'Bajrang Dal' Attack On Odisha Christians for Resisting Alleged Pressure to Convert to Hinduism
New Age Islam News Bureau
23 June 2025
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· 'Bajrang Dal' Attack On Odisha Christians for Resisting Alleged Pressure to Convert to Hinduism
· Israeli Authorities Arrest Four Al-Aqsa Guards, Storm Old Prayer Hall
· Possible Terrorist Attacks: US Officials Warn Citizens Amid Iran Conflict
· Birmingham Mosques Issue Four Demands to Keir Starmer Over Iran Attacks
· Bangladesh's Ex-Election Commission Chief Arrested For Manipulating Polls During His Tenure
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India
· Hindi for Hindus, Urdu for Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir: J&K BJP GS Organisation
· No Local, all 3 Pahalgam Attackers from Pakistan, Concludes NIA After Arresting 2 For ‘Sheltering’ Terrorists
· Demolition Of Illegal Portion Of Delhi's Mangolpuri Mosque Underway; Paramilitary Forces Deployed
· Bangladesh High Commissioner to meet Mamata Banerjee amid cultural row and border tensions
· Remove Hindi Banners from Ooty Station, DMK Deputy GS Writes to Railway Minister
· 'Betrayal': Opposition leaders question Modi's silence over Iran's 'unilateral bombing by US'
· In UP village, forgotten Indian roots of Ayatollah Khomeini
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Mideast
· Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Asks Vladimir Putin to Do More After US Strikes
· Islamic Jihad: US Aggression Against Iran's Nuclear Sites Is Declaration Of War
· Yemeni Scholars Urge Muslim Unity to Support Gaza, Iran
· Suicide Bombing At Damascus Church Kills At Least 22, UN Syria Envoy Shares ‘Outrage’
· Israel Closes Aqsa Mosque On Pretext of Emergency State
· Joint Meeting Parties Condemn U.S. Aggression Against Islamic Republic of Iran
· Iraq Denounces US Military Attack On Iran’s Nuclear Sites
· Ansar Allah condemns US assault on Iran as blatant violation
· Israeli Strikes On Iran Have Killed at Least 950 People and Wounded 3,450 Others, A Human Rights Group Says
· Israel rejects critical EU report ahead of ministers’ meeting
· Palestinians waiting for humanitarian aid killed in airstrike
· Palestinian Authority considers phasing out shekel as Israeli banks refuse to accept surplus
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North America
· N.J. Increasing Security at Jewish, Muslim Houses of Worship After Iran Strikes
· ‘Won’t let you drag US into…’: Protesters swarm US cities in anti-war rallies
· Nashville Religious Communities On Alert Following U.S. Strikes In Iran
· In Los Angeles' Little Persia, US Strikes On Iran Met with Celebration - And Angst
· An unprecedented moment - but what the US and Iran do next could be even more momentous
· What we know about US strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites
· JD Vance defends US strikes on nuclear sites: ‘We’re not at war with Iran’
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Europe
· Man who planned Bristol shopping centre suicide bombing could soon be freed
· Man charged in relation to attack on Islamic Centre in Belfast
· Azerbaijan, Pakistan discuss strategic partnership, Israel-Iran tension at OIC session
· Starmer and Trump discuss need for Iran to return to negotiations
· Met chief 'shocked' by planned Palestine Action protest
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South Asia
· Houthi Movement Ends Ceasefire with U.S. Plans Attacks in the Red Sea
· Bangladesh seeks stronger OIC role in Rohingya justice
· Dy PM of IEA Meets Academic Officials in China, Seeks Educational Cooperation
· New Economic Policy of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan Approved
· Emergency Committee Established in Herat to Address Returnees from Iran
· Muttaqi attends 51st OIC Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Istanbul
· MoIC holds three-day training seminar on administrative systems
· Nagar Bhaban reopens after 40 days amid Ishraque supporters' protest
· Separate secretariat will ensure independence of judiciary
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Arab World
· Saudi Arabia Condemns Suicide Attack On Syrian Church
· Saudi Crown Prince holds talks with GCC, French and Italian leaders amid regional tensions
· Saudi Arabia issues etiquette guidelines for visitors to the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina
· Saudi interior minister meets outgoing UK ambassador in Riyadh
· Saudi project clears 1,243 mines in Yemen
· Alqan Heritage Village: A window into Saudi Arabia’s past
· Saudi art returns to Concentrico festival in Spain
· Saudi Pavilion at Osaka Expo attracts a million visitors
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Africa
· ‘No Justice, No Peace, Why Benue May Be Nigeria’s Ogossagou’
· Bayelsa Judge Abducted Outside Eatery As Gunmen Strike In Yenagoa
· ECOWAS leaders meet in Abuja amid regional tensions and leadership transition
· DRC extends ban on cobalt export for another three months
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Southeast Asia
· PPIM Says No More Ties with Ikhlas, Unaware Group Was Deregistered In 2022
· ‘Safety, well-being foremost’: Singapore keeps close tabs on students in Egypt, Jordan after Iran strikes
· Hot Weather Prompts Johor to Ease Uniform Rules for Religious School Students, Says State Exco
· Perak allocates RM20 million annually for Tahfiz schools
· Old school SMS becomes lifeline as Iran blocks roaming, WhatsApp amid escalating tensions, says Malaysia’s ambassador
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/bajrang-dal-attack-odisha-christians-hinduism/d/135959
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'Bajrang Dal' Attack On Odisha Christians for Resisting Alleged Pressure To Convert To Hinduism
Subhashish Mohanty
23.06.25
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A Hindutva mob attacked a group of Protestant Christians in an Odisha village on Saturday for resisting alleged pressure to convert to Hinduism, leaving eight of them injured, Christian leaders said on Sunday.
The injured, attacked while returning from church at Kotamateru village in Malkangiri district, are being treated at the district hospital, police said.
Christian community leaders pointed a finger at the Bajrang Dal, whose targeting of Christians appears to have gone up in the past one year since the BJP came to power in Odisha.
The Bajrang Dal denied involvement. An FIR has been registered with Malkangiri police. Local Christians staged a peaceful dharna on Sunday in front of the office of the superintendent of police (SP).
"Tension had been building in the area for the last few months. Hindu Right-wing activists continued to threaten people to change their religion and accept Hinduism, but many of the people who are Christian by birth resisted," Pallab Lima, state general secretary of the Rashtriya Christian Morcha, said.
"On Saturday morning, while they were returning from prayers, hundreds of people armed with all kinds of weapons like axes, mostly belonging to the Bajrang Dal, attacked the Christian people. The attack went on for hours."
Lima said "one individual" was able to contact a district pastor, who immediately informed the Malkangiri police station. The police rescued the Christians and took the "critically injured" to hospital.
"Because of the remote location of Kotamateru, news of the attack was delayed. On Sunday, we submitted a memorandum to the SP," Lima said.
He claimed that local Hindutva outfits had launched a "Sanskriti Bachao Abhiyan" (Save Culture Campaign) to pressure Christians into converting to Hinduism.
Bijoy Pusuru, a Christian community leader, said: "All our people are in a state of shock. They (those in hospital) are afraid to return to their village (on discharge)."
The Malkangiri collector and SP visited the village on Sunday.
The police downplayed the violence, blaming it on sibling rivalry.
"The incident was triggered by a dispute between two brothers, one a Christian and the other a Hindu. The Hindu brother was pressuring his Christian sibling to return to the Hindu fold," inspector Rigan Kinda of Malkangiri police station said.
"While members of the Christian community were returning home after prayers at the village church, many Hindus surrounded them and questioned their allegiance to Christianity. An argument broke out and was followed by clashes, in which some people suffered injuries. We are investigating the matter."
District Bajrang Dal leader Sibapada Mirdha denied the accusations of violence or a campaign to convert Christians.
However, in the same breath, he said: "Hindus have been raising their voice against forcible conversions by Christians. Sometimes, there is a spontaneous reaction to this."
Earlier this month, a 29-year-old nun was forced off a train by Bajrang Dal activists and detained for 18 hours at a police station in Khurda on the charge of trafficking women and conducting illegal conversions. The allegations proved false.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/bajrang-attack-on-odisha-christians-for-resisting-alleged-pressure-to-convert-to-hinduism-prnt/cid/2109247
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Israeli authorities arrest four Al-Aqsa guards, storm old prayer hall
June 22, 2025
People gather in front of the Dome of the Rock at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City, before the start of the noon prayer during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan. (File/AFP)
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LONDON: Israeli authorities arrested four guards at the Al-Aqsa Mosque during a search raid on Saturday night inside the compound’s old prayer hall.
The Jerusalem Governorate, affiliated with the Palestinian Authority, said that the detainees were identified as Mohammad Arbash, Ramzi Al-Zaanin, Basem Abu Juma, and Iyad Odeh. Several other guards and a firefighter in the compound were interrogated at the site by Israelis, the Wafa news agency reported.
Just after midnight on Saturday, Israeli forces stormed the old prayer hall at Al-Aqsa, a subterranean area beneath the Qibli Mosque, damaging its contents after breaking into storage cabinets and searching the premises, Wafa added.
The governorate said the latest Israeli action was part of efforts to assert control over the mosque’s administration and undermine the authority of the Islamic Waqf Department in Jerusalem.
After less than a week of complete closure under a state of emergency linked to the ongoing war with Iran, the Al-Aqsa Mosque was reopened by Israeli authorities, allowing Palestinian and other Muslim worshippers to enter the site under strict regulations, Wafa reported.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2605405/middle-east
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Possible Terrorist Attacks: US Officials Warn Citizens Amid Iran Conflict
Jun 23, 2025
US Marines rehearsing nonlethal tactics in the greater Los Angeles area.(AFP File)
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Amid rising tensions with Iran, the US has issued a new advisory for citizens warning of an "elevated threat environment" within the country. The notice, issued by US department of Homeland security (DHS), comes a day after US military struck three key nuclear sites in Iran.
The alert said the ongoing hostilities could inspire cyberattacks, retaliatory violence, and homegrown extremist activity.
“The ongoing Iran conflict is causing a heightened threat environment in the United States. Low-level cyber attacks against US networks by pro-Iranian hacktivists are likely, and cyber actors affiliated with the Iranian government may conduct attacks against US networks,” the DHS bulletin said.
“Iran also has a long-standing commitment to target US Government officials it views as responsible for the death of an Iranian military commander killed in January 2020. The likelihood of violent extremists in the Homeland independently mobilizing to violence in response to the conflict would likely increase if Iranian leadership issued a religious ruling calling for retaliatory violence against targets in the Homeland. Multiple recent Homeland terrorist attacks have been motivated by anti-Semitic or anti-Israel sentiment, and the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict could contribute to US-based individuals plotting additional attacks,” the agency added.
The bulletin follows a dramatic escalation in the Middle East this past weekend, when the United States joined Israel in launching coordinated air and missile strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities - marking the largest Western military operation against the Islamic Republic since the 1979 revolution. Iran responded by firing a volley of missiles at Israel, wounding dozens in Tel Aviv and further stoking fears of wider regional and global consequences.
DHS says that the current conflict, coupled with Iran's historic grievances and longstanding threats against US targets, has significantly increased the risk of both cyber and physical attacks on American soil.
Increased threats from Pro-Iranian cyber actors
The DHS bulletin cites a growing likelihood of "low-level cyber attacks against US networks by pro-Iranian hacktivists," as well as the possibility of more advanced operations from Iranian government-affiliated cyber units.
“Both hacktivists and Iranian government-affiliated actors routinely target poorly secured US networks and Internet-connected devices for disruptive cyber attacks,” the agency said.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is urging organizations to adopt recommended cybersecurity best practices and to report any suspicious digital activity immediately.
Risks of violence
US officials also warn that violent extremists or individuals inspired by Iran’s rhetoric could independently mobilize and launch attacks domestically. The risk of such violence would increase substantially if Iran’s Supreme Leader were to issue a fatwa (religious ruling) calling for retaliatory action against Us targets, the bulletin said..
"US law enforcement has disrupted multiple potentially lethal Iranian-backed plots in the United States since 2020. During this timeframe, the Iranian government has also unsuccessfully targeted critics of its regime who are based in the Homeland for lethal attack. If Iranian leadership were to issue a religious ruling calling for retaliatory violence against specific targets in the Homeland, it could increase the likelihood that a supporter of the Iranian regime is inspired to commit an act of violence in the Homeland," the advisory said.
Amid the heightened threat, DHS urged public to remain alert and report suspicious activity through the “If You See Something, Say Something” initiative.
Source: hindustantimes.com
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https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/us-officials-sound-alert-amid-iran-conflict-warns-citizens-of-possible-terrorist-attacks-101750660298844.html
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Birmingham mosques issue four demands to Keir Starmer over Iran attacks
Harry Leach
22 Jun 2025
The moment a bomb struck Iran(Image: Getty Images)
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Birmingham mosques fearing UK military involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict have issued four demands to Sir Keir Starmer.
Mosques - including Green Lane Masjid and Abrahamic Foundation - have penned an open letter to the Prime Minister urging him to 'take responsibility' in 'leading de-escalation efforts'.
It comes after President Donald Trump said today that the US had carried out a "successful" bombing attack on three nuclear sites in Iran.
Trump said the sites were "obliterated".
In a joint statement, mosques across the city told of their 'deep concern' over the escalating confrontation between Israel and Iran and the potential for British involvement.
They warned that British military involvement in the conflict could risk 'inflaming tensions and entangling the UK' in the war.
The letter to the PM says: "To do so would be reckless, legally questionable and morally indefensible.
"It would only deepen the cycle of violence in the Middle East and risk further destabilising the region - as well as compromising the safety and security of British citizens at home and abroad.
"We remind you, Prime Minister, that the British public is war-weary. There is no appetite for further military entanglement in the Middle East, particularly in support of a foreign policy agenda that defies international norms.
"Many in our communities - including those who have fled conflict zones - are alarmed by the UK’s silence in the face of escalating Israeli aggression, not least in Gaza."
The mosques issued four demands to the PM calling on the Government to:
Firmly oppose any UK military involvement in an Israeli-Iranian conflict, directly or through logistical or intelligence support.
Uphold international law by condemning violations of diplomatic norms and ensuring Britain does not become complicit in unlawful military actions.
Prioritise de-escalation and diplomacy, working with international partners to prevent further violence and encourage peaceful resolution.
Demonstrate consistency in foreign policy, including applying the same legal and moral standards to all states, whether allies or adversaries.
Letter from Birmingham mosques to PM in full
We, the undersigned mosques and Islamic centres across Birmingham, write to you out of deep concern over the escalating confrontation between Israel and Iran and the potential for British involvement.
As faith and community leaders, we urge you, Prime Minister, to ensure that the United Kingdom a permanent member of the UN Security Council, takes responsibility in leading de-escalation efforts.
The recent Israeli strikes on Iranian territory, including severe breaches of international law, has given rise to the current conflict and have pushed the region closer to a dangerous and devastating war.
Any British involvement or support for such actions, either directly or indirectly, risks inflaming tensions and entangling the UK in a conflict.
As Chris Doyle of CAABU rightly states in his recent article for Middle East Eye, 'the UK must not be drawn into an Israeli-Iranian confrontation.'
To do so would be reckless, legally questionable, and morally indefensible. It would only deepen the cycle of violence in the Middle East and risk further destabilising the region, as well as compromising the safety and security of British citizens at home and abroad.
We remind you, Prime Minister, that the British public is war-weary. There is no appetite for further military entanglement in the Middle East, particularly in support of a foreign policy agenda that defies international norms.
Many in our communities - including those who have fled conflict zones - are alarmed by the UK’s silence in the face of escalating Israeli aggression, not least in Gaza.
We therefore call on your government to: firmly oppose any UK military involvement in an Israeli-Iranian conflict, directly or through logistical or intelligence support.
Uphold international law by condemning violations of diplomatic norms and ensuring Britain does not become complicit in unlawful military actions.
Prioritise de-escalation and diplomacy, working with international partners to prevent further violence and encourage peaceful resolution.
Demonstrate consistency in foreign policy, including applying the same legal and moral standards to all states, whether allies or adversaries.
We believe that the UK’s role on the world stage must be one that promotes peace, justice, and the rule of law - not one that risks dragging the country into another disastrous war.
Source: birminghammail.co.uk
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https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/birmingham-mosques-issue-four-demands-31910190
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Bangladesh's Ex-Election Commission Chief Arrested For Manipulating Polls During His Tenure
PTI
23 Jun 2025
Bangladesh's former chief election commissioner K M Nurul Huda.Photo | Wikimedia Commons
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DHAKA: Bangladesh's former chief election commissioner K M Nurul Huda has been arrested on charges of manipulating elections during his tenure, police said.
Dhaka metropolitan police's Deputy Commissioner Mohidul Islam on Sunday said Huda was arrested in the case filed by former prime minister Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) against the former election commission chief and 18 others, including deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
Election Commission officials said this was probably the first time that a former CEC has been detained over issues related to elections, the Daily Star newspaper reported.
Earlier in the day, the 77-year-old, who oversaw the elections in 2014, 2018 and 2024, was assaulted by a mob outside his Uttara residence.
