Profits From Halal-Certified Products Used To Fund Terrorism And ‘Love Jihad’ And Religious Conversion: UP CM
New Age Islam News Bureau
23 October 2025
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath | AFP
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· Profits From Halal-Certified Products Used To Fund Terrorism And ‘Love Jihad’ And Religious Conversion: UP CM
· Assam Government To Introduce Bills On 'Love Jihad,' Polygamy: Assam CM
· Jaish-e-Mohammed Launches Online 'Jihadi Course', 'Tufat Al-Muminat', For Women; Will Charge PKR 500
· ‘Your Prophet Is A Paedophile’ - Irish Imam Verbally Abused, Pushed And Shouted On Plane
· ‘Nigerian Muslims Suffer More Persecution Than Christians’, Muslim Rights Concern Alleges
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India
· Javed Akhtar Asks Hindus “Not To Become Like Muslims” In An Old Video; Comes Under Fire
· 'RSS Not Registered Organisation, So Where Is Money Coming From?' Asks Congress
· Celebrating 250 years of Lucknow’s legacy: Replicas of Iraq in city of Nawabs
· Terror Camps, Launch Pads Resurface Along LOC in PoK: Intel report
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Pakistan
· Afghanistan Media Group Condemns Arrest of Journalist in Pakistan, Demands Immediate Release
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Europe
· London Cops Ban Nationalist Parade In Muslim Neighbourhood Over Fears Of 'Serious Disorder'
· NHS Junior Doctor Who ‘Called For Jihad On The Streets Of London’ Is Arrested
· Why is Azerbaijan building its first casino next to holy Islamic sites?
· Decision in on plans to knock down and rebuild Prestwich mosque after 1,630 people object
· King lands in Rome for historic visit to meet Pope
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Africa
· Court Rejects Bail Bid Of Alleged Terrorists’ Negotiator Tukur Mamu
· Drone attacks in Khartoum for third consecutive day: witnesses
· First domestic flight lands in Sudan’s capital Khartoum since war began
· Interpol and Afripol crack down on terror financing across Africa
· ‘If We Stop Buying AK-47 For Jobless People, Problem Of Criminality Will Be Solved’ – Oshiomhole To Politicians
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Mideast
· Rubio Says Israel Annexation Moves In West Bank ‘Threatening’ Peace Deal
· Twelve UN staff leave Yemen’s Sanaa after Houthi detention: UN
· US lawmakers demand answers about American-Palestinian teenager detained in Israel
· Iraq bans US gaming platform Roblox over child safety concerns
· Israel deports foreign activists who helped Palestinian olive harvest
· Israeli lawmakers approve advancement of West Bank annexation bills
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South Asia
· Buet Student Sent To Jail Over ‘Hurting Religious Sentiment’
· Muttaqi, Former U.S. Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad Discuss Bilateral Relations
· No chance of caretaker government before referendum: Nahid Islam
· UK Defence Ministry Reveals Nearly 50 Data Breaches in Afghan Resettlement Schemes
· Afghanistan Risks Losing 10% of GDP as Aid Declines, Warns IRC
· Case against Hasina: Ex-IGP became approver to protect himself
· Yunus meets Jamaat, NCP; reaffirms commitment to free and fair election
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Arab World
· Saudi Arabia Condemns Israeli Draft Laws For Annexation Of Palestinian Land
· Sheikh Saleh Al-Fawzan appointed Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia
· Royal Commission for AlUla announces partnership with Centre Pompidou in Paris
· Saudi family traditions have shaped how people connect online, says exec
· Tree species discovered for first time at King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve
· Athar Festival spotlights Kingdom’s push for sustainable tourism
· Saudi anti-corruption authority makes scores of arrests for bribery offenses
· AI Platform Unveiled In Riyadh Ushers In New Era For Customer Engagement
· Mishkat Interactive Centre in Riyadh celebrates innovation, efficiency on World Energy Day
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North America
· American Missionary Kidnapped In Niger By Suspected Islamist Militants, Sources Say
· Muslim Civil Rights Group Calls On Trump To Pressure Israel To Release Florida Teen
· 'Al Qaeda Of Hemisphere': Video Shows Moment US Conducted 'Lethal Kinetic Strike' On Drug-Carrying Boat
· 'If you want to live in Muslim country, go back to the UK:' Brandon Gill jabs Mehdi Hasan after he says 'Your wife is an Indian American'
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Southeast Asia
· Saifuddin Nasution Says Maritime Commandos’ Mosque Visit Was For Prayers, Not A Raid As Claimed By Opposition
· She fought back with a flower pot: Woman escapes brutal assault after being snatched by ex at Alor Gajah mosque
· No training held at Marang mosque, only prayer stop - MMEA
· Anwar and Trump set to witness Malaysia’s peace deal for Thailand-Cambodia at Asean Summit
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/halal-certified-terrorism-love-jihad-religious/d/137356
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Profits From Halal-Certified Products Used To Fund Terrorism And ‘Love Jihad’ And Religious Conversion: UP CM
Oct 22, 2025
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath | AFP
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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath on Tuesday claimed that profits made through the sale of halal-certified products were being used to fund terrorism, “love jihad” and religious conversion in the country.
Love jihad is a Hindutva conspiracy theory that Muslim men trick Hindu women into romantic relationships with the aim of converting them to Islam. The Union home ministry has told Parliament that Indian law has no provision defining such a term.
Speaking at an event to mark the centenary year of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the Bharatiya Janata Party leader also claimed that transactions worth Rs 25,000 crore of halal-certified products were being carried out in the country.
The RSS is the ideological parent of the ruling BJP.
Halal is an Arabic term that means “lawful”. In the dietary context, where it is most commonly used, it refers to food that is permissible according to Islamic regulations.
In November 2023, the Uttar Pradesh government banned the sale, production, storage and distribution of halal-certified food items.
On Tuesday, Adityanath defended his government’s decision and claimed that even clothes and soap items were being sold with halal certification in Uttar Pradesh.
“No government agency has given this recognition to products,” said the chief minister.
He added that action would be taken against those “exploiting Indian consumers in the name of halal certification”.
After Uttar Pradesh’s ban, several petitions had been filed before the Supreme Court, including by Halal India Private Limited and Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Halal Trust, challenging the constitutionality of the notification.
In January, the state government claimed in the top court that halal-certifying agencies were charging high fees, alleging the total amount collected through this process could amount to several lakh crores.
“So far as halal meat etc. is concerned, nobody can have any objection,” Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Uttar Pradesh government, had told the court. “But your Lordships would be shocked, as I was shocked yesterday, even cement used is to be halal-certified! Sariyas [iron bars] used have to be halal-certified…Water bottles which we get are required to be halal-certified.”
In response, the legal counsel for the petitioners argued that the Union government’s policy provided detailed guidelines for defining a product as halal, which applied to items other than meat.
Several countries have legal mechanisms to certify halal food, while in others private bodies provide the certification to companies.
In India, no legal authority provides halal certificates but some private organisations and religious groups do.
Manufacturers of food products usually seek the halal certificate for export purposes as it is a legal requirement in several Muslim countries.
Scroll had found that many products, though, find their way into the domestic market because manufacturers tend to cut costs involved in separate packaging. In the case of a vegetarian food product, the contents are exactly the same, and, more often than not, manufactured in the same production line.
Source: scroll.in
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https://scroll.in/latest/1087905/profits-from-halal-certified-products-used-to-fund-terrorism-and-love-jihad-claims-adityanath
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Assam Government To Introduce Bills On 'Love Jihad,' Polygamy: Assam CM
October 22, 2025
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. File | Photo Credit: ANI
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Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Wednesday (October 22, 2025) that the state government will introduce several bills on issues like “love jihad” and polygamy in the coming Assembly session, likely to take place next month.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an official function in Nagaon, Mr. Sarma said details will be shared once the draft bills are approved by the State cabinet.
"In the coming session of the Assam Assembly, we will introduce some important and historic bills on issues like 'love jihad,' polygamy, preservation of Satras (Vaishnavite monasteries), and land rights to tea tribes," he added.
"We will be able to tell you the details when the cabinet approves the same," Mr. Sarma said.
Source: thehindu.com
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https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/assam/assam-government-to-introduce-bills-on-love-jihad-polygamy-himanta/article70190539.ece
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Jaish-e-Mohammed Launches Online 'Jihadi Course', 'Tufat Al-Muminat', For Women; Will Charge PKR 500
Oct 22, 2025
Masood Azhar (File photo)
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Days after Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) announced the formation of its first-ever women’s wing, Jamaat-ul-Mominaat, the group has now launched an online training course to expand recruitment and collect funds from women, according to media reports.
The digital course, namely ‘Tufat al-Muminat’ aims to attract as many women as possible to the outfit’s network. The initiative is being led by Sadiya Azhar, sister of JeM chief Masood Azhar.
Her husband, Yusuf Azhar, was killed in Operation Sindoor on May 7, when armed forces targeted JeM’s headquarters at Markaz Subhanallah in Bahawalpur.
Sources said that Masood Azhar’s sisters, Sadiya and Samaira Azhar, will conduct 40-minute online classes daily, beginning November 8, using meeting platforms to teach women about their “duties” from the perspectives of jihad, religion and Islam.
Each participant enrolling in the course is reportedly being asked to pay a donation of PKR 500 and fill out an online form.
Intelligence sources indicate that the program is part of JeM’s broader effort to rebuild its base and financing network following significant losses in airstrikes during Operation Sindoor earlier this year.
The announcement comes weeks after JeM publicly introduced its women’s brigade on October 8, followed by an event titled ‘Dukhtaran-e-Islam’ held in Rawalakot, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, on October 19 to mobilise women supporters.
Security officials say JeM’s decision to involve women marks a major shift in its operational strategy.
The organisation, along with others such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen, had previously avoided using women in active combat roles.
Sources suggest that this move is viewed as a potential signal that JeM could begin training female suicide attackers, similar to tactics employed by groups like ISIS, Boko Haram, Hamas and LTTE.
The development also underscores Pakistan’s continued tolerance of terror infrastructure on its soil. Despite Islamabad’s claims at global platforms of being a victim of terrorism and its assertions of compliance with FATF regulations, JeM and other banned groups reportedly continue to operate and collect donations openly through their network of markaz (centres).
In September, Masood Azhar was also reported to have made a public appeal for funds during an address at Markaz Usman O Ali in Bahawalpur.
Meanwhile, intelligence inputs suggest that JeM, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen have shifted their bases to Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to avoid Indian airstrikes after Operation Sindoor.
According to media reports, JeM has additionally launched an online fundraising campaign via EasyPaisa, seeking to raise Rs 3.91 billion for constructing 313 new centres across Pakistan.'
Source: indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/tufat-al-muminat-jem-launches-online-jihadi-course-for-women-will-charge-pkr-500/articleshow/124737457.cms
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‘Your Prophet Is A Paedophile’ - Irish Imam Verbally Abused, Pushed And Shouted On Plane
23 Oct 2025
Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadr said the attack happened as passengers were boarding a flight from Poland to Dublin
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An Irish Imam has called for tougher hate speech laws after he was verbally attacked on a Ryanair flight when a man shouted in his face.
Chief Imam of the Islamic Centre of Ireland Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadri said the attack occurred as passengers were boarding a flight from Poland to Dublin.
"I was in the plane, just one of the first passengers to settle in the seats. As I was sitting in my seat, somebody just pushed me on my shoulder and started shouting at me.
He said: "You're a paedophile. Your prophet is a paedophile. I was completely shocked because nothing like that has ever happened to me in a plane. It was completely out of nowhere. It was a shock.
"I felt hurt. I felt angry. I felt hurt and heartbroken. There is no justification for abusing somebody. I just felt that it was so sad and it was so heartbreaking for this to happen."
Speaking to RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Dr Al-Qadri said he stood up, confronted the man and began recording video to document what was happening, while a Ryanair flight attendant who witnessed the incident spoke to the plane’s captain.
"I spoke to the captain and I said I want to report this because this is not acceptable," he added.
The Imam said what happened was "out of nowhere, imagine if this was a Muslim woman with a hijab".
"What he said was completely untrue. As a Muslim, the majority of Muslims don't believe anything like that," he said.
Dr Al-Qadri said when the plane landed in Dublin gardaí boarded the plane, while passengers, except for him and the man, got off.
"When everybody else was leaving, many people came and they said to me: "well done, for reporting."
Dr Al-Qadri said the gardaí spoke to both himself and the man, who apologised.
He told the man he "accepted his apology" and told him "please don't ever do this again".
He advised him to "go and meet people, Muslims and others" and that "we do not believe what you said. We’re not what you assume us to be. We're just human beings like yourselves and you have to understand that we all are the same. We are all the human family".
Dr Al-Qadri said the man, who is from Poland and has lived in Ireland for 20 years, told him he had seen him online and knew he was Muslim.
The Imam reminded the man that after 20 years in Ireland, he should know it is not okay to discriminate against people or abuse them because of their beliefs.
Asked why he chose not to press charges and make a statement to gardaí, Dr Al-Qadri said he wanted the man to learn and not suffer.
He said if he pressed charges the man could be banned from flying and become even more angry and hateful.
"I think pursuing this through the courts would have done more damage and perhaps have increased the hatred and animosity that this person has. I don’t think it was worth it," he said.
An Garda Síochána confirmed that "officers boarded the plane after it landed in Dublin", but said no investigation is under way as no formal complaint has been made.
Ryanair said in a statement that crew on the "flight called ahead for police assistance after an individual passenger became disruptive. Police met the aircraft upon arrival at Dublin and removed this disruptive passenger".
"Ryanair has a strict zero tolerance policy towards passenger misconduct and will continue to take decisive action to combat unruly passenger behaviour, ensuring that all passengers and crew travel in a respectful and stress-free environment, without unnecessary disruption," it added.
All airlines can impose passenger travel bans. Ryanair travel bans can range from one year up to ten years.
Dr Al-Qadri said the experience left him "hurt and heartbroken".
The Imam also described a separate incident where he was knocked unconscious in a separate assault last year as a hate crime and was also subjected to online abuse when he ran as a candidate in General Election 2024.
Dr Al-Qadri said with hate against immigrants and Muslims becoming more common he lives daily concerned about his safety.
