Woodley constituency, while Mohamed is the MP for Sheffield Central. Both had flown to Israel from Luton on Saturday, Sky News said.
"I have made clear to my counterparts in the Israeli government that this is no way to treat British Parliamentarians, and we have been in contact with both MPs tonight to offer our support," Lammy said.
"The UK government's focus remains securing a return to the ceasefire and negotiations to stop the bloodshed, free the hostages and end the conflict in Gaza," he further added.
Source: Www.Nnz.co.nz
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'Our Muslim burial site will put us at peace'
Alex Pope
06-04-2025
A community said it was proud to have raised £1m in funds over five years to build a Muslim cemetery.
Construction work was due to begin in a matter of weeks on former farmland by Green End Road, behind Kempston Cemetery, in Bedfordshire.
The £3m project will have space for 4,800 plots and will be open seven days a week, as Muslims are expected to begin funeral arrangements soon after death and burial should take place as soon as possible.
Irreum Iqbal said it "gives us peace knowing that we're going to be able to fulfil those final rights for our loved ones at such a difficult time".
"It gives us peace knowing that we're going to be able to fulfil those final rights for our loved ones at such a difficult time in people's lives; we'll be able to make things a little easier."
Alex Pope/BBC Parvez Akhtar, standing in front of a bush, with short dark hair, a grey beard, wearing black glasses, he has on a blue shirt, and blue jacketAlex Pope/BBC
Source: Www.Bbc.Com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce82n09n467o
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Bolton lad hailed as BBC Asian Network Artist of the Week
By Joe Harrigan
06-04-2025
A unique and talented Bolton artist has won widespread recognition for bringing his faith to his music.
Bilal Shafiq, who performs as B-SHAF, has pioneered “halal rap” that aligns with his Muslim faith while bringing a message of positivity to his listeners.
“And my lyrics focus on positive themes like self-improvement, faith, and resisting temptation, rather than the negativity often found in mainstream rap.”
Bilal, who attended Bolton Parish Church School, Little Lever Secondary School, Bolton Sixth Form College, and Bolton University, says it is hugely exciting to be getting national recognition.
The unique artist is looking forward to bringing his distinctive musical stylings to a wider audience still as more and more people discover what he has to offer.
Source: Www.Theboltonnews.Co.Uk
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https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/25057786.bolton-lad-hailed-bbc-asian-network-artist-week/
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Taekwondo champ Aneila Afsar to star in Gladiators semi-final
By Sarah McGee
06-04-2025
A Nelson-born taekwondo champion is to put her fitness skills to the test when she appears in the Gladiators semi-final tonight (April 5).
Aneila Afsar, 26, has already made history on the BBC reboot after becoming the first person to compete on the show while wearing a hijab, when she first took on the Gladiators in the February heats.
The former Burnley College student said: “When I was a kid in the sporting world, I didn’t see female Muslim role models on TV. It’s important for other Muslim women to see me wearing my hijab.
Source: Www.Theboltonnews.Co.Uk
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U.K. auto maker Jaguar Land Rover suspends U.S. shipments
By Mike Heuer
April 5, 2025
April 5 (UPI) -- Officials for U.K. luxury automaker Jaguar Land Rover are suspending shipments to the United States after President Donald Trump on Thursday raised tariffs on the vehicles.
The automaker announced the halt in shipments after Trump imposed a 25% tariff on U.K. auto imports in the United States and said it would "address the new trading terms," the BBC reported Saturday.
Anticipating Trump's tariffs action on Thursday, Jaguar Land Rover officials prepared its response ahead of Trump's tariffs announcement.
"Our luxury brands have global appeal and our business is resilient [and] accustomed to changing market conditions," Jaguar-Land Rover said Wednesday in a statement.
Source: Www.upi.com
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https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/04/05/6521743884084/
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Zelensky Hails Progress in Talks with French, UK Military Chiefs
April 6, 2025
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday hailed “tangible progress” after meeting British and French military chiefs in Kyiv to discuss strengthening the Ukrainian army and ways to support the war-torn country after any end to hostilities with Russia.
