No Javed Akhtar To Bring Javed Akhtar To Kolkata, Defeat Islamists: Exiled Bangladeshi Author Taslima Nasreen
New Age Islam News Bureau
03 September 2025
Taslima Nasreen stated how Javed Akhtar now faces the same silencing he once helped her fight. (Image: PTI)
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· No Javed Akhtar To Bring Javed Akhtar To Kolkata, Defeat Islamists: Exiled Bangladeshi Author Taslima Nasreen
· You Don’t See Encroachment Elsewhere? Why Only Mazars, Dargahs?: Delhi HC Questions NGO, Save India Foundation
· Five Years After Markaz Nizamuddin Head Maulana Saad Kandhalvi Faced Covid FIR, Probe Finds ‘Nothing Objectionable’
· US Hindu Group Seeks Trade Adviser Peter Navarro Scalp Over ‘Hinduphobic’ Remarks On PM Modi And Caste
· Why Enforcement Of The Israeli Arrest Warrants Is Vital For ICC’s Credibility
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India
· Muslim Community In Ambala Extends Helping Hand To Flood-Hit Punjab
· Islamic Centre Of India, Lucknow Issues Advisory For Peaceful Conduct Of Milad Un Nabi Events
· ‘Your Govt Should Have Stepped In’ : Civil Society To Bengal CM As Urdu Academy Rolls Back Invite To Javed Akhtar
· TMC, Congress, CPM Slam Modi Govt’s CAA Tweak As Bid To Alter Bengal’s Demography
· Army Releases Video To Debunk Trump Claims On Brokering Pakistan Ceasefire
· SHO Among 10 Cops Suspended In UP For Trying To ‘Cover Up’ Beef Smuggling Case
· BJP’s Nishikant Dubey withdraws death threat case after probe finds ‘conspiracy to frame’ Muslims
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North America
· At NatCon, a confusing resurgence of anti-Muslim sentiment
· Police appeal for info after more anti-Muslim graffiti found along Ajax waterfront trail
· CAIR Expresses Solidarity with European Counter-Islamophobia Group Targeted by French Authorities
· CAIR Says Islamophobia in Europe ‘Spinning Out of Control’ After Murder of Muslim Woman in Germany, Fire at Mosque in Spain
· CAIR Welcomes Charges for Hoax Bomb Threat Falsely Blamed on Islamic Centre in Chattanooga
· We Knew The Racism Against Zohran Mamdani Would Get Weird — And Here We Are
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Mideast
· Photos in Gaza City, where the beach offers fleeting respite as war and famine grind on
· Yemen’s Houthi-run Foreign Ministry says UN should not shield espionage activities
· Tunisia sees European tourist numbers rebound decade after attack
· Syria Kurds say they thwarted escape bid from camp for Daesh families
· Israeli forces seize seven people from Syria: state media
· At least 21,000 children disabled in Gaza war: UN committee
· Israelis stage a ‘day of disruption’ as more strikes hit Gaza City
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Europe
· Spence Hopes To Inspire As First Muslim England Player
· Stockport Mosque In 'Message Of Unity' After England Flags Cover Streets
· Imam charged after children married in mosque
· EU to vote on South America trade deal with safeguards for farmers
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Africa
· Fatwa House Calls On Authorities To Revoke Pepsi’s License In Libya
· Boko Haram Blind To Faith, Targets All — Ndume
· Boko Haram Targets Both Christians, Muslims – Ndume Warns
· About 100 bodies recovered from landslide-hit village in Sudan’s Darfur as pope urges help
· Probe begins after killing of worshipper in Kwara mosque
· I Tried To Broker Peace Between Ganduje And Kwankwaso – Jibrin
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South Asia
· Purbachal Plot Scam: Court Refuses To Hear Plea For Defending Hasina
· Afghanistan, Iran Explore Deeper Economic Cooperation
· Kunar Quake Casualties Update: Over 1,450 Dead, 3,390 Injured, Fitrat
· Calligraphy, Handwriting Exhibition Opens in Ghazni
· Over 2,700 Afghan Families Return Home From Iran, Pakistan
· Resistance and Inclusion: Muhammad’s Legacy for Justice in Myanmar
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Arab World
· Saudi Arabia’s Masam project removes 968 mines in Yemen
· Saudi literature commission represents Kingdom at Moscow International Book Fair
· Saudi crown prince discusses developments in Gaza with Netherlands PM
· Leading UK school partners with Saudi platform to open Riyadh campus
· Saudi Arabia emerges as global AI leader in 6 years
· DCO chief meets Palestinian, Syrian ministers in Riyadh
· Al-Ahsa exhibition promotes innovation, investment opportunities in lime industry
· Palestine tops agenda as Saudi crown prince meets UAE president in Riyadh
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Southeast Asia
· Divorced But Together: Johor Couple Face Jail After Laundry Excuse Falls Flat
· PAS Leader Pulls Out Of Race For Key Post In Malaysia Islamist Party - What Are The Political Implications?
· Anwar says Proton’s new e.MAS5 EV will be priced for middle-income Malaysians
· Sarawak indigenous groups appeal to UNESCO over dam project
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/kolkata-islamists-javed-akhtar-bangladeshi/d/136718
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No Javed Akhtar To Bring Javed Akhtar To Kolkata, Defeat Islamists: Exiled Bangladeshi Author Taslima Nasreen
Sep 4, 2025
Taslima Nasreen stated how Javed Akhtar now faces the same silencing he once helped her fight. (Image: PTI)
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"Today, however, there is no Javed Akhtar to bring Javed Akhtar to Kolkata and defeat the fundamentalists." With this statement, exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen summed up a bitter irony. Akhtar, the poet and lyricist, who once stood guard for her freedom of expression against extremist threats now faces the same silencing himself with no one to stand up for him. The West Bengal government's Urdu Academy called off an event in Kolkata under pressure from Islamist groups objecting to Akhtar's presence as the chief guest.
Taslima Nasreen has been living in exile since 1994 after multiple fatwas and threats to her life from Islamic fundamentalists in Bangladesh. The writer, who has authored books documenting the plight of women and minorities in Bangladesh, including Lajja and Nirbachito Column, has been a vocal critic of Islamists.
She is among the few people who have spoken against the abject surrender of the Bengal government to Islamist groups in the Javed Akhtar case.
The Mamata Banerjee government-run Urdu Academy had planned a four-day literary festival, Urdu in Hindi Cinema, from August 31 to September 3, celebrating the language’s imprint on Indian cinema through discussions, poetry recitations, and cultural performances.
Javed Akhtar, widely regarded as one of the country’s most celebrated screenwriters and lyricists, was invited to preside over a mushaira on September 1 as the festival’s chief guest.
But the announcement of his participation triggered immediate protests. Several Islamist organisations such as the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind and the Wahyahin Foundation denounced the decision, accusing Akhtar of "speaking against religion and God" and threatening to take to the streets if his invitation was not withdrawn.
Faced with the prospect of unrest, the Urdu Academy announced that the festival would be "postponed due to unavoidable circumstances."
NO JAVED AKHTAR FOR JAVED AKHTAR: TASLIMA NASREEN
Recalling her own experience, Taslima Nasreen wrote: "In 2000, I was supposed to attend the launch of my book in Mumbai, translated into Marathi. At that time, Muslim fundamentalists in Mumbai declared that if I set foot in the city, the airport would be burned down. To avoid trouble, I didn’t want to go to Mumbai."
Javed Akhtar had asked Nasreen to go ahead with her event and had even gone to the airport to receive her along with Shabana Azmi, Mahesh Bhatt, and Marathi publisher Ashok Sahanie.
"He was the one who urged the government to arrange heavy security for me. Section 144 was in force that day. The fundamentalists who tried to cause havoc were arrested. That day, they realized that in a democratic country, religious violence against free expression cannot prevail," she noted.
Javed Akhtar also spoke on the controversy.
"For all my life, I have faced this backlash for things I believe and speak. I am an atheist. This is nothing new to me. Both Hindu and Muslim fundamentalist groups say I am speaking against their religions," Akhtar told The Hindu on September 2.
He said he was deeply saddened by the protests in Kolkata, admitting he never thought the city would react so harshly. Still, he remarked, imperfections exist everywhere: "Daagtohchaandmeinbhihai".
As for Nasreen, she stated how there was no Javed Akhtar to "bring Javed Akhtar to Kolkata and defeat the fundamentalists".
"In Kolkata today, there is no one to speak out loudly for freedom of expression, secularism, and democracy. Just as their lips were sealed when I was forced out of Kolkata, their lips remain sealed now when Javed Akhtar is being barred from entering the city," she added.
Source: indiatoday.in
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/javed-akhtar-bengal-kolkata-defeat-islamists-taslima-nasreen-mumbai-fundamentalists-heres-how-2781837-2025-09-04
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You Don’t See Encroachment Elsewhere? Why Only Mazars, Dargahs?: Delhi HC Questions NGO, Save India Foundation
Sohini Ghosh
September 3, 2025
The bench of C J Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, without delving into the merits of the case, disposed of the matter with a direction to the authorities to decide on the foundation’s representation expeditiously. (Source: File)
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Dismissing a petition by an NGO seeking removal of alleged illegal encroachment on the Yamuna floodplains — including a Mazar and three Dargahs — the Delhi High Court on Wednesday questioned the bonafide of the NGO, remarking why it has selectively been seeking removal of Dargahs and Mazars.
The registered trust, Save India Foundation, through its founder, Preet Singh, claims to be working on “raising issues for the enforcement of rights” of citizens.
In 2022, the NGO and Singh were booked by the Delhi Police for an alleged hate speech at the ‘Hindu Mahapanchayat’ organised at a ground in Burari. A key accused in the FIR is Dasna Devi temple head priest Yati Narsinghanand. Singh was also the organiser of an event held at Jantar Mantar in 2021, where anti-Muslim slogans were allegedly raised.
Highlighting that the construction is on public land of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department of the Delhi government, the PIL specifically lists three dargahs and one mazar as unauthorised encroachments while alleging that “a large chunk of land belonging to the government has been encroached upon by land mafia through pseudo religious structures”.
The mazar is in Budh Vihar Phase 2, and the three dargahs in Rohtak Road, Seelampur and Burari.
Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya, at the outset, questioned the bonafide of the petitioner. “Aap chunchunkeyehkahan se le aatehai, dargah? Aur kahinpe encroachment nahidikhayideta? (How do you selectively bring forth these petitions of dargahs allegedly encroaching? Do you not see other encroachments?) Why are you identifying only mazars?”
The organisation’s counsel, Umesh Sharma, responded, “There are temples in this encroachment, (but) I’m not targeting them…”
C J Upadhyaya responded orally, “We are on your bonafide… This must be the 5th or 6th petition entertained by this bench where you’re seeking the removal of mazars. Please let us be clear, do not take it to that dimension… We are not even suggesting remotely that this structure is lawful… but why specifically mazars?… If you actually want to serve the public, there are many other ways… (not) only by seeking removal of such structures… please ask your foundation to do something more than what they are doing… Please advise your foundation to do some better public work.”
The bench of C J Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, without delving into the merits of the case, disposed of the matter with a direction to the authorities to decide on the foundation’s representation expeditiously.
In July, the High Court had disposed of another PIL by the trust. The NGO had claimed there were alleged encroachments on two plots of land — measuring 4,000 sqm — meant for a graveyard and burial/cremation ground in Bawana. The trust had also opposed a proposal to change the land use from ‘green area’ to ‘graveyard and burial/cremation ground’.
In April, disposing of a PIL by the NGO alleging encroachment by a mosque and shops on MCD school land in Wazirpur, the HC had directed the civic body to treat the petition as a representation and check the veracity of the claims.
This year alone, the foundation has filed 20 petitions before the HC — most of them dealing with alleged encroachments in Delhi. Nearly a dozen petitions filed over the past few years are still pending before the HC.
Source: indianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/delhi-hc-questions-ngo-mazars-encroachment-yamuna-floodplains-10227883/
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Five Years After Markaz Nizamuddin Head Maulana Saad Kandhalvi Faced Covid FIR, Probe Finds ‘Nothing Objectionable’
Mahender Singh Manral
September 4, 2025
The Tablighi Jamaat’s headquarters at Nizamuddin in New Delhi. (Express Archives: Amit Mehra)
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More than five years after Markaz Nizamuddin head Maulana Mohd Saad Kandhalvi and others were accused of spreading Covid by organising an international congregation in Delhi, the current investigation officer from the Delhi Police Crime Branch has informed seniors that “nothing objectionable” was found in Saad’s speeches recovered from his laptop, The Indian Express has learnt.
On March 31, 2020, an FIR was lodged against Saad and others for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, based on a complaint filed by the then SHO of Hazrat Nizamuddin police station, who alleged that “an audio recording, purportedly by Saad, was found in circulation on WhatsApp on March 21, 2020, in which the speaker was heard asking his followers to defy the lockdown and social distancing, and to attend the religious gathering of the Markaz”.
According to sources, the current investigation officer has informed his seniors at the Delhi Police headquarters that Saad has not joined the investigation so far. “A laptop and some electronic equipment were deposited in the FSL (forensic science laboratory) to extract data, and that is still awaited. Speeches of Saad were stored in the laptop, which were analysed earlier during the investigation, and nothing objectionable was found in them,” a senior officer said, citing the investigation report.
Last month, the Delhi High Court ruled that merely living in a markaz did not amount to a violation of government-issued prohibitory orders curtailing movement during the onset of the pandemic. It said this while quashing 16 FIRs and consequent chargesheets against 70 Indians associated with the Tablighi Jamaat.
The Jamaat, an international Islamic religious group, was accused of spreading Covid by organising an international congregation in Delhi, at the Nizamuddin Markaz, between March 13 and 15.
A total of 952 foreign nationals, belonging to 36 countries, were charge-sheeted. “Forty-eight chargesheets and 11 supplementary chargesheets were filed in the court on May 26, 27 and 28, 2020, and June 19, 2020,” an officer said.
During the trial, 44 accused foreign nationals opted to face trial, while 908 pleaded guilty and paid fines ranging from Rs 4,000 to Rs 10,000.
When contacted, the then Delhi Police Commissioner, S N Shrivastava, said, “After superannuation four years ago, I am not connected with the investigation anymore.”
Queries sent to the Special Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) and the Delhi Police spokesperson for a comment did not elicit a response.
Source: indianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/5-years-after-markaz-head-faced-covid-fir-probe-finds-nothing-objectionable-10228968/
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US Hindu Group Seeks Trade Adviser Peter Navarro Scalp Over ‘Hinduphobic’ Remarks On PM Modi And Caste
Anita Joshua
04.09.25
Peter Navarro.
Reuters
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A US-based Hindu advocacy group has called for the dismissal of President Donald Trump’s trade adviser Peter Navarro for “his deeply inappropriate and Hinduphobic reference to caste and his portrayal of India’s Prime Minister in a sacred act of Hindu prayer”.
The group said that such comments from someone high up in the administration empower the worst elements and show up in classrooms, hiring panels and temple vandalism.
American Hindus Against Defamation (AHAD), a watchdog group operating under the larger organisation HinduPACT (Hindu Policy Research and Advocacy Collective), protested Navarro’s remarks in an interview with Fox News earlier this week in which he said: “I would simply say this to Indian people to understand what is going on here. You have got Brahmins profiteering at the expense of the Indian people, and we want that to stop.”
Navarro, Trump’s senior counsellor for trade and manufacturing, has been ranting against India’s decision to continue buying Russian oil and thereby funding its war on Ukraine, even calling it “Modi’s war”.
Last week, Navarro made a series of posts criticising India’s refusal to stop buying Russian oil and used a picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi meditating in saffron robes in a post, upsetting many believers who saw it as a slight to Hinduism.
