Operation Sindoor: Pakistan Dy. PM Admits Pakistan Asked For Ceasefire After India Struck 2 Airbases
New Age Islam News Bureau
20 June 2025
Pakistan foreign minister Ishaq Dar
-------
· Operation Sindoor: Pakistan Dy. PM Admits Pakistan Asked For Ceasefire After India Struck 2 Airbases
· Israeli Scientists Reel After Iranian Missile Strikes Premier Research Institute
· Yemen Awakens Ummah… Direct Support For Gaza & Clear Stance Alongside Tehran
· Death Of Muslim French Rapper Werenoi Sparks Debate About Music And Islam
· How AI And Microtools Are Empowering The Next Generation Of Saudi Entrepreneurs
-----
India
· Illegal Immigrants From Bangladesh, Myanmar And Pakistan Should Be Deported: Tripura Minister
· They Made Video While Beating Us: Before Succumbing To Injuries, Bhopal Man ‘Assaulted By Cow Vigilantes’ Recalled Ordeal
· Karnataka Cabinet Approves 15% Housing Quota For Muslims Across State
· SC Put Stop To 'Bulldozer Justice', Executive Can't Be Judge, Jury, Says CJI B R Gavai to An Assembly Of Top Judges Of Italy
· 5,000 Social Media Accounts From 'Islamic Countries' Promoting Assam Congress, Alleges Himanta
· Scores of Indians stranded in Iran, Israel; anxiety stalks kin
-----
Mideast
· Israel Says Iran Fired Cluster Bomb-Bearing Missile
· Iran Has the Right to Advance Its Peaceful Nuclear Program: Hezbollah Chief
· Hezbollah: Threatening to Assassinate Imam Sayyed Khamenei Is Foolish, Reckless, Has Dire Consequences
· Zionist Settlers Storm Al-Aqsa Mosque Under Leadership Of Extremist "Glick"
· Muslim Brotherhood Supreme Guide Affirms Full Support for Iran
· Iran Targets Israeli Military Command Center in Rocket Strike
· Hamas warns of repeated raids on al-Aqsa Mosque, demolition massacres in West Bank
· European, Iranian FMs to hold nuclear talks on Friday in Geneva
· IAEA chief identifies Isfahan as Iran’s planned uranium enrichment site
· Israel changing ‘the world’ with Iran war: Netanyahu
-----
Europe
· Muslim Cleric Says Eid In Croke Park Is Not ‘Disrespectful To Bloody Sunday Martyrs’
· Man accused of shooting Scots in Spain appears in court
· Armenia's PM accuses head of Church of fathering child in febrile political row
· Nazi symbols prevalent in Ukrainian military – Le Monde
-----
Arab World
· Saudi Science University Makes World’s Top 100
· Student-Led Team Develops AI Device To Detect Emergency Lane Offenders
· Saudi transport chief elected MENA president of global body
· Smart screens guide worshippers at Prophet’s Mosque in 23 languages
-----
South Asia
· UN Security Council To Discuss Afghanistan Crisis On Monday
· Court Contempt: ICT appoints defence counsel for Hasina
· Deputy PM Hanafi Meets Engages Chinese Officials, Investors
· Army always committed to ensuring people's safety: Col. Shafiqul Islam
· Bangladesh high commission in New Delhi hosts belated Independence Day celebration
· Foreign Minister, Iranian Ambassador Discuss Pilgrim Transportation
· Afghanistan Delegation Promotes Economic Growth at Russian Conference
· Putin warns of Security threats from Afghanistan to CSTO states
----
North America
· Trump Ally Laura Loomer Escalates MAGA Civil War With Wild Claim: ‘Tucker is Controlled by Muslims’
· Muslim NYC mayoral candidate, Jewish Ohio lawmaker report threats
· NYPD investigates threats against mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani amid growing hate
· Trump to decide on US action in Israel-Iran conflict within two weeks
· Blake Lively and Taylor Swift messages can be included in legal case
-----
Southeast Asia
· Selangor Vows To Monitor Religious Liberalism, Pluralism To Safeguard Sanctity Of Islam
· Seminar Ignites Passion For Islamic Astronomy Among Students
· Shafee: Najib ‘happy’ over DNAA in stalled RM27m SRC case, relieved with fewer cases hanging over him now
· Former Selangor, KL police chiefs Hussein Omar Khan and Rusdi Isa to lead narcotics and commercial crimes investigation depts
· Post-mortem reveals baby in Melaka died from lung injuries after being pinned under father who suffered fatal heart attack
· ‘We collect taxes to return them to the people’: PM justifies SST expansion, says Malaysians to benefit through welfare aid
-----
Africa
· Zamfara: Bandits Abduct Imam, Five Others In Fresh Attack
· Obasanjo Would Have Ruled Nigeria For More Than Eight Years If Not For The Media – Niger Govt
· Benue Killings: How Community Members Gave Food, Women, Accommodation To Attackers – CDS Musa
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/operation-sindoor-pakistan-ceasefire-india/d/135934
----
Operation Sindoor: Pakistan Dy. PM Admits Pakistan Asked For Ceasefire After India Struck 2 Airbases
Jun 19, 2025,
Pakistan foreign minister Ishaq Dar
----------
NEW DELHI: Dragging his feet to the truth after repeated denials, Pakistan’s deputy prime minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday admitted that India struck Rawalpindi's Nur Khan airbase and the Shorkot airbase during Operation Sindoor, which was carried to avenge the Pahalgam terrorist attack, in which ISI-groomed terrorists killed 26 civilians.
India attacked the Nur Khan and Shorkot airbases on the intervening night of May 6 and 7. Within 45 minutes of the strike, Saudi Prince Faisal offered to speak to external affairs minister S Jaishankar on behalf of Pakistan's deputy PM, seeking to halt further action against Pakistan.
Dar's statement strongly suggests that Islamabad desperately scrambled to find help in persuading India to halt its kinetic action, which was "precise, measured and non-escalatory".
Nur Khan airbase
Pakistan air force Base Nur Khan, situated in Chaklala, Rawalpindi is around 10km from Islamabad, Pakistan capital. It is an active airbase that encompasses the former Benazir Bhutto International Airport within its grounds.
The facility, originally established as RAF Station Chaklala and later known as PAF Base Chaklala, continues to serve as a vital military installation in Pakistan.
The base is also home to PAF College Chaklala, which trains Aviation Cadets, and Fazaia Inter College Nur Khan, providing additional educational facilities on the premises.
Imtiaz Gul, a defence analyst, claimed that the strategically important Nur Khan airbase in Rawalpindi is “under American control.”
Rafiqui airbase
Pakistan air force base Rafiqui, situated near Shorkot in Jhang District, is a major military installation located 337 kilometers south of Islamabad. The base features a 10,000-foot runway with a parallel taxiway that serves as an emergency landing strip.
The airbase was previously known as PAF Base Shorkot before being renamed after Sarfaraz Ahmed Rafiqui, a fighter pilot from the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.
The base's infrastructure includes a primary runway and an emergency taxiway system that allows for aircraft recovery operations when needed.
Operation Sindoor
Operation Sindoor was India's swift, calculated tri‑service cross-border assault on the dead night of May 6 and 7, targeting nine terror camps deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan‑occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the brutal April 22 Pahalgam massacre that claimed 26 innocent lives.
Within 25 minutes, India’s Army, Navy and Air Force deployed SCALP cruise missiles, HAMMER smart bombs, loitering munitions and ground-to-ground weaponry, killing around 70 to 100 militants and crippling key Lashkar‑e‑Taiba, JeM and Hizbul Mujahideen infrastructure at Bahalwalpur and Muridke in Pakistan.
Pahalgam's terrorists thought they were sending a message when they murdered husbands in front of their wives, after selecting victims by their religion. Via the name Operation Sindoor, the government sent an immeasurably bigger message back as India avenged the loss suffered by those women.
Sindoor, vermillion, is a symbol of marriage in Hindu custom. Pakistan's military-intelligence-jihadi complex would have been among the first to note the image put out by Indian Army right after government's confirmation of the strikes - Operation Sindoor in block letters, with the first 'O' represented by a bowl of vermillion.
Source: indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/operation-sindoor-deputy-pm-admits-pak-asked-for-ceasefire-after-india-struck-2-airbases-watch/articleshow/121957791.cms
-------
Israeli Scientists Reel After Iranian Missile Strikes Premier Research Institute
June 20, 2025
No one was killed in the strike on the Weizmann Institute of Science early Sunday. (AP)
----------
REHOVOT, Israel: For years, Israel has targeted Iranian nuclear scientists, hoping to choke progress on Iran’s nuclear program by striking at the brains behind it.
Now, with Iran and Israel in an open-ended direct conflict, scientists in Israel have found themselves in the crosshairs after an Iranian missile struck a premier research institute known for its work in life sciences and physics, among other fields.
While no one was killed in the strike on the Weizmann Institute of Science early Sunday, it caused heavy damage to multiple labs on campus, snuffing out years of scientific research and sending a chilling message to Israeli scientists that they and their expertise are now targets in the escalating conflict with Iran.
“It’s a moral victory” for Iran, said Oren Schuldiner, a professor in the department of molecular cell biology and the department of molecular neuroscience whose lab was obliterated in the strike. “They managed to harm the crown jewel of science in Israel.”
Iranian scientists were a prime target in a long shadow war
During years of a shadow war between Israel and Iran that preceded the current conflict, Israel repeatedly targeted Iranian nuclear scientists with the aim of setting back Iran’s nuclear program.
Israel continued that tactic with its initial blow against Iran days ago, killing multiple nuclear scientists, along with top generals, as well as striking nuclear facilities and ballistic missile infrastructure.
For its part, Iran has been accused of targeting at least one Weizmann scientist before. Last year, Israeli authorities said they busted an Iranian spy ring that devised a plot to follow and assassinate an Israeli nuclear scientist who worked and lived at the institute.
Citing an indictment, Israeli media said the suspects, Palestinians from east Jerusalem, gathered information about the scientist and photographed the exterior of the Weizmann Institute but were arrested before they could proceed.
With Iran’s intelligence penetration into Israel far less successful than Israel’s, those plots have not been seen through, making this week’s strike on Weizmann that much more jarring.
“The Weizmann Institute has been in Iran’s sights,” said Yoel Guzansky, an Iran expert and senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies, a Tel Aviv think tank. He stressed that he did not know for certain whether Iran intended to strike the institute but believed it did.
While it is a multidisciplinary research institute, Weizmann, like other Israeli universities, has ties to Israel’s defense establishment, including collaborations with industry leaders like Elbit Systems, which is why it may have been targeted.
But Guzansky said the institute primarily symbolizes “Israeli scientific progress” and the strike against it shows Iran’s thinking: “You harm our scientists, so we are also harming scientific cadre.”
Damage to the institute and labs ‘literally decimated’
Weizmann, founded in 1934 and later renamed after Israel’s first president, ranks among the world’s top research institutes. Its scientists and researchers publish hundreds of studies each year. One Nobel laureate in chemistry and three Turing Award laureates have been associated with the institute, which built the first computer in Israel in 1954.
Two buildings were hit in the strike, including one housing life sciences labs and a second that was empty and under construction but meant for chemistry study, according to the institute. Dozens of other buildings were damaged.
The campus has been closed since the strike, although media were allowed to visit Thursday. Large piles of rock, twisted metal and other debris were strewn on campus. There were shattered windows, collapsed ceiling panels and charred walls.
A photo shared on X by one professor showed flames rising near a heavily damaged structure with debris scattered on the ground nearby.
“Several buildings were hit quite hard, meaning that some labs were literally decimated, really leaving nothing,” said Sarel Fleishman, a professor of biochemics who said he has visited the site since the strike.
Life’s work of many researchers is gone
Many of those labs focus on the life sciences, whose projects are especially sensitive to physical damage, Fleishman said. The labs were studying areas like tissue generation, developmental biology or cancer, with much of their work now halted or severely set back by the damage.
“This was the life’s work of many people,” he said, noting that years’ or even decades’ worth of research was destroyed.
For Schuldiner, the damage means the lab he has worked at for 16 years “is entirely gone. No trace. There is nothing to save.”
In that once gleaming lab, he kept thousands of genetically modified flies used for research into the development of the human nervous system, which helped provide insights into autism and schizophrenia, he said.
The lab housed equipment like sophisticated microscopes. Researchers from Israel and abroad joined hands in the study effort.
“All of our studies have stopped,” he said, estimating it would take years to rebuild and get the science work back on track. “It’s very significant damage to the science that we can create and to the contribution we can make to the world.”
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2605086/middle-east
--------
Yemen Awakens Ummah… Direct Support For Gaza & Clear Stance Alongside Tehran
19 Jun 2025
At a pivotal moment in history, some nations rise while others falter. Banners of dignity soar in lands that have endured trials and proven their loyalty.
At the forefront of this scene stands Yemen—an authentic voice drawing its stance from deep-rooted belonging, shaping its presence from a position of honor in the Ummah’s grand causes.
Yemen’s role emerges from roots entrenched in Arab and Islamic history, grounded in a firm awareness of its place in the equation of dignity and sovereignty. From a land accustomed to standing firm against invaders, Yemen’s voice rises from the conscience of the Ummah, pulsating with the spirit of Al-Quds and Gaza, linked to every sincere hand that repels aggression and confronts the Zionist-American expansionist project with resolve and faith.
From the very first moment of the Zionist aggression on Gaza, Yemen moved with confident steps, embodying a comprehensive stance that advances through action and speaks with clarity. This was manifested in maritime operations, leadership decisions, and the roaring voice of its people, mapping an unwavering alignment with resistance and a steadfast position at the forefront of the living Ummah.
Yemen’s stance toward Gaza reached its highest levels—missiles launched toward the sea, drones advancing to carry out precision strikes deep within the Zionist entity, and waterways transformed into arenas of impactful action that reshaped the scene, cementing a new phase of Yemeni response tied to the will of sovereignty and the dignity of the Ummah.
Operations in the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, and the Bab al-Mandab Strait carried precise and far-reaching messages. The sea lanes linked to the enemy became direct fields of retaliation, and ships supporting the occupation project became targets governed by the balance of sovereign deterrence. With every maritime operation, Palestine moved closer to reclaiming a measure of justice, standing tall in the face of a world that neglected its duty and left the arena to the honorable.
This progress was built upon deeply rooted resistance awareness, leadership driven by a profound sense of responsibility toward the Ummah’s causes, and armed forces holding steadfast doctrine, advanced weaponry, and decisions emanating from truth—confidently advancing toward the Ummah’s duty and historical path.
Yemen has played an active role within the Ummah’s front, expanding its influence through coordinated action combining political vision, military capability, and the momentum of popular mobilization. Its support for Gaza has been carried out through targeted operations that directly strike the enemy’s interests, reinforcing the presence of resistance as a force that imposes its rhythm in the field of action and transformation.
