After “Thook Jihad” (Spit Jihad), Uttarakhand CM Sees ‘Naqal Jihad’ (Cheating Jihad) In Paper Leak; Placards Read “Paper Chor, Gaddi Chhod”
New Age Islam News Bureau
25 September 2025
Dehradun: Police personnel with Khalid Malik, the main accused in the alleged leak of three pages of the Uttarakhand Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UKSSSC) exam question paper, in Dehradun, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025
PTI
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· After “Thook Jihad” (Spit Jihad), Uttarakhand CM Sees ‘Naqal Jihad’ (Cheating Jihad) In Paper Leak; Placards Read “Paper Chor, Gaddi Chhod”
· Garba Row In MP: Muslim Clerics Urge Youth To Avoid Garba Amid Rising Calls For Ban On Non-Hindus
· London Mayor Sadiq Khan Brands Trump 'Islamophobic' After False Sharia Law Claims
· China to Assess Taliban’s Readiness Against Possible U.S. Military Operation in Afghanistan
· Saudi-Led Global Palestine Peace Effort Rallies Support At UN
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India
· Interfaith Marriage Illegal If Conversion Certificate Fake: Allahabad HC
· Violence Erupts In Gujarat Village Over Social Media Post Referencing ‘I Love Muhammad’
· Futuristic Design Out, Ayodhya Mosque To Have A Traditional Look: Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation
· Indore Market Tense Amid MLA Son’s Diktat To Fire All Muslim Workers In ‘Bazaar Ka Shuddhikaran’
· Case Against Hindu Monk For Calling Muslim Companion Of Lord Ayyappa A 'Terrorist'
· Kashmir’s syncretic culture is the writing on wall – exhibition documents written text on public buildings, down centuries
· Delhi High Court Dismisses Petition To Shift Afzal Guru And Maqbool Bhatt’s Graves
· Pahalgam Terror Attack: Man Who 'Helped Lashkar Terrorists' Arrested
· In A First, India Test-Fires Agni-Prime Missile From Rail-Based Mobile Launcher
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Europe
· Sharia London: Surge In Back-Room Councils That Rule On Muslim Marriages
· Glasgow Mosque Shares Strong Message Of Unity In Defiance Against Far-Right Hate
· Community health outreach event at Jamal Al-Karim Mosque
· London Mayor Hits Back At Trump, Calls US President 'Racist' And 'Islamophobic'
· Family Of Murdered Muslim Granddad 'Forgive Terrorist Killer' As They Learn Of Death In Jail
· Leamington Mosque Opens Its Doors To Visitors
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South Asia
· Shehbaz Meets Yunus On UNGA Sidelines, Invites Him To Visit Pakistan
· Italian PM meets Yunus, proposes Italy-Bangladesh business forum
· Foreign ministry, embassy officials to blame: BNP
· MoIC Holds National Journalists’ Conference
· Afghan Couple Killed in Landmine Blast in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan
· Washington Reviewing Its Afghanistan Policy, U.S. Officials Say
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Mideast
· Palestinian leader to address UN General Assembly as peace push gathers steam
· GCC, UK ministers condemn humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza
· Comoros president slams Israel’s ‘genocide’ in Gaza
· Syrian president warns against Israeli attacks in landmark UN address
· Israeli, US attacks on Iran ‘inflicted grievous blow’ to prospect of regional peace: Pezeshkian
· Arab, Islamic leaders urge Trump to end Gaza war, achieve peace
· Lebanon’s president rejects use of force in efforts to disarm Hezbollah
· Israel’s ‘abhorrent acts’ in Gaza ‘offend human conscience’: Spanish king
· UN demands probe into Gaza aid flotilla ‘attacks’
· A mother stranded in Gaza City says she and her daughters are ‘waiting to die’
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Arab World
· Arab And Islamic Leaders Reaffirm Rejection Of Gaza Displacement In Joint Summit With Trump
· Saudi Arabia participates in GCC–UK ministerial meeting at UNGA
· Saudi foreign minister joins UN meeting on Gaza’s future
· Saudi Centre Catalogues Over 550 Perennial Trees
· Saudi firm signs deal with Syria to develop digital healthcare services
· Saudi, UK foreign ministers discuss Gaza at UN
· KSrelief dispatches relief plane to support Palestinians in Gaza
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North America
· Trump Excludes Biden From ‘Presidential Walk Of Fame’
· NCCM ‘Horrified’ After Facebook Protest Uses Name Of Man Convicted Of Quebec City Mosque Attack
· CAIR-Texas Joins Calls for Release of Dallas Muslim Community Leader Abducted by ICE
· CAIR-Arizona Welcomes Guilty Plea for Threats Targeting Mosque
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Africa
· ICIEC, Takaful Libya Sign Deal To Boost Shariah-Compliant Export Credit Insurance
· EFCC: Court Sentences Former Legislative Aide To Eight Years In Prison
· Rivers APC Demands Tough Sanctions Against Sowore Over Attacks On Tinubu, Wike
· Uganda clears Museveni and Bobi Wine to face off in 2026 presidential election
· Malawi elections: Peter Mutharika defies the odds to make a comeback
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Southeast Asia
· Ipoh High Court Rules 26-Year-Old Legally Hindu, Not Muslim
· DPM Zahid: Govt agrees to form TVET Commission in bid to streamline skills education
· Malaysia’s policy push turns Johor into top Asia Pacific data centre destination
· Malaysian Red Crescent urges global solidarity to stop humanitarian crisis in Gaza
· EPF says more Malaysians saving for longer golden years with voluntary top-ups
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/thook-jihad-uttarakhand-cm-gaddi-chhod/d/136982
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After “Thook Jihad” (Spit Jihad), Uttarakhand CM Sees ‘Naqal Jihad’ (Cheating Jihad) In Paper Leak; Placards Read “Paper Chor, Gaddi Chhod”
Our Web Desk Published 25.09.25
Dehradun: Police personnel with Khalid Malik, the main accused in the alleged leak of three pages of the Uttarakhand Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UKSSSC) exam question paper, in Dehradun, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025
PTI
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Protests have swept Uttarakhand after the alleged leak of a state recruitment exam, triggering political backlash and raising questions over the government’s ability to safeguard job aspirants.
“Thousands of youth are on the streets against the paper leak in Uttarakhand's recruitment exam. A few days ago, millions of youth staged a long protest against rigging in SSC exams,” Delhi former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal wrote on X on Thursday.
“Whether it is the BJP's central government, the BJP's Uttarakhand government, or the BJP's Gujarat government, the same story of paper leaks is everywhere,” Kejriwal added.
Kejriwal’s remarks came as protests entered their third day following the alleged leak of the Uttarakhand Subordinate Service Selection Commission (UKSSSC) graduate-level examination held on September 21.
Screenshots of three pages of the question paper began circulating on social media barely 35 minutes after the exam commenced.
Police traced the leak to Khalid Malik, a candidate at Haridwar’s Adarsh Bal Sadan Inter College, who allegedly scaled a wall to sneak in a mobile phone hidden in his socks.
Investigators said Malik used a washroom break to photograph the paper and sent the images to his sister Sabia. She forwarded them to Suman, an assistant professor in Tehri, who in turn passed them on to youth leader Bobby Panwar.
Panwar uploaded them on social media, exposing the leak.
So far, police have taken four individuals into custody.
Malik, Sabia and another accused, Hina, face charges under the Uttarakhand Competitive Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means in Recruitment and Remedies) Act, 2023 — the first major case under the state’s new anti-cheating law.
Police clarified that Suman will be treated as a witness.
The principal of the college where the leak took place is Dharmendra Chauhan, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s Haridwar media cell chief, according to The Times of India.
He said that only 15 of the 18 classrooms used during the exam had jammers to intercept mobile signals.
Khalid was in a classroom that did not have a jammer or CCTV cameras, multiple media reports indicated.
The revelations sparked outrage across the state. Hundreds of unemployed youth under the banner of the Uttarakhand Berozgar Sangh and other unions defied prohibitory orders and marched in Dehradun, Srinagar Garhwal and Almora.
Students blocked roads near the state secretariat and clashed with police.
Placards reading “Paper Chor, Gaddi Chhod” reflected the anger of aspirants, many of whom demanded the cancellation of the exam and a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe.
“Months of preparation have gone to waste. The anti-cheating law has not deterred the mafia. This is nothing but a scam engineered for money,” said Ram Kandwal of the Berozgar Sangh.
The case has also revived memories of earlier scandals. BJP worker Hakam Singh Rawat, previously accused in the 2012 and 2021 paper leak scams, was arrested just a day before the recent exam.
His reappearance in the controversy has fuelled protesters’ claims of a deep-rooted nexus of “cheating mafias” thriving despite the 2023 law.
Initially, officials downplayed the leak. UKSSSC Chairman Ganesh Singh Martolia called it an “individual attempt to cheat,” while Dehradun SSP Ajai Singh denied the existence of an organised gang.
But as protests intensified, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami alleged a conspiracy by “coaching and cheating mafias” and dubbed the incident “nakal jihad.”
Speaking to new BJP office bearers on Wednesday, Dhami alleged that some persons had ganged up “to conspire to leak the paper” in order “to destroy the future of the youth”.
His choice of words drew criticism from the Congress, whose vice-president Suryakant Dhasmana accused the BJP of using communal rhetoric to deflect from administrative failures.
Chief Minister Dhami met a delegation of the Berozgar Sangh this week, but talks ended without a breakthrough.
Demonstrators have vowed to continue their sit-in at Dehradun’s Parade Ground until their demands for a CBI probe and exam cancellation are accepted.
The UKSSSC leak is the latest in a series of recruitment scandals in Uttarakhand.
Despite the enactment of the anti-cheating law in 2023, protesters say repeat offenders like Rawat prove that the system remains vulnerable.
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/youth-fury-erupts-over-uksssc-paper-leak-in-uttarakhand-cm-dhami-brands-it-nakal-jihad/cid/2124977
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Garba Row In MP: Muslim Clerics Urge Youth To Avoid Garba Amid Rising Calls For Ban On Non-Hindus
24 Sep 2025
A similar appeal was made in Bhopal by the Shahar Naib Qazi, Maulana Ali Qadar.Representative image
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BHOPAL: Amid growing demands from Hindu outfits and several BJP leaders to ban the entry of Muslims into Garba venues across Madhya Pradesh, at least two prominent Muslim religious leaders have urged youths from their community to refrain from attending the Hindu festival events.
In Ratlam, one of the most communally sensitive cities in western MP, Shahar Qazi Maulavi Sayyed Quazi Ahmad Ali issued a written appeal urging Muslim elders to dissuade youngsters, both boys and girls, from attending Garba events. He stated that doing so may hurt the sentiments of the Hindu organisers and is not in accordance with Islamic principles.
“Navratri and Garba are integral Hindu festivals, and many organisers don’t want Muslims to attend. To maintain communal harmony, Muslim families should ensure their youth do not participate, especially as such celebrations are not aligned with our religious beliefs,” Ali said.
A similar appeal was made in Bhopal by the Shahar Naib Qazi, Maulana Ali Qadar. He stated that Garba is strictly a Hindu cultural and religious practice, and even suggested legal measures to prohibit non-Hindus, including Muslim schoolgirls, from participating in the events.
“If any Muslim is seen participating in Garba, authorities should stop them. Participation in events involving idol worship is not permissible in Islam,” Qadar said. He also backed the statement made by BJP MP and former Bhopal mayor Alok Sharma, who recently called for banning non-Hindus from entering Garba pandals.
The remarks come amid heightened tensions as Hindu organisations such as the Hindu Jagran Manch and the Bhopal Hindu Utsav Samiti have reiterated demands for a complete ban on non-Hindu, particularly Muslim, entry into Garba venues.
In Bhopal’s Awadhpuri area, a Garba pandal has even put up posters reading “Jihadis strictly not allowed at Garba.” Other venues are reportedly planning “faith tests” for attendees suspected to be non-Hindus — such as applying tilak, tying kalawa (sacred thread), making them drink Gangajal, sprinkling cow urine, and even requiring them to bow before an image of Lord Vishnu’s Varaha (boar) avatar.
The controversy has also gained political traction, with several BJP leaders, including state minister Vishwas Sarang, former minister Usha Thakur, MLAs Rameshwar Sharma and MPs Alok Sharma and Anil Firojiya, publicly supporting the demand to restrict Garba entry to Hindus only.
Just two days earlier, the Bhopal district administration issued new guidelines requiring all Garba organisers to verify identity proofs of attendees before allowing entry — a move seen by many as reinforcing the communal divide surrounding the festival.
Source: newindianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Sep/24/garba-row-in-mp-muslim-clerics-urge-youth-to-avoid-garba-amid-rising-calls-for-ban-on-non-hindus
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London Mayor Sadiq Khan Brands Trump 'Islamophobic' After False Sharia Law Claims
24 September, 2025
Sadiq Khan has been subject to multiple insults by Trump over the years [Getty/file photo]
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London mayor Sadiq Khan called Donald Trump "Islamophobic" and "racist" on Wednesday after the US president appeared to suggest the British politician wanted to introduce sharia law in the UK's capital city.
Khan, of the centre-left Labour party, and the Republican Trump have traded insults for years, with the latest row stemming from comments the president made at the United Nations this week.
"I think President Trump has shown he is racist, he is sexist, he is misogynistic and he is Islamophobic," the Mayor of London told Sky News.
During his speech to the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, Trump said: "I look at London, where you have a terrible mayor, terrible, terrible mayor, and it's been changed, it's been so changed.
"Now they want to go to sharia law. But you are in a different country, you can't do that," he added, referring to the Islamic law code based on the teachings of the Quran.
Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer has made a considerable effort to try to stay in Trump's good books, including with an unprecedented second state visit to the UK last week.
Khan said London was top of many indicators such as foreign investment, adding he was "really proud that we are the greatest city in the world".
Earlier on Wednesday, government minister Pat McFadden said Trump was "misreading" London.
Khan, who is Muslim, has been London's mayor since 2016. That year he criticised Trump over the then-presidential hopeful's proposed travel ban for people from some Muslim-majority countries.
Before Trump's first state visit in 2019, Khan likened Trump to "European dictators of the 1930s and 40s".
Trump has called Khan a "stone cold loser" and previously challenged him to an IQ test.
"I think I've got squatters' rights for the amount of time I've spent in Donald Trump's head," Khan told ITV London on Wednesday.
"I'm just hoping he doesn't send me an invoice for all the time I've spent there."
Source: newarab.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.newarab.com/news/sadiq-khan-brands-trump-islamophobic-after-false-sharia-claims
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China to Assess Taliban’s Readiness Against Possible U.S. Military Operation in Afghanistan
By Khaama Press
September 24, 2025
Russian daily Nezavisimaya Gazeta reports that China has invited Taliban defence chief Mullah Yaqoob to Beijing to evaluate the group’s readiness against potential U.S. operations in Afghanistan.
Russian daily Nezavisimaya Gazeta has reported that China has issued an unexpected invitation to Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, the Taliban’s acting defence minister, to visit Beijing.
The report linked the move to recent remarks by U.S. president Donald Trump, who suggested Washington plans to regain control of Afghanistan’s Bagram airbase.
According to Afghan sources cited by the paper, Trump views a symbolic return to Bagram as central to his strategy before the upcoming U.S. midterm elections.
The paper said American envoys have been in contact for months with Taliban leaders and Afghan politicians in exile. While some Taliban officials appeared open, supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada reportedly opposed any U.S. return.
Nezavisimaya Gazeta further claimed that Washington is preparing for possible special military operations in Afghanistan, considering the deployment of thousands of U.S. soldiers along with former Afghan troops living abroad.
Analysts quoted in the report believe China’s invitation to Yaqoob is designed to assess both the Taliban’s military readiness and their willingness to resist a potential U.S. operation.
The developments highlight how Afghanistan remains a focal point of global power struggles, with Beijing testing Taliban resolve while Washington contemplates a symbolic comeback through Bagram.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/russian-daily-china-to-assess-talibans-readiness-against-possible-u-s-military-operation-in-afghanistan/
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Saudi-led global Palestine peace effort rallies support at UN
Caspar Webb
September 25, 2025
Saudi Arabia is spearheading a flurry of diplomatic activity to pave the way for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (AN photo/Caspar Webb)
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NEW YORK: The Saudi-led global initiative to implement the two-state solution has rallied support for the peace process as its member countries roundly condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza.
The high-level meeting of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution — founded last year by the Kingdom — was held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday.
The event was co-hosted by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide.
It was attended by representatives, including foreign ministers and ambassadors, of almost 100 countries that have backed Saudi and French efforts to end the war in Gaza and bring about a two-state solution.
They overwhelmingly voiced their desire to see peace between Israel and the Palestinians, and laid out a ceasefire, the disarmament of Hamas and the return of hostages as immediate prerequisites.
Many speakers called for the strengthening of the Palestinian Authority through the initiative, and for the PA to serve as an interim government in Gaza in any postwar scenario.
Prince Faisal, opening the high-level meeting, highlighted the importance of the New York Declaration, a detailed roadmap toward implementing the two-state solution that was adopted on Monday by the UNGA.
