The legal team for Badar Khan Suri, a Georgetown University researcher who was detained because of his views on Gaza, is attempting to have his case moved back to Virginia after he was transferred to a detention facility in Texas.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has accused Mr Suri, an Indian citizen studying in the US, of having “close connections to a known or suspected terrorist, who is a senior adviser to Hamas”.
“Conditions are rough,” Mr Suri's lawyer, Hassan Ahmad, told The National in an email. “It's been a challenge getting and scheduling attorney calls, and he spent the Eid holiday in detention as many of the other Muslim students abducted by the administration have done.”
Mr Ahmad said he and others on the legal team filed a motion to transfer the case back to Virginia, where a hearing has been scheduled for April 11. The lawyer also reiterated that the US government has provided no evidence to support its claims leading to Mr Suri's apprehension on March 17 at his Rosslyn, Virginia home.
An assistant to Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said Mr Rubio determined the scholar's activities “rendered him deportable”.
Mr Ahmad said he has been unable to speak to Mr Suri on a secure line, limiting his ability to represent him effectively. “He reiterated that he was grateful for the outpouring of support,” Mr Ahmad said. “Mr Suri was trying to keep his spirits up and he told me he broke fast with four other Muslim detainees he met, but the distance away from his wife and kids and her inability to visit him makes it so much worse.”
According to Mr Ahmad, his client was initially sent to a detention centre in Farmville, Virginia, and then transferred to a prison in Alexandria, Louisiana for several days, before ultimately being moved six hours away to another prison in Prairieland, Texas.
“Despite the federal court order preventing his removal from the US, he is still afraid he may be deported,” Mr Ahmad said last week. “I had to reassure him several times.” Shortly after Mr Suri was detained, Georgetown University in Washington said that it expected the legal system to “adjudicate fairly”.
“We are not aware of him engaging in any illegal activity, and we have not received a reason for his detention,” the university said in a statement. Several days later, Georgetown Dean Joel Hellman issued a lengthier statement, saying that he was deeply concerned about Mr Suri's detention.
“Like many in our community, Dr Suri has been exercising his constitutionally protected rights to express his views on the war in the Middle East. Georgetown has consistently protected such freedoms within the context of our long-standing Speech and Expression Policy,” he said.
Mr Rubio said last week that the State Department had revoked at least 300 visas, many to foreign students, as it cracks down on people who have participated in protests against Israel's war in Gaza. Mr Suri's detention followed a series of arrests by immigration authorities of students involved in pro-Palestine activism, including Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate who has been active in protests.
Lawyers from the ACLU of Virginia have also joined Mr Suri's legal team. “The First Amendment protects the right to free speech of everyone in the US, regardless of their immigration status,” said ACLU of Virginia senior supervising attorney Vishal Agraharkar. “Similar to what’s happening to Mahmoud Khalil, Khan Suri’s unlawful arrest and detention represent a frightening escalation in the Trump administration’s efforts to silence speech of which they are critical.”
Shortly after Mr Suri was detained, DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin claimed in a post on X that Mr Suri was “actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting anti-Semitism on social media”.
Politico reported that Mr Suri's legal team alluded in court to the “Palestinian heritage of his wife”, Mapheze Saleh, a US citizen who is listed as a member of Georgetown's class of 2026, as a motive behind the government's detention of him.
“Mapheze, a first-year student from Gaza, earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism and information at the Islamic University of Gaza, Palestine, and a master’s degree in conflict analysis and peace-building from the Nelson Mandela Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution at Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi, India,” reads a biography of Ms Saleh on Georgetown's Centre for Contemporary Arab Studies website.
In February, Israel's embassy in the US posted on X that Ms Saleh was “the daughter of a Hamas senior adviser”. Students at Georgetown University have protested against Mr Suri's detention in recent weeks, demanding his release from prison and a reversal of the government's deportation efforts.