“Navarro’s rhetoric constitutes not only a cultural violation but also a reckless provocation that endangers the dignity of over a billion Hindus and threatens the foundational relationship between the two largest democracies,” AHAD said.
Stating that this is beneath the diplomatic dignity of the US, Ajay Shah of HinduPACT, said: “This is not foreign policy. It’s weaponised Hinduphobia.”
Source: telegraphindia.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/us-hindu-group-seeks-peter-navarro-scalp-over-hinduphobic-remarks-on-prime-minister-narendra-modi-and-caste-prnt/cid/2121160
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Why enforcement of the Israeli arrest warrants is vital for ICC’s credibility
JONATHAN LESSWARE
September 03, 2025
Palestinians displaced by the Israeli military offensive, shelter in tents near the rubble of houses in Jabalia refugee camp, in the northern Gaza Strip, May 8, 2025. (REUTERS)
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LONDON: When German authorities arrested Libyan war crimes suspect Khaled Mohamed Ali Al-Hishri at Berlin Brandenburg Airport, the operation was widely praised as a breakthrough for the International Criminal Court.
As a senior member of the Special Deterrence Forces militia, El-Hishri is accused of murdering, torturing, and raping detainees at Tripoli’s notorious Mitiga prison between 2015 and 2020.
His arrest in July not only brought hope of justice for victims of war crimes in Libya. It marked a rare win for the ICC, with one of its key member states cooperating in the arrest and handover of a suspect for trial at The Hague.
Just a few days earlier, major European powers had another opportunity to deliver a suspected war criminal to the ICC.
Yet this time, despite traveling to Hungary before jetting off through the airspaces of Greece, Italy, and France on his way to the US, not a finger was lifted in the pursuit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The discrepancy in the approach to these two ICC arrest warrants cuts to the heart of a crisis threatening the legal institution designed to hold to account those behind some of the world’s most appalling atrocities.
Countries that signed up to the international treaty that created the ICC are increasingly failing to fulfill their legal obligations to it.
More and more, they are picking and choosing what their obligations are based on political winds, severely undermining its power to provide international justice.
“When member states fail to execute ICC arrest warrants, the damage to the court’s credibility and to international law is profound,” Mark Ellis, executive director of the International Bar Association, told Arab News.
“The ICC has no enforcement mechanisms of its own and relies entirely on state cooperation. Non-execution, particularly in high-profile cases, signals that political considerations can override binding legal obligations.”
The fading cooperation of member states at the ICC is one of several major, intertwined challenges facing the institution.
Last month, the Trump administration sparked outcry when it imposed a third round of sanctions on ICC officials, including two judges and two prosecutors.
The US, which is not a member of the ICC, said the action was because of the court’s attempts to prosecute Americans and Israelis.
It is all a far cry from the optimism surrounding the UN-organized conference in Italy in July 1998 that led to 60 nations ratifying the Rome Statute. That international treaty led to the establishment of the ICC four years later.
The idea for a permanent court to investigate genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes had been floated since the end of the Second World War.
In the 1990s, individual tribunals were set up to investigate atrocities committed during conflicts in Rwanda and the Balkans, but momentum gathered around a more efficient permanent court that would act as a stronger deterrent.
The court, based in The Hague in The Netherlands, now has 125 state parties, but crucially dozens remain outside. Along with the US, these include India, China, and Russia.
By its nature, the court has often been heavily criticized. Non-members argue that the ICC’s authority would challenge their sovereignty, while others claim the court is not powerful enough.
Perhaps the most longstanding criticism has been that the court disproportionately targets Africa, while failing to take action against figures from the West involved in conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Of the more than 60 arrest warrants issued by the court, the vast majority have been for people from the African continent. Only 22 of those warrants have been successfully executed.
The most prominent figures now on the ICC’s wanted list include Russian President Vladimir Putin, Sudan’s former president Omar Bashir, and, of course, Netanyahu.
Perhaps the biggest impairment for the court is that it has no power of enforcing its decisions. Instead, it depends upon member states to carry out the arrest of those it seeks to prosecute.
According to international law experts, ICC member states are increasingly failing to honor their obligations — something that has been starkly highlighted since Israel began military operations in Gaza in October 2023.
In November 2024, the court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former defense minister Yoav Gallant for the war crime of starvation and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and “other inhumane acts.”
Despite this, the Israeli prime minister made a four day visit to Budapest in April, which included flights over other European member states.
Another Libyan wanted by the ICC also managed to evade the court when he was released by Italy in January, just days after his arrest, and flown back to his home country.
OssamaAnjiem, known as Ossama Al-Masri, is also accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity for his role running detention centers in Libya.
Rome’s court of appeals said there had been a procedural error in his arrest, which took place after he managed to attend a Juventus-AC Milan football match within days of the ICC warrant being issued.
His release sparked an angry response, with critics pointing out Italy’s reliance on the internationally recognized Libyan government to stem the flow of migrants across the Mediterranean to Italian ports.
Al-Masri’s alleged crimes were committed in the same Tripoli prison where many migrants have been detained and where Al-Hishri is accused of carrying out his crimes.
Al-Masri went free while Al-Hishri went to The Hague. And Netanyahu continues his globetrotting.
Luigi Daniele, associate professor in international law at Italy’s Molise University, who specializes in war crimes, said ICC member states are operating an “on/off” switch on the legal duties they agreed to when they became parties to the system of the court.
“It’s more than just double standards. It’s the destruction of any standard,” he told Arab News.
“These governments are acting as if all the standards are for rival powers and no standards at all applied to allied powers.
“All these states have assumed a solemn legal duty. Legal duty means it’s mandatory, it’s the duty of a national prosecutor under domestic penal code. It’s law, by all means and standards.”
Adil Haque, a law professor at Rutgers University in the US, said the enforcement of ICC arrest warrants “risks becoming a patchwork, in which some state parties will execute some warrants but not others.”
“The ICC itself is not applying double standards, but if its state parties apply double standards then the effect is the same,” he told Arab News.
The impunity being shown by Europe to Netanyahu is particularly disturbing for many observers, especially outside of the West and whose governments are not entwined in the US-Israeli alliance.
They see an unlevel playing field for international justice in which one of America’s main allies is being allowed to continue a military campaign that has killed more than 63,000 Palestinians and which this week leading scholars agreed constituted a genocide.
The reluctance of European powers to carry out their ICC obligations with regards to Netanyahu is in tandem with their lack of willingness to act against Israel over the war.
The EU has struggled to agree on any significant punitive measures, with deep divisions between those more supportive of Israel like Hungary and those taking a stronger stance like Spain and Ireland.
Particularly disturbing for some was an invitation by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for Netanyahu to visit Germany.
“We will find ways and means for him to visit Germany and also to be able to leave again without being arrested,” Merz said shortly after being elected in February.
The ICC has stated that not even heads of governments enjoy immunity from arrest on behalf of the ICC.
“Germany does not contest the ICC’s legal position” Haque said. “Instead, Germany’s chancellor has suggested purely political reasons for not arresting Netanyahu, which is quite shocking to hear said out loud.”
Daniele believes the Gaza war is a fork in the road for the institution.
“The situation in Palestine set before the ICC can be either the beginning of a new chapter of its history or the nail in the coffin of its credibility,” he said.
The court has been under immense pressure from “a strong network of powers internationally” that support Israel, with threats being made against the office of the prosecutor of the ICC.
Despite this, the ICC went ahead and issued the arrest warrants against the Netanyahu government.
“This was a signal to all the non-US allies … that actually, the court wasn’t exactly a tool of NATO powers,” Daniele said. “It was a signal of independence, of an attempt to bring justice to victims, to all victims of all crimes, without fear or favor.”
However, if the court fails to issue arrest warrants for Israel’s far-right ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, who have been accused in some quarters of inciting genocide, Daniele said that would show the threats and reprisals may have done their job.
What followed was a barrage of US sanctions against court officials. In announcing the latest round, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed the court is a “national security threat that has been an instrument for lawfare against the United States and our close ally Israel.”
The ICC hit back, describing the sanctions as a “flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution” and an “affront to millions of innocent victims across the world.”
The sanctions mean the officials will be banned from entering the US and their US assets will be blocked.
It is a major challenge to the court but could also help boost support for the ICC from other countries. The EU could shield the court by invoking a “blocking statute” which prevents businesses from complying with US sanctions that reach overseas.
“US sanctions against the ICC are deeply troubling and represent an unacceptable attempt to intimidate and deter the court from fulfilling its legitimate mandate — pursuing justice for victims of the gravest international crimes,” Ellis said.
“It is hoped that states, international institutions, and individuals will be galvanized to strengthen their support for the ICC and to collectively resist the Trump administration’s efforts to undermine accountability for the most egregious international crimes.”
The court also needs to strengthen its position and the best way to do this, Ellis said, is to encourage more countries — particularly major powers — to sign up to the Rome Statute.
“Expanding membership enhances the ICC’s legitimacy and authority, and will make its judgments more universally recognized and enforceable,” he said.
He also recommended swifter and tougher disciplinary measures for countries that fail to uphold the ICC’s arrest warrants.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2614060/middle-east
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India
Muslim community in Ambala extends helping hand to flood-hit Punjab
Sep 3, 2025
Ambala: In a gesture of unity, the Muslim community from Ambala district's Naraingarh town on Wednesday sent 10 vehicles loaded with relief material to the flood-affected areas of Punjab.
After deciding to extend a helping hand to neighbouring Punjab, Madrasa Zeenat-Ul-Uloom in Naraingarh called upon the community members and received an overwhelming response, quickly managing to gather a large quantity of aid.
The Najim of the madrasa, Nisar Ahmed, said they learned through the media that Punjab was seriously affected by floods, with thousands of families losing their livelihood, crops, livestock, and homes.
Ahmed said: "Every religion teaches unity, and the purpose of religion is to stand with each other during hardship. We announced in our community that we planned to send relief material to the flood-affected people in Punjab. The response from the community was so overwhelming that we sent 10 vehicles (three trucks and seven pick-ups) laden with flood relief material. I never saw such jalwa (splendour) at a short call. We still have material in stock at our madrasa in Naraingarh, which will be dispatched later as needed."
Ahmed further said he along with 65-70 youth from his community visited the Ajnala area in Amritsar to distribute the relief material to the affected people. He mentioned that before leaving for Punjab, they gathered their community and prayed to Allah for the welfare of all Punjabis and the success of their mission.
In response to a query, Ahmed said: "We are in contact with some local people, and we plan to take the relief to the rural areas where people are mostly affected by floods."
Source: indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/muslim-community-in-ambala-extends-helping-hand-to-flood-hit-punjab/articleshow/123680349.cms
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Islamic Centre Of India, Lucknow Issues Advisory For Peaceful Conduct Of Milad Un Nabi Events
Sep 4, 2025
Lucknow: Milad-un-Nabi, the 12th day of Rabi-ul-Awwal month of Islamic calendar, is all the more special this year as it marks 1,500 years since the birth of Prophet Muhammad. The day will be observed on Friday and Islamic Centre of India, Lucknow, issued advisory urging people to participate in gatherings and processions with discipline, stating that Sirat and Milad gatherings would be organised on Sept 4 (Thursday) in different parts of the city. The centre appealed to all to attend in large numbers, while avoiding rash stunts such as motorcycle displays and maintain decorum.
On Friday, the procession will start in the city from Amin udDaula Park in Aminabad and reach Eidgah via Moulviganj, Nakhas and Haiderganj. Participants were asked to follow instructions from local committees and the administration to ensure smooth conduct of the occasion.
The advisory states that flags and banners should be carried folded from localities and unfurled only after joining the procession. Participants are encouraged to recite prayers along the route and refrain from provocative slogans.
Since the occasion falls on a Friday, organisers were directed to ensure Juma namaz at mosques along the way, without halting the procession. Islamic Centre has also called for ‘sabeels' (refreshment stalls) to be set up in large numbers. After the procession, special prayers will be held for peace, unity and national prosperity.
"The celebration marks 1,500 years since the birth of Prophet Muhammad and those participating in the processions should reflect his teachings by avoiding noise or behaviour that disturbs others and Juma namaz should be offered inside mosques without causing traffic disruption," said Maulana Khalid Rasheed, chairman of the Islamic Centre of India.
Source: indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/advisory-for-peaceful-conduct-of-milad-un-nabi-events/articleshow/123684444.cms
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‘Your govt should have stepped in’ : Civil society to Bengal CM as Urdu Academy rolls back invite to Javed Akhtar
AtriMitra
September 4, 2025
A group of intellectuals, comprising mostly Muslim scholars, from the state have written to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressing dismay over the postponement of eminent lyricist Javed Akhtar’s programme in Kolkata.
In an open letter to the chief minister, the prominent personalities, including MudarPatherya, Zeeshan Majeed, Taiyyeb Ahmed Khan and Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, regretted the decision of the West Bengal Urdu Academy, and claimed it “evidently transpired on account of a protest by Muslim religious organisations that Javed Akhtar should not be invited because he is an atheist”.
The signatories emphasised that the government should have stepped in and directed the Academy to reverse its decision, “which it never did”.
They expressed frustration, stating, “We are disappointed this happened in liberal Bengal under your leadership. Thousands who value free expression would have liked to see you stand up for it.”
The West Bengal Urdu Academy had invited Akhtar as chief guest for a panel discussion on “Urdu in Hindi Cinema” between August 31 and September 3. The literary event was cancelled at the last minute after Islamic groups, including Jamiat Ulema Kolkata and Wahyain Foundation, objected to his invitation, citing his alleged anti-Islam remarks. A controversy began when Jamiat Ulema Kolkata’s general secretary Zillur Rahman Arif publicly criticised Akhtar and claimed that his remarks against Islam had caused “unease among people”.
The cancellation of the event has sparked a backlash from the literary and intellectual community in Kolkata. “As it turned out, West Bengal Urdu Academy (which does not have the word ‘Muslim’anywhere in its name) pandered to the fundamentalists and promptly withdrew its invitation,” the letter states.
The intellectuals argued that “Urdu is a language for everyone”, and it should not be considered the “exclusive property” of a community.
The letter mentions, “A number of people in India harbour the feeling that secularism means appeasing Muslim fundamentalism and intolerance. Sadly, this instance has only deepened this conviction.”
The members also claimed that the decision has “exposed that the religious leanings of a poet (or any individual) are more important than what the poet has to say about an unrelated subject”.
In their letter to the CM, the group said, “The person protesting the inclusion of Javed Akhtar in the event called it a ‘qaumimushaaira’ on a social media post, which it was not,” adding, that the academy’s decision had damaged Kolkata’s reputation as a liberal city. “If the decision were taken to appease Muslim sentiment in view of the impending State elections next year (as is being rumoured), then there would always be some kind of an election in this State all the time (panchayat, municipal, State and national). By this yardstick, Javed Akhtar should ever be invited by anyone in Kolkata,” the letter mentions. “Withdrawing the invitation because some people object to the guest implies citizens can’t think for themselves and need fundamentalists to dictate what’s acceptable – it’s a form of censorship,” they wrote in the letter.
Source: indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/kolkata/govt-should-step-in-civil-society-to-west-bengal-cm-as-urdu-academy-rolls-back-invite-to-javed-10229077/
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TMC, Congress, CPM slam Modi govt’s CAA tweak as bid to alter Bengal’s demography
Meghdeep Bhattacharyya
04.09.25
Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress accused the BJP of a diversionary tactic through the Narendra Modi government’s September 1 tweak in the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and vowed to resist the saffron regime’s contentious citizenship matrix while the Congress and the CPM in the state tore into the BJP over alleged attempts at a demographic shift.
The Bengal BJP, predictably, thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi government for his government’s decision to relax the norms for persecuted non-Muslims from the neighbouring countries.