"Ireland isn’t more racist," he said, but young people, "especially from vulnerable backgrounds" and "disenfranchised communities" are more vulnerable to radicalisation and rhetoric from far-right extremists. That’s what’s worrying," he said.
Dr Al-Qadri added he himself is "more vigilant" when it "comes to day-to-day business".
He said the Government needs to revisit hate speech legislation.
"I call for the Government to have some kind of hate speech legislation," Dr Al-Qadri said.
"We definitely need to have legislation that is very clear that, when it comes to hate, especially hate crimes that are violent, it's not acceptable and that in Ireland nobody will tolerate this," the Imam added.
Ireland’s new Criminal Justice (Hate Offences) Act 2024 came into force on 31 December 2024.
It brought tougher penalties for crimes motivated by hatred towards someone’s race, religion, nationality, gender, or sexual orientation.
The new law does provide for harsher prison sentences where hatred is shown to be an aggravating factor in the committing of an offence.
The Government dropped planned hate speech measures from the Bill, so the 1989 incitement law still covers hate speech offences.
Source: rte.ie
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https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2025/1023/1540090-shaykh-dr-umar-al-qadri/
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‘Nigerian Muslims Suffer More Persecution Than Christians’, Muslim Rights Concern Alleges
October 22, 2025
Islamic advocacy group, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has alleged that Muslims in Nigeria suffer more persecution than Christians, only that the issues have not been escalated in the media.
Executive Director of MURIC, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, who made the allegation in a statement on Wednesday while reacting to alleged Christian genocide in Nigeria, warned against what he described as orchestrated blackmail by the Christian community while using Muslims as guinea pigs.
In the statement shared on the X handle of Muslim News, Akintola alleged that the claims of a Christian genocide were being promoted to attract sympathy from what he called “Christo-Western media” and foreign governments, noting that Nigerian Muslims have suffered more than their Christian counterparts.
According to the MURIC Director, reports of a Christian genocide in Nigeria were false and were sent to the US by some Christian leaders who were bent on causing dissection between the two religions as well as mislead the US to blacklist the country and as a tool of intimidation to pressure the Federal Government and marginalize Muslims in the country.
Akintola further stressed that reporting Nigeria to the US reveals a deeper agenda of neo-imperial domination and religious favoritism aimed at securing undue advantages for Christians.
“We have followed the current controversy over the allegation that only Christians are being killed in Nigeria with deep concern,” the MURIC boss said.
“Nigerian Muslims also suffer killings, often in larger numbers, but their plight goes unreported because global narratives are controlled by a Christo-Western media.
“This explains why the main victims in Christian-concentrated states like Benue and Plateau are Christians, while those in Muslim areas like Sokoto and Zamfara are Muslims.
“While about 200 churches were destroyed across the North, no fewer than 6,000 mosques were also demolished in the same region,” he said.
He also alleged that Muslims in Southern Nigeria suffer systemic marginalization, alleging that their grievances are ignored by both state and federal authorities.
Akintola accused the Nigerian media of sensationalizing the killings of Nigerian Christians while those of Muslims are downplayed or ambiguously described.
“The media amplifies Christian deaths but trivializes Muslim casualties. Christian victims are clearly identified, but when Muslims are killed, the reports use vague terms like ‘worshippers’ or ‘audience’”, he stated.
“The US has a long record of bullying Muslim nations, and Nigerian Christians are now hiding under its umbrella to achieve domination.
“It is moral bankruptcy to report Nigeria to America, least of all to former President Donald Trump. How can a country that funds genocidal wars sit in judgment over another?
“Muslim commentators are deliberately shut out of Christian television and radio stations that freely demonize Islam. Such practices undermine professionalism and fairness in journalism.
“It is now very clear that Nigerian Muslims have become pawns in a dangerous global power game. The terrorists attack them from one side, the government marginalizes them from another, and powerful Christian nations are waiting at the centre,” he stated.
Source: ripplesnigeria.com
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https://www.ripplesnigeria.com/nigerian-muslims-suffer-more-persecution-than-christians-muric-alleges/
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India
Javed Akhtar Asks Hindus “Not To Become Like Muslims” In An Old Video; Comes Under Fire
Oct 22, 2025
Javed Akhtar, the veteran lyricist and screenwriter, has come under fire after an old video of him asking Hindus “not to become like Muslims” went viral on social media. The clip, from an event where he spoke about freedom of speech and democracy, quickly drew attention and sparked reactions online.
Lucky Ali reacts to Javed Akhtar’s video
Singer Lucky Ali reacted sharply to the video, commenting on an X post sharing the video, he wrote, “Don't become like Javed Akhtar, never original and ugly as f***...” His blunt remark quickly grabbed attention from netizens.
What did Javed Akhtar say?
Back in 2024, during a panel discussion with author Makarand Paranjape, Javed Akhtar spoke about religion, dharma, and spirituality, reflecting on how views have evolved over time. He referred to a scene from his 1975 classic 'Sholay'.
He said, “In 'Sholay', there was a scene where Dharmendra hides behind Shiv ji's murti and speaks, and Hema Malini (thinks) Shiv ji is talking to her. Is it possible to have a scene like that today? No, I will not write a scene (like this today). Were there no Hindus in 1975 (when 'Sholay' released)? Were there no dharmic people? There were.”
Javed Akhtar recalled conversation with Raju Hirani
He further recalled a discussion in Pune with filmmaker Raju Hirani, saying, “As a matter of fact, I'm on record, I'm not saying it right here. Raju Hirani and I were in Pune in front of a big audience and I said 'Don't become like Muslims. Make them like yourself. You are becoming like Muslims'. It's a tragedy.”
Javed Akhtar on democracy and diversity
Akhtar also reflected on India’s democratic strength. He said, “Why do we have Democracy? Which you don’t find till you reach the Mediterranean coats. Because what he said is true, this can be true and that can also be true. This can be believed and that can also be believed.”
When Javed Akhtar reacted on facing criticism
This is not the first time Akhtar has faced backlash. In a previous NDTV interview, he said, “Some call me a jihadi, others say I’m a kaafir who will go to hell. Mumbai Police has offered me protection several times due to threats, mostly from Muslim groups, and once from the other side.”
Source: indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/never-original-singer-lucky-ali-slams-javed-akhtar-over-old-dont-become-like-muslims-remark/articleshow/124738309.cms
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'RSS not registered organisation, so where is money coming from?' asks Congress
22 Oct 2025
Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge and senior Congress leader B K Hariprasad on Wednesday raised serious questions regarding the funding of RSS and alleged that the organisation functions without legally registering itself so that it could evade complying with the government's laws and regulations.
"...throw the RSS registration on my face saying that RSS is a registered organisation. There ends the matter," Kharge said.
"...where is the money coming from for this unregistered organisation? To stitch the clothes, to conduct marches, to purchase the drums and trumpets, to build the buildings, where is the money coming from? If you (RSS) are unregistered, how are you getting the money?" he asked.
Kharge had earlier this month written to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah seeking restriction of RSS activities in public places and disciplinary action against government employees associated with the organisation.
Stressing that RSS remains as an unregistered organisation to evade law, the minister said, "If you are registered, you will have to pay the taxes, ensure compliance under the Registrar of companies, Society Registration Act, NGO Act. They will have to share information about foreign and private donations, and domestic funding. So they are not getting registered."
Echoing Kharge's concerns, Congress leader Hariprasad noted that RSS has been able to evade legal and public scrutiny regarding its funding and activities since it has not been registered.
"...to demand information about the funding, they should be a registered organisation. The Congress party, as well as the BJP is registered with the Election Commission of India. Where is the RSS registered?" he said.
Claiming that RSS' fund collection mode is such that, during Vijayadashami, money is given to the organisation by those donating in a cover as "Guru Dakshina," Hariprasad questioned whether the organisation has given the account of such money collected in hundred years.
"There is black money there. Has the ED or IT department or CBI raided it? For whom is this money being used? They have constructed a Rs 700 crore building. Where did the money come from? They are doing it illegally. If I have to say. They should get registered," he added.
Meanwhile, responding to a question on Kharge's comments, BJP leader and former Deputy CM C N Ashwath Narayan claimed there is no need for every organisation to be registered.
"Every individual and organisation has the freedom to carry out their activities legally and constitutionally in a democracy... there is nothing that it should be a registered organisation. RSS is a voluntary organisation for building the country socially, religiously, culturally and educationally," he claimed.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Oct/22/where-is-money-coming-from-congress-flags-rss-not-being-registered-organisation-questions-funding
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Celebrating 250 years of Lucknow’s legacy: Replicas of Iraq in city of Nawabs
Oct 23, 2025
By: Sajjad Askari Zaman
For generations, Awadh rulers and nobles built replicas of Shia Islam’s holy shrines, facilitating those who could never make arduous journey to Karbala Kazmain, Kufa, or Samarra to touch the divine right here in Lucknow.
Lucknow holds a unique spiritual secret — one of being a city mirroring the sacred geography of the distant country of Iraq. For generations, its rulers and nobles built painstaking replicas of Shia Islam’s holiest shrines, allowing those who could never make the arduous journey to Karbala, Kazmain, Kufa, or Samarra to touch the divine right here in Lucknow.
The Gilded Reflection: Karbala Dayanat-ud-Daulah
Rising near the riverbank, the Karbala of Dayanat-ud-Daulah stands as a breathtaking testament to devotion.“Built by Wajid Ali Shah’s trusted ‘khwajasara’ (eunuch), Dayanat-ud-Daulah, it is an exact replica of the shrine of Imam Hussain in Karbala, Iraq – down to the very measurements,” claims Ammar Yasir Rizvi, an expert of Awadh’s cultural heritage.
While the dome of the original shrine shines with pure gold, Lucknow’s version shimmered under thick sheets of gold-plated silver.
Step inside, and intricate wooden pillars, kaleidoscopic stained glass, and dazzling mirror work create a space of hushed reverence, echoing the artistry of its Iraqi counterpart. “This isn’t merely architecture; it’s the soul of Karbala reborn in Lucknow, becoming the focal point for the city’s profound Muharram rituals, forever binding the fates of the two cities,” adds Rizvi.
The Minister’s Offering: Kazmain & The Kufa Mosque
During the reign of King Amjad Ali Shah, a remarkable testament to unity arose. Kazmain, the replica of the Baghdad shrine housing the relics of the 7th Imam, Musa Kazim, was commissioned not by a Muslim noble, but by the Hindu minister in Jagan Nath (Sharaf-ud-Daula).
“Its dimensions meticulously matched the original, a symbol of shared reverence transcending faith,” states Mehmood M Abdi, an oral historian and cultural expert. Adjacent to Kazmain lies another echo: Shabih-e-Masjid-e-Kufa. Built by Nawab Rafeeq-ud-Daulah, one of the ministers of King Muhammad Ali Shah, this mosque recreates the place where Hazrat Ali was martyred. “Every detail, from structure to its reddish-brown hue, mirrored the original Kufa mosque as it stood then,” explains Dr Sanobar Haider, a historian. “Adding a touch of practical devotion unique to Lucknow, it even houses a ‘dhoop-ghadi’ (sundial), ensuring prayers are called at the precise moment ordained by the sun,” she adds.
Innocents Remembered: Rauza Tiflan-e-Hazrat Muslim
Within Lucknow’s sacred complex, a poignant replica honours the young martyrs: Hazrat Muhammad and Hazrat Ibrahim, sons of Hazrat Muslim ibn Aqeel. Built by Munshi Fazal Husain during Wajid Ali Shah’s time, this Rauza mirrors their shrine in Musayyab, Iraq.
It provides a place for Lucknow’s faithful to mourn these innocent souls, embodying the city’s tradition of creating Shabi-e-Rauza– local sanctuaries for those unable to pilgrimage to Iraq’s hallowed ground,” says Syed Husain Afsar, a veteran journalist.
The Twin Shrines & The Hidden Imam: Rauza-e-Samarrah & Maqam-e-Ghaibat
Deep within the Gharwali Karbala area, Lucknow’s connection to Samarra unfolds. Rauza-e-Samarrah (or Rauza-e-Askarien), commissioned by Malka Afaq Sahiba, wife of King Muhammad Ali Shah, is a replica of the magnificent Iraqi shrine complex housing the 10th and 11th Imams – Imam Ali al-Naqi (al-Hadi) and Imam Hasan al-Askari.
“While less ornate than the original’s famed golden dome and minarets, this Lucknow counterpart, encompassing a mausoleum and Imambara, became a vital local centre for mourning and remembrance, especially during the commemorations of Imam Hasan al-Askari’s martyrdom, weathering times of both neglect and renewal,” says SN Lal, veteran journalist and author of the book ‘Azadari aur Awadh’.
Maqam-e-Ghaibat: Site Commemorating Samarra
Beside this sacred echo lies perhaps the most profound symbol: The Maqam-e-Ghaibat. This site commemorates the very spot in Samarra, Iraq, associated with the occultation (Ghaibat) of the 12th Imam, Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi. “In Lucknow, this symbolic Maqam, integrated near the Rauza-e-Samarrah, draws devotees who pray for the Imam’s reappearance,” explains Zulkifl Rizvi, who writes on Lucknow’s cultural heritage. “Marked by Alams and religious symbols, it stands as a powerful testament to Lucknow’s profound tradition – replicating not just buildings, but the very essence of Iraq’s sacred geography, forging an unbreakable spiritual link between the banks of the Tigris and the Gomti,” he adds.
Source: indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/celebrating-250-years-of-lucknows-legacy-replicas-of-iraq-in-city-of-nawabs/articleshow/124752182.cms
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Terror camps, launch pads resurface along LOC in PoK: Intel report
Mukesh Ranjan
22 Oct 2025
NEW DELHI: After ‘Operation Sindoor’, terror training and launch pad camps are again being reorganised along the other side of the Line of Control (LOC) in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and surrounding areas.
Sources in the intelligence agencies told TNIE that these camps are now being organised on a significantly smaller scale and are more technologically advanced than before, as they are designed to evade drone surveillance and air force strikes.
In its report to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), intelligence agencies said the new camps “are housing less than 100 terrorists, so that the destruction of any one of the facilities does not impact their plan significantly."
Following the intelligence report, the sources said the MHA has alerted the security agencies to remain on high alert and rework their operational strategies, as spreading terror from across the border has still been a real possibility.