In parallel, Yemen declared its full solidarity with the Islamic Republic of Iran, which faces Zionist aggression backed by American and European support, recognizing Iran as a sincere voice in the equation of liberation and a steadfast pillar in the axis of resistance. Sana’a took its stance at a critical moment, making the defense of Tehran part of the battle of an Ummah fully aware of its enemies and allies.
The Zionist aggression against Iran carried a strategic dimension, and Yemen’s response was political, emotional, and religious—a holistic logic that sees the unity of the battle and the extension of the stance. Every attack on Tehran is read by Yemen within the broader map of targeting that includes Gaza, Beirut, Sana’a, and Baghdad.
Yemen’s stance toward Iran stems from a precise reading of the support Tehran has provided to Palestine and Lebanon, and from a deep understanding of the Zionist-American project, which rearranges its tools according to an agenda of hegemony and the confiscation of sovereign decision-making in the region.
Official Yemeni positions reflect a profound grasp of the nature of confrontation, clearly mirrored in the solidarity of its people, the statements of its leadership, and the state of societal mobilization. Efforts have united on the foundation of conscious allegiance to the front of truth, linked to field movements in all directions that demand heightened readiness and full preparation for confrontation.
Analysts affirm that Yemen’s positions represent a strategic shift, repositioning it as an influential regional force contributing to reshaping deterrence balances in the region and ushering in a new phase of authentic Arab action—one based on initiative and decisive field stances.
Observers note that the widespread popular rallying around Yemen’s stance on the Ummah’s issues reflects a collective consciousness forged through years of confrontation and mobilization, cementing Yemen as an incubator for the choice of resistance and a true counterweight to hostile projects—within an integrated scene highlighting harmony between the leadership’s stance and the people’s will.
In this official and popular expanse, Yemen solidifies its status as a pivotal component in the map of resistance action—not merely from a position of support, but from one of initiative and influence. Its model of response and stance has become a reference for free nations and a source of inspiration for all who seek sovereignty , dignity in an era of subjugation and betrayal.
With confidence and steadfastness, Yemen stands as a free voice awakening the Ummah and restoring the honor of its principles. It marches forward, bearing the Ummah’s causes on its shoulders, writing with blood an immortal stance in history—its title: "We are here… with Gaza and Tehran, in every arena where dignity cries out and free decisions are forged."
Source: saba.ye
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3502364.htm
--------
Death Of Muslim French Rapper Werenoi Sparks Debate About Music And Islam
19/06/2025
By Sarah Miansoni
Copyright PLR Music, PGP Records, AllPoints
---------
The recent death of beloved French rapper Werenoi has created a dilemma for some of his fans: should they stop listening to his music, out of respect for his Muslim faith?
Should an artist’s faith determine what happens to their work when they die? The death of one of France’s most successful rappers has raised this question.
French rapper Werenoi, whose real name was Jérémy Bana Owona, died on 17 May 2025, aged 31. He was France’s top album seller in 2023 and 2024, and his death shocked both the music industry and the public.
“Rest in peace my man. A news that saddens me and courage to the loved ones especially”, popstar Aya Nakamura wrote on social media.
Following the release of his first song ‘Guadalajara’ in 2021, Werenoi quickly rose to great success. His 2024 album ‘Carré’ was named best rap album at the Flammes Awards, and he was the opening act for Burna Boy at the Stade de France in April.
With more than 7 million monthly listeners on Spotify, he was an example of a vibrant francophone music scene that keeps growing worldwide, according to the platform’s new report on francophone content.
Culture minister Rachida Dati called the rapper “the icon of a generation.”
“In an age of overexposure and ever-present social media, he had opted for privacy. Cultivating discretion, he revealed himself only through his lyrics”, Dati said in a statement on 20 May.
One of the only known facts about Werenoi’s private life was his faith. The rapper was Muslim.
Mixed messages
In the hours following his death, debates erupted on social media over what should be done with his music according to Islam.
“Werenoi was a Muslim, and we invite you to listen to his music as little as possible, out of respect for his faith," online rap publication Raplume said in a social media post that has since been deleted.
“Avoid streaming Werenoi’s tracks, he was a Muslim, it’s for his faith”, one user said on X. A tribute to the artist by French rap radio station Skyrock elicited similar criticism.
Other fans felt that listening to Werenoi’s music was a way of paying their respects and ensuring that his legacy lives on.
“When he was alive, Werenoi was making music, going on Skyrock and selling albums, so it's only natural that when he dies, the rap world should pay tribute to him by playing his music”, one user wrote on X.
The rapper’s team and relatives have not publicly weighed in on the debate, leaving fans to decipher mixed messages.
Werenoi’s music videos were removed from YouTube, but the audio versions still remain available on the platform.
A source close to the rapper told French newspaper Le Parisien that the videos had only been temporarily hidden to allow the family to grieve. Werenoi’s producer later denied this claim.
Rumours even said the artist’s entire discography would soon disappear from all streaming platforms, but this has yet to happen.
“Controversial interpretations”
The teachings of Islam are up to interpretation. Many on social media argue that music is haram, meaning it is forbidden by Islamic law. Listening to Werenoi’s music after his death would bring him sins in his grave.
But the word “music” does not actually appear in the Quran and many artists around the world are practising Muslims.
“The prohibition of music by some branches of Islam is not based on any consensus but rather on controversial interpretations of certain suras and hadiths [statements attributed to the prophet Muhammad]”, musicologist Luis Velasco-Pufleau wrote in a 2017 blogpost.
Fundamentalist Islamic movements like Salafism and Wahhabism strictly prohibit music while other traditions, like Sufism, are more lenient.
There have been similar controversies in the past. The death in 2019 of British rapper Cadet, who converted to Islam at 15, also ignited online discussions on the future of his music - much to the dismay of some users.
“When anyone else passes away Muslims will send their condolences as normal... But when it's a Muslim [rapper] we go into theological debates about sharing his music etc”, London-based imam Shabbir Hassan posted on X (then Twitter) at the time.
“Just take a lesson from his death and make du'a [a Muslim prayer] for him. That will benefit us/him the most.”
For some, this question tends to be overly politicised.
“It's fascinating how cultural topics can raise this kind of political and religious debates,” streamer iliesomg said on decolonial YouTube channel Paroles d’honneur.
He said that listening to Werenoi’s music should be a personal decision for Muslim believers, guided by their own approach to spirituality.
Numbers show that Werenoi’s audience, Muslim or not, does not seem ready to let go of his art. Sales for his last album ‘Diamant noir’, released in April, rose by 72% in the week after his death, making it the most listened album in France.
Source: euronews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.euronews.com/culture/2025/06/19/death-of-french-rapper-werenoi-sparks-debate-about-music-and-islam
------
How AI and microtools are empowering the next generation of Saudi entrepreneurs
SALEH FAREED
June 20, 2025
JEDDAH: Digitalization has reshaped how entrepreneurs get started — particularly in the early stages. Increasingly, small businesses are launching via platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp, bypassing the traditional route of setting up a dedicated website.
These social-first entrepreneurs are meeting customers where they already spend time, turning social media from a communication tool into a sales platform.
“Generative AI is reshaping the future of business, and when combined with digital marketing, the results are transformative,” Selina Bieber, vice president for international markets at the US-based web hosting company GoDaddy, told Arab News.
According to the GoDaddy 2025 Global Entrepreneurship Survey, 22 percent of small business owners in the Middle East and North Africa now run their businesses primarily on social media.
This trend highlights the rising importance of social commerce, especially for solo founders and part-time business operators.
However, running a business solely on social platforms comes with risks. Visibility may be high, but ownership and control are limited. Algorithm changes or policy shifts can dramatically affect a business’s ability to reach customers or generate income.
Shoppers also tend to look for additional signals of trust before making a purchase. A professional website, for example, often strengthens a business’s credibility.
According to The State of Digital Commerce in MENA 2024 report by Checkout, 73 percent of online shoppers in the region are more confident buying from businesses that have a website, rather than relying exclusively on social media accounts.
In response to this shift, new digital tools have emerged to support social-first entrepreneurs.
Features such as branded microsites, product catalogues, and smart links — often packaged into accessible platforms — help founders establish a more centralized and professional presence online without needing advanced technical knowledge.
Artificial intelligence is also playing a growing role in this transition, helping entrepreneurs move more quickly from concept to launch. It can assist in writing product descriptions, developing pricing strategies, and automating customer engagement.
Internal data suggests AI-powered tools can save small business owners up to 10 hours a week — a meaningful benefit for entrepreneurs managing limited time and resources.
Beyond time savings, AI helps to level the playing field by making it easier for people to launch and scale businesses with minimal upfront investment.
Saudi Arabia has emerged as a particularly dynamic arena for these digital shifts.
In 2023, GoDaddy signed a partnership agreement with the Kingdom’s General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises — Monsha’at — to equip Saudi entrepreneurs with the digital tools and training needed to build their online presence.
The agreement, signed during the Biban 23 entrepreneurship forum in Riyadh, aimed to empower aspiring business owners through workshops, seminars, and a planned business accelerator.
It also included support for Monsha’at Academy and content initiatives to share local success stories.
“We’re inspired to see Saudi entrepreneurs and small business owners feel confident in embracing technology and in their approach to entrepreneurship,” said Bieber.
While social media remains a powerful tool for customer engagement, long-term growth often requires a more permanent digital footprint.
A dedicated website, complemented by tools like GoDaddy’s Show in Bio, can provide an added layer of credibility and security — something that social media accounts alone may not guarantee.
With the rise of impersonation and questionable accounts online, many customers check whether a business has a standalone website before making a purchase.
The latest generation of entrepreneurs is pragmatic and digitally fluent. While they may start on social media, many are increasingly looking for tools that offer more autonomy, control, and brand distinction.
Combining a social-first approach with a professional online presence can offer the credibility and resilience needed for sustainable growth.
“GoDaddy continues to level the playing field by offering powerful, affordable tools that allow small businesses to elevate their marketing and achieve real success,” said Bieber.
With the right mix of AI and easy-to-use tools, turning a side project into a long-term venture is more achievable than ever.
Social media may be where the journey starts — but building lasting value depends on owning and shaping your own digital presence.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2605097/saudi-arabia
-------
India
Illegal Immigrants From Bangladesh, Myanmar And Pakistan Should Be Deported: Tripura Minister
by Debraj Deb
June 20, 2025
Tripura Forest Minister Animesh Debbarma said Thursday that the state should detect and deport illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and Pakistan, and Rohingya persons, amidst the Centre’s directive to take action against them across the country.
“If you want to save Tripura, for those who truly love Tripura, make sure you tie all the illegal immigrants entering the state from Myanmar or Pakistan and beat them all the way till the Akhaura (ICP) or the Sabroom (ICP) gate before pushing them to the other side. Don’t just let them go. They should be deported by flogging their backs livid red,” said the senior leader of the ruling ally TIPRA Motha party.
In an oblique reference to non-tribals who fled to Tripura before 1971 amid Pakistani atrocities, the minister said they should not forget that they migrated to the state in tattered condition, barely escaping torture across the border.
Stating that if more influx continues, everyone in Tripura would face a crisis and wouldn’t have enough space to live in, the minister said, “Why is there a job crisis? Why is there a price hike in the state? Why are land prices skyrocketing in Agartala?”
Claiming TIPRA Motha is the only political party that holds movements, Debbarma said he would continue fighting for the people of Tripura. “I am a minister today. I may not remain a minister tomorrow. But the dofa (community) should remain. Tripura should remain as well. I shall fight for the people and not for being a minister,” he said.
He also urged Tripura Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha to review the role of Tripura Police’s Mobile Task Force, which usually oversees checking or bordering areas to prevent illegal immigrants.
On June 14, a delegation of the TIPRA Motha party led by Debbarma submitted a memorandum to Tripura Governor Indrasena Reddy Nallu, addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking his supervision and control over the process of detection, deportation, and deletion of illegal migrants who entered the state after March 24, 1971.
The party also demanded to set up a Special Central Task Force to supervise strictly for the detection and deportation of the illegal migrants.
Source: indianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/illegal-immigrants-from-bangladesh-myanmar-and-pakistan-should-be-deported-tripura-minister-animesh-debbarma-10077449/
-------
They Made Video While Beating Us: Before Succumbing To Injuries, Bhopal Man ‘Assaulted By Cow Vigilantes’ Recalled Ordeal
by Anand Mohan J
June 20, 2025
In the early hours of June 5, Bhopal residents Junaid and Arman were returning from Dhanaura village near Vidisha after loading their vehicle with cattle when, at around 2.30 am, another vehicle blocked their way, forcing them to stop. A group of around 10-15 people approached, started assaulting them, and recorded videos.
“They were making a video of us…while they beat us… After this, they sat in our vehicle and made us sit in the car, continuing to beat us, and brought me and Arman to Sanchi police station,” a seriously injured Junaid told police in Vidisha district’s Sanchi, after which an FIR was registered on June 6.
On June 17, Junaid succumbed to his injuries.
Purported videos of the incident have since gone viral, including those uploaded on social media by the main accused, Dhruv Chaturvedi. The videos are now part of the evidence being examined by police, and Sub-Divisional Police Officer Pratibha Sharma said the clips are being looked into.
Chaturvedi was the leader of the group that surrounded the two men, allegedly assaulted them, and handed them over to the police. Chaturvedi’s group intercepted Junaid and Arman near a school at Vidisha-Kaudi Road at Mehgaon village.
“Some of these people were carrying sticks. They made us get down from the vehicle and started abusing us with foul language involving our mothers and sisters. They said we are taking away cows and that both of us should be killed today. Then they started beating us with sticks,” Junaid said in his statement to the police.
He also told police that Arman sustained injuries to “his head, legs, stomach, and entire body, and I also sustained injuries to both hands, both legs, back, and body”.
He said the accused then took the two of them to Sanchi police station, from where the police took them to Sanchi hospital.
One of the videos showed Charuvedi venting his anger at the police after taking the two men to the police station. “We risked our lives and chased down the vehicle… Police took no responsibility in this case and argued over jurisdiction. Police should be supporting us, but are not doing so,” he was heard saying, adding that “there is no police patrolling… We check the routes every alternate day”.
Chaturvedi and two others, Gagan Dubey and Rampal Rajput, were arrested on June 6, Sanchi police station in-charge Nitin Ahirwar said. “They have multiple criminal cases against them. Chaturvedi has over a dozen criminal cases for creating public disorder,” Ahirwar said.
According to police, Chaturvedi began vigilante activities in 2022, focusing on alleged cattle smugglers. Since then, he has claimed that he developed his own network of informants. “We have our own source to tip us off about cattle smugglers’ movements,” he has told local media while describing operations that often occurred late at night without police coordination. He has also highlighted his activities on social media.
