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[00:00:00] DND April 5, Hello, this is your daily dose of news from Onmanorama. These are the major news stories of Saturday, April 5, 2025. 1. Armed Admi Party MLA Amanatullah Khan, Congress MP Muhammad Javed, and AIMIM President Asduddin Ovesi have challenged the constitutional validity of the Waqaf Amendment Bill, 2025, in the Supreme Court.
[00:00:22] The petitioners argue that the bill violates fundamental rights under Articles 14, 15, 21, 25, 26, 29, 30, and 300a, curtails Muslim religious autonomy, and imposes arbitrary restrictions on Waqaf property management. They allege the bill discriminates against Muslims by limiting Waqaf governance while favoring other religious endowments, and they seek its repeal.
[00:00:45] Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi warned that the RSS may soon target the Christian community, following its push for the controversial Waqaf bill, citing a now unavailable organizer article alleging the Catholic Church is India's largest non-governmental landowner. 2. US President Donald Trump posted a video on Truth Social showing what he claimed were dozens of Houthi fighters killed in an American strike on Yemen, captioned with, oops.
[00:01:09] The footage, resembling military drone imagery, shows a group of individuals targeted by an air strike, followed by a bright flash and smoke. Trump praised the strike, stating it prevented future attacks on US ships. This comes amid increased US military actions in response to Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping, with the Trump deploying a second aircraft carrier to the region to ensure maritime security.
[00:01:31] 3. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Sri Lanka, India secured key defence and energy deals, including a five-year defence cooperation agreement and the launch of a 120-megawatt solar power project. Modi was honoured with Sri Lanka's highest civilian award, highlighting the strong bilateral ties amid growing concerns over China's influence in the region. Modi arrived in Colombo on April 4, 2025, for a weekend visit focused on bilateral talks and signing key agreements with Sri Lanka.
[00:02:00] This marks the first visit by a foreign leader since the political shift in Sri Lanka last year, with President Anura Kumara Dasaniak's National People's Power Alliance in Power. 4. The central government held a key meeting with representatives of Manipur's Métis and Kuki communities to work towards lasting peace amid ongoing ethnic tensions since May 2023. The discussions, led by government interlocutor AK Mishra, aim to build trust, ensure law and order, and chart a roadmap for reconciliation.
[00:02:28] The meeting follows earlier separate talks with various community groups and a statement in parliament by Home Minister Amit Shah, who emphasised peace as the government's top priority. Thousands remain displaced, and travel between Métis and Kuki areas remains restricted. President's rule, imposed on February 13 after the chief minister's resignation, has seen Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla actively engaging with stakeholders and urging the return of looted arms.
[00:02:53] 5. Amid the controversy over the Malayalam film Empurran, the enforcement directorate seized Rs. 1.5 crore from producer Gokulam Gopalan in connection with the Foreign Exchange Management Act case. The ED's raids in Kerala and Tamil Nadu uncovered Rs. 371.8 crore in cash and Rs. 220.74 crore via checks from NRIs, with illegal cash repayments violating FEMA regulations.
[00:03:17] The investigation, initiated in 2022, focuses on Gopalan's firm, Sri Gokulam Chits and finance company Private Limited, for illegally collecting Chit Fund subscriptions from NRIs without RBI approval. The A.D. clarified that the case is unrelated to the film's political controversy. That brings us to the end of this episode. Thanks for listening to, Daily News Dose, from On Manorama. This newscast is produced using AI Voice Tools.
[00:03:45] Follow OnManorama.com for detailed updates on the latest news, and be sure to come back tomorrow.