“Our government abducted a man from his wife and children because one person didn't like the fact that he acknowledged the humanity of Palestinians, and that should shock every single American,” Mr Ahmad said. “According to the immigration charging document, his presence in the United States is bad for foreign policy. If this is the guy our government thinks is a problem, then the problem is the government.”
Despite ample criticism and legal challenges, the Trump administration appears to be undeterred in its efforts to increase deportations.
The Greatest Royal Rumble card as it stands
The Greatest Royal Rumble card as it stands
50-man Royal Rumble - names entered so far include Braun Strowman, Daniel Bryan, Kurt Angle, Big Show, Kane, Chris Jericho, The New Day and Elias
Universal Championship Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
WWE World Heavyweight ChampionshipAJ Styles (champion) v Shinsuke Nakamura
Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe
United States Championship Jeff Hardy (champion) v Jinder Mahal
SmackDown Tag Team Championship The Bludgeon Brothers (champions) v The Usos
Raw Tag Team Championship (currently vacant) Cesaro and Sheamus v Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt
Casket match The Undertaker v Chris Jericho
Singles match John Cena v Triple H
Cruiserweight Championship Cedric Alexander v tba
if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
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Hales' batting career
Tests 11; Runs 573; 100s 0; 50s 5; Avg 27.38; Best 94
ODIs 58; Runs 1,957; 100s 5; 50s 11; Avg 36.24; Best 171
T20s 52; Runs 1,456; 100s 1; 50s 7; Avg 31.65; Best 116 not out
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
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Normcore explained
Something of a fashion anomaly, normcore is essentially a celebration of the unremarkable. The term was first popularised by an article in New York magazine in 2014 and has been dubbed “ugly”, “bland’ and "anti-style" by fashion writers. It’s hallmarks are comfort, a lack of pretentiousness and neutrality – it is a trend for those who would rather not stand out from the crowd. For the most part, the style is unisex, favouring loose silhouettes, thrift-shop threads, baseball caps and boyish trainers. It is important to note that normcore is not synonymous with cheapness or low quality; there are high-fashion brands, including Parisian label Vetements, that specialise in this style. Embraced by fashion-forward street-style stars around the globe, it’s uptake in the UAE has been relatively slow.
Mobile phone packages comparison
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Profile of MoneyFellows
Founder: Ahmed Wadi
Launched: 2016
Employees: 76
Financing stage: Series A ($4 million)
Investors: Partech, Sawari Ventures, 500 Startups, Dubai Angel Investors, Phoenician Fund
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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6 UNDERGROUND
Director: Michael Bay
Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Adria Arjona, Dave Franco
2.5 / 5 stars
Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Essentials
The flights
Whether you trek after mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo, the most convenient international airport is in Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. There are direct flights from Dubai a couple of days a week with RwandAir. Otherwise, an indirect route is available via Nairobi with Kenya Airways. Flydubai flies to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, via Entebbe in Uganda. Expect to pay from US$350 (Dh1,286) return, including taxes.
The tours
Superb ape-watching tours that take in all three gorilla countries mentioned above are run by Natural World Safaris. In September, the company will be operating a unique Ugandan ape safari guided by well-known primatologist Ben Garrod.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, local operator Kivu Travel can organise pretty much any kind of safari throughout the Virunga National Park and elsewhere in eastern Congo.
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
In Search of Mary Shelley: The Girl Who Wrote Frankenstein
By Fiona Sampson
Profile
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The biog
Name: Ayisha Abdulrahman Gareb
Age: 57
From: Kalba
Occupation: Mukrema, though she washes bodies without charge
Favourite things to do: Visiting patients at the hospital and give them the support they need.
Role model: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation and President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood.
UJDA CHAMAN
Produced: Panorama Studios International
Directed: Abhishek Pathak
Cast: Sunny Singh, Maanvi Gagroo, Grusha Kapoor, Saurabh Shukla
Rating: 3.5 /5 stars
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