Uttara West police station chief Hafizur Rahman said, "We went to the scene after being informed" that a mob has surrounded Huda. We have brought him into our custody.
Another police officer said the mob raided Huda's residence located at Uttara area in Dhaka and dragged him out of his house before the arrival of police.
Videos circulating on social media show a group of people thrashing Huda with shoes, garlanding him with footwear, and throwing eggs at him from close proximity.
In the videos, the mob was seen abusing him with filthy language and continuing to beat him even after the police arrived at the scene.
Huda would spend the night at the police's detective branch office and would be produced before a court for consequent legal actions, he said.
The BNP filed a case against 19 people, including Huda, for conducting general elections in 2014, 2018 and 2024 under the Hasina regime "without people's mandate".
Hasina had won all these elections.
The assault on Huda triggered an uproar on social media, prompting Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus' interim government to issue a statement around midnight.
"The mob-created unruly situation and the physical assault on the accused has drawn the government's attention. The government urges citizens not to take the law into their hands," the statement said.
It also warned of appropriate actions against such people.
Yunus took over as the head of the interim government after Hasina was ousted in a massive student-led protest in August last year.
She fled to India following the toppling of her Awami League government Most senior leaders of the Awami League and ministers and senior officials of the ousted regime were arrested or fled the country after the fall of the then government.
Several of these leaders, including ministers, in the past several months have come under mob attack, particularly on court premises.
Bangladesh's founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's residence at 32 Dhanmandi in Dhaka, which was turned into a memorial museum, was demolished by a mob using bulldozers in February this year.
Source:newindianexpress.com
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2025/Jun/23/bangladeshs-ex-election-commission-chief-arrested-for-manipulating-polls-during-his-tenure
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India
Hindi for Hindus, Urdu for Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir: J&K BJP GS Organisation
23 June 2025
Language issue has heated up in Jammu and Kashmir with the BJP batting for the use of Hindi in official work and exams, while local Kashmiri politicians and activists are crying hoarse over neglect of Urdu and Kashmiri languages.
The latest row stems from the notification issued by the recruitment body J&K Services Selection Board (SSB) for advertisement of lower-rung officials in the revenue department for the post of naib tehsildars, for which the Urdu language has been kept mandatory. However, the BJP issued a sharp reaction over the matter, contending that this would keep out the students from the Hindu-majority areas of the Jammu region from the jobs.
“We are not against any language. Five languages have been declared as official languages: Urdu, Kashmiri, Hindi, Dogri, and English. We should not thrust one particular language on the aspirants. Anyone who knows Hindi or Dogri should be equally eligible for the posts in the government. We can't discriminate and exclude people just because they know other languages,” said J&K BJP General Secretary Organisation Ashok Koul. “Hindi is an official language, and steps should be taken at various levels to promote it. The government is doing a lot of things at its own level, like organising the Hindi Diwas, but we can't tolerate policies that are discriminatory to people who know other languages,” he said.
Apart from the political slugfest that the matter has ensued re-opening the divisive debate on “Urdu for Muslims and Hindi for Hindus”, strong concerns are being raised here by language activists in Kashmir over the neglect of the Kashmiri and Urdu languages.
In Kashmir, besides Urdu being the official language other than English, the documents are particularly issued in both these languages, and the work in the government offices is also largely being done in these two languages. Urdu, however, remains particularly in use in revenue work and in the police.
“All the work in the revenue department and in the police is being carried out in Urdu. The police reports are prepared in Urdu, as are the revenue documents. We can't do this in Hindi; in fact, measures should be adopted to promote Urdu language alongside other languages,” said Abdul Rashid Hanjura, a lawyer and activist who works for the promotion of the Urdu language.
Dr Nazir Ahmad Dhar, a prominent linguist in Kashmir, said that “languages have become rich through interaction among people.”
“Kashmiri language has even borrowed words from the English language, like crackdown, militant, which are of common use. Languages have grown.”
He said that Urdu became an official language during the Dogra rule and because people could speak across regions in this language and had no hindrances. Persian was in use in the courts of Dogra rulers, but Urdu was introduced as an official language so that the people from different regions, like Jammu and Ladakh, could speak in one common language. If any of the other languages had been made the official language, there may have been protests from other groups. English also became a supporting language, and we have all the scientific material in this language, so it became necessary even for academics.”
Before the fresh row over the use of Urdu in the exams for naib tehsildar posts, within a year of the abrogation of Article 370 that stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its special status, in September 2020 the Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Bill, 2020, was passed in both the houses of parliament that made Kashmiri, Dogri and English as the official languages of Jammu & Kashmir in addition to the existing Urdu and English.
Across Kashmir, at several places, signboards like the one giving the distances of places have emerged, which, apart from Hindi and Urdu, also display information in English.
National Conference (NC) spokesperson, Imran Nabi Dar, said that there was no point in politicising the issue of languages that the people use. “Urdu is not the language of the Muslims only, even in Jammu, people read and write in Urdu. BJP has been trying to stoke communal fire by raising such issues,” he said.
PDP Spokesperson Mohit Bhan slammed the BJP for its demand to remove Urdu as a mandatory subject in the Naib Tehsildar exams. “Urdu is deeply rooted in India's culture and serves as a bridge connecting people of all religions,” he said.
Source: outlookindia.com
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https://www.outlookindia.com/national/hindi-for-hindus-urdu-for-muslims-swords-drawn-as-language-issue-heats-up-in-jammu-and-kashmir
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No local, all 3 Pahalgam attackers from Pakistan, concludes NIA after arresting 2 for ‘sheltering’ terrorists
by Mahender Singh Manral
June 23, 2025
The arrest of two Kashmiri locals for allegedly harbouring terrorists who carried out the April 22 Pahalgam attack has led the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to conclude that all three attackers were from Pakistan.
According to the agency, the terrorists visited the homes of Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar from Batkote, Pahalgam, and Bashir Ahmad Jothar from Hill Park, Pahalgam, and took food from them. “During questioning, they have disclosed the identities of the three armed terrorists involved in the attack, and have also confirmed that they were Pakistani nationals affiliated to the proscribed terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba,” a NIA spokesperson said.
The breakthrough is a departure from what was previously believed about the identities of the attackers. Two days after the April 22 Pahalgam attack, the Jammu and Kashmir police had released three sketches – Pakistan nationals Hashim Musa and Ali Bhai alias Talha, and Kashmir local Adil Hussain Thoker. Sources in the central agency now say the three men in the sketches are not the Pahalgam attackers.
Sources said one of the attackers is believed to be Suleiman Shah, who was involved in the killing of seven employees of a firm constructing the Z-Morh tunnel on the Srinagar-Sonamarg highway on October 20 last year. His co-accused from the attack, Junaid Ramzan Bhat, was killed on December 4 in a gunfight with the J&K police.
From his phone, police had recovered a photo of Junaid along with three other militants. This photo went viral after the April 22 Pahalgam attack and, sources said, was used by the J&K as the basis for the sketches.
During the investigation, the central agencies and the NIA showed different pictures recovered from Junaid’s phone to the two arrested locals, who recognised the men who had visited them two days before the Pahalgam attack.
“The fresh pictures were also shown to several witnesses, and they too confirmed their presence at the crime scene. All three are Pakistani nationals, including the Z-Morh terror accused Suleman Shah,” said a source.
“Central agencies and the NIA are revisiting past cases and trying to tally ballistic reports so a strong case can be built against these attackers,” the source said.
Investigators are also looking into whether Suleman was involved in the killing of three Army personnel in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district in August 2023, and in another attack in Jammu’s Poonch district in May last year, wherein an Air Force personnel was killed and four others injured.
Before the NIA arrested the two locals for allegedly sheltering the attackers, the agency had questioned more than 200 people, including pony operators, shopkeepers and photographers. “Parvaiz had a common friend with a pony operator, and their wives shared details of the visitor at their house,” said a source.
The NIA believes the three attackers came to their homes late evening on April 20 and asked them to pack food. Before leaving, they gave them some money and threatened them not to tell anyone.
“As per the probe, Parvaiz and Bashir knowingly harboured the three armed terrorists at a seasonal dhok (hut) at Hill Park before the attack,” the spokesperson said, “The two men had provided food, shelter and logistical support to the terrorists.” The two have been arrested under section 19 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
Source: indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/india/three-pahalgam-attackers-pakistan-sketches-jammu-kashmir-police-nia-probe-10081949/
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Demolition of illegal portion of Delhi's Mangolpuri mosque underway; paramilitary forces deployed
Jun 22, 2025
NEW DELHI: Authorities began demolishing the illegal portion of a mosque in the Mangolpuri area of northwest Delhi on Sunday, news agency PTI reported.
The action comes in compliance with an order issued by the Delhi high court.
Officials maintained that only unauthorised construction is being targeted in the demolition drive.
Heavy police deployment has been made at the site to maintain law and order.
“We have deployed seven companies of paramilitary forces and Delhi Police personnel. No one will be allowed to breach law and order,” a senior police officer told PTI.
Source: indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/demolition-of-illegal-portion-of-delhis-mangolpuri-mosque-underway-paramilitary-forces-deployed/articleshow/122004306.cms
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Bangladesh High Commissioner to meet Mamata Banerjee amid cultural row and border tensions
Kaushik Pradhan
23 Jun 2025
KOLKATA: Bangladesh High Commissioner to India, M. Riaz Hamidullah, is scheduled to meet West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at Nabanna, the state’s administrative headquarters, on Monday afternoon. The meeting carries diplomatic significance in light of recent tensions, including the vandalism of the historic Kachari House in Sirajganj, Bangladesh a site closely associated with Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore.
Chief Minister Banerjee had earlier written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to engage with the Bangladesh government for a thorough investigation into the incident, which she termed a matter of international concern and cultural sensitivity.
Diplomatic sources indicated that High Commissioner Hamidullah will provide the West Bengal Chief Minister with what he describes as the “real picture” behind the incident. Dhaka has maintained that the vandalism stemmed from a local law and order issue, with no links to politics or religion. The same position is expected to be reiterated during the meeting.
This will be the first meeting between a Bangladesh High Commissioner and Mamata Banerjee in nine years. The last such engagement took place in 2016, when Syed Muazzem Ali met the Chief Minister. Since then, attempts by successors Muhammad Imran and Mustafizur Rahman to hold similar discussions did not materialise.
Beyond the Kachari House issue, relations between India and Bangladesh have recently experienced strain due to an ongoing border dispute and efforts to identify and deport undocumented Bangladeshi nationals residing in India. The 2,217-kilometre-long shared land border with West Bengal remains a key area of focus.
Sources suggest that the High Commissioner is likely to propose discussions on making the border “more humanitarian, friendly, peaceful, and economically prosperous,” reflecting Bangladesh’s interest in maintaining cooperative and stable bilateral ties.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Jun/22/bangladesh-high-commissioner-to-meet-mamata-banerjee-amid-cultural-row-and-border-tensions
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Remove Hindi Banners FromOoty Station, DMK Deputy GS Writes To Railway Minister
Jun 23, 2025
COIMBATORE: DMK deputy general secretary A Raja urged railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to remove Hindi banners at Udhagamandalam railway station in Tamil Nadu. The Nilgiris MP also pointed out in the letter sent on Sunday that a verse attributed to Madan Mohan Malaviya belonged to Tamil poet Mahakavi Bharathi. The verse calls upon people to travel in all directions and bring literary works back home.
Raja said increasing use and prominence of Hindi in railway stations had stirred "widespread attention and protest". He added that Tamil Nadu had a long and proud history of linguistic identity and cultural autonomy.
The state's people, he noted, had consistently advocated for a two-language policy, in line with regional needs and historical context.
"The recent developments at Udhagamandalam railway station are seen as a case of linguistic imposition. Promoting Hindi in public spaces feels disconnected from the linguistic needs of the local population and is viewed as a political assertion," he said in the letter.
Sharing the letter on social media, the Nilgiris MP said Tamil Nadu would not accept Hindi imposition.
"The use of Hindi in Indian railway stations is increasing day by day. The banners installed in Hindi at the 100-year-old Udhagamandalam railway station are hurting the sentiments of Tamil people. I request the relevant authorities to immediately remove them," he said on X.
"The banners in Hindi have hurt sentiments of Tamil people," he said, urging the rail minister to respect the linguistic sentiments of the state's people and avoid compulsory inclusion of Hindi where it was not contextually necessary.
Source: indiatimes.com
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'Betrayal': Opposition leaders question Modi's silence over Iran's 'unilateral bombing by US'
22.06.25
While the world watched the United States strike Iranian nuclear sites, political leaders in India erupted — not just over the bombing, but over what they see as a more alarming act: the Indian government’s refusal to "condemn the unilateral bombing by US".
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said, “I hope that our government will condemn this unilateral bombing by the US, which is a violation of international law and the UN Charter. I hope that the government will condemn the bombing of the Iranian nuclear plants, which has happened today."
"The bombing of these three or four places by the US in Iran will not deter them. Mark my words, even Iran will do it in the next 5 to 10 years, even other countries will do it because now they have realised that having a nuclear bomb and nuclear warhead is the only deterrence against Israel's hegemony,” Owaisi added. “This is a violation of international law and the UN charter... By doing this, I am sure Iran will be a nuclear state in the coming five years. Before the strike, Iran might have shifted its stockpile. It will not be a deterrent. Many Arab countries will think that they need nuclear capability,” he said.
The conflict between Iran and Israel and the US's direct involvement has reignited conversations about global alliances and India’s stance on international crises.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said, “The world looks at who you stand with in bad times. If you are not standing with your friend, who once did a favour for you, it is a big betrayal to the foreign policy.”
CPI general secretary D. Raja stated, “Our party is consulting all other left parties. We are going to come out with a strong statement condemning the US bombing on Iran, condemning Modi's silence and not opening his mouth to utter a word expressing our country's policy.”
PDP leader Iltija Mufti pointed to the silence of international and regional organisations. “It's very sad, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has been silent. But India has always taken a pro-Palestine stand. Iran also stands for the Palestinian people. America attacked Iran, and it's highly unfortunate. But, the more saddening thing is that India is also not taking the stand that it should, after all, Iran stands for the Palestinian people.”
JDU leader KC Tyagi called for immediate global intervention. “It is unfortunate that America has jumped into the war in West Asia. Being a big nation, they should have made efforts for peace. Peace is the only option. The UNSC should call a meeting and condemn America's behaviour, and an immediate ceasefire should be implemented.”
National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah expressed concern over the broader implications of the strike. “I am disappointed that the Muslim world is silent. Today, Iran is in this condition, but tomorrow, it will be them who will be destroyed by the US. If they won't wake up today, they must wait for their turn.”
He continued, “If they think that Iran will abandon its ambition, they are in a misconception. Iran remembers Karbala, and it thinks that it is the second Karbala. They will get their necks chopped off, but they won't bow down.”
Abdullah also said, “They want a regime change there (in Iran) - will things be better after a regime change? America and Israel have a long-standing view that they won't let Iran build a nuclear weapon, but if they think that Iran will abandon its ambition, they are in a misconception.”
RJD MP Manoj Jha criticised the US’s broader geopolitical strategy. “America is trying to make the world declare it as the boss, which is not the way the international system runs. India should communicate a voice of conscience, because the statements US made about us are also undignified, advocating for the same 'We are the boss' ideology. There should be a straight message from India, such aggressive behaviour in the name of peace is not acceptable.”
Union minister Piyush Goyal gave a brief but clear articulation of the government’s outlook. “PM Modi has been of the thinking that war is not a way for the settlement of any issue; dialogue and diplomacy are the medium that should be used for any issue to be resolved.”
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/betrayal-opposition-leaders-question-modis-silence-over-irans-unilateral-bombing-by-us/cid/2109187
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In UP village, forgotten Indian roots of Ayatollah Khomeini
Jun 23, 2025
KINTOOR (BARABANKI): A village by the Ghaghara, 70km from Lucknow, claims a legacy that altered the fate of Iran.
Only five Shia families remain in Kintoor, once a thriving centre of Shia scholarship under Oudh. Among them, the Kazmis speak of a bloodline that runs from the lanes of eastern UP's Barabanki to the heart of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution.
"My great-great-great-grandfather Mufti Mohammad Quli Musavi and Syed Ahmad Musavi were cousins," said septuagenarian Syed Nihal Kazmi, seated beneath a fading portrait of Ayatollah Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini - Iran's first supreme leader until his death in 1989.
Syed Ahmad Musavi Hindi - grandfather of Ayatollah Khomeini - was born in Kintoor in the early 1800s. In 1830, he left British India on a pilgrimage to Najaf in Iraq, where he befriended Yusef Khan Kamarchi, a landowner from Farahan in Iran. By 1839, Ahmad had settled in Khomeyn, purchased a big house with a garden, and married Yusef's sister Sakineh.
Source: indiatimes.com
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Mideast
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Asks Vladimir Putin To Do More After US Strikes
Reuters, 23.06.25
Iran's supreme leader sent his foreign minister to Moscow on Monday to ask President Vladimir Putin for more help from Russia after the biggest U.S. military action against the Islamic Republic since the 1979 revolution over the weekend.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Israel have publicly speculated about killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and about regime change, a step Russia fears could sink the Middle East into the abyss.
