The country is set to celebrate Pahela Baishakh, the first day of Bengali New Year 1431. The day will be celebrated through various arrangements upholding the rich cultural values. Preparations are underway at the Fine Arts of Dhaka University to welcome Baishakh. On Saturday (April 13) afternoon, it was seen that the artists are passing busy time at the last moment at the Fine Arts premises of Dhaka University (DU). On the first day of Bengali New Year , people from all walks of life usually wear traditional Bengali dresses. Men wear white pyjamas and panjabi where Women wear white sarees with red borders and adorn themselves with bangles and flowers. Through Pahela Baishakh the Bangalees bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new year.  To celebrate the day the programmes will begin in the capital with the musical soiree of Chhayanat at Ramna Batamul at dawn. The traditional Mangal Shobhajatra will be brought out from Dhaka University (DU) Fine Arts Faculty premises early in the morning. Various paintings have already been painted on the walls of the Faculty of Fine Arts of DU. The walls of the university are bing decorated with various pictures of nature. The graffiti of Flowers, fish, boats, tigers, peacocks and  have been placed by the students. Viewers turn around looking at the paintings of the artists. Apart from this, the work of masks, dolls and painting is going on inside the fine arts for the Mangal Shobhajatra.  

Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday (April 10) as the Shawwal crescent was not sighted. The Saudi Supreme Court confirmed this information in an announcement on Monday (April 8). This time Fasting will last for 30 days in the country. Earlier on Saturday (April 6), the country's Supreme Court called for sighting the moon of Eid on Monday evening. According to the order of the Supreme Court, millions of Muslims kept their eyes in the western sky after Maghrib prayers on this day. But shortly afterwards, the Saudi Supreme Court said that the moon of Shawwal was not sighted. Therefore, the holy Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated on Wednesday (April 10).  

The whole nation is set to celebrate its' 54th Independence today (26 March) in a befitting manner. The government has taken elaborate programmes at the national level to celebrate the day. The programmes to celebrate 54th Independence day will begin with gun salutes early in the morning. All government, semi-government, autonomous and private institutaion will hoist the national flag atop with the rises of the sun. However, The National Martyrs' Memorial at Savar will be the main venue of the day's celebration. President Mohammad Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will place floral wreaths early in the morning as a mark of profound respect to the memories of the martyrs of 1971. In that day people from all walks of life, including freedom fighters, members of the diplomatic corps, leaders of different political parties, social, cultural and professional bodies, will also place floral wreaths at the national memorial.  

Losar, the Tibetan New Year, which fell on Feb 10 this time, was celebrated in the US State Department while Mayor Michael Melham of Belleville Township in the state of New Jersey flew the Tibetan national flag on Feb 9, rejecting a written objection from China’s vice consul in New York. Extending warmest wishes to all those celebrating Losar, the Tibetan New Year, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement Feb 9, “On this first day of the Year of the Wood Dragon, we celebrate the strength and perseverance of the Tibetan community around the globe. Here in the United States, tens of thousands of Tibetan-Americans are integral to the preservation of Tibetans’ distinct cultural, linguistic, and religious heritage.” He wished Tibetans celebrating all across the world peace and prosperity in the new year. Meanwhile, in Belleville, Mayor Melham went on to raise the Tibetan flag, rejecting a second last-second letter, from China’s vice consul in New York, imploring the mayor to cancel the noon event at town hall, claiming the flag was a symbol of “an illegal separatist political group,” reported tapinto.net, cbsnews.com and other news outlets Feb 10. The reports said the mayor responded in writing to vice consul Huang Ping, saying: “Here in Belleville, New Jersey, we pride ourselves on fostering an environment of inclusivity and acceptance, regardless of nationality or territorial affiliation. Our community’s rich history is deeply rooted in these principles, shaping the very essence of who we are.” The mayor has added: “It’s essential to clarify that our intentions are not aimed at challenging the sovereignty of any nation. Instead, our gesture symbolizes solidarity with the Tibetan people and their aspirations for freedom and self-determination.” “We stand with the Tibetan people in their struggle for autonomy and respect for their cultural heritage,” the mayor has concluded, urging Ping to delve into Belleville’s “fascinating Chinese history, which spans over a century and a half.” The mayor has also noted that Belleville was live-streaming a Chinese New Year event on Feb 10, serving “as a testament to our deep appreciation for Chinese culture and traditions. It is a reflection of our longstanding relationship with the Chinese community.” He has also said, “As a Township, we remain committed to fostering understanding, dialogue, and mutual respect among all peoples, both locally and globally.” The mayor said his decision was not political and that he sent a respectful letter back to China’s vice consul saying the flag went up because his diverse community respects all voices, according to the cbsnews.com report. This year, the Tibetan New Year fell on the same day as the Chinese Lunar New Year.   Source: Tibetan Review