The document “is a clear mission to all of us to embody this coalition, to affirm the two-state solution and take into account all measures. We can’t have declarations unless it becomes factual work that would be realized on the field,” he said, repeating his call for the PA to be the sole government of the Occupied Territories when the Gaza war comes to an end.
“We’re also putting international measures to monitor in clear time-bound schedules. We’d also like to support (Palestinian) President Mahmoud Abbas, and we’d also like to laud his efforts despite the tough conditions,” Prince Faisal said.
“The Kingdom will continue its diplomatic and humanitarian work in order to help return the Palestinian borders based on 1967 lines, and to have security and prosperity for the whole nations of the area.”
Kallas called on the alliance to redouble its efforts toward a two-state solution, a year after its founding.
Wednesday’s high-level meeting was “happening in a very challenging global environment,” she said. “It’s clear that the situation on the ground in Gaza is catastrophic and unbearable, and it’s reaching unprecedented levels of suffering and death for the Palestinian people, both in Gaza but also in the West Bank.”
Though “our calls and efforts to cease fire have remained unheeded, I saw some optimism yesterday after the meeting of Arab leaders with (US) President (Donald) Trump,” Kallas added. “Let’s hope that there are concrete results from that.”
A ceasefire is “the only way for the unconditional release of all hostages, and eventually, a permanent end to hostilities and end of human suffering,” she said. “If a military solution was there for Gaza, the war would already be over.”
Kallas highlighted EU efforts to “engage with every actor” and bring an end to the war, and said the bloc is “active on all fronts.”
She added: “We’ve been committed to enhance humanitarian access through dialogue with the Israeli government.
“This has allowed an increase in the number of trucks and fuel reaching Gaza after months of blockade.”
The EU, as the largest humanitarian donor to the Palestinian people, has been supporting the PA with “budgetary and political support,” Kallas said.
“The EU has pledged $1.9 billion to support the Palestinian Authority over the next three years. We’ve also decided to launch a Palestine donor group that will be focused on enlarging contributions and long-term support for reforms,” she added.
“Bankruptcy and collapse aren’t an option if we want to preserve any chance of the two-state solution.”
The global alliance can succeed in its efforts to arrange a two-station solution by “applying both pressure and dialogue,” Kallas said.
“All of us who maintain working relations with Israel must do their utmost to persuade the Israeli government that this war doesn’t serve their interests.”
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa addressed the meeting via a pre-recorded video.
Palestinian representatives were unable to attend the UNGA this year after the US denied them visas.
“I want to thank the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its outstanding leadership, both as a co-chair of the high-level international conference together with France, and as a driving force for this global alliance,” Mustafa said.
“The New York Declaration charted an urgent and irreversible pathway to an independent and sovereign Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel,” he added.
“I think we all agree that the measures outlined in the declaration need to be translated into policies and actions by all the states assembled here.
“We must act more rapidly, more decisively and more collectively for these actions to lead to the fundamental shift needed.”
Eide said the situation experienced on a daily basis by Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank has gone from “bad to terrible.”
He added that Norway had “always wanted to” recognize a State of Palestine, which it did last year.
But Norway’s foreign policy establishment had thought that recognition would only occur at the end of a successful peace process based on resolving long-standing issues from the Oslo Accords, Eide said.
“There have been many years since that there were anything resembling negotiations, and we had to break out of that paradigm and establish a new one,” he added.
That led to Norwegian recognition of Palestinian statehood, and Eide praised the almost a dozen countries — including France, the UK, Canada and Australia — that followed suit over the past week.
“The goal is the same as it always was, but now the tactics have changed,” he said. “Universal recognition is just one of the many recommendations that the global alliance came out with in the New York Declaration when we met in July.
“The idea is that we’ll identify all the parts that are missing, which is of course to work … toward normalization between those Arab states that haven’t done it yet with Israel once Palestine is in place.”
Eide identified all the moving parts required in the practical establishment of a Palestinian state, including security guarantees for both it and Israel, demobilization, decommissioning of all weapons beyond the armed forces, and economic stability.
These are all guided by the New York Declaration, which provides “elements of a plan on how we can move forward,” he said.
“My appeal to you is that we continue to build on this. What are the practicalities? What are the concrete measures that should be taken from now on to do what the alliance is all about, which is to implement the two-state solution for real, not only in theory, but also for real?”
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2616626/middle-east
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India
Interfaith Marriage Illegal If Conversion Certificate Fake: Allahabad HC
Sep 25, 2025
Prayagraj: Interfaith marriage on the basis of fake conversion certificate is illegal, ruled Allahabad High Court, adding that such marriages could only be registered under Special marriage Act. Petitioner Mohammad Bin Qasim Urf Akbar and a Hindu woman had sought orders directing respondents not to interfere in their peaceful marital life. During court proceedings, the Muslim youth had produced a conversion certificate whereby the Hindu woman was converted to Islam and married to him. The court found the certificate was fake.
Since the conversion, as submitted by petitioners through the instant petition, was not valid, the court directed both petitioners to perform marriage under the Special Marriage Act, which does not require any ritual of conversion. The court made it clear that till certificate was issued under Special Marriage Act, the woman be kept in Women Protection Home, Prayagraj, to which she had consented as she was not willing to reside with her parents.
The court also directed registrar (compliance) to intimate this order to district magistrate, Prayagraj, police commissioner, commissionerate of Prayagraj and district probation officer, Prayagraj within two hours for issuing proper security and arrangements in favour of woman for placing her at Women Protection Home, Prayagraj. While warning against producing fake certificates before the court in future, the court in its decision dated Sept 23 imposed a cost of Rs 25,000 on counsel for petitioners for showing fake conversion certificates before the court. The cost would be deposited before the mediation centre, the court directed.
Disposing of the writ petition filed by Mohammad Bin Qasim Urf Akbar and another, Justice Saurabh Kumar Srivastava observed that after rival contentions raised by counsel for parties and perusal of entire records, it was clear that conversion on basis of statement recorded by the woman (second petitioner) was a forged document, as apparent from instructions and could not determine any clause of UP Unlawful Conversion Act, wherein specific proceedings had already been defined. "As such, marriage solemnised between petitioners, is not sustainable in the eyes of law since as per Muslim Law, marriage is a contract between followers and believers of Islam. Once, the conversion which took place in respect of women is illegal, the consequential effect will automatically be ineffective, as the first and second petitioner cannot be recognized as a married couple in the eye of law," said Justice Kumar.
In compliance with the previous order, first and second petitioners had appeared in person before this court and on specific query, the woman submitted that she was residing with the man.
Source: indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/interfaith-marriage-illegal-if-conversion-cert-fake-hc/articleshow/124099241.cms
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Violence Erupts In Gujarat Village Over Social Media Post Referencing ‘I Love Muhammad’
25 Sep 2025
Violence broke out in Bahiyal village of Gandhinagar district late on Wednesday night following an objectionable social media post, the police said on Thursday.
According to officials, a group of people allegedly vandalised several shops and vehicles and pelted stones, prompting the police to detain around 60 persons in connection with the incident.
"Four shops and five to six vehicles were damaged in the attack," Gandhinagar Superintendent of Police Ravi Teja Vasamsetty told reporters.
The violence was reportedly triggered by a social media post made by a Hindu man referencing the ongoing trend ‘I love Muhammad’, which angered members of the minority community, the SP said.
At around 11 pm on Wednesday, a group allegedly broke the shutters of a shop belonging to the person who had uploaded the WhatsApp status. Goods were taken from the shop and set on fire, the official said.
The group later hurled stones on Hindu areas. Stones were pelted at the group from Hindu areas aswell, the official added.
Heavy police deployment has been made in the area, and the situation is now under control. No details of injuries were immediately available.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Sep/25/violence-erupts-in-gujarat-village-over-social-media-post-shops-vandalised-60-detained
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Futuristic Design Out, Ayodhya Mosque To Have A Traditional Look: Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation
by Maulshree Seth
September 25, 2025
The design of the mosque that will be built in Ayodhya’s Dhannipur will be traditional, said the Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation Trust (IICF).
Revising its earlier planned modern design, the Trust is preparing to submit a new layout and map for the mosque before the Ayodhya Development Authority (ADA) in the next three months. IICF hopes this will also meet the challenge of donations for the project.
The government gave five acres for construction of the mosque following the Supreme Court’s directions in its November 2019 ruling on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case. The SC had granted the disputed Ayodhya site for the construction of Ram Temple; the mosque is coming up around 25 km from the Ram Mandir site.
Zufar Ahmad Faruqi, Chief Trustee of the trust, told The Indian Express that after receiving feedback over almost five years from various stakeholders, they realised that the community was not confident about the mosque’s modern structure.
“Through feedback, we realised that for a religious monument, people found the earlier design to be too modern. It was found to be the main issue behind the hesitance of the community to donate. Thus, in 2023, we decided to change the design. We hired a renowned architect from Pune, Imran Shaikh, who is preparing the new layout, architectural and structural design of the mosque, which will be ready soon,” said Faruqi.
The Trust had earlier shared the artist’s impression of the proposed mosque, with a skylit glass dome structure, calling it a futuristic and contemporary design. The new design, however, is more traditional — with five “minars” and traditional dome structures.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Faruqi, who is also the Chairman of UP Sunni Waqf Board, said they are also contemplating on building an educational institution, along with the original project, and are considering purchasing additional land in the surrounding area.
Following reports about the earlier design being rejected by the ADA, Faruqi said they got to know about it through the media but added that they were not pursuing the old maps because they have changed the maps for fresh approval.
Asked about the future line of action, Faruqi said, “The new structural design and the map is likely to be ready within the next three months. We would place the new design for approval before the ADA.”
Speaking to The Indian Express, a senior ADA official said, “We have an online system for approval for maps, and the applicant has to submit it with all required documents… Failure to upload the required documents would mean the application would be rejected automatically after a certain time, and this is what happened in this case. The application was rejected automatically last year. No one from the trust contacted us, but they can always reapply with a fresh application.”
Faruqi said based on feedback from the community, showing interest to donate, they are also considering establishing an educational institute. “The new design is working as people are satisfied with the traditional structure,” he said, adding, “But a lot of work is required. We are confident that once the layout and the structural design is ready, it will push the project further.”
Following the apex court order, the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board, in May 2020, constituted the IICF to oversee the construction of the mosque and other structures. In December 2023, the IICF had said it hoped to start construction work in May next year. A “construction committee” had also been formed in Mumbai to oversee collection of funds for the project.
The mosque, proposed to be called as a Muhammed Bin Abdullah Masjid, is proposed to also have a 200-bed hospital, community kitchen, Indo-Islamic cultural research centre.
Earlier, in response to an RTI plea by a local journalist, the Ayodhya Development Authority had reportedly informed that the application seeking approval by the mosque was rejected because of “lack of clearance from the departments concerned.
ADA officials had later informed that they have an online application filing system for approval of maps and if all the documents are not submitted on time, the application is rejected. They said the applicant can apply again.
However, officials at the Trust told The Indian Express that they did not pursue the application for approval with ADA as they had to get the new layout and structural design approved, which they would do now.
Source: indianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/lucknow/futuristic-design-out-ayodhya-mosque-to-have-a-traditional-look-10269812/
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Indore market tense amid MLA son’s diktat to fire all Muslim workers in ‘bazaar ka shuddhikaran’
Vidhi Bhutra
24 September, 2025
New Delhi: There is a sense of anxiety at Indore’s biggest garments market, Seetlamata Market, which has close to a thousand shops. BJP leader and Indore-4 MLA Malini Gaur’s son, Aklavya Singh Gaur, has told the traders to terminate the services of all Muslim salesmen by 25 September.
The “vidhayak putra” (MLA’s son), as his followers call him, also wants all Muslim traders to vacate rented shops in the next two months.
Aklavya issued the directions during a meeting with the Seetlamata Bazaar Vyapari Association in the first week of September, arguing that the area has witnessed an increasing number of ‘love jihad’ cases.
The meeting was attended by market association president Hema Panjvani and general secretary Atul Neema, apart from Ram Babu Rathore, the husband of the ward councillor.
“Muslim salesmen would stand on the road to call in customers and would stare at women passing by. Now Aklavya bhaiya has tightened the noose on these men. Nobody should have rented their shops out to Muslims in the first place, all of them will have to vacate,” Panjvani told ThePrint.
Panjvani added that they want to carry out such an exercise across markets in the city once it is successfully executed in the Seetlamata Market.
Pappu Maheshwari, a senior member of the market association, told ThePrint, “Bhaiya has requested us to talk to the retailers politely and ask them to remove Muslim salesmen.”
ThePrint reached Aklavya through phone calls, but he refused to give a formal response. He did confirm though that he had issued such a direction.
Checking Aadhaar details
Anil Sharma, a member of the market association and a close aide of Aklavya, said they will check the Aadhaar details of employees at all the shops, noting down their names and addresses.
“The second step would be to investigate each Muslim employee’s involvement in ‘love jihad’ cases,” said Sharma, adding the campaign has been named “bazaar ka shuddhikaran” because the agenda is to “cleanse” the market of those who are involved in ‘love jihad’ cases.
The group coordinates with the Bajrang Dal and Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) for a host of activities, including screening films like Kerala Story and Bengal Files.
While Aklavya is not an elected representative, his words seem to carry weight in the market. He is the convener of Hind Rakshak Sangathan.
“We do not want to send a message that love jihad is rampant in this market. So it’s better to fire Muslim workers and also encourage more Hindu workers by giving them employment,” said Maheshwari.
Asked about what they will do if shopkeepers do not implement the directions by the 25 September deadline, Maheshwari added, “We are aware that some shop-owners do not want to fire their salesmen, we will listen to their concerns and talk to them. But, the order has to be followed, Aklavya bhaiya has proposed this for our own good.”
Market association general secretary Atul Neema alleged Muslim salesmen exchange numbers with Hindu women customers under the guise of sending “latest designs”, and then begin texting them at odd hours.
Mohammad Shahid, who has been working in the market for 28 years, said phone numbers are taken by shop owners. “We don’t take any numbers, the seth and the customer exchange numbers if needed.”
“In my shop, only the seth is Hindu, all three salesmen are Muslim. He doesn’t want to fire us but he says his hands are tied amid pressure,” he added.
Additional Commissioner of Police (Law & Order) Amit Singh said, “If a complaint is filed, we will take the appropriate action based on the law and the Constitution.”
‘Love jihad’
The trigger for the Aklavya’s direction appears to have come from an alleged ‘love jihad’ case involving a Congress leader in the city. Congress Councillor Anwar Qadri was booked in June for allegedly giving money to two Muslim men to befriend and marry Hindu women.
According to the police, the two men—Sahil Sheikh and Altaf Shah—named Qadri while being questioned about sexual assault cases against them. The case made headlines in Indore, drawing the ire of many, including Indore BJP president Sumit Mishra who alleged that Qadri was “funding love jihad”.
There is panic among Muslim workers over Aklavya’s order. They are calling meetings, holding deliberations and trying to figure a way out of the situation. Some Muslim salesmen working in the market also met with Bhim Army Azad Samaj Party’s state president Abid Hussain Barkati over the issue.
“We will first try to sit with the traders and explain our position to them. We don’t support love jihad, and if someone is found guilty of ‘love jihad’, we would boycott them,” said Hussain.
He said they would take the legal route if discussions on the matter do not lead to the right decision.
“This order violates Articles 14, 15, 16, 25, and 29 of the Indian Constitution. We will approach the civil court, if needed, we will take it to the higher courts,” said Hussain.
Article 14 and 15 ensure equality before the law and prohibit discrimination on the basis of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth. Article 16 guarantees equality of opportunity in public employment. Article 25 protects the freedom of religion, while Article 29 safeguards the cultural and educational rights of minorities.
Some shop owners are holding secret meetings as they do not want to let their employees go right in the middle of the festive season. A sizable percentage of the customers is Muslim women and traders are afraid the move would alienate them.
Congress city President Chintu Chaukse has written to the police commissioner of Indore on the diktat. “If no action is taken against the order, we will organise a citywide protest. We will call activists, party workers and several respected men of the city to protest this communal order,” said Chaukse.
Source: theprint.in
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Case Against Hindu Monk For Calling Muslim Companion Of Lord Ayyappa A 'Terrorist'
Sep 25, 2025
A case has been registered against a Hindu monk in Kerala for allegedly making objectionable remarks against Vavar, the Muslim companion of Lord Ayyappa, during a recent gathering.
The monk, Saanthananda Maharshi of the Chenkottukonam-based Sree Rama Dasa Mission, made the remarks at the Sabarimala Protection Summit, organised by right-wing Hindu groups at Pandalam.
He reportedly said, “Vavar does not have relation with Lord Ayyappa and he came to attack Ayyappa. Vavar is a terrorist who came forward to defeat Ayyappa in a war. He should not be prayed to.”
The complaint, filed by several individuals including lawyer and Congress activist Anoop VR, alleged that the monk’s statements hurt devotees’ sentiments, created conflict between communities, and incited tendencies of violence.