While Putin has condemned the Israeli strikes, he has yet to comment on the U.S. attacks on Iranian nuclear sites though he last week called for calm and offered Moscow's services as a mediator over the nuclear programme.
A senior source told Reuters that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi was due to deliver a letter from Khamenei to Putin, seeking the latter's support.
Iran has not been impressed with Russia's support so far, Iranian sources told Reuters, and the country wants Putin to do more to back it against Israel and the United States. The sources did not elaborate on what assistance Tehran wanted.
The Kremlin said that Putin would receive Araqchi but did not say what would be discussed.
Araqchi was quoted by the state TASS news agency as saying that Iran and Russia were coordinating their positions on the current escalation in the Middle East.
Putin has repeatedly offered to mediate between the United States and Iran, and said that he had conveyed Moscow's ideas on resolving the conflict to them while ensuring Iran's continued access to civil nuclear energy.
The Kremlin chief last week refused to discuss the possibility that Israel and the United States would kill Khamenei.
Putin said that Israel had given Moscow assurances that Russian specialists helping to build two more reactors at the Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran would not be hurt in air strikes.
Russia, a longstanding ally of Tehran, plays a role in Iran's nuclear negotiations with the West as a veto-wielding U.N. Security Council member and a signatory to an earlier nuclear deal Trump abandoned during his first term in 2018.
But Putin, whose army is fighting a major war of attrition in Ukraine for the fourth year, has so far shown little appetite in public for diving into a confrontation with the United States over Iran just as Trump seeks to repair ties with Moscow.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/world/irans-supreme-leader-ayatollah-ali-khamenei-asks-vladimir-putin-to-do-more-after-us-strikes/cid/2109350
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Islamic Jihad: US aggression against Iran's nuclear sites is declaration of war
22 Jun 2025
The Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine condemned the US aggression against Iran on Sunday morning, considering it a blatant war against the Iranian people.
It confirms that the US administration is the greatest enemy of the progress of the peoples of our region and our nation and their attainment of their legitimate rights through policies of hegemony and humiliation.
In a press statement, Islamic Jihad said that the Trump administration's actions are stark evidence that the United States is the official sponsor of the Zionist entity's terrorism and crimes against our Palestinian people and the peoples of our nation.
It also stated that the policies of this administration have become a threat to the region and the world, and even to the American people and their interests, in service of the interests and delusions of the war criminal government in Tel Aviv.
Source: saba.ye
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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3504121.htm
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Yemeni Scholars urge Muslim unity to support Gaza, Iran
22 Jun 2025
Yemeni scholars have issued a strong call for Muslim unity to support Gaza, Palestine, and al-Aqsa Mosque, and to back the Islamic Republic of Iran against American Zionist aggression.
The Yemeni scholars commended Iran's recent "Sincere Promise 3" operations, which struck deep into the Zionist entity.
In a statement following an expanded meeting, the scholars declared that Muslim unity is an imperative, particularly at this critical historical juncture.
They condemned the ongoing Zionist massacres, genocide, and starvation in Gaza, holding Arab countries and peoples primarily responsible for the deadly siege and urging immediate aid.
The scholars denounced repeated violations of al-Aqsa Mosque and Zionist crimes across Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria. They criticized Arab and Islamic failures that embolden the Zionist enemy, citing the alleged funding of American and Israeli aggression by Arab money.
Strongly condemning the treacherous Zionist and direct American aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran, the scholars stressed the sanctity of supporting Iran and warned against minimizing its strikes or questioning its support for the Palestinian resistance. They asserted that those who view Iran as an enemy inherently consider Israel and America as friends, which is forbidden in Islam.
The statement emphasized the impermissibility of normalization with the Zionist entity and the presence of American and foreign military bases in Arab and Islamic countries, urging their removal.
The scholars also condemned "brazen American threats" against Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other military leaders, asserting that such actions would only strengthen the Iranian people's resolve.
They called on Islamic scholars globally to clarify the legitimate stance against Zionist and American aggression on all fronts and to declare explicit support for the "axis of jihad, Jerusalem, and resistance."
They urged an end to sectarian strife, stating that the current battle in Gaza, Iran, Lebanon, and Yemen is a single battle of truth against falsehood, of Islam against infidelity, with no neutrality permissible.
The scholars stressed that salvation and dignity for the nation lie in jihad against enemies America and Israel.
They praised the Yemeni people's steadfast, principled stance and their leadership's support for Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran, and expressed confidence in Allah's promise of victory for believers, viewing Iran's response as a historic opportunity to liberate the region and remove the cancerous Zionist gland.
Source: saba.ye
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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3504116.htm
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Suicide bombing at Damascus church kills at least 22, UN Syria envoy shares ‘outrage’
June 22, 2025
DAMASCUS: At least 22 people were killed and more than 50 injured when a suicide bomber blew himself up at the Mar Elias Church in the Dweila neighborhood of Syria’s capital Damascus on Sunday, security sources said.
The incident marks the first suicide bombing inside Damascus since Bashar Assad was toppled in December.
Syria’s interior ministry said the suicide bomber was a member of Daesh. He entered the church, opened fire and then detonated his explosive vest, the ministry added in a statement.
A security source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said two men were involved in the attack, including the one who blew himself up.
Syria’s state news agency had previously cited the health ministry as putting the preliminary casualty toll at nine dead and 13 injured.
A livestream from the site by Syria’s civil defense, the White Helmets, showed scenes of destruction from within the church, including a bloodied floor and shattered church pews and masonry.
Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, who led the offensive against Assad before taking over in January for a transitional phase, has repeatedly said he will protect minorities during his tenure.
The Syrian foreign ministry said the attack was an attempt to undermine coexistence in the multi-sectarian, multi-ethnic country. Syria considers "this criminal act, which targeted members of the Christian community, a desperate attempt to undermine national coexistence and to destabilise the country", the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Turkiye’s foreign ministry said the “treacherous” attack in Damascus aimed to disrupt efforts to achieve stability and security in Syria.
“Our belief is full that the Syrian administration and its people will maintain their unity and solidarity, and continue with determination the battle with terrorist organization wanting to create chaos in the country,” the ministry said in a statement, adding Turkiye would continue supporting Syria.
United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Geir O. Pedersen “condemned in the strongest possible terms” the attack, according to a statement.
He expressed his “outrage” at what he called a “heinous crime.”
The statement said Pedersen took note that the Syrian interim authorities attributed this attack to Daesh and called for a full investigation and action by the authorities.
Pedersen called on all to unite in “rejecting terrorism, extremism, incitement and the targeting of any community in Syria.”
He sent his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and his hope for the recovery of those injured.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2605412/middle-east
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Israel closes Aqsa Mosque on pretext of emergency state
22 Jun 2025
Israeli forces re-closed Al-Aqsa Mosque this Sunday morning, pursuant to a decision by the Israeli Home Front Command, citing a state of emergency.
Under the decision, only employees of the Islamic Waqf Department are permitted to enter Al-Aqsa through designated gates. Religious rituals and prayers continue as usual, with only Waqf employees present, according to the Palestinian Ma'an News Agency.
This closure comes just four days after the mosque was partially reopened to worshippers.
Since last Wednesday, with the partial reopening of Al-Aqsa, Israeli forces have imposed strict restrictions on the entry of worshippers to Al-Aqsa, limiting their number to no more than 500, who are only allowed to enter through the Hatta and Silsilah gates.
In the same context, the Israeli Home Front Command announced this morning that it had reduced the level of activity throughout the country to "essential only." This includes closing educational institutions, prohibiting gatherings, and closing workplaces, with the exception of vital facilities.
The siege of the Old City of Quds continues for the second week in a row, amid tight measures around its entrances and alleys, leaving the city almost empty of its usual traffic.
Israeli authorities are preventing the opening of shops within the city, with the exception of grocery stores and stores selling essential goods. Large numbers of shoppers are also prohibited from entering. Any violation is punishable by a fine of 5,000 shekels.
In the same context, Israeli forces continue to place iron barriers at all entrances to the Old City, almost completely preventing entry to it, with the exception of residents.
Source: saba.ye
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Joint Meeting Parties Condemn U.S. Aggression Against Islamic Republic of Iran
22 Jun 2025
The Joint Meeting Parties strongly condemned the blatant and barbaric American aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran.
In a statement received by the Yemeni News Agency (Saba), the parties affirmed that the U.S. aggression against Iran exposes the true face of global arrogance and the Zionist scheme to violate the region’s sovereignty and impose domination.
While declaring their full and steadfast support for the Islamic Republic of Iran—its leadership and people—in the face of this dangerous escalation, the parties expressed absolute confidence in Iran’s ability to deliver a strong and calculated response, as well as in the Iranian people’s resolve to thwart the aggression’s objectives and deter American and Zionist arrogance.
The statement also voiced full support for the Yemeni Armed Forces’ declaration of readiness to target American ships and warships in the Red Sea in defense of the nation’s dignity and sovereignty. It emphasized that the battle for dignity and sovereignty is one and that the aggression against Tehran is an aggression against all capitals of pride and resilience.
Source: saba.ye
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Iraq denounces US military attack on Iran’s nuclear sites
Jun 22, 2025
Speaking in a meeting with Iranian foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on the sidelines of meeting of foreign ministers of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Turkish capital of Istanbul on Sunday, Hussein denounced the US move in violation of the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran by attacking its nuclear facilities.
The US military attack on Iran’s nuclear sites poses a serious threat towards the regional peace and security which can jeopardize the regional stability to a great extent, Iraq’s top diplomat underlined.
The Iranian foreign minister, for his part, appreciated the Iraqi position in condemning the US military attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, emphasizing that Islamic Republic of Iran will defend its national security and interests with outmost power.
Araghchi stressed that US aggressive move is a gross violation of the international law and goals of the UN Charter and also the UN Resolution 2231.
Iran’s top diplomat called on all governments to adopt a decisive stance against the US move and do not allow the normalization of such violations of the international law.
Source: mehrnews.com
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Ansar Allah condemns US assault on Iran as blatant violation
22 Jun 2025
The Political Bureau of Ansar Allah condemned and denounced the brutal American aggression and coward that targeted the Islamic Republic of Iran and its nuclear facilities.
Ansar Allah politician considered in a statement that the Yemeni News Agency (Saba) received a copy of it, the American aggression, a blatant aggression against a sovereign state and represents a flagrant violation of all international laws and covenants, a serious escalation and a direct threat to regional and international security and peace.
It pointed out that the American aggression against Iran comes in the context of the unlimited criminal support that America provides to the Zionist entity in its crimes against the nation, and comes against the background of Iran's positions in support of the Palestinian cause and support for the movements of jihad and resistance against the Zionist entity.
The statement pointed out that the Zionist aggression committed and is still the right to the brothers in Gaza, the crimes of genocide with American support.
The Political Bureau of Ansar Allah pointed out that the American aggression against Iran cannot discourage Iran from continuing its liberation jihadist line against America and its wife, Israel, and this cannot be prompted to abandon its support for the Palestinian cause and the movements of jihad and resistance.
While Ansar Allah's politician declared standing alongside the Islamic Republic of Iran, leadership, people, and army in the face of the Zionist and American aggression, he called on the peoples of the nation to get out of the state of silence, watching and proceeding with the option of jihad and resistance, one line in the face of the American Zionist arrogance that targets the nation and its sanctities and seeks to impose its direct hegemony over it.
Source: saba.ye
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Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 950 people and wounded 3,450 others, a human rights group says
June 23, 2025
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 950 people and wounded 3,450 others, a human rights group said Monday.
The Washington-based group Human Rights Activists offered the figures, which covers the entirety of Iran. It said of those dead, it identified 380 civilians and 253 security force personnel being killed.
Human Rights Activists, which also provided detailed casualty figures during the 2022 protests over the death of Mahsa Amini, crosschecks local reports in the Islamic Republic against a network of sources it has developed in the country.
Iran has not been offering regular death tolls during the conflict and has minimized casualties in the past. On Saturday, Iran’s Health Ministry said some 400 Iranians had been killed and another 3,056 wounded in the Israeli strikes.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2605461/middle-east
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Israel rejects critical EU report ahead of ministers’ meeting
June 22, 2025
BRUSSELS: Israel has rejected a European Union report saying it may be breaching human rights obligations in Gaza and the West Bank as a “moral and methodological failure,” according to a document seen by Reuters on Sunday.
The note, sent to EU officials ahead of a foreign ministers’ meeting on Monday, said the report by the bloc’s diplomatic service failed to consider Israel’s challenges and was based on inaccurate information.
“The Foreign Ministry of the State of Israel rejects the document ... and finds it to be a complete moral and methodological failure,” the note said, adding that it should be dismissed entirely.
European nations have been increasingly critical of the massive civilian toll of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s military campaign against Palestinian militant group Hamas since its October 7, 2023 attack on Israeli communities.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2605444/middle-east
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Palestinians waiting for humanitarian aid killed in airstrike
June 22, 2025
TEL AVIV: At least four Palestinians were killed on Sunday in an Israeli airstrike and 22 were wounded while waiting for humanitarian aid, according to a local hospital.
The airstrike targeted the built-up Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, according to Al-Awda Hospital, where the bodies were brought.
It said another 22 people were wounded while waiting for aid trucks.
Palestinian witnesses and health officials say Israeli forces have repeatedly opened fire on crowds seeking desperately needed food, killing hundreds of people in recent weeks.
The military says it has fired warning shots at people it said suspiciously approached its forces.
Separately, World Central Kitchen, the charity run by celebrity chef Jose Andres, said it had resumed the distribution of hot meals in Gaza for the first time in six weeks after shutting down because of Israel’s blockade, which was loosened last month amid fears of famine.
Also on Sunday, the Israeli military said that it had recovered the remains of three hostages held in the Gaza Strip.
The military identified the remains as those of Yonatan Samerano, 21; Ofra Keidar, 70; and Shay Levinson, 19.
All three were killed during Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack into Israel that ignited the ongoing war.
Hamas is still holding 50 hostages, fewer than half of them believed to be alive.
The military did not provide any details about the recovery operation, and it was unclear if the airstrike was related to it.
“The campaign to return the hostages continues consistently and is happening alongside the campaign against Iran,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.
Kobi Samerano said in a Facebook post that his son’s remains were returned on what would have been Yonatan’s 23rd birthday.
Militants killed some 1,200 people, and abducted 251 people in the Oct. 7 attack.
More than half the hostages have been returned in ceasefire agreements or other deals, eight have been rescued alive, and Israeli forces have recovered dozens of bodies.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed over 55,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which has said that women and children make up more than half of the dead. It does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
The Hostages Families Forum, the main organization representing families of the hostages, has repeatedly called for a deal to release the remaining captives.
“Particularly against the backdrop of current military developments, we want to emphasize that bringing back the remaining 50 hostages is the key to achieving any sort of victory,” it said in a statement on Sunday.
Hamas has said it will only release the remaining hostages in return for more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire, and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Netanyahu has rejected those terms, saying Israel will continue the war until all the hostages are returned and Hamas is defeated or disarmed and sent into exile.
Even then, he has said Israel will maintain lasting control over Gaza and facilitate what he refers to as the voluntary emigration of much of its population, plans the Palestinians and others view as forcible expulsion.
The US, Qatar, and Egypt have been trying to broker a new ceasefire and hostage release after Israel ended a truce in March with a surprise wave of airstrikes.
Those talks appear to have made little progress as Israel has expanded its air and ground offensive.
Source: arabnews.com
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Palestinian Authority considers phasing out shekel as Israeli banks refuse to accept surplus
June 22, 2025
LONDON: The Palestinian Authority is considering replacing the Israeli shekel as the primary currency in circulation due to its increasing accumulation in the banks.
The Palestine Monetary Authority announced on Sunday that it has taken significant steps to address the growing accumulation of shekels in Palestinian banks after Israeli banks’ continuing refusal to accept the transfer of surplus shekels in exchange for foreign currencies necessary for commerce and business.
The PMA is considering alternative options, including a shift away from using the shekel as the primary currency in circulation, the Wafa news agency reported.
In early June, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich ended a waiver that allowed Israeli banks to engage with Palestinian banks without being scrutinized for money laundering and financing extremism.
Smotrich, who has been outspoken about weakening the Palestinian Authority and opposes the establishment of a Palestinian state, made this decision shortly after being sanctioned by the UK and four European countries for inciting violence in the occupied West Bank.
The PMA said it aims to create a more resilient and sustainable digital economy in Palestine and has consulted various economic sectors and the Union of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture before it makes a final decision. Alongside phasing out the Israeli shekel, the PMA studied digital payment strategies to avoid shekel accumulation in Palestinian banks, Wafa reported.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2605399/middle-east
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North America
N.J. increasing security at Jewish, Muslim houses of worship after Iran strikes
Jun. 23, 2025
New Jersey is increasing security around Jewish and Muslim houses of worship, following Saturday’s strike on Iran, state Attorney General Matt Platkin said.
The increased police presence is being made out of an “abundance of caution,” Platkin said in a Saturday night post on X, formerly known as Twitter. There is “no known threat to public safety in New Jersey at this time,” he said.
Residents should expect to see additional law enforcement around Jewish temples, Muslim mosques, and schools and community centers of both faiths.