The Union home ministry issued the Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) Order, 2025, on September 1, allowing persecuted non-Muslim minorities from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, who had entered India before December 31 last year, would be allowed to stay even without valid documents.
On Wednesday, the state leadership of both the Congress and the CPM saw in the Modi government’s decision an attempt to ensure eventual citizenship — and therefore voting rights — to more non-Muslim refugees, especially in the border states, thereby changing the demography in their constituencies and making them electorally more favourable to the BJP.
It is no secret that most Muslims and other minorities do not vote the Right-wing BJP, with its Hindi-Hindu-Hindustan priorities.
“Of course this is a naked attempt to change the demography in places the BJP does not find itself electorally comfortable. This is exactly what the BJP falsely accuses parties in the national Opposition of doing with Muslims from the neighbouring nations,” said the Congress’s chief spokesperson for Bengal, Soumya Aich Roy.
“This also enables, for now, the foul game of competitive communalism that the BJP and Trinamool play in Bengal — in keeping with their secret entente — as the demographic shift is unlikely to be adequately achieved by 2026 state polls. Till the BJP is fully confident of coming to power here, it wants to keep Mamata Banerjee as a placeholder, so that the truly non-fascist, secular-liberal forces can’t advance,” he added.
In a virtual echo, CPM state secretary Md Salim said the decision to extend the cut-off date for those persecuted on religious grounds to apply for Indian citizenship was a carrot dangled with an eye on political gain and comes a day after the Centre armed itself with the detention stick under the new Immigration and Foreigners’ Act.
“Being part of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the citizenship matrix, where we had stalled the process but they (NDA government) later got it passed, I am aware that the entire effort is a culmination of BJP’s agenda of stigmatising people with derogatory terms such as Bangladeshi infiltrators and termites. Now they have expanded the attack by terming any Bengali-speaking person as Bangladeshi,” he said.
Salim said the spirit of the CAA says those applying for Indian citizenship have to prove that the person has been a victim of religious persecution. If they want to give one-time amnesty to non-Muslim foreigners, then they should not have dubbed those people “termites”, Salim said, referring to Union home minister Amit Shah’s remark in 2021.
“Therefore, the Centre has unleashed this fresh ploy to hoodwink citizenship aspirants, who in a few instances were seen chasing BJP leaders for not delivering on their promise. This is an effort to pacify their anger before the crucial polls,” he said.
“Going by the various theories propounded by the RSS regarding population growth, this is an effort at demographic change. During my tenure as a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on citizenship matrix I had given my dissent to the move stating that CAA was aimed at fulfilling what the RSS states is the ‘unfinished task of Partition’. The RSS was peeved that the migration — complete exchange of people on the basis of religion — did not happen during Partition,” he said.
“The RSS still feels that minorities need to be uprooted to complete the task of Partition...,” he said.
Fundamentalist cousins of the RSS in Pakistan and Bangladesh also think similarly,” Salim went on. “Therefore, the agenda of fundamentalist groups in these three countries is to ensure an exchange of population on the basis of religion.... In the case of Bengal and Assam, the added agenda of the RSS is to use the CAA to offset the critical role of Muslims in participatory democracy in these two states. If the CAA is read together with SIR, the motive is to make one section doubtful voters and accord legitimacy to another solely from the RSS-BJP lens of religious bias.”
Trinamool said it remains fully committed to oppose the CAA.
“Our leaders Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee have repeatedly said that the CAA and the NRC will not be implemented in Bengal.This is yet another diversionary tactic employed by the BJP. They are also trying to bring the NRC through the backdoor, using the dubious special intensive revision of electoral rolls. We willcontinue to oppose these,” said Bengal industry minister Shashi Panja.
The BJP’s Bengal unit chief Samik Bhattacharya hailed the decision and accused Trinamool of solely depending on illegal Muslim immigrants to win polls.
“Torture on Hindus has resumed in Bangladesh. People are leaving everything behind to seek shelter here. Who else but the BJP will stand up for them? The Union home ministry order will automatically change the format of the CAA application form,” he said, adding he would not be able to speak on the legalities, but the change would be done.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/tmc-congress-cpm-slam-modi-govts-caa-tweak-as-bid-to-alter-bengals-demography-prnt/cid/2121170
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Army Releases Video To Debunk Trump Claims On Brokering Pakistan Ceasefire
Mayank Singh
04 Sep 2025
NEW DELHI: The Northern Command of the Indian Army on Wednesday released a video highlighting key moments from Operation Sindoor, a multi-service retaliatory strike carried out in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians.
The operation, involving coordinated strikes by the Army, Navy, and Air Force targeted terror launchpads and military infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
The video also addresses how the ceasefire between India and Pakistan came about , a question that has drawn global attention amid reports that US President Donald Trump was incensed that India did not endorse his claim of having “stopped the war.”
In sharp contrast to that narrative, the video features a statement by India’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO), Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai, who said “It was the Pakistani DGMO who proposed that we cease hostilities.” This is the only direct comment by an Indian officer in the clip, reinforcing New Delhi’s position that the ceasefire was a bilateral military decision, not a product of third-party mediation.
Indian Army called the operation “an exemplar of restraint turning into decisive response.” The three-and-a-half-minute video features aerial visuals from drones and missiles used during the strikes, paired with high-impact music and all-caps messages. One of the final frames reads: “A new line is drawn: India will not stop until terrorism is wiped out.”
Operation Sindoor was launched in the early hours of May 7, following the Pahalgam massacre. Indian forces escalated their operations further in response to Pakistan’s attempted attacks on Indian military installations on May 8, 9, and 10. Multiple Pakistani military targets were struck in fierce counter-attacks.
The conflict ended with a mutual understanding on May 10 to cease hostilities.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Sep/04/army-releases-video-to-debunk-trump-claims-on-brokering-pakistan-ceasfire
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SHO among 10 cops suspended in UP for trying to ‘cover up’ beef smuggling case
September 4, 2025
Ten policemen, including a Station House Officer (SHO), were suspended on Wednesday for allegedly trying to cover up a case of beef smuggling in Moradabad district of Uttar Pradesh.
Senior Superintendent of Police (Moradabad) Satpal Antil said that the police personnel were suspended following an internal probe that found that they buried the seized meat and hid the car in an attempt to cover up the beef smuggling incident.
The 10 suspended police personnel are SHO (Pakbada) Manoj Kumar, Chowki in-charge Anil Kumar, sub-inspectors Mahavir Singh and Taslim, head constables Bansat Kumar and Dhirendra Kasana, constables Mohit, Manish, and Rahul, and constable driver Sonu Saini.
They have been suspended under the provisions of Rule 17(1)(A) of the UP Subordinate Police Officers (punishment and appeal) Rules, 1991, on serious charge of gross negligence, arbitrariness, and inaction towards their duties, the Moradabad Police said.
“On Tuesday afternoon, we received information that no action was taken by police after they intercepted a vehicle carrying beef under the limits of the Pakbara Police station in Moradabad. By seeing the seriousness of the issue and in consideration of the prior directions, we formed a Special Operations Group (SOG) team to examine the issue,” said the SSP, adding that the probe team confirmed that the accused police personnel “failed to take appropriate action in the matter and instead tried to suppress it”.
According to police, a police team of UP-112 intercepted a “suspicious” Honda City car in the UmriSabjipur forest area under Pakbada police station limits. “On inspection, large quantities of beef were allegedly found in the vehicle.
Instead of escalating the matter, the policemen allegedly dug a pit to bury the seized meat and moved the car to another location,” said the newly appointed SHO of Pakbada, Satender Singh, who assumed the charge on Wednesday.
Among those suspended, three belonged tothe UP-112 team.
“We have registered an FIR against unidentified men under the UP Prevention of Cow Slaughter Act. The men have been identified, but we will not be revealing the information,” the SHO said, adding the beef was being transported from Gajraula to Kundarki.
Meanwhile, SP (City) Kunwar Ranvijay Singh said efforts were being made to arrest the accused smugglers at the earliest.
Source: indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/lucknow/sho-among-10-cops-suspended-in-up-for-trying-to-cover-up-beef-smuggling-case-10228866/
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BJP’s Nishikant Dubey withdraws death threat case after probe finds ‘conspiracy to frame’ Muslims
Scroll Staff
04.09.25
Bharatiya Janata Party MP Nishikant Dubey said on Wednesday that he has withdrawn a case filed in 2018 pertaining to him allegedly having received death threats.
In July 2018, the Delhi Police had filed the case based on a complaint by the Godda MP, who had alleged that a prisoner in Jharkhand’s Sahibganj jail had threatened to kill him, according to The New Indian Express.
On Wednesday, Dubey said on social media that the investigation into the case had found that a resident of Godda district’s Kumardih village, Kundan Kumar Das, had threatened him and “conspired to frame some Muslim boys” in the case.
According to the MP, the mobile that was used to call him had been bought using the name Muhammad Gulfam.
Dubey said that he personally appeared before the Delhi High Court on Wednesday and requested the bench to dismiss the case. “The honourable High Court cancelled the case with a fine of Rs 10,000 and an order that such an incident should not be repeated in the future,” he said.
Dubey had claimed in 2018 that the person who called to threaten him had abused him for bearing the legal expenses of four men accused of lynching two persons on suspicion of cattle theft in Godda days earlier.
The two men were beaten to death in June 2018 after a group of five persons allegedly stole 12 buffaloes from Dullu village.
They were followed by the villagers and while three of them escaped, Murtaza Ansari and Charku Ansari were caught by the mob. Villagers claimed that they found the missing buffaloes in the possession of the two men and lynched them.
Two days later, Dubey had said that the four men arrested in the matter had been unfairly targeted.
“The entire village was involved in the beating,” he had said. “Why are these four people being singled out just because their cattle was stolen?”
Source: scroll.in
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https://scroll.in/latest/1086223/bjps-nishikant-dubey-withdraws-death-threat-case-after-probe-finds-conspiracy-to-frame-muslims
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North America
At NatCon, a confusing resurgence of anti-Muslim sentiment
Jack Jenkins
September 3, 2025
WASHINGTON (RNS) — During a breakout session at this year’s National Conservatism Conference on Wednesday (Sept. 3), one group of panelists was asked an unusual question: Did they consider the U.S. to be a “Protestant tree” in which “Jews and Catholics are allowed, as birds, to nest in the branches”?
Josh Hammer, the only Jewish member of the panel, eschewed the arborial analogy but replied that he believes Jews and Catholics “have always been a part of the American story.” A “more interesting question,” he offered, is what Founding Fathers had to say about “Mohammedism” — a reference to Islam.
Fellow panelist William Wolfe, head of the Center for Baptist Leadership and a self-described Christian nationalist, interjected: “I’m happy to cut that branch off, Josh.”
The crowd burst into laughter.
The episode was one of several derogatory mentions of Islam at the conference, a three-day convening at a hotel in downtown Washington. Once considered a far-right fringe gathering and still deeply associated with Christian nationalism, NatCon, as it’s known among its regular attendees, has become a major waypoint in the conservative calendar. The ideas germinated here increasingly shape the ideological framework of the Trump administration, as speakers at past conferences have gone on to become MAGA stars, including Vice President JD Vance.
This year’s lineup had no lack of administration officials, from Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought to border czar Tom Homan.
NatCon’s negative focus on Islam, therefore, makes for a potential preview of what conservatives will be concerned with in the next year, especially in midterm election campaigns. Already, New York’s mayoral election in November has attracted dire predictions in conservative circles about the front-runner, Zohran Mamdani, and his Muslim faith, should he win.
The topic was a focus of the conference’s first panel on Tuesday, titled “The Threat of Islamism in America.” Ryan Girdusky, a onetime CNN commentator who was banned from the network last year after he jocularly implied that Muslim journalist Mehdi Hasan had ties to terrorist groups, was among the panelists. (“I hope your beeper doesn’t go off,” he said on air, in an apparent reference to the 2024 attack directed at Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah, when beepers across the country, planted with explosive charges, suddenly ignited.)
At NatCon, Girdusky argued against mass immigration generally (“The best part of immigration is scarcity,” he said), and Muslim immigration in particular. Echoing a theme aired in speeches in recent months by Vance, Girdusky said Mamdani, a naturalized U.S. citizen, drew crowds at his rallies whose “ancestors did not come on the Mayflower. Most did not come on Ellis Island. Most didn’t come in the past 30 years.”
Another panelist, Wade Miller of the Center for Renewing America, a think tank founded by OMB Director Vought, was even more explicit. “Islam is anti-Christianity, authoritarian and against our entire constitutional order,” Miller said. He insisted the progressive left in the United States has embraced a “woke-Islamist alliance,” pointing to the pro-Palestinian activism that swept college campuses as Israel invaded the Gaza Strip. He later declared that “we are a Christian nation.”
Another CRA activist, senior fellow Nathan Pinkoski, warned thatthe U.S. could become like Europe, where, he argued, the continent’s “trashed civilizational immune system” allowed “Islamists to make inroads into European nations.”
Anti-Muslim sentiment is hardly new among American conservatives, nor is it unusual for it to appear at NatCon — the 2024 iteration of the conference also featured a talk on “The Islamic Supremacist Challenge to America.”
But when questioned about the urgency of their message, at least one of the panelists could give no rationale for the timing of their warnings, or why Islam was on the agenda at all. Miller said he wasn’t sure, guessing only that “maybe” it was because of recent U.S. strikes in Iran.
Nonetheless, Islam was a recurring component of the larger discussion of immigration. Bo French of Fort Worth, Texas — who chairs the Tarrant County Republican Party and has himself been accused of anti-Muslim comments — said he came to the Islamism panel out of concern that the U.S. will end up with an influx of Muslim immigrants such as countries in Europe, especially the United Kingdom, have experienced. “I think we’re probably 10 years behind where they are, but I think it is accelerating,” French said.
Hammer, senior editor-at-large at Newsweek, also tied his concern to immigration but insisted the issue is of immediate importance. “I think that Islamic immigration should be zero today,” Hammer told RNS. “It is a pressing concern.”
Muslims represent around 1% of the U.S. population, according to Pew Research, and the Trump administration has dramatically restricted immigration in various ways that include banning entry from many Muslim-majority countries. A 2022 poll from the Public Religion Research Institute found that while a slim majority of white evangelicals believe the U.S. should “prevent people from some Muslim majority countries from entering the U.S.,” majorities of every other religious group polled said the reverse.
Trump courted Muslim votes in his 2024 presidential campaign, capitalizing on Muslim disenchantment with the Biden administration’s support for Israel.
Miller acknowledged the growing Muslim interest in Republican ideas in his panel presentation, saying, “Some on our side … insist that we should see Islam and Muslims as political allies,” he said. But Muslims, he summed up, “are not our friends.”
Source: religionnews.com
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https://religionnews.com/2025/09/03/at-natcon-a-confusing-resurgence-of-anti-muslim-sentiment/
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Police appeal for info after more anti-Muslim graffiti found along Ajax waterfront trail
09/03/25
Police are looking for information after more anti-Muslim graffiti was found on a bench along the waterfront trail in Ajax on Tuesday.
Durham Regional Police said they were called to the area of Lakeview Boulevard and Poplar Avenue, where officers later discovered the graffiti.
A similar hate-motivated graffiti was reported at the same location early last month, police said.
“We recognize the impact these incidents can have on our community, particularly the Muslim community. Acts that target or instill fear in any group are unacceptable and are taken very seriously,” police said in a news release on Wednesday.
“We remain committed to ensuring the safety, dignity, and well-being of everyone in our community.”