According to sources, the camps, which were earlier dismantled in areas like Luni, Putwal, Tipu Post, Jamil Post, Umranwali, Chaprar Forward, Chhota Chak, and Janglora, have now been re-activated.
They, however, contended that the new training facilities have been dispersed with an aim to make it difficult for security agencies to completely eliminate them.
As usual, the sources said, most of the existing terror outfits are planning and executing these camps, and they include Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), and The Resistance Front (TRF).
The intelligence sources once again confirmed that the activities of the terror outfits have been getting the full support of the Pakistani Army and ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence).
Meanwhile, senior officials of the Border Security Force (BSF) said that after ‘Operation Sindoor’, the security forces have intensified the use of modern technology, and they are monitoring every activity along the LoC with the help of drones, satellite images and artificial intelligence (AI).
“Patrolling in mountainous terrain during winter is challenging, so we have adopted dynamic patrolling and adaptive strategies,” another senior BSF official said.
Security experts said that Pakistan has provided training, weapons, financial support, and intelligence to these terror outfits for decades and this is the reason why the terror networks repeatedly resurface despite three Indian military operations.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Oct/22/terror-camps-launch-pads-resurface-along-loc-in-pok-intel-report
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Pakistan
Afghanistan Media Group Condemns Arrest of Journalist in Pakistan, Demands Immediate Release
By Fidel Rahmati
October 23, 2025
Afghanistan’s Media Support Organization condemned the arrest of journalist Mohammad Agha Sailani in Islamabad, calling it a grave violation of press freedom and urging his immediate, unconditional release.
The Afghanistan Media Support Organization has condemned the arrest of journalist Mohammad Agha Sailani by Pakistani police in Faisal Town, Islamabad, calling it a violation of press freedom and refugee rights.
The group said Sailani faces possible deportation to Afghanistan while Pakistani authorities have yet to explain the reason for his detention.
It warned that such actions breach international refugee conventions and endanger Afghan journalists living in Pakistan.
Local reports say Pakistani police have intensified operations against Afghan refugees, including journalists, in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
The organization urged his “immediate and unconditional” release, calling on the international community to act before more Afghan journalists face similar risks.
Afghanistan media group condemned journalist Mohammad Agha Sailani’s arrest in Islamabad, calling it a rights violation and urging Pakistan to release him and stop refugee crackdowns.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/afghanistan-media-group-condemns-arrest-of-journalist-in-pakistan-demands-immediate-release/
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Europe
London Cops Ban Nationalist Parade In Muslim Neighbourhood Over Fears Of 'Serious Disorder'
10/22/2025
The Metropolitan Police have blocked a planned demonstration by the UK Independence Party (UKIP) in Tower Hamlets this weekend, saying the event posed a clear risk of serious public disorder. The decision came under powers in the Public Order Act, and means UKIP cannot hold its protest in Whitechapel or anywhere else within the borough.
The march, billed as a protest against “Islamists,” had been scheduled to move through Whitechapel on Saturday. Tower Hamlets, which has the highest percentage of Muslim residents in the UK, has seen tensions rise in the run-up to the event. Local community groups raised concerns that the demonstration could spark clashes.
In a formal statement released on Tuesday, the Met said: “Concerns of serious disorder have prompted the Metropolitan Police to intervene and prevent a demonstration from taking place in Tower Hamlets this weekend. … Public Order Act conditions have now been imposed meaning UKIP cannot hold their protest in Whitechapel or anywhere else in the borough of Tower Hamlets. Officers from the Met’s Protest Liaison Team remain willing to engage with the organisers if they bring forward a proposal for an event in an alternative location."
Commander Nick John, who is in charge of the public order policing operation in London this weekend, said: "Tower Hamlets has the largest percentage of Muslim residents anywhere in the UK and the prospect of this protest taking place in the heart of the borough has been the cause of significant concern locally.
"It is our assessment that there is a realistic prospect of serious disorder if it was to go ahead in the proposed location. This is in addition to the disruption that two large protests taking place on a key arterial route through east London would cause.
"We have a responsibility to use the powers available to us to take steps to avoid both those outcomes. UKIP are free to organise their protest in an alternative location but they will not be holding it in Tower Hamlets.
"Anyone who tries to assemble, in breach of the conditions, or who encourages others to do so, will face arrest. We will still have a sizeable police presence in the area on Saturday to keep the public safe and to intervene to enforce the conditions and deal with any other incidents.’”
UKIP has not yet confirmed whether it will attempt to stage the protest elsewhere in London.
Source: humanevents.com
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https://humanevents.com/2025/10/22/london-cops-ban-nationalist-parade-in-muslim-neighborhood-over-fears-of-serious-disorder
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NHS junior doctor who ‘called for Jihad on the streets of London’ is arrested
Anthony France
22 October 2025
An NHS junior doctor who reportedly called for Jihad on the streets of London and praised armed Palestinian fighters has been arrested on suspicion of stirring up racial hatred.
Dr Rahmeh Aladwan, 31, who is training to become a trauma and orthopaedic surgeon, was held days before a hearing on whether she is fit to practise.
In a video of her arrest in south Gloucestershire posted on social media by supporters, a Metropolitan Police officer tells Aladwan the offences related to a speech at a pro-Gaza protest “which amounted to calls for the eradication of Israel and implied support for all those involved in armed resistance against Israel, including organisations such as Hamas”.
She is also being investigated by the General Medical Council over her social media posts.
A hearing on the case is due to take place on Thursday.
The officer adds: “On October 7, you posted a variety of communications which demonstrated support for Hamas’s attack on Israel, an attack which involved murder, rape and kidnap of Israeli citizens, all of which may be considered grossly offensive in character.”
Aladwan has previously said: “As a Palestinian, I have lost dozens of friends and family members in Gaza. I will not be silenced for expressing my grief and my opposition to war crimes.”
Scotland Yard said: “On the morning of Tuesday, October 21 officers arrested a 31-year-old woman at an address in South Gloucestershire.
“The woman was arrested on suspicion of misusing a public communications network, sending malicious communications and stirring up racial hatred.
“The arrests relate to an ongoing investigation, led by the Met's Public Order Crime Team, into allegations that comments made at a protest and online in recent months were grossly offensive and antisemitic in nature.
“She was taken into police custody where she was interviewed before being released on bail.”
Source: yahoo.com
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https://uk.news.yahoo.com/nhs-junior-doctor-called-jihad-104455535.html
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Why is Azerbaijan building its first casino next to holy Islamic sites?
OCT 22, 2025
By Magerram Zeynalov.
Azerbaijan’s first casino, which will be the largest of its kind in Europe, is set to open near the country’s most conservative Muslim village. Nardaran is the home to a number of holy sites and a population that has long been at odds with the central government.
Observers say the gambling complex is the latest stage in Baku authorities’ ongoing campaign to strip the region of its distinct identity. Critics, meanwhile, point to the developer’s close relationship to President Ilham Aliyev.
The gleaming white building in the shape of a cruise liner will stand on a man-made peninsula in the Caspian Sea.
Computer-generated images of the planned Caspian Dream Liner apartment hotel show the 11-storey construction surrounded by pools, gardens and asphalt roads leading to the shore.
The price for the smallest apartments in what creators promise will be an “architectural masterpiece” starts at $500,000.
And it is in this Dream Liner that developers plan to build Azerbaijan’s first casino - which, if all goes to plan, will also be the largest in Europe.
The complex will be part of the Sea Breeze resort, a luxury attraction for wealthy Azerbaijanis and Russians. The resort includes already operating townhouses, villas, concert halls and upscale restaurants just outside the capital Baku.
But the planned construction is also adjacent to Nardaran - a poor, conservative village that has a long and sometimes bloody history of struggle with the central authorities.
Some observers see the development of the casino - led by Emin Agalarov, the president’s former son-in-law and still seen as close to the ruling family - as the end-game in Baku’s quest to assert dominance.
Pilgrimage sites
In many ways, Nardaran is a typical village of the region, with high unemployment and houses made of cheap limestone. The roads are old and potholed, with the exception of the highway that leads from Baku to the nearby sea resort.
Nardaran residents live primarily on their pensions and earnings from jobs based elsewhere. They eat from their own gardens. Average salaries are almost half those in the capital.
The most distinctive feature of the village is the people, who are far more religiously conservative than the rest of Azerbaijan. This is a country where, according to a recent survey, only 20% of Muslims consider mosque attendance obligatory.
“Nardaran is a special place for Azerbaijan; it’s a religious center for Muslims,” said historian Arif Yunusov, author of the book “Islam in Azerbaijan”.
“There are several old mosques there, associated with national legends, where people from all over Azerbaijan made pilgrimages,” he added.
Faith and politics have long been intertwined in the village. Almost immediately after the collapse of the USSR in the early 1990s, people in Nardaran founded the Islamic Party of Azerbaijan.
The party made no secret of its pro-Iranian views. For Baku, which has strained relations with Tehran despite both countries being majority Shia, this presented a problem.
In 1995, Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Justice deregistered the Islamic Party, and its leaders were imprisoned, accused of being Iranian spies. Residents of Nardaran complained about what they saw as punitive gas and electricity cutoffs, protested officials appointed from Baku, and boycotted municipal elections.
The medieval Haji-Bakhshi Mosque was Nardaran’s religious center. Local activists gathered there to criticise the authorities and burn American and Israeli flags.
In the early 2000s, during the rule of Heydar Aliyev - the father of current president Ilham Aliyev - authorities attempted to take control of this village of 10,000 people. In 2002, clashes occurred there, and at least one person died.
In 2015, authorities conducted a special operation in Nardaran, claiming a terrorist attack was being planned in the village. Residents denied the claims.
Seven people died in the special operation, while dozens more residents were arrested and given lengthy prison sentences. Local human rights activists consider those detained political prisoners, while the European Court of Human Rights found that authorities violated the rights of several of those who were arrested.
Psychological pressure
Some see the planned casino as a continuation of the struggle between Nardaran and the central government.
“You have to have a twisted sense of humor to open a den of vice in Nardaran,” said historian Yunusov.
“The peninsula is large, and another location could have been chosen,” he added. “But there’s a settlement that was once beyond your control, and a casino there seems more like a form of psychological pressure.”
Alamdar Bunyadov, a native of the village and former member of the Islamic Party, who is now a political exile in Germany, agreed that the location of the casino was a strategic choice.
“When I heard they were planning to build a casino, I understood it as them wanting to put an end to any discussion about Nardaran,” Bunyadov said.
“Opening a casino in a religious area would be a way to offend both the people of Nardaran and Azerbaijanis in general; to have the sounds of casinos and discos mingle with the sounds of the adhan [the call to prayer].”
Locals paint a picture of a village that has already been brought well under the control of the central government.
Social media abounds with stories of people being denied entry to the main mosque without explanation. Residents say they are only allowed in if they tell police they are going to the nearby cemetery - and then only after a security check and ID verification. (In 2015, the State Committee for Work with Religious Structures explained the closure of Nardaran’s mosques by citing their failure to register with the state.)
Regional officials are loyal to Baku, Nardaran residents told the BBC, and police are active in the village, with several posts and regular checks on vehicles and pedestrians.
Locals said that whenever more than a handful of people gather in Nardaran, they immediately attract police attention. All the teahouses - traditional gathering spots - closed, according to our interviewees, 10 years ago.
“Gatherings are prohibited, and even weddings require permission,” said Bunyadov.
“My relatives recently had a wedding, but people aren’t allowed to gather; they have to go to the police station. If the police officer gives permission, you can have it, but if not, you can’t.”
“Agalarov’s Law”
Azerbaijan banned the operation of casinos in 1998. A decree issued at the time stated that casinos are “contrary to national morality,” “negatively impact the education and moral development of the younger generation,” “harm the economy,” and “legitimise illegally obtained income.”
But this summer, parliament overturned the ban, arguing that gambling centres would contribute to increased tax revenues, the development of tourism and the creation of new jobs.
There was only one condition: such establishments would have to be located on an artificial island.
And the country’s only existing artificial island is found in the Sea Breeze resort, which belongs to Azerbaijani-Russian businessman Emin Agalarov.
The businessman - the son of Russian billionaire Araz Agalarov, and a one-time musician who performed under the stage name EMIN - is best known in Azerbaijan as the former son-in-law of President Ilham Aliyev.
Agalarov, head of the company Agalarov Development, separated from Aliyev’s daughter Leyla some 10 years ago but is still seen as part of the presidential family.
The opposition has dubbed the change of status for casinos the “Agalarov Law,” seeing it as a sign of personal patronage from the leader.
Local benefits
When contacted by the BBC, a spokesperson for Agalarov Development said one of the company’s fundamental aims was to “create opportunities for residents of nearby areas”, including Nardaran.
The company told the BBC that more than 7,500 people currently work at Sea Breeze, and there are plans to double that number in the next few years. “Moreover, 15-20% of [employees] will be local residents,” the spokesperson said, adding that around one in 10 people living in Nardaran will likely be employed by the resort.
Azerbaijan “is a secular country, one of whose key social goals is the protection of the rights and freedoms of citizens,” the company said.
“We respect the region’s religious and cultural traditions and are confident that the project will be implemented in harmony with the interests of society,” it added.
Even some elderly residents of the village can see some benefits to the nearby resort.
One man - who asked the BBC not to use his name in this report - expressed irritation at the sounds of partying from Sea Breeze even on religious holidays, but admitted that it was better for young people to work on construction sites there “rather than hang around doing nothing”.
He added that he was happy tourists largely respected Nardaran traditions when they came to the village, for example by not wearing revealing clothing. Shops in the village do not serve alcohol.
“The main thing is that they leave us alone, don’t make noise, and follow our rules [when they come],” he said.
The two images show how Sea Breeze has expanded from the coastal area into the village of Nardaran, and even into the gardens of residents.
This land was confiscated and slated for demolition. In 2021, the ECHR ruled the local authorities’ decision unlawful and awarded 234,000 euros in compensation to 18 people in Nardaran.
“My garden was there too, very close to Sea Breeze, and I lost it too, just like my relatives,” said Alamdar Bunyadov. “Many people relied on these gardens to survive.”
Source: substack.com
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https://bbcrussian.substack.com/p/azerbaijan-building-its-first-casino
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Decision in on plans to knock down and rebuild Prestwich mosque after 1,630 people object
By Chris Gee
22 Oct 2025
Plans to knock down and rebuild a mosque in Prestwich have been approved despite a 1,630 person petition opposing it.