A similar increase in security is being made in New York City, Mayor Eric Adams said.
Gubernatorial candidates on both sides of the race issued statements Saturday night.
Democratic nominee and current Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill said she was “grateful” no U.S. service members were harmed, but lambasted the lack of congressional approval.
“... I am deeply concerned by President Trump’s decision to order these strikes tonight without first seeking legal authorization from Congress, as required by the Constitution,” Sherrill wrote.
Republican Jack Ciattarelli praised the strikes, calling them “the right move.”
“A nuclear Iran would be a grave threat to Israel, and could further destabilize the Middle East,” he wrote on X.
The United States attacked three sites in Iran early Sunday, inserting itself into Israel’s war aimed at destroying the Iranian nuclear program in a risky gambit to weaken a longtime foe that prompted fears of a wider regional conflict as Tehran accused Washington of launching “a dangerous war.”
President Donald Trump asserted that Iran’s key nuclear sites were “completely and fully obliterated” in an address to the nation from the White House.
Hours later, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the time for diplomacy had passed and that his country had the right to defend itself, saying the U.S. had “crossed a very big red line.”
“The warmongering, a lawless administration in Washington is solely and fully responsible for the dangerous consequences and far reaching implications of its act of aggression,” he told reporters in Turkey in the first comments by a high-ranking Iranian official since the strikes.
It was not clear whether the U.S. would continue attacking Iran alongside its ally Israel, which has been engaged in a war with Iran for nine days. Countries around the globe are calling for diplomacy and no further escalation. Trump acted without congressional authorization, and he also warned there would be additional strikes if Tehran retaliated against U.S. forces.
Source: nj.com
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https://www.nj.com/politics/2025/06/nj-increasing-security-at-jewish-muslim-houses-of-worship-after-iran-strikes.html
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‘Won’t let you drag US into…’: Protesters swarm US cities in anti-war rallies
Jun 23, 2025
New York city and other major cities in the United States saw chaos on Sunday as hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets to oppose US President Donald Trump's “Operation Midnight Hammer.” The strikes targeted three Iranian nuclear sites – Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz.
Demonstrators rallied through Manhattan carrying Palestinian flags and placards reading “Hands off Iran” and “Stop the war on Iran.” Another poster read, “We won't let you drag US into global war.”
Many protesters also criticised Israel, accusing it of provoking the conflict with Iran and condemned the ongoing Israeli military offensive in Gaza.
The protests came amid heightened security measures across New York City. The New York Police Department said it had stepped up deployment at sensitive locations. Follow Iran Israel war live updates.
“We're tracking the situation unfolding in Iran. Out of an abundance of caution, we're deploying additional resources to religious, cultural, and diplomatic sites across NYC and coordinating with our federal partners. We'll continue to monitor for any potential impact to NYC,” the NYPD posted on X.
'US did not target Iranian citizen'
The public outrage followed confirmation from the Trump administration of targeted strikes against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
US defence secretary Pete Hegseth during a press briefing on Sunday said, “Last night, on President Trump’s order, the US Central Command conducted a precision strike in the middle of the night against three nuclear facilities in Iran – Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz – in order to destroy or severely degrade Iran’s nuclear programme. As Chairman of the Joint Chiefs will demonstrate, it was an incredible and overwhelming success."
Hegseth highlighted that the military action was limited to infrastructure. “But it’s worth noting that the operation did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people,” he said.
He added, “The order we received from our Commander-in-Chief was focused, it was powerful, and it was clear. We devastated the Iranian nuclear program.”
Source: hindustantimes.com
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https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/wont-let-you-drag-us-into-global-war-protesters-swarm-new-york-other-cities-in-anti-war-rallies-101750659729108.html
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Nashville religious communities on alert following U.S. strikes in Iran
By Steve Mehling
Jun. 23, 2025
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Following the United States’ airstrikes on three key Iranian nuclear facilities Saturday night, religious communities in Nashville are worried tensions could spill over to right here in Tennessee.
Attacks and threats on both Jewish and Islamic places of worship have been reported in Tennessee over the past couple of years. Leaders worry rising tensions in the Middle East could spark more.
In response to the airstrikes, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department announced it would be adding extra patrols for Jewish institutions in the city. Whether that is extended to Islamic places of worship has not yet been answered as of publication.
“Déjà vu for us,” Sabina Mohyuddin said. “When there are wars, acts of aggression overseas, it always comes back to our community here.”
Mohyuddin is the Executive Director for the American Muslim Advisory Council, which works with the entire Tennessee Islamic community. She said she and others worry this involvement could see a return to post-9/11 Islamophobia.
“We all live in this sphere of if anything else happens, again, our community will be targeted,” Mohyuddin said. “Our community needs to be a priority for Metro Police.”
Meanwhile, members of the Nashville Jewish community will see an increased amount of Metro Police vehicles patrolling their institutions.
Mark Freedman with the Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville said it’s a necessary move to protect community members.
“Our members and our constituents who come to our Jewish institutions are precious to us and very important, and we will do everything possible to ensure their safety and security,” Freedman said. “We do this out of an abundance of caution.”
While next steps in this conflict are unknown, both Freedman and Mohyuddin want to stress that their community members remain on alert.
Source: wsmv.com
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https://www.wsmv.com/2025/06/23/nashville-religious-communities-alert-following-us-strikes-iran/
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In Los Angeles' Little Persia, US strikes on Iran met with celebration - and angst
June 23, 2025
Tim Reid
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -In the cafes and restaurants of Little Persia, a Los Angeles enclave of about half a million Iranian-Americans, hatred for Iran's Islamic government is red hot and widely felt.
What's less agreed upon is whether American and Israeli forces should have launched strikes on nuclear and military facilities in Iran, including the dropping of 30,000-pound U.S. bunker-busting bombs ordered by President Donald Trump on Saturday.
Within this huge Iranian diaspora in western Los Angeles, the largest Persian community outside Iran, Iranian Jews interviewed by Reuters said they are all in on Israeli and U.S. bombing raids, and want to see more.
Iranian Muslims in the area - also called Little Tehran or Tehrangeles - were more ambivalent, with many suspicious of Israel and wary of America getting embroiled in another Middle Eastern conflict.
Most of the two dozen people who spoke to Reuters did not want their full names published or their pictures taken, such is their fear of the Islamic Republic led by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. All still have relatives there.
Reza, a 38-year-old college professor who left Iran 15 years ago, says he received a call from an Iranian official last year from his sister's mobile phone. He was told that if he did not stop publishing anti-Islamic Republic posts on his social media accounts, his sister could be in danger.
"It's a very sensitive topic. I am definitely happy Israel and the U.S. are destroying their nuclear program. I don't trust the Iranian regime having access to nuclear technology," said Reza, an Iranian Muslim.
"But I'm also sad for my family there. The people are suffering. It's a very scary time. And I do not like the U.S. getting involved in another war."
Three blocks away, outside a Starbucks coffee shop, seven men, mostly Iranian Jews, were discussing the war between Israel and Iran, now in its second week, and the bombing of three nuclear sites by the U.S. on Saturday.
The world braced on Sunday for Iran's response after the U.S. joined Israel in the biggest Western military action against the Islamic Republic since its 1979 revolution.
Outside the Starbucks, the mood was celebratory.
"This regime should not exist anymore, they torture their own people, they put their own people in prison. These mullahs are causing problems all across the Middle East and the world," said Shawn, 72, a mortgage broker.
Iran has so far not followed through on its threats of retaliation against the United States and has said it will consider all possible responses. Iran says its nuclear ambitions are peaceful and its U.N. Ambassador has accused Israel and the U.S. of destroying diplomacy.
Sol, 58, who left Iran in 1983 and has relatives in Iran and Israel, said the group outside Starbucks had been celebrating since Israel began striking Iran earlier this month.
"Israel is doing a very good job. God Bless them," he said. "We want those mullahs out!"
Roozbeh, 48, a mechanical engineer who left Iran in 2007, said he was worried about his parents and two brothers still in Iran and had just spoken to them.
"They are in the north. Israel bombed it for the first time yesterday," he said. "I hope the Israeli military action will bring down the regime, of course."
Younger Iranian-Americans also expressed their hatred for the Islamic Republic - but were far more skeptical about Israeli and U.S. strikes on the country.
Raha, 33, was born in the U.S. Her parents fled Iran during the 1979 revolution, which led to the overthrow of the U.S.-backed government and the creation of the Islamic Republic.
Raha has visited relatives in Iran about 10 times. On one visit she says she had an encounter with the "morality police," because her hijab headdress had slipped.
She recalled the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian who died in a hospital in Tehran, the Iranian capital, after being arrested for not wearing her hijab in accordance with the Islamic government's standards.
Raha said she and her friends celebrated when an Israeli strike killed the head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps this month. "That's a good thing. We want them all down," Raha said. "I absolutely want to see the regime in Iran fall."
Source: yahoo.com
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https://ca.news.yahoo.com/los-angeles-little-persia-us-225809060.html
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An unprecedented moment - but what the US and Iran do next could be even more momentous
Lyse Doucet
June 23, 2025
For decades, the United States and Iran have carefully avoided crossing a dangerous red line into a direct military confrontation.
One American president after another held back from deploying their military might against the Islamic Republic for fear of sinking the US into potentially the most perilous Middle East war of all.
Now, the commander-in-chief, who promised to be a president of peace, has crossed this Rubicon with direct military strikes on Tehran's nuclear sites – the most consequential move yet in the second term of a president who has prided himself on breaking all the old rules.
It's an unprecedented moment provoking alarm in capitals the world over.
Iran's next move could be even more momentous. Its 86-year-old supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, now reported to be sheltering in a bunker, has spent nearly four decades cautiously playing a long game against his most powerful enemy to protect his most important asset – the Islamic Republic.
If he does too little, he will lose face; if he does too much, he could lose everything.
"Khamenei's next moves will be the most consequential not just for his own survival but for how he will do down in history," says Sanam Vakil, Director of the Middle East and North Africa programme at think tank, Chatham House.
"His poisoned chalice is potentially more potent than the one Khomeini drank in 1988," she continues, referring to the reluctant decision of Iran's first revolutionary leader to bitterly accept a ceasefire in the devastating Iran-Iraq war.
"This is not a war Iran wants"
In the past ten days, intense Israeli strikes have inflicted more damage on Iran's chain of command and military hardware than its eight-year war with Iraq, which still casts a long shadow across Iranian society.
Israeli attacks have eliminated many in the top ranks of Iran's security forces along with leading nuclear scientists. America's entry into this conflict has now ratcheted up the pressure.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), founded in the aftermath of Iran's 1979 revolution, is defiantly warning of retaliation against the US that would leave it with "lasting regret".
But behind a sharp war of words lie urgent calculations to avoid calamitous miscalculation.
"This is not a war Iran wants," says Hamidreza Aziz, of the Middle East Council on Global Affairs. "But we're already seeing arguments by regime supporters that, regardless of the extent of actual damage the US might have inflicted, the image of Iran as a strong country [and] as a regional power, has been shaken so dramatically [that] it requires a response."
Every response is risky, however. A direct attack on one of about 20 US bases in the Middle East, or any of the more than 40,000 American troops, would likely trigger major US retaliation.
Closing the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic waterway for a fifth of global oil traffic, could also backfire by upsetting Arab allies in the region, as well as China, the main customer of Iran's own oil. Western naval powers could also be drawn in to protect this major "choke point" and avert significant economic shocks.
And what Iran had regarded as its "forward defence," its network of proxies and partners across the region have all been weakened or wiped out by Israeli assaults and assassinations during the last 20 months of war.
It's not clear if an acceptable threshold exists for Iran to be seen to return fire without provoking America's wrath, which would allow both sides to pull back from the brink.
This tortuous relationship was tested at least once before. Five years ago, when President Trump ordered the assassination of IRGC commander Qasem Soleimani with a drone strike in Baghdad, many feared it would spark a vicious spiral. But Iran telegraphed its counter attack through Iraqi officials, targeting sections of US bases which avoided killing US personnel or causing significant damage.
But this moment is of far greater magnitude.
"The US, not Iran, betrayed diplomacy"
President Trump, who had repeatedly expressed his preference to "do a deal with Iran" rather than "bombing the hell out of it" now seems to be firmly in Israel's corner. He described Iran as the "bully of the Middle East," bent on building a nuclear bomb – a conclusion not shared by previous US intelligence assessments.
Intelligence teams are now analysing in detail the results of what the Pentagon says was the "largest B-2 operational strike in US history". It inflicted "extremely severe damage and destruction" to Iran's main nuclear sites at Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow.
Only "bunker-busting" bombs could penetrate the Fordow facility buried deep in a mountain.
President Trump is now urging Iran to "come to peace".
But Iran now views the US's diplomatic path as surrender too. In Geneva on Friday, where Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met his European counterparts, a tough message was conveyed that Washington expected Tehran to reduce its nuclear enrichment to zero.
It's a demand Iran rejects as a violation of its sovereign right to enrich uranium as part of a civilian nuclear programme.
It now considers President Trump's diplomatic effort, including five rounds of mainly indirect talks conducted by his special envoy Steve Witkoff, to be an elaborate deception.
Israel unleashed its military campaign two days before the sixth round of negotiations in Muscat. The US entered the war two days after President Trump said he wanted to allow a two-week window to give diplomacy a chance.
Now it says it won't return to the negotiating table while Israeli and American bombs are still falling.
"It was not Iran, but the US who betrayed diplomacy," Araghchi told a news conference in Istanbul. During this, he met with foreign ministers of the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Conference who condemned "the aggression of Israel" and expressed their "great concern regarding this dangerous escalation".
Iran has also tried to highlight an onslaught against its territory which violates the UN Charter as well as warnings from the International Atomic Energy Agency that nuclear facilities should never be attacked, "whatever the context or circumstances".
European leaders are also calling for an urgent de-escalation and a path to curb Iran's nuclear programme through mediation, not missiles.
But they also reiterate that Iran cannot be allowed to acquire a nuclear bomb. They regard Tehran's 60 per cent enrichment of uranium, within easy range of 90 per cent weapons grade, as an ominous indication of its intentions.
"Iran is likely to underplay the damage to its sites and insist its nuclear program has survived these unprecedented attacks," argues Ellie Geranmayeh, deputy head of the Middle East and North Africa programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations.
"The US may over-exaggerate the damage, so the Trump can claim military victory without getting dragged into further strikes."
President Trump will be pulled in one direction by Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu, whose own formidable forces will continue attacking Iran to inflict even more damage, triggering yet more Iranian salvos.
But the US leader is also coming under pressure at home from lawmakers who say he acted without congressional authorisation, and supporters who believe he has broken his promise to keep America out of lengthy wars.
And this moment is widely expected to concentrate the minds of Iran's hardline decision-makers on how to restore deterrence as they try to avoid being targeted themselves.
"This is the great irony," warns Ms Geranmayeh. "Although Trump has sought to eliminate the nuclear threat from Iran, he has now made it far more likely that Iran becomes a nuclear state."
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy0w94yj68xo
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What we know about US strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites
Jun. 23, 2025
President Donald Trump says the US has carried out a "successful" bombing attack on three nuclear sites in Iran and they have been "obliterated".
On Sunday, the Pentagon said it will take time to fully assess the effect of the attack though it appears all the sites sustained "extremely severe damage".
Israel says they were in "full co-ordination" with the US in planning the strikes. Iranian officials have confirmed the facilities were struck but denied it had suffered a major blow.
The strikes mark a significant escalation in the ongoing war between Iran and Israel.
Here's what we know.
What has the US bombed, and what weapons did it use?
US Gen Dan Caine, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, said Operation Midnight Hammer involved 125 US military aircraft including seven B-2 stealth bombers.
Three nuclear facilities were targeted - Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan, the US said.
During a Pentagon briefing, Caine said bombers set off from the US on an 18-hour flight, with some heading west into the Pacific as a "decoy", while the main strike package made up of the seven B-2 bombers proceeded into Iran.
Just before the aircraft entered Iranian airspace, more than two dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles were launched from a US submarine at targets at the Isfahan site, he said.
As the bombers entered Iranian airspace, the US deployed "several deception tactics, including decoys," with fighter jets clearing the airspace ahead of them, checking for enemy aircraft and surface-to-air missiles, Caine said.
The lead B-2 then dropped two GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs) - also known as "bunker buster" bombs - on the nuclear site at Fordo. Caine said a total of 14 MOPs were dropped on two target areas.
All three Iranian nuclear infrastructure targets were hit between 18:40 Eastern time (23:40 BST) and 19:05 Eastern time (00:05 BST), Caine said.
The bombers then exited Iranian airspace and began their return to the US.
"Iran's fighters did not fly, and it appears that Iran's surface-to-air missile systems did not see us," Caine said.
Speaking at the same briefing, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the operation did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people.
He added that the mission "was not, and has not been about regime change".
The defence secretary said he recognised "our allies in Israel" for the support given, adding that the operations took months and weeks of planning.
Hidden away in a remote mountainside, Fordo nuclear site includes a uranium enrichment plant that is vital to Iran's nuclear ambitions.
Located south of Tehran, it is believed to be deeper underground than the Channel Tunnel connecting the UK and France.