Investigators are asking anyone with information to contact them at 1-888-579-1520 ext. 2906 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
Source: ctvnews.ca
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https://www.ctvnews.ca/toronto/article/police-appeal-for-info-after-more-anti-muslim-graffiti-found-along-ajax-waterfront-trail/
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CAIR Expresses Solidarity with European Counter-Islamophobia Group Targeted by French Authorities
September 3, 2025
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today expressed solidarity with a Brussels-based Muslim organization dedicated to opposing anti-Muslim bigotry, the CollectifContrel’Islamophobieen Europe (Collective Against Islamophobia in Europe, CCIE) as it faces targeting by French authorities.
After being targeted by French authorities in May, representatives of the group were summoned to a hearing today.
“We stand in solidarity with CCIE as they face targeting by French authorities who seem to prioritize targeting people for their faith over democratic rights,” said CAIR Research and Advocacy Director Corey Saylor.
The French government’s campaign against its own Muslim population was highlighted by restrictions placed on minority populations during the 2024 Olympics. At the time, PBS reported, “Minorities — largely with backgrounds in former French colonies — are often among those forbidden from leaving their neighborhoods and required to report daily to police, their lawyers say.”
Earlier this year, CAIRsaid that Islamophobia is “spinning out of control” in Europe after a Muslim woman was murdered in Germany and a mosque was burned during anti-immigrant riots in Spain.
Washington, D.C., based CAIR also repeated its call for European leaders to stop promoting anti-Muslim hate after mosques in the United Kingdom and France were targeted with attacks.
Last month, CAIR condemned the attempted arson of a Muslim prayer room in Châtillon-sur-Seine, France.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
Source: cair.com
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-expresses-solidarity-with-european-counter-islamophobia-group-targeted-by-french-authorities/
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CAIR Says Islamophobia in Europe ‘Spinning Out of Control’ After Murder of Muslim Woman in Germany, Fire at Mosque in Spain
July 15, 2025
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today said that Islamophobia is “spinning out of control” in Europe after a Muslim woman was murdered in Germany and a mosque was burned during anti-immigrant riots in Spain.
A 26-year-old Algerian woman who was stabbed to death in Hannover, Germany, had previously told her family she was facing racist insults and harassment from her neighbor, who police arrested as the main suspect.
Anti-immigrant riots have been going on for several days in Spain. The Piera mosque in Barcelona caught on fire one day before it was supposed to be inaugurated. Police are investigating the incident as connected to the riots.
In a statement, CAIR Deputy Executive Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said:
“We strongly condemn the horrific murder of a Muslim woman in Germany in an apparent hate crime, as well as the fire at a mosque in Spain during anti-immigrant riots. Anti-Muslim hate is spinning out of control in Europe, fueled by the hateful rhetoric and policies of both far-right politicians and far-left politicians. European leaders must take action to curtail this rising tide of bigotry and respect religious freedom before this violence continues to spread and escalate.”
He noted that CAIR recently called on European leaders to stop promoting anti-Muslim hate after mosques in the United Kingdom and France were targeted with attacks.
SEE: CAIR Calls for European Leaders to Stop Promoting Anti-Muslim Hate After Mosques in UK, France Targeted
CAIR also called on French officials to stop fanning the flames of Islamophobia after a suspect reportedly killed a Tunisian neighbor in southeastern France and badly wounded a Turkish man.
Source: cair.com
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-says-islamophobia-in-europe-spinning-out-of-control-after-murder-of-muslim-woman-in-germany-destruction-of-mosque-in-spain/
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CAIR Welcomes Charges for Hoax Bomb Threat Falsely Blamed on Islamic Center in Chattanooga
September 3, 2025
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed charges against a man who called in a hoax bomb threat in which he falsely claimed that an Islamic center in Chattanooga would carry out a bombing against a local bar.
Chattanooga police arrested a man who allegedly called a bar and told the bartender who answered that the neighboring Islamic Center was going to blow up the location. The man was charged with false reports, disorderly conduct and public intoxication.
“We thank law enforcement authorities for taking action before this dangerous lie inspired violent action against the Islamic center,” said CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison.
Source: cair.com
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-welcomes-charges-for-hoax-bomb-threat-falsely-blamed-on-islamic-center-in-chattanooga/
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We Knew The Racism Against Zohran Mamdani Would Get Weird — And Here We Are
Syeda Khaula Saad
4 September 2025
AnyMuslimAmerican who runs for public office knows one thing immediately: the scrutiny will be ugly, and it will come to fruition quickly. Islamophobia is never subtle. And the moment Democratic nominee for New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani stepped into the spotlight, I knew he would be a target for some pretty traditional racism — and some weird stuff none of us could’ve seen coming.
One recent post on X perfectly captures the sheer absurdity of the Islamophobia he navigates on a daily basis. It started when an X user posted a photo of bacon frying with the caption, “Just wanting to share some bacon with all of my loveable [sic] Muslim peeps this morning. It’s the least I can do.” Another user then decided to rope Mamdani in, quoting the post with, “Hey @ZohranMamdani, this is for you, Bone-Petite! [again, sic].” This clownish post was only further punctuated by bad spelling.
Mamdani gets plenty of hate — from bigoted conservatives who despise him for being Muslim and from within the Democratic Party, where his socialist politics have made him an easy target. So he doesn’t respond to everything. But this particular exchange clearly stood out to him, probably for the same reason it stopped the rest of us. It was unbelievably stupid.
Instead of responding with outrage (which no one would have faulted him for), he clapped back with a deadpan line, “My brother, this isn’t garlic and we’re not vampires.” Smart, pithy, perfect.
When you’re an American public figure who happens to be Muslim, your religion — and the “otherness” assigned to it — becomes your entire identity. And in the Western imagination, that religion is automatically framed as a threat.
To that guy who posted bacon, by the way: If you’re going to come for this man, you’ll surely get lost in a sea of even more basic bigots.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) posted an edited picture of the Statue of Liberty wearing a burqa when Mamdani won the primary. Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas) shared a video of Mamdani eating rice with his hands to his 195,000 followers and said, “civilized people in America don’t eat like this. If you refuse to adopt Western customs, go back to the Third World.” A super PAC supporting former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) created a mailer with Mamdani’s beard darkened and lengthened. New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (a Democrat, mind you) said that he called for a “global jihad” — something she had to eventually retract and apologize for because, yes, it was totally false.
Those of us who believe Mamdani to be a progressive, feminist, anti-racist, equality-seeking candidate have long anticipated the Islamophobic messaging that argues that he’s quite the opposite. We knew some of it would be old-fashioned and other times, it’d be surprising and cloaked in patriotism.
Unfortunately, it’s weirder and dumber than we expected. And the fact that Mamdani is young and charismatic appears to be melting the brain cells of everyone who hates him. The reality is, he is everything America advertises itself to be — and that’s hard for some people to acknowledge.
Being Muslim in America while trying to better your community, in some cases, means having to jump through fire (potentially started by bacon grease) to get there. And while Mamdani may take the racist attacks in stride, it doesn’t mean that witnessing this constant barragement doesn’t affect him — and all of us who share his religious identity.
And that’s the real danger of what’s coming. The Islamophobia Mamdani faces won’t always be dumb and funny. It will sometimes be designed to derail him. It will exhaust all of us. And whether you align with Mamdani’s politics or not, it’s important to pay attention to — and resist — this age-old tactic of using racism to distract us from moving forward, making progress and bettering our communities.
Source: yahoo.com
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https://uk.news.yahoo.com/knew-racism-against-zohran-mamdani-202700741.html
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Mideast
Photos in Gaza City, where the beach offers fleeting respite as war and famine grind on
September 04, 2025
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip: On a darkened beach in Gaza City, the only light comes from small food stalls and flickering cellphones.
Families seek relief from the stifling daytime heat, and perhaps a glimpse of the life they used to know. Many have been displaced multiple times over nearly two years of war sparked by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack into Israel.
Just a few kilometers (a few miles) away, Israeli forces are blowing up buildings in the opening stages of a plan to conquer the city. Israeli strikes could come at any time. Those enjoying the sea may soon be ordered to evacuate to sprawling tent camps further south.
There is a small amount of food for sale on vendor carts , at prices many can’t afford. Experts say Gaza City is experiencing famine.
Many Palestinians have lost everything in this war. They still have the sea, for now.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2614063/middle-east
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Yemen’s Houthi-run Foreign Ministry says UN should not shield espionage activities
September 04, 2025
Yemen’s Houthi-run Foreign Ministry said United Nations officials’ legal immunities should not shield espionage activities, days after at least 11 UN personnel were arrested in the capital Sanaa. The UN said on Sunday that Houthi rebels raided its premises in Sanaa and arrested UN staff following an Israeli strike that killed the prime minister of the Houthi-run government and several other ministers.
The ministry also accused the UN of bias, saying it condemned “legal measures taken by the government against spy cells involved in crimes,” but failed to denounce the Israeli attack, the Houthi-run news agency Saba reported on Wednesday.
Yemen has been split between a Houthi administration in Sanaa and a Saudi-backed government in Aden since the Iran-aligned Houthis seized Sanaa in late 2014, triggering a decade-long conflict.
The ministry added that Yemen respected “the 1946 Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations ... while emphasizing that these immunities do not protect espionage activities or those who engage in them, nor provide them with legal cover,” it added.
On Sunday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the Houthis forcibly entered World Food Programme premises, seized UN property, and attempted to enter other UN offices in the capital.
Source: arabnews.com
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Tunisia sees European tourist numbers rebound decade after attack
September 03, 2025
SOUSSE, Tunisia: Ten years after a beach attack that killed 30 Britons and delivered a crippling blow to Tunisia’s tourism industry, European holidaymakers are finally returning in what authorities hope will be record-breaking numbers.
In June 2015, a Tunisian university student slipped a rifle out of a beach umbrella and opened fire on vacationers outside a hotel in Sousse, about 140 kilometers (90 miles) south of the capital.
The shooting, claimed by the Daesh group, left 38 people dead, most of them British, just months after another attack at the Bardo Museum in Tunis killed 21 foreign visitors.
The violence sent a shockwave through Tunisia’s tourism industry, devastating one of the country’s most important sources of jobs and foreign currency.
But a decade later, the visitors are returning.
Diane Paul, a 74-year-old tourist from Wales staying at a five-star resort in Sousse not far from where the 2015 beach shooting occurred, said she knew people who survived the attack.
But that did not deter her from visiting the North African country again.
“Nowhere is safe,” she said, her skin flushed from the midday sun, adding she had decided not to let fear make “us prisoners in our own country.”
Foreign arrivals to Tunisia have jumped by nearly 10 percent this year compared with 2024, reaching 5.3 million through July 20, according to the National Tourism Office.
The government hopes to attract 11 million visitors by the end of the year, up from 10 million last year.
British tourism has surged most dramatically, up 48 percent through June, said Dora Milad, head of Tunisia’s hotel federation.
At the Pearl Marriott in Sousse, general manager Maher Ferchichi said the surge reflected “a return of trust in Tunisia as a safe destination.”
More than 90 percent of the hotel’s European guests were British, he added.
Roddy Drummond, the British ambassador in Tunisia, said the embassy forecasts that around “400,000 British tourists will visit Tunisia in 2025.”
That would translate to “around the same number as before the 2015 events,” Drummond added, crediting improved security for the shift.
Eileen Cuciurean, a longtime visitor from Britain, said she noticed more British people at her hotel than in recent years.
“In past years, sometimes we were the only ones,” the 78-year-old added.
Tourism is one of Tunisia’s most vital sources of foreign currency and generates about 700,000 jobs.
But while the return of visitors is a relief for the government and resort operators, many small businesses and artisans complain that the prevailing all-inclusive package model is keeping tourists behind hotel gates.
MouradHadhari, a crafts vendor in Tunis’s medina, said the crowds of foreigners visiting each year were not necessarily reflected in his revenues.
“It’s true we have millions of tourists, but they just come to sleep and eat at the hotel,” he said.
Ahmed Bettaieb, head of the federation of travel agencies, said group tours and package deals represented about 70 percent of yearly visits from abroad.
Some are hoping to attract more visitors by pushing for higher-end investments and better flight deals.
Milad said beach tourism in Tunisia was “very attractive” for tourists, but limited direct low-cost flights were a major drag on growth.
“We need more flights outside the high season,” she said.
Source: arabnews.com
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Syria Kurds say they thwarted escape bid from camp for Daesh families
September 03, 2025
QAMISHLI, Syria: Syrian Kurdish forces said Wednesday they thwarted an escape attempt by more than 50 inmates of Al-Hol camp, which holds people suspected of ties to the Daesh group.
Kurdish authorities in northeastern Syria have run camps hosting thousands of suspected militants and their families since the militant group lost its last territory in Syria six years ago.
Kurdish security forces said they thwarted a “mass escape attempt” from the Al-Hol camp by several Daesh families on Tuesday “numbering 56 individuals.”
They added that the detainees attempted to escape “using a large vehicle.”
Kurdish security forces detected “suspicious activity yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon, when a group of people were seen boarding a vehicle in an abnormal manner,” they said in a statement.
The troops “stopped the vehicle as it attempted to pass through the main gate, arresting all those inside.”
Al-Hol houses approximately 27,000 people, including some 15,000 Syrians and about 6,300 foreign women and children from 42 nationalities, in addition to some 5,000 Iraqis, camp director JihanHanan told AFP in August.
Since Daesh’s defeat, the Kurdish-run administration has repeatedly called on foreign governments to repatriate their nationals.
Despite repeated warnings from international organizations of the dire conditions in the camps, many Western governments have refused to repatriate their citizens.
Neighbouring Iraq, however, has repatriated around 17,000 people, mostly women and children.
In February, Kurdish official Sheikhmous Ahmed said the administration aimed to empty the camps of Iraqis and displaced Syrians by the end of the year.
Source: arabnews.com
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Israeli forces seize seven people from Syria: state media
September 03, 2025
DAMASCUS: Israeli forces seized seven people during an incursion into Syria on Wednesday, Syrian state media reported, with the Israeli military saying it “apprehended” individuals “suspected of terrorist activity.”
Since the fall of longtime Syrian ruler Bashar Assad in December, Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes on Syria and occupied much of a UN-patrolled demilitarised zone on the formerly Syria-controlled side of the armistice line between the two states, technically at war since 1948.
It has also opened talks with the interim authorities in Damascus.
The official Syrian news agency SANA said the Israeli troops “entered the town of Jabata Al-Khashab” in the southern province of Quneitra at dawn, raiding homes and “detaining seven people.”
The force — about 30 soldiers in five vehicles — crossed from a nearby base at 3:00 am (0000 GMT) and withdrew two hours later after the raids.
SANA also reported Israeli shelling in Quneitra.
Responding to a request for comment from AFP’s Jerusalem bureau, the Israeli army said its troops “apprehended several individuals suspected of terrorist activity against the troops in the area of Jubata in southern Syria.”
The detainees were taken to Israel for further questioning, the military added.
Israel has carried out repeated cross-border operations since Assad’s overthrow in December, including strikes and ground raids in Syrian territory.
Last month, SANA reported an Israeli airborne raid on a site near Damascus after multiple airstrikes.
Israel did not confirm the operation, but Defense Minister Israel Katz said its forces act “in all combat zones” to safeguard security.
Source: arabnews.com
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At least 21,000 children disabled in Gaza war: UN committee
September 03, 2025
GENEVA: At least 21,000 children in Gaza have been disabled since the war between Israel and Hamas began on October 7, 2023, a United Nations committee said Wednesday.
Around 40,500 children have suffered “new war-related injuries” in the nearly two years since the war erupted, with more than half of them left disabled, said the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Reviewing the situation in the Palestinian territories, it said Israeli evacuation orders during the army’s offensive in Gaza were “often inaccessible” to people with hearing or visual impairments, “rendering evacuation impossible.”
“Reports also described people with disabilities being forced to flee in unsafe and undignified conditions, such as crawling through sand or mud without mobility assistance,” it said.
Meanwhile the committee said the restrictions on humanitarian aid being brought into the Gaza Strip were disproportionately impacting the disabled.