A meeting of Bury council’s planning committee heard that Prestwich Muslim Welfare Trust wished to demolish their existing ‘outdated’ single storeypremises on Bury Old Road and replace it with a new place of worship, along with teaching and community facilities.
The footprint of the building will be 6.5m from the back edge of the pavement on Bury Old Road.
At the meeting, a representative of the nearby residential community, objecting to the proposal, spoke about current and potential future issues withparking during Friday prayers.
He said: “The reality on the ground is intolerable. Every Friday there are cars lining both sides of Bury Old Road and adjoining streets, driveways are blocked by parked vehicles and pavements and crossing are obstructed.
“Emergency and delivery vehicles struggle to pass – this happens week after week. Despite recent promises, enforcement from Bury council and GMP is non-existent.
“Sometimes residents can’t get in or out of their own homes. This is the situation today with the existing building so how can anyone possibly suggest an expansion?”
The plans will increase the number of parking spaces on the site from 17 to 20.
The meeting heard that as part of the planning approval, the trust would contribute a sum of £6,000 to the council annually, which would be used specifically for traffic enforcement officers to potentially ticket vehicles contravening parking rules during the Friday prayers busy period.
Councillors also heard that parking stewards would be used by the mosque and that they had secured an ‘informal agreement’ with the nearby Maccabi centre, to use up to 60 parking spaces at their premises on a Friday.
There are also plans for a park and ride scheme with worshippers leaving their vehicles at nearby Heaton Park and then being transported by mini-bus to the mosque.
The mosque site is close to houses on Woodthorpe Grange, Woodthorpe Court and Bury Old Road. A representative from the trust spoke in support of the plans.
He said: “The mosque has been serving Prestwich and Whitefield since 1999 as a place of worship and learning. The challenge is that it is the only mosque in south Bury and demand has grown year after year.
“We’ve had to rely on temporary buildings but these are not fit for the future. On the concerns about traffic and parking on Fridays, we acknowledge this and are sensitive to it.
“To tackle it we have recently secured private parking close by and we have trained marshalls patrolling the area to improve the situation.
“We are working closely with the highways department and will pay £6,000 annually in order to enforce penalties for inappropriate parking.
“We are confident these measures will solve the traffic and parking issues completely in the future.”
Ward councillor Alan Quinn addressed the meeting. He said: “The building is the only mosque in Bury south, there are numerous churches and synagogues but only one mosque.
“We’re talking about the demolition of a building that’s not fit for purpose.
“It will be rebuilt to the same footprint and not as high as some people fear.
“If this application was refused the mosque will still be there. Concerns have been listened to. The main issue is parking but the travel plan should reduce issues.”
Facilities in the new building include a youth recreation room, library and community meeting space, a prayer hall, mortuary and separate male and female teaching rooms.
A total of 1,180 representations were received by Bury council with 1,009 supporting the plans and 164 objecting. In addition a petition of 1,630 signatures was presented opposing the plans.
The committee voted to approve the plans.
Source: manchesterworld.uk
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https://www.manchesterworld.uk/news/decision-in-on-plans-to-knock-down-and-rebuild-prestwich-mosque-after-1630-people-object-5370603
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King lands in Rome for historic visit to meet Pope
Sean Coughlan
23 Oct 2025
King Charles and Queen Camilla have arrived in Rome at the start of a historic state visit to the Vatican, where they will meet Pope Leo in a symbolic display of unity between the Church of England and the Catholic Church.
A stronger relationship between the two Christian denominations is a "bulwark against those promoting conflict, division and tyranny," said a statement from the King's spokesman.
The King, who landed at Ciampino airport on Wednesday evening, will become the first British monarch to pray with a pope since the Reformation in the 16th Century.
But the visit comes against the backdrop of the scandal surrounding Prince Andrew.
When it was announced last Friday that Prince Andrew would lose his titles, and would no longer be called the Duke of York, an important reason was the Palace's desire to prevent questions about Andrew drowning out other royal events.
The Vatican trip in particular had been of concern to the Palace, which wanted to end the constant drip-drip of negative headlines about Prince Andrew that threatened to overshadow the work of the King and other working royals.
But instead there has been a barrage of further revelations about Andrew and his relationship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Pressure further intensified on Andrew with the publication of Virginia Giuffre's posthumous memoir, in which she alleges she was forced to have sex with the royal at Ghislaine Maxwell's house when she was 17. Andrew has always denied any wrongdoing.
The Palace will want to shift the focus to this visit which it hails as a "landmark" moment, and the King's spokesman's statement makes no reference to any family difficulties, but instead addresses these "times of such global challenge".
"It has seldom been more important for Christian communities around the world to unite in faith and in fellowship with our partners.
"This provides a bulwark against those promoting conflict, division and tyranny, and supports our work together in harmony to protect nature, God's creation," said the King's spokesman.
As supreme governor of the Church of England, and a longstanding campaigner for building bridges between faiths, this is a visit that's of great personal importance to the King.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, who will be at the Vatican for the state visit, said the King and the Pope had different approaches but would "find common ground".
He said Pope Leo was "very attentive, he absorbs exactly what people are saying and he can be very direct in expressing his own mind. King Charles is probably a little more subtle in the way he talks", the Cardinal told the BBC.
And he offered a spiritual thought when asked about current problems facing the Royal Family.
"I have no doubts at all that family difficulties will be in the heart of both the Pope and the King as they place themselves before God and ask for grace and strength to live through all the difficulties that we all have in life," said Cardinal Nichols.
On Thursday morning the King will meet Pope Leo at the Vatican, before taking part in a service together in the Sistine Chapel that will emphasise the warm relations between the churches.
Under the famous ceiling painted by Michelangelo, there will be a service bringing together Catholic and Anglican clergy and royal and Vatican choirs.
The King and Pope Leo will pray together, the first time this will have happened since the Church of England split from the Catholic Church in the 16th Century.
There's also another unusual moment, as prayer is considered a personal and private act, and by convention monarchs are not usually filmed when they're deep in their own prayers - but this will be put aside for this public display of togetherness.
In another symbol of reconciliation, the King will attend a service at a church with pre-Reformation connections, St Paul's Outside the Walls.
This church and abbey, which contains the tomb of St Paul, was traditionally associated with the English monarchy, going back back to medieval and Anglo-Saxon rulers who had once helped with the upkeep of this building in Rome.
The insignia of the Order of the Garter has been on display here for centuries, reflecting the links with the English monarchy.
And the King will take an honorary, spiritual title associated with the abbey, becoming what's called a "royal confrater", as part of the abbey's confraternity.
This will be the first time that the King will have met the US-born Pope Leo. The King and Queen Camilla visited his predecessor, Pope Francis, for a private meeting on the royal couple's 20th wedding anniversary, in the weeks before the death of the late pontiff.
Such state visits are carried out on behalf of the government and a Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "The Catholic Church is the largest denomination of the world's largest religion."
As such, the King and Queen's visit will "strengthen the UK's relationship with this crucial and influential partner", she said.
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c07mzye39djo
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Africa
Court Rejects Bail Bid Of Alleged Terrorists’ Negotiator Tukur Mamu
October 22, 2025
By Enioluwa Adeniyi
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday again declined to grant bail to Tukur Mamu, the alleged terrorists’ negotiator currently held by the Department of State Services (DSS).
In his ruling, Justice Mohammed Umar directed the DSS to ensure Mamu received adequate medical treatment at a hospital of his choice but maintained that his continued detention was lawful.
The judge said, “I have carefully read the application for bail filed by the applicant/defendant and all other accompanied documents.
“One thing to determine is whether Mamu has placed before the court sufficient material facts to warrant the granting of bail.”
Justice Umar held that one of the major grounds for bail was lack of diligence by the prosecution, but in Mamu’s case, the Federal Government had been consistent in pursuing the matter.
“The prosecution has shown diligence in handling this case. That being so, the application for bail cannot be granted,” he stated.
The judge ruled that Mamu’s lawyer should choose a hospital for his medical needs, and DSS must promptly take him there.
This latest ruling marks the third time Mamu’s bail request has been rejected since he was arraigned on March 21, 2023, on a 10-count charge of terrorism financing and related offences.
Mamu, a newspaper publisher, was arrested on September 7, 2022, by Egyptian authorities at the Cairo International Airport before being extradited to Nigeria.
Prosecutors accuse Mamu of exploiting his role as a negotiator during the March 2022 Abuja–Kaduna train attack by collecting ransom payments from families of hostages for personal financial gain.
According to court filings, he was nominated by the terrorists themselves to serve as an intermediary, but allegedly diverted payments and facilitated ransom delivery on their behalf.
The prosecution alleged that the ransom deals were disguised as humanitarian negotiations but were in fact part of a wider terrorism financing network.
Mamu has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/10/22/court-rejects-bail-bid-of-alleged-terrorists-negotiator-tukur-mamu/
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Drone attacks in Khartoum for third consecutive day: witnesses
October 23, 2025
KHARTOUM: Drones targeted the army-held Sudanese capital and its airport on Thursday, witnesses told AFP, marking the third consecutive day of such strikes.
“At 4:00 am (0200 GMT) I heard the sound of two drones passing above us,” one witness said, adding that the drones were headed toward military facilities.
Another witness meanwhile said he saw the drones heading toward the airport, adding that he heard explosions shortly afterwards.
Since Tuesday, the airport — out of service for over two years — has come under repeated drone attacks blamed on the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which the regular army has been battling since April 2023.
The airport was due to reopen on Wednesday, but this was postponed “under further notice,” an airport official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
Following a months-long offensive, the army recaptured Khartoum from the RSF in March, but the city remains largely devastated, with frequent power outages and the paramilitaries intensifying drone attacks on the city.
More than a million people who had been displaced by the war have returned over the past 10 months, according to the United Nations’ migration agency.
In the past weeks, the government has sought to reopen key services and move institutions back to Khartoum after they had largely fled to the de facto capital of Port Sudan on the Red Sea coast.
Now well into its third year, the war in Sudan has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced about 12 million more and triggered one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2619925/middle-east
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First domestic flight lands in Sudan’s capital Khartoum since war began
October 22, 2025
CAIRO: A domestic passenger flight landed at Khartoum International Airport in Sudan’s capital on Wednesday for the first time since the war broke out over two years ago, potentially marking the gradual reopening of air traffic.
Sudan’s media and culture ministry confirmed a Badr Airlines flight from Port Sudan landed. The airport previously received flights carrying Sudanese military leader Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan at least twice this year.
The army in March captured the airport from the rival Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group. The war broke out when the military and the RSF turned against each other in a struggle for power. Although the military holds the capital, the RSF still controls parts of the western Darfur region and other areas.
The fighting has killed at least 40,000 people, according to the World Health Organization, and displaced as many as 12 million others. Over 24 million people are facing acute food insecurity, UN says.
The RSF fired drones at the airport at dawn Tuesday but the military intercepted them, according to an army statement.
RSF leader Mohammad Hamdan Dagalo Mousa, also known as Hemedti, later on Tuesday night threatened in a video speech that his forces would continue targeting the airport.
“Any airplane that takes off from any neighboring country, any airplane that is dropping supplies, bombing or killing, any drone that takes off from any airport, will be a legitimate target for us,” he said.
Burhan toured the airport on Tuesday ahead of its scheduled reopening and delivered a speech vowing to protect citizens from the RSF.
The Sudan Civil Aviation Authority this week confirmed that domestic flights would resume on Wednesday after necessary operational and technical procedures were completed, according to Sudan News Agency.
It’s unclear how many airlines would use Khartoum airport. Sudanese officials were not immediately available for comment.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2619881/middle-east
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Interpol and Afripol crack down on terror financing across Africa
October 22, 2025
A joint Interpol and Afripol operation has led to 83 arrests across six African countries and exposed hundreds of people suspected of financing or supporting terrorism.
The three-month operation, named Operation Catalyst, was conducted between July and September 2025. It’s the first coordinated effort on the continent aimed at disrupting the money networks that fund terrorist activities. Authorities from Angola, Cameroon, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, and South Sudan participated.
A sum of about 260 million US dollars in cash and cryptocurrency, believed to be linked to terrorism-related crime, was uncovered.
Money Trails Tied to Cybercrime and Fraud
Interpol said Operation Catalyst revealed how terrorism financing is increasingly linked to other crimes such as online scams, Ponzi schemes and money laundering.
Of those arrested, 21 were detained for terrorism-related offences, 28 for fraud and money laundering, 16 for cyber-enabled scams and 18 for the illegal use of virtual currencies.
More than 15,000 people and entities were screened during the operation, leading to the identification of 160 new persons of interest.
Major Arrests in Angola, Kenya and Nigeria
In Angola, police detained 25 suspects from several countries in a crackdown on illegal money transfer systems tied to terrorism and money laundering. Authorities seized approximately $ 588,000, 100 phones, and 40 computers, and froze 60 bank accounts.
In Kenya, investigators uncovered a suspected money-laundering ring worth around 430,000 dollars, run through a virtual asset service provider. Two suspects have been arrested so far. In another case, two people were arrested for recruiting young people from East and North Africa into terrorist groups using funds traced through a cryptocurrency platform in Tanzania.
In Nigeria, 11 suspected terrorists, including senior members of several groups, were arrested.
Global Crypto Scam Uncovered
The operation also exposed a massive cryptocurrency-based Ponzi scheme posing as an online trading platform. The scam stretched across 17 countries, including Cameroon, Kenya and Nigeria, defrauding more than 100,000 people worldwide. Losses are estimated at 562 million dollars, with some funds believed to have financed terrorist activities.
Interpol also issued a Red Notice for a suspect accused of running a crypto scam worth 5 million dollars. Investigators say the suspect moved funds through multiple digital wallets and exchange platforms to hide the trail before converting the money into cash.
‘A United Front Against Terrorism’
Interpol Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza called the operation a milestone in Africa’s fight against terrorism financing.
“This is the first time financial crime, cybercrime and counter-terrorism units from several African countries have joined forces with Interpol and Afripol,” he said. “By sharing intelligence, we can disrupt the financial flows that keep terrorist networks alive.”
Afripol’s Executive Director, Ambassador Jalel Chelba, said the success of Operation Catalyst shows what can be achieved through joint action.