Due to Fordo's depth below ground only the US has the kind of "bunker buster" bomb big enough to penetrate the site.
It weighs 13,000kg (30,000lb) and is able to drop through about 18m (60ft) of concrete or 61m (200ft) of earth before exploding, according to experts.
Due to the depths of Fordo's tunnels, the MOP is not guaranteed to be successful, but it is the only bomb that could come close.
Caine confirmed that between the seven B-2 Spirit bombers, 14 MOP bombs were among "75 precision-guided weapons" used in the strikes against Iran.
What is known about the impact of the attacks?
Gen Caine has said it will take some time to fully assess the extent of the damage caused by the US attack.
But, he said, "an initial battle damage assessment indicates that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction".
New satellite imagery taken on 22 June shows six fresh craters at the Fordo nuclear site, likely the entry points for US munitions, as well as grey dust and debris scattered down the mountainside.
Following the US's confirmation that MOPs were used in the attack, senior imagery analyst at McKenzie Intelligence Services, Stu Ray, told BBC Verify: "You will not see a huge blast effect at the entry point as it is not designed to detonate on entry but deeper down into the facility."
He added that it looks like three separate munitions were dropped on two separate impact points, and that the grey colouration on the ground appears to show concrete debris blown out by the explosions.
Mr Ray also said the tunnel entrances appear to have been blocked off. As there are no visible craters or impact points near them, he suggests this may have been an Iranian attempt to "mitigate against deliberate targeting of the entrances by aerial bombardment".
The Iranian Atomic Energy Organization said the bombing of the three nuclear sites was a "barbaric violation" of international law.
Both Saudi Arabia and the UN's nuclear watchdog the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) say there has been no increase in radiation levels after the attack.
The deputy political director of Iran's state broadcaster, Hassan Abedini, said Iran had evacuated these three nuclear sites a "while ago". Appearing on state-run TV, he said Iran "didn't suffer a major blow because the materials had already been taken out".
How might Iran retaliate?
Within the hours of the US bombing, Iran launched a fresh barrage of missiles which hit parts of Tel Aviv and Haifa. At least 86 people were injured, officials said.
On Sunday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the US "must receive a response for their aggression".
"We have always stated that we are ready to engage and negotiate within the framework of international law, but instead of accepting logic, the other side has demanded the surrender of the Iranian nation," he said in a statement.
BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner says Iran must now choose between three strategic courses of action in response to the US attack overnight:
Do nothing. This could spare it from further US attacks. It could even choose the diplomatic route and re-join negotiations with the US. But doing nothing makes the Iranian regime look weak, especially after all its warnings of dire repercussions if the US did attack. It may decide the risk of weakening its grip on its population outweighs the cost of further US attacks
Retaliate hard and fast. Iran still has a substantial arsenal of ballistic missiles after manufacturing and hiding these away for years. It has a target list of around 20 US bases to choose from in the broader Middle East. It could also launch "swarm attacks" on US Navy warships using drones and fast torpedo boats
Retaliate later at a time of its own choosing. This would mean waiting until the current tension has subsided and launching a surprise attack when US bases were no longer on maximum alert
What did Donald Trump say and how have US politicians reacted?
Posting on his Truth Social platform at 19:50 Eastern time (00:50 BST), Trump confirmed the strikes on Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan.
Just over two hours later and flanked by Vice-President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Hegseth, Trump made a televised address.
He said that future attacks would be "far greater" unless Iran reached a diplomatic solution.
"Remember, there are many targets left," he added.
Several of Trump's fellow Republicans have posted statements in support of the move, including Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who "commended" the president.
Senator Mitch McConnell, an establishment Republican who has occasionally been highly critical of Trump, called it "a prudent response to the warmongers in Tehran".
Not every Republican was so supportive, with Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, usually a Trump stalwart, saying "this is not our fight".
Republican congressman Thomas Massie, who earlier this week introduced a bill that would block Trump from attacking Iran without lawmakers' approval, took to X to call the strikes "not constitutional". In a social media post, Trump called Massie a "pathetic loser".
Article I of the US Constitution places the power to declare war in the hands of Congress, that is, lawmakers elected in the House of Representatives and the Senate.
But Article II states the president is commander in chief of the armed forces and grants him authority to order military force to defend the US against actual or anticipated attacks.
Leading US Democrat Hakeem Jeffries said Trump risked US "entanglement in a potentially disastrous war in the Middle East", while others accused him of bypassing Congress to launch a new war.
How have world leaders reacted?
The UK, France and Germany have called on Iran to avoid taking any action that could further "destabilise" the Middle East.
In a joint statement, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said they had been "consistently clear that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon" and they supported the security of Israel.
UN Secretary General António Guterres said the US air strikes were a dangerous escalation, while European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas urged all sides to step back and return to the negotiating table.
Saudi Arabia has voiced "great concern" while Oman condemned the strikes and called for de-escalation.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he had spoken to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and called for "dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward".
Russian politician Dmitry Medvedev, an ally of President Vladimir Putin, said: "Trump, who came in as a peacemaker president, has started a new war for the US.
"With this kind of success, Trump won't win the Nobel Peace Prize."
How did this start?
Israel launched a surprise attack on dozens of Iranian nuclear and military targets on 13 June. It said its ambition was to dismantle its nuclear programme, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said would soon be able to produce a nuclear bomb.
Iran insists its nuclear ambitions are peaceful. In retaliation, Tehran launched hundreds of rockets and drones at Israel. The two countries have continued exchanging strikes since, in an air war which has now lasted more than a week.
Trump has long said that he is opposed to Iran possessing a nuclear weapon. Israel is widely believed to have them, although it neither confirms nor denies this.
In March, US national intelligence director Tulsi Gabbard said that while Iran had increased its uranium stockpile to unprecedented levels, it was not building a nuclear weapon - an assessment Trump recently said was "wrong".
On the campaign trail, Trump had criticised past US administrations for engaging in "stupid endless wars" in the Middle East, and he vowed to keep America out of foreign conflicts.
The US and Iran were in nuclear talks at the time of Israel's surprise attack. Only two days ago, Trump said he would give Iran two weeks to enter into substantial negotiations before striking - but that timeline turned out to be much shorter.
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg9r4q99g4o
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JD Vance defends US strikes on nuclear sites: ‘We’re not at war with Iran’
June 23, 2025
US Vice President JD Vance Sunday defended the US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities ordered by President Donald Trump. “We’re not at war with Iran,” Vance said in an interview with NBC News. “We’re at war with Iran’s nuclear programme.”
He added: “I feel very confident that we’ve substantially delayed their development of a nuclear weapon, and that was the goal of this attack.”
Trump had said the overnight strikes have “completely and totally obliterated” Iran’s enrichment facilities. However, Vance declined to confirm the extent of the damage with certainty, saying instead that the operation has “substantially delayed” Iran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons.
What JD Vance said: Key points from the Vice President’s interviews
In interviews with NBC News and ABC News, Vance outlined the administration’s rationale, messaging, and red lines.
Here’s what he said:
On the war itself: “We’re not at war with Iran. We’re at war with Iran’s nuclear programme.”
On the damage: “I feel very confident that we’ve substantially delayed their development of a nuclear weapon… That was the goal of this attack.”
On Trump’s claim of ‘obliteration’: Asked whether Iran’s nuclear sites were completely destroyed, Vance replied, “Severely damaged versus obliterated — I’m not exactly sure what the difference is. What we know is we set their nuclear programme back substantially.”
On diplomacy: He blamed Tehran for derailing talks. He argued that the US did not “blow up” diplomacy. “The Iranians are clearly not very good at war. Perhaps they should follow President Trump’s lead and give peace a chance.”
On potential retaliation: “If they want to destroy their own economy and cause disruptions in the world [by blocking the Strait of Hormuz], that would be their decision. But why would they do that?”
On legal authority: Responding to critics in Congress, Vance said Trump had “clear authority to act to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction”.
On Iranian messages: He confirmed the US had received “some indirect messages from the Iranians” since the strike.
Extent of damage still unclear
Independent assessments of the Iranian nuclear sites suggest the damage might be less severe that what US officials claim.
According to The Guardian, Satellite images reviewed by Maxar Technologies showed surface-level craters and potential tunnel collapses at the Fordow and Natanz sites, but no conclusive evidence that the heavily fortified facilities were fully destroyed.
An Iranian lawmaker also claimed Fordow was not seriously damaged.
Iran warns retaliation
Hours after the US strikes, Iran launched retaliatory attacks against Israel, damaging infrastructure in Tel Aviv. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that Iran “reserves all options” in its response. He is expected to visit Moscow for consultations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
After the strikes, Trump, in an all-caps post on Truth Social warned against “any retaliation by Iran”.
Iran has also warned that its military will determine the “timing, nature, and scale” of its response to the US airstrikes targeting its nuclear facilities. Addressing an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council in New York after the US strikes, Iran’s Ambassador to the UN, Amir Saeid Iravani said, “The United States decided to destroy diplomacy.”
Source: indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/world/iran-strikes-jd-vance-says-us-not-at-war-with-iran-10082582/
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Europe
Man who planned Bristol shopping centre suicide bombing could soon be freed
William Telford
22 Jun 2025
A Bristol man jailed for planning a suicide bombing at the Broadmead shopping centre could be released soon. Andrew Michael, known as Isa Ibrahim, was caged in 2009 for plotting to kill shoppers.
Authorities were tipped off by a member of the Muslim community and Ibrahim was arrested before he could cause carnage. He had planned to blow himself up with a suicide vest after idolising the London 7/7 bombers and Al-Qaeda’s Osama Bin Laden.
Ibrahim was the son of a hospital consultant and grew up in a £1m Bristol mansion. He went to a string of expensive private schools but later started watching speeches by Islamist militant leader Omar Bakri Muhammad and former Finsbury Park cleric Abu Hamza.
He was convicted at Winchester Crown Court in July 2009. After converting to Islam, Ibrahim was sentenced to an indeterminate prison sentence with a minimum term of 10 years.
He had been found guilty of making an explosive with intent to endanger life or cause serious injury and preparation of terrorist acts. Trial judge Mr Justice Butterfield said Ibrahim was an “angry young person” and “well capable” of carrying out an attack. Ibrahim had said he did not intend to harm anyone, that he had trouble making friends and even talked to teddy bears as an adult.
Now, nearly 16 years later, Ibrahim could be released from jail. The Mail Online reported that Ibrahim, now aged 36, is up for a parole hearing.
“We can confirm the parole review of Isa Ibrahim has been referred to the Parole Board by the Secretary of State for Justice and is following standard processes,” a Parole Board spokesperson said. “'Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community.”
The spokesperson said a panel will “carefully examine a huge range of evidence, including details of the original crime, and any evidence of behaviour change, as well as explore the harm done and impact the crime has had on the victims”. There are hundreds of pages of evidence set to be reviewed ahead of an oral hearing.
The spokesperson also said: “Evidence from witnesses such as probation officers, psychiatrists and psychologists, officials supervising the offender in prison as well as victim personal statements may be given at the hearing. It is standard for the prisoner and witnesses to be questioned at length during the hearing which often lasts a full day or more.
"Parole reviews are undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care. Protecting the public is our number one priority. A decision on Ibrahim's case is expected over the coming weeks.”
The son of Christian parents, Ibrahim had a lavish upbringing. His Egyptian-born father, worked as a consultant pathologist in the NHS. Ibrahim’s older brother became a software engineer after graduating from the University of Oxford.
But despite the luxury lifestyle in the family’s gated mansion in Frenchay, Ibrahim developed a drug habit. He first took cannabis aged just 12, and was expelled from three private schools including the £19,065-a-year Colston's School and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital school which has fees of £20,895-a-year.
The even more expensive Roman Catholic Downside School, in Bath, where Ibrahim was a boarder, cost his family £24,141-a-year. Ibrahim received nine GCSEs while a pupil at the Bristol Cathedral School. He then became a student at the City of Bristol College.
He would later plan to take innocent people’s lives. Ibrahim made an explosive vest in his flat and carried out surveillance of Broadmead. It was found that he hoped to achieve maximum damage using ball bearings and nails in his vest, purchasing items he needed from high street shops.
Thankfully, worried members of Bristol's Al-Baseera mosque reported injuries Ibrahim suffered from testing explosives. They told police about their concerns over his extreme views and that he was acting suspiciously.
It is understood to be the first time a potential terrorist was brought to justice where members of the Muslim community played a key role. Ibrahim had not been on the radar of security services at the time.
When police searched his home, the floor crackled under officers’ feet because of the huge amount of explosive powder in the flat. Police found Hexamethylene Triperoxide Diamine (HMTD) an explosive substance used in the 7/7 attacks, an incomplete suicide vest, films of Ibrahim testing the explosives and an electrical circuit capable of being used as a detonator.
A controlled explosion had to be carried out at the flat, where a radical book advocating jihad was also discovered. Detective Chief Inspector Matt Iddon said Ibrahim’s kitchen had become an “explosive laboratory”.
He said: “He identified that the (Broadmead) food court was a dense area. It's full of families – husbands, wives, children, groups of young friends – relaxing and enjoying the day. He intended to blow himself up there.”
Source: bristolpost.co.uk
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https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/man-who-planned-bristol-shopping-10284884
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Man charged in relation to attack on Islamic Centre in Belfast
22 JUN, 2025
A man has been charged in relation to an attack on the Islamic Centre in Belfast.
A viable device was thrown through a window of the centre during evening prayer on Friday.
Police cordoned off the area, and the public were encouraged to avoid it.
On Sunday, a man aged 34 was charged with a number of offences including attempted arson with intent to endanger life.
He was also charged with attempt to cause an explosion, making explosives with the intent to endanger life and criminal damage.
He is expected to appear before Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
The attack on the Islamic Centre has been criticised by politicians over the weekend.
Source: irishexaminer.com
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https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/courtandcrime/arid-41656106.html
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Azerbaijan, Pakistan discuss strategic partnership, Israel-Iran tension at OIC session
22 June 2025
Khagan Isayev
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar discussed strengthening strategic cooperation and addressing regional security concerns, including the rising tensions between Israel and Iran.
The talks took place during the 51st session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul, Caliber.Az reports, citing the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry's X page.
The ministers reviewed the current state of bilateral and multilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Pakistan and exchanged views on the upcoming OIC summit set to be held in Azerbaijan next month. They also discussed the planned transfer of the OIC chairmanship in 2026.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister expressed gratitude to Azerbaijan for its assistance in evacuating Pakistani nationals from Iran amid recent hostilities.
The Council of Foreign Ministers is the principal decision-making body of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), comprising foreign ministers from its 57 member states. It convenes regularly to address political, economic, social, and cultural cooperation among Muslim-majority countries. The council focuses on critical issues facing the Islamic world, such as regional conflicts, humanitarian challenges, and efforts to promote peace and stability.
The 51st session, held in June 2025 in Istanbul, brought together representatives to review ongoing initiatives, plan future activities, and coordinate collective responses to pressing challenges. A key topic on the agenda was preparation for the upcoming OIC summit scheduled to take place next month in Azerbaijan, alongside discussions on the planned transfer of the organisation’s chairmanship in 2026.
Source: caliber.az
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Starmer and Trump discuss need for Iran to return to negotiations
Jennifer McKiernan
22 Jun 2025
Sir Keir Starmer has spoken to Donald Trump in the wake of US strikes on Iran's nuclear sites, Downing Street has said.
The prime minister and US president discussed the need for Iran to return to the negotiating table as soon as possible and make progress on a lasting settlement, a No 10 spokesman said.
Sir Keir warned earlier on Sunday of a "risk of escalation" to the Middle East and beyond the region after the US bombed three Iranian facilities.
He said he wanted to reassure people that "we're doing everything we can to stabilise the situation" and find a diplomatic solution.
There was no UK involvement in the US action but the PM was told about it in advance, Sir Keir said earlier.
In their conversation, the prime minister and US president reiterated the grave risk posed by Iran's nuclear programme to international security, the Downing Street spokesman said.
"They discussed the actions taken by the United States last night to reduce the threat and agreed that Iran must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon," he said, adding the pair "agreed to stay in close contact in the coming days".
The PM chaired an emergency Cobra response meeting on Sunday afternoon and held calls with world leaders, including France's Emmanuel Macron and Germany's Friedrich Merz.
The trio subsequently urged Iran "not to take any further action that could destabilise the region".
"We will continue our joint diplomatic efforts to defuse tensions and ensure the conflict does not intensify and spread further," they said in a joint statement.
On Sunday evening, Foreign Secretary David Lammy said he had spoken with counterparts in Iran and Israel, saying in a post on X: "I urged a diplomatic, negotiated solution to end this crisis."
The US said it had carried out strikes on three nuclear facilities in Iran - Natanz, Isfahan and Fordo - on Saturday night.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the strikes "devastated the Iranian nuclear programme".
Iran's foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi called the US strikes "outrageous" and said they would have "everlasting consequences".
Speaking at his Chequers country retreat, Sir Keir said escalation was a risk to the Middle East and "beyond the region".
He added "that's why all our focus has been on de-escalating, getting people back around to negotiate what is a very real threat in relation to the nuclear programme".
