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Israel – Hamas war: Gazans unable to travel for Hajj pilgrimage

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11 months ago

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Israel – Hamas war: Gazans unable to travel for Hajj pilgrimage

This year’s Hajj pilgrimage came against the backdrop of the raging war in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Palestinian militants.

The war has pushed the entire Middle East to the brink of a regional war between Israel and its allies on one side and Iran-backed militant groups on the other.

Palestinians in the coastal enclave of Gaza were not able to travel to Mecca for Hajj this year because of the closure of the Rafah crossing in May when Israel extended its ground offensive to the strip’s southern city on the border with Egypt.

Palestinian authorities said 4,200 pilgrims from the occupied West Bank arrived in Mecca for Hajj.

Saudi authorities said 1,000 more from the families of Palestinians killed or wounded in the war in Gaza also arrived to perform Hajj at the invitation of King Salman of Saudi Arabia.

The 1,000 invitees were already outside Gaza – mostly in Egypt – before the closure of the Rafah crossing.

More than 1.5 million pilgrims from around the world have already amassed in and around Mecca for Hajj, and the number was still growing as more pilgrims from inside Saudi Arabia joined.

Saudi authorities expected the number of pilgrims to exceed two million this year.

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The pilgrimage is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, and all Muslims are required to make the five-day Hajj at least once in their lives if they are physically and financially able to do it.

It is a moving spiritual experience for pilgrims, who believe it absolves sins and brings them closer to God, while uniting the world’s more than two billion Muslims.

It’s also a chance to pray for peace in many conflict-stricken Arab and Muslim countries, including Yemen and Sudan, where more than a year of war between rival generals created the world’s largest displacement crisis.

For many Muslims, the Hajj is the only major journey they make in their lifetime. Some spend years saving up money and waiting for a permit to embark on the journey in their 50s and 60s after they have raised their children.

The rituals during the Hajj largely commemorate the Quran’s accounts of Prophet Ibrahim, his son Prophet Ismail and Ismail’s mother Hajar – or Abraham and Ismael as they are named in the Bible.

Male pilgrims wear an ihram, two unstitched sheets of white cloth that resemble a shroud, while women dress conservative, loose-fitting clothing with headscarves, and forgo makeup and perfume.

They have been doing the ritual circuit around the cube-shaped Kaaba, counter-clockwise in the seven-minaret Grand Mosque since arriving in Mecca over recent days.

Saudi authorities have adopted security restrictions in and around Mecca, with checkpoints set up on roads leading to the city to prevent those who don’t have Hajj permits from reaching the holy sites.

Israel – Hamas war: Gazans unable to travel for Hajj pilgrimage

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Nigeria’s FX inflow faces threat as US considers taxing diaspora remittances

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2 days ago

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May 14, 2025

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Nigeria’s FX inflow faces threat as US considers taxing diaspora remittances

Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings have come under fresh threat following plans by the United States’ Congress to impose a five per cent tax on all diaspora remittances.

The Bill, unveiled by the House Republicans on Monday, is aimed at curbing money transfers to foreign countries.

The tax would be paid by the sender and collected quarterly by the US Treasury Department.Verified US citizens would be exempted from the levy and could claim it as a credit. The Bill also exempts remittances sent via authorized providers by verified US senders.

Key vote on the Bill expected this week with a committee vote on the Bill already held yesterday. A full House vote is expected before May 26.

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For decades, the United States has consistently been the top remittance-sending country. According to the International Organisation for Migration, the US accounted for a total outflow of $79 billion in 2022, followed by Saudi Arabia ($39 billion), Switzerland ($31.9 billion), and Germany ($25.6 billion).

Within the same period, Nigeria emerged on the top ten remittance recipient in the world, ranking the number nine with $20.1 billion behind countries like India ($111.2bn), Mexico ($61.1bn), China ($51bn), Philippines ($38bn), France ($30bn), Pakistan ($29.9bn), Egypt and Bangladesh with $28.3bn and $21.5 bn respectively.