“When African law enforcement works together, we can offer a strong and coordinated response to complex and evolving security threats,” he said.
International Cooperation
The operation was carried out under the ISPA programme, funded by Germany’s Federal Foreign Office, which supports Afripol’s work in tackling organised crime, terrorism and financial offences.
Private-sector partners Binance, Moody’s and Uppsala Security provided cyber intelligence and data to assist the operation.
Source: africanews.com
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https://www.africanews.com/2025/10/22/interpol-and-afripol-crack-down-on-terror-financing-across-africa/
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‘If We Stop Buying AK-47 For Jobless People, Problem Of Criminality Will Be Solved’ – Oshiomhole To Politicians
October 22, 2025
Edo North Senator, Adams Oshiomhole, has asserted that problems of criminality in the country will be 90 per cent solved if politicians stop buying arms for unemployed people to disrupt elections.
Naija News reports that the former Governor of Edo State said this during Wednesday’s plenary in the Senate.
According to the lawmaker, there is always an increase in criminality after elections because politicians fail to retrieve the arms given to jobless people during the election.
Oshiomhole also stated that he does not support holding the elections for the President, the National Assembly, and Governors on the same day.
He added that in dealing with technology in elections, Nigeria must be cautious of hackers.
He said, “I don’t know if Mr. President will remember. I’m not sure I’m entitled to call the President as a witness, but just to draw your attention to what I said when we were both governors, first, the issue we must work hard to eliminate in our electoral process is violence. We can’t have an election that seems to be a war where young men and not so young, carry AK-47 either to chase away opponents or even to chase away the young men and women who are presiding over election or to take over coalition centers.
“On that occasion as a sitting governor, I believe Governor Dickson was also at that meeting, I remember when I finished, I said, AK-47 is not like buying akara on the street [only big men can buy them]. I remember the former governor Amaechi asking me whether I was accusing the governors.
“I think I said something close to ‘yes’ because if you ask the security agencies, they will tell you that after every election, violent crimes increase because the politicians who procured weapons for children who are hungry and pay them a little fee, once the election is over, they are not able to retrieve the weapons, and the weapon are then deployed by these people for violence.
“You can see a strong correlation between the level of criminality, robbery, etc, immediately after the election, because these people have been abandoned since the results have been given, somebody said, I should not accuse governors.
“I’m not accusing governors now. I’m just recalling what I said before and when I listen to all those who spoke here, everybody spoke in unison, I haven’t heard anyone who says he doesn’t want a transparent election.
“If we all do, not from our lips but from our heart, and we decide to remove violence and convince ourselves that the Nigerian people deserve to hire and fire without fear of favor on Election Day, at least after every four years, correct law. We will have free, fair, transparent elections.
“The beauty of democracy is not the fact that you find yourself occupying an important elective office.
“It is the feeling in your heart that people actually in their free will find you worthy to be their voice and to entrust our collective patrimony in your hands to manage to deliver the greatest good to the greatest number.
“That for me is the beauty. If you achieve it by the game of body, by two rigging or other manipulation, deep in your heart, you know that you are not a happy person.
“Therefore I wish to say the following. First, we should resolve each and every one of us and also collectively, that as elected persons, we as senators, shall not directly or indirectly, secretly or openly abet unemployed people and Armed them to disrupt elections if we form our character, this problem is 90 percent solved.”
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/10/22/if-we-stop-buying-ak-47-for-jobless-people-problem-of-criminality-will-be-solved-oshiomhole-to-politicians/
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Mideast
Rubio says Israel annexation moves in West Bank ‘threatening’ peace deal
October 23, 2025
WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday warned Israel against annexing the West Bank, saying steps taken by parliament and settler violence threatened a Gaza peace deal.
Israeli lawmakers voted Wednesday to advance two bills on annexing the occupied West Bank, barely a week after President Donald Trump pushed through a deal aimed at ending a two-year Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip that was retaliation for a Hamas attack.
“I think the president’s made clear that’s not something we can be supportive of right now,” Rubio said of annexation as he boarded his plane for a visit to Israel.
Annexation moves are “threatening for the peace deal,” he told reporters.
“They’re a democracy, they’re going to have their votes, and people are going to take these positions,” he said.
“But at this time, it’s something that we...think might be counterproductive,” he said.
Asked about increased violence by extremist Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank, Rubio said: “We’re concerned about anything that threatens to destabilize what we’ve worked on.”
But Rubio — the latest high-ranking US visitor to Israel following Vice President JD Vance — voiced optimism overall for preserving the peace deal.
“Every day there’ll be threats to it, but I actually think we’re ahead of schedule in terms of bringing it together, and the fact that we made it through this weekend is a good sign,” Rubio said.
The United States is the primary military and diplomatic supporter of Israel and Rubio until recently had steered clear of criticizing annexation moves championed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right allies.
But a number of Arab and Muslim states, which the United States is courting to provide troops and money for a stabilization force in Gaza, have warned that annexation of the West Bank, led by Hamas’s moderate rivals in the Palestinian Authority, was a red line.
Source: arabnews.com
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Twelve UN staff leave Yemen’s Sanaa after Houthi detention: UN
October 23, 2025
NEW YORK: Twelve international United Nations employees who had been held by Yemen’s Houthis inside their compound flew out of the rebel-held capital on Wednesday, the UN said.
The Iran-backed Houthis raided the UN compound in the capital Sanaa last weekend, holding 20 staff, including 15 foreigners. Five Yemeni nationals were released on Sunday.
The rebels have harassed and detained UN staff and aid workers for years, accusing them of spying, but they have accelerated arrests since the start of the Gaza war.
“Earlier today, 12 UN international staff who were among those previously held in the UN compound in Yemen departed Sanaa on a UN Humanitarian Air Service flight,” said a statement released by UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres’s spokesperson.
Some of them will relocate to Amman, Jordan, UN spokesman Farhan Haq told a news conference, not ruling out further travel or a return to Yemen.
The three remaining staff are now “free to move or travel,” the UN said.
“We do intend to maintain some international staff in Sanaa,” Haq said.
Among the 15 detained was UNICEF’s representative in Yemen Peter Hawkins.
The Houthis, part of Iran’s “axis of resistance” against Israel and the United States, have frequently fired on Red Sea shipping and Israeli territory during the two-year Gaza war, claiming solidarity with the Palestinians.
Israel has launched numerous retaliatory strikes, including a major attack in August that killed the Houthis’s premier and nearly half of his cabinet.
Rebel leader Abdulmalik Al-Houthi accused detained UN employees of having a hand in the attack, without giving evidence. The UN has rejected the claim.
A total of 53 UN workers are still arbitrarily detained by the Houthis, according to the international body.
The rebels stormed UN offices in Sanaa on August 31, detaining more than 11 employees, it said.
A senior Houthi official told AFP the UN staff were suspected of spying for the United States and Israel.
In mid-September, the UN humanitarian coordinator in Yemen was transferred from Sanaa to Aden, the interim capital of the internationally recognized government.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2619893/middle-east
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US lawmakers demand answers about American-Palestinian teenager detained in Israel
October 22, 2025
LONDON: A group of Democratic lawmakers has written to the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, demanding the immediate release of a 16-year-old Palestinian-American who has been held in Israeli military detention for eight months.
Mohammed Ibrahim was taken by Israeli forces in February during a raid on his family home near Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. The dual citizen, who was 15 when he was detained, is said to have lost a significant amount of weight and be suffering health problems.
In their letter, a copy of which was sent to the US ambassador to Israel, the 27 senators and representatives said they had “grave concern” about the treatment of Ibrahim, The Guardian newspaper reported.
“As we have been told repeatedly, ‘the Department of State has no higher priority than the safety and security of US citizens abroad,’” the lawmakers wrote. “We share that view and urge you to fulfill this responsibility by engaging the Israeli government directly to secure the swift release of this American boy.”
They also demanded to know what efforts were being made by the US government to secure Ibrahim’s release, and gave officials until Nov. 3 to respond.
The letter was led by senators Chris Van Hollen and Jeff Merkley, and representatives Kathy Castor and Maxwell Frost. The other signatories included senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.
Ibrahim was accused of throwing stones at Israeli settlers, an allegation he denies. He was originally held in the notorious Megiddo Prison, before being transferred to Ofer Prison.
In testimony provided to Defense for Children International — Palestine and published his week, the teenager described how Israeli soldiers bound his hands behind his back and blindfolded him during the arrest. He said they beat him with the butts of their rifles while he was being transported for interrogation.
He described the two meager meals he receives each day, including a breakfast comprising small pieces of bread and a spoonful of labneh, and a lunch consisting of a cup of rice, sausage and pieces of bread. In addition to his considerable weight loss, Ibrahim had also contracted scabies.
Israel has long been criticized for detaining children and prosecuting them through military courts. Palestinians in the West Bank are subject to Israeli military law, and are usually tried in military rather than civilian courts.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2619892/middle-east
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Iraq bans US gaming platform Roblox over child safety concerns
October 22, 2025
BAGHDAD: Iraq has banned US user-generated videogame platform Roblox due to concerns over child safety, the government said, joining other countries in cracking down on virtual worlds.
The government said late on Sunday that the ban was motivated by concerns that the game allowed direct communication between users in ways that exposed children and adolescents to attempts of exploitation or cyber-extortion, and that its content was “incompatible with social values and traditions.”
Roblox Corp. said safety was its top priority and it wanted to work with the government to restore access.
“We strongly contest recent claims made by the Iraqi authorities, which we believe to be based on an outdated understanding of our platform,” a Roblox spokesperson said.
Earlier this year, Roblox temporarily suspended certain communication features such as in-game chat for users in Arabic speaking countries, including Iraq, the spokesperson added.
The Iraqi communications ministry said the nationwide ban was based on a comprehensive study and field monitoring which found that “the game involves several security, social, and behavioral risks.”
The move places Iraq among several Middle East countries tightening regulation of online gaming and interactive platforms over child safety and moral concerns. Turkiye blocked access to Roblox in August 2024, also citing child abuse risks.
Source: arabnews.com
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Israel deports foreign activists who helped Palestinian olive harvest
October 22, 2025
RAMALLAH: Israel’s Deputy Prime Minister Yariv Levin said Wednesday he had ordered the deportation of 32 foreign activists who had helped Palestinians harvest olives in the occupied West Bank, on the grounds they violated a military order.
Levin said the deportation order came after a complaint filed by Northern West Bank Settlements Council president Yossi Dagan, who said the activists were “anarchists who carried out provocations in the Samaria area.”
Rudy Schulkind, a 30-year-old British national among the deported, told AFP he had come to the West Bank to support Palestinian farmers.
This year’s olive season has been particularly violent, with several acts of vandalism and attacks from Israeli settlers.
Foreign activists often provide a presence meant to deter these incidents in rural West Bank areas.
Schulkind said he was held 72 hours by Israeli forces before being deported on October 19.
“We were arrested after they declared the area we were harvesting in as a military zone,” he said, alleging that this was a common Israeli tactic against Palestinians.
He added that all 32 international volunteers were arrested in an olive grove near the West Bank city of Nablus.
Schulkind said that he and the other volunteers “were never brought before a judge,” during their detention.
Minister Levin said the deportation was co-signed by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, and accused the activists of violating “a military commander’s order” and of belonging to the UAWC (Union of Agricultural Work Committees).
UAWC is a Palestinian non-profit organization that focuses on agricultural development.
Israel labelled it a terrorist organization in 2021, along with five other NGOs, in a ruling condemned by the UN.
Schulkind did not disclose which organization he came with, but Fuad Abu Seif, General Director of UAWC, told AFP the volunteers came under a so-called “National Campaign” organized by many Palestinian NGOs and the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture.
Abu Seif said the UAWC is a member of that campaign, but not an organizer.
For its part, the Palestinian foreign ministry condemned the arrests.
Source: arabnews.com
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Israeli lawmakers approve advancement of West Bank annexation bills
October 22, 2025
JERUSALEM: Israeli lawmakers on Wednesday voted in favor of advancing two bills on annexing the occupied West Bank, an ambition openly promoted by far-right ministers in recent months.
The vote came with US Vice President JD Vance visiting Israel to shore up a Gaza ceasefire brokered by President Donald Trump, who has made clear he would not back annexation of the West Bank.
“I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank,” Trump told reporters at the White House in September. “It’s not going to happen.”
Israeli media reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had called on MPs from his Likud party to abstain from voting.
In a statement, Likud called the votes “another provocation by the opposition aimed at damaging our relations with the United States.”
“True sovereignty will be achieved not through a showy law for the record, but through proper work on the ground,” it added.
During a preliminary reading on Wednesday, lawmakers voted in favor of examining two bills, which means they will be brought forward for further readings in parliament.
The first text, passed by 32 MPs to nine, proposed annexing Maale Adumim, a large Israeli settlement home to some 40,000 people just east of Jerusalem.
The second proposal to annex the entire West Bank was supported by 25 MPs while 24 voted against.
The Knesset, as the parliament is known, has 120 members.
Far-right members of Netanyahu’s cabinet have openly called for annexation of the Palestinian territory, occupied by Israel since 1967.
“Mr Prime Minister. The Knesset has spoken. The people have spoken,” Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich posted on X.
“The time has come to impose full sovereignty over all of Judea and Samaria — the inheritance of our ancestors — and to promote peace agreements in exchange for peace with our neighbors with strength,” he said, using the Israeli Biblical term for the West Bank.
All of Israel’s settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law.
In August, Israel approved a major settlement project between Maale Adumim and Jerusalem in an area of the Palestinian territory that the international community has warned threatens the viability of a future Palestinian state.
At a signing ceremony in September, Netanyahu vowed that there would be no Palestinian state.
“We are going to fulfil our promise that there will be no Palestinian state, this place belongs to us,” he said at the event in Maale Adumim.
Excluding Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, the West Bank is home to around three million Palestinians, as well as more than 500,000 Israelis living in settlements.
Since the war in Gaza began in October 2023, violence has also surged in the West Bank.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2619851/middle-east
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South Asia
Buet Student Sent To Jail Over ‘Hurting Religious Sentiment’
Oct 23, 2025
A Dhaka court yesterday sent Buet student Sreeshant Roy to jail in a case filed under the Cyber Security Ordinance for allegedly hurting religious sentiments on social media.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Ehsanul Islam passed the order after police produced him before the court.
