'Rainwater tax' has left thousands of organisations with crippling bills forcing them to cut back or face closure.

Water companies will be allowed to offer concessionary rates to charities and sports clubs under a change in the law to be announced today by Hilary Benn, the environment secretary.

Thousands of groups including voluntary organisations, places of worship, football clubs and tennis clubs reacted angrily after a new "rainwater tax" introduced in April 2008 left them with crippling bills that forced them to cut back on their activities or face closure. The water companies complained that they were unable to offer discounts to charities under laws that ban them from subsidising one group of customers at the expense of another.

Isaar Trust, supported by Thinkers Forum and in partnership with numerous other organisations/individuals, joined an aid convoy which travelled from Britain to Palestine on 14th February 2009 through countries which included France, Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, through Rafah border, and arrived into Gaza on Monday 9th March where it was greeted warmly by thousands of Palestinian civilians. It brought material aid i.e. food, shelter, clothing, medical supplies and other humanitarian goods to the oppressed people of Gaza.

An attempt to steal £1.2million from a bank was foiled after police used a Scouting handbook to crack the thieves’ intricate code.

As part of the ongoing process of raising the educational standards within rural and urban areas in developing countries such as Pakistan, a seminar was held in Attowala, Tehsil Kharian on Sunday 30^th November. The seminar brought together educationalists from various sectors of society, both the private and public sector, with a variance of experiences and viewpoints. They highlighted the need for our communities to work together in order to resolve the common problems within our education system, and to work towards medium-long term solutions in the region.

As part of the ongoing exercise of developing young people intellectually, spiritually, socially and physically the girls scouting has embarked upon a wide range of activities, which have included to date visits to the library, cultural and heritage awareness, ten-pin bowling, eid party, visits to other faith places of worship e.g. churches, etc, visits to the fire station, sleepovers, and international food tasting event.

Scouting especially Muslim scouting represents an excellent opportunity to develop young people through a balanced programme of physical and social activities, which allows them to 'learn through fun' whilst retaining their identity and cultural heritage.

On 16-17 May 2008 ICYF-DC and ISESCO held the OIC inter-governmental Meeting of high-level experts in the Istanbul Headquarters.

Thinkers Forum compiled a draft report on the "Massacres perpetrated against Muslim Communities throughout the 20th century" which was presented as a working paper for the OIC Inter-governmental Meeting of Experts. The report is to be commissioned as ICYF-DC official document and to analyze the common patterns behind the massacres, the impacts of these events on the general mindset of the Muslim communities and the historic lessons to be drawn out of them.

OIC Youth Conference - Meeting The Challenges, Making The Changes

"Iqraa" The First Islamic Youth Leadership Forum is a comprehensive youth leadership training program jointly organized by Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) represented by Iqraa Organization for Human Relations (IOHR) and Islamic Conference Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation (ICYF-DC), and was held in Cairo, Egypt between 28 May - 6 June 2008. 

The programme aimed to provide high-level comprehensive training and intellectual development of the best representatives of youth of the OIC countries. About 60 participants from the youth organizations of OIC countries attended the Programme. 

As part of the ongoing process rewarding hardwork, success and attainment the annual 'Thinkers Forum Youth Awards' and 'Isaar Trust Education Awards' were presented to deserving young people in the Tehsil Kharian area in Pakistan. A ceremony was held on 23rd November 2008 at Yasin Public School in Tehsil Kharian, Pakistan which was attended by children, parents and the community and prizes were distributed.

The news of Scouting’s biggest growth in 22 years was a major news topic yesterday, even making the chimes of ITN News. As such, a team of young people and volunteers, including Chief Scout Peter Duncan, spent a busy day being interviewed by various national newspapers, TV channels and radio stations.