On social media, he has also shown a pattern of calls for organised action and inflammatory rhetoric. He has also criticised BJP leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for celebrating Eid with the Muslim community.
He has also protested against filmmaker Anurag Kashyap. “He has also given representations to the district administration demanding that only Hindus be allowed to set up shops during Ram Leela mela festivities,” a senior police officer said.
Chaturvedi maintains a makeshift gym on the terrace of his home where he “routinely works out with a mace and other traditional gym equipment”, police said.
In mourning, Junaid’s family said he never went very far from home and that on the night of the incident, he had left saying he would be back in four-five hours.
“On June 4, around midnight, he left to unload tomatoes, saying he would return in four-five hours. But he never came back,” Zaid, his younger brother, said.
His cousin Anwar Qureshi said, “Junaid did welding, porter work in the vegetable market, and construction work. He sometimes accompanied trucks to unload goods, but never went far.”
Source: indianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/they-made-video-while-beating-us-before-succumbing-to-injuries-bhopal-man-assaulted-by-cow-vigilantes-recalled-ordeal-10077102/
-------
Karnataka Cabinet approves 15% housing quota for Muslims across state
Jun 20, 2025
The Karnataka Cabinet accepted a proposal to increase reservation for the Muslim community under its housing schemes. The move will apply to all housing schemes implemented by the Urban and Rural Development Departments across the state.
Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan backed the proposal, which seeks to raise the reservation for minority communities from the current 10 per cent to 15 per cent.
“Of course, we have to go by the population. There is a large urban population, and many minorities and poor people are part of it. In urban areas, a lot of minorities are present,” DK Shivakumar said, defending the move.
“Housing has been vacant, and we couldn’t allocate it to others. That’s why they requested 10–15 percent,” he said, pointing to towns like Mandya, where entire towers built under housing schemes are still empty. “Try Mandya, on the left side, there are 7–9 towers where no one has gone to live. At least minorities are willing to occupy those buildings,” he added.
“Even in Bengaluru, many houses remain vacant. Whom should we give them to? It’s a big problem. We’ve constructed houses, but no one has occupied them,” he said, adding that minorities have long requested this increase. “In the past 7 years, they proposed this, and we agreed.”
Home Minister G Parameshwara said the decision is need-based, not religion-based. “It’s not about 15 per cent or 20 per cent. People who don’t have houses need to be given. If that community doesn’t have houses, we’ll need to give them,” he said. He added that once allocations are made this year, the percentage may naturally come down. “Our stand is to give houses to everyone. No question of any religion here,” he clarified.
Backing the decision, Minister MC Sudhakar added that the Centre already provides 15 per cent allocation for minorities, and Karnataka is aligning with that. “It’s the allocation of houses for minorities. Central government has 15 per cent and we have increased it to 15 per cent,” he said.
Law Minister HK Patil echoed the government’s commitment to equitable housing. “‘Housing for All’ is the key slogan of the Congress government, and we are committed to ensuring that every citizen has access to a home,” he said.
Patil added that many houseless individuals belong to downtrodden communities and minorities, and the decision to increase the quota reflects this ground reality. “The government is firm in its stand that all houseless individuals, regardless of their community, should be provided with housing,” he said.
BJP SLAMS MOVE AS UNCONSTITUIONAL
The BJP has strongly criticised the decision, calling it religion-based and unconstitutional. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi accused the Congress-led government of violating Supreme Court rulings and resorting to appeasement politics.
“The Supreme Court has clearly said religion-based reservation is illegal. But the Karnataka government has now given 15 per cent reservation to Muslims in the housing scheme,” Joshi said. He alleged that the Congress, under Rahul Gandhi's direction, has implemented what was "on paper 4 per cent " as "actually 15 per cent.”
“This affects the rights of Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) communities. I strongly condemn it. They are snatching away the rights of the deserving and handing them out under appeasement,” he added, warning that the BJP would consider legal action after consultations.
BJP State President BY Vijayendra criticised the decision on X, calling religion-based reservation unconstitutional. He accused the Congress of turning welfare into a tool for vote-bank politics, citing the 4 per cent quota in contracts and the 15 per cent housing quota as examples. “This is a dangerous attempt to institutionalise communal vote-bank politics. It robs SCs, STs, and OBCs of their rightful opportunities,” he said.
Vijayendra said the Congress is misusing Ambedkar’s vision by pushing religion-based policies that won't stand legal scrutiny. “Under the guise of welfare, the government is striking at the foundations of the Constitution. Karnataka deserves governance, not divisive experiments,” he added.
BJP MLC CT Ravi also weighed in, invoking the Constitution. “Ambedkar had opposed religion-based reservations. But here in Karnataka, the Congress is bringing that into housing schemes too,” he said.
4% RESERVATION IN PUBLIC CONTRACTS
This move follows the government’s proposal to extend quota benefits for Muslims in contract allocations, suggesting a broader push for increased community-specific welfare initiatives.
The Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (Amendment) Bill, 2025, aims to provide 4 per cent reservation for Muslims in government contracts of under Rs 2 crore. The bill was passed in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on March 21 amidst significant turmoil and opposition from BJP legislators.
After returning it twice, Karnataka Governor confirmed on May 22 that he has already forwarded the bill for the President’s “kind consideration” under Article 200.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Congress government in Karnataka of granting reservations in tenders based on religion, alleging that the move “snatched the rights of SCs, STs, and OBCs”.
Source: indiatoday.in
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/karnataka/story/karnataka-approves-15-percent-housing-reservation-for-muslims-minorities-minister-zameer-ahmed-khan-pushes-plan-in-cabinet-2743121-2025-06-19
-------
SC Put Stop To 'Bulldozer Justice', Executive Can't Be Judge, Jury, Says CJI B R Gavai to An Assembly Of Top Judges Of Italy
Jun 20, 2025
NEW DELHI: Highlighting Supreme Court's contribution in the last 75 years to accelerate political, economic and social justice to the poor and marginalised, CJI B R Gavai on Thursday told an assembly of top judges of Italy how the top court recently banned "bulldozer justice" and prevented the executive from becoming the judge, jury and executioner.
Gavai was referring to SC's judgment last year barring the executive from arbitrary demolition of houses of those accused of crime, bypassing the legal process, which violated citizens' fundamental right to shelter under Article 21.
CJI B R Gavai was speaking at the Milan Court of Appeal on 'Role of Constitution in Delivering Socio-Economic Justice in a Country: Reflections from 75 Years of Indian Constitution".
"The executive cannot become judge, jury and executioner all at once," the CJI said and quoted the judgment, which stated, "Construction of a house has an aspect of socio-economic rights."
"For an average citizen, construction of a house is often the culmination of years of hard work, dreams and aspirations. A house is not just a property but embodies the collective hopes of a family or individuals for stability, security and a future," the CJI further added.
"As we look back on these 75 years, there is no doubt that the Indian Constitution has strived for change in the life of the common people. To summarise, several aspects of Directive Principles were made enforceable by reading or legislating them as a facet of fundamental rights," CJI Gavai said.
"While Parliament took the lead by way of legislation and constitutional amendments, Supreme Court has consistently worked to transform socio-economic rights, ranging from education to livelihood, into enforceable fundamental rights, which were then given effect by Parliament," he added.
The CJI added that the Constitution's journey in the past 75 years in delivering socio-economic justice "is a story of great ambition and important successes... the earliest initiatives undertaken by the Indian Parliament immediately after the adoption of the Constitution included land and agrarian reform laws and affirmative action policies for backward classes. The impact of these initiatives is clearly visible today".
CJI Gavai, the second Dalit to become the head of India's judiciary, said, "Affirmative action policies in education, which sought to correct historical injustices and ensure representation of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and socially and educationally backward classes, have been a concrete expression of the Constitution's commitment to substantive equality and socio-economic justice."
Because of these measures, he could become CJI, Gavai said, adding that he was a product of the very constitutional ideals that sought to democratise opportunity and dismantle the barriers of caste and exclusion.
Source: indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/sc-put-stop-to-bulldozer-justice-executive-cant-be-judge-jury-says-cji/articleshow/121962420.cms
-------
5,000 social media accounts from 'Islamic countries' promoting Assam Congress, alleges Himanta
20 Jun 2025
GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday alleged that over 5,000 social media accounts, mostly operated from "Islamic countries," have become active in favour of the Assam Congress.
Addressing a press conference, Sarma claimed that these accounts "originating from 47 countries, with the highest numbers from Bangladesh and Pakistan," have been focusing exclusively on the activities of a particular Assam Congress leader and the party's state unit pages over the past month.
"It is surprising that they do not comment on or like posts by Rahul Gandhi or even the Indian National Congress. They are only focused on a particular leader and the Assam Congress," Sarma said.
Besides Assam, they post "Islamic fundamentalist content," including pro-Palestine, Iran, and Bangladesh's Chief Advisor Prof Md Yunus, the CM said.
Though the CM did not name the leader, he appeared to be referring to Gaurav Gogoi, who was appointed Assam Pradesh Congress Committee president in May last week.
Sarma remarked, "They are not concerned with the change in the party's leadership, but this development has taken place in the last month."
'For the first time, there is so much foreign involvement in Assam politics in the run-up to the 2026 assembly elections', he alleged.
The CM said the central government has been apprised of the issue, calling it a matter of "national security."
Source: newindianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Jun/20/5000-social-media-accounts-from-islamic-countries-promoting-assam-congress-alleges-himanta
------
Scores of Indians stranded in Iran, Israel; anxiety stalks kin
Jun 20, 2025
Scores of Indian nationals - including students, pilgrims, researchers, caregivers and workers - remain stranded in Iran and Israel amid escalating military conflict between the two countries. Indian embassies in Tehran and Tel Aviv are coordinating evacuations, but for many scattered across religious centres and universities, return remains uncertain and fraught with risk.
Ten students from Bulandshahr's Sakhni village in UP have been difficult to reach since missiles hit Iran earlier this week. Among them is 22-year-old Sadaf Zehra, a 3rd-year MBBS student at Tehran University. Her father, Zia-ul-Hassan, said, "She said she was fine, then her phone went off. The next day she called and said the university had moved them to a safer location three hours away."
Azhar Abbas, another student, narrowly escaped a missile strike that killed five of his classmates. "We spoke to him in a video call three days ago," said his uncle, Muzammil Abbas. "Since then, there has been no contact." Abbasi Beghum, 60, said her blood pressure rose dangerously after hearing about the attacks. "I lost my husband three years ago. I worked hard to send my son abroad."
Across UP, many others are in similar situations. Several pilgrims from Lucknow, Prayagraj, Varanasi and Meerut remain stuck in Iran. Among them are 28 pilgrims from Lucknow, including 83-year-old Kaneez Haider. Her son, Abbas Muzaffar, who travelled with her, said, "We are safe for now, but we're desperate to return. Hotels are expensive. We didn't budget for such delays"
They had left for Iraq on May 27 and entered Iran on June 9. Their itinerary included visits to Karbala, Mashhad, Tehran, Nishapur and Kashan. Many had first performed Haj, which concluded with Eid on Monday, and then proceeded to Iran - a common route for Shia pilgrims visiting religious shrines.
Tour operator Aqeel Jafar Rizvi of Mehndi Tours and Travels said over 1,000 pilgrims from Lucknow were in Iran, many of them now struggling with funds and limited access to medicines.
Families in Kithaur's Isapur area of Meerut confirmed that 11 more pilgrims - including couples and children - remain stranded. Masoom Raza and his family were scheduled to fly back five days ago. Shia cleric Maulana Saif Abbas has written to the ministry of external affairs urging action. "These are middle-class families. They cannot manage extended stays abroad."
A similar situation has unfolded in Haridwar's Manglaur area, where 36 residents - including students, pilgrims and long-term workers - remain stuck in Iran. MLA Qazi Nizamuddin wrote to the PMO and state govt seeking help. "They are now trapped in a conflict zone and need immediate assistance," he said.
Uttarakhand DGP Deepam Seth said police across all 13 districts are verifying such cases. "Many of them were on long-term visas for over a decade." Israeli tourists currently in the state are also being contacted through Chabad Houses and local channels.
Relatives in Deganga's Dhalipara area in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas have lost contact with 11 pilgrims who travelled to Iran on May 30 and were scheduled to return on June 18. Their last calls came on June 17.
Salma Bibi, wife of Akram Hossain, broke down: "I just want my husband back." Hossain Mehdi, son of Sahid Ali, said the families had contacted local officials but were now waiting for action from the ministry of external affairs.
Silence has also set in around three students from Swarupnagar and Basirhat. Imran Hossain and Muskan Khatun, both Persian postgraduates at the University of Isfahan, haven't been reachable since Sunday. "We are in complete darkness," said Imran's mother, Rehena Khatun.
In Astara, a northern Iranian town near the Azerbaijan border, Kolkata professor Falguni Dey is preparing to move toward Armenia. He fled Tehran, applied to enter Azerbaijan, and after three days of silence, filed for an Armenian e-visa. "I have no cash. The border is 450km away but I can't wait here," he said. Dey described nights spent in mosque lobbies and surviving on rice mixed with cold drink. "A hotel allowed me to use their WiFi."
Across the border, Indian citizens in Israel are also facing uncertainty. Researcher Preetam Regon from Assam, based at the Volcani Institute near Tel Aviv, said, "Missiles landed a kilometre away. The embassy asked if we want to leave. Some are ready."
Evacuation efforts are ongoing. Indian missions in Tehran and Tel Aviv are moving citizens to Armenia, Jordan and Egypt. The ministry of home affairs is organising chartered return flights.
Source: indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/scores-of-indians-stranded-in-iran-israel-anxiety-stalks-kin/articleshow/121962078.cms
------
Mideast
Israel Says Iran Fired Cluster Bomb-Bearing Missile
20 June, 2025
(Reuters) -Iran launched a missile at Israel on Thursday that scattered small bombs with the aim of increasing civilian casualties, the Israeli military and its Washington embassy said, the first reported use of cluster munitions in the seven-day-old war.
“Today, the Iranian Armed Forces fired a missile that contained cluster submunitions at a densely populated civilian area in Israel,” the embassy said in an email to Reuters that did not identify the area.
“Cluster weapons are designed to disperse over a large area and maximize the chances of a harmful strike,” the email continued. “Iran unlawfully fired deliberately at civilian population centers, and seeks to maximize the damage to civilians in them by using wide-dispersal munitions.”
Iran’s mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Israeli news reports quoted the Israeli military as saying the missile’s warhead split open at an altitude of about 4 miles (7 km) and released around 20 submunitions in a radius of around 5 miles (8 km) over central Israel.
One of the small munitions struck a home in the central Israeli town of Azor, causing some damage, Times of Israel military correspondent Emanuel Fabian reported. There were no reports of casualties from the bomb.