“People with disabilities faced severe disruptions in assistance, leaving many without food, clean water, or sanitation and dependent on others for survival,” it said.
While the private US- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has four distribution points across the territory, the UN system it has largely replaced had about 400.
Physical obstacles, such as war debris and the loss of mobility aids under the rubble, have further prevented people from reaching the relocated aid points.
The committee said 83 percent of disabled people had lost their assistive devices, with most unable to afford alternatives such as donkey carts.
It voiced concern that devices like wheelchairs, walkers, canes, splints and prosthetics were considered “dual-use items” by the Israeli authorities and were therefore not included in aid shipments.
The committee called for the delivery of “massive humanitarian aid to persons with disabilities” affected by the war, while insisting that all sides needed to adopt protection measures for the disabled to prevent “further violence, harm, deaths and deprivation of rights.”
The committee said it had been informed of at least 157,114 people sustaining injuries, with over 25 percent at risk of life-long impairments, between October 7, 2023 and August 21 this year.
It said there were “at least 21,000 children with disabilities in Gaza as a result of impairments, acquired since October 7, 2023.”
It said Israel should adopt specific measures for protecting children with disabilities from attacks, and implement evacuation protocols that take into account persons with disabilities.
Israel should ensure disabled people are “allowed to return safely to their homes and are assisted in doing so,” it added.
Source: arabnews.com
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Israelis stage a ‘day of disruption’ as more strikes hit Gaza City
September 03, 2025
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip: Protesters took to Israel’s streets for what they called a “day of disruption” on Wednesday, denouncing the call-up of tens of thousands of reservists for an offensive that has drawn global condemnation and fueled fears in Israel it could endanger hostages still held in Gaza.
The demonstrations, the latest of their kind to roil Israel, accuse Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his cabinet of failing to secure a ceasefire deal and instead intensifying an invasion that hospitals in Gaza say in its initial stages is already accelerating a rise in fatalities.
“We have to take an extreme action so that someone will remember. There’s no such thing as a state abandoning its citizens,” Yael Kuperman, a protester near the Knesset told Israeli public broadcaster Kansas
Strikes hit both Gaza City and southern Gaza as Israel urges evacuation
Meanwhile, hospital officials told The Associated Press at least 24 people were killed in strikes overnight into Wednesday.
Nasser Hospital said it received 10 bodies, including one aid-seeker in Rafah and a child killed by a strike in southern Gaza. Shifa Hospital said the bodies of 14 people, including two children and four women, arrived on Wednesday while Al-Quds Hospital said it received another person killed by Israeli strikes.
Israel says that Gaza City — the largest Palestinian city in either the besieged strip or the occupied West Bank — remains a Hamas stronghold above what military officials claim is a vast underground tunnel network, even after raids earlier in the war.
Israel has intensified air and ground assaults on the outskirts of Gaza City, particularly in western neighborhoods where people are being driven to flee toward the coast, according to humanitarian groups that coordinate assistance for the displaced.
Site Management Cluster, one such group, said on Wednesday that families were trapped by the prohibitively high cost of moving, logistical hurdles and a lack of places to go.
“Palestinians are also reluctant to move due to the fear of not being able to return or exhaustion from repeated displacement,” it said.
Hospitals report dozens killed as international outrage grows
The twin threats of combat and famine, Palestinians and aid workers say, are only growing more acute for families in Gaza City, the vast majority of whom have reported being displaced multiple times during the 23-month war.
Hospital officials and Gaza’s Health Ministry said Wednesday the death toll kept climbing, with people killed in airstrikes while trying to reach aid, or from hunger.
The ministry said 113 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday — more than half in Gaza City — over the past 24 hours.
The toll reported was a casualty count seen regularly in recent weeks and came a day after Netanyahu and Israeli commanders told reservists the offensive was entering what they hoped would be a “decisive stage” of the war.
The ministry reported on Wednesday that five adults and one child died from malnutrition over the past day, bringing the total toll to 367, including 131 children throughout the war.
The ministry reported on Tuesday that 63,633 Palestinians have been killed, including more than 2,300 seeking aid, since the war started Oct. 7, 2023, with a Hamas-led attack on Israel.
Part of the Hamas-run government but staffed by medical professionals, it doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count, but says women and children make up around half of the dead.
UN agencies and many independent experts consider the ministry’s figures to be the most reliable estimate of war casualties. Israel disputes them, but hasn’t provided its own toll.
In a letter sent as members of Parliament returned to work in the United Kingdom, three non-governmental organizations highlighted how more than 3,700 Palestinians were killed over the body’s 34-day summer break.
Amnesty International, Doctors Without Borders and Medical Aid for Palestinians accused Israel of genocide — a charge it has previously denied. The organizations demanded the British government take action, noting famine, a collapse of the health care system and the killing of Mariam Abu Dagga, a visual journalist who had worked for The Associated Press and Doctors Without Borders.
“This is not merely a humanitarian crisis — it is a full-blown and man-made human rights catastrophe,” the statement said. “Expressions of ‘deep concern’ are not enough.”
Source: arabnews.com
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Europe
Spence hopes to inspire as first Muslim England player
Tom Mallows
September 04, 2025
Djed Spence hopes to inspire future generations if he becomes the first Muslim player to represent the senior England men's team.
The Tottenham full-back, who has six caps for England Under-21s, has been included in the senior squad for the first time for World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia.
It marks a turnaround in fortunes for the former Middlesbrough player, who was sent out on loan three times by Spurs - to Rennes, Leeds and Genoa - before establishing himself in the first team last season.
Although the Football Association does not keep a record of a player's religion, it is understood Spence could become the first Muslim man to play for the England team.
"It's a blessing - it's just amazing. I don't have the words really," said the 25-year-old.
"I pray a lot, I give gratitude to God. In the toughest moments of my life, the darkest moments, I've always believed that God has always been by my side. It's a big thing for me, my faith."
England play Andorra at Villa Park on Saturday, before travelling to face Serbia in Belgrade on Tuesday.
Spence says he does not feel any additional weight on his shoulders because of his religion but hopes his story can lift others.
"I don't really feel the pressure for certain things. I just play football with a smile on my face, be happy, and the rest will take care of yourself," he added.
"If I can do it, you can do it. Not just Muslim kids, any child of any faith. Put your mind to something and you can do it."
Before 15 December last year, Spence had played just 64 minutes of Premier League football in the 2024-25 season.
After that date, he completed 90 minutes in 19 of Spurs' subsequent 22 league games.
The transformation was stark. Spence was so far down then Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou's pecking order he was not even included in the squad for the Europa League group stage.
He only came in for the knockout stage but played 180 minutes of the last-16 win against AZ Alkmaar.
He was then introduced as a substitute as Spurs beat Manchester United in the final for their first major trophy in 17 years, qualifying for the Champions League in the process.
Such was his progress last season, there was talk of Spence featuring in Thomas Tuchel's first England squad last March.
Spence missed out, with Arsenal teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly called up as the new left-back face instead, despite the Spurs man making more Premier League tackles, interceptions, clearances, blocks and defensive headers at that point in the campaign.
But Spence stayed in the picture, and after playing every minute for Spurs in the new Premier League season to date he has got his call-up to the senior squad.
"It's definitely a big deal to play for England, 100%," Spence said.
"The manager has made me feel comfortable, everyone here has made me comfortable. Also I've played at under-21s, so I know a bit more. But senior level, I haven't done it before. The boys have made me feel welcome and taken me in."
He was given his England Under-21 debut by Lee Carsley in March 2022 against Albania.
Carsley wanted to take Spence to the European Under-21 Championship in 2023, where England triumphed by beating Spain in the final, but injury ruled the defender out of the tournament.
To Carsley, Spence's rise to prominence is no surprise.
"I love Djed. I think he's such a good player," Carsley told BBC Sport earlier this year. "So exciting, so attacking, athletic, a quiet guy but humble.
"He's got so many attributes, the way he can drive and dribble with the ball, score, create, defend. He's a player that there's no ceiling where he could go."
Source: bbc.com
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Stockport mosque in 'message of unity' after England flags cover streets
Declan Carey
03 Sep 2025
A mosque in Stockport has shared a message of ‘unity’ after England flags appeared on lampposts in the surrounding area.
Several flags with the St George’s cross have been put up around Higher Hillgate near the town centre, part of a movement across the nation known as ‘operation raise the colours’.
It has led to people climbing up ladders to hang England flags or Union Jacks to tall objects like lampposts, attached in many cases with cable ties.
Stockport Islamic Centre is based a short walk away from Higher Hillgate, and the mosque has spoken out about the sight of the St George’s cross flying in the area.
They declared they would proudly fly the flag in a display of togetherness.
Ghulam Abbas is caretaker at Stockport Islamic Centre and came to the UK from Pakistan more than 50 years ago.
He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "If they had a flag here I'd take it and put it inside [on display]. I've been here for 50 years in this country and I feel I belong to it, I have no issues with it.
“[Displaying the flag] is a message of unity bringing all the community together. There is division around, yes, but the flag has become a way of bringing people together.”
England flags and Union Jacks have been spotted around Greater Manchester in recent weeks as a wave of patriotism has swept the region and country.
A numbers of flags were seen in the Pendleton area of Salford, and last week videos shared on social media showed men attaching UK and England flags around Piccadilly Gardens.
Many of the flags hung around the region have been allowed to stay up unless they’ve posed a clear health and safety risk.
The movement has not been limited to lampposts either, with some roundabouts painted in the colours of the St George’s cross.
On Higher Hillgate in Stockport, 36-year-old EjiroChukwadi moved to the UK from Nigeria last year to work as a labourer, and welcomed the sight of national flags flying.
He said: “I don’t know the reason for it, but it’s beautiful, and it’s nice to be proud of your country.
“I don’t see how it could be upsetting, in my country I would want to put my flag up too.”
Source: manchestereveningnews.co.uk
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Imam charged after children married in mosque
September 04, 2025
An imam has been charged after two children were allowed to marry each other in a mosque.
Northamptonshire Police said Ashraf Osmani had been charged under forced marriage legislation after he allegedly conducted a Nikah wedding ceremony involving two 16-year-olds at Northampton Central Mosque in November 2023.
Mr Osmani, 52, from Northampton, is the serving imam at the mosque.
The Bangladesh-born British national has been charged under Section 121 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act, as amended by the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022 and he is due to appear at Northampton Magistrates' Court on 11 September.
Under the legislation, introduced in 2023, it is illegal to arrange for under 18s to marry under any circumstances, whether or not force is used.
Those found guilty of the offence face up to seven years in prison.
Source: bbc.com
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EU to vote on South America trade deal with safeguards for farmers
04 Sep 2025
Adam Durbin
EU member states will be asked to vote on a significant trade deal with four South American economies, after the European Commission promised "robust safeguards" for farmers.
The EU's executive said the agreement with the Mercosur bloc - made up of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay - would create a free-trade area of around 700 million people, making it the world's largest.
France and Poland had originally warned of the potential impact that cheaper goods and agricultural products could have on their farmers.
However, French trade minister Laurent Saint-Martin said that the Commission's proposed guarantees were a "step in the right direction".
Supporters of the deal, led by Germany, say they are seeking to expand the EU's global trade partners in the wake of US tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump.
The text of the agreement, which was agreed last December after more than 25 years in the making, needs the backing of 15 of the 27 member states and the European Parliament to be approved.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said his government would oppose the deal, but accepted that it would probably go through: "If it becomes a reality, we will not rest until these defence mechanisms are in effect."
However, the head of Germany's BGA wholesale and foreign trade federation, Dirk Jandura, said Europe had to act fast before other powers divided up the region: "In times of global uncertainty, Europe needs new partnerships."
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said "EU businesses and the EU agrifood sector will immediately reap the benefits of lower tariffs and lower costs".
Writing in a post on X, she added they had listened to farmers and member states, and had delivered "legally binding" safeguards to "give them confidence to support the deal".
EU trade chief MarosSefcovic said the commission hoped for the deal to be approved by the end of this year.
Under the deal, Mercosur nations will gradually get rid of taxes on 91% of EU goods including cars, chemicals, wine and chocolate. Cars currently face 35% tariffs and the European Commission believes exports could rise by up to €49bn a year.
In return, the EU will allow Mercosur to export goods such as meat honey, sugar and soybeans and other goods like critical minerals with fewer restrictions.
This influx is a primary reason behind concerns among some EU countries that their own agricultural sector will be undermined by cheaper imports.
Among the protections for farmers that the Commission said would be implemented are a mechanism to suspend Mercosur's preferential access to some farm products like beef, as well as a planned a €6.3bn ($7.38bn) crisis fund.
Farmers have repeatedly protested that cheap imports do not meet the EU's green and food safety requirements, which the Commission denies.
Copa-Cogeca, the European lobby group representing the agricultural sector, called the deal "economically and politically damaging for Europe's farmers, rural communities, and consumers".
Italian Prime Minister GiorgiaMeloni's office said it would need to consult with key stakeholders before making a decision on whether to back it.
Italy's CIA confederation of farmers said it could only be beneficial if the safeguards that protected sensitive products such as meat, sugar and cereals were "truly swift and transparent".
CIA president Cristiano Fini said the deal created new opportunities at a "delicate time for Made in Italy exports, following the Trump tariffs".
The EU reached a controversial deal with the US over the summer for 15% tariffs to be imposed on European exports while some EU tariffs on US goods would be scrapped. The deal avoided threatened Trump tariffs of 30% on EU goods but has left many business sectors in Europe dissatisfied.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said it was good that the free trade talks with Mercosur had entered their final phase, saying the deal "strengthens our economy in Germany and in Europe".
The four South American states are seen as a growing market for EU goods like cars, machinery and chemicals, as well as a reliable source of minerals like lithium.
Supporters say the deal will help reduce European trade dependence on powerful nations, by both expanding export markets away from Trump tariffs and reducing reliance on Chinese imports of raw materials like lithium.
Source: bbc.com
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Africa
Fatwa House calls on authorities to revoke Pepsi’s license in Libya
03/09/2025
ABDULKADERASSAD
The Council for Sharia Research and Studies at Libya's Fatwa House stressed in a Wednesday statement the need to halt the opening of letters of credit for the African Beverages Company, which produces Pepsi, 7 Up, Mirinda, and Aquafina mineral water.
The statement considered continued dealings with this company as direct support for the Zionist entity, which continues to commit massacres against civilians in Gaza.
It explained that allowing letters of credit worth hundreds of millions of dollars from the Libyan people’s funds for such a company represents a dangerous drain on the national economy and makes Libya an indirect partner in financing companies that support the Zionist occupation.
The council affirmed that commercial dealings with these companies are religiously prohibited, renewing its call for a complete boycott and an end to what it described as the smuggling of Libyan money through letters of credit that serve only the enemy’s interests.
The statement emphasized that it is the duty of the state and responsible authorities—especially the Central Bank of Libya and the Ministry of Economy—to bear responsibility in protecting public funds and preventing their exploitation in support of projects hostile to the nation. At the same time, it called on the Libyan people to recognize the gravity of the matter and adhere to the boycott.
The stressed that supporting the Palestinian people is a religious and moral duty, considering the boycott of companies that support the occupying entity as a practical step in standing with Gaza and its people in their ordeal.
Source: libyaobserver.ly
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Boko Haram Blind To Faith, Targets All — Ndume
September 3, 2025
By EnioluwaAdeniyi
The Senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, has cautioned against profiling victims of Boko Haram attacks along religious lines, stressing that the terror group targets Muslims, Christians, and even non-believers indiscriminately.
Naija News reports that Ndume stated this in Abuja on Wednesday while reacting to the killing of five farmers over the weekend in Ngoshe village, Gwoza Local Government Area, and Mussa community in Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.