He said the UK had been "clear Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon", adding stability in the region was the priority.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme that Iran "is a threat to this country, not in an abstract way, not in a speculative way".
He stressed there was "simply no way a responsible British government would ever allow [Iran] to possess nuclear weapons".
Last October, the head of MI5 said the intelligence service had responded to 20 plots backed by Iran in the UK since 2022, posing "potentially lethal threats to British citizens and UK residents".
Ken McCallum said at the time there had been "plot after plot here in the UK, at an unprecedented pace and scale".
Reynolds stopped short of welcoming the US strikes, saying he "wanted a different way to obtain this but I cannot pretend to you that prevention of Iran having a nuclear weapon is anything other than in the interests of the UK".
Although the UK had "wanted" a peaceful de-escalation of tensions, Reynolds added: "Iran didn't listen to the diplomatic calls for a peaceful solution. That was a mistake."
The prime minister said the UK had been "moving assets to the region to make sure we're in a position to protect our own interests, our personnel and our assets, and, of course, those of our allies."
A UK defence source said British military personnel in the Middle East were now on their highest level of alert.
Only a week ago, Sir Keir met US President Donald Trump at the G7 summit in Canada, where he pushed for de-escalation, and had previously said there was "nothing" from the president to suggest he was about to get involved in the conflict.
Iran has claimed its nuclear ambitions are peaceful and recent uranium enrichment to 60% was done as part of a research and development programme.
However, the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) latest report warned that Iran had amassed enough enriched uranium to potentially make nine nuclear bombs, which was "a source of legitimate concern".
Asked why Iran needed uranium enriched to near weapons-grade, Iran's ambassador to the UK, Seyed Ali Mousavi, told the BBC: "There's no intention from our side to go into a military attack".
He added Iran is considering the "quantity and quality" of its reaction to the US action.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog told Kuenssberg that Iran's nuclear programme had been hit "substantially" but added that he did not yet know the exact details of what happened as he did not know in advance and was "woken up when it happened".
Israel has been targeting military sites in Iran in recent days, with Iran returning fire.
On Saturday, B-2 stealth bombers flew non-stop from a US airbase in Missouri to Iran to carry out the strikes.
The UK-US airbase on Diego Garcia, one of the Chagos Islands, was not used.
In a televised address following the strikes, Trump said the US's overnight operation was a "spectacular military success", adding that if Iran did not make peace quickly it would face "far greater" attacks.
No increase in off-site radiation has been reported, according to the UN's IAEA latest update.
UN Secretary General António Guterres said the overnight strikes were a "dangerous escalation".
Reacting to the US action, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, said: "By targeting Iran's nuclear sites, the US has taken decisive action against a regime that fuels global terror and directly threatens the UK."
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said it was now "essential" for the UK to "de-escalate the conflict and achieve that diplomatic solution".
Starmer has previously urged further negotiations in a bid to de-escalate the conflict.
Foreign Secretary Lammy travelled to Washington last week to meet Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US special envoy Steve Witkoff, and also formed part of a European contingent which met Iranian officials in Geneva on Friday.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has advised against all travel to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Iran.
It has organised a chartered flight from Tel Aviv for British nationals who want to leave Israel.
The FCDO said the flight would be for "vulnerable British nationals and their dependents", which it hopes will be able to take off next week if Israeli airspace is re-opened, but "that could change at short notice".
On Sunday, British Airways announced it was pausing flights to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and Doha in Qatar in light of the situation.
In a statement, a spokesperson said the airway's flight schedule had been adjusted "to ensure the safety of our customers and crew", adding customers had been contacted and advised of their travel options.
It is understood all flights to the airports scheduled to leave London Heathrow on Saturday, and their subsequent return flights, were cancelled.
Those due to travel up until Tuesday are able to rebook free of charge onto a later flight up to and including 6 July.
Source: bbc.com
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Met chief 'shocked' by planned Palestine Action protest
23 Jun 2025
Jacqueline Howard
The Metropolitan Police chief has said he is "shocked and frustrated" at a planned protest in support of Palestine Action in London on Monday.
Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said while the right to protest is essential, "actions in support of such a group go beyond what most would see as legitimate protest".
It comes as the home secretary is understood to be preparing a written statement to put before Parliament on Monday to proscribe the group, effectively branding it a terrorist organisation.
On Friday, Palestine Action activists broke into RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire and sprayed two military planes with red paint in protest of the UK's support of Israel over the war in Gaza.
The planned protest in central London is supported by 35 groups including various other pro-Palestinian groups, the Stop the War Coalition, Cage and Muslim Engagement and Development (MEND).
Describing Palestine Action as an "organised extremist criminal group," Sir Mark said that until the group is proscribed, the Met had no legal power to prevent the protest taking place.
"We do, however, have the power to impose conditions on it to prevent disorder, damage, and serious disruption to the community," he added, saying "breaches of the law will be dealt with robustly".
The Met said it would release conditions for the protest "once they have been confirmed".
In an earlier post on social media, Palestine Action said "the political establishment rush to call us 'terrorists', whilst they enact the worst crimes against humanity".
One of the group's members, Saeed Taji Farouky, told the BBC on Saturday that government plans to proscribe the group were "absurd".
He said the move "rips apart the very basic concepts of British democracy and the rule of law" and added: "It's something everyone should be terrified about."
Palestine Action has engaged in activities that have predominantly targeted arms companies since the start of the current war in Gaza, with the group claiming responsibility in May for the daubing of a US military plane in Ireland.
Mr Farouky said the group's "whole reason for being is to break the material supply chain to genocide" and said Friday's incident was an "escalation in tactics because the genocide has escalated".
Israel has strongly denied allegations of genocide relating to the ongoing war in Gaza.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the incident at RAF Brize Norton as "disgraceful". Counter-terrorism police are investigating the break in to the base.
The move to ban Palestine Action was welcomed by some in Westminster, including former Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who said the move to ban the group was "absolutely the correct decision".
Others have reacted critically, including Labour MP Zarah Sultana, who recalled protests against the 2003 war in Iraq: "A million people marched against the illegal war in Iraq and they were right. Now the same script is playing out again."
Amnesty International UK said on Friday that it was "deeply concerned at the use of counter terrorism powers to target protests".
Regular protests related to the war in Gaza have been held in London since Israel began a military campaign to destroy Hamas in response to the cross-border attack on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
More than 55,000 people have been killed in Gaza since then, including more than 15,000 children, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.
Source: bbc.com
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South Asia
Houthi Movement Ends Ceasefire with U.S. Plans Attacks in the Red Sea
2025-06-22
KABUL(BNA): Yemen’s Houthi Movement, known as Ansar Allah, officially ended ceasefire agreement with the United States, which was brokered last month with mediation from Oman.
Mohammed al-Buheiti, a member of the movement’s politburo, announced the decision during an interview with Al Jazeera.
Al-Buheiti indicated that the Houthis would initiate attacks on U.S. forces in the Red Sea, framing the actions as a direct response to recent U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The ceasefire, which was viewed as a potential pathway to de-escalation, has now been dismantled, leaving questions about future diplomatic efforts and the stability of the region.
Analysts warn that renewed hostilities could further complicate an already volatile landscape, impacting international shipping and security operations.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
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Bangladesh seeks stronger OIC role in Rohingya justice
22 Jun 2025
DHAKA, June 22, 2025 (BSS)- Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain today urged the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to assume a stronger and more coordinated role to ensure justice for persecuted Rohingyas, as Bangladesh faces growing humanitarian and security pressures of millions of displaced Myanmar nationals.
Addressing the OIC Ad Hoc Ministerial Committee meeting on accountability for human rights violations against Rohingyas, held in Istanbul, the Foreign Adviser praised the OIC’s consistent stance but warned of worsening conditions in both Myanmar and Bangladesh.
“The Ummah’s solidarity with the Rohingyas – one of the most persecuted Muslim minorities in the world – is both a moral and historical imperative,” he said in his written statement thanking the OIC for adopting a resolution on the plight of the Rohingya community in Myanmar.
Hossain noted that Bangladesh has shouldered extraordinary humanitarian responsibilities by hosting over 1.3 million forcibly displaced Rohingyas since the 2017 influx, which the United Nations described as a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing.”
He informed that more than 118,000 new arrivals were recorded since November 2023, fleeing renewed violence in Myanmar.
“The pressure on our economy, environment, and local communities is unsustainable. We are facing mounting humanitarian, developmental, and security-related challenges,” the Adviser said.
Recalling key diplomatic engagements in recent months, including the UN Secretary-General’s Ramadan Solidarity visit to Bangladesh and the visits of high-level officials from The Gambia, OIC, and ASEAN, he stressed the need for international accountability and justice to ensure safe and voluntary repatriation of Rohingyas.
Hossain pointed to a dramatic escalation in the Rakhine conflict, where the Arakan Army now controls most of the region, including the full stretch of the Bangladesh-Myanmar border.
As of May 2025, around 587,000 people are internally displaced within Rakhine, while fresh waves of refugees have crossed into Bangladesh, he said.
Amidst growing global conflicts, Hossain warned of an “alarming downward trend of humanitarian support for Rohingyas in Bangladesh.”
Referring to the 2024 funding gap and the current Joint Response Plan for 2025-26, he said: “Only 68% of the UN estimated required fund for 2024 has been received last year… Due to fund shortage, UNICEF has closed learning facilities since 3rd of June. Moreover, WFP has cut the food ration twice.”
The Adviser reiterated Bangladesh’s call for the OIC to strengthen legal and diplomatic efforts, particularly supporting The Gambia’s case against Myanmar at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
“OIC may engage the member states to provide required financial support to run case at ICJ by The Gambia. Now The Gambia will need our full solidarity, support and cooperation,” he said, adding, “Ensuring justice will boost confidence of the Rohingyas to return to Myanmar.”
He proposed that the OIC work closely with ASEAN, particularly under Malaysia’s current chairmanship, to urge Myanmar to end its atrocities and create conducive conditions for repatriation.
A ‘High-Level Conference on the Situation of Rohingya Muslims and Other Minorities in Myanmar’ will be organized on 30 September 2025 in New York at the sidelines of UNGA. Dhaka expects high-level participation from the OIC countries,” he added.
“For the Rohingya community, Bangladesh has done its part – perhaps more than its share. We now look to the OIC and the international community to uphold their moral and legal responsibilities. Our call today is not just for charity, but also for justice, solidarity, and shared accountability,” he said.
The Adviser concluded by reaffirming Bangladesh’s unwavering commitment to the Rohingya cause.
Source: bssnews.net
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Dy PM of IEA Meets Academic Officials in China, Seeks Educational Cooperation
June 22, 2025
KABUL: Mawlavi Abdul Salam Hanafi, the Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs of the Islamic Emirate, met with senior academic figures, including Ma Yinghui, President of Yunnan University and Yi Jianghong, President of Kunming University of Science and Technology in China, to discuss strengthening bilateral educational cooperation, Arg said in a statement Saturday.
The meeting was also attended by Liu Qingjiang, President of Yunnan University of Nationalities, Li Lihua, Deputy President of Kunming Medical University, along with professors and students from both China and Afghanistan, the statement said.
Developing scientific and academic ties between Afghan and Chinese universities, organizing joint seminars, exchanging academic, research, and technological experiences, and fostering educational and health cooperation were among the issues discussed in the meeting, the statement said.
Hanafi praised China’s cooperation with the Islamic Emirate in various fields, and highlighted the achievements of the current system in ensuring nationwide security, promoting trade and investment, eradicating drug cultivation, trafficking and use, combating administrative corruption, and rehabilitating drug addicts.
Praising China’s successful academic experiences, he called for expanded academic and research collaboration between institutions in both countries, particularly in the fields of medicine, agriculture, engineering, and technology, according to the statement.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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New Economic Policy of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan Approved
2025-06-22
KABUL(BNA): The Economic Commission of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, led by Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund, convened at the Marble Palace today, Sunday to discuss and approve the newly proposed Economic Policy.
The policy aims to establish a developed and prosperous Afghanistan based on the Islamic economic system. Key objectives include creating an attractive investment environment, boosting domestic production and exports, enhancing employment levels, reducing poverty, and promoting sustainable economic development and stability.
During the meeting, it was emphasized that the policy will enhance coordination of economic activities, optimize resource utilization, and bolster the private sector.
Additionally, the Ministry of Finance was instructed to allocate the necessary budget for extending the electricity network to 13 villages in Pul-e-Khumri, Baghlan province, for the fiscal year 1404. The project will be implemented by Da Afghan Breshna Sherkat.
The meeting also approved plans for two major commercial market developments. In Balkh province, a private sector investment of 740 million Afs will facilitate the construction of an eight-story market featuring 878 shops on the land of the Ministry of Hajj, and Religious Affairs. Similarly, a standard commercial market will be developed in Sar-e-Pul province with an investment of 96 million Afs.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
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Emergency Committee Established in Herat to Address Returnees from Iran
2025-06-22
HERAT(BNA): In response to the growing influx of Afghan returnees from Iran, the Herat provincial administration has established an emergency task force composed of government entities and private sector representative
Mufti Mohammad Yusuf Saeedi, spokesperson for the governor, told Bakhtar News Agency that the decision was made during a high-level meeting chaired by Governor Sheikh Mawlawi Noor Ahmad Islamjar. The session brought together business leaders, industrialists, and heads of various unions at the provincial headquarters.
At the meeting, participants reviewed the challenges facing the returnees and discussed immediate measures to provide food, shelter, and job opportunities. Governor Islamjar expressed gratitude for the private sector’s collaboration and called for stronger coordination between public institutions and businesses, stressing that the accelerating flow of returnees from Iran makes it a shared duty to meet their basic needs.
Business and union leaders welcomed the initiative and pledged full cooperation, particularly in creating jobs in Herat’s industrial park.
Official figures indicate that close to 8,000 Afghans are crossing back into Herat each day via the Islam Qala border.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
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Muttaqi attends 51st OIC Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Istanbul
June 22, 2025
KABUL: Mawlavi Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate, participated in the 51st meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers in Istanbul city of Turkiye, the ministry said in a statement Saturday.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Muttaqi will also hold meetings with the foreign ministers of several participating countries, the statement said.
The 51st meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers was held in Istanbul city of Türkiye, bringing together top diplomats from member states to discuss key issues facing the Islamic world.
The gathering focused on strengthening unity among Muslim nations, addressing ongoing humanitarian crises, boosting economic cooperation, and enhancing the OIC’s role in promoting peace and development.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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MoIC holds three-day training seminar on administrative systems
June 22, 2025
KABUL: The Capacity Building and Administrative Development Directorate of the Personnel Affairs Department of the Ministry of Information and Culture (MoIC) has launched a three-day training seminar titled “Improving Work Processes and Strengthening Administrative Systems” for executive officers of the ministry’s central directorates, the ministry said in a statement Saturday.
The opening ceremony was attended by Mawlavi Qudratullah Jamal, Deputy Minister for Tourism, Finance, and Administration, Hafiz Nematullah Montazir, Director of Public Libraries; Mawlavi Naqeebullah Nauman, Director of Personnel Affairs; and 35 executive managers from central departments, the statement said.
The seminar aims to train staff in drafting official correspondence, inquiries, proposals, and writing effectively in both Pashto and Dari, the statement added.
Addressing the ceremony, Mawlavi Jamal emphasized that the purpose of the seminar is to enhance service delivery within the ministry.
It is noteworthy that the Capacity Building Directorate has previously held similar training programs for MoIC staff.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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Nagar Bhaban reopens after 40 days amid Ishraque supporters' protest
Jun 23, 2025
After remaining locked for 40 consecutive days, operations at Nagar Bhaban – the headquarters of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) -- resumed this morning.
Regular administrative functions recommenced at the start of the workday, with officials from various departments returning to their posts.
However, the offices of DSCC Administrator Shahajan Mia and several engineers remained padlocked.
The protest began on May 14, led by supporters of BNP leader Ishraque Hossain, demanding his immediate swearing-in as mayor.
The following day, demonstrators padlocked the main gates of Nagar Bhaban, effectively suspending civic services under the DSCC.
Yesterday, during a gathering at the protest site, movement coordinator and former secretary Moshiur Rahman called on DSCC officers and staff to resume their duties.
Source: thedailystar.net
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Separate secretariat will ensure independence of judiciary
Jun 23, 2025
Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus has said that the government cannot walk away from the creation of a separate secretariat for the judiciary.
He made the remarks just minutes after Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, speaking at the same programme yesterday, emphasised the "utmost urgency" of establishing such a secretariat.
Prof Yunus was the chief guest at a national seminar on judicial independence and efficiency, organised by the Supreme Court at InterContinental Dhaka hotel. Justice Refaat chaired the event.
Yunus said a separate secretariat would grant the judiciary the structural autonomy to adjudicate without external pressure.
It is also commendable that, as part of the reforms, the Supreme Judicial Council has been made fully operational, ensuring judicial accountability and independence, the chief adviser said.
"We are deeply committed to achieving an efficient and independent judiciary, and we look forward to its effective realisation. The fate of these crucial aspirations and initiatives depends entirely on our collective efforts," he said.
Yunus said three "magic words" -- judiciary, independence and efficiency -- define the foundation of the society.