Pandalam Police confirmed registering the case under multiple sections of the BNS, including promoting enmity based on religion and race.
Most pilgrims visiting Sabarimala traditionally stop at Erumeli to offer prayers at the Vavar Mosque, as Vavar is believed to have been a devoted friend of Lord Ayyappa. Legends describe him as a warrior who initially fought Ayyappa but later became his close companion.
This incident has sparked debate among devotees and community leaders over religious sentiments and historical interpretations of the Ayyappa-Vavar legend.
Source: indiatoday.in
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Kashmir’s syncretic culture is the writing on wall – exhibition documents written text on public buildings, down centuries
by Shiny Varghese
September 25, 2025
Kashmir, which sits on the crossroads of civilisations, has had Buddhists, Persians, Sikhs and Mughals influence its craft and culture. Deeply embedded within the snow-clad mountains and green valleys is a spiritual way of life that manifests in the way people make declarations on mosques, shrines, bridges, monuments, temples and gardens. At the India International Centre art gallery, an exhibition is being held that showcases these testimonies. Called ‘Architectural Epigraphy in Kashmir’, these writings on walls and entrances of buildings capture the mood of the society from the 14th to 19th century.
Why should it matter though, asks curator Hakim Sameer Hamdani. “Epigraphy can be compared to what modern billboards do. They are in your field of vision and are meant to be seen, read and understood. The messaging could be devotional, commemorative, often led by the community as a tribute to a place or person. While there is a devotional aspect, it is also a literary and aesthetic moment, defining the culture of the space,” he says.
The Srinagar-based architecture historian has been the design director for INTACH in Kashmir and has written several books on the syncretic traditions of the region. The exhibition is the product of a research grant from The Barakat Trust in London that enabled Hamdani and team to visit over 600 public buildings and document 41 of them.
An exhibit that presents the confluence of ideas from the region is the ‘hānkal’. Made from metal or glass, this is a medallion clasped by three strings of chains on two sides. Usually found at the threshold of a shrine (never a mosque), it is emblematic of the temple bell that believers touch before entering the sacred space. With verses from the Quran or the lines from a saint, it is a call to repentance and a reminder to hold on to the faith.
The weaving of architecture, craft and art of calligraphy also emerges in this exhibition, where we see patterns of the Kashmiri shawl through colours and motifs, both outside and within buildings. For instance, at the Khanqah-e-Molla or Shah-e-Hamdan, one of the oldest Muslim shrines on the banks of the river Jhelum, there are eight doors to the left and the right of the structure. Each door has designs and patterns inspired by these shawls, which were a rage in the 19th century across the world. It is also telling about Sufi saint Mir Syed Ali Hamdan, who was a patron of art and craft in Kashmir. The shrine that has seen multiple renovations due to fires, also testifies to the shift in building materials, from stone in the early 15th century mosques to wood, and more lately, concrete.
The syncretic nature of the region also presents itself in the text on temples, built during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh around the early 19th century. “While the inscription is calligraphic, the language is Persian. The text is not in Gurmukhi, if you notice. It’s an ode to Ram and Shiva and Guru Nanak. Ranjit Singh imitated and mimicked the regalia of the Mughal courts, and it shows in the way he chose to express himself,” says Hamdani.
At the turn of the 20th century, Kashmir’s linguistic landscape saw a transformation. Persian gave way to Urdu and Kashmiri, and later, Hindi. And over time, calligraphy got left behind for formal, concise inscriptions. For Hamdani, it has also meant a relook at how we see the past to understand our present. While renovations and newer buildings erase the beauty and aesthetic of history, he accepts that change is inherent to life itself. “Most of these buildings today are community owned, and the community exerts its ownership on them. It may sometimes end in results that are not aesthetically favourable, but then you can’t take away agency from the community. Unlike in the West, where heritage is rather straight jacketed, you can’t change a window or door, here we live with our monuments. And change is inherent to preservation and conservation,” says Hamdani.
Source: indianexpress.com
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Delhi high court dismisses petition to shift Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhatt’s graves
25.09.25
Delhi High Court on Wednesday declined to entertain a petition demanding the removal of the graves of 2001 Parliament attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru and Kashmiri separatist Mohammad Maqbool Bhatt from the Tihar jail premises.
“No law or rule prohibits cremation or burial inside the jail premises,” a division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela said.
The court also asked the petitioner, the Vishwa Vedic Sanatan Sangh, why the
issue was being raised after 12 years.
Afzal Guru was hanged in Tihar in February 2013, and Bhatt in 1984.
The PIL also sought directions to the authorities concerned to relocate the mortal remains to a secret location to prevent “glorification of terrorism” and misuse of
the jail premises.
The court said it could not entertain the petition to remove the graves because such a decision was taken by the government keeping in mind the law and order situation.
The petition was later withdrawn.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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Pahalgam terror attack: Man who 'helped Lashkar terrorists' arrested
24.09.25
Police on Wednesday arrested a person from South Kashmir who had allegedly provided logistical support to terrorists responsible for the April 22 Pahalgham terror attack, officials said here.
"Based on an intelligence lead, Srinagar police arrested an Over Ground Worker from South Kashmir's Kulgam district. He was identified as Mohd Yousuf Katari (26)," an official said.
The officials said that he had a role in providing logistical support to the terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack who were later killed during Operation Mahadev. In the July 29 encounter, the Army's elite para commandos had gunned down the three terrorists on the outskirts of Srinagar.
They included Sulieman alias Asif, who is believed to be the mastermind of the April 22 Pahalgam attack in which 26 people, mainly tourists, were killed.
The other two were identified as Jibran and Hamza Afghani. Jibran was involved in the Sonamarg Tunnel attack in October 2024.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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In a first, India test-fires Agni-Prime missile from rail-based mobile launcher
Mayank Singh
25 Sep 2025
Expanding launch platform options, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), in collaboration with the Strategic Forces Command (SFC), successfully carried out the launch of the Intermediate Range Agni-Prime missile from a rail-based mobile launcher system under a full operational scenario.
The Ministry of Defence said the next-generation missile test, conducted on September 24, 2025, is designed to cover a range of up to 2,000 km and is equipped with several advanced features.
This was the first-ever launch from a specially designed rail-based mobile launcher, which can move freely across the rail network without pre-conditions. The launcher provides cross-country mobility and has the ability to launch within a short reaction time with reduced visibility. It is self-sustained and equipped with independent launch capability, state-of-the-art communication systems and protective mechanisms.
The missile trajectory was tracked by multiple ground stations, and the test was described as a textbook launch that achieved all mission objectives. Officials said the successful trial will pave the way for future induction of rail-based launch systems into service. The event was witnessed by senior DRDO scientists and officers from the SFC.
The road-mobile version of the Agni-Prime has already been inducted into service after a series of successful trials.
The Agni series of missiles currently includes Agni-1 to Agni-5. Among them, Agni-5, the most advanced variant with a range of over 5,000 km, was first tested in 2012. India’s missile arsenal also includes Agni-1 with a 700 km range, Agni-2 with a 2,000 km range, and Agni-3 and Agni-4 with ranges between 2,500 km and 3,500 km.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the DRDO, SFC and the Armed Forces, saying the successful test placed India among a select group of nations that have developed canisterised launch systems from rail platforms.
Secretary of the Department of Defence R&D and Chairman of DRDO also complimented the participating teams for the achievement.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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Europe
Sharia London: Surge In Back-Room Councils That Rule On Muslim Marriages
24 SEP 2025
Amid a small, multi-faith enclave on a residential street in Leyton, the Islamic Sharia Council sits modestly on the corner, opposite the Christian church and the Sikh temple. It’s in a simple terraced building, clearly marked on the side with its name in large white capitals.
The council betrays its origins as an end of terrace house. Inside, the founder’s daughter Khola Hasan poses patiently for our photographs, her face framed by an elegant patterned headscarf and glasses. Hasan, who is herself an Islamic scholar, with two degrees and shelves of Arabic texts on Islamic law, laughs when I ask about the glass-fronted poster on the wall in reception which offers a complicated looking visual flow chart showing a guide to Islamic divorce. “It’s been there for many years”, she says. “We keep meaning to update it. But it is still largely accurate.”
Hasan’s organisation is one of around five such councils in London. Recently, it was stated in the press that there were now so many operating in Britain that we had become “the sharia court capital of the West”. These councils exist primarily, they say, to deal with women stuck in marriages they cannot escape. Some argue that the councils help disenfranchised women in abusive marriages, others say it’s a shadowy backstreet misogynistic world where women are cast away without any of the rights an official marriage would bestow.
A new study on the councils’ work includes the story of Faria, from east London. More than seven years ago, Faria’s husband deserted her.
She was left in a state of limbo as he had refused her an Islamic divorce, which meant she remained married, despite his desertion. For she and her husband had married not under UK law, but had instead entered a marriage contract called nikah, under Islamic (sharia) law. In Islam, this is a legal and social contract. But, as with other faiths, marriages in the eyes of religion offer no legal protection. Faria (whose name has been changed to protect her privacy) applied to a sharia council in London to intervene.
Men can unilaterally decide to end their nikah marriage by a process known as talaq, where they just have to repeat their intention to divorce three times. In one case, a man delivered talaq by a text message and was disappointed when it was not recognised as a legitimate way to obtain an Islamic divorce.
Women, by contrast, can only seek a divorce with the agreement of the husband, or by the decision of a sharia council judge, if the husband is deemed to have behaved badly. With women’s rights taking automatic second place, stories have been shared of women left destitute after being divorced without their consent, whereas others have been trapped in harmful marriages.
A back-room world
Since the early 1980s, sharia councils, often known as courts, have been adjudicating to help Muslim couples navigate Islamic divorce. These councils work with British Muslims, but attract Muslims from overseas, too.
The government has resisted previous calls to regulate councils and consequently it is hard to obtain data about them — including their true number. A 2017 review instigated by Theresa May as part of the government’s counter-extremism strategy, and led by the prominent academic in Islamic studies, Mona Siddiqui, suggested there were between 30 and 85 councils in England and Wales. However, the unofficial number is likely to be far higher, as many operate not as legitimate councils, but in back rooms of mosques.
The sharia councils have no legal status in London or anywhere else in this country. Nor do they claim to have. They do not consider criminal cases. Contrary to myth, they do not punish thieves or adulterers or order stonings.
Their decisions are not legally binding, but they are within the community. Almost all of their work is related to marital breakdown. They are not usually the venues for Islamic weddings, which may be held in mosques, or other locations such as the home of the bride. But the rise of “back-room” councils is concerning.
Hasan picks up on the “mushrooming” of smaller bodies that she implies are cashing on people’s needs in and around London. She bemoans their lack of integrity and scholarship. She has advocated for a self-regulating body to ensure consistency and propriety.
The Islamic Sharia Council is a registered charity. “You won’t find many of these new places are registered”, she says.
Random unregistered bodies enforcing their various interpretations of Islamic law proliferating in the capital is a huge cause for concern.
Suffering and then discarded
Hasan is the only female Islamic “judge” in the capital. There is one other who works in the Midlands. Hasan does not refer to herself as a judge — “I’m an Islamic scholar” — and also prefers not to refer to the cases she is involved with as “hearings”. The terms are too weighted, she says. “No-one is on trial”. Instead, she holds “meetings” at which she tries to resolve the issues before her.
“I like to listen to both sides”, she says. “Asking for divorce is often a cry for help”. She regularly hears complaints about a spouse’s “un-Islamic lifestyle”.
But she tells me that although the Islamic Sharia Council in Leyton is still dealing predominantly with marital breakdown, it is increasingly being called upon to intervene in a broader range of situations. It might be divorce, but it could also be inter-generational disputes, inheritance matters or questions related to fasting and prayer. It has even set up a helpline.
Target for the far-Right
Many people object to what they perceive as the presence of sharia law as a parallel quasi-legal system, even though it has no authority in the eyes of UK law. These informal religious bodies have been accused of misogyny, sexism and exploiting Britain’s tradition of religious freedom, for their own benefit.
The Islamic Sharia Council in Leyton has been visited three times by Britain First, most recently in 2020. Members of the far-Right group burst in, caused havoc, made a scene, then left before the police arrived. They posted a video in triumph. Members told the council it was “barbaric” and “taking liberties” with English law — which was a bit rich, as Britain First had previously been issued with an injunction to stop it “invading” mosques and other Muslim premises (such as councils).
Hasan, who is in her fifties, was there when they came. “I tried to engage with them, I said come, let’s debate. But they weren’t interested.” She is used to the negative attention the council attracts. Only recently they had to wash “child molesters” graffiti off the walls. She wonders how much hate mail they will receive when this article appears.
Most days, however, the visitors at the Islamic Sharia Council are Muslim women seeking extraction from their situation after marital breakdown. There’s no doubt about it, Islamic divorce law — remembering that this “law” has no proper legal status anywhere in the UK — is biased towards men.
A key question, which continues to haunt the councils, is whether they are helping to balance women’s rights — as they insist they are — or perpetuating and enforcing inequalities.
Hasan does not accept that Islamic law favours men. In her view, the men’s way of divorce is just as onerous if done properly, but most people don’t know what the law requires of them. She says she often gets pleas for help from distressed men who believe they have divorced their wives spontaneously in a moment of hot-headedness.
Critics of sharia marriages, however, tell a story of poor, uneducated women from overseas who speak little English suffering horribly in abusive marriages and then being discarded.
But for Faria, the council was a lifeline. When her husband was contacted by them, he told them that despite his seven-year absence, their nikah (Islamic) marriage remained loving.
“Where has he been for the last seven years?”, Faria asked the council’s qadi (judge) overseeing the hearing. She was finding the situation mentally difficult, she said. She couldn’t even go to Hajj, to pilgrimage, while her husband remained her “guardian” and she needed his permission. She needed to be free. The judge decided Faria’s husband was stalling the divorce and said so, issuing a faskh — a decree ending the marriage. “Now you can go to Hajj,” the judge told Faria.
This happened in London, and neither the council nor its decision had any legal basis in the law of the land. As the couple had not been through a civil ceremony of marriage, legally speaking they weren’t even married at all, they were co-habitees.
By not marrying under UK law, Faria was left with no rights. But, by their faith they were married. Now the husband had gone, the woman wanted out, and the council gave her what she wanted. Her story had a positive ending — yet that is not always the case.
Her case features in the gripping new study by Islam Uddin, a London-based, British Bangladeshi imam who has interviewed nearly 30 women who have been through, or are going through, Islamic divorce. Uddin says it took months to negotiate privileged access to council hearings – and even then, he couldn’t record or take notes until afterwards. His book, Muslim Women and Islamic Family Law: Lived Experiences in Britain, is the result of four years of PhD research.
His findings offer a compelling insight into the current condition of Islamic marriages in London and beyond. They reveal the grim reality for many women who continue to face oppression and violence — sometimes even from their in-laws or their own families, as well as their husbands. A father of four children, and in his early fifties, Uddin conducts nikah ceremonies as an imam and says he always recommends that couples have a civil ceremony too, so their marriage is properly registered and compliant with the law of England and Wales.
But he does not make it a condition — he believes the couples can make their own choices and it is not up to him to tell them what to do.
“I wouldn’t police you in any way or say, oh, did you get it done? Can you get it done first? I wouldn’t. I would just inform them so that they’re informed before they make their decision”.
But if he does suspect coercion, he speaks to the woman alone and seeks the additional assurance of a signed consent form. “I would make sure that I see her, speak to her, see her sign a form. And then we know there’s no coercion.”
Of course, that is not always the case; coercion comes in many forms.
Uddin believes the number of official councils is smaller than the recently-quoted number of around 80-85 in the UK. His research suggested there were only a few “bona fide” councils.
“Other than that, quite a lot of them are, as imams explained to me, just a couple of people working in the back end of a mosque or something like that.” The lack of regulation could mean that they are operating under their own rules.
Among the 27 British Bangladeshi divorced or divorcing women that Uddin spoke to for his study, 18 had been in arranged marriages, three in forced marriages and six had chosen their husbands.
In 21 cases, the women had been married in both Islamic and civil ceremonies. Just six were nikah only. Those figures suggested a significant shift from previous studies. In 2017, research for a Channel 4 documentary put 60 per cent of Muslim women in the UK in unregistered nikah marriages.
Again, reliable statistics are hard to come by, because of the lack of records and regulation.
Among the reasons for marital breakdown cited by women in Uddin’s study, domestic violence was the most common, problems with in-laws were cited in 10 cases and adultery and desertion also features. Polygamy (which is permitted, though not encouraged, in Islam) was mentioned in three cases. That was polygamy in the eyes of Islam — in unregistered nikah marriages.
Polygamy is a crime for those in a civil marriage under UK law.
Uddin reports that physical abuse “often began very early in their marriages, catching them off guard and leaving them unprepared for the reality they would face”.
He changed the names of participants, but the stories they told him were depressingly similar, and revealed the dangers that some women could face in Nikah marriages.
Rupa, for example, was trapped: “He used to beat me up. I was tortured. I wasn’t allowed out of the house, to contact anyone, or even visit my parents’ house. Basically, I was a prisoner.”