According to reports, two Muslims were killed in Ngoshe, while three Christians were murdered in Mussa the following day. The insurgents also razed several houses during the coordinated assaults.
The former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army condemned media narratives suggesting that Boko Haram deliberately targets Christians.
Ndume said, “It is unethical and unconscionable for any media outlet to drive the narrative that Christians are the targets of these attacks by the terror group in Borno, or anywhere in the North-East.
“The forces behind these mindless killings are blind to faith and tribe. We should avoid this dangerous profiling which can distract us. It has the tendency of doing us more harm.”
Ndume warned that divisive narratives could have damaging effects on both the populace and security forces.
“It can even inflame negative passion in our soldiers, dampen the morale of men who toil day and night, determined to ensure that they wipe away this dangerous sect,” he cautioned.
He described the victims as ordinary people whose only pursuit was peace and livelihood.
Ndume further stated, “Our people, whose only pursuit is peace and livelihood, continue to fall victim to the cruelty of insurgents. These men and women deserved to live, to farm and to dream, but their lives are being cut short by those who thrive on violence and destruction.”
While commending the military for sustaining the offensive against insurgents, Ndume urged the Federal Government to scale up funding and welfare for security personnel.
He added, “I restate my appeal to the Federal Government to increase funding and support for the men and women in uniform to boost their morale to do more.”
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/09/03/boko-haram-blind-to-faith-targets-all-ndume/
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Boko Haram targets both Christians, Muslims – Ndume warns
September 3, 2025
The lawmaker representing Borno South senatorial district, Ali Ndume has condemned claims that terrorists operating in the Northeast region of the country only target Christians.
Ndume in a statement issued on Wednesday condemned the religious profiling of victims of terrorist attacks in the region.
The lawmaker’s reaction followed the recent attacks by some suspected Boko Haram terrorists in Ngoshe village, Gwoza Local Government Area and Mussa community in Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.
The attacks led to the killing of five farmers who were said to have been Muslims in Gwoza LGA.
Similarly, in Mussa Village, three people, Christians, were also killed by the attackers.
In reaction to the attack, Ndume condemned the narrative across some sections of the media that Christians were being targeted in these attacks.
He said, “It is unethical and unconscionable for any media outlet to drive the narrative that Christians are the targets of these attacks by the terror group in Borno, or anywhere in North North-Eastern part of Nigeria.
“The forces behind these mindless killings are blind to faith and tribe. We should avoid this dangerous profiling which can distract us. It has the tendency of doing us more harm,” Ndume stated.
Reeling out the possible impact of such a narrative, the former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army said that this can dampen the morale of soldiers on the front line of the battle against insurgency.
“Our people, whose only pursuit is peace and livelihood, continue to fall victim to the cruelty of insurgents. These men and women deserve to live, to farm and to dream, but their lives are being cut short by those who thrive on violence and destruction,” he said.
Source: politicsnigeria.com
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About 100 bodies recovered from landslide-hit village in Sudan’s Darfur as pope urges help
September 03, 2025
CAIRO: Search teams recovered around 100 bodies from a remote village that is feared to have been wiped out by a devastating landslide over the weekend in Sudan’s western region of Darfur, a rebel group said Wednesday.
Mohamed Abdel-Rahman Al-Nair, a spokesman for the Sudan Liberation Movement-Army, told The Associated Press the recovery operation took place Tuesday and that search efforts were underway despite a lack of resources and equipment.
He also said the death toll from the Aug. 31 landslide in Tarasin, in the Marrah Mountains, could be as high as 1,000.
The United Nations’ Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA, said that the death toll and the full scale of the tragedy have yet to be confirmed as the area hit was “extremely hard to reach.”
The UN has said that “between 300-1,000 people may have lost their lives” in the landslide and that efforts were mobilized to support the impacted area, located more than 900 kilometers (560 miles) west of the capital, Khartoum.
Pope Leo XIV spoke of the tragedy during his weekly address on Wednesday, saying it has left “behind pain and despair.”
He called for “a coordinated response to stop this humanitarian catastrophe,” and initiate a “serious, sincere, and inclusive dialogue between the parties to end the conflict and restore hope, dignity, and peace to the people of Sudan.”
Arjimand Hussain, Regional Response Manager with Plan International, one of the few NGOs operating in Darfur, said the group, along with the UN, plans to send teams to Tarasin in the coming days, but deployment is difficult with the heavy rains making roads inaccessible.
“The whole humanitarian community is feeling helpless at the moment,” he said.
The Marrah Mountains region is a volcanic area with a height of more than 3,000 meters (9,840 feet) at its summit. The mountain chain is a world heritage site and is known for its lower temperature and higher rainfall than its surroundings, according to UNICEF.
A small-scale landslide hit the area in 2018, killing at least 19 people and injuring dozens others, according to the now-disbanded United Nations-African Union mission in Darfur.
Sunday’s tragedy was the latest to slam Sudan amid its devastating civil war. The country has been hit by famine and disease outbreaks, including cholera, which killed hundreds of people this year.
The war began in April 2023 when boiling tensions between the military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces exploded into open fighting in Khartoum and elsewhere in the country.
The conflict killed tens of thousands of people and created the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. More than 14 million people have been displaced and parts of the country have slipped into famine.
The war has been marked by atrocities, including mass killings and rape, which the International Criminal Court is investigating as war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2614045/middle-east
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Probe begins after killing of worshipper in Kwara mosque
4th September 2025
Uthman Salami
The Kwara State Police Command has launched an investigation into the deadly attack on a mosque in Patigi Local Government Area that claimed the life of a worshipper.
The victim, identified as 45-year-old AlhajiDahiru, was killed on August 30, 2025, after some gunmen attacked the mosque during the last of the five daily prayers at night.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the assailants had attempted to abduct Dahiru, but when he resisted, they shot him on the spot before fleeing the mosque.
Confirming the incident during a telephone interview on Wednesday, the spokesperson for the state police command, EjireAdetoun, described the attack as “quite an unfortunate one.”
Adetoun added, “The incident did happen. The Kwara Commissioner of Police has directed that a discreet investigation be carried out to fish out the suspects. Investigations are currently ongoing.”
The attack adds to a string of violent incidents in Patigi LGA, which has in recent times been plagued by gunmen. Several villages in the area are reportedly deserted due to the repeated assaults.
Less than three months ago, gunmen allegedly killed the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in Lade Ward, Mari Village.
The attack also claimed the lives of two other persons, including the politician’s son, while another 12-year-old, HassanaAbdullahi, was abducted from a Fulani camp in Lile Village.
Source: punchng.com
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https://punchng.com/probe-begins-after-killing-of-worshipper-in-kwara-mosque/
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I Tried To Broker Peace Between Ganduje And Kwankwaso – Jibrin
September 4, 2025
By Justina Otio
A member of the House of Representatives from Kano State, AbdulmuminJibrin, has disclosed that he tried to intervene in the rift between former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) AbdullahiGanduje and ex-presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) RabiuKwankwaso.
He disclosed this during an appearance on Channels Television on Wednesday.
However, he stated that his attempt to restore peace between Ganduje and Kwankwaso failed.
The NNPP chieftain said only the two former governors of Kano State can resolve their differences.
He recalled how Ganduje insulted him in the past.
Jibrin said, “Everyone knows that I have always advocated even right from the beginning of the government for national unity and I never stopped at that.
“I felt insulted myself by Ganduje, everybody knew what happened, but I still tried to ensure that there was some sort of peace between him and Ganduje.
“I did my best but I believe that it’s in their own mutual interest and at the end of the day, it’s the decision of Ganduje and Kwankwaso to decide about it.”
Meanwhile, Jibrin, has warned that it would be a dangerous calculation to assume that President Bola Tinubu has no support in the North.
Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television, he asserted that Tinubu still commands a strong following in the region.
He argued that while there might be people who want him out of power, there are others who still stand firmly behind him.
“Tinubu is not an orphan in the north. He has people in the north. Maybe they’re not talking as much as they should, but he has people. So, as much as you have people who want him out, you also have people who want him in.
“And as events keep unfolding, you will see people who will come here opposing and people who will come here supporting him. So I don’t think he is an orphan in the north. It would be a dangerous calculation for somebody to think Tinubu has no support in the northern part of the country,” Jibrin said on Wednesday.
The federal lawmaker also dismissed suggestions that the North has been politically “short-changed,” pointing out that the region had held power for longer than the South.
He urged the North to “tell itself the truth” and stop undermining its own representatives.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/09/04/i-tried-to-broker-peace-between-ganduje-and-kwankwaso-jibrin/
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South Asia
Purbachal plot scam: court refuses to hear plea for defending Hasina
Sep 4, 2025
A Dhaka court today refused to hear a petition filed seeking permission to defend deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina in a corruption case.
Lawyer Morshed Hossain Shahin, who filed the petition, told The Daily Star this morning that Judge Md Rabiul Alam of the Special Judge's Court-4 in Dhaka gave some guidelines regarding the matter.
Quoting the judge, he said, "There is no scope to appoint a state defence in this case due to legal bar."
A court staff said that the court was scheduled to record statements of prosecution witnesses today in three graft cases filed against 23 people, including Hasina, Rehana and Tulip, over alleged irregularities in the allocation of plots under the Purbachal New Town project.
The Anti-Corruption Commission between January 12 and 14 lodged six separate cases with its Dhaka Integrated District Office-1.
According to the anti-graft body, Hasina, in collusion with senior Rajuk officials, unlawfully secured six plots -- each measuring 10 kathas, in the diplomatic zone of Sector 27 of the Purbachal New Town project for herself and her son SajeebWazed Joy and daughter Saima WazedPutul; Rehana and her son Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby and daughter Azmina despite their ineligibility under existing regulations.
On March 25, the ACC filed six charge sheets with the Metropolitan Senior Special Judge's Court in Dhaka where Hasina was named as a common accused in all six cases. The commission has listed all accused as fugitives.
On April 10, 13 and 15, the same court had issued arrest warrants against Hasina, Rehana, Joy, Putul, Azmina, Radwan and British MP Tulip Siddiq, along with others, after taking cognisance of the charges.
On July 1, the court ordered the relevant authorities to issue six gazette notifications summoning the 29 individuals to appear at the court. On July 31, charges were framed against 29 people, including Hasina, Rehana, Joy, Putul, Bobby, Tulip and Azmina, in their respective cases.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/corruption/news/purbachal-plot-scam-court-refuses-hear-plea-defending-hasina-3978316
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Afghanistan, Iran Explore Deeper Economic Cooperation
2025-09-03
KABUL(BNA): Afghanistan’s Minister of Mines and Petroleum, Mullah HidayatullahBadri, met with AlirezaBikdeli, the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran, to discuss strengthening economic ties.
According to the ministry, the talks focused on boosting bilateral cooperation, oil and gas exploration and extraction, and investment in Afghanistan’s mining sector.
Ambassador Bikdeli highlighted Afghanistan’s nationwide security and vast mineral resources, calling them an important opportunity for expanding joint cooperation. He urged greater Iranian investment, joint projects, and the sharing of expertise in the mining field.
Minister Badri welcomed Iran’s interest in Afghanistan’s mining sector and pledged his ministry’s support for future collaboration.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
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https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/afghanistan-iran-explore-deeper-economic-cooperation/
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Kunar Quake Casualties Update: Over 1,450 Dead, 3,390 Injured, Fitrat
September 4, 2025
KABUL: Mullah Hamdullah Fitrat, the Deputy Spokesperson of the Islamic Emirate, confirmed in a statement on Wednesday that the recent devastating earthquake in Kunar province has resulted in at least 1,457 fatalities, 3,394 injuries, and the destruction of more than 6,782 homes.
The worst-hit districts include Nurgal, Chawkay, Chapa Dara, Pech Dara, Watapur, and Asadabad, where entire communities have been reduced to rubble, Fitrat said.
“Rescue operations are underway, with specialized commando units airlifted into remote areas inaccessible by road or helicopter landings to retrieve the injured and recover bodies from beneath the debris,” he said.
In Khas Kunar district, a temporary relief camp has been set up to organize emergency assistance.
Additionally, two operational centers have been established near the epicenter to manage medical evacuations, burial arrangements, and provide coordinated support to survivors, the deputy spokesman added.
Several countries and humanitarian organizations have extended messages of condolence and pledged emergency aid, some of which have already been delivered to local relief committees.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://thekabultimes.com/kunar-quake-casualties-update-over-1450-dead-3390-injured-fitrat/
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Calligraphy, Handwriting Exhibition Opens in Ghazni
September 4, 2025
KABUL: The Department of Information and Culture of Ghazni province, in collaboration with the Ghazni Calligraphers Association, inaugurated a three-day exhibition at the Al-Biruni Public Library Hall, the Ministry of Information and Culture said in a statement on Wednesday.
Mullah Hamidullah Nisar, Head of Information and Culture in Ghazni, stated that the goal of the exhibition is to attract the attention of youth towards the art and culture of calligraphy.
He added that nearly 30 artistic and calligraphic works in various styles are showcased at the exhibition and emphasized that his-led department is committed to supporting Islamic and Afghan culture and is working to establish calligraphy training alongside other educational programs for young people at its educational center.
The head of the Ghazni Calligraphers Association said that holding such exhibitions is essential to encourage artists and promote the growth of arts, stressing the need for these programs to continue.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://thekabultimes.com/calligraphy-handwriting-exhibition-opens-in-ghazni/
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Over 2,700 Afghan Families Return Home From Iran, Pakistan
September 4, 2025
KABUL: A total of 2,725 Afghan families have returned to the country from Iran and Pakistan in the past day, the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation said in a statement on Wednesday.
According to the statement,1,632 families returned via the Torkham crossing in Nangarhar, 188 families entered the country through Spin Boldak in Kandahar, while 121 families entered through the Silk Bridge (Pul-e-Abrisham) in Nimroz, 16 families returned via AngoorAdda in Paktika, 28 families through Bahramcha in Helmand, and 740 families entered the country via Islam Qala in Herat province in the past day.
Upon arrival, all returning families were assisted by the relevant provincial authorities and humanitarian teams of the Islamic Emirate.
Officials emphasized that the return and reintegration of Afghan citizens remains a national priority, and efforts are underway to facilitate their resettlement in a dignified and sustainable manner.
The Islamic Emirate has reiterated its commitment to ensuring returning families are supported through a combination of humanitarian assistance, local integration programs, and livelihood opportunities.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://thekabultimes.com/over-2700-afghan-families-return-home-from-iran-pakistan/
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Resistance and Inclusion: Muhammad’s Legacy for Justice in Myanmar
By Harry Myo Lin
SEP 04, 2025
In September 2025, the world marks a remarkable milestone: the 1,500th anniversary of the birth of the Prophet Muhammad. For many, this commemoration is primarily religious, honouring the life of Islam’s final prophet. Yet beyond faith and devotion, Muhammad was also a political leader, strategist, and resistance figure whose legacy speaks directly to today’s global aspirations for peace, justice, and inclusive institutions, as envisioned in Sustainable Development Goal 16. His leadership offers enduring lessons for societies grappling with oppression, conflict, and fragmentation, which remain especially relevant for Myanmar’s struggle to overcome authoritarian rule and build a just, inclusive future.
Muhammad as a Resistance Leader
Muhammad began his mission in a hostile environment. Mecca’s elite families, guardians of the Kaaba and beneficiaries of the city’s trade monopoly, viewed his message as threatening their religious authority and economic order (Armstrong, 2006). For thirteen years in Mecca, he and his followers endured persecution, social boycott, and violence. Yet he chose a path of patient endurance, strategic alliances, and calculated steps rather than outright confrontation.