Cluster bombs are controversial because they indiscriminately scatter submunitions, some of which can fail to explode and kill or injure long after a conflict ends.
The Israeli military released a graphic as a public warning of the dangers of unexploded ordnance.
“The terror regime seeks to harm civilians and even used weapons with wide dispersal in order to maximize the scope of the damage,” Israel’s military spokesperson, Brigadier General Effie Defrin, told a briefing.
Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association advocacy group, said, “They are egregious weapons with their wide-area destruction, especially if used in a civilian populated area and could add to the unexploded ordnance left over from conflicts.”
Noting that Iranian missiles can be imprecise, he said that Tehran should know that cluster munitions “are going to hit civilian targets rather than military targets.”
Iran and Israel declined to join a 2008 international ban on the production, stockpiling, transfer and use of cluster bombs that has been signed by 111 countries and 12 other entities.
After extensive debate, the U.S. in 2023 supplied Ukraine with cluster munitions for use against Russian occupation forces. Kyiv says Russian troops also have fired them. The three countries declined to join the Convention Against Cluster Munitions.
(Reporting by Jonathan Landay in Washington; additional reporting by Alexander Cornwell in Jerusalem; Editing by Howard Goller)
Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Source: theprint.in
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://theprint.in/world/israel-says-iran-fired-cluster-bomb-bearing-missile/2664084/
----
Iran Has the Right to Advance Its Peaceful Nuclear Program: Hezbollah Chief
June 20, 2025
In a statement issued Thursday, Qassem reaffirmed Hezbollah’s unwavering support for Iran in the face of foreign threats and called on all freedom-seeking nations to stand with the Islamic Republic.
Sheikh Naim Qassem, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, strongly condemned ongoing U.S. and Israeli efforts to pressure Iran over its nuclear program, describing such actions as “unjustified” and “futile.” Qassem emphasized that Iran’s nuclear activities are strictly for peaceful purposes and serve the interests and progress of the Iranian people. He asserted that international law, including the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), recognizes Iran’s right to develop its nuclear program for civilian use.
“In reality, the attacks and pressure from the U.S. and Israel against Iran are nothing more than flimsy excuses,” Qassem stated. “Iran has every right to continue developing its nuclear program, a right acknowledged by international law.”
He described the Islamic Republic as a global symbol of support for the oppressed, resistance, and the liberation of Palestine and Quds. According to Qassem, Iran’s steadfastness over the past 46 years—despite facing various forms of aggression and sanctions—has been made possible by reliance on internal strength and the inspirational leadership of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Qassem further denounced recent threats by the U.S. president against Iran’s religious and political leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, and attacks on the Islamic Republic, calling them assaults on all peoples of the region and freedom-seekers worldwide. “Such actions by America only drive the region toward instability and global crises, ultimately resulting in disgrace and defeat for the aggressors,” he said.
Hezbollah’s leader reiterated that the movement will never remain neutral regarding Iran’s legitimate rights and independence, particularly in the face of what he called American and Israeli injustice and aggression. “We will always stand by Iran,” he affirmed, urging all nations and advocates of freedom to raise their voices in support of Iran and its leadership to thwart “arrogant schemes.”
Qassem concluded by asserting that the U.S. and Israel will not succeed in defeating the Iranian people or its armed forces. “Past experiences have shown that this nation is invincible, and Iran’s resistance will persist despite all pressures,” he said.
This statement comes amid heightened tensions in the region and renewed international focus on Iran’s nuclear program.
Iranian officials have repeatedly insisted that their nuclear activities are exclusively peaceful and have rejected allegations of pursuing nuclear weapons.
Source: tehrantimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/514663/Iran-Has-the-Right-to-Advance-Its-Peaceful-Nuclear-Program-Hezbollah
-------
Hezbollah: Threatening to Assassinate Imam Sayyed Khamenei Is Foolish, Reckless, Has Dire Consequences
19 Jun 2025
Hezbollah in Lebanon considers the threat to assassinate Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei foolish and reckless, with dire consequences. Despite its absurdity and the low level of those threatening, the mere utterance of such a threat is an insult to hundreds of millions of believers, lovers, and adherents of Islam, and is denounced and condemned in the strongest terms.
The party said in a statement on Thursday that some of the leaders in their countries appear unaware of the great and vast status of the Grand Ayatollah and Guardian, Imam Khamenei, in Iran, the Islamic Ummah, the world, and among free Islamic peoples.
Source: saba.ye
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3502285.htm
--------
Zionist settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque under leadership of extremist "Glick"
19 Jun 2025
Extremist former Knesset member Yehuda Glick led the settlers' storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque on Thursday.
According to the Palestinian News Agency (WAFA), the Quds Governorate reported that dozens of settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque in successive groups from the Mughrabi Gate, led by extremist Glick, under heavy Israeli police protection.
Source: saba.ye
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3502272.htm
------
Muslim Brotherhood Supreme Guide Affirms Full Support for Iran
19 Jun 2025
The Acting Supreme Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood, Salah Abdel Haq, affirmed his full support for the Islamic Republic of Iran in confronting the brutal Israeli aggression.
He also offered his sincere condolences to all Iranian martyrs.
Source: saba.ye
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3501998.htm
-------
Iran Targets Israeli Military Command Center in Rocket Strike
2025-06-19
KABUL(BNA): Iran launched missile strikes targeting the Israeli regime Defense Forces’ central command and intelligence center (C4I) and a military intelligence compound located in the Gav-Yam Technology Park near Be’er Sheva.
According to Iran’s official news agency IRNA, the strike precisely hit the military facilities adjacent to Soroka Medical Center, which sustained only minor damage from blast waves. IRNA emphasized that the military infrastructure was the direct and intended target.
Israeli regime’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu disputed Iran’s account, claiming the strike endangered a hospital and civilian areas. Iranian sources dismissed this as an attempt to obscure the military nature of the site.
The incident marks a significant escalation amid rising tensions between Iran and Israel, highlighting the ongoing conflict and risks of broader regional confrontation.
This refined version balances faithfulness, clarity, and journalistic tone, providing context without editorializing beyond the original Pashto report.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/iran-targets-israeli-military-command-center-in-rocket-strike/
------
Hamas warns of repeated raids on al-Aqsa Mosque, demolition massacres in West Bank
19 Jun 2025
Mahmoud Mardawi, a leader in the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), stressed on Thursday that the repeated raids on al-Aqsa Mosque, and the performance of Talmudic rituals and epic prostration by hundreds of settlers led by extremist Yehuda Glick, constitute a blatant violation of the sanctity of the mosque and an exploitation of the weak Arab and Islamic stance toward what is happening at Al-Aqsa.
In a press statement, Mardawi warned of the continued demolition massacres in various West Bank governorates, especially Jenin and Tulkarm, which are part of the Israeli enemy's attempts to annex and forcibly displace citizens.
He stressed that these crimes will not break the will of the Palestinian people, who will continue on the path to freedom until they achieve their full legitimate rights. He added that the Israeli enemy's ambitions will fail thanks to the steadfastness and resistance of the people.
Leader Mardawi said, "The world, which is watching the Zionist aggression, must exercise its moral and humanitarian responsibility to stop these crimes against our people and our land." He called on the masses in the West Bank and al-Quds to strengthen unity and popular solidarity, confront settler attacks, and thwart the Zionist enemy's plans.
Source: saba.ye
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3502348.htm
-------
European, Iranian FMs to hold nuclear talks on Friday in Geneva
June 20, 2025
BRUSSELS, Belgium: Foreign ministers from Britain, France and Germany together with the EU’s top diplomat will hold nuclear talks with their Iranian counterpart in Geneva on Friday, officials and diplomats said.
The meeting comes as European countries call for de-escalation in the face of Israel’s bombing campaign against Iran’s nuclear program — and as US President Donald Trump weighs up whether or not to join the strikes against Tehran.
“We will meet with the European delegation in Geneva on Friday,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a statement carried by state news agency IRNA.
European diplomats separately confirmed the planned talks, set to involve French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy and German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, as well as EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.
Lammy was in Washington on Thursday, where he was due to meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for talks focused on Iran, the State Department said.
Trump has said he is weighing up military action against Iran’s nuclear facilities as Israel pummels the country and Tehran responds with missile fire.
Israel has killed several top Iranian officials in its strikes and Araghchi’s adviser said that the minister was unfazed by fears he may be targeted next.
“Since it was announced that the Foreign Minister was heading to Geneva for negotiations with the European troika, I’ve received numerous messages expressing concern that the Zionist regime might target him,” Mohammad Hossein Ranjbaran said on X.
But he insisted that Araghchi “seeks martyrdom” and that “a major Israeli plot against him” had already been foiled “in Tehran just a few days ago.”
France, Germany, Britain and the European Union were all signatories of the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran which Trump sunk during his first term in office.
The EU’s Kallas, in coordination with European countries, has insisted that diplomacy remains the best path toward ensuring that Iran does not develop a nuclear bomb.
On Wednesday, French President Emmanuel Macron said that European nations were planning to suggest a negotiated solution to end the Iran-Israel conflict. He has asked his foreign minister to draw up an initiative with “close partners” to that end.
Barrot has been in regular touch with his German and British counterparts since Israel launched massive air strikes against Iran on Friday.
Speaking in Paris after talks on the crisis on Thursday, Barrot said that the three nations “stand ready to bring our competence and experience on this matter.”
“We are ready to take part in negotiations aimed at obtaining from Iran a lasting rollback of its nuclear and ballistic missile programs,” he added.
The French top diplomat also underlined Iran’s “willingness to resume talks,” including with the United States “on condition there is a ceasefire.”
Israel says its air campaign is aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Iran had been enriching uranium to 60 percent — far above the 3.67-percent limit set by a 2015 deal with international powers, but still short of the 90-percent threshold needed for a nuclear warhead. Iran denies it is building nuclear weapons.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2605098/middle-east
------
IAEA chief identifies Isfahan as Iran’s planned uranium enrichment site
June 19, 2025
VIENNA: UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi on Thursday identified Isfahan, home to one of Iran’s biggest nuclear facilities, as the location of a uranium enrichment plant that Iran said it would soon open in retaliation for a diplomatic push against it.
The day before Israel launched its military strikes against Iranian targets including nuclear facilities last Friday, Iran announced it had built a new uranium enrichment facility, which it would soon equip and bring online. Tehran did not provide details such as the plant’s location.
Iran’s announcement was part of its retaliation against a resolution passed by the International Atomic Energy Agency’s 35-nation Board of Governors declaring Tehran in breach of its non-proliferation obligations over issues including its failure to credibly explain uranium traces found at undeclared sites.
Had it gone online, the new enrichment plant would have been the fourth in operation in Iran. But Israel’s attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities destroyed one of those plants and put another out of action by killing its power supply, the IAEA has said.
“There was an announcement, quite coincidentally, on the eve of the start of the military operation by Israel of a new enrichment facility in Isfahan, precisely, that we were going to be inspecting immediately, but this inspection had to be postponed, we hope, because of the start of the military operation,” Grossi said.
He did not say where exactly in Isfahan the planned plant was, but he said the nuclear complex there is “huge.”
The IAEA has previously reported that Israeli military strikes on Friday damaged four buildings at Isfahan, including the Uranium Conversion Facility that transforms “yellowcake” uranium into the uranium hexafluoride feedstock for centrifuges so that it can be enriched.
Grossi told the BBC on Monday that the “underground spaces” at Isfahan did not seem to have been affected. Officials say those spaces are also where much of Iran’s most highly enriched uranium stock has been stored.
The IAEA has not, however, been able to carry out any inspections since the strikes.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2605084/middle-east
--------
Israel changing ‘the world’ with Iran war: Netanyahu
June 19, 2025
JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israel was “changing the face of the world” in its war with Iran, as he welcomed “all help” in destroying the Islamic republic’s nuclear sites.
“I said that we’re changing the face of the Middle East, and now I say we’re changing the face of the world,” he told public broadcaster Kansas
Seven days into the war, Netanyahu said Israeli forces were ahead of schedule in their offensive against Iranian nuclear and missile sites, but refused to provide a clear timeline for an end to the most intense confrontation in history with arch foe Tehran.
“We are at war. I’m not going to reveal our timeline. I’m not going to tell them (the Iranians) what we’re preparing,” said Netanyahu.
“When you enter a war, you know when it begins, but not when it ends,” he added.
He said Israel had already destroyed “more than half” of Iran’s missile launchers and was “capable of striking all of Iran’s nuclear facilities.”
But, in an apparent nod to key ally the United States, Netanyahu added: “All help is welcome.”
During his interview with Kan, Netanyahu went on to say that US President Donald Trump “will do what is good for for the United States, and I will do what is good for the State of Israel.”
Following the remarks, Trump offered a fresh timeline for a possible US intervention in the conflict, saying in a statement that he would decide whether to attack Iran within the next two weeks due to a “substantial” chance of negotiations.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2605078/middle-east
-------
Europe
Muslim cleric says Eid in Croke Park is not ‘disrespectful to Bloody Sunday martyrs’
June 19, 2025
The chairperson of the Irish Muslim Council in Ireland has defended the celebration of Eid al-Adha in Croke Park.
Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadri was speaking after protestors gathered outside the Dublin sporting ground earlier this month as attendees arrived.
More than 700 members of the Muslim community took part in the June 6 celebration of the feast of the sacrifice, regarded as the holiest festival in the Muslim calendar.
As the call to prayer began inside, a woman stood up holding rosary beads and began to recite the Hail Mary, RTE reported. She shouted "shame" as she was escorted away by security.
There was no reaction from members of the Muslim community in attendance, which included children.
Dr Al-Quadri said the tactics were "not nice or respectable" as he pointed out the doors of mosques are open for Irish people to visit.
He has now posted a defence of the event in an online post where he argued that it is not “disrespectful to the martyrs of Bloody Sunday”.
“Some people wonder why Muslims celebrate Eid in Croke Park,” he began. “This is a genuine question (asked) out of sincerity, and there is no other bias or reason.
“Then there are also people that have the same question but they will add to that. ‘Muslims disrespected Croke Park, and undermined Christian and Irish nationalist values by celebrating Eid in Croke Park.
“First of all, this did not happen for the first time, this was the sixth time that the Muslim community in Ireland celebrated the Eid prayers in Croke Park.
“Croke Park holds a significant place in the hearts of millions of Irish people and this is because of the tragedy that unfolded (there) more than 100 years ago.”
Dr Al-Qadri relates the events of Bloody Sunday when “British troops indiscriminately started shooting at the innocent spectators and the sportsman”.
“One of the very famous Irish sportsmen Michael Hogan also was one of the victims of this slaughter, so no wonder Croke Park holds a significant place and is sacred place in the hearts of millions of Irish people.
“And we, as Muslims understand that, we honour that and we respect that immensely, but it is important for you to understand that Croke Park, the venue, has been used for various different events.