Earlier in the day, Buet security officer Afgan Hossain filed the case against Sreeshant with Chawkbazar Police Station, accusing him of posting derogatory comments about women and religion on a social media platform, said SI Abdur Razzak, duty officer of the police station.
According to the case statement, Sreeshant posted the comments between June 8 and September 7.
Around 10:30pm on Tuesday, Afgan and some Buet students detained Sreeshant at Ahsan Ullah Hall after screenshots of his remarks went viral, sparking widespread outrage and protests on campus.
He was later handed over to Chawkbazar Police Station.
Following protests, Buet authorities suspended him from the university the same night.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/crime-justice/news/buet-student-sent-jail-over-hurting-religious-sentiment-4016756
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Muttaqi, Former U.S. Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad Discuss Bilateral Relations
October 23, 2025
KABUL: The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate, Mawlavi Amir Khan Muttaqi, in a meeting with the former United States Special Representative for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, discussed strengthening bilateral relations, the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
The two sides discussed a broad range of political, diplomatic, and economic issues, emphasizing the importance of dialogue and mutual understanding in building constructive engagement, the statement said.
During the meeting, Minister Muttaqi highlighted Afghanistan’s consistent policy of maintaining balanced and positive relations with all countries, including the United States and reaffirmed that the Islamic Emirate seeks cooperation in areas that contribute to regional peace, economic growth, and mutual respect.
Zalmay Khalilzad, who played a key role in facilitating the historic Doha Agreement between the Islamic Emirate and the United States, expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to meet and exchange views on the evolving situation in Afghanistan.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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No chance of caretaker government before referendum: Nahid Islam
22 Oct 2025
DHAKA, Oct 22, 2025 (BSS) - National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam today said there is no possibility for a caretaker government before the referendum, emphasizing that the issue is attached to the July Charter and will only be decided after the referendum.
"The consensus commission has already discussed how a caretaker government would be formed... the issue of a 'Note of Dissent' is included there, so the caretaker government will come into effect only after the referendum. At this stage, there is no real opportunity for a caretaker government," said Nahid.
Nahid told journalists following a meeting with Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus this evening at the State Guest House, Jamuna.
Speaking about the July Charter, Nahid Islam said, "They (Consensus Commission) have called us to sign, and they will consider our concerns. Once the consensus commission makes recommendations, the advisory council will take a decision accordingly."
Nahid said, "We do not believe in the Charter merely as a paper document. We will consider signing only after assurances on its implementation. Since the signing ceremony of the July Charter was held without our participation, we have conveyed our position to the government and the consensus commission."
NCP has proposed issuing a constitutional order to ensure the implementation of the charter, to be proclaimed by the Chief Adviser himself. "Because the sovereign power of the people, as expressed through the July Uprising, is now vested in Muhammad Yunus - not in the president," said Nahid.
On the issue of the trial of the July massacre, NCP Convener Nahid Islam said, "One of the major topics we discussed today was the trial of the July genocide. We have seen that several military personnel have been brought to court under charges related to crimes against humanity at the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT). We welcome this step and thank both the government and the tribunal for advancing justice."
Nahid, however, raised concerns about other related cases across the country, saying, "Besides ICT, there are numerous cases filed by families of martyrs and victims. We are seeing in newspapers that accused individuals are being released on bail and threatening the families of martyrs and survivors."
"We have demanded a roadmap for justice and the safety of the affected families. This roadmap should be announced before the election," said Nahid.
Commenting on the upcoming election preparations, he said free and fair elections are ultimately the government's responsibility.
"We expect the government to ensure a level playing field and a neutral environment to guarantee credible elections," said Nahid.
The NCP delegation led by Nahid Islam met Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus around 5:00pm. The delegation included NCP Joint Conveners Samanta Sharmin and Khaled Saifullah and Chief Organiser (North) Sarjis Alam.
Source: bssnews.net
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https://www.bssnews.net/news-flash/324024
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UK Defence Ministry Reveals Nearly 50 Data Breaches in Afghan Resettlement Schemes
By Fidel Rahmati
October 23, 2025
Britain’s Ministry of Defence revealed nearly 50 data breaches affecting Afghan resettlement schemes, including incidents exposing personal details of thousands who aided UK forces in Afghanistan.
The British Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed nearly 50 incidents of data breaches and personal information leaks related to its Afghan relocation and assistance programmes.
According to a report by Public Technology on Thursday, October 23, David Williams, the MoD’s Permanent Secretary, revealed in a letter to Parliament that breaches occurred within the “Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy” (ARAP) and the “Intimidation Scheme” for local staff who worked alongside British forces.
Williams said only five of the incidents were formally reported to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Most cases involved accidental email or WhatsApp messages containing personal data, including names, contact details, and application references.
One of the most serious cases occurred in 2021 when an employee mistakenly used the “CC” instead of “BCC” function in a group email, exposing hundreds of Afghan applicants’ identities. The MoD was fined £350,000 for that incident by the UK data regulator.
Williams added that the largest single breach happened in February 2022, involving personal information of more than 18,000 Afghan applicants seeking resettlement in the UK. The case came to light in July after a confidential court order restricting disclosure was lifted.
While acknowledging that only a portion of the breaches were reported to the ICO, the regulator has accepted the MoD’s reporting decisions as “appropriate given the circumstances.”
The House of Commons Defence Committee has launched an inquiry into the breaches and will hold hearings in the coming days to examine data protection failures within the ministry’s Afghan resettlement programmes.
The revelations underscore ongoing challenges in the UK’s handling of Afghan resettlement cases, raising concerns over privacy, accountability, and the safety of those who aided British operations. Lawmakers and rights groups have urged the government to strengthen data security and ensure affected individuals receive protection and transparency following the exposure.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/uk-defence-ministry-reveals-nearly-50-data-breaches-in-afghan-resettlement-schemes/
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Afghanistan Risks Losing 10% of GDP as Aid Declines, Warns IRC
By Fidel Rahmati
October 22, 2025
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) warned Afghanistan could lose up to 10% of its GDP as international aid and climate funding sharply decline this year.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has warned that Afghanistan could lose up to 10% of its gross domestic product due to declining foreign aid.
In a report released on Wednesday, the IRC said global climate assistance to Afghanistan had dropped by nearly 40%, threatening ongoing humanitarian and recovery programs.
The organization noted that most international funds are being directed toward countries with stable climates, leaving Afghanistan — one of the world’s most vulnerable, critically underfunded.
To mitigate the worsening impacts of drought and economic strain, the IRC said it has provided cash assistance to more than 28,000 families across the country.
The agency emphasized that Afghanistan continues to face severe drought and mounting climate challenges that require immediate, sustained international support.
Ahead of the upcoming Berlin Climate Security Conference, the IRC urged global actors to prioritize at-risk nations like Afghanistan in their climate adaptation funding.
Afghanistan remains among the world’s top 10 countries most affected by climate change, where extreme weather, economic collapse, and limited humanitarian access have deepened the ongoing crisis.
Experts warn that without renewed funding, Afghanistan’s fragile health, food, and livelihood systems could further deteriorate, exacerbating the country’s already dire humanitarian emergency.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/afghanistan-risks-losing-10-of-gdp-as-aid-declines-warns-irc/
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Case against Hasina: Ex-IGP became approver to protect himself
Oct 23, 2025
Former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun became an approver to "save himself" by concealing his own crimes and putting the blame on others, Amir Hossain, the state-appointed defence counsel for deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, told the International Crimes Tribunal-1 yesterday.
He made the remarks while presenting his concluding arguments for the third consecutive day in a case filed against Hasina, Kamal, and Mamun over crimes against humanity committed during the July uprising.
While briefing journalists, Prosecutor Mizanul Islam said the tribunal may set the date for delivering its verdict in the case today after the prosecution presents counter arguments against the defence counsel.
During yesterday's hearing, the defence counsel also questioned the procedure through which Mamun's confessional statement was recorded by the Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, alleging that it was not done properly.
In July, former IGP Mamun pleaded guilty in the case and offered to be a state approver, which the tribunal accepted. He also made a confessional statement before a magistrate.
When the tribunal sought his response regarding Amir's claim that Mamun became an approver to save himself, the former IGP's lawyer, Jaiad Bin Amjad, said, "My client made a true and full disclosure regarding this incident when he gave his deposition."
Amjad said neither the prosecution nor the defence could discredit the statement or present anything substantial against it. His client's deposition corroborates the testimonies of other witnesses in the case, he added.
Tribunal member Justice Shofiul Alam Mahmood observed that Mamun's statements appeared cautious and careful, seemingly intended to protect himself to some extent.
Lawyer Amjad outright rejected the allegation, saying his client had also provided crucial information about the enforced disappearance case, the trial of which is set to begin soon.
Regarding the deposition of witness Nahid Islam, a key leader of the July uprising, Amir questioned Nahid's claim that he called Prof Muhammad Yunus and requested him to form a government on July 4.
"How did Nahid know that on August 5 the [Awami] government would resign?" he asked.
The tribunal responded that since their movement had turned into a one-point demand to oust the government, they had to prepare.
Amir replied, "This was part of a meticulous design."
Commenting on the testimony of Mahmudur Rahman, editor of the Daily Amar Desh, Amir said, "My argument is that he is an opponent of Sheikh Hasina. He disliked her rule and doesn't like anything about her. Whether such statements, made out of anger, should be accepted or not is, I believe, up to the tribunal."
Referring to the statement of a witness who claimed that Hasina, during a visit to Pongu Hospital, ordered that no wounded July uprising victims be released or treated, Amir said that only one witness made this claim. No one else — not even any doctor or nurse — corroborated it. He added that even the media did not carry any such report.
Amir concluded, "I believe that the charges brought against my clients are not sufficient for conviction. Since the prosecution could not prove the allegations, my clients should be acquitted with honour."
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/crime-justice/news/ict-sends-15-army-officers-jail-4016681
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Yunus meets Jamaat, NCP; reaffirms commitment to free and fair election
Oct 22, 2025
Assuring Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party (NCP), Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus today said the interim government would take all necessary steps to ensure that the upcoming national election is free and fair.
The chief adviser made the remarks during separate meetings held at the state guesthouse Jamuna today, where leaders of NCP and Jamaat also discussed the mechanism for implementing the July Charter, the referendum, and the roadmap for the trial of July killings, CA press wing said in a release.
To make the election peaceful and festive, he sought cooperation from all active political parties, including Jamaat and the NCP.
"You can rest assured about our neutrality. We have already taken a number of steps to hold a free, neutral, and fair election; you will see many more initiatives in the coming days," the chief adviser told NCP and Jamaat leaders during their meeting.
The NCP delegation, led by its convener Nahid Islam, first held a meeting with the chief adviser.
Other members of the delegation included the party's chief organiser for the northern region, Sarjis Alam; senior joint convener Samanta Sharmin; and joint convener Khaled Saifullah.
Later, Jamaat's Nayeb-e-Ameer Dr Syed Abdullah Taher led a four-member delegation of the party. Other members were Jamaat's Secretary General Professor Mia Golam Parwar, Assistant Secretary General ATM Masum, and Rafiqul Islam Khan.
Planning Adviser Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud, Law Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul, and Industry Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan were present at both meetings on behalf of the government.
During the meeting, Nahid Islam said, "We want an assurance of the roadmap for the trial of the July killings and the implementation of the July Charter before the election. The government must take firm action in this regard."
At that time, the chief adviser urged the NCP to sign the July Charter, saying, "This charter is a priceless asset for the nation; participation of everyone is important here."
The chief adviser also assured the NCP that the National Consensus Commission was working on the process of implementing the charter.
Nahid Islam informed the chief adviser that the NCP had already sent a letter to the commission seeking a discussion with the legal experts involved in it.
Immediately after the meeting with the NCP, Jamaat leaders met the chief adviser.
They demanded that a referendum on the July Charter be held before the national election.
"The referendum must be held before the national election because the July Charter contains many issues linked to the national polls," Taher said during the meeting.
He also said, "If the referendum and the national election are held on the same day, there is a risk that the voting process will be prolonged."
Jamaat leaders also expressed full confidence in any decision taken by the chief adviser to ensure the neutrality of the election-time administration.
The chief adviser told leaders of both NCP and Jamaat that he would personally oversee any administrative reshuffle before the election.
He assured them of the necessary measures to be taken in coordination with the Election Commission.
Source: thedailystar.net
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Arab World
Saudi Arabia condemns Israeli draft laws for annexation of Palestinian land
ARAB NEWS
October 22, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry condemned the preliminary approval by the Israeli parliament on Wednesday of two draft laws, one of which seeks to legitimize an illegal settlement in the occupied West Bank, and another attempting to impose Israeli sovereignty over the entire territory.
The Kingdom said it firmly rejected all settlement and expansionist activity by Israeli occupation authorities in the West Bank, and reaffirmed its support for the right of Palestinians to establish an independent state based on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in line with international resolutions.
The ministry reminded the international community of its responsibility to implement UN resolutions and halt Israeli encroachments on Palestinian territory, and called for a peace process that results in a two-state solution to achieve security and stability in the region, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Earlier, Israeli lawmakers voted in the Knesset to advance two bills related to annexation of the West Bank, a goal promoted by far-right ministers. The drafts will have to go through three additional votes in the parliament to become law.
The first bill, which passed by 32 votes to 9, proposes annexation of a large Israeli settlement east of Jerusalem. The second, which proposes annexation of the entire West Bank, narrowly passed by 25 votes to 24.
Source: arabnews.com
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Sheikh Saleh Al-Fawzan appointed Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia
October 22, 2025
RIYADH: Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan bin Abdullah Al-Fawzan has been appointed Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia and the Chairman of the Council of Senior Scholars.
The appointment was made by royal decree and based on a proposal by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
The religious scholar will also undertake the role of president of the General Presidency of Scholarly Research and Ifta, SPA said.
Sheikh Saleh succeeds former Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Asheikh who passed away on Sept. 23.
Source: arabnews.com
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Royal Commission for AlUla announces partnership with Center Pompidou in Paris
October 22, 2025
LONDON: Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Farhan, Saudi minister of culture and governor of the Royal Commission for AlUla, discussed strengthening cultural exchange with France’s minister of culture, Rachida Dati, in Paris on Wednesday.