British Chief of the Defence Staff Tony Radakin and his French counterpart Thierry Burkhard on Friday held talks with Zelensky, Ukrainian commander-in-chief OleksandrSyrsky and Defence Minister RustemUmerov.
Zelensky wrote on social media on Saturday: “There is tangible progress and the first details on how the security contingent of partners can be deployed,” without giving details.
French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer are spearheading European efforts to send what they call a “reassurance force” to Ukraine after any end to the war sparked by Russia’s invasion in 2022.
Source: Www.Kyivpost.com
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https://www.kyivpost.com/post/50251
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Southeast Asia
‘Do not continue conflicts’: Mohamad Hasan urges Myanmar junta to extend ceasefire for quake aid, recovery efforts
06 Apr 2025
NYAPYITAW (Myanmar), April 6 — Asean countries, especially Malaysia, hope that the military ruling Myanmar will extend the ceasefire beyond the previously announced period so that relief and recovery efforts can continue after the earthquake.
Following the devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28, the junta has announced a three-week ceasefire against opposition groups until April 22.
He said it needs to be extended, taking into account the extent of the destruction caused by the earthquake and the need for long-term humanitarian assistance, for the security and well-being of the people of Myanmar.
“Do not continue with all the conflicts. The most important thing is how the Myanmar people can be rescued and receive assistance," he said at a press conference before concluding a humanitarian mission to Myanmar here yesterday.
Earlier, Mohamad and his Thai counterpart, Maris Sangiampongsa, jointly led a humanitarian aid mission to Myanmar following the earthquake that struck the central region of the country and its surrounding areas, claiming thousands of lives.
Further commenting, Mohamad, as chairman of the Asean Foreign Ministers' Meeting, also expressed hope that the ceasefire could be extended to ensure rescue teams from Malaysia and other Asean countries currently in Myanmar can provide assistance.
Source: Www.Malaymail.Com
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Saifuddin Nasution reportedly sends legal letter over Facebook user's claims
By Malay Mail
06 Apr 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, April 6 — Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has reportedly issued a letter of demand to a social media user over allegedly defamatory claims about the former’s role in Kedah Darul Aman Football Club (KDA FC).
Free Malaysia Today (FMT) reported today that the social media user, identified as Zubair Ismail, had alleged in a March 26 Facebook post that Saifuddin instructed the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and the Inland Revenue Board to investigate the club, which scared off potential sponsors.
Zubair was also said to have accused Saifuddin of trying to “save” the team to boost his public image and later posted a related TikTok video.
Source: Www.Malaymail.Com
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Police dismiss social media claims of fatality in Putra Heights fire
06 Apr 2025
SUBANG JAYA, April 6 — Police have confirmed that there were no fatalities in the recent gas pipeline fire in Putra Heights, following the circulation of unverified claims on social media.
According to SinarHarian, Subang Jaya district police chief ACP Wan Azlan Wan Mamat said there have been no reports of fatalities linked to the incident last Tuesday.
Source: Www.Malaymail.Com
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Final safety checks done on Putra Heights blaze-hit homes, Fire Dept to review report before release
06 Apr 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, April 6 — The final physical assessment on residences affected by the gas pipeline fire in Putra Heights, Subang Jaya, is completed said Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) director-general Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad.
It took time to conduct the assessment work because it also involved other agencies, and also because the crater is always filled with water, which had to be flushed out first, he said when contacted by Bernama.
Yesterday, Selangor MenteriBesar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari was reported to have said that as of last Friday, 130 of the 235 houses in Taman Putra Harmoni that were affected by the incident were confirmed safe and their occupants had been allowed to return to their homes.
Source: Www.Malaymail.Com
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Authorities probe cause of boulder crash on JalanBuli Sim-Sim in Sandakan
06 Apr 2025
KOTA KINABALU, April 6 — The State Works Ministry is investigating the recent incident where a boulder fell on JalanBuli Sim-Sim in Sandakan.
State Works Minister Datuk IrShahelmey Yahya said he is following the case through social media and is awaiting the full report from the State Works Department (JKR).
Shahelmey explained that every time incidents such as falling rocks or landslides occur, JKR through its district engineers, and concession companies if applicable, will activate the Emergency Response Team and implement safety measures at the affected location.