“It has been used to accommodate musical events, it has been accommodating commercial events, it has also opened its doors for other faith communities.
“So, (to) these people that say the celebration of Eid in Croke Park undermines Christian value, I ask, when did they object to commercial events? When did they object to the musical events. When did they object to the events that take place in Croke Park that go against the Christian teachings?
“Did they ever object, did they ever protest? They did not. And the reason is not because these people want to defend Christian values.
“Most of these people do not even agree with the Christian faith leaders. Most of these people consider the Christian faith leaders, including the Pope, as traitors.
“Most of these people do not even attend Sunday Mass, most haven't studied the Christian faith (or) the Bible.
“Did they know that at many Eid events in Croke Park previously we have had as main guests the archbishops of the Catholic Church as well as of the Church of Ireland?
“If the Eid in Croke Park in any way undermines Christian values, why did the faith leaders attend?
“This is not just an event for Muslims in fact, as the organiser, I have always invited people of various different backgrounds.
“As I mentioned the archbishops have always been there, other faith leaders have attended including Rabbi Zalman Lent of the Jewish community.
“We also invited political leaders, and politicians have attended. We've had our very own president, the honourable Michael D Higgins send out an Eid message to the Muslim community.
“So, these people that believe that we're undermining Christian or Irish values, they obviously have no clue.”
Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadri also extended an invitation to anybody that is genuinely interested in dialogue or in understanding the Muslim faith and community “and wants to build bridges to reach out to me and meet up”.
Source: sundayworld.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.sundayworld.com/news/irish-news/muslim-cleric-says-eid-in-croke-park-is-not-disrespectful-to-bloody-sunday-martyrs/a533104280.html
-------
Man accused of shooting Scots in Spain appears in court
20 Jun 2025
A man wanted in Spain over the murders of two senior figures from a Scottish organised crime group in a Spanish bar has appeared in court in England.
Michael Riley, 44, has been accused by Spanish police of the murders of Ross Monaghan, 43, and Eddie Lyons Jnr, 46, at Monaghans Bar in Fuengirola on 31 May.
Mr Riley appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London via videolink from HMP Wandsworth.
His full extradition hearing is expected to be held later this year.
Mr Riley has not been charged and as yet has had no opportunity to respond to allegations made about him by Spanish National Police.
He spoke to confirm his name and date of birth during the brief hearing.
Due to problems with the videolink, Mr Riley is expected to appear in court in person on Friday.
Mr Riley was arrested by Merseyside Police last Friday under an international arrest warrant issued by the Spanish authorities.
Gun jammed
Following the shooting, Spanish police said the hitman's gun jammed after he killed Lyons Jnr with a single shot outside the bar.
The gunman then pursued Monaghan inside the venue and killed him with two more shots.
Both Lyons Jnr and Monaghan were connected to the Lyons crime group based in the west of Scotland.
Source: bbc.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1wpn235v0zo
-------
Armenia's PM accuses head of Church of fathering child in febrile political row
20 Jun 2025
Grigor Atanesian
Armenia's liberal government has never been an ally of the deeply conservative Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC), but when Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan made extraordinary allegations against an unnamed senior clergyman, it blew open a deep divide.
"Your Grace, go fool around with your uncle's wife. What do you want from me?" said Pashinyan.
He also accused the supreme spiritual leader - Catholicos Karekin II - of breaking his vow of celibacy and fathering a child, calling on him to resign. The BBC has approached the Church for comment but has not had a response.
Until now the Church and government had found a way to co-exist, but the row threatens to split an already polarised Armenian society still further – and affect the outcome of next year's election.
It could also harm peace talks that have the potential to re-shape the entire region of the South Caucasus, after Armenia's bitter defeat in a war against Azerbaijan.
Armenia is believed to be the first nation to make Christianity the state religion, after its king was baptised in 301AD. Although there is a separation of Church and state by law, the Armenian constitution recognises the AAC "as a national Church".
The Church has not addressed the allegations but said the prime minister had sought "to silence its voice". It has reiterated that the government has no say in the matters of Church governance.
If true, Pashinyan's allegation would make the Catholicos unfit for office. Under the Church's by-laws, only monks who took a vow of celibacy can be elected a Catholicos.
On these grounds Pashinyan now demands Karekin's resignation, despite having no jurisdiction over the Church. He has presented no evidence but threatened to release it.
Pashinyan has also attacked other senior clergymen, including accusing one archbishop of having an affair, with the extraordinary allegation of "fooling around" with his uncle's wife.
The opposition parties and two of Armenia's former presidents, Levon Ter-Petrossian and Serzh Sargsyan, have rallied behind the Church and condemned Pashinyan's move against it.
The government's relationship with the Church deteriorated after the defeat in the 2020 war against neighbouring Azerbaijan, when Karekin II joined calls from various political factions for the prime minister to step down.
Pashinyan stayed in power, and the Church became a prominent anti-government voice.
Recently, Karekin II demanded the right of return for the Armenians who fled Nagorno-Karabakh, a region of Azerbaijan that it recaptured in 2023.
The prime minister's allies are unhappy with such interventions, as they contradict the government's position in the ongoing peace talks.
Pashinyan pushes for a swift peace treaty that would see both countries drop mutual claims. But Azerbaijani media seized on nationalist opposition demands as proof that Armenia is not ready for peace.
The Armenian Church has benefited from becoming a hub for dissent. With personal rivalries between the leaders of opposition parties, it is drawing in those disaffected with the authorities.
Political analysts in Armenia suggest this might be a real reason for the government's sudden attack on the Church leader.
The next general election has been scheduled for June 2026, and the anti-Church campaign could be a pre-emptive strike against the stronghold of conservative opposition.
The prime minister himself has linked his position to politics: "We returned the state to the people. Now we must return the Church to the people."
When a powerful benefactor spoke out in support of the Church this week, the government swiftly moved against him.
Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan threatened to "intervene in the campaign against the Church in our own way" if opposition politicians failed to defend it.
Hours later, his residence was raided and on Wednesday he was charged with "making public calls to overthrow the government". He denies the charge.
The conflict between Armenia's political and spiritual leader is a highly sensitive matter far beyond its national borders, as the Church has hundreds of parishes in the diaspora, from Russia and Ukraine to Western Europe, the Middle East and America.
While rumours about Karekin's alleged secret family have long circulated in tabloids, for years more serious accusations were being made by diaspora parishes.
They alleged that Church leaders were extorting monthly payments and micro-managing dioceses that used to enjoy operational autonomy.
In 2013, the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem accused Karekin II of having no spiritual values and only tending to its material wellbeing. The Church said the allegations were false.
Until recently, Nikol Pashinyan has largely stayed above the fray. "It is my belief that government has no place in the Church's internal issues," he said soon after taking office in 2018. After years of respecting this pledge, the prime minister might have changed his mind.
Whatever the outcome of this row, it is likely to deepen polarisation in a society that has already been fractured, not just by political infighting, but by wedge issues over whether to be allied to Russia or the West and by tensions between the residents of Armenia and ethnic Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh.
Source: bbc.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpd1qnq87jxo
-------
Nazi symbols prevalent in Ukrainian military – Le Monde
19 Jun, 2025
Ukrainian soldiers continue to publicly display neo-Nazi symbols – including swastikas, SS tattoos, and Nazi salutes – according to an investigation by French outlet Le Monde.
In its report, published on Wednesday, Le Monde identified nearly 350 Ukrainian troops posting neo-Nazi imagery online, including Nazi salutes, swastika tattoos, Black Sun emblems, and Totenkopf insignias. According to the research, at least 200 of those identified serve in Kiev’s 3rd Assault Brigade.
Russia has repeatedly accused Kiev of fostering neo-Nazi ideology and glorifying WW2-era Hitler collaborators and has demanded the “denazification” of Ukraine as part of a negotiated peace agreement.
Formed in 2023, the 3rd Assault Brigade is a direct successor of the Azov Regiment – originally created in 2014 by far-right figure, Andrei Biletsky. Azov has been accused by multiple human rights groups, as well as the UN, of war crimes and torture and has been widely criticized for its use of symbols tied to the Waffen-SS.
According to Le Monde, the 3rd Assault Brigade has received military training from several NATO countries, including France, Spain, Germany, the UK and Canada, who have also poured in billions in military support to Ukraine. The paper noted that some soldiers sent to France in 2023 bore visible SS tattoos. When questioned, the French Ministry of the Armed Forces stated that it was the responsibility of Ukraine to vet the personnel.
The report also stated that a number of foreign volunteers who have joined Ukraine’s forces, including French nationals, have affiliations with far-right groups. Some were shown posting Nazi tributes and displaying related tattoos online.
Le Monde further stated that the 3rd Assault Brigade, now expanded into a full corps under Biletsky’s command, has been playing an increasingly central role in Ukraine’s military. The outlet reported that its units continue to use Nazi-associated emblems and feature commanders with visible far-right markings.
Moscow has long condemned Kiev’s elevation of Nazi collaborators to national hero status and has accused Western governments of deliberately ignoring continued neo-Nazi activity in Ukrainian ranks.
In April, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev stressed that the rebirth of Nazism cannot be allowed and outlined the destruction of the “Kiev neo-Nazi regime” as a necessary outcome of the Ukraine conflict. He insisted that “a real de-Nazification is required” and that the ideology “needs to be rooted out not only in Ukraine, but in all of Europe.”
Source: rt.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.rt.com/russia/619862-lemonde-ukraine-nazi-symbols/
---------
Arab World
Saudi science university makes world’s top 100
June 19, 2025
DHAHRAN: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals has achieved a milestone by entering the list of the world’s top 100 establishments, ranking 67th in the 2025 QS World University Rankings after being 101st last year.
The transformation has taken place across academic, research, and administrative domains. Nearly 100 new programs have been launched, including innovative undergraduate and graduate offerings.
The university has also introduced the region’s first entrepreneurship program, granting students and researchers full ownership of their startups in a move that reflects a modern, innovation-driven academic culture focused on economic empowerment.
In addition, the university has adopted the FAST transformation model and the AI+X initiative, which integrates artificial intelligence as an integral knowledge component across all disciplines, making it a core academic requirement for all students.
The university has also achieved the highest female enrollment rate in engineering programs globally, and attracted students from more than 75 countries, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2605085/saudi-arabia
-------
Student-led team develops AI device to detect emergency lane offenders
June 19, 2025
JEDDAH: King Abdulaziz University has completed an innovative research project that uses artificial intelligence to monitor violations of emergency lanes on highways in real time.
The project was carried out by a student-led team under the supervision of Department of Geomatics faculty members Kamel Faisal, Abdullah Al-Attas, Muhannad Abu-Hashem and Mahmud Al-Koffash, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The project employs the YOLO algorithm. YOLO, which stands for You Only Look Once, is a real-time object detection algorithm known for its speed and efficiency.
The algorithm works detecting objects directly from an input image, as opposed to older methods which required multiple passes. This approach significantly speeds up the detection process.
The system uses the Raspberry Pi device, a cost-effective mini computer that employs advanced vision techniques.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the project is highly efficient, making it well-suited for smart city applications, traffic authorities and government agencies.
It has the potential to contribute to improving emergency response times and saving lives by ensuring emergency lanes remain unobstructed.
The model was trained using custom image datasets, with specific video Regions of Interest defined to identify any violations by vehicles.
Geomatics, the academic field behind the project, focuses on the science and technology of digital geographic data.
This includes urban surveying, spatial information systems, and is also referred to as “geospatial data science” or “digital surveying engineering.”
It encompasses the collection, processing, analysis, visualization, and mapping of all types of geographic information, as well as the measurement and management of geospatial data.
Saudi Arabia currently utilizes a number of AI technologies to manage the country’s road traffic and improve safety.
The Sawaher system is a national platform designed to analyze streams of images and videos from public roads and provide real-time insights.
Another system, the Smart C platform, uses data to help decision-making in infrastructure projects.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2605061/saudi-arabia
-------
Saudi transport chief elected MENA president of global body
June 19, 2025
RIYADH: The acting president of Saudi Arabia’s Public Transport Authority has been elected president of the International Association of Public Transport for the MENA region.
Rumaih bin Mohammed Al-Rumaih was selected in a vote during the association’s summit in Hamburg, Germany, this week. He will occupy the role until 2028.
Al-Rumaih was selected for his expertise in developing modern transport systems, leading national projects and representing Saudi Arabia in international forums, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Having previously served as CEO of the Saudi Railway Company and president of the Transport General Authority, Al-Rumaih has a track record of working to improve the sustainability and quality of transport in urban settings.
“I am delighted to be with you today, and to start this new phase of work with a distinguished team that brings together a number of leaders and professionals,” he said during the conference.
“I believe that public transport is not just about infrastructure, but about experience, justice, accessibility, and sustainability.
Al-Rumaih highlighted the success of the Riyadh Metro system, which became fully operational earlier this year.
He said that the metro is witnessing high rates of usage and is changing commuter behavior in the capital.
“When we provide appropriate transportation services that are clean, safe, accessible, and reliable, people respond to and adapt to them,” he said.
Al-Rumaih also spoke about how building sustainable and people-centered transport systems requires collaboration between governments, operators, the private sector, and civil society.
“The International Association of Public Transport has always been a driver of this collaboration and will grow in importance in the years to come.”
Al-Rumaih also highlighted the findings of the MENA Transport Report 2025, which assessed trends in the industry in 40 cities across 14 countries in the region.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2605048/saudi-arabia
--------
Smart screens guide worshippers at Prophet’s Mosque in 23 languages
June 19, 2025
MADINAH — The Presidency of Religious Affairs at the Prophet's Mosque offers numerous awareness-raising services to deliver religious and guidance messages to pilgrims through field personnel and modern technologies, as part of its efforts to enrich their experience during their visit to Madinah.
The guidance provided to worshippers at the Prophet's Mosque during the post-Hajj season includes a set of smart enrichment services provided by the General Administration of Field Awareness at the Agency for Dawah and Guidance Affairs at the Presidency of Religious Affairs at the Prophet's Mosque.
These services utilize smart interactive guidance screens distributed throughout the Prophet's Mosque, enabling visitors to download guidance and da'wah brochures onto their smartphones via an interactive barcode, enhancing their interactive experience. This is part of the agency's plans for digital transformation, which aims to enhance da'wah and guidance services digitally and technologically.
Interactive screens represent a qualitative leap in delivering religious and guidance messages to the guests of God digitally, and are fed with diverse interactive enrichment content in 23 international languages.
Source: saudigazette.com.sa
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/652819/SAUDI-ARABIA/Smart-screens-guide-worshippers-at-Prophets-Mosque-in-23-languages
-------
South Asia
UN Security Council to discuss Afghanistan Crisis on Monday
By Fidel Rahmati
June 19, 2025
The UN Security Council will meet on Monday to discuss Afghanistan’s worsening crisis, including restrictions on women’s rights and the country’s economic collapse.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has announced that the UN Security Council will convene a session on Monday, June 23 , to discuss the ongoing humanitarian and human rights situation in Afghanistan.