Chinese officials have spread propaganda showing ‘poor, underprivileged’ Tibetans before Mao’s 1950 invasion. Chinese authorities in Tibet forced locals to celebrate the 130th anniversary of Mao Zedong’s birth on Tuesday, crediting the late leader with “the peaceful liberation of Tibet” in 1950, which Tibetan authorities in exile consider an invasion and the start of an illegal annexation. Officials used Mao’s birthday “to spread false information and distort facts about Tibet’s past history, in the hope of making the Tibetan people believe this disinformation,” a young Tibetan in Lhasa told Radio Free Asia, requesting anonymity for safety reasons. The source said the public celebrations for Mao depicted an independent, pre-invasion Tibet as backwards and impoverished in order to justify the region’s invasion and annexation by China, which argues that Tibet was historically always a part of its territory. “Chinese authorities use and disseminate pictures of poor, underprivileged Tibetan families from the 1940s and 1950s at these events to make it seem like the whole of Tibet at the time was poverty-stricken and in the same condition,” the person said. “While it’s true that Tibet has witnessed development since the Chinese first invaded the country, the fact remains that many of the world’s free countries also underwent significant development over the same period, without the need for any ‘peaceful liberation,’” they said. Mao’s government invaded Tibet in 1950 and subsequently took over the region completely in 1959 after a failed uprising by locals, which led Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama and thousands of followers to flee into exile across the border in India and elsewhere in the world. Chinese officials have exercised a tight grip on the region ever since, restricting Tibetans’ political activities and expression of cultural and religious identity. In October, Beijing changed Tibet’s romanized name to “Xizang” to further erode its independent identity. 17-point agreement As part of its propaganda campaign on Mao’s birthday, the source inside Tibet told RFA, Chinese authorities were again promoting the idea that the Dalai Lama in 1951 signed the “17-Point Agreement” with Beijing and had promised Mao in a telegram he would abide by it. Experts and rights groups, however, say the Tibetan side was forced to sign the document under duress by the occupying Chinese forces, who threatened all-out war if they declined. The Dalai Lama later repudiated the agreement after arriving in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, just across Tibet’s border. The source said it was a tense time for Tibetans, with many forced to bite their tongues as the local Chinese authorities celebrated Mao. “Any Tibetan who tries to share the real facts about Tibet’s past – in particular Tibet’s history as an independent country – is immediately apprehended by Chinese police and faces their wrath,” they said. Tibet Policy Institute director Dawa Tsering said the forced celebrations for Mao seemed particularly twisted given many Tibetans know some of the worst atrocities against their forebears occurred under his rule. “The ‘peaceful liberation of Tibet’ was in reality a forceful occupation of Tibet by Chinese authorities, who brutally tortured Tibetans for opposing the occupation and compelling the helpless Tibetans, under duress, to sign the 17-Point Agreement,” Tsering told RFA. Nyima Woeser, a researcher at the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, which is based in Dharamsala, India, added that more than 1 million Tibetans are estimated to have been killed at the hands of Chinese “oppressive policies” in Tibet since Mao’s 1950 invasion. “Every year, the human rights abuses inside Tibet continue to worsen … with no sign of a let-up,” Woeser said.

Tibetan Buddhist monks in Shimla performed traditional Cham (Lama Dance) to celebrate the birthday of the Guru Padmasambhava. Scores of monks assembled at Dorjeedak Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Panthaghati near Shimla. Through these rituals, Buddhist monks paid offerings for compassion and world peace. Before the dance performance, the monks and other Tibetan offered prayers for Guru Padmasambhava. The Buddhist monks through Lama Dance enacted the drama of the arrival of the 8 reincarnations of Lord Padmasambhava and welcomed the lord here. This dance is performed with traditional Tibetan musical instruments and monks wear masks and traditional hats and caps. The Buddhist monks here believe that this is performed to pay respect to guru Padmasambhava. The day of the dance performance is celebrated as his birthday. All Buddhist monks pray for the long life of the Dalai Lama and also other high Lamas. Tibetan monks also offer prayers for world peace and perform dances to preserve their centuries-old tradition. "According to the lunar calendar of Tibet, the Birthday of the Guru Rinpoche (Guru Padmasambhava) is celebrated on the 10th day of the 4th month of the Tibetan calendar.  All these Lamas and monks are doing the ritual dance for the offering. We are practising the preaching of the Guru Padmasambhava. We are reminding his teachings and performing rituals and preaching is important for world peace," said Shedup Mipham, a Tibetan Buddhist monk and secretary at Dorjeedak Tibetan Buddhist Monastery. People from the Tibetan community gathered here also to see the rich traditional dances of the Buddhist monks. The local residents of the Tibetan Buddhist community in exile here are pleased to take part in the Buddhist chanting. The local residents of the Tibetan Community here believe that the preaching of the Guru is important in propagating Buddhism and the message of compassion and peace.

The moon of the month of Shawwal has been sighted in Saudi Arabia.  On Friday, April 21, the holy Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated in Saudi Arabia. On Thursday, April 20, Saudi Supreme Court confirmed the matter. Eid Al-Fitr celebrations follow the end of Ramadan which lasts 29 or 30 days based on when the crescent moon is sighted.