However, economy analysts, who spoke to Vanguard on the development, noted that the Bill if passed by

the US lawmakers, would result in decline in net value of remittance inflow into the country and may lead to further drop in the value of the Naira.

While the proposed tax broadly affects immigrant families, it poses a challenge for the country as remittances from the Nigerian diaspora have become a major mainstay of the country’s economy. At the macro level, diaspora remittances represent the second-largest source of foreign exchange inflow into the country, second only to crude oil earnings.

Nigeria’s FX inflow faces threat as US considers taxing diaspora remittances

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Diddy forced sex worker to urinate in Cassie’s mouth, prosecutor alleges

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3 days ago

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May 13, 2025

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Diddy forced sex worker to urinate in Cassie’s mouth, prosecutor alleges

Prosecutors have alleged in the opening statements in the federal sex trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs that the music mogul once forced a male escort to urinate in the mouth of his former partner, singer Cassie Ventura.

The trial commenced on May 12 following the completion of jury selection. Combs has pleaded not guilty to several charges, including one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking and two counts related to transportation for prostitution.

According to People, Assistant US Attorney Emily Johnson told jurors the alleged incident occurred during one of Combs’ notorious private parties, which prosecutors refer to as “freak offs.” These events reportedly involved orchestrated sexual encounters featuring male sex workers and women who were allegedly coerced or pressured into participating.

Johnson claimed that during one such gathering, Combs forced an unnamed male escort to urinate in Cassie’s mouth, an act that left her feeling as though she was choking. Prosecutors also referenced a 2016 video that surfaced online showing Combs allegedly kicking, hitting and dragging Cassie in a hotel hallway.

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In testimony presented to the court, Daniel Phillip, a male sex worker, stated he was hired multiple times to have sex with Cassie, sometimes earning up to $6,000 per encounter. He said Combs would occasionally direct the activity or record it. Phillip also testified that Cassie once asked him to urinate on her, describing an incident in which she gave him instructions on how to do so.

“Cassie was actually the one that asked me urinate on her,” Philip said.

“She asked me if I had ever done that before, she told me to do it. Apparently I was doing it wrong, because they both told me.”

He added that he feared the consequences of speaking out, saying, “My thoughts were that this was someone with unlimited power. And chances are that, even if I did go to the police, I might still lose my life.”

Combs’ legal team is expected to argue that his relationship with Cassie included mutual violence. Cassie is also expected to testify during the trial.

The founder of Bad Boy Records was arrested in Manhattan on September 16, 2024, and subsequently indicted by prosecutors in the Southern District of New York. He faces serious allegations, including the sexual abuse of more than 120 individuals—among them women, men and a 9-year-old boy.

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UK to consult Nigeria on new visa rules

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3 days ago

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May 13, 2025

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UK to consult Nigeria on new visa rules

The British High Commission in Nigeria has said it will engage with relevant partners in the federal government once implementation details of the UK’s new immigration reforms are made available.

This follows the release of a White Paper by the UK government on Monday, outlining sweeping changes to the immigration system.

The new policy includes ending the social care work visa route, imposing a longer settlement path for migrants, shortening the graduate visa period, and introducing mandatory English language tests for dependants.

While the exact timeline for implementation is yet to be announced, the British High Commission has moved to reassure Nigerians of the continued strong bilateral relationship between the two countries.

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“The UK enjoys strong, long-standing people-to-people links with Nigeria. We are proud that the UK is still considered a top destination for Nigerians to work, study, visit, and settle – and value the contribution this brings to the UK,” a spokesperson said in a statement.

According to the Commission, the reforms aim to “restore order, control, and fairness” to the immigration system, reduce net migration, and promote economic growth. It noted that changes will occur gradually, and reiterated the UK’s commitment to an open and collaborative approach with Nigerian authorities.

The statement comes amid recent concerns that the UK may restrict visa applications from countries whose citizens are more likely to overstay—Nigeria was reportedly among those listed.

Despite this, the British High Commission reaffirmed what it called the “strong and enduring” links between Nigeria and the UK, describing Britain as an outward-looking nation that welcomes diversity and global talent.

 

UK to consult Nigeria on new visa rules

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