According to a statement released by UNAMA on Thursday, June 19, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Afghanistan and head of UNAMA, Roza Otunbayeva, will brief the Security Council during the session.
The council is also expected to review the latest report on Afghanistan by UN Secretary-General António Guterres. The report is likely to address a range of critical issues, including human rights, education, and economic stability under Taliban rule.
This session comes at a time when Afghan girls and women continue to face strict bans on access to education, university-level learning, and formal employment — policies widely condemned by the international community.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s economic situation continues to deteriorate. Under Taliban governance, inflation, unemployment, and humanitarian needs have escalated, leaving millions of citizens in dire need of international assistance.
The upcoming Security Council meeting will be crucial for reassessing the UN’s role and strategy in addressing Afghanistan’s growing crises. With limited diplomatic engagement from the Taliban and worsening living conditions on the ground, international pressure is mounting.
Observers hope that the session will produce meaningful recommendations and reinforce the UN’s commitment to advocating for the rights and dignity of Afghan women, girls, and vulnerable communities across the country.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/un-security-council-to-discuss-afghanistan-crisis-on-monday/
--------
Court Contempt: ICT appoints defence counsel for Hasina
Jun 20, 2025
The International Crimes Tribunal-1 (ICT) yesterday appointed Senior Advocate Md Aminul Gani (Titto) as defence counsel for ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina in a contempt of court case filed against her.
The tribunal also appointed senior High Court lawyer AY Masihuzzaman as amicus curiae (friend of the court) in the same case.
The tribunal passed the order, as yesterday was scheduled for a hearing on the prosecution's petition seeking contempt proceedings against Hasina over remarks made in a leaked phone conversation with a party leader.
At the hearing, the prosecution updated the court on the case, after which the tribunal asked about the appointment of an amicus curiae.
Prosecutor Gazi Monawar Hossain Tamim cited Section 41 of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, which allows the tribunal to appoint one or more amicus curiae.
The tribunal then appointed Masihuzzaman as amicus curiae and set June 25 for the next hearing.
Later, at a press briefing, Tamim said the amicus curiae will provide legal opinions and assist the tribunal in interpreting the law.
He added that investigators had verified the leaked audio clip and, based on its authenticity, the prosecution moved to file the contempt petition under Section 11(4) of the Act.
He said the tribunal had earlier ordered both accused -- Hasina and former Gobindaganj Upazila Parishad Chairman Shakil Akanda Bulbul -- to appear in court. When they failed to comply, the tribunal, in the interest of fairness, directed that public notices be published in two national newspapers, asking them to appear and respond.
The contempt petition stems from a leaked phone call that circulated on social media last year and was later reported by mainstream media.
In the audio, Hasina was allegedly heard telling Bulbul, "I have had 227 cases filed against me, so I have received a licence to kill 227 people."
The tribunal considers the remark contemptuous. The petition was filed on April 30 this year.
Meanwhile, Toby Cadman, special prosecutorial adviser to ICT Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam, said reforms are still needed to align the tribunal more closely with international standards.
Speaking to reporters, he acknowledged progress in bringing the tribunal's rules in line with global norms, but added that further amendments are necessary. "The details are for the government to decide," he said.
Cadman also stressed the need for additional judicial appointments with the establishment of a second tribunal. "This process is too important, not just for Bangladesh but for international criminal justice," he said.
Regarding the contempt case, he said it is separate from the tribunal's core charges and that Hasina had the right to boycott the proceedings. "However, the tribunal must ensure the rights of any accused are fully protected," he said.
Source: thedailystar.net
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/crime-justice/news/court-contempt-ict-appoints-defence-counsel-hasina-3920801
--------
Deputy PM Hanafi Meets Engages Chinese Officials, Investors
2025-06-19
KABUL(BNA): During a visit to China, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Mawlavi Abdul Salam Hanafi, held productive meetings with top Chinese officials and investors, signaling a potential strengthening of bilateral ties.
In his remarks, Deputy PM Hanafi expressed strong support for China’s ambitious “One Belt, One Road” initiative, emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts in infrastructure and development projects. He assured Chinese investors that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is committed to providing the necessary support and facilities for both domestic and foreign businesses, with a particular focus on attracting Chinese investment.
Meanwhile the China officials acknowledged the positive developments in Afghanistan under the Islamic Emirate, highlighting the long-standing friendly ties between the two countries. He expressed optimism about the future of bilateral ties, stating that China and Afghanistan, as good neighbors, have no significant issues and are poised to enhance their partnership
Source: bakhtarnews.af
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/deputy-pm-hanafi-meets-engages-chinese-officials-investors/
--------
Army always committed to ensuring people's safety: Col. Shafiqul Islam
19 Jun 2025
DHAKA, June 19, 2025 (BSS) - Colonel Md. Shafiqul Islam of the Military Operations Directorate (Staff Colonel) today said the Bangladesh Army is committed to maintaining overall law and order and protecting the sovereignty of the country by standing by the people of the country.
"The army is always committed to ensuring the security and alleviation of the suffering of the general people," he said while reading out a written statement at a press conference at Dhaka Cantonment, said an ISPR press release.
Shafiqul said following the directions of the army chief, army personnel in 62 districts of the country, including the Char areas, are actively performing their duties round-the-clock to maintain law and order through coordinated efforts with the relevant ministries of the interim government, law enforcement agencies, local administration, media and the general public.
In the current situation of the country, he said, the Bangladesh Army is working relentlessly to protect the sovereignty of the country, provide security to the lives and property of the people of the country and important state assets and installations, including maintaining stability in the overall situation.
He said the army will take strict action against activities that can cause damage to life and property, mob violence and public suffering.
In response to a question from journalists, he said that the army has not yet received any official instructions from the government regarding the performance of duties in the upcoming national elections. However, the army will perform its electoral duties as per the government's instructions, he added.
Shafiqul Islam said the army has taken strict action against mob violence or any situation that causes public suffering.
"We have reduced mob violence to a large extent. The army's timely presence at the scene of the mob violence in Rangpur made it possible to bring the situation under control," he said.
The army officer said during Eid-ul-Azha, army members patrolled important bus and launch terminals and railway stations round the clock. Check-posts have been set up at sensitive places to control the speed of buses, he said.
Along with male officers, female officers and soldiers have taken to the roads and performed their assigned duties during Eid without any hesitation, he added.
"During the Eid journey, we were able to return Taka 35,26,233 to the passengers from 1255 vehicles charged as extra fair. All this has been possible due to the sincerity, honesty and hard work of the army," he said.
"We have been able to reduce the number of casualties during this Eid journey compared to the past," he said.
When asked about the beating of a person while selling the national flag, Shafiqul said, "It was an international football match. Whatever was needed to be done to ensure security was done there. It is a sad and isolated incident. However, later we called the flag seller and expressed our condolences. In addition, he was given Taka one lakh so that he can continue his business successfully."
When asked about the army's reaction to the push-in from the India-Myanmar border, Shafiqul said the BGB and Coast Guard remain alert and vigilant in this regard as they have increased patrols in the border areas.
He said the number of permanent and temporary camps has been increased in those places. In addition, intelligence surveillance has also been increased, he added.
The army officer said the army has recently arrested many top terrorists. Operational activities will continue to arrest top terrorists, he said.
In the operation to arrest identified terrorists and recover weapons and ammunition, the army has recovered 56 illegal weapons and 990 rounds of ammunition in the past three weeks and a total of 9,667 illegal weapons and 286,754 rounds of ammunition since August, he said.
In addition, the army has arrested 996 people involved in various types of crimes and a total of 15,262 people so far, said Shafiqul. Among them are juvenile gangs, listed criminals, robbers and other criminals, he said.
The army conducted a special operation on May 27 and arrested top-listed terrorist Subrata Bain alias Fateh Ali and his close associate Mullah Masud alias Abu Russell Masud from Kushtia district, he said.
Later, based on information received from them, the army arrested Subrata Bain's other two associates, shooters Arafat and Sharif, from Hatirjheel area along with 5 sophisticated foreign pistols, 10 magazines, 53 rounds of ammunition and 1 satellite phone, he said, adding that Subrata Bain and Mullah Masud are the leaders of the Seven Star terrorist group and are among the 23 top-listed terrorists.
Also, on the same day, another special operation was conducted in the Mohammadpur area in the capital and three others, including the notorious terrorist Farid Ahmed Babu alias Excel Babu, were arrested from the Buriganga Filling Station area.
There are multiple cases against the arrested persons in various police stations of the capital on serious charges such as murder, kidnapping, extortion and land grabbing, he said. As a result of the operation, there is relief and security among the local people, he added.
On June 4, the army arrested listed terrorist Bunia Sohel along with 10 associates from the Mohammadpur Geneva Camp area, he said, adding that there are more than 30 cases against the arrested Bunia Sohel. During this time, they participated in various operations including recovering cash, various types of sharp country-made weapons and drugs from them, he added.
Source: bssnews.net
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bssnews.net/news/284137
--------
Bangladesh high commission in New Delhi hosts belated Independence Day celebration
Jun 20, 2025
The Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi marked the belated celebration of its Independence Day (March 26) at the Taj Palace Hotel yesterday.
The event, which was deferred due to several factors, including the arrival and credential presentation of the new High Commissioner to India, and the observance of the holy month of Ramadan, drew hundreds of guests, including ambassadors, high commissioners, senior diplomats, government officials, scholars, civil society members, and media professionals.
Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh, Indian Minister of State for External Affairs, attended as the guest of honour.
In his address, he highlighted the enduring strength of India-Bangladesh ties, calling them "forged through shared experiences and sacrifices" and a "foundation for a partnership that is both resilient and forward-looking."
He noted that the bilateral relationship between the countries – spanning trade, connectivity, energy, security, and cultural exchanges – is comprehensive, and emphasised its importance for regional peace and prosperity.
"India will continue to support the people of Bangladesh for a mutually beneficial and friendly relationship," he affirmed.
Bangladesh High Commissioner Riaz Hamidullah underscored the importance of forward-thinking cooperation. "We celebrate this evening not just to remember the past, but to reflect on the future – as neighbours and partners in progress," he said.
Calling for a reimagination of regional partnerships, he cited the recent transmission of 40 MW of Nepalese hydropower to Bangladesh via India as an example of sub-regional synergy. As current chair of BIMSTEC, Bangladesh, he said, remains committed to revitalising regional cooperation.
The celebration also featured a cultural showcase of traditional Bangladeshi Jamdani sarees and a specially curated menu by chefs flown in from Dhaka's renowned Fakhruddin Catering, including the iconic Dhakaiya Kacchi Biriyani.
Source: thedailystar.net
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/diplomacy/news/bangladesh-high-commission-new-delhi-hosts-belated-independence-day-celebration-3921611
------
Foreign Minister, Iranian Ambassador Discuss Pilgrim Transportation
2025-06-19
KABUL(BNA): Foreign Minister Mawlavi Amir Khan Muttaqi met with Iranian Ambassador to Kabul, Ali Reza Bekdali, to discuss the transportation of Iranian pilgrims through Afghanistan.
During the meeting, Minister Muttaqi condemned recent attacks by the Israeli regime on Iran, labeling them a blatant violation of international law. He emphasized that the Afghanistan people stand in solidarity with the Iranian nation and expressed the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s commitment to facilitate the safe return of Iranian pilgrims from Saudi Arabia.
Foreign Minister Muttaqi announced that, following a directive from the Prime Minister’s office, a visa exemption for pilgrims returning via Afghanistan has been granted for up to one month. He instructed relevant agencies in Herat to ensure all necessary measures are in place for the safe transportation of these pilgrims.
Ambassador Bekdali expressed appreciation for the support provided to Iranian pilgrims, praising it as a commendable step in enhancing bilateral ties. He voiced optimism that both countries’ authorities would successfully complete the transfer process.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/foreign-minister-iranian-ambassador-discuss-pilgrim-transportation/
-------
Afghanistan Delegation Promotes Economic Growth at Russian Conference
2025-06-19
KABUL (BNA): Afghanistan’s Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Livestock, Mawlawi Ataullah Omari, met with Afghan entrepreneurs living in Saint Petersburg during an official visit to Russia.
Minister Omari listened to the concerns and proposals of the Afghan business community and urged them to invest in Afghanistan. He highlighted the Islamic Emirate’s achievements and described the country’s current security and stability as a conducive environment for investment.
Focusing on agriculture, the minister shared numerous investment opportunities and emphasized the government’s commitment to supporting investors across various sectors.
This meeting is part of the Islamic Emirate’s broader efforts to strengthen economic ties and attract investment from both the diaspora and international partners.
Minister Omari leads an Afghan delegation participating in the 2025 Economic Forum in Saint Petersburg, aiming to promote Afghanistan’s economic interests on the global stage
Source: bakhtarnews.af
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/afghanistan-delegation-promotes-economic-growth-at-russian-conference/
-----
Putin warns of Security threats from Afghanistan to CSTO states
By Fidel Rahmati
June 20, 2025
Putin warned that Afghanistan’s instability poses growing security risks to CSTO member states, threatening their collective security.
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently raised serious security concerns regarding the situation in Afghanistan, highlighting its potential implications for member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). The CSTO, which includes countries such as Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Armenia, is primarily focused on ensuring the collective security of its members against external threats. However, Putin emphasized that the ongoing instability in regions like Afghanistan is generating growing concerns for CSTO members.
Putin pointed out that in the past, terrorist groups have used Afghanistan as a base to infiltrate neighboring CSTO countries, leading to significant security risks. He referred to the historical presence of extremist groups in the region, such as ISIS and other terrorist organizations, warning that the current instability in Afghanistan could once again lead to the expansion of these groups’ activities in Central Asia. This growing threat has raised alarms within the CSTO, which sees Afghanistan’s instability as a destabilizing factor for the broader region.
Acknowledging the seriousness of the situation, Putin called for greater coordination among CSTO members to address these emerging threats. This includes strengthening border security, sharing intelligence, and conducting joint military exercises. These measures, he stressed, are critical to preventing the infiltration of terrorist groups into CSTO territories. Putin also reiterated the importance of cooperation with other regional organizations, such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), to foster stability in Afghanistan and the wider region.
In addition to strengthening security measures, Putin highlighted the importance of international cooperation in fostering peace in Afghanistan. He reiterated his previous stance that establishing an inclusive government in Afghanistan could significantly reduce the threats posed by terrorist groups. However, he emphasized that achieving this would require active international engagement and support from global powers to ensure a peaceful and stable Afghanistan.