When survival in Mecca became impossible, Muhammad planned the Hijra, the migration to Medina in 622 CE. This was not a retreat but a deliberate act of resistance: preserving his community, avoiding annihilation, and repositioning himself in a new political space. In Myanmar’s terms, it mirrors the relocation of activists, students, and leaders to liberated areas or across borders, ensuring continuity of struggle even under existential threat.
The Constitution of Medina: Building Alliances
Upon arriving in Medina, Muhammad became a spiritual guide and a political architect. The Constitution of Medina (622 CE) was a groundbreaking charter that united Muslims, Jews, Christians, and polytheists into a single political community. It recognised their distinct identities but bound them under mutual obligations, defence, and justice.
For Myanmar’s resistance, this is a striking lesson. The Spring Revolution has mobilized diverse actors: Bamar pro-democracy forces, ethnic armed organizations (EAOs), students, and grassroots communities. Yet fragmentation remains a critical challenge. Muhammad’s model demonstrates that unity does not require uniformity. Alliances can be built on shared survival, mutual respect, and common defence, while differences are acknowledged rather than erased.
In contemporary Myanmar, a “Charter of Resistance” modelled on this principle could formalise alliances between EAOs and People’s Defence Forces (PDFs), ensuring commitments to protect civilians, respect diversity, and prevent internecine conflict.
The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah: Strategic Diplomacy
Perhaps one of Muhammad’s most profound political moves was the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah (628 CE). At first glance, it didn't seem very comfortable, granting concessions to the Quraysh, including delaying the Muslims’ right to pilgrimage. Yet Muhammad accepted it, recognising the long-term advantages of peace and legitimacy (N. Sk, 2024). Within two years, the truce enabled unprecedented outreach, conversion, and political strength.
For Myanmar, the parallel is clear: strategic pauses and negotiations can serve resistance, not betray it. Diplomatic engagement with regional actors, ASEAN, or even military factions at the local level may appear as a compromise. Yet, if framed carefully, such diplomacy can expand legitimacy, buy time, and weaken the enemy’s political stranglehold. The key lesson is patience and vision: not every setback is defeat; sometimes, restraint is a strategy.
Ethics of Resistance: Restraint and Mercy
Even in conflict, Muhammad emphasised moral boundaries. Traditions record his instructions to armies: do not kill non-combatants, destroy crops, or harm religious figures (Time, 2016). When he eventually re-entered Mecca as a victor in 630 CE, he chose forgiveness over revenge, granting amnesty to those who had once persecuted him (Sultan, 2014).
For Myanmar’s armed resistance, these ethics are crucial. Reports of abuses by both the junta and some resistance elements risk undermining the moral legitimacy of the revolution. Myanmar’s struggle is not only military but also psychological and moral. Just as the Prophet’s mercy transformed enemies into allies, the resistance must embed justice and restraint to win trust among communities, including those still hesitant or fearful.
Lessons for Myanmar’s Armed Resistance
Muhammad accepted armed struggle when it became necessary. At Badr (624 CE), Uhud (625 CE), and the Battle of the Trench (627 CE), he fought defensively to secure survival. Yet these engagements were marked by strategy, discipline, and moral clarity rather than vengeance (Armstrong, 2006).
Myanmar’s PDFs and EAOs similarly face a dilemma: fighting a brutal military while avoiding cycles of indiscriminate violence. Lessons from Muhammad’s resistance include strategic relocation (Hijra), which preserves the movement through relocation and avoids premature confrontation that could annihilate forces. Alliance Building (Constitution of Medina): Formalise military coordination with inclusive political agreements. Defensive Posture (Badr, Uhud): Prioritise defence and survival over conquest or territorial ambition. Ethics in War: Uphold codes of conduct to protect civilians, religious institutions, and humanitarian norms, and Reconciliation (Conquest of Mecca): Prepare for political reconciliation once the tide turns; mercy can consolidate victory better than punishment.
Ethnic Alliances and Myanmar’s Plural Society
Muhammad’s most significant political achievement was weaving tribes and faiths into a pluralistic polity. For Myanmar, where decades of ethnic conflict have scarred trust, this lesson is urgent.
The National Unity Government (NUG) has sought to forge alliances with EAOs, but credibility gaps remain. Drawing from Medina, alliances must be military but also constitutional and inclusive. Agreements should guarantee autonomy, cultural rights, and equal participation. Just as Medina’s charter recognised Jews as part of the “ummah - society” without erasing their faith, Myanmar’s new political compact must affirm ethnic nationalities as equal partners in the union, not subordinate minorities.
Moral Framing vs. Military Tactics
A central lesson from Muhammad’s leadership is integrating moral vision with political realism. He combined strategic military defence with uncompromising justice and mercy. For Myanmar, this means the resistance to firepower cannot be reduced. Military advances must be embedded in a larger narrative: the struggle for justice, dignity, and a future where all communities, Bamar, Kachin, Karen, Rakhine, Chin, Shan, Rohingya, and many more, stand as equals. If Myanmar’s resistance becomes only about guns, it risks mirroring the junta’s brutality. However, if military tactics are coupled with a clear moral and inclusive framework, they can inspire enduring legitimacy.
Toward a Vision of Victory
For Muhammad, victory was not merely defeating the Quraysh militarily but establishing a just and inclusive order. Similarly, for Myanmar, victory must be measured not only in the junta's collapse but also in creating a system where authoritarianism cannot reemerge.
Muhammad’s insistence on justice, his ability to transform enemies into allies, and his vision of plural coexistence provide a roadmap. Myanmar’s resistance must think beyond immediate battlefields, toward building a future state that embodies justice, equality, and reconciliation.
As the world marks 1,500 years since the birth of Prophet Muhammad, his legacy speaks powerfully to Myanmar’s present. He endured persecution, built alliances across divides, embraced diplomacy when strategic, fought defensively when necessary, and upheld ethics and mercy even in victory.
For Myanmar, struggling through one of its darkest chapters, the lessons are clear:
Build inclusive alliances, respecting diversity.
Balance armed resistance with moral restraint.
Use diplomacy and patience as tools of strength.
Envision victory not just as regime change, but as justice, dignity, and reconciliation.
Fifteen centuries later, Prophet Muhammad’s resistance leadership remains a beacon for Muslims and all who seek freedom against tyranny. Like his, Myanmar’s struggle demands resilience, vision, and the courage to lead with strength and mercy.
Source: substack.com
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https://sabaitimes.substack.com/p/resistance-and-inclusion-muhammads-legacy-for-justice-in-myanmar
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Arab World
Saudi Arabia’s Masam project removes 968 mines in Yemen
September 04, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Masam project removed 968 mines from areas across Yemen, latest figures show.
King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, which runs the initiative, said 4 anti-personnel mines, 32 anti-tank mines, 925 unexploded ordnances, and 7 explosive devices had been removed.
The project was able to take out around 4,735 mines in the month of August.
Since the initiatives inception in 2018 over 512,323 mines have been cleared.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2614064/saudi-arabia
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Saudi literature commission represents Kingdom at Moscow International Book Fair
September 03, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission is representing the Kingdom’s publishing industry at the 38th annual Moscow International Book Fair, which began on Wednesday and continues until Sunday.
The commission has brought together several key institutions from the country’s cultural sector for the event, including the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language, the King Fahad National Library, and the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance.
The fair features more than 300 publishers from countries including Belarus, Iran, China, the UAE and North Korea. This year’s guest of honor is India.
Saudi Arabia’s participation reflects the country’s commitment to the strengthening of cultural ties with the Russian Federation, the expansion of bilateral cooperation, and the promotion of investment opportunities in the Kingdom’s cultural sector, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The commission, which operates under the Saudi Ministry of Culture, was established in 2020 to regulate literature, publishing and translation in the Kingdom.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2614058/saudi-arabia
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Saudi crown prince discusses developments in Gaza with Netherlands PM
September 03, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received a phone call from the Prime Minister of the Netherlands Dick Schoof on Wednesday.
During the phone call, the officials discussed developments in the Gaza Strip and their security and humanitarian repercussions, Saudi Press Agency reported.
The crown prince reiterated the Kingdom’s call on the international community to end the disastrous repercussions of Israeli aggression against civilians and to condemn any steps that impede a two-state solution.
Prince Mohammed and Schoof also reviewed relations between their countries, existing areas of cooperation, and ways to support them in various fields.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2614056/saudi-arabia
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Leading UK school partners with Saudi platform to open Riyadh campus
September 03, 2025
LONDON: One of the UK’s leading independent schools is partnering with KSA Education Investment Partners to launch a new school in Saudi Arabia.
Malvern College is set to found its first campus in the Kingdom, Malvern College Riyadh, with a slated opening in 2027.
The college is expected to be the first of several schools and nurseries established in tandem with KEIP, giving access to Malvern’s educational experience to pupils across the region.
The partnership between the platform and the boarding school was announced at the Great Future Event in London on Wednesday.
Malvern College, opened in 1865, has a long and storied track record of attaining educational excellence, with pupils regularly attending Oxford, Cambridge, and Ivy League universities.
It champions a holistic approach to learning, emphasizing the importance of activities including sport and the arts alongside academia.
It consistently ranks among the world’s top 50 International Baccalaureate schools, with its alumni including Nobel Prize winners, Olympic gold medalists and internationally acclaimed author C.S. Lewis alongside politicians, distinguished military figures and scientists.
“We are proud to be partnering with KEIP to introduce the Malvern College experience to Riyadh,” said Keith Metcalfe, the college’s headmaster.
“This collaboration is about more than opening a new school. It is about sharing our core values of curiosity, kindness, independence, resilience, integrity and ambition across a global community.
“Drawing on 160 years of educational innovation and proven success internationally, our dedicated team will work alongside highly experienced local partners to ensure this school provides the Malvern standard of education in a way that respects local culture,” he added.
“I look forward to welcoming Riyadh pupils into the Malvern family of schools and continuing our mission to prepare young people to thrive in an interconnecting world and grow into thoughtful and confident role models of the future.”
KEIP was founded to bring exceptional early and K-12 education to Saudi Arabia, supporting the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 program by helping to raise future Saudi leaders prepared to compete globally while promoting Saudi identity, values and the Arabic language.
KEIP Chairman Naif Alrasheed said: “We are delighted to partner with Malvern College to bring one of the world’s most respected schools to Riyadh.
“KEIP was founded to transform education and to meet the pace of change in Saudi and beyond.
“By combining Malvern’s world class academic heritage with our ambition, we will prepare the next generation of Saudis to thrive as leaders in an increasingly interconnected, digitally driven world.”
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2614035/saudi-arabia
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Saudi Arabia emerges as global AI leader in 6 years
RASHID HASSAN
September 03, 2025
RIYADH: The Kingdom has emerged as a global leader in data and artificial intelligence in just six years, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
The transformation has been spearheaded by the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority since its establishment in 2019.
The SDAIA has developed a strategic roadmap to enhance the Kingdom’s global competitiveness by leveraging data and AI to drive economic growth and develop human capabilities, the SPA reported.
“As the primary host of the Kingdom’s national data, the SDAIA is crucial for enabling digital transformation, providing insights for national decision-making, and building a robust digital infrastructure for integrated government services.”
The authority also prioritizes the responsible use of these technologies, creating regulatory frameworks that align with the Personal Data Protection Law to ensure privacy and ethical standards, the SPA reported.
Commenting on the transformation, Muhammad Khurram Khan, a professor of cybersecurity at King Saud University, told Arab News: “Saudi Arabia’s AI journey is a direct reflection of visionary leadership, strategic foresight, and an unwavering national commitment to technological sovereignty.
“With the support of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Kingdom has positioned AI as a national priority, embedding it at the heart of its economic transformation and modernization agenda.”
“This top-level commitment has empowered Saudi Arabia to build world-class digital infrastructure, advance AI research and innovation, and lay the foundation for long-term self-reliance in advanced and disruptive technologies,” Khan added.
The crown prince provides support for the SDAIA that has enabled the authority to achieve over 70 national and international awards and certifications, positioning the Kingdom at the forefront of global indicators.
“Through institutions like SDAIA, the Kingdom is driving a comprehensive national AI strategy that spans policy development, capability building, ethical governance, and global collaboration,” said Khan.
He added that the Kingdom’s AI leadership is evident through its hosting of global AI summits, and nationwide education initiatives.
Saudi Arabia has also set up Public Investment Fund-backed AI entities including the company Humain, and committed to international standards through policies such as the Saudi AI Qualifications Framework, he said.
“These efforts clearly demonstrate the Kingdom’s ambition to lead the global AI race," he added.
Khan said that equally critical was the Kingdom’s deep investment in human capital.
The SAMAI initiative, which aims to equip 1 million Saudis with AI skills, and the national integration of a curriculum for over 6 million students, represent strategic moves toward long-term self-reliance and talent-driven innovation, he said.
“This is more than a digital shift, it is a nation-scale re-engineering of how technology, talent, and trust are mobilized to shape the future.
“Saudi Arabia’s AI strategy is deeply aligned with Vision 2030, ensuring that AI is not only a driver of economic diversification, but also a tool to elevate human potential, enhance public services, and secure a competitive edge in the global innovation landscape.”
“By embedding AI into its societal fabric and aligning every initiative with Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia is building a resilient, self-sufficient, and innovation-led economy that is poised to lead the world into the AI era,” he added.
The SDAIA’s initiatives include organizing successful global summits since 2020, attracting over 100,000 participants, and leading to the establishment of the International Center for Artificial Intelligence Research and Ethics, supervised by UNESCO.
In addition to its global efforts, the SDAIA has contributed significantly to domestic services. The authority’s cybersecurity standards earned it certification from the global CREST organization, making it the first government agency in the Middle East to do so.
The SDAIA has also digitized government services, notably through the Tawakkalna app, which serves over 34 million users with more than 1,000 services.
Furthermore, the SDAIA employs AI technologies to manage crowds and ensure safety during the Hajj and Umrah seasons.
The SDAIA’s projects have also yielded significant economic benefits.
The Estishraf platform has generated over SR51 billion ($13.5 billion) in savings for more than 121 government agencies, while the Ehsan platform has facilitated over SR12 billion in donations, the SPA has reported.
These achievements demonstrate the tangible impact of the SDAIA’s work in strengthening the national economy and enhancing government efficiency.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2614013/saudi-arabia
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DCO chief meets Palestinian, Syrian ministers in Riyadh
September 03, 2025
RIYADH: Secretary-General of the Digital Cooperation Organization Deemah Al-Yahya received Palestinian Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Abdul RazeqNatshe and his delegation at the organization’s headquarters in Riyadh, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
The meeting focused on enhancing cooperation between the organization and Palestine in digital economy development, supporting innovation, inclusive growth and opening new opportunities in the digital sector.
Al-Yahya highlighted the organization’s commitment to Palestine’s digital transformation, praising national efforts toward economic openness.
She emphasized building partnerships that expand market access, attract investments and bridge digital divides, particularly through initiatives such as Digital Foreign Direct Investment.
Natshe and his delegation commended the organization’s evidence-based, data-driven approach in advancing digital growth among member states and its platforms that enable knowledge sharing, performance measurement and connecting emerging digital systems globally.
Both sides highlighted the importance of a robust digital ecosystem that supports entrepreneurs, empowers youth and creates opportunities for cross-border integration.
They also highlighted exchanging best practices and expertise between member states and Palestine to advance digital transformation, share knowledge and support regional digital development.
They agreed to continue coordination and explore practical areas of cooperation to boost the digital economy and enhance regional collaboration.
In a separate meeting, Al-Yahya also held talks with Syrian Minister of Communications and Technology Abdel Salam Heikal.
The two sides highlighted the importance of exchanging best practices and expertise between the organization’s member states and Syria.
They discussed the organization’s support approach and its role in connecting Syria to a broader network of global digital stakeholders.
The Digital Cooperation Organization confirmed its readiness to assist the Syrian Arab Republic in its digital transformation and commended the country’s national efforts toward economic openness.