The Saudi-French cultural cooperation will establish a Saudi section in the Center Pompidou, which is undergoing refurbishment, and will reopen to the public in 2030, the Royal Commission for AlUla announced.
According to the agreement, the RCU will provide 50 million euros to support the renovation of the Center Pompidou. This initiative is part of a larger Saudi-French collaboration aimed at developing the Museum of Contemporary Art in AlUla, in the western Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia.
Additionally, a cultural and artistic program will be established for the upcoming years until 2030, focusing on modern and contemporary Saudi artists and using resources from the Center Pompidou. The initiative will facilitate exchanges between cultural professionals from France and Saudi Arabia, the RCU added.
The partnership reflects a shared commitment to strengthening culture as a bridge for international dialogue and advancing sustainable development, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
RCU also announced the Arduna exhibition, scheduled to take place during the AlUla Arts Festival in January 2026. The event is organized in collaboration with Arts AlUla, the Center Pompidou and the French Agency for AlUla Development. It will include workshops and live performances to support emerging talent and enhance AlUla’s cultural landscape.
The RCU said that it was working to strengthen AlUla’s position as a global hub for creativity, where heritage, innovation and knowledge come together to inspire future generations, according to SPA.
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi family traditions have shaped how people connect online, says exec
HAJAR ALQUSAYER
October 22, 2025
RIYADH: The Saudi community’s deep sense of family and closeness has influenced how people connect online, shaping a culture rooted in authenticity and trust, according to a social media executive.
Speaking to Arab News on the sidelines of the Athar Festival, with which Arab News is a media partner, Samer Lahoud, head of creative strategy for MENA at Snapchat, said that users are increasingly drawn to genuine content that builds real social bonds.
“What we notice is that what people engage with, they are engaging a lot with the authentic content. And this is where you feel that authenticity creates real social bonds, because it creates trust,” Lahoud said.
“The moment you start creating content which is not authentic, that is fake … or that is not interesting for people, the less they interact with it. So, the idea of social connection when it comes to authenticity and how to make it stronger is the power of it is that it all comes together with the power of trust.”
Lahoud added that this pattern is particularly visible in Saudi Arabia, where social media has become an extension of real-life relationships.
“When it came to Saudi society and how they really wanted that, they really wanted to build and enrich their connection with the closest circle that they had.”
He added that Saudi culture’s emphasis on close-knit relationships has made the platform a natural fit for users who value real connection.
“By nature, Saudi society loves that closeness to their friend, to their family, to their extended society.
“So, let’s say that in Saudi we’re a perfect fit to the audience who really wanted that kind of intimacy and without the pressure of likes, without the pressure of followers.”
Lahoud said Saudi Arabia’s creative community reflects a strong sense of cultural pride.
“The good thing about Saudi is that we found that Saudis are very proud of local culture. They’re not here to imitate the global trend. They’re not here to bring things to the society that are not genuinely relevant to Saudi.”
“They’re telling their story, the interpretation of their culture or the Saudi culture by this generation in a very authentic manner.”
He added: “It goes back to the power of the Saudi creators who are really using that tool and social media and stories in a great way … I’m actually amazed every day when I see their creativity and how they’re using this medium.”
He also spoke about how emerging technologies, such as AI and augmented reality, are enhancing creativity and accessibility for users and developers.
“AI is integrated in the app (Snapchat). But the beauty about it is that people don’t really think, ‘I’m using AI.’ It is within their experience,” Lahoud said
He added that the company plans to launch AI-powered Spectacles in 2026, wearable AR glasses designed to combine augmented reality, spatial computing and AI capabilities.
“We also integrated AI in our AR Lens Studio to enable developers to be faster at what they’re developing, having better access to the platform.”
Source: arabnews.com
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Tree species discovered for first time at King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve
HAIFA ALSHAMMARI
October 22, 2025
RIYADH: The King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority recently announced the first discovery of a Maerua crassifolia tree, known as the sarh tree, at the reserve.
The discovery occurred during field surveys by experts from the reserve to identify and protect rare plant species while promoting the sustainability of natural habitats.
The sarh tree is part of the Capparaceae family and grows up to 10 meters tall, with a stunted, twisted bole about 25 centimeters in diameter.
The sarh tree is native to Africa and grows in the wild throughout the Middle East, including the Arabian Peninsula and desert areas of the Levant.
It is threatened by land overuse and overgrazing, although it plays an essential role in stabilizing the ecosystem by enhancing vegetation cover, supporting wildlife, and maintaining ecological balance in dry regions such as the kingdom’s harsh climate.
“The sarh plant was once widespread in the Najd region, but its numbers have declined significantly due to excessive woodcutting, as its wood was highly sought after for its hardness and quality,” said Abdullah Alowaifeer, director general of environment and sustainability at King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority.
Alowaifeer added: “We thought it had gone extinct in the reserve, but thankfully, we recently managed to discover a single tree.
“The importance of the sarh lies in being a wild tree that can withstand harsh conditions. It also serves as a natural carbon store and an important refuge for birds and wildlife.”
According to the King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority, the tree was found in the Wadi Al-Shawki area.
Mahir Al-Qathami, CEO of the King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority, described the discovery of the tree as a “success” of the scientific efforts by the authority to study and document the natural environment, SPA reported.
He further said that continuous field surveys are essential for monitoring rare species and for developing strategies to protect and sustain them.
In addition, the royal reserve started implementing a protection plan right after the recent discovery, including fencing the site, conducting regular monitoring, installing an informational sign about the tree’s environmental importance, and collecting seeds to increase the plant’s numbers in other locations in the reserve.
“We are currently working on rehabilitating this plant species by establishing a dedicated nursery, collecting seeds and growing seedlings in preparation for replanting them in their natural habitats, with the goal of reviving the species and enhancing biodiversity in the reserve,” Alowaifeer said.
Source: arabnews.com
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Athar Festival spotlights Kingdom’s push for sustainable tourism
HAJAR ALQUSAYER
October 22, 2025
RIYADH: Sustainable tourism has become a key measure of Saudi Arabia’s transformation, as the Kingdom seeks to balance economic growth with cultural preservation and environmental sustainability.
Speaking to Arab News, a media partner at Athar Festival, Abdulrahman Al-Jefri, destination and live assets executive director at Diriyah Co., said global definitions of sustainability are changing.
“The world is shifting into a new definition for sustainability, where today we have very specific technologies called sustainable tourism,” he said.
“Sustainable tourism is not just preserving the world for the younger generation, the next generation, it’s actually recreating the asset that has been loose, lost or consumed.”
Al-Jefri said tourism has one of the highest environmental impacts due to its carbon footprint and waste across the value chain.
He added that Diriyah’s approach emphasizes walkability, traditional design and landscape protection to reduce that impact.
“We are mandated to preserve the greenery that we have had for 2,000 years in Wadi Hanifa,” he said. “Today, we’re preserving all trees and actually planting more than 1 million trees in our destination. And the architecture methodology, which is mud brick, is a breathable material and low-rise. It’s also a promoter for these kind of sustainable tools.”
Al-Jefri said the Kingdom’s growing tourism sector is also creating new opportunities for young Saudis, and expanding destinations beyond religious tourism.
He added that the tourism sector is now a key pillar of the national plan to diversify income sources.
During a panel titled “Beyond Moments: Transforming Tourism Experiences into Legacies in the Middle East,” Melanie De Souza, destination marketing executive director at the Royal Commission for AlUla, said travel expectations are shifting globally.
She added that people are looking for meaning and “deep cultural immersion and connection.
“I think, increasingly, the customer of today is making decisions based on their own values,” she added. “What is really resonating with customers is this very serious responsibility we feel, to protect and preserve the heritage we have inherited, to really restore our landscapes and breathe wild with the ultimate hope.”
Wadha Al-Nafjan, senior visitor services manager at the King Salman Park Foundation, said visitor experiences should move beyond services to foster emotional connection.
“(It can be done) by designing emotional connection to a place through active participation,” she said.
She added that destinations must continuously evolve to keep visitors engaged and that lasting value in tourism comes from how projects improve people’s lives.
“Moments create attention but I think legacies are built when you design with the intention of improving people’s lives,” Al-Nafjan said.
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi anti-corruption authority makes scores of arrests for bribery offenses
October 22, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s anti-corruption authority has arrested government employees taking bribes in exchange for awarding contracts, overlooking violations and issuing licenses, among other offenses, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday evening.
An employee working at the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources was arrested for receiving SR1.6 million ($433,285) in exchange for unlawfully issuing a quarry license for a company owned by a resident foreign investor, who was also arrested.
A Saudi citizen was arrested for receiving SR85,000 in exchange for canceling a demolition order issued against a plot of agricultural land that had no ownership deed.
Two more employees working at the municipality of the same region were also detained for receiving sums of money in exchange for halting demolition orders.
Another employee working at a local municipality, which was not identified, was arrested for receiving SR195,000 in exchange for unlawfully awarding a tender to an unnamed commercial entity.
In another case, the director of a desalination plant was suspended for receiving SR35,000 from a commercial entity contracted with the plant in exchange for not recording violations committed by that entity.
A municipality employee received a sum of SR30,000 out of an agreed total of SR240,000 in exchange for facilitating the unlawful disbursement of SR8,303,000 in financial dues to a commercial entity, for which they were arrested.
A non-commissioned officer working at the General Directorate of Civil Defense received SR10,430 in exchange for unlawfully issuing a permit to a commercial establishment, and was suspended.
An employee working at a government hospital was suspended for embezzling SR12,000 belonging to a catering company contracted to provide meals for the hospital.
One non-commissioned officer working at the Ministry of Defense was suspended for receiving sums of money from female citizens in exchange for promising to employ them at the ministry.
An employee at one of the Kingdom’s regional emirates was suspended after receiving a sum of money in exchange for facilitating the procedures of a marriage transaction for a resident.
Nazaha also announced the arrest of an employee working at a regional enforcement court for receiving a sum of money in exchange for removing a citizen’s name from the service suspension list.
An employee of the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority was suspended for misappropriating several items that had been confiscated by customs at his work location.
A municipality employee was arrested for accepting airline tickets for himself and his family from a resident working for a company contracted with the municipality (who was also arrested), in return for expediting payment processes.
A municipality market inspector was suspended for conducting inspections at a commercial establishment and illegally taking SR7,500 along with various tobacco products without any legal authority to do so.
A Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development employee was suspended for receiving payment from a business in exchange for not issuing a regulatory violation against it.
A resident working at a health complex affiliated with the Ministry of Health was arrested for receiving payment for promising to issue a health care practice license without the test being taken.
A Ministry of Hajj and Umrah employee was arrested for accepting payment to refrain from canceling a hotel’s operating permit.
Nazaha also arrested a Saudi Electricity Company employee for receiving payment to illegally connect electrical service to a site.
The authority’s spokesperson emphasized its commitment to detecting and apprehending anyone who misappropriates public funds or abuses their position for personal benefit or to harm the public interest.
Such individuals will be held accountable even after their employment has ended, as financial and administrative corruption offenses have no statute of limitations.
Source: arabnews.com
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AI platform unveiled in Riyadh ushers in new era for customer engagement
NADA ALTURKI HAJAR ALQUSAYER
October 22, 2025
RIYADH: Artificial intelligence is pushing new boundaries with the launch of IZZI AI, a platform designed to help Saudi businesses connect more meaningfully with their clients.
The announcement was made at the annual Athar Festival of Creativity on Oct. 21.
Najib Sabbagh, CEO of Sunny Side Up, told Arab News, which is the event’s media partner, that the platform uses AI to create digital agents that guide users through any of their needs.
Positioned as a “breakthrough in customer engagement and sales automation,” IZZI AI can transform everyday conversations into brand connections. Its debut in Riyadh underscores the Kingdom’s appetite for innovation and the festival’s role as a launchpad for new ideas.
Sabbagh used Saudi Arabia’s growing real estate market as an example. The AI agents can present virtual video tours of physical spaces in real time, allowing clients to explore apartments, properties, and neighborhoods from their homes.
He said the idea stemmed from challenges faced by property buyers searching online. Unlike human agents with limited availability, AI agents would respond instantly to user questions and offer detailed information such as layout, amenities, weather forecasts, and proximity to landmarks.
“This allows you, today, to kind of ask every question you need, get every answer you need, directly,” Sabbagh said. “If there was a human agent, he can’t give you 20 minutes of his time, whereas this AI can take a million calls daily.”
The platform draws information from a knowledge base built from each client’s data. “We put it all there from their website, from their social pages, etc. And IZZI would only answer within that knowledge base,” he added.
Sabbagh also noted that while social media enables communication and information exchange, it often lacks depth. IZZI AI is the next stage of digital engagement that goes beyond clicks and views to build real connections between brands and people.
As Saudi Arabia accelerates toward a tech-driven future, innovations unveiled at events like Athar Festival reflect how creativity and technology are merging to redefine communication and customer experience.
Source: arabnews.com
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Mishkat Interactive Center in Riyadh celebrates innovation, efficiency on World Energy Day
October 22, 2025
RIYADH: The King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy is committed to sustainability while strengthening energy independence through renewable sources.
Represented by the Mishkat Interactive Center, the city is celebrating World Energy Day, observed annually on Oct. 22, at its headquarters in Riyadh, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The event aims to raise awareness of energy’s importance by showcasing its diverse fields and providing an interactive environment to enhance understanding of modern technologies.
The celebration highlights the city’s role in promoting clean energy knowledge and supports Saudi Arabia’s leadership in the sector, aligning with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
Activities include interactive experiments and presentations simulating the future of energy locally and globally, promoting efficiency and awareness of clean energy investment.
The event runs from Oct. 22-24, 4–10 p.m., featuring programs, exhibits and experiences for various community segments.
Key participants include the Saudi Energy Efficiency Center and the Forward7 initiative, reinforcing efforts toward a sustainable energy future.
Visitors can register at riyadh.platinumlist.net/ar/event-tickets/world-energy-day.
The initiative is part of the city’s efforts to raise awareness about energy issues, enhance national human capital and equip young individuals with the skills to become leaders in the global energy sector.
By fostering awareness, education and training, the city aims to cultivate an advanced, sustainable, knowledge-based society capable of innovation and progress.