Rahima became a domestic slave: “He became overly protective. He wouldn’t let me visit my mum and kept me in the house to cook and clean — I lived with my in-laws. When I asked to visit my family, he slapped me in the face.”
Parvin was held back from revealing her experiences because of honour (izzat): “I was ashamed to tell my parents because of izzat. My dad would take me back, and people would laugh and shame him. I didn’t act on those thoughts, and hiding everything ruined my life.
“I should have told him from the beginning. He would have taken action.”
As often happens, the violence escalated over time. Parvin broke down in tears as she described to Uddin what had happened to her. “I was struggling while pregnant. He used to hit me in the stomach a lot. I get so upset when I think about that time. The hospital did not suspect the abuse. If I had gone to the police, they would have known, but I was so embarrassed, so I used to hide stuff.”
Stuck in an abusive marriage
It appears clear that in cases like these, women stay in abusive marriages for many reasons, whether for the family’s honour, or fearing what would happen if the marriage was dissolved and she was left with no home, no money, and no rights to demand support.
Rupa tried to go home, but her father said, “she’s not allowed in my house”. So she went to a women’s refuge, but even that was against her family’s wishes. Everyone told her she should go back to her violent husband, because what would other people think and say? Uddin found unregistered nikah marriages tended to be shorter — and even women like Rupa believed there were benefits as the procedure needed to gain a divorce was easier.
A sharia council judge told Uddin that some couples opted for unregistered marriages to avoid lengthy civil divorce proceedings. “A couple were married for four months then the woman applied for an Islamic divorce. I asked why she did not have a civil marriage. The woman said thank God she didn’t otherwise she would have had to wait a year to divorce.
“I thought ‘interesting, no children, no maintenance, a quick divorce’.”
But it also means women have no rights, so can be left with no home, no money, no support.
The same judge told Uddin: “Ninety per cent of our cases are women-initiated divorces. Women come to us because they want verification that they are divorced, or because their husband pronounced divorce, or they started civil proceedings and want an Islamic divorce. In other cases, women have no civil marriage and come to the sharia council as they have nowhere else to go to get a divorce.”
Uddin told me the hearings that councils held were semi-formal. No lawyers, wigs or gowns: the involved parties came and gave their accounts, and answered the judge’s questions. There might be a series of hearings, with the parties sent away to find evidence to bring back before the judge.The courts often had to decide issues related to mahr — the sum of money the husband paid to the bride as a gesture of respect and to provide financial security. The sums ranged widely and could be many thousands of pounds.
Sometimes the wife would be ordered to repay the money, sometimes the payments had been deferred and the husband would be ordered to make the payments.
Such orders by a sharia council judge were not legally enforceable. Issues around financial arrangements in divorce, maintenance and child care could only be settled by the civil courts.
That only served to emphasise the vulnerability that women might experience if they had not been through a civil marriage.
The Siddiqui review found evidence of both good and bad practice at sharia councils. Some would support women, report abuse to the police, and were timely and efficient, while others charged very high fees for their services — as much as £900 — could be slow to make decisions and, through counselling and mediation, in some cases, put pressure on women to reconcile and remain in abusive marriages.
The councils’ clients are overwhelmingly women, yet the officials are predominantly men — there are believed to be only two known female judges in the country. Their presence speaks to some evidence of reformist, modernist beliefs amid the classical and — as described by one of Uddin’s interviewees — “back-home backwards” mentality of some of the more traditional Islamic scholars and officials. But without ever being accountable to British law, the councils will continue to operate in an unregulated way. Uddin recognised those issues but preferred to focus on women’s agency or control of their own lives.
The councils, he believes, are not where the problems truly lie. “The concern”, one judge told him, “is for women out in society who are vulnerable and suffering due to the lack of access to knowledge and their Islamic rights.”
Hasan tells me the Islamic Sharia Council was the first in the UK (“copied by many but equalled by none thus far”, says its website) set up by her father Suhaib Hasan in 1982 after a conference to consider solutions to the marital issues and other scholarly Islamic concerns that came with the rising population of migrant Muslims.
In 2013, an e-petition calling for a ban on sharia law in the UK (banning the councils, in effect) gathered 20,000 signatures. Crucially, the government declined to intervene — Islamic law has no wider legal status, though it is enforced within the community.
Sharia councils are problematic in many ways. In spite of the people defending them, the system seems to undermine the hard-fought aims of equality in UK marriage law.
Some form of regulation is essential, whether by the government or as Hasan suggests, a self-regulatory body. Until that happens, back-room councils will continue to grow.
Source: standard.co.uk
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https://www.standard.co.uk/news/islamic-sharia-council-law-london-marriage-divorce-b1222943.html
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Glasgow mosque shares strong message of unity in defiance against far-right hate
Fahad Tariq
24 SEP 2025
A mosque has urged everyone in Glasgow to come together and build "friendship and understanding" as the UK sees a wave of far-right hate.
Al Furqan mosque, on Carrington Street in the west end, is hosting a Visit My Mosque open day next month, inviting all members of the community to come in, have a chat and a cup of tea regardless of their background or beliefs.
There'll be a tour of the mosque, a Celtic Crescent exhibition, activities for children to take part in and food to enjoy.
The free open day, taking place from 11am to 4pm on Saturday, October 4 and Sunday, October 5 comes at a time where Muslims in Glasgow and across the UK are falling victim to Islamophobic hate crimes.
We reported last month that a young Muslim schoolgirl was assaulted while walking home in Newton Mearns.
In other another recent case from across Greater Glasgow, 'say no to Islam' graffiti was plastered on walls in Scotstounhill. Kingsway Community Connections were "deeply concerned" when the hateful message appeared near their centre. It has since been removed.
Dr Imran Abbasi, President of Al Furqan mosque told GlasgowLive: "This year’s mosque open day weekend comes at a time when Muslim communities, and mosques in particular, have faced rising Islamophobia and far-right hate. That is why we feel it is more important than ever to open our doors, invite our neighbours in, and show that the best way to tackle fear and prejudice is through friendship and understanding.
"Many people who visit tell us they’ve walked past the mosque for years, curious to see inside but nervous to come in. Our open days give them the chance to bring their families, friends and neighbours to share conversation, connection, and of course, a good cup of tea.
"We warmly invite everyone to join us this year, stand in solidarity with minority communities facing hate across Glasgow, and take part in a weekend filled with learning, laughter and hospitality. We promise every guest a warm welcome and plenty of food."
Al Furqan mosque is "in the heart of the west end" and has been serving communities for decades, supporting projects from street cleaning to elderly care and promoting community cohesion - including giving gifts to neighbours.
You must book your visit in advance, and it's totally free, with more information on how to get your ticket available here.
Source: glasgowlive.co.uk
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https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/glasgow-news/glasgow-mosque-shares-strong-message-32534803
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Community health outreach event at Jamal Al-Karim Mosque
24 SEP 2025
Jamal Al-Karim Mosque in Gloucester hosted a community health outreach event earlier this month (13 September), to which it welcomed 50 community members.
The event brought together a diverse mix of nationalities and languages, with families, children, and people attending the mosque around prayer times.
This free, drop-in event provided an opportunity for members of the community to meet some of our NHS outreach teams, speak to health professionals, get a free health and blood pressure check, and find out about the local NHS services available.
Bilal Lala, Non-Executive Director for Gloucestershire Health and Care (GHC) NHS Foundation Trust, was on hand to support our outreach teams and engage in valuable conversations with community members. He was also among the 45 visitors who took up the offer of a free health check.
“This event provided an important opportunity to build trust, foster relationships, and explore future engagement with that community,” he said.
“We were encouraged to see strong participation from women, and to connect more with mosque leaders and communities not often reached through other spaces, such as the Friendship Café.”
Dominika Lipska-Rosecka, Service Development Manager from the GHC Partnership team, added: “One of the key insights from the day was the language barrier faced by Black Muslim communities from that area, and the cultural aspect of creating welcoming health outreach space for women in the mosque.
“We are grateful to everyone who took part; particularly the teams who joined us for the first time and offered the free health checks. This was a good step toward strengthening links with local communities and ensuring more people feel confident engaging with NHS services.”
Source: ghc.nhs.uk
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https://www.ghc.nhs.uk/news/community-health-outreach-event-at-jamal-al-karim-mosque/
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London mayor hits back at Trump, calls US president 'racist' and 'Islamophobic'
25 SEP 2025
Char Reck
The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has fired back at Donald Trump's false claims that Sharia law is being introduced in the British capital, calling the US president "racist", "sexist", "misogynistic" and "Islamophobic".
Trump used his speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York on Tuesday to label Khan a "terrible mayor" and falsely claim London wants "to go to Sharia law".
Khan, the first Muslim mayor of a Western capital city, told reporters Wednesday: "People are wondering what it is about this Muslim mayor who leads a liberal, multicultural, progressive and successful city that means I appear to be living rent-free inside Donald Trump's head."
He added, "I think, as Donald Trump has shown, he is racist, he is sexist, he is misogynistic and he is Islamophobic."
London City Hall previously said in a statement that "London is the greatest city in the world, safer than major US cities, and we're delighted to welcome the record number of US citizens moving here."
In response to Khan's remarks, White House spokesman Davis Ingle told CNN: "Mayor Khan clearly suffers from a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome and has done a terrible job as mayor. His ridiculous open border and unchecked immigration policies have allowed violent crime to run rampant in his city."
Sharia law is based on Islam's holy book, the Quran, and the life of prophet Mohammed. It refers to a set of principles that govern the moral and religious lives of Muslims on matters as varied as prayer, finance, divorce or halal food.
According to a UK government document published in 2019, Sharia councils have existed in the country since the 1980s but are used to "solve the matrimonial problems of Muslims living in the United Kingdom in the light of Islamic family law".
Their rulings are not legally binding as the councils "have no official legal or constitutional role in the UK", according to the government.
UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting defended Khan in a post on X Tuesday, writing: "Sadiq Khan is not trying to impose Sharia Law on London."
"This is a Mayor who marches with Pride, who stands up for difference of background and opinion, who's focused on improving our transport, our air, our streets, our safety, our choices and chances. Proud he's our Mayor," Streeting said.
Trump was in the United Kingdom last week for an unprecedented second state visit. Second-term US presidents aren't typically afforded the pomp of two official trips. A state banquet was held in his honor at Windsor Castle, but his itinerary didn't include a journey to the British capital - where crowds of protesters had gathered.
There is no love lost between Trump and Khan, who have engaged in a years-long spat.
On the campaign trail before his first term as president, Trump pledged to ban Muslims from the US once in office. Khan at the time deemed it an "outrageous policy".
Khan later called Trump's views on Islam "ignorant", to which the president hit back, saying, "I will remember those statements. They are very nasty statements."
Khan, who was elected in 2016, is a strong critic of Trump, notably giving permission for protesters to fly a 20-foot-tall (6m) "Trump baby" balloon in London during his first presidential visit to the United Kingdom in 2016.
In a 2019 opinion piece in British publication The Guardian, the London mayor condemned what he called the red-carpet roll-out that welcomed Trump and his wife Melania on their first UK state visit.
"Donald Trump is just one of the most egregious examples of a growing global threat," Khan wrote. The mayor further criticised the president in another op-ed earlier this month, accusing the Trump administration's policies of being "straight out of the autocrat's playbook".
During a joint conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in July, Trump reignited the feud, calling Khan a "nasty person" who was doing a "terrible job".
Starmer interrupted Trump, saying of Khan, "He's a friend of mine, actually."
Source: rnz.co.nz
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https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/574044/london-mayor-hits-back-at-trump-calls-us-president-racist-and-islamophobic
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Family of murdered Muslim granddad 'forgive terrorist killer' as they learn of death in jail
Jane Haynes
24 Sep 2025
The family of a Birmingham grandfather who was ambushed and murdered by a race hate terrorist have today bravely spoken of their 'forgiveness' for his killer.
Mohammed Saleem suffered catastrophic injuries when he was stabbed to death by Pavlo Lapshyn in 2013.
Now it has emerged that Lapshyn has died in prison.
An investigation has been opened by the Prisons Ombudsman into the circumstances around his sudden death, aged 37, at Wakefield Prison.
The victim's family have spoken of their continuing grief but there is nothing celebratory about their reaction to the news. Instead they speak only of forgiveness.
His family, led by daughter Maz Saleem, released a statement via news site Five Pillars. Ms Saleem said: “It has come to my attention via the victim liaison officer that Pavlo Lapshyn — the man convicted of murdering my father and committing acts of terror against our community — has been found dead in his prison cell.
At present, I have not been given clear details surrounding the circumstances of his death: whether it resulted from other inmates, self-inflicted harm, or other causes remains unknown."
She said: “As a matter of respect — to my father’s memory, to justice, and to humanity — I wish to express that I have chosen, after many years, to forgive Lapshyn.
"This is not to condone what he did — his actions were gravely wrong, and he caused immense pain. But I believe holding onto hatred serves no-one. He was someone’s son, with elderly parents in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine. My thoughts are with his family in this difficult time.
“I also feel compelled to raise concern that when events like this occur, official communication is often delayed. The police or prison services do not usually release details immediately, and I understand why — there are protocols. But in the absence of transparency, rumours and misunderstanding flourish, and more harm is done.
“I ask the media to treat this matter with compassion, accuracy, and dignity. We must resist division, especially at times like this, and uphold our common humanity.
"I miss my father every day, not least because I am unwell — illness sharpens absence. What Pavlo Lapshyn stood for — hatred, extremism, and racism — is the opposite of everything our community believes in, and we must continue to stand for forgiveness, justice, and peace.
“May they both rest in peace. Surely we belong to God, and to Him we shall return.”
The prison service said today: “This was an abhorrent crime and our thoughts remain with Mr Saleem’s friends and family.
“Pavlo Lapshyn died on 23 September 2025 at HMP Wakefield. As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate.”
Lapshyn, 37 when he died, was a Ukrainian neo-Nazi terrorist. A highly-educated engineering student with a history of far-right extremism, he was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 40 years for murder and plotting explosions.
He had arrived in Birmingham five days before killing Mr Saleem. He had secured a temporary work placement at Delcam, a software company in Small Heath.
He stabbed Mr Saleem, a grandfather of 23 children. He had been walking home from evening prayers at his local mosque, using a walking stick due to poor health. The murder was described as a random, opportunistic act of racial hatred.
Thousands attended his funeral at Green Lane Mosque in a mark of the esteem he was held in and the horror over his death.
Lapshyn remained at large for three months, and in that time he planted and detonated three homemade bombs near mosques. An explosion occurred outside the Wolverhampton Central Mosque, shortly after Friday prayers, followed by explosions near the Ghausia Mosque in Walsall and the Bilal Mosque in Tipton.
West Midlands Police later linked the unsolved murder to the bombings through CCTV footage and forensics. Lapshyn was arrested on July 18, 2013, after attempting to detonate another device. He pleaded guilty to all charges and was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 40 years.
Court evidence revealed neo-Nazi materials on his computer, including manifestos and far-right propaganda. He expressed a desire to ignite a “race war” against Muslims.
In a subsequent Channel 5 documentary about the tragedy, Semir Said from Green Lane Mosque spoke of how the murder caused huge fear and confusion among locals, and occurred against a backdrop of rising Islamophobia.
Dr Imran Awan, professor of criminology at Birmingham City University, also contributed to the programme. "It was a pre-meditated planned attack. The climate at the time was very hostile and Islamophobic," he noted.
"There was a real sense of sadness and fear...but also a sense of coming together."
Source: birminghammail.co.uk
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https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/family-murdered-muslim-granddad-forgive-32543190
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Leamington mosque opens its doors to visitors
24 Sep 2025
A MOSQUE in Leamington is opening its doors to visitors.
Ahmadiyya Muslim Association Leamington Baitul Ehsan Mosque on Riverside, Adelaide Road will be open for everyone to visit on Saturday October 4 and Sunday October 5 from 11am to 4pm.
The invitation follows visit by the mayors of Leamington and Warwick.
Coun Ruggy Singh visited the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association Leamington Baitul Ehsan Mosque on Monday September 1 and Warwick mayor Coun Jackie D’Arcy visited on Wednesday September 17.
Both were given a tour of the mosque, Introduction to the community, and a Prayer for Peace in the World was made.
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Association is a world wide religious community spread over 200 countries with tens of millions of followers.
The communities moto is Love for All Hatred for None. The community is overseen by His Holiness Hazarat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the fifth Caliph and Worldwide Head of the Community, who resides in the UK.
Source: stratfordobserver.co.uk
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https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/news/leamington-mosque-opens-its-doors-to-visitors-58040/
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South Asia
Shehbaz meets Yunus on UNGA sidelines, invites him to visit Pakistan
Sep 25, 2025
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly at UN Headquarters in New York.
During their meeting, the two leaders discussed a wide range of issues, including Bangladesh's upcoming general elections, reforms introduced by the interim government, the recent devastating floods in Pakistan, trade and investment, and prospects for regional cooperation.
