Latest news with #Baksh
Global News
12-06-2025
- Global News
Unlicensed drunk driver who caused Toronto fatal collision in 2023 pleads guilty
Tara MacMunn walked out of the Superior Courthouse Thursday, surrounded by friends and family who tried to shield her from news cameras. Just minutes earlier, inside a fourth-floor courtroom, the 40-year-old Toronto woman pleaded guilty to an impaired driving charge causing death as the victim's family watched on. MacMunn has been out on bail since April 27, 2023, nine days after a chain-reaction crash which claimed the life of 64-year-old Hazela Baksh. Baksh's family told Global News they've been waiting for justice for more than two years and are anxious to see MacMunn start serving a significant prison sentence. 'It's been hard for not only myself but my whole family. It's very, very hard and hearing her name called today with everything, it just brings back raw emotions,' said Baksh's sister, Hasheda McCade. Story continues below advertisement According to an agreed statement of facts read out in court by assistant Crown attorney Simon King, it was 11:05 p.m. on April 18, 2023, when MacMunn was operating a 2018 Nissan Altima eastbound on Albion Road near Finch Avenue, where the posted speed limit was 50 km/h. At the time, Albion Road was under heavy construction and traffic was reduced to two lanes. MacMunn was travelling eastbound at a high rate of speed approaching Finch Avenue, where several vehicles were slowing or stopped. As she approached the intersection, MacMunn hit a 2014 Toyota RAV 4 being driven by Hazeela Baksh. The impact of the collision was so severe, two other vehicles were also impacted. MacMunn's vehicle continued into the intersection before hitting a concrete barrier. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Baksh was pronounced dead at the scene. MacMunn and a passenger in the front seat were taken to hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries. King said that while in hospital, MacMunn's blood was drawn. A warrant was sought for a sample of blood, which was sent to the Centre for Forensic Sciences (CFS). A toxicology report from CFS concluded that she had 210 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood when the sample was collected, or roughly two and a half times the legal limit. Further inspection by police revealed MacMunn's driver's licence was not valid at the time of the collision. An inspection of the black box from MacMunn's vehicle revealed she was travelling in excess of 110 km/h just prior to the crash. Baksh's vehicle was travelling at 11 km/h when it was rear-ended by the Nissan being driven by MacMunn. Story continues below advertisement Baksh's family said she was returning home from mosque, where she had gone to break the fast for Ramadan at the time she was killed. Her cousin, Fazeena Shabudin, remembered her as a generous, kind, loving person. View image in full screen Hazela Baksh's family outside court on Thursday. Catherine McDonald / Global News The family says a 10-year sentence would be appropriate, though the Crown and defence have yet to indicate what sentence they will be suggesting. 'I feel bad for her children, but she need to know that she did the crime and she need to have the consequences,' said Shabudin. 'My message to everyone out there: please don't drink and drive because you devastate a whole family.' Baksh's nephew echoed those sentiments and urged drivers to plan ahead if they're planning on drinking or using drugs. Story continues below advertisement 'There's Uber. There's Lyft. There's so many options, you know. Have a friend be a designated driver. Just be safe. This doesn't have to happen,' said Yasier Jason Baksh. A sentencing hearing has been set for July, at which time 15 victim impact statements are expected to be heard. The maximum sentence for over 80 mg causing death is life in prison.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Two Brooklyn NYPD officers docked pay for body-worn camera negligence
Two Brooklyn cops have been penalized for not properly categorizing dozens of encounters recorded on their body-worn cameras, according to NYPD documents. Officers Aron Baksh and Berland Prince, partners at the 78th Precinct, which mostly covers Park Slope, each lost five days' pay, according to documents posted online by the NYPD earlier this month. The wrongdoing dates back to February 2022, with the case delayed in part because of COVID. The officers rejected the opportunity to accept a command discipline and opted to go through an administrative trial at One Police Plaza in January. They could have lost 20 days' pay for the charges related to their cameras, the penalty recommended by a department prosecutor, Emily Collins. But an NYPD trial judge, Anne Stone, lowered the penalty to five days after finding the officers guilty, with Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch in March agreeing to the penalty that Stone recommended. Still, Stone was critical of the officers. According to the documents, Baksh and Prince ignored email warnings from supervisors that they faced disciplinary action if they did not correct their mistakes — Baksh 48 times and Prince 44 times failing to properly categorize each video and instead 'bulk categorizing' the footage, meaning the officers in a 'matter of seconds' labeled each of their videos the same way, such as an 'investigative encounter.' Going through each video is more time-consuming, but properly categorizing each one greatly eliminates the possibility that the department will not have access to videos when a case is prosecuted or if a lawsuit is filed. An investigative encounter, for instance, must be retained in the NYPD's cloud-based storage system for 18 months, while an arrest video must be kept for five years, according to NYPD policy. Videos involving murder cases must be kept forever, while those involving the issuance of summonses can be deleted after two years. Baksh testified he didn't think the emails were meant for him, and Prince contended 'he was surprised' to be on the list of officers who needed to fix their mistakes. Stone didn't buy their explanations, saying that if they were 'confused as to what they were doing wrong they should have asked for clarification.' The officers, who were in the same 2010 Police Academy class, refused comment, as did their lawyer, Michael Martinez. Baksh lost 27 other days' pay for other infractions, including working a security job without department approval, being late to a transit post and making logbook errors. Prince lost 12 other days' pay, including for the same transit post infraction and for logbook issues. Stone noted Collins had called for harsher penalties, including asking that both cops be placed on dismissal probation and suspended 30 days with no pay. But neither officer had prior disciplinary issues, Stone said.
