Donald Trump nominates Indian-American as US district judge in Florida
Washington: President Donald Trump has nominated Indian-American Circuit Court Judge Anuraag Singhal as a federal judge in the US state of Florida.
Singhal is among the 17 judiciary nominations sent by the White House to the Senate. If confirmed by the Senate, Singhal would replace Judge James I. Cohn on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
Singhal is the first Indian-American to be nominated to this position in Florida. His confirmation hearing by the Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled for Wednesday.
Singhal, in his mid-50s, currently serves as a Circuit Court Judge for the 17th Judicial Circuit in Broward County, Florida, having been appointed to the bench by then-Governor Rick Scott in 2011.
Before his appointment, Singhal was in private practice in Fort Lauderdale where his practice focused on criminal defense in both the trial courts and courts of appeals, the White House said.
Early in his career, he served as a prosecutor in the Office of the State Attorney. Singhal earned his B.A. from Rice University and his Juris Doctor degree from Wake Forest University School of Law.
In July, the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of South Florida backed Singhal's nomination to the federal district court of Southern Florida.
In a letter to Attorney General William Barr, said Singhal has consistently demonstrated his commitment to service and diversity through his involvement in the legal community, and that he was engaged with other legal and civic organisations to "improve the law, legal system, and the administration of justice."
Singhal's nomination comes days after President Trump nominated prominent Indian-American attorney Shireen Mathews as a judge of the US District Court for the Southern District of California.
If confirmed, Matthews will be the first Asian Pacific American woman and first Indian-American to serve as an Article III federal judge in the Southern District, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) said.
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Thumbay Group begins work on Sharjah’s first private integrated psychiatric, rehabilitation hospital
Sharjah: Thumbay Group has laid the foundation stone for the Thumbay Psychiatric and Rehabilitation Hospital at Sharjah Healthcare City, a 120-bed facility that the company says will be the region’s first private, fully integrated hospital dedicated to psychiatric care, neuro-rehabilitation and addiction recovery.
The groundbreaking ceremony was led by Dr. Abdelaziz Saeed Al Mheiri, who is also a member of the Sharjah Executive Council, in the presence of Dr. Thumbay Moideen.
Spread across 110,000 square feet, the hospital is being developed to address growing demand for specialised mental health and rehabilitation services in the UAE and the wider Gulf region.
The facility will include inpatient and outpatient services in psychiatry, neuro-rehabilitation, addiction treatment, child and adolescent mental health, and care for mood and anxiety disorders. It will also feature VIP inpatient villas designed to provide privacy and support long-term recovery.
A mosque, named the Thumbay Masjid, will be constructed within the campus and will be open to the public.
The hospital is being designed to meet standards for Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), an internationally recognised accreditation system for rehabilitation facilities.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Abdelaziz Saeed Al Mheiri said the project reflects Sharjah’s commitment to strengthening healthcare infrastructure in all aspects of wellbeing.
“Mental health and rehabilitation have long needed dedicated infrastructure, and we are proud to support a private partner whose vision matches the ambition of this Emirate,” he said.
Dr. Thumbay Moideen said the project was a response to a growing need for specialised mental healthcare services in the region.
“We have spent over three decades building healthcare in this region, and the one conversation that has grown louder every year is mental health. Families have been carrying this quietly for too long. This hospital is our answer. It is purpose-built, not retrofitted, and it has been designed around dignity, recovery, and outcomes that families can trust,” he said.
Construction is scheduled to begin in June 2026, and the hospital is expected to become operational by mid-2027.
Once completed, the facility will become part of Thumbay Group’s network of healthcare, education and diagnostic institutions across the UAE.