Yunus expressed his profound sorrow and extended heartfelt condolences over the recent floods in Pakistan, which claimed the lives of more than 1,000 people.
Prime Minister Sharif attributed the increasing frequency and intensity of such disasters to the worsening impacts of climate change.
The chief adviser shared that Bangladesh is on course to hold its general election in February and expressed hope that the major political reforms proposed by 11 national commissions would lead to meaningful political transformation.
He noted that talks between the National Consensus Commission and political parties are in their final stages, and parties are expected to sign a "July Charter" encompassing key constitutional and political reforms.
"These reforms are aimed at preventing the rise of another autocrat in Bangladesh," Professor Yunus said.
With SAARC largely inactive in recent years, the two leaders also discussed alternative avenues to enhance regional cooperation.
Prime Minister Sharif extended an invitation to Chief Adviser Yunus to visit Pakistan before the conclusion of the Interim Government's tenure.
The meeting was also attended by National Security Adviser Dr Khalilur Rahman, Principal Secretary Siraj Uddin Miah, and SDG Coordinator Lamiya Morshed.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/shehbaz-meets-yunus-unga-sidelines-invites-him-visit-pakistan-3994271
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Italian PM meets Yunus, proposes Italy-Bangladesh business forum
Sep 25, 2025
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni today proposed establishment of an Italy-Bangladesh business forum aimed at promoting Italian investment in Bangladesh.
She made the proposal during a bilateral meeting with Bangladesh Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, held at a hotel in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
Professor Yunus welcomed the initiative, noting that while the two countries share longstanding ties, there remains significant potential to expand trade and investment cooperation.
The leaders also discussed a wide range of issues, including the upcoming general election in Bangladesh, migration challenges, the Rohingya refugee crisis, and a possible visit by Meloni to Bangladesh in December.
On the issue of migration, Italian PM Meloni expressed Italy's willingness to engage constructively with Dhaka to ensure safe migration pathways that would benefit both nations. She underscored the need for stronger measures to combat human trafficking, which has claimed the lives of hundreds of migrants in the Mediterranean.
In response, Yunus stated that the Bangladeshi interim government has already adopted a zero-tolerance policy toward human trafficking and has implemented several initiatives to ensure safer migration routes for Bangladeshi citizens.
"We need more global efforts to prevent human smuggling," Prof Yunus emphasised.
Addressing the political transition in Bangladesh, Prof Yunus said the country is on track to hold general elections in February, after which he plans to return to his previous role.
Meloni commended Professor Yunus's leadership over the past 14 months as the head of the interim government and assured him that Italy would advocate within the European Union to support Bangladesh in holding a free and fair election.
The two leaders also exchanged views on the ongoing Rohingya crisis. Professor Yunus urged increased international support for over one million Rohingya refugees currently sheltered in Bangladesh. In response, Prime Minister Meloni pledged to send a high-level delegation to next week's international conference on the crisis at UN headquarters.
Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain, National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman, and SDG Coordinator Lamiya Morshed were also present at the meeting.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/diplomacy/news/italian-pm-meets-yunus-proposes-italy-bangladesh-business-forum-3994311
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Foreign ministry, embassy officials to blame: BNP
Sep 25, 2025
The BNP blamed the negligence of foreign ministry and embassy officials for the harassment of political leaders by Awami League supporters at the JFK Airport in New York.
The party said the government should investigate the incident, identify the officials responsible, and bring them back to Bangladesh.
The matter, among others, was discussed at a Standing Committee meeting held at the chairperson's Gulshan office on Tuesday night. Acting chairman Tarique Rahman chaired the meeting virtually.
Regarding the polls, BNP leaders said some political parties have been pushing for a proportional representation system to delay the election and advance their own interests.
They also expressed concern that the posting of certain individuals to different administrative positions could be intended to influence the polls outcome.
BNP leaders mentioned that though Jamaat said it would not join the election if its demand for PR is not met, it has already picked possible candidates.
"Jamaat has always been two-faced. It says one thing but does another. These are its tactics," said a leader.
Tarique and his team have already identified at least 148 seats where the party is strong and have selected possible candidates, the leaders said.
They urged Tarique to quickly hold meetings with allies to finalise the candidates and push them to begin campaign without delay.
The names of the possible candidates would be announced right after Durga Puja, they said.
At the meeting, party leaders said that before the chief adviser's trip to the US for the UN General Assembly, AL supporters in New York announced protest programmes and even obtained permission to gather. However, no preventive steps were taken to ensure the safety of political leaders.
They also said the absence of BNP supporters at the airport was disappointing for the party.
"Mission and embassy officials knew through which gate and at what time the guests would arrive. They leaked this information to Awami League leaders. They also misled BNP leaders so that they could not meet Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir," said a leader, seeking anonymity.
A party insider said the government had invited Tarique to join the trip, but he asked Fakhrul to go.
On September 21, Fakhrul left with the chief adviser's entourage and reached New York the next day, where eggs were hurled at NCP Member Secretary Akhter Hossen. A torrent of sexist slurs was directed at NCP Senior Joint Member Secretary Tasnim Jara. Fakhrul was just ahead of them at the time.
FAKHRUL INTERVIEW
The BNP believes that a Kolkata-based newspaper Ei Samay published an interview of Fakhrul to damage the party's image.
Fakhrul, who joined Tuesday's meeting virtually, said his words were "twisted" and presented differently by the newspaper.
Party leaders stood by Fakhrul, saying that there is no reason to question his honesty or political skills.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/politics/news/foreign-ministry-embassy-officials-blame-bnp-3994041
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MoIC Holds National Journalists’ Conference
September 25, 2025
KABUL: The General Directorate of Media Oversight of the Ministry of Information and Culture, in collaboration with the “Voice of the Afghan People” mechanism, held a National Journalists’ Conference, under the theme “True Journalism, An Informed Nation, and a Healthy Society.”
The gathering brought together senior government officials, media leaders, and hundreds of journalists from across Afghanistan, the ministry said in a statement the other day.
Opening the event, Mawlavi Safiullah Rayed, Director of Media Oversight, welcomed participants and highlighted that the central theme of the conference was “true journalism and an informed nation.”
He emphasized that media and journalists play a vital role in addressing societal challenges, and achieving real journalism is a shared responsibility that requires unity and cooperation.
Meanwhile, Mawlavi Atiqullah Azizi, Deputy Minister of Information and Culture for Culture and Arts, underscored the irreplaceable role of journalists, praising their tireless work during recent crises.
He urged reporters to remain mindful of Afghanistan’s ethnic diversity and sensitivities, cautioning that even minor issues can spark major tensions.
On behalf of the ministry, he reaffirmed full cooperation with media outlets and journalists. The Kabul Times
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://thekabultimes.com/moic-holds-national-journalists-conference/
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Afghan Couple Killed in Landmine Blast in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan
By Fidel Rahmati
September 25, 2025
An Afghan couple was killed in a landmine explosion in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan province, highlighting refugee vulnerability amid deportations, harassment, and restrictions on Afghan children’s education.
An Afghan couple lost their lives after a landmine exploded in the border region of Kaleh Grand, Saravan district, in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchestan province. The blast occurred on Monday, according to the rights group Hengaw.
The couple reportedly entered a mined area while travelling along a border route that had no visible warning signs. Hengaw said both victims were killed instantly, with their identities still under investigation. The organization alleged that the mines were planted by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as part of its border security measures.
The tragedy highlights the persistent dangers faced by Afghanistan civilians in Iran’s frontier provinces, where militarized zones and poorly marked minefields continue to claim lives. Rights activists argue that such incidents expose the lack of accountability and disregard for humanitarian norms.
The landmine explosion comes at a time when Afghan refugees in Iran face mounting pressures. Reports point to forced deportations, widespread harassment, and reprisals against vulnerable communities. Many Afghans who sought safety after the Taliban takeover in 2021 now live in fear of sudden detention or expulsion.
Education restrictions on Afghan children in Iran have further deepened the crisis. Advocacy groups say thousands are being denied the right to enroll in schools, leaving a generation at risk of illiteracy and exclusion. This systemic discrimination compounds the hardships Afghans already face in securing shelter, healthcare, and livelihoods.
Human rights organizations have repeatedly urged Tehran to uphold international obligations toward refugees, including protecting civilians from violence, ensuring access to education, and refraining from arbitrary deportations. However, activists warn that the situation is becoming increasingly dire.
The deaths in Saravan not only reflect the lethal consequences of militarization in border areas but also underscore the broader climate of insecurity and discrimination confronting Afghans in Iran. Advocates call for urgent international attention and accountability to safeguard lives and uphold basic rights.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/afghan-couple-killed-in-landmine-blast-in-irans-sistan-baluchestan/
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Washington Reviewing Its Afghanistan Policy, U.S. Officials Say
By Fidel Rahmati
September 25, 2025
Washington is reviewing its Afghanistan policy to prioritize security, prevent extremist resurgence, ensure humanitarian aid reaches civilians, and safeguard women’s rights, U.S. officials confirmed.
The State Department officials raised alarm about the condition of women and girls in Afghanistan, accusing the Taliban of systematic rights violations. They cited restrictions during earthquake relief operations, where women aid workers were blocked, leading to what they called “tragic and avoidable deaths.”
They added that while Washington rejects channeling aid through the Taliban, the U.S. continues to fund programs abroad designed to benefit Afghan women and girls directly. The goal, they said, is to ensure that assistance reaches the “true beneficiaries.”
The officials also emphasized two core priorities: preventing Afghanistan from becoming a safe haven for terrorists again, and securing the release of American citizens detained in the country. They stressed that President Trump remains determined to take “all necessary measures” to safeguard U.S. security.
They confirmed that U.S. envoy Adam Boehler recently visited Kabul to discuss the release of American hostages, underlining that this remains at the top of Washington’s agenda.
Turning to global concerns, the officials described China as a “worldwide challenge,” noting Beijing’s growing interest in Afghanistan’s mineral wealth. They said the U.S. is closely monitoring China’s influence in the region, as well as debates surrounding the future of the Bagram air base.
The State Department officials reiterated that U.S. policy is being recalibrated to prevent terrorist resurgence, protect American citizens, and support vulnerable Afghan communities, particularly women, who remain under severe restrictions.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/washington-reviewing-its-afghanistan-policy-u-s-officials-say/
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Mideast
Palestinian leader to address UN General Assembly as peace push gathers steam
September 25, 2025
UNITED NATIONS: Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas will address the United Nations virtually on Thursday as the United States, despite its opposition to him, weighs whether to try to stop Israeli annexation of the West Bank.
The veteran 89-year-old Palestinian Authority president will address the UN General Assembly three days after a slew of Western nations recognized a state of Palestine.
US President Donald Trump’s administration adamantly rejected statehood and, in a highly unusual step, barred Abbas and his senior aides from traveling to New York for the annual gathering of world leaders.
The General Assembly overwhelmingly voted to let Abbas address the world body with a video message.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed not to allow a Palestinian state and far-right members of his cabinet have threatened to annex the West Bank in a bid to kill any prospect of true independence.
French President Emmanuel Macron, despite his disagreements with Trump on statehood, said Wednesday that the US leader joined him in opposing annexation.
“What President Trump told me yesterday was that the Europeans and Americans have the same position,” Macron said in an interview jointly with France 24 and Radio France Internationale.
Steve Witkoff, Trump’s golfing friend turned roving global negotiator, said that Trump in a separate meeting with a group of leaders of Arab and Islamic nations presented a 21-point plan for ending the war.
“I think it addresses Israeli concerns as well as the concerns of all the neighbors in the region,” he told the Concordia summit on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
“We’re hopeful, and I might say even confident, that in the coming days we’ll be able to announce some sort of breakthrough.”
A White House official told AFP that Trump wants to bring the conflict “to an expeditious close” and that foreign partners from the meeting “expressed the hope that they could work together with Special Envoy Witkoff to consider the President’s plan.”
Divide on Palestinian Authority
Macron said that the US proposal incorporates core elements of a French plan including disarmament of Hamas and the dispatch of an international stabilization force.
A French position paper seen by AFP calls for the gradual transfer of security control in Gaza to a reformed Palestinian Authority once a ceasefire is in place.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, one of the leaders who met jointly with Trump, said that the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country was willing to offer at least 20,000 troops.
Abbas’s Palestinian Authority enjoys limited control over parts of the West Bank under agreements reached through the Oslo peace accords that started in 1993.
Abbas’s Fatah is the rival of Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, although Netanyahu’s government has sought to conflate the two.
Abbas in his address on Monday condemned the massive October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas on Israel, which has responded with a relentless military offensive.
He also called on Hamas to disarm to the Palestinian Authority.
France and other European powers, while not joining Israeli and US efforts to delegitimize the Palestinian Authority, have said that it needs major reforms.
Netanyahu will address the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2616636/middle-east
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GCC, UK ministers condemn humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza
September 25, 2025
RIYADH: A ministerial meeting between the Gulf Cooperation Council and Britain condemned on Wednesday the humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip and Israel’s restrictions on aid that have exacerbated famine and human suffering.
The ministers, meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, called on all parties to the conflict to comply with their obligations under International Humanitarian Law, including those related to the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure.
The UK and the GCC resolved to continue working closely together to pursue peace in unstable and conflict-afflicted regions, a joint statement said.
They underscored their countries commitment to promoting peace and working together to resolve conflicts and address instability.
The ministers also welcomed the high-level international conference on the peaceful settlement of the Palestinian Cause and the implementation of the two-state solution, co-chaired by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and France.
There must be unified Palestinian-led governance in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority, said the statement.
The GCC and UK also condemned Israel’s strike on Doha on Sept. 9, which constituted a flagrant violation of Qatar’s sovereignty. They underscored their support for Qatar’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, in line with the principles of the United Nations Charter.
On the issue of trade between the UK and the Gulf nations, the ministers agreed on the importance of growing two-way trade and investment further to advance mutual growth and prosperity.
Bilateral trade exceeded $72 billion in 2024.
The GCC and UK also reaffirmed their commitment to the promotion of free trade. Both sides restated their commitment to prioritizing conclusion of the GCC-UK Free Trade Agreement, recognizing that a commercially meaningful deal would further enhance trade and investment ties, benefit businesses, and support high skilled job creation in the UK and GCC member states, the statement added.
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Comoros president slams Israel’s ‘genocide’ in Gaza
RAY HANANIA
September 25, 2025
NEW YORK: The president of Comoros accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza during his address to the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, and rejected claims that supporting a two-state solution is a “gift to Hamas.”
Azali Assoumani said the UN cannot achieve its ambitious Sustainable Development Goals if it cannot prevent genocide from taking place in Gaza or violence in other regions.
“With five years to go before the (SDG) deadline, it’s notable that the world isn’t more peaceful or more equitable. On the contrary, inequalities have increased, conflicts have multiplied, and humanity is moving further and further away from the vision that once drove us,” he added.
“The Palestinian tragedy is perhaps the most shocking demonstration of this. For more than 70 years now, and today even more so than before, the Palestinian people have been suffering the pillaging of their ancestral lands, suffering exile, torture and humiliation. Their recent history is simply a succession of pages written in blood, indifference and scorn.”
Assoumani denounced as “barbaric” the Hamas attack on Israel of Oct. 7, 2023, but “the disproportionate response that has been unleashed in Gaza since then is indeed a genocide.
“Eighty percent of the victims are children, older persons or the ill. They’ve been killed by shelling which doesn’t spare hospitals, aid distribution centers, schools, UN staff or journalists.”
He added: “The crimes perpetrated against Palestine stem from an untenable contradiction. Indeed, how can a government elected by a people who are victim of the Holocaust now commit a genocide before the very eyes of the entire world?”
He continued: “When we look at the tragedy of the Holocaust, Arab, African and Muslim countries have never been on the side of the perpetrators of genocide.
“On the contrary, our forefathers and our ancestors were risking their lives. They fought alongside the Allies to defend the Jewish people and host them, welcomed them, welcomed the survivors into their country.”
He said the two-state solution “with East Jerusalem as the capital of a State of Palestine” is “the only solution for peace and security for Israel and for the entire … Middle East.”
He urged the UNGA “to put the future of a Palestinian state once and for all on our common agenda. It’s our moral responsibility to act, because with every day that goes by without action being taken, thousands of innocent people, women and children die.”
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Syrian president warns against Israeli attacks in landmark UN address
Jonathan Lessware
September 24, 2025
LONDON: Israel’s attacks against Syria threaten to unleash “new crises” in the region, President Ahmad Al-Sharaa told the UN General Assembly on Wednesday.
Al-Sharaa, who led opposition forces in a lightning offensive to overthrow Bashar Assad late last year, became the first Syrian leader to address the UNGA in nearly 60 years.
He outlined the progress made since he came to power, and the many challenges still facing his country after more than a decade of civil war. Chief among those has been Israel’s airstrikes and military operations in Syria.
“Israeli strikes and attacks against my country continue, and Israeli policies contradict the international supporting position for Syria,” the former commander said, adding that Israel’s attacks threaten “new crises and struggles in our region.”
But despite the aggression, Syria is committed to dialogue, he said, adding: “We call on the international community to stand beside us in the face of these attacks.”
