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Record-breaking heat wave grips western United States

A record early heat wave striking the western United States on Friday is a one-in-500-year event and almost certainly the result of human-caused climate change, experts say. The heat has been toppling records this week and is set to continue into the weekend across western cities while expanding eastward. Four locations in the desert area near the California-Arizona border registered 44.4 degrees Celsius on Friday, a US national record for March. The readings were recorded near Yuma and Martinez Lake in Arizona, and around Winterhaven and Ogilby in California. Read: Intense heatwave grips US, triggering record-breaking temperatures Already, 65 cities have recorded new March highs, ranging from Arizona and California to Idaho, Weather.com reported. Death Valley reached 40°C on Thursday, while typically cool and foggy San Francisco tied its historic March record at 29°C. In Colorado, skiers were seen hitting the slopes shirtless. The National Weather Service issued extreme heat warni...
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India faces backlash over ban on Eid prayers on roads

Authorities in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh have imposed a ban on offering Eid ul Fitr prayers on roads, a move that has drawn widespread criticism from opposition leaders, civil society, and even members of the ruling party's coalition. Meerut city’s Superintendent of Police, Ayush Vikram Singh, announced the ban, warning that anyone who offers prayers on the roads will face strict legal action. The penalties include the possible cancellation of passports and driving licences. "Under no circumstances shall namaz be offered on the road," Singh said in a statement. This directive has triggered backlash from various quarters, with critics accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of discriminating against Muslims ahead of Eid. Samajwadi Party MP Iqra Hasan questioned the government's motives, asking, “Why is the government so troubled by a 10-minute Eid prayer?” The ban has also provoked reactions from BJP allies. Chirag Paswan, a key ally in Prime Minister Modi’s government, condemned the ban, saying, “I do not agree with this politics. We should be focusing on bigger issues, not on Hindu and Muslim divisions.” Another BJP ally, Union Minister Chaudhary Jayant Singh, labelled the police action “authoritarian”, drawing comparisons to George Orwell's 1984. The controversy escalated following similar restrictions in Sambhal, where officials attempted to ban prayers even on rooftops. However, after facing significant public criticism, the district magistrate clarified that the ban applied only to certain dilapidated rooftops. Despite the controversy, police deployed drone cameras and CCTVs to monitor compliance with the directive during Friday prayers. Congregational prayers are permitted only inside mosques and designated Eidgahs, with peace committee members tasked with redirecting worshippers when mosques reach 70-80% capacity. Opposition figures, including Samajwadi Party MP Ziaur Rehman Barq, have condemned the restrictions. "If a person is not allowed to pray at his residence, where will he go?" Barq asked. Meanwhile, Chandra Shekhar Aazad, an opposition MP from Bijnor, criticised the UP police’s actions, stating, “The police are not the court. They do not have any right to cancel passports.” The controversy has raised concerns over religious freedoms and the growing scope of government overreach in India, with many accusing the authorities of targeting Muslims under the guise of maintaining law and order.

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At least 32 miners dead after bridge fails at cobalt site in southeast DR Congo

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Indian devotees splurge on jets, gold idols as Hindu temple opens

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