He said when the government speaks of reform, it does not talk about minor twitches that will fall apart under pressure.
"We speak of changes that will create a powerful democracy while ensuring that democratic aspirations do not twist into either authoritarian desires or populist yearnings.
"Using populist tactics to win elections, and then abusing and manipulating the power structures, dismantling checks and balances, and turning oversight bodies into tools of oppression -- these are common strategies from the autocratic playbook," he said.
The chief adviser said the opportunity for reform after the July uprising presents the government with the opportunity to design such mechanisms and power structures that can foil these autocratic manoeuvres.
The governance of the state in the 21st century presents distinct challenges to securing polities founded on democratic ideals. These challenges range from countering rising populism to repelling authoritarianism, illiberalism, and similar threats.
Bangladesh has unfortunately experienced all these challenges at various stages and in varying degrees, Yunus said, adding that it is widely argued that there is one institution, namely the judiciary, that can play the most significant role in addressing these issues.
"Every nation awaits a moment of transformation, an opportunity to mark a new beginning. This is our moment. We want to redress the past anarchies, bad administration, despotism and authoritarianism, and to set the country on a path of good governance and rule of law," Yunus said.
Chief Justice Refaat said that the judiciary today stands as the fully functioning constitutional organ of the state, unyielding in its duty, grounded in its independence, and staunched in its commitment to justice.
The reform initiatives cannot sustain without a full-fledged and institutionalised reform of the judiciary itself.
"To that end, I reiterate with utmost urgency the need for establishing a separate secretariat for the judiciary, which is essential not only for administrative autonomy but for securing the structural foundation upon which all other reforms must rest," Justice Refaat said.
"Justice cannot be carried forward on borrowed infrastructure or delegated authority; it must stand on its own institutional legs," he added.
He said the student-led uprising dismantled a "compromised" judiciary and called forth a new order grounded in truth and independence.
"I did not assume the office of the 25th chief justice by design, but was summoned by the people's will, entrusted with the solemn duty to restore faith in the rule of law and to rebuild the judiciary as a pillar of constitutional democracy," he said.
He also said that the Judicial Reform Roadmap taken by the Supreme Court is a declaration not of intent, but of institutional transformation grounded in independence, accountability, and service.
Central to this roadmap is the creation of a Supreme Court Secretariat to ensure administrative and financial autonomy, alongside a depoliticised guideline on postings and a proposal for separate civil and criminal trial courts to enhance adjudicatory clarity.
Institutional safeguards, such as enhanced allowances, car loans, and security measures for judges, were introduced not as privileges but as protections of judicial integrity, the chief justice said.
A judiciary cannot claim true independence unless the appointment and accountability of its highest members are structurally shielded from political influence, he said.
The proposal to form the Supreme Judicial Council, endorsed by the Judicial Reform Commission and swiftly operationalised through an ordinance approved by the interim government, has already borne fruit, he said.
The two judges most recently elevated to the Appellate Division were appointed under this process, setting a new standard of legitimacy, the chief justice said. A fresh round of appointments is now under consideration.
A Documentary on the "Roadmap for Judicial Reform in Bangladesh" was screened at the seminar. Appellate Division's Justice Ashfaqul Islam, Law Adviser Prof Asif Nazrul and Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman, also spoke at the seminar. The other speakers included AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, president of Supreme Court Bar Association; Zainul Abedin, vice-chairman of Bangladesh Bar Council; and Stefan Liller, UNDP resident representative in Bangladesh.
Source: thedailystar.net
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Arab World
Saudi Arabia condemns suicide attack on Syrian church
June 22, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Sunday condemned a suicide attack on a church in Damascus that killed at least 20 people.
Syria’s interior ministry said in a statement that “a suicide attacker affiliated with the Daesh terrorist group entered the Saint Elias church in the Dwelaa area of the capital Damascus where he opened fire then blew himself up with an explosive belt.”
The Foreign Ministry emphasized the Kingdom’s position rejecting the targeting of places of worship, the terrorizing of civilians, and the shedding of innocent blood.
It affirmed the Kingdom’s support for the Syrian Arab Republic against all forms of violence, extremism, and terrorism.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2605442/saudi-arabia
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Saudi Crown Prince holds talks with GCC, French and Italian leaders amid regional tensions
June 22, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held a series of phone calls on Sunday with the leaders of several Gulf Cooperation Council countries to discuss the escalating situation in the region following recent attacks on Iran, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Prince Mohammed spoke separately with King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa of Bahrain, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman, Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar and Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah of Kuwait.
He also received a phone call from UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan.
The discussions focused on the latest regional developments, including continued Israeli attacks on Iran and the targeting of Iranian nuclear facilities by the US earlier on Sunday.
The leaders affirmed the unity and solidarity of GCC member states in light of the current tensions and stressed the importance of collective efforts to exercise restraint, avoid further escalation, and pursue diplomatic solutions to the crisis, SPA added.
The crown prince also received a phone call on Sunday from French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni.
They discussed developments in the region and the repercussions of the escalation of tensions in the region following the US strikes.
Prince Mohammed affirmed to Macron and Meloni the Kingdom’s position on the need to exercise restraint, avoid escalation, and resolve all disputes through diplomatic means.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2605410/saudi-arabia
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Saudi Arabia issues etiquette guidelines for visitors to the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina
June 23, 2025
Dubai: The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has called on all visitors to the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina to observe a set of religious etiquettes that reflect the sanctity of the site and uphold the spiritual atmosphere of one of Islam’s holiest places.
The guidance, issued as part of the ministry’s awareness efforts, emphasizes the importance of calmness, respect, and adherence to prophetic tradition during visits.
The ministry stressed that visitors should enter the mosque with their right foot and recite the traditional supplication for entering sacred spaces. Once inside, worshippers are urged to lower their voices, maintain composed and respectful behavior, and avoid any actions that might disturb the spiritual serenity of others.
As they pass the sacred chamber, visitors are encouraged to extend peaceful salutations to the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and his companions Abu Bakr and Umar.
Upon exiting the mosque, it is recommended to lead with the left foot while reciting the prescribed supplication for departure. The ministry noted that these etiquettes follow the prophetic example and help maintain the dignity and tranquility of the mosque, ensuring a spiritually uplifting experience for all.
“These guidelines are part of our ongoing efforts to enhance the experience of every visitor,” the ministry said in a statement, “ensuring that their acts of worship are performed in an atmosphere of humility, reflection, and reverence.”
Source: gulfnews.com
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https://gulfnews.com/world/gulf/saudi/saudi-arabia-issues-etiquette-guidelines-for-visitors-to-the-prophets-mosque-in-medina-1.500172852
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Saudi interior minister meets outgoing UK ambassador in Riyadh
June 22, 2025
LONDON: Saudi Minister of Interior Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif met Neil Crompton, the outgoing UK ambassador to Riyadh, in his office on Sunday.
Crompton bid farewell to Prince Abdulaziz as his tenure as ambassador ended. Prince Abdulaziz thanked Crompton for his service in the Kingdom and wished him success.
Crompton will be succeeded by Stephen Hitchen.
In a previous interview with Arab News, Crompton described Saudi Arabia as a “key, indispensable partner” to the UK.
“We have a shared history, and part of our shared history is recognition that Saudi Arabia is a key diplomatic partner, not just in the Arab world, but in the Islamic world. I think it has a neutral ability to bridge gaps both between east and west, and north and south,” Crompton said.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2605418/saudi-arabia
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Saudi project clears 1,243 mines in Yemen
ARAB NEWS
June 22, 2025
RIYADH: Members of Saudi Arabia’s Project Masam removed 1,243 explosive devices from various regions of Yemen last week.
The total included 1,182 unexploded ordnances, 57 anti-tank mines and four anti-personnel mines, according to a recent report.
Ousama Al-Gosaibi, the initiative’s managing director, said that 501,243 mines have been cleared since the project began in 2018.
The explosives were planted indiscriminately and posed a threat to civilians, including children, women and the elderly.
The demining operations took place in Marib, Aden, Jouf, Shabwa, Taiz, Hodeidah, Lahij, Sanaa, Al-Bayda, Al-Dhale and Saada.
The project trains local demining engineers and provides them with modern equipment. It also offers support to Yemenis injured by the devices.
Teams are tasked with clearing villages, roads and schools to facilitate the safe movement of civilians and delivery of humanitarian aid.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2605428/saudi-arabia
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Alqan Heritage Village: A window into Saudi Arabia’s past
June 22, 2025
JEDDAH: Near Haql city, located northwest of Tabuk, sits Alqan Heritage Village — one of Saudi Arabia’s most scenic and historic heritage sites. Also known as “The Snow City,” it is a popular destination during winter when the whole area can become covered in snow.
During warmer months, Alqan offers visitors a chance to explore the village’s traditional homes, which are built on raised areas using local sandstone. These structures reflect the region’s unique architectural style and building techniques, according to the Saudi Press Agency report.
The village is located about 170 km from Tabuk city in northern Saudi Arabia, and is surrounded by a stunning landscape of tall mountains and red dunes.
Alqan was built in 1934 by order of King Abdulaziz. It includes 20 houses made from red stone and mud, with palm trunks and fronds used for the roofs. These buildings were once used by the region’s first government employees and public offices.
Today, the village is officially listed in the National Register of Architectural Heritage. The Heritage Commission continues its efforts to document, protect and digitize such historic sites across the Kingdom.
Near the village is the Alqan customs checkpoint, built in 1965. The area is also home to several historical wells that were used to provide water to local communities. Among them is the well of “Abu Al-Alq,” believed to have inspired the village’s name. Others say the name comes from small particles that sometimes appear in the well water.
Perched on a rocky hill, the village was carefully planned by early settlers, who chose the location based on natural features like wind direction, rainfall and privacy. Their thoughtful urban planning shows how well they understood the desert environment.
Alqan is best known for its snowfall, a rare feature in most of Saudi Arabia. Heavy snowstorms were recorded in 1945 and again in 1965, with snow lasting for several days. These events helped shape Alqan’s reputation as a winter retreat.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2605409/saudi-arabia
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Saudi art returns to Concentrico festival in Spain
June 22, 2025
DHAHRAN: The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, known as Ithra, returns with more Saudi-inspired art for the second year at the Concentrico International Festival of Architecture and Design in Spain.
The installation will be open to the public at Plaza de la Diversidad in Logrono until June 24.
This year, Ithra presents “Rooted in Warmth” by Saudi multimedia artist Raghad Al-Ahmed, alongside a sensory experience, “Summer Blessings,” by Saudi visual narrative studio Nclass.
Visitors are encouraged to interact with and even climb the structure to experience the connection between agriculture and community ties to nature.
The installation was created with more than 50 women artisans from Jouf, northern Saudi Arabia, inspired by Al-Ahmed’s roots in the Hejazi community, particularly Taif, where gatherings under tree shade are part of rural life.
The sensory experience “Summer Blessings” complements “Rooted in Warmth” by showcasing the diversity of local fruits and herbs.
Noura Al-Zamil, head of programs at Ithra, said: “We are proud to present Raghad Al-Ahmed’s work at Concentrico. Showcasing it at a leading European design festival reflects Ithra’s ongoing efforts to support creative expression.
“This initiative provides a platform for Saudi artists and artisans to share their work globally, enriching the cultural landscape. ‘Rooted in Warmth,’ combining personal and national identity with contemporary art, will encourage cross-cultural dialogue at the festival,” she added.
After its debut in Spain, “Rooted in Warmth” will be exhibited in Saudi Arabia as part of Tanween 2025 later this year.
Tanween, Ithra’s annual design event, highlights global design excellence and promotes creative innovation.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2605401/saudi-arabia
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Saudi Pavilion at Osaka Expo attracts a million visitors
June 22, 2025
The Saudi Arabia Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka has welcomed more than a million visitors since opening on April 13.
Designed by Foster + Partners, the pavilion, which the second largest after Japan, is a display of the Kingdom’s culture and heritage. It features more than 700 events, including live performances and dance shows.
The award-winning pavilion shares Saudi Arabia’s transformative journey under Vision 2030, highlighting the kingdom’s innovation and technological modernization. Additionally, the pavilion offers an exciting visitor journey by means of seven immersive rooms and galleries where guests can see up close the Kingdom’s global impact.
“We are honored to mark this significant milestone and the Saudi Arabia pavilion’s success in reaching one million visitors, which underscores Saudi Arabia’s commitment to showing its transformation under Vision 2030 and inviting the world to experience its heritage and foster cultural exchange,” said Ghazi Faisal Binzagr, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Japan and commissioner general of the Saudi Arabia Pavilion.
“As we move towards reaching the next million, the pavilion remains committed to inspiring visitors to learn about Saudi Arabia’s achievements, and we look forward to deepening impact and welcoming the world. Our participation in Expo 2025 Osaka embodies our strong relationship with Japan, marking 70 years of diplomatic relations this year.
“As we journey towards Expo 2030 in Riyadh, we will leave a legacy here in Osaka. Expo 2030 Riyadh will be a testament to Saudi Arabia’s transformation as a global destination — and we are eager to welcome the world to Saudi Arabia,” he added.
The full program of events for the Saudi Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka is available on the official website.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2605387/saudi-arabia
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Africa
‘No Justice, No Peace, Why Benue May Be Nigeria’s Ogossagou’
June 23, 2025
By Justina Otio
Benue State, long dubbed Nigeria’s “Food Basket,” has tragically become a frontline in the escalating farmer-herder conflict.
For some years, Benue has suffered persistent attacks, largely involving armed Fulani herders targeting agricultural communities.
These attacks have been linked to retaliatory land disputes. However, residents and human rights groups have disagreed with this submission, insisting that it is a calculated campaign of territorial domination.
The most recent horror occurred in Yelwata village, Guma Local Government Area, on June 13, 2025, where over 100 villagers were massacred in a coordinated midnight assault.
Witnesses describe gunmen moving house to house, burning down homes and executing civilians, many of them women and children, in cold blood.
The dire incident led to the death of entire families, including a mother and four children, who were burned alive in their home.
A local farmer, Fidelis Adidi, lost his wife, children, and farmland. Pregnant trader Talatu Agauta watched helplessly as her only means of livelihood, her rice stock and stall, were set ablaze.
With hundreds injured and thousands displaced, survivors have been left with little more than trauma and the scent of ash.
Many now live in shelters, relying on donations and aid, and haunted by the memory of that bloody night.
Presidency, Benue State Response
Five days after the massacre, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu visited Benue, but his presence stirred more outrage than comfort.
Critics argued that the visit felt more like a political campaign stop than a genuine condolence mission.
Social media erupted with condemnation.
one X user wrote, “This is not Germany. If it were, leaders would show up in the affected village, not pose for photos in air-conditioned rooms.”
President Tinubu questioned why no arrests had been made and ordered a manhunt for the attackers and demanded arrests.
He directed security forces to restore peace and support affected communities.
He insisted that this move must be integrated into a wider security overhaul, targeting gang violence and herder–farmer clashes.
Governor Hyacinth Alia, on his part, expressed grief, describing the attack as “barbaric and inhumane.”
He met with survivors, offered prayers, and called for peace among communities. However, he claimed that the attackers spoke unfamiliar languages and may have been foreign mercenaries.
Alia urged security agencies to step up and proposed collaboration with local vigilante groups.
Let’s Take A Look At Mali’s Ogossagou Massacre
The Ogossagou massacre occurred on March 23, 2019, in the village of Ogossagou, located in the Mopti region of central Mali. The attack was one of the deadliest ethnic massacres in the country’s history, resulting in the deaths of over 160 Fulani civilians, including women, children, and the elderly.
The massacre is rooted in longstanding tensions between the Fulani (a mainly Muslim, pastoralist ethnic group) and the Dogon (a traditionally farming community). These tensions were inflamed by competition over land and water resources, and worsened by the presence of extremist groups in the region.
A Dogon self-defense militia known as Dan Na Ambassagou was accused of carrying out the attack. The group claimed to be protecting its communities from Fulani people allegedly aligned with Islamist militants.
After the Ogossagou massacre in March 2019, which left over 160 Fulani civilians dead, the Malian government and international actors took several steps in response. However, these efforts produced limited results, and the crisis remained largely unresolved.
Mali failed to prosecute those responsible for the Ogossagou massacre. This impunity fueled more revenge killings.
Also in Nigeria, many high-profile attacks in Benue, Plateau, and Kaduna have seen little to no convictions.
What does this tell us? Nigeria must learn from Mali and strengthen independent investigations, prosecutions, and public accountability to break the cycle of violence.
Mali deployed troops after the massacre, but security alone didn’t resolve the tensions.
Nigeria also relies heavily on military deployments like Operation Whirl Stroke, but without addressing root causes, the violence persists.
What Does The Expert Have To Say
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Naija News, Security and Intelligence expert, Seyi Adetayo, demanded that local communities be given an opportunity to defend themselves.
According to him, “This current escalation is believed to have some political undercurrent in it and then we can connect that to the comments by the governor of the states, and also recent comments by Mr. President where he said that all the political gladiators in the state must come together and learn to work together.
“So, yes, people have talked about herdsmen, farmers, disputes, crisis, killings, that has been going on. It’s not different from what, you know, Plateau state has been experiencing as well. But then, aside from the farmers, herders , there are also bandits. Bandits that are sacking communities in the Northwest.