Al-Sharaa said Syria is also committed to the 1974 agreement to separate Syrian and Israeli forces through a UN-patrolled buffer zone in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
As opposition fighters led by Al-Sharaa took control of Damascus in December, Israel took advantage of the tumult and seized the buffer zone, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declaring that the disengagement pact was “over.”
Since then, Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes and ground operations inside Syria, including in the center of the capital.
Tensions also flared over sectarian violence in June in Syria’s Suwayda province. Israel said it carried out airstrikes to protect the Druze minority in the region.
The US has been pushing for calm between the two countries, and this week Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack said they are getting closer to a new de-escalation agreement.
The deal aims to stop Israel’s attacks on Syria, which in return would agree not to move any heavy equipment near the border.
Speaking at an event in New York on Tuesday, Al-Sharaa said he is hopeful that the deal will materialize, but said it is Syria that is “scared of Israel, not the other way around.”
The US has been among major international powers that have offered cautious support to Al-Sharaa’s administration, lifting some sanctions on Syria in the hope of offering an economic lifeline to drag the country out of years of chaos and bloodshed.
He used his UNGA speech to call for the complete lifting of all international sanctions “so that they no longer shackle the Syrian people.”
He also reeled off a list of achievements since he took power, guided by an approach based on diplomacy, security and economic development.
Al-Sharaa said he has put in place a political roadmap that is proceeding toward elections next month for a new parliament, and his government has overhauled civil and military institutions.
He added that he has acted against outbreaks of sectarian violence, set up fact-finding commissions and allowed access to investigative UN teams.
“I guarantee to bring to justice everyone accountable and responsible for bloodshed,” he said. “Syria has transformed from an exporter of crisis to an opportunity for peace for Syria and the region.”
Al-Sharaa’s appearance at the UN marks a remarkable political ascent from leader of an Islamist rebel group to international statesman within 10 months.
Since arriving in New York on Sunday, he has packed in high-level meetings and events, including talks with US Secretary of State Mark Rubio and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Perhaps the event that most summed up his elevation from militant to political leader was an interview on stage on Tuesday with Gen. David Petraeus, who commanded US forces during the 2003 Iraq invasion.
Petraeus’s troops detained Al-Sharaa in Iraq between 2006 and 2011 while he was fighting the American occupation there.
“His trajectory from insurgent leader to head of state has been one of the most dramatic political transformations in recent Middle Eastern history,” Petraeus told the audience, adding that he is a fan of Al-Sharaa.
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Israeli, US attacks on Iran ‘inflicted grievous blow’ to prospect of regional peace: Pezeshkian
Zaynab Khojji
September 24, 2025
LONDON: Israeli and US attacks on Iran in June “inflicted a grievous blow upon international trust and the very prospect of peace in the region,” Iran’s president said on Wednesday.
Addressing the UN General Assembly, the first time he has spoken in a global forum since the 12-day Israel-Iran war over the summer, Masoud Pezeshkian said Israeli and US strikes on his country were a betrayal of diplomacy.
The war saw the assassination of a number of Iran’s highest military and political leaders, and broke down weeks of negotiations with the US.
“The aerial assaults of the Zionist regime and the US against Iran’s cities, homes and infrastructures, precisely at a time when we were treading the path of diplomatic negotiations, constituted a grave betrayal of diplomacy and a subversion of efforts toward the establishment of stability and peace,” he said.
“This brazen act of aggression, in addition to martyring a number of commanders, citizens, children, women, scientists and intellectual elites of my country, inflicted a grievous blow upon international trust and the very prospect of peace in the region,” he added.
“The people of Iran, despite the most severe protracted and crushing economic sanctions, psychological and media warfare and persistent efforts to sow discord, at the very instant the first bullet was fired upon their soil, rose in unison in support of their valiant armed forces.”
Pezeshkian slammed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a “criminal” and denounced Israel for committing “genocide” in Gaza, causing mass starvation, perpetuating “apartheid within the Occupied Territories,” and carrying out “aggression against its neighbors.”
Just days before international sanctions could be reimposed on Iran over its nuclear ambitions, Pezeshkian said: “I hereby declare once more before this assembly that Iran has never sought, and will never seek, to build a nuclear bomb. We don’t seek nuclear weapons.”
He condemned the recent Israeli strike on Doha that targeted Hamas negotiators, and declared Iran’s solidarity with the government and people of Qatar.
He also welcomed a defense agreement between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan that was signed last week.
Pezeshkian hailed it “as a beginning for a comprehensive regional security system with the cooperation of the Muslim states of West Asia in the political, security and defense domains.”
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Arab, Islamic leaders urge Trump to end Gaza war, achieve peace
September 24, 2025
LONDON: During a meeting with US President Donald Trump, eight leaders and ministers from Arab and Islamic states stressed the need to end the war in Gaza.
The leaders of Qatar, Jordan, Turkiye, Indonesia and Pakistan, as well as Egypt’s prime minister and the foreign ministers of the UAE and Saudi Arabia, met with Trump on the sidelines of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday.
They highlighted the “humanitarian catastrophe and high human toll” in Gaza, where Israel has killed more than 65,000 Palestinians since October 2023.
They said the war has “serious consequences for the region and impact on the Muslim world,” rejecting the forced displacement of Palestinians from the enclave, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
They added that an immediate ceasefire, the release of Israeli hostages abducted by Hamas, and the entry of sufficient humanitarian aid into Gaza are “the first step toward a just and lasting peace.”
They reaffirmed their commitment to rebuilding the lives of Palestinians in Gaza, and stressed the need for a comprehensive construction plan that outlines security arrangements in the territory and ensures international support for the Palestinian Authority, which they support in its reform efforts.
They also stressed the importance of protecting Jerusalem’s holy sites and maintaining stability in the occupied West Bank, where violence by Israeli settlers has increased since late 2023.
The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to cooperate with Trump to end the war and achieve peace.
The meeting was co-hosted by Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, King Abdullah II of Jordan, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Egyptian Prime Minister Moustafa Kamal Madbouly, Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan.
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Lebanon’s president rejects use of force in efforts to disarm Hezbollah
NAJIA HOUSSARI
September 24, 2025
BEIRUT: “Resorting to force to implement the Lebanese government’s decision to limit arms to the state is out of the question under any circumstances, and cannot take place at present,” Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun said during political meetings on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly in New York.
“The decision to limit arms to the state is in the process of being implemented after overcoming the main obstacle facing it, which is the continued Israeli occupation of the eight hills it has seized, as well as other Lebanese territories,” he said.
Aoun stressed that he “is keen on preserving the unity of the Lebanese people and on preventing anything that could harm this unity,” his media office said on Wednesday.
The president held talks on Tuesday with several Arab and other foreign officials about the security of Lebanon and the situation in the wider region. He called on US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to put pressure on Israel to honor its ceasefire deal with Lebanese authorities and halt its attacks.
In particular, he asked Rubio for US assistance in confirming Israel’s commitment to the Nov. 27, 2024, agreement to end hostilities in southern Lebanon and withdraw from areas it occupies there.
Aoun also discussed the situation in southern Lebanon with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, telling him that Israel was failing to comply with the terms of the ceasefire agreement, even amid growing international calls for action to prevent the security situation from deteriorating further.
In a speech to the General Assembly, Aoun said: “Lebanon has decisively chosen not to be a hub of death, a quagmire of wars, or a launching point for their spread throughout its surroundings.”
He repeated his demand for an immediate end to Israeli attacks, and the withdrawal of the country’s forces from Lebanese territory, as well the release of all prisoners, saying that Lebanon “will neither forget nor abandon” them.
The president stressed the importance of fully implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which was adopted by the Security Council in 2006 with the aim of resolving the conflict that year between Israel and Hezbollah. It calls for an end to hostilities, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon, the withdrawal of Hezbollah and other forces from the south of the country, and the disarmament of Hezbollah and other armed groups.
Aoun also praised the UN Interim Force in Lebanon for its collaboration with the Lebanese army in efforts to maintain security and stability during this transitional period in the country.
Hezbollah opposes any call to surrender its weapons before Israel fulfills its obligations under the 2024 ceasefire agreement.
US envoy Tom Barrack sparked controversy in Lebanon with recent comments in which he conceded that the situation in the country remains “very difficult” but said the efforts so far to disarm Hezbollah have been “just talk without any actual action.”
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam criticized Barrack for undermining “the seriousness of the government and the role of the Lebanese army.”
Barrack’s remarks came before he took part in talks in New York this week between Aoun and Rubio, at which the US envoy to Lebanon, Morgan Ortagus, was also present.
Meanwhile, low-altitude aerial activity by Israeli forces in Lebanese airspace intensified on Wednesday. Reconnaissance warplanes flew over Beirut, its southern suburbs, northern Bekaa, and the Chouf region. Security forces also observed drones dropping objects into valleys in the south of the country.
The resumption of Israeli aerial missions deep inside Lebanese territory comes as Hezbollah prepares to commemorate the first anniversaries of the killings of its secretary-general, Hassan Nasrallah, on Sept. 27 last year, and his de facto successor, Hashem Safieddine, on Oct. 3.
Elsewhere, the UN Interim Force’s spokesperson, Candice Ardell, said an Israeli drone had crashed inside UNIFIL’s headquarters in Naqoura but no one was injured.
“Peacekeepers specialized in explosive ordnance disposal immediately isolated the drone and secured its surroundings, and it turned out that it was not armed but was equipped with a camera. The Israeli army later confirmed that the drone belonged to it,” she said.
“Peacekeeping forces are equipped and ready to take measures against any threats to their safety in self-defense. However, this drone fell on its own.
“As with all Israeli army drones and other aerial sorties over southern Lebanon, this is considered a violation of Resolution 1701 and of Lebanese sovereignty.”
Ardell warned: “UNIFIL takes any interference with, or threats against, its personnel, facilities or operations seriously and will officially protest this act.
“Despite these challenges, peacekeeping forces continue to work with impartiality and steadfastness to support security and stability in southern Lebanon, which ongoing violations continue to put them at risk.”
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Israel’s ‘abhorrent acts’ in Gaza ‘offend human conscience’: Spanish king
GABRIELE MALVISI
September 24, 2025
LONDON: Israel’s “abhorrent acts” in Gaza “offend human conscience and shame the entire international community,” Spain’s King Felipe VI told the UN General Assembly on Wednesday.
“A world without rules amounts to uncharted territory … It’s a return to the Middle Ages,” he said. “Believing in the UN is also believing in a rules-based world. Rules shape behaviors to which the vast majority of international actors adhere. Even when they’re breached, they provide a basis for accountability and enforcement,” he added.
“Rules are the voice of reason used in international relations. They’re the best defense against the law of the strongest.”
Referring to Gaza, King Felipe said: “We can’t remain silent or look away from the devastation. The bombings — including of hospitals, schools and places of refuge — the countless civilian deaths, famine, starvation, the forced displacement of hundreds of thousands of people — to what end? These are abhorrent acts that stand in stark contrast to everything that this forum represents.”
He added: “We … cry out, we implore, we demand: Stop this massacre now. No more deaths in the name of a people who are so wise and ancient, who’ve suffered so greatly throughout history.”
Condemning the “heinous” Hamas attack of Oct. 7, 2023, and urging the release of hostages, he nonetheless insisted that Israel must “fully uphold international humanitarian law throughout Gaza and the West Bank,” adding: “The international community must shoulder its responsibility to achieve as soon as possible a viable solution that would include the existence of two states, to which Spain added its voice.”
Spain recognized Palestine in May 2024, and this week approved a total arms embargo on Israel, halting all defense-related imports, exports and military-use goods, as well as blocking the transit of aircraft fuel with possible military applications.
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UN demands probe into Gaza aid flotilla ‘attacks’
September 24, 2025
GENEVA: The United Nations called Wednesday for an investigation into alleged drone “attacks” against a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, saying anyone responsible for the “violations” should be held accountable.
“There must be an independent, impartial and thorough investigation into the reported attacks and harassment by drones and other objects” on the Global Sumud Flotilla, which said a dozen explosions were heard around its ships late Tuesday, UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan said in a statement.
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A mother stranded in Gaza City says she and her daughters are ‘waiting to die’
September 24, 2025
GAZA CITY: Explosions shake the walls of the dim basement in Gaza City where Noor Abu Hassira and her three daughters are sheltering.
They can’t see much through a small, raised window. But if the sounds of buzzing drones and booming airstrikes are any indication, Israeli forces are getting closer.
Abu Hassira is staying behind despite Israeli warnings to evacuate. She has debilitating leg injuries from an airstrike that destroyed her home at the start of the war and, like many in the devastated territory, she cannot come up with the $2,000 she says it would cost to move to southern Gaza and pitch a tent in a displacement camp.
While most Palestinians in Gaza City have fled south at some point in the 23-month long war, Abu Hassira has been largely bedridden — except for the 11 times she’s had to relocate within her city to keep safe from Israeli assaults.
Her husband is in an Israeli prison, and she and her young girls — Jouri, Maria and Maha — are among the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians still in Gaza City, which before the war had a million residents.
“It feels like we’re just waiting to die, I don’t really care that much anymore,” Abu Hassira wrote over text.
Israel says its offensive is aimed at destroying Hamas and freeing hostages taken during the attack that started the war. It says it is taking steps to mitigate harm to civilians.
If the Abu Hassira family could somehow make it to the south, their troubles would not be over.
“I’m afraid to live in a tent with my daughters. I’m afraid we will drown in the winter. I’m afraid of insects. How will we get water?” she said.
An airstrike destroyed their home
Eight months before the war, Abu Hassira and her family moved into an apartment in Gaza City. She worked as a medical lab technician. Her husband, Raed, was a journalist for a media outlet suspected of links to Hamas. Abu Hassira said her husband was not a member of the militant group.
Jouri, their oldest, was in elementary school. Maria was about to start kindergarten. Maha was just a baby.
“We worked and saved for 10 years to have a comfortable, nice home — our dream house. Now it’s gone,” she said.
After Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 and abducting 251 people, Israel responded with heavy airstrikes across Gaza and a ground invasion. That December, the Abu Hassiras’ apartment building was struck.
The blast collapsed a concrete pillar that pinned Abu Hassira under the rubble, shattering her shoulders, back and legs and knocking her into a coma. Her daughters were also buried in the rubble, though all survived.
Israeli troops raided the hospital
Abu Hassira awoke at Shifa Hospital. Her daughter, Maria, lay beside her with a fractured skull.
Israeli forces had raided the hospital weeks earlier, accusing Hamas of sheltering there. Supplies were running low. It was packed with displaced families and doctors were preoccupied with a steady flow of casualties coming through the gates.
Her husband sent the other two girls to stay with an uncle so he could care for the mother and daughter at the hospital.
“He would change my diapers, my clothes,” Abu Hassira said. “I lay on my back for three months, and he took care of me, combed my hair, and bathed me.”
In March 2024, Israeli troops raided the hospital again, arresting scores of men, including Abu Hassira’s husband. He is now one of hundreds of Palestinian men Israel has rounded up during the war whose whereabouts and legal status remain unknown.
She hasn’t heard from him, but Addameer, a Palestinian legal aid group, said an attorney visited him in an Israeli prison last November. Israel’s prison service, Shin Bet intelligence agency and military declined to say why he was arrested or where he was being held.
“Maha was just over a year old when they took her father away,” Abu Hassira said. “She’s never once said the word ‘daddy.’”
She feared her daughters would die
Israel’s military said it killed some 200 militants over two weeks of fighting inside the sprawling Shifa hospital. The World Health Organization said 21 patients died during the siege. Israel denied harming civilians.
Abu Hassira, who said soldiers told her to leave, fled the incursion with a single bag, leaving her wheelchair and most of her clothes and food behind. The family spent the rest of the year moving from one place to another as Israel carried out raids in and around Gaza City.
“The hardest part is living at other people’s homes ... especially with small children, and everything is expensive. I had no clothes or belongings, so I had to use theirs,” she said.
In the fall of 2024, Israel largely sealed off northern Gaza, including Gaza City, launching major ground operations and heavily restricting humanitarian aid. Clean water was hard to find. They ate little more than bread. Jouri, her oldest, grew malnourished and sick.
“I felt weak, lonely, helpless,” Abu Hassira said. “I was terrified my daughters would die and I couldn’t do anything for them.”
A neighbor volunteered to take Jouri to a malnutrition program where the girl began to recover.
In January, a long-awaited ceasefire took hold, raising hopes that the war would wind down. Hundreds of thousands of people returned to Gaza City, Abu Hassira’s extended family was reunited, and Israel allowed humanitarian aid to flow in.
The war resumes
But Israel shattered the ceasefire in March, launching more airstrikes after halting imports of food, medicine and other goods — a complete blockade that would only be eased 2 ½ months later.
In Gaza City, families like the Abu Hassiras are often without food, which costs 10 times what it did before the war: a kilogram (2.2 pounds) of sugar around $180, a kilogram of flour around $60.
Over 65,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government, but UN agencies and many independent experts view its figures as the most reliable estimate of casualties.