At the same time, they will also try to ensure that the flow of traffic is unaffected and can be traversed safely, he said, adding that while the main probable cause of the Sandakan incident is continuous rain, his side is still investigating the technical aspects.
Source: Www.Malaymail.Com
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Abang Johari announces RM200m development project to reshape Miri’s urban landscape
06 Apr 2025
MIRI, April 6 — The Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari TunOpeng has announced a bold and transformative development for Miri, centred around the Padang Kerbau area in the heart of the city.
Speaking at Ramah TamahAidilfitri with Five PartiPesaka Bersatu Bumiputra (PBB) branches in Miri at a leading hotel here yesterday, Abang Johari revealed that phase one of the proposed development will involve 50 acres to build 200 residential lots.
“A total of RM200 million has been approved to kick-start the project, which aims to create a new, modern, and integrated urban district in central Miri.
Source: Www.Malaymail.Com
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Can Malaysia steer Asean through trade war, recession fears at next week’s finance summit?
06 Apr 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, April 6 — Asean finance ministers will meet here next week amid a sense of urgency to deepen economic integration and enhance financial resilience as the global trade war erupts, no thanks to debilitating tariffs imposed by the United States.
Against such testing times and the threat of global inflation — or worse, a recession — Malaysia’s chairmanship of the 12th Asean Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors' Meeting (AFMGM) on Wednesday has taken on an added significance.
Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, as chair of Asean and AFMGM, respectively, have had their work cut out for them.
In chairing a series of preparatory finance meetings beginning tomorrow, Malaysia has to collectively emphasise the importance of expanding financial access and strengthening financial mechanisms to support fair and sustainable economic development via AFMGM.
Rhetorics aside and with no time to waste, there must be a call to action to integrate purposefully their financial systems quickly so as to facilitate regional trade and investments.
This would undoubtedly raise Southeast Asia’s economic independence and hopefully lessen the adverse effects of US President Donald Trump’s baseline and reciprocal tariffs on 168 countries, including a penguin and seal habitat islands in Antarctica.
As the world’s fifth-largest economic bloc, with a total gross domestic product (GDP) of RM3.8 trillion in 2023 and a combined population of 677 million, the grouping must do more to raise its stature, possibly towards becoming a single market.
It is imperative, therefore, for Asean’s economy to move forward in unison, taking into account that some of its lesser-developed Indo-Chinese members were the hardest hit with tariffs.
Cambodia was slapped with baseline and retaliatory tariffs totalling 49 per cent, followed by Laos (48 per cent), Vietnam (46 per cent), and Myanmar (44 per cent).
Source: Www.Malaymail.Com
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Arab World
Muslim World League condemns Israeli strikes on Saudi cultural center, school in Gaza
Arab News
April 05, 2025
RIYADH: The Muslim World League has condemned Israeli airstrikes that hit a Saudi cultural facility and a school in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, as Israel resumed military operations following the collapse of a temporary truce with Hamas.
In a statement carried on the Saudi Press Agency on Friday, MWL Secretary-General Sheikh Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa denounced the targeting of the Saudi Center for Culture and Heritage’s warehouse, which destroyed medical supplies intended for the sick and wounded in Gaza.
He also condemned the strike on Dar Al-Arqam School, which reportedly killed and injured dozens, describing the attacks as “horrific crimes against civilians and civilian facilities.”
Source: Www.Arabnews.Com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2595999/saudi-arabia
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1,500 child volunteers join hands for Ramadan Iftar Drive
06-04-2025
During the holy month of Ramadan 2025, the spirit of giving came alive in a remarkable initiative led by Let’s Walk Again with Dr. Knee — a social impact and health movement founded by renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Azam Badar Khan who is firmly known as Dr. Knee.
With the official approval and support of Emirates Red Crescent, the initiative brought together over 1,500 child volunteers to distribute 3,000 iftar meal packs to labourers and workers at Sajja Labour Park, Sharjah, across all Fridays of the holy month.
At the heart of this movement were the young heroes — students lovingly referred to as children — who dedicated their time, energy, and compassion to serving those in need.