Al-Yahya said that the organization is committed to supporting regional digital transformation and building a sustainable ecosystem that empowers individuals and entrepreneurs.
She added that dialogue and cooperation with countries like Syria are essential to fulfilling the organization’s mission of enabling digital prosperity for all.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2614006/saudi-arabia
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Al-Ahsa exhibition promotes innovation, investment opportunities in lime industry
September 03, 2025
Riyadh: “LomiHasawi,” an exhibition dedicated to the lime fruit of Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ahsa region, attracted crowds of visitors, businessmen, and officials from the Kingdom and other Gulf countries.
The exhibition aims to present limes from Al-Ahsa — one of the governorate’s key agricultural products after dates — highlight the product’s derivatives, and encourage investment in related industries.
Organized by the Al-Ahsa Chamber in collaboration with the Al-Ahsa Development Authority, the exhibition runs until Sept. 6 and features 73 pavilions displaying innovative lime-based products.
The event also hosts youth initiatives and booths for artisans and families in the cottage industry, attracting strong visitor interest and engagement, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
Over three days, the exhibition held the “Lomithon” hackathon in partnership with King Faisal University, where more than 60 entrepreneurs presented 14 projects to enhance the value of lime and create economic opportunities.
Interactive events include a live cooking platform with prominent chefs from the Kingdom and Gulf region, along with tourist programs and handicraft workshops, the SPA added.
Prince Saud bin Talal bin Badr, the governor of Al-Ahsa, inaugurated the exhibition on Aug. 21, highlighting the governorate’s competitive advantages and promising investment opportunities.
The Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Program, known as Reef Saudi, is participating as a gold sponsor of the exhibition.
Reef Saudi spokesman Majed Al-Buraikan said the program, which supports producers, provided SR342,000 ($91,000) to the lime sector in the Eastern Province, benefiting 89 farmers.
This support has increased lime production to more than 122,400 tonnes, Al-Buraikan added.
The fruit sector is a key focus for Reef Saudi, which aims to diversify local agriculture, improve efficiency, and contribute to self-sufficiency, in line with Vision 2030, according to SPA.
Al-Buraikan highlighted the high economic value of Al-Ahsa’s limes, its strong marketing potential, and its role in processing industries.
He added that Reef Saudi empowers small farmers by developing their tools and skills, thereby boosting incomes and economic returns.
Source: arabnews.com
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Palestine tops agenda as Saudi crown prince meets UAE president in Riyadh
September 03, 2025
RIYADH: The latest developments in Palestine were the focus of talks on Wednesday as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan in Riyadh.
The two leaders reviewed the situation in Palestine as part of a broader discussion on regional issues, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
They also explored ways to strengthen the close bilateral relations between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and to enhance cooperation across various fields.
Sheikh Mohamed arrived in Riyadh earlier on Wednesday and was received at King Khalid International Airport by the Crown Prince, underscoring the depth of ties between the two Gulf neighbors.
Source: arabnews.com
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Southeast Asia
Divorced but together: Johor couple face jail after laundry excuse falls flat
By Ben Tan
04 Sep 2025
JOHOR BAHRU, Sept 4 — A recently divorced Muslim couple in Johor have been arrested after religious authorities said the man was caught at his ex-wife’s flat in Kempas early this morning — where he claimed he was only seeking her help with laundry and to see his child.
The Johor Islamic Religious Department (JAINJ) said the 1am raid was carried out following public complaints about the pair’s relationship, despite their divorce about a year ago.
“The couple, who are in their 30s, have been living separately since their divorce about a year ago.
“The man gave the reason that he was in the house as he wanted his ex-wife to help him with laundry and also to see his child,” JAINJ said in a statement today.
JAINJ said the couple did not answer when asked if they were sleeping together throughout the visits.
The enforcement officer then advised the couple, who admitted that they often see each other, to re-marry again.
The statement said the man started having feelings for his ex-wife and the couple decided to reconcile after the four-month period ended.
“He said the Kadi’s office then advised the man to go through the normal process, including finding a wali (witness), if he wanted to re-marry his ex-wife again.
“The problem arose when the man had an argument with his brother-in-law, who was previously also a witness on behalf of his ex-wife,” JAINJ said.
Due to the strained relationship, the statement explained that both men have not spoken to each other.
“The couple’s illicit relationship then continued without marriage and his visits to his ex-wife and child were made in full view of the neighbours,” read the statement.
If convicted, the couple can be fined up to RM3,000 each or face up to six years in prison or both.
Source: malaymail.com
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PAS leader pulls out of race for key post in Malaysia Islamist party - what are the political implications?
03 Sep 2025
KUALA LUMPUR: A key Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) leader's decision not to contest a top position in upcoming internal polls has highlighted the challenges of going up against the party’s influential ulama (religious scholar) faction, analysts say.
The pull-out of Kedah Chief Minister Muhammad SanusiMd Nor, 51, who is seen to be from PAS’ other “professional” faction, also raises questions of leadership succession and whether the party can gain broader acceptance from Malaysians ahead of the next general election due by 2028, the experts add.
Sanusi reportedly confirmed on Saturday (Aug 30) that he will not run for one of three vice-president posts at the party's upcoming election, despite being one of four candidates nominated for the post. He said he will only be defending his seat in the Central Working Committee for the 2025 to 2027 term, news outlet Utusan Malaysia reported.
The internal election will be held during PAS’ annual general meeting, or muktamar, in Kedah from Sep 11 to 16.
This means PAS is likely to see an unchanged leadership line-up after its latest polls, with its top two posts - president and deputy president - uncontested and the three other vice-president candidates re-elected as incumbents.
The party has a long-held tradition of absolute loyalty to leaders and shunning infighting for top posts.
PAS' top leadership positions are dominated by members of its ulama faction, and Sanusi's decision could be seen as a shrewd one to ensure he retains influence in the party as its election director, instead of losing to Terengganu Chief Minister Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, the analysts said.
Fifty-four-year-old Ahmad Samsuri - a popular technocrat and an incumbent PAS vice-president - is the only member in the party's top five positions not seen as part of the ulama faction.
Analysts whom CNA spoke to agreed that PAS will continue to rely on its partner PartiPribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) in the opposition PerikatanNasional (PN) coalition to further its ambitions of governing Malaysia.
This is because some Malaysians still do not have confidence in PAS at the national level, while Bersatu leaders have had relatively more experience in the federal government, political analyst AwangAzmanAwangPawi of Universiti Malaya said.
For instance, Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin is a former prime minister while the party’s deputy president Hamzah Zainudin has held various ministerial positions in past administrations, including that of home minister.
AwangAzman said that PAS' lack of leadership renewal could create a perception that the party is closely guarded by several "elites" and is not open to differences in opinion.
"The absence of leadership contests at the highest level could be seen as a lack of room for criticism or new leadership to emerge," he said, adding that it weakens the party's ability to attract youths or promote talent.
"The ability to win without contest makes it easier for old leaders to remain in power, stunting natural leadership succession."
“STRATEGIC” SANUSI
Still, Sanusi's decision to withdraw from the internal polls could be attributed to how he wants to continue playing an important role as PAS election director ahead of the Sabah state election in the coming months and the 16th General Election (GE16), AwangAzman said.
An election director steers the party's electoral campaigns, setting strategies and seat targets as well as coordinating election machinery and public messaging.
This is the third time that Sanusi has refused the vice-president post - he did the same in the 2023 and 2021 internal elections - despite being eligible after nominations from several PAS divisions.
In July, he said he was not ready to take up the vice-president post, and that he had no issues remaining in the party’s second-tier leadership if there were more suitable and capable candidates for the role, Malaysia’s BeritaHarian reported.
“This year, I’ll consider whether it’s necessary (to stand for the post). If there’s someone better and more qualified, I’ll campaign for him,” he was quoted as saying.
“PAS isn’t like other parties. We don’t scramble for posts to the point of quitting ministerial positions.”
The Kedah chief minister was taking a swipe at Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s PartiKeadilan Rakyat (PKR), which held its own internal polls in May that saw two leaders quit as federal ministers after losing their party positions.
Analysts said Sanusi’s decision could also be a “strategic” one in part due to a recognition that he would have faced a tough battle.
The ulama faction’s dominance of PAS means incumbent vice-presidents Idris Ahmad, 61, and Amar Abdullah, 66, would likely be re-elected, said MohdYusri Ibrahim, chief researcher at Malaysian think-tank Ilham Centre.
This leaves Sanusi in a likely straight fight against Ahmad Samsuri - a contest that the analyst believes is “difficult” for Sanusi to win.
"At the same time, Sanusi probably wants Ahmad Samsuri to remain as vice-president. For me, Sanusi made a clever and strategic decision. It is good for him and good for the professional faction,” Yusri said.
Without a direct clash, both members of the professional faction would retain their positions as vice-president and election director, ensuring their continued presence in PAS’ leadership team, he explained.
Last Saturday, PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin Hassan said Sanusi did not face any pressure to decline his nomination for a vice-president post, reported Malaysia's BeritaHarian.
Takiyuddin said there was nothing unusual about Sanusi’s decision to drop out, adding that party members were often reminded that positions were responsibilities, not matters of prestige or something to be fought over.
Yusri said that while some may see PAS as an “open” party in Malaysia's political landscape - in that it contests elections and sets national agendas like other parties in the country - its internal processes, including leadership elections, remain opaque.
“Some could say PAS and Malaysia face limitations in getting the best people as leaders when the top posts are uncontested, but the party knows better about what it wants,” he added.
"In these matters, PAS is somewhat exclusive. It has its own culture.”
POLITICAL RELEVANCE
Overall, Sanusi’s rejection and PAS' decision to retain its top leaders without competition show the party's conservative approach and culture of walak (loyalty), said AwangAzman.
“While it reflects efforts to maintain stability, it also risks weakening the principles of internal democracy,” he said.
"In the long run, a balance between stability and internal competition is important to ensure the party remains relevant and adaptive."
While the ulama leadership in PAS has been a dominant force in Malaysian politics, party president Abdul Hadi Awang, 77, has acknowledged room for improvement.
At the 2023 muktamar, Abdul Hadi admitted that one of the party’s weaknesses is its difficulty in garnering non-Muslim support. In the 2024 meeting, PAS delegates voted to allow non-Muslims to become associate members of the party.
AwangAzman feels the ulama faction’s dominance in framing PAS’ political ideology will continue to make it difficult for more Malaysians to accept the party.
Already, PAS lacks support among non-Muslims, moderate Muslims and those in urban areas, he pointed out.
"They are perceived as not contributing good national ideas, only playing up racial and ethnic issues,” AwangAzman said.
"PAS is relying on Bersatu leaders, who have experience in the federal government from their time in UMNO (United Malays National Organisation) and PKR."
PAS STILL NEEDS BERSATU
News outlet Malaysiakini previously reported that PAS had proposed a leadership restructure of PN, giving Bersatu deputy president Hamzah greater operational powers. The PAS secretary-general Takiyuddin denied there were such plans.
In another Malaysiakini report, the PN chairman and Bersatu president Muhyiddin revealed he had previously suggested that PAS take over the PN leadership as part of a rotational system, but that PAS declined this.
“According to insider information, PAS is no longer obsessed with Muhyiddin as a prime minister candidate; it is expected to name another figure from Bersatu,” Yusri said.
At the 15th General Election (GE15) in November 2022, PAS defied expectations and emerged as the party with the highest number of seats in parliament. It also won in many places even outside its largely conservative and rural stronghold.
PAS continued its streak at the 2023 state elections by winning most of the 127 seats it contested in and forming the state government in Kelantan, Terengganu, Perlis and Kedah.
Ahead of GE16, Yusri posited that PAS is still putting its hopes in Bersatu to “lead Malaysia”.
“I say this because PAS has not been seen as eager to name its own prime minister candidate ahead of GE16,” he said.
“That’s the situation until now, although whether that will change at the muktamar, we don’t know.”
Source: channelnewsasia.com
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Anwar says Proton’s new e.MAS5 EV will be priced for middle-income Malaysians
By Muhammad Yusry
04 Sep 2025
TANJUNG MALIM, Sept 4 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today gave his assurance that Proton’s second electric vehicle (EV), the e.MAS5, will be priced within reach of middle-income Malaysians, countering criticism that EV ownership is only for the wealthy.
Speaking at the launch of Proton’s first EV plant here, Anwar said the national carmaker has been tasked with producing an EV that is both competitive and accessible, in line with the government’s aim of expanding clean mobility to all income groups.
“I have been informed that we can work towards lowering costs to make it more competitive and to meet the needs of communities with more modest incomes.
“I was also told by [Datuk Seri] TengkuZafrul that there has been criticism saying the tax exemptions for EVs only benefit the wealthy. But with this product, it addresses the needs of people with lower incomes, allowing them to buy cars at a lower cost,” he said in his speech.
Anwar added that the e.MAS5 would feature an improved driving range and enhanced charging convenience, making it more practical for everyday use.
The Proton e.MAS5 was first unveiled in May and is slated for launch in the fourth quarter of this year.
Proton has explained that the “5” in the e.MAS5 name reflects its compact form factor, distinguishing it from the larger e.MAS7 SUV.
The e.MAS5 is being positioned for younger buyers, while the e.MAS7 is targeted at families.
Source: malaymail.com
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Sarawak indigenous groups appeal to UNESCO over dam project
Joseph Peter
2025-09-04
BARAM: Indigenous community leaders from the district, here, have traveled to UNESCO headquarters in Paris to voice their opposition to a proposed mega-dam project they claim threatens their ancestral lands and a World Heritage site.
The delegation, including community chiefs, human rights advocate See Chee How (independent assemblyman for BatuLintang), and Mulu National Park activist Willie Kajan, met with senior UNESCO officials to discuss the planned Sungai Tutoh cascading dam project.
According to Kajan, who spoke to media upon returning from France, the proposed dam construction would result in extensive flooding affecting over 20,000 indigenous residents across the Baram region. The activist expressed particular concern about potential impacts on Mulu National Park, which holds UNESCO World Heritage status.
“We had no alternative but to seek international attention, particularly from UNESCO, given Mulu’s protected status,“ Kajan explained.
“The planned cascading dam system along Sungai Tutoh threatens to flood vast areas in the heart of Baram district.”
The delegation raised concerns about ecological damage and displacement of indigenous communities who depend on the region’s forests and rivers for their livelihoods. Despite local protests across 29 settlements, state authorities have indicated their intention to proceed with the project.
During their Paris visit, the Sarawak representatives met with several UNESCO officials, including Asia Pacific Regional Head GurungHimalchuli, community programmes coordinator GaranceAmeline, Indigenous Peoples Affairs director Berta De Sancristobal, and programme specialist Zou Yueyu.
The indigenous leaders presented their case about ongoing large-scale land clearing for logging and plantation development, arguing that additional dam construction would accelerate environmental destruction in their ancestral territories.
However, Sarawak government officials maintain a different perspective.
Deputy State Minister Datuk Gerawat Gala recently defended the project’s preliminary phase, stating that ground preparation work near Long Kevok settlement had commenced successfully with local community support.
Gala, who represents the Mulu constituency under the ruling GabunganParti Sarawak (GPS) coalition, argued that the dam project would generate essential electricity to drive rural development throughout Sarawak.
He shared social media posts suggesting local indigenous communities had welcomed the project team.
The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between development initiatives and indigenous rights in Malaysia’s largest state.
Sarawak PKR chairman Roland Engan has called for meaningful consultation with affected Baram communities before proceeding with construction activities.
The indigenous delegation’s appeal to UNESCO represents an escalation in their campaign against the dam project, seeking international intervention to protect their traditional lands and the region’s biodiversity.
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/malaysia-news/sarawak-indigenous-groups-appeal-to-unesco-over-dam-project-LP14825835
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