In August, international experts determined Gaza City was experiencing famine. Weeks later, Israel launched an offensive to occupy the city, saying it was needed to pressure Hamas into releasing 48 remaining hostages, around 20 of them believed by Israel to be alive.
Abu Hassira has seen the evacuation leaflets dropped by Israeli aircraft. Many of her neighbors have packed up and left.
But she can barely walk, and a truck ride south would cost around $900. A tent would cost around $1,100, she says, and who knows where they would put it. The Israeli-designated humanitarian zone largely consists of crowded camps and demolished buildings. Families who have moved to new grounds for the displaced have found them sparse and lawless, with armed gangs patrolling the area to demand rent.
For now, Abu Hassira says she and her daughters will remain in her parents’ basement in the once-upscale Rimal neighborhood, near the Mediterranean Sea. She says she can’t cook or wash, and spends her days sitting in a chair or lying down. She needs help to use the bathroom.
“I wish my daughters and I would die together before we are forced to leave,” she said. “We are exhausted.”
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Arab World
Arab and Islamic leaders reaffirm rejection of Gaza displacement in joint summit with Trump
September 24, 2025
NEW YORK — Arab and Islamic leaders reaffirmed their rejection of the forced displacement of Gaza’s population and stressed the need to allow the return of those who fled, during a high-level summit with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
The joint statement was issued following a multilateral meeting between Trump and leaders from eight Arab and Islamic countries, held at UN headquarters during the 80th General Assembly session.
The summit was co-hosted by Trump and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, with the participation of Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, UAE Vice President and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan.
The leaders thanked Trump for convening the meeting and highlighted the “intolerable humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza, citing massive civilian losses and regional instability.
They reiterated their shared position rejecting forced displacement and emphasized the urgent need for displaced Palestinians to return.
The statement also called for an immediate ceasefire to secure the release of hostages and ensure the entry of sufficient humanitarian aid as a first step toward a just and lasting peace.
The leaders expressed readiness to cooperate with Trump and underlined the importance of U.S. leadership in ending the war and opening a path to stability.
They stressed the need for a detailed stabilization plan, including safeguarding the West Bank and Jerusalem’s holy sites, and voiced support for reforms within the Palestinian Authority.
The participants further underscored the necessity of a comprehensive Gaza reconstruction plan based on Arab and OIC proposals, coupled with international assistance and security arrangements to support Palestinian leadership.
They concluded by affirming their commitment to sustain momentum, framing the summit as the beginning of a collective path toward peace and regional cooperation.
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Saudi Arabia participates in GCC–UK ministerial meeting at UNGA
September 24, 2025
LONDON: Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Multilateral International Affairs, Abdulrahman Al-Raisi, took part in a ministerial meeting between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states and the United Kingdom on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
The meeting reviewed the latest regional and international developments and highlighted joint efforts to address them.
Discussions focused on the importance of strengthening GCC–UK cooperation to meet the aspirations of both sides and contribute to stability and prosperity.
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Saudi foreign minister joins UN meeting on Gaza’s future
September 24, 2025
DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on Wednesday attended a high-level meeting convened by French President Emmanuel Macron on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly to discuss the situation in Gaza and efforts to restore stability.
The talks focused on the urgent need for a ceasefire, support for the Palestinian Authority to assume responsibility for governing Gaza in coordination with the West Bank, and rejection of any attempts at annexation or displacement.
Participants also discussed the possible deployment of international forces to protect the Palestinian population, following a request from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, as well as measures to facilitate reconstruction, stability, and economic recovery.
Prince Faisal was joined by Prince Musab bin Mohammed Al-Farhan, Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs, and Dr. Manal Radwan, Minister Delegate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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Saudi Centre Catalogues Over 550 Perennial Trees
September 24, 2025
RIYADH: The National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification announced on Wednesday it has catalogued more than 550 sites of perennial trees across Saudi Arabia.
The achievement is part of efforts to safeguard this unique natural asset and preserve it as part of the Kingdom’s national identity and natural heritage.
Perennial trees are symbols of life and enduring resilience, said the centre, capable of withstanding harsh climatic conditions and standing as a living testimony to the deep bond between people and land.
Protecting them is not just a duty; it is a long-term investment in the environment, public health and national identity.
Its impact extends to social, cultural and economic benefits, such as conserving natural and historical heritage, raising environmental awareness, promoting eco-tourism, supporting local economies and reducing costs associated with desertification and land degradation.
The center also works to develop, protect and monitor vegetation-cover sites across the country. It rehabilitates degraded areas, detects violations, combats illegal woodcutting and oversees the sustainable use of rangelands, forests and national parks, advancing sustainable development and contributing to Saudi Green Initiative objectives.
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Saudi firm signs deal with Syria to develop digital healthcare services
September 24, 2025
LONDON: A Saudi company that specializes in providing digital health solutions and e-services this week signed a deal with Syria to help develop its healthcare infrastructure.
Lean Business Services CEO Mohanned Al-Rasheed and Syria’s Minister of Health Musab Al-Ali oversaw the signing of a memorandum of understanding in the presence of Saudi Minister of Health Fahad Abdulrahman Al-Jalajel.
The deal will involve the use of innovative technologies developed by Lean, which is owned by the Kingdom’s Public Investment Fund.
The company will also provide technical support, consultations and staff training to help Syria’s Ministry of Health build digital health and record systems.
The partnership will create data management and analytics solutions to ensure data flow between health systems and support the establishment of national standards and policies.
Al-Rasheed described the deal as “an important step toward building bridges of knowledge cooperation.”
“(This is) a strategic partnership to share the expertise we have built in the Kingdom, which has proven successful in achieving a qualitative leap in health services,” he said.
“Our strategic vision is to empower the Syrian health sector by building sustainable digital foundations that support evidence-based decision-making and develop national capabilities.”
Lean’s teams would help Syrians digitize their health sector and pave the way for “a modern and flexible health future,” Al-Rasheed said.
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Saudi, UK foreign ministers discuss Gaza at UN
September 24, 2025
LONDON: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper on Wednesday on the sidelines of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly.
The two sides discussed cooperation between Riyadh and London as well as regional and international developments, particularly the situation in the Gaza Strip, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Prince Faisal was joined by Saudi Ambassador to the US Princess Reema bint Bandar and advisers to the ministry Prince Musab bin Mohammed Al-Farhan and Mohammed Al-Yahya.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2616586/saudi-arabia
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KSrelief dispatches relief plane to support Palestinians in Gaza
September 24, 2025
LONDON: The Saudi aid agency KSrelief dispatched a 65th relief plane to support Palestinians in the Gaza Strip during the ongoing Israeli attacks.
The plane arrived on Wednesday at the Egyptian airport of Al-Arish, with the aid shipment of food supplies to be delivered to Palestinians in Gaza, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
KSrelief provides aid, including food baskets, medical care, and school supplies, to 95 countries. This week, it began new programs in Yemen, Sudan and Lebanon to deliver food, provide care to burn victims and tackle unemployment.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2616571/saudi-arabia
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North America
Trump excludes Biden from ‘Presidential Walk of Fame’
24 Sep, 2025
US President Donald Trump unveiled the ‘Presidential Walk of Fame’ at the White House on Wednesday, featuring portraits of all his predecessors – except Joe Biden, who is instead represented by the image of an autopen.
The portraits, displayed in gold frames along the West Wing Colonnade, begin with George Washington and extend to Trump himself, before culminating in a photograph of the pen device used to sign Biden-era documents.
Trump has criticized his predecessor’s use of the autopen – a mechanical device that reproduces a person’s signature. In June, he ordered a Justice Department probe into whether Biden’s aides effectively exercised presidential authority while concealing the Democrat’s alleged cognitive decline.
Emails from Biden’s White House reportedly revealed internal concerns – including at the Justice Department – over whether the former president had personally reviewed certain clemency orders.
“I guess the only one he signed, or one of the few he signed, was the pardon for his son,” Trump told reporters earlier this month, insisting that the autopen was “illegally used.”
Biden has rejected the claims, maintaining that all decisions were his own and that autopen use was fully authorized. Under US law, documents signed with the device carry the same legal weight as handwritten signatures if approved by the president.
The Walk of Fame is part of broader White House renovations under Trump, including gold gilding in the Oval Office, a marble patio in the Rose Garden modeled after his Florida estate, a new ballroom under construction, and the installation of two 27-meter flagpoles on the White House lawn, which Trump has described as “the best poles anywhere in the country or in the world.”
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/625223-trump-biden-autopen-portrait/
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NCCM ‘horrified’ after Facebook protest uses name of man convicted of Quebec City mosque attack
September 24, 2025
The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) says they are “deeply horrified and concerned” about an event that was scheduled on social media using the name of the man convicted of a mosque attack in Quebec City.
Alexandre Bissonnette was convicted following the shooting in 2017, which killed six Muslim worshippers and wounded several others.
The NCCM says the event was to protest against the “Islamization of Quebec” in Montreal and was posted on Facebook – scheduled to take place on the next anniversary of the attack – January 29, 2026. It has reportedly since been taken down.
The NCCM says they have worked with Meta regarding this, which led to the page and event being removed; however, they are calling for those responsible to be held accountable, including the hundreds who signed up for the gathering.
“This is yet another extremely troubling example of Islamophobes trying to intimidate Muslims in Quebec, which can lead to serious and possibly even violent actions,” said NCCM CEO Stephen Brown in a statement. “It is extremely dangerous. We are asking for an immediate response from elected leaders and authorities.”
The NCCM would add, “There is no room in Quebec or Canadian society for the promotion of hate against any community. Islamophobic incidents have risen at an alarming rate in recent years. This is unacceptable. We need authorities and elected leaders to condemn this event, and to work with community members to stand up against Islamophobia and hate.”
Source: citynews.ca
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https://montreal.citynews.ca/2025/09/24/nccm-facebook-protest-convicted-of-quebec-city-mosque-attack/
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CAIR-Texas Joins Calls for Release of Dallas Muslim Community Leader Abducted by ICE
September 24, 2025
The Texas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-TX) today joined the Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA) and other organizations in calling on the Trump administration to release Marwan Marouf, an MLFA client, longtime Dallas Muslim community leader and legal immigrant who was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on September 22.
Reports indicate Marwan Marouf was detained after dropping his son off at school, while on his way to work. According to the Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA), they have represented him for over six years in his application for lawful permanent residence. Marouf helped found the largest Boy Scout troop in North Dallas (Circle 10 District), consistently volunteered with the Red Cross, organized drug awareness campaigns for youth, and served as a certified disaster-relief first responder. Local sources confirm he has held leadership roles in MAS Dallas and the North Texas Islamic Council, contributing to interfaith outreach and community care.
In a statement, CAIR-TX Executive Director Mustafaa Carroll said:
“We demand that the Trump administration immediately releases Marwan Marouf from this unjust detention. Mr. Marouf has been a pillar of the community and has worked to serve the people of Dallas and our nation. He must be released immediately.”
CAIR-Austin Director Shaimaa Zayan said:
“Both CAIR and CAIR-Texas are deeply concerned about the case of Mr. Marouf, given his respected standing within both Muslim and non-Muslim communities across Texas. Mr. Marouf is a devoted family man who has consistently engaged in peaceful, civic, and charitable efforts, contributing meaningfully to our country.
“We reject narratives pushed by hate-driven and fear-mongering groups that lack credibility. Instead, we call for transparency and accountability. What specific illegal actions is Mr. Marouf being accused of? Why has he been denied due process?
“We commend the Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA) for stepping up to provide legal representation. Based on the information available, it appears Mr. Marouf is being unfairly targeted and profiled due to his faith and charitable work.
“This broader immigration crackdown—marked by the arrest and deportation of peaceful, hard-working immigrants—does nothing to solve our nation’s real challenges. On the contrary, it deepens social divisions and undermines the values we claim to uphold.”
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
Do you like reading CAIR press releases and taking part in our action alerts? You can help contribute to CAIR’s work of defending civil rights and empowering American Muslims across the country by making a one-time contribution or becoming a monthly donor. Supporters like you make CAIR’s advocacy work possible and defeating Islamophobia an achievable goal. Click here to donate to CAIR.
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Source: cair.com
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-texas-joins-calls-for-release-of-dallas-muslim-community-leader-abducted-by-ice/
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CAIR-Arizona Welcomes Guilty Plea for Threats Targeting Mosque
September 24, 2025
The Arizona chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-AZ), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed a guilty plea by a man charged with making anti-Muslim threats targeting a Maricopa, Arizona, mosque.
Mark Martinez, 36, is charged with making the threats in a phone call to Masjid Bilal ibn Rabah in August, during which he reportedly vowed a “crusade” against Muslims. A change-of-plea hearing is scheduled for October 28.
Earlier this month, CAIR-AZ welcomed the release of an audio recording of alleged racist and anti-Muslim threats targeting the mosque.
“We welcome this guilty plea as an important step toward justice and accountability,” said CAIR-Arizona Executive Director Azza Abuseif. “No community should have to live in fear of violence or hatred simply for practicing their faith. We hope this case sends a clear message that bias-motivated threats or violence will not be tolerated in Arizona or anywhere in our nation.”
She added that CAIR offers a “Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety” booklet to help keep religious facilities safe. The advice in the booklet is applicable to all houses of worship.
Earlier this year, CAIR released its 2025 Civil Rights Report, Unconstitutional Crackdowns, which reveals that Islamophobia remains at record-high levels nationwide. CAIR said viewpoint discrimination against those speaking out against genocide and apartheid was a key factor in many cases.
Washington, D.C., based CAIR encourages community members facing bias or hate incidents to report them to law enforcement and to CAIR.
Source: cair.com
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-arizona-welcomes-guilty-plea-for-threats-targeting-mosque/
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Africa
ICIEC, Takaful Libya sign deal to boost Shariah-compliant export credit insurance
September 24, 2025
By Obinna Ezugwu
The Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC), a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, has signed a facultative reinsurance agreement with Takaful Libya aimed at expanding Shariah-compliant export credit insurance in the North African country.
The agreement, sealed during the IsDB Group Day in Tripoli on Tuesday, is expected to strengthen Takaful Libya’s ability to underwrite export credit risks, giving local exporters broader protection against payment defaults while opening access to new markets.
Under the arrangement, ICIEC will provide reinsurance cover for selected transactions insured by Takaful Libya. Officials say the partnership will support Libyan exporters and banks engaged in cross-border trade, bolstering resilience in an economy still recovering from years of instability.
“This agreement reflects ICIEC’s mandate to de-risk trade across our Member States by empowering local partners,” said Dr. Khalid Khalafalla, Chief Executive Officer of ICIEC. “By extending export credit reinsurance capacity and know-how to Takaful Libya, we will help Libyan exporters safeguard their receivables, strengthen their competitiveness in global markets, and contribute to rebuilding national trade flows.”
General Manager of Takaful Insurance Company, Mr. Bashir Ali Khallat, described the deal as a milestone for Libya’s economy.
“For Libya, this agreement represents more than just a financial arrangement – it is a new avenue of opportunity, a platform to boost and promote our exports, and a stepping stone toward greater economic growth,” he said.
Beyond risk cover, the agreement will enable technical cooperation in underwriting, credit risk assessment, capacity building, and claims management. According to both institutions, the initiative will reinforce prudential requirements while expanding Takaful Libya’s product offerings for corporates and financial institutions.
The signing underscores the IsDB Group’s broader agenda of fostering trade and investment across its member states. Implementation of the deal is set to begin immediately, with priority given to high-impact export sectors aligned with Libya’s national development goals.
Source: hallmarknews.com
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https://hallmarknews.com/iciec-takaful-libya-sign-deal-to-boost-shariah-compliant-export-credit-insurance/
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EFCC: Court Sentences Former Legislative Aide To Eight Years In Prison
September 24, 2025
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ilorin Zone, has secured the conviction and sentence of a former legislative aide and banker, Goni Yilkan.
Naija News gathered that Yilkan was convicted for obtaining by false pretence to the tune of ₦120.5 million before Justice F. E Messiri of the Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Jabi, Abuja.
The court found Yilkan, who hails from Nguru, Yobe State, guilty on a two-count charge of obtaining money by false pretence, contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act, and consequently sentenced to eight years imprisonment without option of fine.
The former legislative aide was arraigned alongside one Mohammed Adamu in October 2023, following investigations into a petitioner’s claims of being defrauded by the convict.
According to the petitioner, Mrs. Hindatu Bello, Yilkan deceived her between 2020 and 2021 into believing that he had the capacity to secure employment slots in government agencies such as the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
On this strength, the petitioner collected varying sums of money from over 60 job seekers, amounting to ₦120,580,550.00 (One Hundred and Twenty Million, Five Hundred and Eighty Thousand, Five Hundred and Fifty Naira), which she allegedly remitted to the convict.
But the purported employment offers never materialized, prompting Bello to petition the EFCC.