Putin’s warning underscores the urgency of addressing the security challenges posed by Afghanistan’s instability. As terrorist groups continue to exploit the region’s volatility, the CSTO’s coordinated efforts and collaboration with regional organizations will be vital in preventing the spread of extremism into Central Asia. International cooperation and a concerted effort toward building a stable and inclusive Afghanistan’s government are crucial in mitigating the risks and ensuring long-term peace and security in the region.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/putin-warns-of-security-threats-from-afghanistan-to-csto-states/
-------
North America
Trump Ally Laura Loomer Escalates MAGA Civil War With Wild Claim: ‘Tucker is Controlled by Muslims’
Alex Griffing
Jun 19th, 2025
Trump ally and longtime MAGA conspiracy theorist, Laura Loomer, launched a scathing attack on Tucker Carlson this week, publicly accusing him of being “controlled by Muslims” and therefore staunchly opposing Israel’s ongoing conflict with Iran. Loomer’s attacks on Carlson are just the latest fracture in the MAGA base over the Israel-Iran conflict.
Loomer joined Fox News host Mark Levin in accusing Carlson, whom Levin has nicknamed “Qatarlson,” of being in the pocket of Qatar – a key ally to both the U.S. and Iran in the region. Loomer’s accusation stems from a mid-May report in The Washington Examiner that dove into Qatar’s lobbying efforts in the United States, including the targeting of pro-MAGA influencers in order to get close to the incoming Trump administration.
The Washington Examiner’s Robert Schmad reported on Qatar’s big-dollar efforts in May, writing, “Perhaps Qatar’s biggest victory in its post-election right-wing media campaign thus far was securing an interview between Tucker Carlson and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in March. The interview, which has raked up nearly six million views across X and YouTube, was friendly, with Carlson praising the country.” Schmad added:
Loomer took that report a step further, claiming that Carlson’s interview with PM Al Thani was “a paid propaganda piece in which over $200,000 was paid by the Embassy of the State of Qatar for Tucker to interview a Qatari official, all while knowing HAMAS is an Iranian proxy and funded by Qatar.”
Loomer went on to attach a screenshot of the Foreign Agents Registration Act documents that Lumen8 Advisors filed regarding the interview, which she claimed was proof that Carlson was paid for the interview.
Now, to be clear, the documents do not appear to prove that Carlson was directly paid for the interview, only that the intermediary who set up the interview was. Additionally, Loomer engaged in bombastic and racially charged rhetoric while making her claims.
“Tucker Carlson wants you to think his thoughts on Iran are based and original, but he’s literally participating in paid for interviews by the Qataris, who are funding and providing pent houses [sic] and luxury lifestyles to the leaders of HAMAS in DOHA. Tucker should just be honest that he’s a mouthpiece for genocidal Muslims,” Loomer added.
She also went on to attack a key investor in Carlson’s new media company. “His media company was literally funded by a MUSLIM investor who is half Pakistani and half Iranian and who spends a lot of time in Qatar. And trust me when I say a lot of people in pro-Trump circles are very uncomfortable with this,” Loomer wrote, appearing to reference banker Omeed Malik, whom Carlson and his partner Neil Patel recently bought out.
“Tucker is controlled by Muslims. People need to wake up and stop pretending like this is a conspiracy theory. Qatar and Iran are buying off conservative podcasters to push pro-Islamist, anti-American and anti-Israel talking points to undermine President Trump,” Loomer added.
Loomer, who once described Islam as a “cancer” and declared herself a “proud Islamophobe,” has long been a controversial figure in the MAGA world. She stirred controversy during the 2024 presidential election as she traveled with then-candidate Trump on 9/11 to memorial services. Loomer’s presence with Trump stirred anger as she had suggested in the past that the 9/11 terror attacks were an “inside job.”
In recent weeks, however, Loomer has been seen as a driving force behind some of Trump’s key decisions, including removing his National Security Advisor Mike Waltz – who has since been named as UN ambassador.
Patel released a statement in response to Loomer’s claims. “Allegations that Tucker Carlson or Tucker Carlson Network took money from any foreign country for an interview or for any other reason are categorically and definitively false and defamatory. Neither Tucker nor TCN has ever taken a penny from Qatar or any foreign country,” Patel wrote on X, adding:
Carlson’s interviews and wild claims – including that a demon physically attacked him – have raised eyebrows and sparked questions about his motivations in recent months.
Carlson fiercely debated the Israel-Iran conflict with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) in a new interview this week, which led many observers to wonder why Carlson treated PM Al Thani and Russian President Vladimir Putin with kid gloves – while being willing to go so far as to call a sitting Republican senator a “sleazy feline.” Putin famously insulted Carlson after their February 2024 interview, saying he was surprised Carlson didn’t ask any “tough questions.”
“To be honest, I thought that he would behave aggressively and ask so-called sharp questions. I was not just prepared for this, I wanted it, because it would give me the opportunity to respond in the same way,” Putin told a Russian journalist following the interview.
Carlson’s softball interviews with the leaders of Qatar and Russia have been fodder for his critics to question his motives in pushing Trump not to support Israel or Ukraine militarily. Loomer, pushing baseless claims about Carlson having a financial interest to support Iran, has now brought those questions to the forefront of the ongoing battle between the isolationists and the more hawkish elements of the GOP.
Source: mediaite.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.mediaite.com/politics/trump-ally-laura-loomer-escalates-maga-civil-war-with-wild-claim-tucker-is-controlled-by-muslims/
-----
Muslim NYC mayoral candidate, Jewish Ohio lawmaker report threats
June 20, 2025
By Kanishka Singh
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The New York City Police Department said on Thursday its hate crime unit was probing anti-Muslim threats against mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, and in another incident U.S. Representative Max Miller of Ohio said he was "run off the road" by a driver with a Palestinian flag.
These marked the latest U.S. incidents to raise concerns about a rise in hate against Americans of Muslim, Arab, Jewish, Israeli and Palestinian heritage since the start of Israel's war in Gaza in late 2023.
An NYPD spokesperson said police received reports that on Wednesday at 9:45 a.m., Mamdani, a Democratic state assembly member and mayoral candidate, reported that he "received four phone voicemails, on various dates, making threatening anti-Muslim statements by an unknown individual."
There have not been any arrests so far and an investigation remained ongoing, the NYPD said. The New York Daily News reported a man threatened to blow up Mamdani's car. Mamdani's campaign said he was participating in the police probe.
Separately, Republican U.S. Representative Max Miller from Ohio said on X he was "run off the road" in the city of Rocky River on Thursday, while he and his family were threatened by a person with a Palestinian flag. He said he had filed a police report.
"Today I was run off the road in Rocky River, and the life of me and my family was threatened by a person who proceeded to show a Palestinian flag before taking off," said Miller, who is Jewish and pro-Israeli. He labeled the incident, which was also condemned by top congressional Democrats, as antisemitic.
Recent incidents that raised alarm over antisemitism and anti-Israel attitudes in the U.S. include a fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy employees in Washington and a Colorado attack that left eight people wounded when a suspect threw incendiary devices into a pro-Israeli crowd.
Incidents raising alarm about anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian prejudice include the fatal stabbing of a 6-year-old Palestinian child in Illinois, the attempted drowning of a 3-year-old Palestinian American girl in Texas and a violent mob attack on pro-Palestinian protesters in California.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams said on Thursday a suspect was taken into custody and "charged with multiple counts of assault and aggravated harassment as hate crimes" in an alleged attack against a Muslim woman who was beaten on a subway train.
Source: yahoo.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/muslim-ny-mayoral-candidate-reports-232539989.html
--------
NYPD investigates threats against mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani amid growing hate
20.06.25
The New York City Police Department said on Thursday its hate crime unit was probing anti-Muslim threats against mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani while in another incident U.S. Representative Max Miller of Ohio said he was "run off the road" by another driver with a Palestinian flag.
These marked the latest U.S. incidents to raise concerns about the rise in hate against Americans of Muslim, Arab, Jewish, Israeli and Palestinian heritage since the start of Israel's war in Gaza in late 2023.
An NYPD spokesperson said police received reports that on Wednesday at 9:45 a.m., Mamdani, a Democratic state assembly member and mayoral candidate, reported that he "received four phone voicemails, on various dates, making threatening anti-Muslim statements by an unknown individual."
There have not been any arrests so far and the investigation remained ongoing, the NYPD added. The New York Daily News reported a man threatened to blow up Mamdani's car. Mamdani had no immediate comment.
Separately, Republican U.S. Representative Max Miller from Ohio said on X he was "run off the road" in the city of Rocky River on Thursday while he and his family were threatened by a person with a Palestinian flag. He said he had filed a police report.
"Today I was run off the road in Rocky River, and the life of me and my family was threatened by a person who proceeded to show a Palestinian flag before taking off," said Miller, who is Jewish and pro-Israeli. He labeled the incident, which was also condemned by top congressional Democrats, as antisemitic.
Recent incidents that raised alarm over antisemitism and anti-Israel attitudes in the U.S. include a fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy employees in Washington and a Colorado attack that left eight people wounded when a suspect threw incendiary devices into a pro-Israeli crowd.
Incidents raising alarm about anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian prejudice include the fatal stabbing of a 6-year-old Palestinian child in Illinois, the attempted drowning of a 3-year-old Palestinian American girl in Texas and a violent mob attack on pro-Palestinian protesters in California.
Source: telegraphindia.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.telegraphindia.com/world/new-york-city-police-department-investigates-threats-against-mayoral-candidate-zohran-mamdani-amid-growing-hate/cid/2108743
-------
Trump to decide on US action in Israel-Iran conflict within two weeks
20.06.25
Lucy Clarke-Billings
US President Donald Trump will decide whether or not the US gets directly involved in the Iran-Israel conflict within the next two weeks, the White House has said.
In a White House press briefing, Press secretary Karoline Leavitt delivered a message directly from Trump:
"Based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks."
Earlier, Iran's deputy foreign minister told the BBC it would cause "hell" in the region if the US got involved, adding: "This is not America's war."
The news comes 24 hours after Trump said he had not made up his mind on joining the conflict.
Asked what the message was for "everyday Trump supporters" who have concerns about US involvement, Leavitt said to "trust in President Trump".
She added that the president's "top priority" is ensuring that Iran does not successfully construct a nuclear weapon.
The press secretary has so far repeatedly declined to discuss "hypotheticals", including on whether Iranian officials could come to the White House, or whether Trump would seek approval from Congress over any US involvement.
Trump and his administration have sought to maintain an air of strategic ambiguity - not revealing much publicly about their thinking or potential courses of action.
"I may do it," he told reporters on Wednesday. "I may not do it."
The administration has maintained it believes that Iran has "never been closer" to successfully building a nuclear weapon.
Trump has dismissed intelligence assessments - including some given by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard in Congress earlier this year - that Iran was not planning to do so.
Speculation mounted about Trump's intentions on Wednesday after Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei rejected his demand for surrender.
The BBC's US partner CBS reported that Trump had approved plans to attack Iran, but had not made a final decision on whether to go ahead.
The US president was holding off in case Iran agreed to abandon its nuclear programme, an intelligence source said.
On Thursday Trump responded on Truth Social, saying the Wall Street Journal, where the reports first appeared, had "no idea what my thoughts are concerning Iran". He did not address whether plans had been approved.
The president is reportedly considering strikes on the Iranian nuclear site Fordo, a subterranean uranium enrichment facility.
Iran insists Fordo is used for civilian purposes only.
The site's location, hidden away in a mountainside, puts it out of reach of Israel's weaponry. Only the US is considered to have a bomb that might be large enough to destroy Fordo.
Diplomatic efforts are under way as the conflict continues, with European foreign ministers set to meet their Iranian counterpart in Switzerland on Friday.
Leavitt said that correspondence between American negotiators and the Iranians was continuing.
Reuters earlier reported that US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi had spoken on the phone several times since Israel began its strikes on Iran last week, in a bid to find a diplomatic end to the crisis.
Iran's deputy foreign minister Saeed Khatibzadeh told the BBC he was hoping for diplomacy as a "first option", but that while bombardment continues "we cannot start any negotiation".
He said US involvement would be "hell for the whole region", that would turn the conflict into a "quagmire", continue aggression, and delay an end to the "brutal atrocities".
This is "not America's war" and if Trump does get involved, he will always be remembered as "a president who entered a war he doesn't belong in", Khatibzadeh added.
Trump's two-week deadline came after a hospital in southern Israel was hit during an Iranian missile attack on Thursday morning.
Iranian state media reported that the strike targeted a military site next to the hospital, and not the facility itself.
Israel's Ministry of Health said 71 people were wounded during the attack on the Soroka Medical Centre.
Israel said at least 24 people had been killed in the country since the start of the conflict. Iranian state media last updated its death toll on Sunday 15 June, when it said 224 people had been killed.
The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) - a Washington-based human rights organisation that has long tracked Iran - has said 639 people have been killed in Iran since Friday last week.
Israel's military continued its strikes on Iran's nuclear infrastructure on Thursday, saying it had struck an "inactive nuclear reactor" in Arak in overnight raids which also saw the uranium enrichment facility in Natanz targeted again.
Source: bbc.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjel350eyw5o
--------
Blake Lively and Taylor Swift messages can be included in legal case
Emma Saunders
20.06.25
Messages between Blake Lively and Taylor Swift can be handed over to Justin Baldoni as part of his ongoing high-profile legal battle with the actress, a judge has decided.
Communications between Lively and her friend Swift about the environment on the It Ends With Us film set are relevant to the case, US District Judge Lewis Liman ruled on Wednesday, according to Variety.
Lively's team had applied to prevent Baldoni obtaining the messages, arguing they were irrelevant.
She sued Baldoni and his studio in December, alleging she was sexually harassed on set and that he led a campaign to "destroy" her reputation. He counter-sued, but his defamation lawsuit was dismissed by a judge last week.
In May, Baldoni's lawyers tried to get hold of the the messages directly from Swift herself by sending subpoenas to the pop star and her legal team.
But the subpoenas were dropped after Swift's legal team objected that they amounted to an "unwarranted fishing expedition".
Lively then attempted to prevent Baldoni gaining access to the messages via the usual discovery process.
But the judge wrote on Wednesday: "Given that Lively has represented that Swift had knowledge of complaints or discussions about the working environment on the film, among other issues, the requests for messages with Swift regarding the film and this action are reasonably tailored to discover information that would prove or disprove Lively's harassment and retaliation claims."
In response to the judge's decision, a spokesperson for Lively told Billboard the actress had "produced far more documents in this case" than Baldoni. They added that Baldoni and his publicity team had been trying to "drag Taylor Swift" into the saga since last summer.
"We will continue to call out Baldoni's relentless efforts to exploit Ms Swift's popularity, which from day one has been nothing more than a distraction from the serious sexual harassment and retaliation accusations he and the Wayfarer [Studios] parties are facing," the spokesperson said.
But Judge Liman said Lively's claim that Baldoni was only involving Swift in the case for PR purposes "does not justify denying the Wayfarer parties relevant discovery".