Memri
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Memri
Pennsylvania Friday Sermon by Imam Humayun Baksh of Al-Furqaan Foundation: The Quran Is Our Weapon, Our Guidance – Our Goal Is to Place the Quran in Every Home in America
In his May 16, 2025 Friday sermon at the Muslim Association of Lehigh Valley, Imam Humayun Baksh of the Al-Furqaan Foundation described the Quran as both the 'beauty' and the 'weapon' of Muslims. He stated that the Foundation has been distributing English and Spanish translations of the Quran across the United States for the past 21 years, with the goal of placing a copy 'in every home in America,' and to 'spread the streets of America with this book.' Baksh said millions of Qurans have been distributed in prisons, hospitals, hotel rooms, libraries, and colleges. According to a report from 2022, in 2016, the Foundation's Quran distribution arm, the Al-Furqaan Project, received a $1.6 million donation from the RAF Foundation, which is reportedly linked to Qatar's ruling family. Omar Baloch, a scholar in residence at the Al-Furqaan Foundation and instructor at its Furqaan Institute of Quranic Education (FIQE), delivered a Friday sermon at the Furqaan Masjid in February 2024. In previous statements, Baloch has accused Israel of creating global 'disorder' on behalf of 'the bankers' (January 2024). In 2020, he interviewed Omar Zaid, who claimed that Zionists and the British Empire are controlled by 'high-degree Satanic magi,' that former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is a 'High Priest member' of the Jewish Sanhedrin, and that the Jewish intelligentsia serve the cause of evil.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Sum 41's Dave Baksh was his 'own worst enemy' after his testicular cancer diagnosis
Sum 41's Dave Baksh recalls feeling the crushing weight of thinking he'd lose everything in his life after his cancer diagnosis. For someone so rooted in his community, receiving the dreaded news about his health was a fear that ultimately led to a breaking point. "It was at that moment that I took a second to put my head above water and realize that I'm surrounded by a very, very high amount of positivity and good people," the lead guitarist of the long-running pop-punk band from Ajax, Ont., shared. "That was the moment where I was like, 'Whoa, whoa, whoa. I could lose all of this.' I definitely broke down, cried and quickly tried to remind myself ... 'stay positive.'" This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact a qualified medical professional before engaging in any physical activity, or making any changes to your diet, medication or lifestyle. Back in early 2022, Baksh was gearing up for a co-headlining tour with his bandmates and fellow Canadian artists Simple Plan. Hitting the road with his friends was an exciting project at the time, after the COVID-19 pandemic prevented the "In Too Deep" hitmakers from touring for two years. But that February, the then-41-year-old musician found a lump on his testicle that was presenting differently than something like a cyst or lump of fat. He recalled it appearing that one day and then disappearing the next in a "day on, day off" pattern. That was until it reappeared for a couple of days in a row, which made him suspicious and led him to call his family doctor in Whitby, Ont. Within a week, he met with Oshawa, Ont.-based urologist Dr. Arun Mathur and immediately talked about booking a surgery. "I think just hearing 'cancer' is an alarming thing," Baksh added. "But the doctor was really, really quick to reassure me that, essentially to quote him, 'This is winning the lottery as far as cancers go.'" Luckily, Baksh said his journey with testicular cancer was "really quick" and he emphasized how he had no discomfort about discussing his health with his medical professionals. Chemotherapy was also not required since his testicle was being removed; surgeons couldn't try removing the tumour at the risk of cutting it and allowing the cancer to spread in his system. "The only alarming thing that happened during this whole process was that, as I was about to go to sleep for the operation, I heard the anesthesiologist was a big fan, so I was like, 'Oh my God, I've got no bottoms on,'" Baksh, now 44, joked. Despite being surrounded by a circle of loved ones and having a relatively fast cancer experience, there were still moments for Baksh that weren't as seemingly easy going. Internal struggles came in the midst of his diagnosis, where he began running laps around unanswerable questions like "what did I do wrong?" and "what did I do to contribute to this?" I was my own worst enemy upon the Baksh of Sum 41 Those intrusive thoughts would strike a chord at various points throughout his day, from leaving a medical appointment to lying in bed at night with his fiancée, Kendra. He'd ponder over the sole idea of having the disease, and worried about falling in the small percentage of people who unfortunately don't