Most of these student volunteers came from different schools all over UAE, whose leadership and staff played a key role in coordinating the effort with passion and efficiency, also the parents.
From 4:00pm to 6:30pm every Friday, the labour park transformed into a site of joyful service. Laughter and excitement blended with purpose as children lined up with meals in hand, ready to serve fasting workers — many of whom spend long days in the sun with minimal access to proper meals. For the students, it was more than just volunteering. It was a chance to connect, to understand gratitude, and to feel the joy of giving firsthand.
Source: Www.Gulftoday.Ae
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https://www.gulftoday.ae/news/2025/04/06/1500-child-volunteers-join-hands-for-ramadan-iftar-drive
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Bahrain’s parliamentary delegation calls for unified Asian, Islamic parliamentary support for Palestine at IPU assembly
06 Apr 2025
Tashkent, Apr. 5 (BNA): Bahrain’s parliamentary delegation, led by Jamal Mohammed Fakhro, First Deputy Chairman of the Shura Council, participated in the consultative meetings of the Asian and Islamic Parliamentary Groups on the sidelines of the 150th General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Tashkent.
The delegation called for stronger Asian and Islamic parliamentary coordination to support the Palestinian cause and address humanitarian challenges. Discussions focused on aligning positions to support an emergency item on Gaza and ensuring the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid.
Fakhroemphasised the need for a unified position among Asian, Islamic, and African parliamentary blocs. MP Ahmed Sabah Al Salloom proposed nominating an Asian candidate for the next IPU Secretary-General and commended Dr. Sahiba Gafarova, Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Azerbaijan, for her leadership of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly.
Source: Www.Bna.Bh
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Saudi Arabia ready to host Art Week Riyadh
Arab News
April 05, 2025
RIYADH: The Visual Arts Commission is preparing for the launch of the first-ever Art Week Riyadh, a week-long celebration of Saudi Arabia’s vibrant art scene, which starts on Sunday and runs until April 13, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Held under the theme “At The Edge”, the inaugural edition will unfold across key cultural venues in the capital, including the JAX District and the Al-Mousa Center.
The flagship exhibition will showcase works from more than 45 galleries, exploring cultural dialogues between Saudi Arabia, the wider Middle East, and the global contemporary art landscape.
Source: Www.Arabnews.Com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2596029/saudi-arabia
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‘Bahr’ play brings maritime heritage to Baha in Theater Tour initiative
Arab News
April 05, 2025
RIYADH: The three-day Theater Tour initiative ended on Saturday at the Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Theater in Baha, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Organized by the Theater and Performing Arts Commission, the event attracted a large audience for the award-winning play “Bahr” (Sea).
Nasser Al-Qasabi, chairman of the commission, thanked the governor of Baha for supporting the initiative and providing the resources for its launch in the region.
Source: Www.Arabnews.Com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2596020/saudi-arabia
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Saudi governor of Digital Government Authority met Rwandan minister
Arab News
April 05, 2025
Ahmed Alsuwaiyan, governor of the Digital Government Authority, recently met with Paula Ingabire, Rwandan minister of information and communications technology and innovation, at the Global AI Summit on Africa.
During their meeting, they discussed the Riyadh AI Declaration, ways to foster growth in the digital economy, and approaches to strengthen collaboration between Saudi Arabia and Rwanda, the organization wrote in a post on X.
The governor also met with Ghana’s Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations Samuel George, and discussed opportunities for cooperation in harnessing AI technologies in digital government.
Source: Www.Arabnews.Com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2596048/saudi-arabia
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Kingdom arrests 18,407 illegals in one week
Arab News
April 05, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi authorities arrested 18,407 people in one week for breaching residency, work and border security regulations, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
A total of 12,995 people were arrested for violations of residency laws, while 3,512 were held over illegal border crossing attempts, and a further 1,900 for labor-related issues.
The report showed that among the 1,260 people arrested for trying to enter the Kingdom illegally, 66 percent were Ethiopian, 28 percent Yemeni, and 6 percent were of other nationalities.
Source: Www.Arabnews.Com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2595987/saudi-arabia
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/religious-minorities-attack-supreme-court-judge/d/135071