Pahela Baishakh. The first day of Bengali new year 1430. Nation is ready to celebrate the day through various bengali cultural rituals.  Pahela Baishakh inspires us to avoid all narrowness and vices. It gives us the inspiration to live with new enthusiasm by removing all the maladies and dilapidations inside our mind.  We are Bengalis, a proud nation in the world. This sense of patriotism and Bengaliness is revived and energized us. Pahela Baishakh is a universal festival for Bengali people. On this day, Bengali people welcomed the new year in a joyful manner. New Year is a symbol of prosperity and new life. Forgetting the sadness of past mistakes and failures, the new year is celebrated with new wishes for happiness, peace and prosperity. The country will celebrate the colorful festival on the first day of Baishakh. The government has taken initiative at the national level to celebrate the 'Bangla New Year 1430'.  Though, due to the ongoing holy month of Ramadan, it will be celebrated on a limited scale. The day is a public holiday.  Organized by by Fine Arts faculty of Dhaka University 'Mangal Shobhajatra' will be celebrated. The Department of Theater and Performance Studies of Dhaka University will celebrate the day through various programmes throughout the day.

Seven months after the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, anti-abortion activists are pushing for stricter limits on the procedure at the state and national level. Thousands of anti-abortion activists gathered in Washington on Friday for the annual "March for Life" rally, seven months after Roe v. Wade was overturned by the nation's top court.  The 1973 decision protected a woman's right to an abortion on a nationwide level. It's reversal sparked an outcry among large swathes of the US public, yet anti-abortion campaigners are demanding stricter restrictions at the state and national levels on the procedure.    "We want it to be unthinkable for a woman to have an abortion," activist Tammy Milligan, who was present at the rally, told AP news agency.  The "March for Life" rally began in 1974 as a challenge to Roe v. Wade. Every January, activists from across the United States have descended upon the capital to urge the Supreme Court justices to reverse that decision, with their wish being granted last year.  Past the high court, they are now setting their sights at the US Capitol, aiming for federal anti-abortion legislation. Abortion opponents urge more restrictions in post-Roe era Carrying banners proclaiming "I demand protection at conception" and "abortion is genocide," the participants at the rally asked for all states to ban abortion at all stages of pregnancy. "I believe that, just like we wouldn't want to murder anybody out here, we wouldn't want to see any of these lives hurt or lost," Rob McNutt, a pastor from Maryland, told Reuters news agency. "We are celebrating the end of Roe, but we still have to convert all people's minds," 61-year-old Barbara Countryman told AFP news agency. "I'll be here every year until I die. It's never going stop — it will always be a battle." The issue is expected to be a focal point of the 2024 presidential elections as anti-abortion activists are screening potential candidates over their opinions on the matter. Newly-elected House Speaker Kevin McCarthy also expressed his support in a statement, affirming that the new Republican majority would assist opponents of abortion rights. "While others raise their voices in rage and hatred, you march with prayers, goodwill, fellowship, compassion, and devotion in defense of the most defenseless in this country," McCarthy said. Biden promises to defend abortion rights The White House, meanwhile, has pledged to protect access to abortion.  US President Joe Biden, on the approaching fiftieth anniversary of the Roe v. Wade ruling, lamented last year's reversal and said, "Never before has the Court taken away a right so fundamental to Americans." "In doing so, it put the health and lives of women across this Nation at risk." His statement said he would keep using his executive power to defend abortion rights and urged the Congress to codify such rights. Since June's reveral of Roe v. Wade, 12 states have implemented complete abortion bans with few exceptions, and two more states have made abortion unavailable, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive rights research and advocacy organization. Several of the bans are now facing legal challenges.

Goal festival, one sided final to the bone-chilling battle. Exciting 120 minutes, repeated twists and turns, nerve-wrecking tiebreaker at the end in a breathless title fight! Lionel Scaloni's Argentina won the title with 100% success. Lionel Messi got the adorable golden trophy. After 36 long years, the whole Argentina is floating with the joy of becoming the World Champion. The city of Buenos Aires is now a festival city. The country's government has also announced a one-day general holiday to celebrate this festival. Lionel Messi returns home with the trophy - this joy to celebrate by the Argentines from today. President Alberto Fernández announces a public holiday in Argentina today. The plane carrying Messi is scheduled to land at 11:30 a.m. Bangladesh time today at Ezeiza International Airport. Fans already have welcomed the world champions. Earlier President Alberto Fernández said in a message on Twitter, "Thanks to the players and the entire team. They set an example that we should not give up, we are great people and have a great future.'' President Fernández  also posted a photo of him celebrating the World Cup win with his wife Fabiola Yáñez and son Francisco. In a second message later on Twitter, Mr. Fernández wrote, 'Always together, always united. We are world champions. There is no other word. Argentine President also posted a photo with this post. Where it can be seen - the star player Lionel Messi is raising the World Cup in Qatar while surrounded by his teammates.