survive testicular cancer. "The emotions that went through me at that moment were similar to accepting death in other situations that I've been in in my entire life," he noted. "It's not an easy thing to go through, but I do think that emotionally, I came out stronger because of it." According to the Canadian Cancer Society, survival varies depending on the stage of testicular cancer, but the earlier it's diagnosed and treated, the better the outcome. In Canada, it's estimated that 1,300 men were diagnosed with testicular cancer last year, with roughly 30 dying from the disease. However, it's believed around 97 per cent of people who receive a testicular diagnosis will survive for at least five years. Baksh's diagnosis also came on the heels of his mother going through her own experience with cancer. Around eight months prior to his health news, his mom learned she had been living with breast cancer. "I was more scared for my mom than anything else." At the time, his mother was set to repatriate back to Guyana to be with his father, but her diagnosis forced the delay of those plans. In late 2021, she received the news she was cancer-free and "couldn't book her ticket fast enough" back home, Baksh shared. "It was kind of scary thinking about the prospect of losing my mom to something that was out of our control. It scared me a lot for her," he recalled. "But the same way she sprung to my aid when I was diagnosed, I think the same thing just happened to me. We're a family of nurturing people." That sense of care and love for other people — even those who are strangers — is seemingly at Baksh's core of being human. Then, seeing that support reflected back towards him essentially acts as fuel to help Baksh thrive. "Through my ability to lean on my friends and just get that emotional support of 'whatever you need, whatever can do, we got you,' and then to have something as big as the Canadian Cancer Society do the same thing for me. For a person like me, that's important, because I come from not only a career that relies on community but I'm also a person that thrives on community," he noted. Connecting with community and supporting others was a key part of his experience while participating in Relay For Life, an annual Canadian Cancer Society fundraising event that he and his partner plan to attend again this June in downtown Toronto. Baksh first took part the summer after his diagnosis in 2022, and walking the victory lap amongst other cancer survivors was a moment he recalled as being powerful. "We got to walk around the track and experience that same type of feeling through community from people we don't even know. Just walking around the track being clapped for — it was really moving. ... To be there in support of people in remission, cancer-free, surviving, it was a very special moment and something that I'll remember," Baksh shared, Cancer is something that half of the people in Canada are expected to be diagnosed with — this is wild to me. ... I'm glad to be part of Baksh of Sum 41 When the Canadian Cancer Society reached out to Baksh asking him to share his story back around the time of his diagnosis in 2022, he remembered feeling a bit of guilt because he didn't necessarily experience any hardship. "I had a little bit of imposter syndrome at first, but I think because my story was over so quickly, I think it was important to get it out there." After hearing from the organization, he realized this was his chance to do something that could benefit someone experiencing a similar situation. "I was like, 'Yeah, I could probably do something positive for people going through the same diagnosis I went through,'" he said, urging anyone with testicles to regularly check themselves to ensure they're fine. "Just go take care of it — just go." Baksh reflected on the prominence of cancer in Canada, where it's estimated nearly one in two Canadians are expected to hear the words "you have cancer" in their lifetime. He said he's glad an organization like the Canadian Cancer Society exists for people surviving the disease. April is also Daffodil Month, which is the organization's initiative — using the flower as a symbol of hope — to raise funds, awareness and support for people impacted by cancer. Baksh urged people to recognize the importance of uplifting charities like the Canadian Cancer Society: "This is a society that is changing cancer and has changed the lives of people dealing with cancer." Additionally, he hopes one of the messages people take away is that there's no use shying away from seeking a health-care provider's help when necessary. "It is so much easier and better to do in person, especially if we're talking about finding a lump somewhere or not feeling right," he said. "It's important and it's up to you to get diagnosed and to be preventative. Otherwise, you may be sitting with something in your body that could eventually kill you — and that's not worth it for you or the people around you that love you."