One of the charges read: “That you, Mohammed Goni Yilkan, Mohammed Adamu and others at large between 3rd January 2020 and December 2021 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory with intent to defraud obtained the sum of ₦120, 580, 550 (One Hundred and Twenty Million, Five Hundred and Eighty Thousand, Five Hundred and Fifty Naira) from Mrs. Hindatu Bello under the false pretence that you had the capacity to secure jobs for her candidates in various Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government of Nigeria which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
During the trial, counsel to the EFCC, Cosmas Ugwu, called six witnesses and tendered documentary evidence, while the defence lawyers, led by J.A. Oguche, presented two witnesses, including Yilkan himself.
In his judgment, Justice Messiri held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The judge convicted Yilkan, but discharged and acquitted his co-defendant, Adamu. The judge further sentenced Yilkan to eight years’ imprisonment without an option of fine.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/09/24/efcc-court-sentences-former-legislative-aide-to-eight-years-in-prison/
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Rivers APC Demands Tough Sanctions Against Sowore Over Attacks On Tinubu, Wike
September 24, 2025
By Enioluwa Adeniyi
The All Progressives Congress (APC), Rivers State chapter, has urged the Federal Government to take a tough stance against the African Action Congress (AAC) 2023 presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, over his recent criticisms of President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Naija News reports that the party also appealed to Nigerians to reject what it described as the “antics of a serial merchant of discord and purveyor of half-truths,” insisting that Sowore’s comments were defamatory and dangerous to Nigeria’s democracy.
In a statement on Wednesday, APC state chairman, Tony Okocha, said spreading falsehoods to discredit leaders was unacceptable.
“Attempting to incite Nigerians against the government with the crudity of style is treasonable felony. Any action capable of undermining public trust and threatening Nigeria’s democracy, stemming from malice, is unacceptable,” Okocha declared.
He noted that while criticism is healthy in any democracy, Sowore’s attacks on Tinubu and Wike crossed the line.
Recently, Sowore referred to President Tinubu as a “criminal” and accused Wike of using public funds to acquire luxury properties in Florida, United States.
Dismissing the claims, Okocha said, “These baseless allegations are nothing more than the bitter rantings of a man rejected at the polls and drowning in political irrelevance. What sane citizen of a country refers to the highest office holder as a criminal?”
The Rivers APC chairman further accused Sowore of running a media empire founded on blackmail.
“Sowore has built his entire career on lies. His Sahara Reporters platform is notorious for publishing fabricated stories and half-truths, often used as tools for blackmail and extortion,” Okocha alleged.
He recalled that the police had previously charged Sowore with forgery and false publication for circulating a “fake” police signal designed to undermine national security.
Okocha also cited Sowore’s 2019 #RevolutionNow protests, describing them as an attempted insurrection.
“No genuine democrat calls for the violent overthrow of a legitimate government. Sowore’s actions then, and his continued incitement now, prove he is more of an anarchist and a psychopath than a patriot,” he said.
The APC leader urged Nigerians to ignore Sowore’s “blackmail” and instead focus on the achievements of Tinubu and Wike.
“President Tinubu is implementing his 10-point ‘Renewed Hope Agenda.’ The economy is booming! Road infrastructure is verifiable. The trillion-naira Lagos–Calabar expressway, which pundits like Sowore dismissed as impossible, is on the fast track. The blind can see it,” Okocha said.
He added that Nigerians should celebrate Tinubu’s strides rather than “pay attention to baseless conjectures.”
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2025/09/24/rivers-apc-demands-tough-sanctions-against-sowore-over-attacks-on-tinubu-wike/
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Uganda clears Museveni and Bobi Wine to face off in 2026 presidential election
September 25, 2025
Uganda’s Electoral Commission has cleared President Yoweri Museveni and opposition leader Bobi Wine to run in the country’s 2026 elections.
The announcement sets the stage for a dramatic political showdown between the 81-year-old leader — who has ruled since 1986 — and his 43-year-old rival, a pop star turned politician who commands strong support among young Ugandans.
Museveni, one of Africa’s longest-serving presidents, is seeking another five-year term under the National Resistance Movement. He points to economic growth, new infrastructure, and stability as his achievements, and has pledged to focus on wealth creation, education, health and the fight against corruption.
But critics accuse him of authoritarianism, citing constitutional changes that removed term and age limits, crackdowns on the opposition, and widespread human rights abuses.
Bobi Wine, who lost to Museveni in 2021 and alleged fraud in that vote, says he represents a new generation demanding change. His candidacy was confirmed Wednesday in Kampala, alongside his wife at the Electoral Commission.
With elections set for January 2026, the stage is now set for a high-stakes contest that pits Uganda’s past against its possible future.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.africanews.com/2025/09/25/uganda-clears-museveni-and-bobi-wine-to-face-off-in-2026-presidential-election/
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Malawi elections: Peter Mutharika defies the odds to make a comeback
September 24, 2025
After hinting that he was retiring from politics, Mutharika launched a bid for the presidency, saying he was returning to 'rescue the nation'.
His Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) ran a vigorous campaign promising a return to the good old days.
He accused Chakwera of mismanaging the economy, which is battling high inflation, power blackouts, fuel and currency shortages.
Life under Mutharika was comparatively easier for most Malawians. Inflation was in single digits, and his program of giving fertilizer to maize farmers promoted food security and kept prices down.
Inflation skyrocketed to as high as 33% under Chakwera.
Despite his performance on the economy, many Malawians will remember Mutharika's first term as one marked by corruption scandals.
As president, Mutharika was accused of accepting over $200,000 from a business person under investigation for tender fraud.
Mutharika is the brother of Bingu Wa Mutharika, who led Malawi for two terms before dying in office in 2012.
A constitutional law expert, Peter was his brother's right-hand man.
After Bingu's death, Peter was accused of concealing the news in an attempt to install himself as successor.
He was subsequently charged with treason, but the charge was dropped when he won a presidential election in 2014.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.africanews.com/2025/09/24/malawi-elections-peter-mutharika-defies-the-odds-to-make-a-comeback/
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Southeast Asia
Ipoh High Court Rules 26-Year-Old Legally Hindu, Not Muslim
theSun Local
2025-09-24
PETALING JAYA: The Ipoh High Court has ruled in favour of a 26-year-old man seeking to be legally recognised as a Hindu, declaring that he is not a Muslim.
Justice Bhupinder Singh said there was no proof that the man – who sued the National Registration Department (JPN) and the Perak Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIPk) – had ever professed Islam, FMT reported.
“The (MAIPk) officer also confirmed that the plaintiff never converted to Islam based on the state’s records,” he said.
The man, a Teluk Intan resident, was born to a Hindu mother and a Muslim convert father who left soon after his birth.
His parents were married in a temple ceremony but never registered their marriage under shariah or civil law.
After his mother’s death in 2007, he and his two older sisters were raised by their aunt.
He told the court he has practised Hinduism all his life and never embraced Islam.
In 2012, he was issued an identity card bearing the word “Islam,” which he said was because of his father’s religion.
His application to remove the word in 2021 was rejected by JPN, prompting him to file the lawsuit.
Justice Bhupinder said the court was guided by the Federal Court’s precedent in the case of Rosliza Ibrahim, who was similarly declared not to be a Muslim due to the absence of evidence that she professed the Islamic faith.
He also dismissed MAIPk’s argument that the man must be considered a Muslim since his IC listed “Islam.”
“An identity card is not conclusive evidence of one’s religious identity. The defendant claimed he is a Muslim, and they need to back up this claim,” he stressed.
The court further noted that because the man’s parents were never legally married, he could not be deemed to have inherited his father’s religion.
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thesun.my/malaysia-news/ipoh-high-court-rules-26-year-old-legally-hindu-not-muslim-NK14960926
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DPM Zahid: Govt agrees to form TVET Commission in bid to streamline skills education
25 Sep 2025
PUTRAJAYA, Sept 25 — The government today agreed to establish the National Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Commission to strengthen institutional regulation, coordinate and monitor strategies, and create a more systematic, focused and responsive TVET ecosystem.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the decision was reached during the second meeting of the National TVET Council (MTVET) 2025, which he chaired today.
He said the proposal to establish the TVET Commission stemmed from a series of discussions, including the KEB 2024 retreat, the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) document, as well as previous MTVET meetings.
“The TVET Commission will serve as a dedicated entity functioning as the main regulatory body for TVET in Malaysia,” he said in a statement today.
Ahmad Zahid, who also chairs MTVET, said the commission will operate as a single regulatory body tasked with formulating national TVET policies and strategies.
The commission will also oversee the registration of TVET institutions, skill standards, centralised student intake and big data management; monitor institutional performance; evaluate programme outcomes; and recommend interventions and improvements to central agencies.
“The establishment of the TVET Commission is aligned with the government’s aspiration to position TVET as a premier choice for education and career pathways, producing a highly skilled workforce that meets industry needs and contributes to national economic growth.
“A series of townhall sessions and stakeholder engagements with industry players will be held over the next six months to ensure the commission’s establishment is realised,” he said.
Ahmad Zahid reiterated the government’s commitment to making TVET a mainstream education pathway in national development — not just an alternative route, but a driver of an economy based on skills, innovation and high productivity.
He said new enrolments in TVET programmes increased to 212,022 in 2024 compared to 175,780 in 2023.
“I believe the success of TVET requires tripartite cooperation between the government, TVET institutions and industry to ensure that curricula, training methods and trainer competencies remain relevant to market demands,” he said.
He said TVET graduates must also be equipped with strategic skills in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), data centre management, cybersecurity and electric vehicles (EVs).
“I hope all parties will work together to drive these initiatives.
“This MTVET meeting has clearly outlined the direction to position Malaysia as a regional TVET hub by 2030, in line with the Malaysia Madani aspiration,” he said. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/09/25/dpm-zahid-govt-agrees-to-form-tvet-commission-in-bid-to-streamline-skills-education/192363
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Malaysia’s policy push turns Johor into top Asia Pacific data centre destination
By Malay Mail
25 Sep 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 — Johor’s transformation into Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing data centre hub is being driven by robust government policies and strategic national planning.
The state’s aggregate capacity nearly doubled to 5.8 gigawatts (GW) in the 12 months leading to the second quarter of 2025, a development described as “nothing short of remarkable” in Knight Frank’s latest Asia-Pacific Data Centre Report.
Amy Wong of Knight Frank Malaysia highlighted that the national Data Centre Planning Guidelines have been central to this success, enabling developers to navigate land and power challenges.
“Government planning and policy support are key enablers of Malaysia’s rise as a strategic digital hub,” she said.
The demand is tangible: Johor recorded 260 megawatts (MW) of leasing activity in the first half of 2025, with social media platforms driving 61 per cent of this take-up.
Consequently, the vacancy rate remains one of the lowest in the region at just 1.1 per cent, underscoring the urgent need for more power capacity to sustain this growth.
Knight Frank’s Chelwin Soo said Johor’s future expansion will hinge on how effectively power availability and sustainability are addressed.
This national policy alignment has positioned Malaysia as a top choice for hyperscalers seeking scalable and future-ready locations.
Across the Asia-Pacific region, major players like AWS, Microsoft, Google, and Meta are deploying record investments, committing over US$160 billion globally this year alone.
Fred Fitzalan Howard, head of data centres at Knight Frank Asia Pacific, said governments that synchronise energy and technology needs will attract the next wave of investment.
The growing focus on cloud and AI workloads is reshaping site selection priorities, driving unprecedented infrastructure spending.
Malaysia’s strategic planning and proactive policies are now positioning Johor as a cornerstone of the region’s digital infrastructure landscape.
With demand accelerating, Knight Frank said the ability to match power supply with AI-driven growth will define Malaysia’s leadership in the next phase of the data centre boom.
Source: malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/09/25/malaysias-policy-push-turns-johor-into-top-asia-pacific-data-centre-destination/192322
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Malaysian Red Crescent urges global solidarity to stop humanitarian crisis in Gaza
25 Sep 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 — Malaysian Red Crescent (MRC) has urged all Red Cross and Red Crescent leaders to work together to show solidarity wherever possible to influence decision-makers to seek ceasefire, mobilise funding and support humanitarian services in Gaza.
Malaysian Red Crescent national chairman, the Tunku Temenggong of Kedah, Tan Sri Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz Almarhum Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah, said humanitarian workers were being targeted and killed in Gaza, and this must be stopped and highlighted to the international community.
“As we celebrate our work together as a Southeast Asian humanitarian network, I feel it is important to remember those who are most in need of assistance. I’m thinking particularly of our brothers and sisters in Gaza, who are enduring the most appalling suffering.
“Humanitarian workers are being targeted and killed, and this is something that we really need to put a stop to and highlight because we must do everything to alleviate and end the terrible suffering there.
“Let us carry forward the spirit of solidarity and compassion that’s been renewed, and may the seas that unite us remain symbols of connection, binding us in service to humanity,” she said in her speech at the closing dinner of the 22nd Southeast Asia Red Cross and Red Crescent Leaders Meeting and the launch of MRC’s 75th Anniversary Coffee Table Book here last night.
The dinner was attended by the prime minister’s wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad and Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong.
Commenting on the three-day meeting themed The Seas that Unite Us, Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz said it reflected on challenges faced by the region, including disaster preparedness, climate change, health crises and displacement, while highlighting the importance of cross-border collaboration in humanitarian action.
Earlier, Dr Wan Azizah inaugurated the Malaysian Red Crescent’s 75th Anniversary Coffee Table Book in conjunction with its anniversary. The book will be available to the public for a RM250 donation, with proceeds channelled to support humanitarian services.
The event was made possible with the support of various donors and partners, including Yayasan Raja Zarith Sofiah Negeri Johor, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Prime Minister’s Department and National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA).
According to MCR’s statement, the event is expected to strengthen partnerships with governments, corporate partners, donors and international stakeholders, while deepening regional solidarity among Southeast Asia’s Red Cross Red Crescent and National Societies.
“The event also enhanced recognition of MRC’s 75-year humanitarian legacy and encouraged greater public engagement, particularly inspiring youth and communities to contribute to the humanitarian mission,” it said. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/09/25/malaysian-red-crescent-urges-global-solidarity-to-stop-humanitarian-crisis-in-gaza/192315
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EPF says more Malaysians saving for longer golden years with voluntary top-ups
By Dhesegaan Bala Krishnan
25 Sep 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 25 — More Malaysians are proactively shoring up their retirement savings, preparing for longer-than-expected twilight years that could stretch well beyond 75.
The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) said retirement readiness is improving in Malaysia, following a steady increase in voluntary contributions and contributions above the statutory rate.
Currently, 42 per cent of EPF members aged between 51 and 55 have achieved the Basic Savings threshold by age — up from 36 per cent two years ago.
Basic Savings refers to a pre-determined amount set according to age in the Retirement Account, ensuring members have at least RM240,000 by the age of 55.
This allows retirees to withdraw RM1,000 monthly to cover basic retirement needs for 20 years — from age 55 to 75.
However, under the new three-tier Retirement Income Adequacy (RIA) framework, EPF will gradually raise the Basic Savings threshold for members turning 60 from RM240,000 to:
• RM290,000 by January 1, 2026
• RM340,000 by January 1, 2027
• RM390,000 by January 1, 2028
Based on EPF’s calculations, a retiree with Basic Savings of RM390,000 will be able to withdraw RM1,625 in the first year of retirement, rising to RM4,434 by year 20.
In the early years, however, this may fall short of the RM2,690 that a single elderly person is estimated to require each month to maintain a decent retirement life.
Still, EPF is upbeat about the current trend in savings.
For example, the average savings of members aged between 50 and 54 rose from RM265,788 in 2022 to RM308,644 in 2024 — above the Basic Savings threshold set for 2026.
“This overall improvement has been driven by both policy enhancements and stronger contributions,” EPF told Malay Mail in an email response.
“A significant step was the restructuring of EPF accounts in May 2024, which increased the allocation of contributions to the Retirement Account from 70 to 75 per cent.
“By directing more savings into long-term funds, account restructuring provides members with a stronger foundation for life after retirement,” it added.
Voluntary contributions on the rise
EPF’s voluntary contribution schemes — i-Saraan and i-Suri — are now seen as viable long-term investments, increasingly popular even among those in the informal sector.
Voluntary contributions rose by 62 per cent in 2024, while active membership expanded at a faster pace than the overall labour force.
Similarly, members in the formal sector are also boosting their savings through the Voluntary Excess (VE) contribution programme, which allows employees or employers, or both, to contribute above the statutory rate.
In the first half of 2025, 34,442 formal sector members contributed above the statutory rate — almost double the 19,591 members recorded in the same period last year.
What about monthly pension-style payouts?
When tabling the 13th Malaysia Plan in July, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim proposed introducing monthly pension-style payments for new EPF members.
Explaining the proposal, Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying said future contributions would be split into two components — a Flexible Savings account, which members can withdraw at any time, and an Income Savings account, which would be disbursed regularly or monthly until fully utilised.
EPF said the proposal came about as rising life expectancy and Malaysia’s ageing population posed challenges to retirement income adequacy.
However, it clarified that there are no changes for now to its withdrawal or dividend distribution policies.
“For EPF, any proposal will only be considered after detailed study and engagement to ensure it meets members’ needs while maintaining the sustainability of the overall system,” it added.
Source: malaymail.com
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