Source: arabnews.com
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North America
American missionary kidnapped in Niger by suspected Islamist militants, sources say
October 22, 2025
The U.S. government is aware of the kidnapping of an American Christian missionary in the West African nation of Niger, U.S. official sources told Fox News.
The sources told Fox News that they suspect that the missionary has been taken north to Islamic State-controlled areas where an offshoot of ISIS operates.
"We are aware of reports of the kidnapping of a U.S. citizen in Niamey, Niger," a State Department spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News. "Since we were alerted of the situation, our Embassy officials have been working with local authorities. It is a top priority for the Trump Administration to look after the safety of every American, and we are seeing efforts from across the U.S. Government to support the recovery and safe return of this U.S. citizen."
The missionary is a pilot for the evangelical missionary agency Serving in Mission, according to Reuters.
The abduction took place only about 100 yards from the presidential palace in Niamey, where ousted President Mohamed Bazoum has been held since he was toppled by a coup more than two years ago, according to CBS News.
Following the kidnapping, the U.S. Embassy in Niger said it now requires all personnel to travel only in armored vehicles and announced that all restaurants and open-air markets are "off-limits".
Kidnappings appear to have intensified this year in areas of West Africa where militants operate. An Austrian woman was abducted in January in Niger, and a Swiss citizen was abducted in April in the same country, Reuters reported.
In addition, five Indian citizens working for a company providing services to Niger's Kandadji dam project were kidnapped during an attack by armed men in April that also killed a dozen soldiers, according to the outlet.
Source: foxnews.com
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Muslim civil rights group calls on Trump to pressure Israel to release Florida teen
October 22, 2025
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) called on the Trump administration Wednesday to force the Israeli government to free Mohammed Ibrahim, a 16-year-old dual Palestinian-American citizen from Brevard County, who has been held in an Israeli prison for more than eight months.
Ibrahim was arrested in February from his family’s home in the West Bank over allegations of rock throwing.
During a press conference in Tampa in August, an attorney for his family said that Ibrahim was being held in Israel’s Megiddo Prison, where they said he had contracted scabies but been denied medical treatment. Family members said he had lost more than 25 pounds since his detention began 10 months ago.
Tampa Bay-area Democratic U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor released a statement that same day as that press conference, urging the Trump administration “to do everything in its power” to obtain the release of Ibrahim. Massachusetts Democratic U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley said on X Sunday that the U.S. “must use every avenue available to secure the release of this Palestinian-American child.”
Ibrahim’s family lives in Palm Bay in Brevard County, where they are represented in Congress by Republican Mike Haridopolos. A spokesperson told the Phoenix in August that his office had been in contact with the Ibrahim family.
The Guardian reported last month that the U.S. State Department had appointed a dedicated official to handle Ibrahim’s case.
Following the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas earlier this month, the Israeli government released nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Ibrahim’s uncle, Zeyad Kadur, told WBUR radio in Boston last week that the family has hoped that Ibrahim would be part of that deal, “but it didn’t happen.”
Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Contact Michael Moline for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com. Follow Florida Phoenix on Facebook and Twitter.
Source: orlandoweekly.com
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'Al Qaeda Of Hemisphere': Video Shows Moment US Conducted 'Lethal Kinetic Strike' On Drug-Carrying Boat
Oct 23, 2025
The US military carried out its ninth strike against an alleged drug-smuggling vessel on Wednesday, destroying the boat and killing three people in the eastern Pacific Ocean, US defence secretary Pete Hegseth announced.
Sharing a video of the strike on social media, Hegseth said the vessel, part of a known narco-trafficking route, was carrying drugs.
Three suspected narco-terrorists were killed in international waters, with no US casualties. It was the second Pacific strike in as many days as part of ongoing US anti-narcotics operations.
"Today, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out yet another lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO). Yet again, the now-deceased terrorists were engaged in narco-trafficking in the Eastern Pacific," Hegseth said through a post on X.
Wednesday’s strike followed one the previous night in the eastern Pacific that killed two people, Hegseth said.
Unlike the seven earlier US attacks concentrated in the Caribbean, the back-to-back strikes mark an expansion of operations into the waters off South America, a key corridor for cocaine shipments from the world’s largest producers. The recent attacks have killed at least 37 people since the campaign began last month.
In his social media posts, Hegseth drew parallels between the Trump administration’s anti-narcotics offensive and the US “war on terror” launched after the September 11, 2001 attacks.
"These strikes will continue, day after day. These are not simply drug runners—these are narco-terrorists bringing death and destruction to our cities. These DTOs are the “Al Qaeda” of our hemisphere and will not escape justice. We will find them and kill them, until the threat to the American people is extinguished," Hegseth said.
Trump has defended the strikes, claiming the US is in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels under the same legal authority used by the Bush administration after 9/11.
Asked about the latest attack, Trump said, “we have legal authority. We’re allowed to do that,” adding that similar strikes could eventually target land operations.
“We will hit them very hard when they come in by land,” Trump told reporters, as cited by AP. “We’re totally prepared to do that. And we’ll probably go back to Congress and explain exactly what we’re doing when we come to the land.”
Lawmakers from both parties have raised concerns that Trump is ordering these military strikes without congressional authorization or sufficient transparency about the operations.
Source: indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/al-qaeda-of-hemisphere-video-shows-moment-us-conducted-lethal-kinetic-strike-on-drug-carrying-boat-watch/articleshow/124751808.cms
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'If you want to live in Muslim country, go back to the UK:' Brandon Gill jabs Mehdi Hasan after he says 'Your wife is an Indian American'
Oct 22, 2025
The dispute between Congressman Brandon Gill and British-born Indian-American broadcaster Mehdi Hasan has taken centre stage over the religious issue.
Taking a jab at Mehdi Hasan over his "Indian-American wife" remarks, Gill asked him to go back to the UK if he wanted to live in a Muslim country.
"My wife is a Christian and doesn’t want to hear your oppressive Muslim prayer calls, either. If you want to live in a Muslim country, go back to the UK," Gill said in a post on X.
It all started when Gill commented on Hasan's remark over the Islamic prayer call.
In a video going viral, Hasan told Americans: "If you can have your church bell, we can have our Islamic prayer call." Over this, Gill said, "
Source: indiatimes.com
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Southeast Asia
Saifuddin Nasution says maritime commandos’ mosque visit was for prayers, not a raid as claimed by Opposition
By R. Loheswar
23 Oct 2025
PUTRAJAYA, Oct 23 — Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail today clarified that the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) commandos who stopped at Masjid Rusila in Terengganu last month were in the middle of a training exercise and not conducting any “raid” as alleged by Opposition politicians.
He said the group, part of MMEA’s elite commando training, had merely stopped to perform Azhar prayers during a survival and evasion module that required trainees to move covertly across checkpoints from Kuala Berang to Kuantan.
“They stopped at Masjid Rusila to pray. That’s all. I’ve seen the CCTV footage myself; nothing extraordinary,” Saifuddin Nasution said during a press conference at the ministry’s headquarters.
The minister explained that a police report was only lodged 10 days later, on September 29, by the mosque’s imam.
Police subsequently engaged both the mosque management and Marang MP Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang, who is also PAS president, to resolve the matter.
“The police found there was no wrongdoing. It ended amicably but some MPs took it too far in Parliament, suggesting the officers had ill intent. That was excessive,” he said.
Saifuddin Nasution added that MPs should act responsibly when raising sensitive security matters to avoid inflaming public sentiment.
“They linked this to past racial tragedies. That’s irresponsible. Let’s not drag the country backwards just for political mileage,” he said.
The minister urged all parties to allow the MMEA to continue its specialised commando training without unnecessary controversy, stressing that the agency plays a vital front-line role in countering maritime threats, from smuggling to illegal fishing.
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/10/23/saifuddin-nasution-says-maritime-commandos-mosque-visit-was-for-prayers-not-a-raid-as-claimed-by-opposition/195624
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She fought back with a flower pot: Woman escapes brutal assault after being snatched by ex at Alor Gajah mosque
23 Oct 2025
MELAKA, Oct 23 — Police have arrested a man for snatching and man-handling his ex-girlfriend in the compound of the Ubaidah Mosque at Kampung Melaka Pindah in Alor Gajah here Tuesday.
Melaka police chief Datuk Dzulkhairi Mukhtar said the 38-year-old suspect was arrested by a police team from the Alor Gajah district Criminal Investigation Division (BSJD) at 7 pm on the same day at a house in Jalan Ayer Hitam Lendu, Kampung Ayer Hitam.
“The suspect, who is also a pensioner with two criminal records and eight drug-related records, has been detained for investigations under Section 363 for kidnapping and Section 326 of the Penal Code for intentionally causing injury using a sharp weapon,” he said in a statement here yesterday.
Earlier, Dzulkhairi said in the incident at about 4.30 pm yesterday, a 35-year-old woman was reported to have been abducted and injured by her ex-boyfriend near the mosque. The suspect, brandishing a 25-centimetre (cm) long knife, had forced the woman into his car.
“Once inside, the victim was beaten, punched in the head and stomped on the chest for two to three minutes,” he said.
Following that, the suspect transferred the victim to another car, his Proton Wira, and drove away with her, with a samurai sword at her chest.
“When he stopped for water at a shop in Taman Sutera Indah, Kelamak, the victim sent a WhatsApp message and live location to her ex-husband for help,” he said.
Dzulkhairi said not long after, the suspect stopped at a village house in Alor Gajah before two men, believed to be the victim’s siblings, approached and broke the suspect’s car window, leading to a struggle.
“The victim then escaped from the car and floored the suspect with a flower pot in the face,” he said.
Dzulkhairi said several minutes later, police and an ambulance arrived and took the suspect away and sent the victim to Alor Gajah Hospital for treatment.
“The victim suffered a stab wound to the right triceps muscle and received four stitches. Investigations at the scene included the Forensic Branch (D10) of Melaka police headquarters.
“The motive for the incident is believed to have stemmed from the suspect’s dissatisfaction after the victim refused to reconcile with him when she discovered he had a wife and children,” he said. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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No training held at Marang mosque, only prayer stop - MMEA
OCTOBER 22, 2025
The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) denied claims that its elite forces had conducted a training exercise at the Rusila Mosque in Marang, Terengganu, on Sept 19.
MMEA director-general Rosli Abdullah said the mosque was merely a location for trainees to perform their religious duties prior to accepting their next assignment.
"The mosque was informed in advance about the trainees' presence and there was no disturbance to the congregation or religious activities,” he said in a statement today.
Rosli was responding to Perikatan Nasional chief whip Takiyuddin Hassan, who earlier claimed that the MMEA had conducted an exercise at the mosque - an action he compared to the 1985 Memali incident, a tragedy that occurred after the police tried to arrest PAS leader Ibrahim Mahmood and his followers.
The incident, which happened in Kampung Baling, Kedah on Nov 19, 1985, led to the deaths of 18 people: Ibrahim, 13 villagers, and four security personnel.
Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat this afternoon, Takiyuddin claimed that a group of 10 to 15 individuals entered the Rusila Mosque in five vehicles without permission, saying this led to fear and anxiety among the congregation.
Rosli further condemned the allegations made by Pendang MP Awang Hashim, who asked if the training was part of a plan to kill PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, who was at the mosque at the time of the incident.
Rosli called the allegations baseless and had the potential to damage the image of the country's security forces and lower their morale.
"The MMEA has never and will never use houses of worship as locations for raids or operations.
"The training conducted at that time was only part of the tactical training syllabus of our special forces," he asserted.
He explained that the training exercise was part of the survival, evasion, resistance and escape module conducted by the special task and rescue team.
Such training is important to build resilience, discipline, and wisdom of team members in interacting with the community when carrying out undercover missions, he said. - Mkini
Source: malaysiansmustknowthetruth.blogspot.com
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Anwar and Trump set to witness Malaysia’s peace deal for Thailand-Cambodia at Asean Summit
By Syed Jaymal Zahiid
23 Oct 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 23 — Malaysia has played an active role in fostering peace as the current chairman of Asean by bringing Thailand and Cambodia to the negotiation table over a border dispute that turned lethal, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today.
He added that the two countries have now agreed to sign a peace pact at the Asean Summit this weekend, with the ceremony set to be witnessed by US President Donald Trump, alongside other world leaders.
“We were successful in helping solve the border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand.
“Just recently, the defence ministers of both countries finalised the detailed terms of the peace agreement, and if agreed upon, the signing will be witnessed by Trump, who also supports this resolution, as well as myself,” Anwar said in Parliament.
Malaysia was also behind Myanmar’s military junta agreement to halt fighting and allow humanitarian aid amid a civil war, Anwar said, noting that Myanmar had suffered one of its worst earthquakes in March this year.
Malaysia’s chairmanship of the ten-bloc platform this year saw the emergence of what Anwar described as “Asean Centrality”, a concept that stresses greater cooperation on the belief that member states must put the region’s interests first above all else, even as they are allowed to engage with the world’s superpowers.
Anwar told Parliament today the term centrality was chosen over the word neutrality as Malaysia pushes for more “constructive engagement” between member states on regional issues, particularly trade and security.
Asean Centrality, he added, can be envisioned as a concept that encourages South-east Asian nations to engage in more dialogue even on issues that were once deemed sensitive.
“Even before, (our chairmanship) didn’t really talk about neutrality. Hence, we changed it to the nomenclature of centrality. When we say neutral, it’s as if we don’t want to say anything at all. Centrality means we continue to interact and can put effort (to solve interstate problems),” Anwar explained.
“Hence, on the issue of Myanmar, I had asked our colleagues in Asean for permission to give me space to discuss with Myanmar’s leaders. This was not done before, at least not with the unanimous backing of Asean members,” the prime minister added.
The 47th Asean Summit will take place in Kuala Lumpur from October 26 to 28, bringing together heads of state from the 10 Asean member countries and Timor-Leste — which is on track to become the bloc’s 11th member — along with other dialogue partners including the US, China, Brazil, Japan and Canada.
Before the announcement on Tuesday, it was unclear whether the US president would attend this year’s summit.
Trump was similarly non-committal about whether he will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in South Korea the following weekend.
US news outlet Politico reported last week that Trump’s participation at Asean was contingent on whether the bloc would hold an official ceasefire ceremony with him leading the event.
Source: malaymail.com
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/halal-certified-terrorism-love-jihad-religious/d/137356