Khaleej Times
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Khaleej Times
Afghan musicians face peril as refugees forced out of Pakistan
Ustad Nadeem Baksh, a classical singer from Afghanistan, paid Pakistani police a bribe to avoid deportation after law enforcement raided his home in the city of Rawalpindi. But he worries the bribe of 50,000 rupees, or about $175, has only bought the family of 14 a limited amount of time. "I don't know how long we will be safe here before we are forced to move to another city — or back to Afghanistan," Baksh told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone from his rented two-room home in Peshawar, near the Afghan border, where his family relocated after the raid last month. Baksh is one of thousands of Afghan refugees in Pakistan who have gone into hiding or are preparing to leave after the Pakistani government on March 7 ordered Afghans without official permission to stay to leave the country by the end of the month. But, the government postponed the March 31 deadline due to Eid Al Fitr holidays, a government official said on Tuesday. Afghan musicians have faced the ire of the Taliban, which follows a hardline interpretation of Islam, since it seized power in 2021. Music has been banned, and the authorities have destroyed instruments, closed music schools and assaulted musicians. They now fear imprisonment or violence if sent back. Since the start of this year, more than 1,000 Afghans have been detained and more than 20,000 forced to leave Pakistan, according to Moniza Kakar, a Karachi-based human rights lawyer and head of the Joint Action Committee on Afghan Refugees. Pakistan treats Afghan refugees like a "political football" to pressure the Afghan government, Kakar said. "Their stay in Pakistan depends on the political climate," she said. "When relations are good, Pakistan extends kindness, even allowing refugees to open bank accounts, regardless of documentation. "But when tensions rise between the two countries, they're mercilessly used as pawns." About 3 million Afghans, half of whom are officially designated as refugees, now live in Pakistan, according to the UN refugee agency UNHCR. That figure also includes 800,000 Afghan Citizens Cardholders, who have temporary residency in Pakistan, while the remaining 700,000 people are undocumented migrants. An estimated 600,000 Afghans arrived in Pakistan since 2021, the UNHCR has said, citing Pakistani government data. Some 850,000 Afghans have left Pakistan since the government introduced the Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Programme in 2023, said Qaiser Khan Afridi, a UNHCR spokesman based in Islamabad. Most of the returnees lacked the documentation to reside in Pakistan, he added. The UNHCR has said it is "seeking clarity" on the latest deportation programme, while rights groups including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have said refugees will face persecution if they are forced back to Afghanistan. 'HUMILIATING' The Interior Ministry and the Information Ministry did not respond to requests for comment on the repatriation programme. For Baksh, 52, returning home would mean quitting a generations-old tradition of music. He belongs to the Patiala gharana style of Hindustani singing that was founded by one of his forebears, Ali Baksh Khan, in the 19th century. "Music is in our blood," he said. In 2022, the Taliban raided Baksh's home and destroyed his instruments, then jailed and beat him and his sons. "It was humiliating," Baksh said. "We were told to abandon music and sell vegetables on a pushcart instead." The Taliban's prohibition of music and art stems from its claim they cause moral corruption. After fleeing Afghanistan, Baksh and his family lived without visas, which would have cost the family more than $1,000, including the fees demanded by agents, said Nazim Baksh, Nadeem's 24-year-old son and a tabla drum player. "We don't even have enough for our rent and food, let alone money for our visas," said Nazim. Since the crackdown on Afghan refugees, Nadeem Baksh said he no longer is able to make music. "I need peace to do that," he said. FEAR FOR LIFE Mohammad Yaser Howayda, 26, and his family of four fled to Pakistan in 2022 after he was jailed and assaulted for being at a party where friends were playing music. His family's sole breadwinner, Howayda had already lost his income as a teacher at his small music school when the Taliban destroyed its instruments in 2021. Howayda fears he could be killed if he returns to Afghanistan. "They despise me because I'm Hazara, a Shia minority known for our art, music, and dance - everything the Taliban considers haram," or forbidden, he said. Hazaras have faced persecution in Afghanistan for more than a century, including by the Taliban when it was in power in the 1990s. Since its return, more than 700 Hazaras have been killed in attacks claimed by an Islamic State affiliate in Afghanistan, Human Rights Watch has said. Mohammad Suhail Shaheen, a spokesman for the Taliban, said Hazaras had no reason to fear the administration. Hazaras "can live normal lives like other Afghans," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. But he reiterated the Taliban position that "music is prohibited in Islam" and suggested musicians "pursue other occupations to contribute to the country." Once in Islamabad, Howayda began teaching lessons in guitar and dombra, the long-necked stringed instrument played by Hazaras. That has all but come to end, save for a few online classes he continues to give. His students, most of them fellow Afghans, have abandoned their lessons since Pakistan began its crackdown on migrants, with many either deported or detained or afraid to come out of hiding, Howayda said. Howayda has also struggled to secure the paperwork necessary to remain in Pakistan, but in the current climate in Pakistan, he questioned if a visa is still a guarantee of protection. "You cannot even imagine what it's like to be living in constant fear of being deported," he said. "If you take away music from me, it will be like taking my soul away."