“In the northwest, where the forced communities are being made to contribute, failure to do so would lead to attacks from bandits who wil take their harvest and the rest.
“And of recent is the belief that politics is the issue behind the escalation.
“It may not be a cause, but it might be the reason why there is so much killing in the last few weeks.
“And in that sense, the best approach to bring down the tide is to immediately apply a political solution which I believe makes Mr. President’s visit to Benue State at this time in question to be very very right. His going there, well, I believe that would cushion the agony of the people of the state.
“And also give them some real hope, something to hold on to.
“Promising them of de-escalation. So, after this political solution, there will still be a need for us as a nation to use different tactics from the one we have been using before. Because all along, we have been deploying police, deploying the military. But the truth is that these people are not attacking big towns. They are going to farmsteads, small small villages, farm settlements to attack them.
“How many soldiers are you going to put on the farms?
“They know the forest, they know their way around, they know how to navigate, they know where the checkpoints are situated. And they know how to navigate their way.
“So, we have seen situations where people are killed, and they try to go and retrieve the corpse, those who go to retrieve the corpse were also killed.
“Another group sent again to retrieve the corpses of those killed, were also killed.
“These are the people killing them, they understand the terrain. They know where to stay, that they will not be seen.
“They will see the people coming and they will kill them.
“So, beyond that, we need to begin to start, to readdress our national security approach,
“There are too many arms already in circulation And the way to counter that is to arm the people that can actually counter those that have arms with them, force by force.
“And then one side will neutralize the other
“It is better that the side that is under the control of the government is able to neutralise the other side.
“And the side with the government can now easily be disarmed later.
“And like I said earlier in my interview on another platform, the comment by the Director General, the DSS, Mr. Tosin Ajayi in respect of the need for communities to be the first layer of security is very, very right at this moment.
“We need to go back, this is not the traditional police community policing that we are talking about, no, and I have said, at least where I worked, I have seen where this was actually implemented in Anambra state some years back, where community town unions were, you know, empowered by the states, and Nigerian police, to provide the first layer of security.
“And the set of vigilante groups, the vigilante groups were armed.
“The state government gave communities vehicles. Town unions also brought additional vehicles.
“All the rifles bought were all documented, registered. They were trained and continued to go for weekly briefing, and they had supervision directly from the Nigerian police.
“In those years, armed robbers were coming to Anambra state to rob bank, or attack billion van. Their first point of call would be to send one team to SARS Awkuzu and face the SARS.
“Open fire on the SARS headquarters, on the highway, flatten all the tires. Decapitate the SARS.
“There won’t be an instrument of government that can reinforce, or come out, you know, to counter them.
“They first of all deal with police formation, where enforcement can come from, then they now go to the bank, and deal with the bank. They do it simultaneously. Even when the banks were calling for help, there was nobody to help because the SARS Awkuzu that was supposed to help them had already received their own kicks.
“So when this system was implemented, it broke down this crime and criminality to the lowest level.
“In fact, after that, within two months armed robbery, bullion van hijacking came to an end in Anambra.
“We started seeing it happening around Asaba areas because they had to run out of Anambra to start doing it in Asaba.
“And I know it is easy to say there is this operation whatever that is happening in Benue but the point is that, like I said also, in another platform is that, when you are implementing something like this, it’s not something that one state will just implement.
“All the states are involved. What that means is that, if you are running the operation in your state and the state beside you is becoming hot for criminals, they don’t choose your own state as a hibernating ground.
“That is a problem with Benue. It is a hibernating ground for these criminals. They will come out from that state and cross the border into Benue state.
“So we have Benue bordered by Kogi state, bordered by Enugu state, bordered by Ebonyi State, bordered by Cross River state, bordered by Taraba state, bordered by Nasarawa State and several states.
“So it has to be, you know, a holistic approach towards restoration.
“So I’m actually saying this is something that the nation has to incorporate into its national crime response plan.
“Where we have to make sure that all states have this capacity and capability towards attacking these people.
“So this is the approach that we are talking about. That the government needs to make this a holistic approach. So that we can bring this crime to a barest possible limit.
Conclusion
The killings in Benue, like Mali’s Ogossagou massacre, reveal what happens when weak governance, ethnic distrust, and unchecked violence collide. Mourning without justice, and security without reform, only allow the bloodshed to continue.
Benue is bleeding, but it must not be forgotten. Nigeria must act now not just with soldiers and speeches, but with a bold, coordinated strategy that combines justice, community protection, and long-term peacebuilding.
If we fail to learn from Mali, we risk repeating its tragedy this time, on Nigerian soil.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/06/23/no-justice-no-peace-why-benue-may-be-nigerias-ogossagou/
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Bayelsa Judge Abducted Outside Eatery As Gunmen Strike In Yenagoa
June 22, 2025
By Enioluwa Adeniyi
Panic gripped residents of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, on Saturday night following the abduction of a serving High Court Judge, Justice Ebiyerin Omukoro, by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers.
The judge, who presides over Court 7 of the Bayelsa State High Court, was abducted at the Ekeki area of the city while in the company of his two daughters near the popular Kilimanjaro Eatery, adjacent to the bustling Ekeki Motor Park.
Multiple eyewitnesses confirmed to Vanguard that Justice Omukoro had stopped at the eatery to buy a loaf of bread when he was accosted by masked men in black combat gear.
According to a witness, two men stepped out of a white Hilux van and approached the judge’s Toyota Prado Jeep, where they tapped on the window, which was rolled down as he was on a phone call.
“I heard one of them say, ‘Our Oga wants to see you.’ But the judge replied, ‘Are you aware I’m a judge? Tell your Oga to come and see me here,” the eyewitness said.
Eyewitnesses said the men moved away momentarily and made calls before returning with reinforcements. Three armed men then returned, forcefully opened the vehicle’s door, and dragged the judge out.
“He tried to resist. There was a struggle, but nobody dared intervene. He was bundled into their van and whisked away,” the source recounted.
Shockingly, the assailants left behind two phones, one belonging to Justice Omukoro and the other suspected to belong to one of the kidnappers, both of which were reportedly handed over to the police.
A police source at the Ekeki Divisional Headquarters confirmed that a passerby had submitted the phones found at the scene of the abduction. The discovery is expected to aid ongoing investigations.
There was initial confusion among bystanders, with many mistaking the assailants for operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) or another security agency due to their black combat uniforms and bulletproof vests.
“It was only after the real police officers came that we knew something was wrong,” a resident told Vanguard under the condition of anonymity.
Justice Omukoro, a former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Bayelsa State, is known for moving around town without a police escort, especially during off-duty hours.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/06/22/bayelsa-judge-abducted-outside-eatery-as-gunmen-strike-in-yenagoa/
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ECOWAS leaders meet in Abuja amid regional tensions and leadership transition
June 22, 2025
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) convened on Sunday, June 22, 2025, in Nigeria's capital, Abuja. Regional heads of state gathered to evaluate the bloc's current state, which continues to grapple with internal instability following a wave of military coups in several member countries.
ECOWAS Commission President Omar Alieu Touray is scheduled to present an update on the status of negotiations regarding the formal withdrawal of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso. This move would reshape the bloc's political and economic landscape.
The summit comes as Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu prepares to step down from his role as ECOWAS chairman, a position he assumed in Bissau in 2023. Tinubu's tenure has been marked by ambitious rhetoric but mixed results. While he adopted a strong anti-coup stance and called for deeper regional integration, his efforts fell short. His push for military intervention against the Niger junta was ultimately abandoned, and his broader goals to revitalize the bloc remain unfulfilled.
In a last-minute diplomatic gesture, Tinubu convened a subregional economic meeting on Saturday, inviting Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso. These three military-led countries have severed ties with ECOWAS. However, the junta-led nations declined to attend, underscoring the deepening rift between them and the organization.
Sunday's summit is expected to name Tinubu's successor as ECOWAS chair. Leading contenders include Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Ghana's former President John Dramani Mahama. A longstanding but unofficial tradition of rotating leadership among Anglophone, Francophone, and Lusophone countries will likely influence the final decision.
Whoever takes the helm will inherit a troubled organization facing a critical juncture. Beyond internal reforms, the new leader will navigate strained relations with the breakaway Sahelian nations and manage their formal exit from the bloc.
Source: africanews.com
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https://www.africanews.com/2025/06/22/ecowas-leaders-meet-in-abuja-amid-regional-tensions-and-leadership-transition/
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DRC extends ban on cobalt export for another three months
June 22, 2025
Rédaction Africanews
A regulatory agency announced Saturday that the Democratic Republic of Congo has extended its ban on cobalt exports for three months, a measure aimed at curbing an oversupply of the key material for electric vehicle batteries.
The world's largest supplier of cobalt, the country imposed a four-month export ban in February after prices hit a nine-year low of just $10 per pound. The ban was originally set to end this Sunday.
"The decision was taken to extend the temporary suspension due to the continued high level of stocks on the market," the Strategic Mineral Substances Market Regulation and Control Authority (ARECOMS) said in a statement.
ARECOMS plans to announce a further decision to modify, extend, or lift the suspension before the end of this new three-month period, which will conclude in September.
Reuters reported on Friday that Congolese authorities were considering extending the ban as they review the allocation of cobalt export quotas among mining companies.
Several industry players, including Glencore, the world's second-largest cobalt producer, support the introduction of these quotas.
However, Glencore's position differs from that of the leading producer, the Chinese group CMOC, which is actively campaigning for the ban to be lifted.
Source: africanews.com
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https://www.africanews.com/2025/06/22/drc-extends-ban-on-cobalt-export-for-another-three-months/
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Southeast Asia
PPIM says no more ties with Ikhlas, unaware group was deregistered in 2022
By Malay Mail
23 Jun 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, June 22 — The Malaysian Muslim Consumers Association (PPIM) has said it will no longer work with the deregistered Ikatan Usahawan Kecil dan Sederhana Malaysia (Ikhlas), citing concerns over credibility.
According to a report in news portal Scoop, PPIM chief activist Datuk Nadzim Johan said the group was unaware of Ikhlas’ deregistration when they jointly submitted a memorandum to the Home Ministry recently, and stressed it was their first and only collaboration.
“We don’t want to be seen as collaborating with an illegal NGO. Besides, there are plenty of other NGOs in the country we can work with,” Nadzim was quoted as saying.
Last Friday, the Registrar of Societies (RoS) had reportedly confirmed that Ikhlas was deregistered in 2022 for failing to submit its annual financial statements, as required under the Societies Act 1966.
Ikhlas president Datuk Mohd Ridzuan Abdullah had reportedly cited Covid-19-related disruptions as the reason the group was unable to hold meetings and complete its reporting obligations.
Nadzim said PPIM would be more cautious moving forward and emphasised that its collaboration with Ikhlas had not involved any financial transactions or fundraising.
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/06/23/ppim-says-no-more-ties-with-ikhlas-unaware-group-was-deregistered-in-2022/181344
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‘Safety, well-being foremost’: Singapore keeps close tabs on students in Egypt, Jordan after Iran strikes
By Malay Mail
23 Jun 2025
SINGAPORE, June 23 — The Singapore government is closely monitoring tensions in the Middle East and has assured Singaporean students there that their safety and well-being remain a top priority.
Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Associate Professor Faishal Ibrahim said the authorities are working with the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to stay in contact with students in Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, according to a report published today in The Straits Times.
“This call was important — it was an opportunity for me to check in on our students, to listen, understand, and offer my assurance that the safety, well-being and welfare of our students are foremost in our minds,” he said in a Facebook post on June 22.
He was referring to a video call he held on June 21 with over 40 student leaders from the Singapore Students Welfare Assembly in Egypt and the Singaporean Students’ Association in Jordan.
Faishal added that Muis’ student liaison officers remain in close communication with students in the region.
He also expressed appreciation for the student leaders’ proactive role in supporting their peers during this period of heightened regional instability.
“This ensures that every student feels safe, supported and can focus on their studies... The spirit of looking out for one another reflects the strength of our community,” he said.
Tensions in the Middle East surged after Israel launched air strikes against Iran on June 13.
This was followed by US air strikes on three of Iran’s main nuclear sites on the morning of June 22.
Hundreds of Singaporeans are enrolled in Islamic studies programmes in Middle Eastern countries, particularly in Egypt and Jordan.
Singapore has long maintained contingency plans for citizens abroad and regularly issues travel advisories during periods of unrest.
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/singapore/2025/06/23/safety-well-being-foremost-singapore-keeps-close-tabs-on-students-in-egypt-jordan-after-iran-strikes/181373
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Hot Weather Prompts Johor To Ease Uniform Rules For Religious School Students, Says State Exco
22 Jun 2025
BATU PAHAT, June 22 — In view of the current hot weather, the Johor government has eased the dress code for students at Islamic religious schools to ensure their comfort throughout learning sessions.
Johor Islamic Religious Affairs Committee chairman Mohd Fared Mohd Khalid said there were no issues regarding the implementation, as the state government had authorised the District Islamic Education Office (PPID) to determine the appropriate attire.
He said similar measures had been implemented before and could be reintroduced when necessary.
“In Johor, students are required to wear baju Melayu, so having looser clothing makes it more practical, especially during the current weather,” he said after closing the Johor State-Level Mahabbah Komuniti Madani Carnival at Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) today.
On the programme, Mohd Fared said it was a strategic collaboration among various parties aimed at reaching out to the community, particularly the youth, to provide a clearer understanding of increasingly complex social and religious issues. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/06/22/hot-weather-prompts-johor-to-ease-uniform-rules-for-religious-school-students-says-state-exco/181314
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Perak allocates RM20 million annually for Tahfiz schools
Bernama
2025-06-22
IPOH: The Perak government is allocating RM20 million annually for the operation of five Sekolah Menengah Tahfiz Darul Ridzuan (SMTDR), covering teacher salaries, student meals, training programmes and facility maintenance.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said the schools are located in Pulau Pangkor, Semanggol, Lenggong, Sungai Lesung and Ipoh.
He added that nearly RM112 million has been earmarked in the 2025 state budget for the Perak Islamic Religious Department (JAIPk), supporting Islamic institutions, religious schools, and infrastructure upgrades.
An additional RM15 million is allocated for mosque and surau construction and repairs, while RM5 million is set aside to strengthen Islamic education.
Saarani’s speech was delivered by State Education, Higher Education, Youth and Sports Committee chairman Khairudin Abu Hanipah at the closing ceremony of the 11th Sekolah Menengah Agama Malaysia Awards (MIISMAM) in Ulu Kinta today.
Also present was JAIPk Director Harith Fadzilah Abdul Halim.
Organised by Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) and state religious authorities, MIISMAM highlights student talent in Quran recitation and memorisation, public speaking, calligraphy, nasyid and group presentations.
Selangor was named this year’s overall champion.
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/malaysia-news/perak-allocates-rm20-million-annually-for-tahfiz-schools-JE14329415
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Old school SMS becomes lifeline as Iran blocks roaming, WhatsApp amid escalating tensions, says Malaysia’s ambassador
23 Jun 2025
SEPANG, June 23 — As tensions in Iran escalated following Israel’s retaliatory strikes, residents in the country were forced to rely on the old-school Short Message Service (SMS) to stay in touch with family members and relevant parties.
Malaysia’s Ambassador to Iran, Khairi Omar, said roaming services in the country, including WhatsApp, are currently blocked.
“In Iran, SMS communication is still open between local Iranian numbers. Domestically, people can still stay in touch. However, if we try to call an Iranian number from here, it won’t go through, as roaming services have been shut down. But calls from Iran to outside the country are still possible. So, we’ve resorted to the old-fashioned way, text messages, which not many people use anymore.
“WhatsApp messages and similar platforms were completely inaccessible, though I believe some access is gradually returning, but still tightly controlled to ensure that sensitive information related to security issues isn’t leaked,” he spoke to reporters last night.
He arrived from Iran with a group of 24 individuals, comprising 17 Malaysians, six Iranian dependents of Malaysian citizens, and one Singaporean.
Khairi said the situation in Iran was volatile, with both foreign nationals and locals equally shocked by the severity of the attack, which he described as drastic.
“After a day or two, we began to observe a pattern in the attacks. They were more intense at night, while during the day, it seemed as though both sides had come to a mutual understanding to scale back the assaults.
“As we all know, they already identified the targets, and if one side launched a strike on certain facilities, the other side would respond. But we were always on high alert because if you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time, you could easily find yourself in a situation you definitely wouldn’t want to be in,” he said.
The government ordered the temporary closure of the Malaysian Embassy in Iran, instructing all embassy personnel in the country to return home immediately.
Meanwhile, a trader, Fadhil Yusni, 33, expressed his gratitude at being reunited with his wife, Zainab Ganood, an Iranian national who was visiting her parents.
“I panicked because I couldn’t reach my wife. Alhamdulillah, tonight I feel grateful. Thank you to the government and the Foreign Ministry for evacuating my wife out of Iran,” he said, adding that he is now finding the best way to help his wife’s family leave the conflict-stricken country safely.
Tensions erupted on June 13 when Israel launched airstrikes on several locations across Iran, including military and nuclear facilities, prompting Tehran to retaliate. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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