A representative for Baldoni declined to comment on the decision. Swift's representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
'Tabloid clickbait'
At the time the subpoena was withdrawn, Lively's spokesperson said they were "pleased" and would "continue to stand up for any third party who is unjustly harassed or threatened in the process".
Prior to that, Swift's representatives told the BBC she was being brought into a legal row to create "tabloid clickbait".
It was originally reported that Swift had been subpoenaed to give information after it was alleged she tried to pressure Baldoni to accept script rewrites by Lively for the film.
Baldoni had said he was invited to Lively's New York home in 2023 to discuss script changes, where Lively's husband, Ryan Reynolds, and Swift were there to serve as her "dragons".
In response, Swift's representatives said "she was not involved in any casting or creative decision" and "never saw an edit or made any notes on the film".
Variety also previously reported that Baldoni's lawyers were using the subpoena to try to get messages relating to an allegation that Lively's representatives had threatened to release old text messages if Swift didn't issue a statement supporting her.
Lively's lawyers denied those allegations as "unequivocally and demonstrably false".
The case is scheduled to go to trial in March 2026.
Source: bbc.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c20n6jl83v8o
------
Southeast Asia
Selangor vows to monitor religious liberalism, pluralism to safeguard sanctity of Islam
Bernama
2025-06-20
SHAH ALAM: The Selangor government will continue its efforts to monitor, detect, and enforce laws against any individual involved in promoting religious liberalism and pluralism, to safeguard the sanctity of Islam in the state.
State Islamic Religious Affairs and Cultural Innovation Committee chairman Dr Mohammad Fahmi Ngah said the public is also encouraged to report to the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) if there is evidence of any individual practising or spreading such beliefs.
“Muslims in Selangor cherish their religion and will continue to defend its purity. The majority of Muslims in the state will not tolerate any individual, group, or institution attempting to undermine, distort, or confuse the beliefs, faith, understanding, and practices of the Muslim community in Selangor.
“Islamic religious administration and management institutions in the state, such as the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS), JAIS, State Fatwa Committee and the State Executive Council, will continue to shoulder the responsibility of ensuring that the teachings of Islam remain strong, protected, and upheld in the state,“ he said in a statement today.
The statement was issued in response to the Federal Court’s decision yesterday in allowing an appeal by SIS Forum Malaysia and its co-founder Zainah Mahfoozah Anwar in their legal challenge against a fatwa issued in 2014 by the Selangor Fatwa Committee declaring the organisation to have deviated from Islamic teachings.
A four-judge panel led by Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat in a 3-1 majority decision set aside the fatwa, insofar as it applied to companies and institutions
Mohammad Fahmi also emphasised that, according to the fatwa, any individual who subscribes to the ideology of liberalism and religious pluralism is considered deviant and strays from the teachings of Islam.
He agreed with the stance and concerns of MAIS that the Federal Court’s decision could potentially open the door for certain parties to promote such ideologies among Muslims in Selangor through organisations, associations, companies, or other institutions.
“These individuals should not be allowed to continue practising and spreading such ideology either openly or privately using the label ‘Islam’ to legitimise their activities and gain acceptance,” he said.
Yesterday, the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, expressed disappointment and sadness over certain aspects of the Federal Court’s ruling regarding the fatwa issued by the Selangor Fatwa Committee.
The ruling stated that the fatwa applied only to individuals and not to Sisters in Islam (SIS) Forum Malaysia, organisations or institutions.
In this regard, the Sultan of Selangor as the Head of the Islamic Religion in Selangor urged that SIS Forum Malaysia no longer use the word ‘Sisters in Islam’ on any form of publication on any platform associated with organisation so that the word ‘Islam’ is not arbitrarily used for its benefit and interests.
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thesun.my/malaysia-news/selangor-vows-to-monitor-religious-liberalism-pluralism-to-safeguard-sanctity-of-islam-GH14314064
-------
Seminar ignites passion for Islamic astronomy among students
Bernama
2025-06-19
KUALA LUMPUR: Astronomy is gaining traction among young people, with more than 270 pupils from 32 schools in the federal capital and Putrajaya taking part in the ‘Seminar Falak: Simfoni Keajaiban Di Langit Semesta 2025’ here today.
Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) chairman Syed Kamarulzaman Syed Kabeer said the seminar aimed to deepen understanding of Islamic astronomy, covering celestial phenomena, the solar system, kiblat direction, and prayer time calculations.
The event was organised by MAIWP’s Pondok Moden Al-Abaqirah in collaboration with the Federal Territory Mufti’s Office (PMWP).
“Student interest is tangible; 18 schools have established astronomy clubs, and efforts to expand these clubs are ongoing.
“Through these clubs, students are not only acquainted with the theory; they also achieve recognition, such as winning a national championship in the parachute water-rocket event at the 2019 Melaka Astronomy Carnival,” he said when closing the seminar here today.
Also present were MAIWP deputy chief executive officer Mohd Fauzi Abidin and its Human Development manager Farizah Kamaruddin.
According to Syed Kamarulzaman, astronomy plays a vital role not only in Islamic worship but also in modern technologies such as global positioning systems (GPS) and telecommunications.
He also noted that Malaysia currently has 29 official ‘hilal’ sighting locations gazetted by the Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal for observing the new moon, essential for identifying the start of Ramadan and Syawal.
Meanwhile, Nur Hidayah Mohd Yusoff, deputy curriculum manager of Pondok Moden Al-Abaqirah, highlighted that the institution had launched its own astronomy club to raise awareness of astronomy and its importance.
“Our club is registered with the PMWP, and we follow learning modules set by them. Topics include methods for determining the kiblat direction and the basics of the sun, planets, and galaxies,” she said.
Nur Hidayah added that the club also participated in scientific and creative competitions such as water-rocket launches, poetry recitals, conventions, and quizzes organised by the Mufti’s Office.
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thesun.my/malaysia-news/seminar-ignites-passion-for-islamic-astronomy-among-students-HH14310171
-------
Shafee: Najib ‘happy’ over DNAA in stalled RM27m SRC case, relieved with fewer cases hanging over him now
By Kenneth Tee
20 Jun 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, June 20 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak has expressed happiness over the discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) in his final criminal case involving SRC International Sdn Bhd funds amounting to RM27 million, despite still being incarcerated.
Najib’s lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah conveyed this to reporters when asked about the former’s reaction to the latest development in court this morning.
“He is happy simply because there are not too many cases hanging over his head. He has been asking for a DNAA for some time.
“Now he can concentrate on the 1MDB case,” Muhammad Shafee said at a press conference at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex here.
A DNAA means an accused person can face trial for the same charges in the future if the prosecution decides to reinstate them.
In granting the DNAA order, High Court judge K. Muniandy said the rule of law was applicable to prevent such a detrimental situation whereby an accused person is saddled with criminal charges with no outcome for an indefinite and indeterminate period.
Najib was previously charged in 2019 for the present case, but trial has been indefinitely postponed since then for a myriad of reasons, including the Covid-19 pandemic and the final appeal of his RM42 million SRC International criminal case.
The prosecution previously sought the court to grant a further extension to allow for the compilation of voluminous trial documents after indicating it was prepared to proceed with trial, following the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) recent rejection of a representation submitted by Najib two years ago.
However, Muniandy said there was nothing to show that the case can be prosecuted expeditiously in the short future and that the likelihood of further postponement of the trial is inevitable.
With today’s DNAA, Najib has only the 1MDB trial still pending.
Najib is currently imprisoned at the Kajang prison, as he is serving his jail term — now reduced to six years — after the Federal Court upheld his conviction in August 2022 over a separate criminal case involving SRC International Sdn Bhd’s RM42 million.
He was also previously acquitted over the removal of key information from the auditor-general’s 2016 report on 1MDB; and granted a DNAA in his RM6.6 billion International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) criminal breach of trust case.
Source: malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/06/20/shafee-najib-happy-over-dnaa-in-stalled-rm27m-src-case-relieved-with-fewer-cases-hanging-over-him-now/181044
-------
Former Selangor, KL police chiefs Hussein Omar Khan and Rusdi Isa to lead narcotics and commercial crimes investigation depts
20 Jun 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, June 20 — The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) has announced the promotion and transfer of eight senior officers, including four state police chiefs, effective July 21.
In a statement today, PDRM secretary Datuk Kamaruzaman Abdullah said the changes include Selangor police chief Datuk Hussein Omar Khan, who has been appointed director of the Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department (NCID).
Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Rusdi Mohd Isa has been named director of the Commercial Crime Investigation Department, while Penang police chief Datuk Hamzah Ahmad will assume the role of director of the Integrity and Standards Compliance Department, both at Bukit Aman.
Meanwhile, Kedah police chief Datuk Fisol Salleh has been appointed deputy director of Internal Security and Public Order (Operations/Movements) at the Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department.
Kamaruzaman added that Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Gilberd Philip Layang, currently the deputy director (Technical/Operations) of the Bukit Aman Logistics and Technology Department (LTD), has been promoted to director of the department, with the acting rank of Commissioner of Police (CP).
Kamaruzaman added that senior assistant commissioner (SAC) Redzuan Abd Hamid, head of the Telecommunications and Information Systems Division (Technical/Operations) at the Bukit Aman LTD, has been appointed deputy director (Technical/Operations) of the same department, with the acting rank of DCP.
Meanwhile, SAC Mohd Rozi Jidin, head of Narcotics (Intelligence/International Liaison) at the Bukit Aman NCID, has been appointed deputy director (Enforcement/Traffic Control/Summons Management) of the Bukit Aman Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department, with the acting rank of DCP.
He added that another transfer involves assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Nordin Md Nor, Information Technology Officer at the Telecommunications and Information Systems Division (Technical/Operations), Bukit Aman LTD, who has been appointed Head of the same division, with the acting rank of SAC. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/06/20/former-selangor-kl-police-chiefs-hussein-omar-khan-and-rusdi-isa-to-lead-narcotics-and-commercial-crimes-investigation-depts/181045
------
Post-mortem reveals baby in Melaka died from lung injuries after being pinned under father who suffered fatal heart attack
20 Jun 2025
MELAKA, June 20 — The post-mortem results of a three-month-old baby who died after being accidentally pinned under his father’s arm indicate that the infant suffered lung injuries.
Melaka Tengah district police chief ACP Christopher Patit said the injuries were likely caused by the pressure that made it difficult for the baby to breathe.
“The post-mortem conducted by Dr Muhammad Khairul Afizal classified the case as ‘pending laboratory investigation’, and several samples have been taken for toxicology testing at the Melaka Chemistry Department,” he said in a statement today.
The post-mortem on the baby’s father, Nuruleffendy Ibrahim, 35, found a blockage and two closed heart valves, but no other physical injuries on the deceased.
“The post-mortem result has been classified as ‘Ischemic Heart Disease’,” he said.
The baby is believed to have been accidentally pinned under his father’s arm after the latter suffered a heart attack at their home in Kampung Perigi Hang Tuah here yesterday morning.
The victim was found unconscious by his mother, Azura Abdul Malik Yaher, 37, who had returned home to take the youngest of their three children for a routine baby jab at a health clinic. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/06/20/post-mortem-reveals-baby-in-melaka-died-from-lung-injuries-after-being-pinned-under-father-who-suffered-fatal-heart-attack/181027
------
‘We collect taxes to return them to the people’: PM justifies SST expansion, says Malaysians to benefit through welfare aid
By Muhammad Yusry
20 Jun 2025
PUTRAJAYA, June 20 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has today assured the public that his administration’s fiscal reform will not compromise the welfare of the majority.
Speaking to Finance Ministry staff, he said that broadening the tax base by expanding the Sales and Services Tax (SST) will instead allow Putrajaya to enhance its assistance and services for Malaysians.
“In Malaysia, subsidies are given to everyone, even foreigners, those who don’t pay taxes, and the wealthy earning RM1 million a month receive electricity subsidies,” he said in his speech at the Finance Ministry monthly assembly here.
“What we’re doing now is removing those subsidies, making them pay the actual cost while allowing Tenaga Nasional Berhad to earn a reasonable profit. Through this, we save RM4 billion.
“And what is that RM4 billion for? It goes to the schools and hospitals,” he added.
Anwar cited targeted aid initiatives such as the Rahmah Cash Aid (STR) and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) as key examples of how public funds are being channelled back to those who need them most.
“What are we collecting billions in taxes for? As everyone knows, the total allocation for STR and SARA amounts to RM13 billion and benefits nine million people.
“So this is our reasoning, we collect these taxes and return them to the people,” he said.
Anwar also said that the Ministries of Education and Health have received increased allocations in the current budget as part of efforts to enhance the country's education and healthcare systems.
“That's why in deciding on this matter, we need to look at it from a macro perspective. If we look at past budgets, there were some good elements, but the significant increase in allocations for health and education reflects our priorities,” he said.
Earlier this month, the Ministry of Finance announced the implementation of revised SST rates and expanded scope of the Service Tax effective July 1, 2025 to strengthen the country’s fiscal position by increasing revenue and broadening the tax base.
However, the announcement has since faced criticism from various quarters, with calls to delay its implementation over concerns that it could worsen the cost of living and place additional pressure on small businesses amid fragile economic conditions.
Source: malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/06/20/we-collect-taxes-to-return-them-to-the-people-pm-justifies-sst-expansion-says-malaysians-to-benefit-through-welfare-aid/181003
-------
Africa
Zamfara: Bandits abduct Imam, five others in fresh attack
June 19, 2025
By Nana Ismail
Armed bandits have kidnapped the Chief Imam of Fangaltama village, Liman Hamisu Ali, alongside five other residents in a deadly overnight raid in Zamfara State.
The attack occurred around 3:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 18, along the Gusau–Sokoto highway in Talata Mafara Local Government Area, not far from a military base.
According to sources who spoke to counterinsurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, the gunmen stormed the village under the cover of darkness, shooting sporadically and causing panic among residents.
During the raid, a female resident, identified as Basira Abdullahi, was shot and injured.
She is currently receiving treatment, though details of her condition remain unclear.
“The bandits abducted six persons, including the Chief Imam of the village and five others,” a local source told said.
Security operatives were said to have mobilised to the area shortly after the incident, but the attackers had already escaped with their captives before they arrived.
Source: dailypost.ng
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://dailypost.ng/2025/06/19/zamfara-bandits-abduct-imam-five-others-in-fresh-attack/
--------
Obasanjo Would Have Ruled Nigeria For More Than Eight Years If Not For The Media – Niger Govt
June 20, 2025
By Justina Otio
The Niger State Government has said that it is impossible for a government to succeed without the support of the media.
The Special Adviser to the government on media and strategy, Jonathan Vatsa, made the assertion when he paid a courtesy call on the Correspondent Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Minna.
He claimed that former president Olusegun Obasanjo might have succeeded in achieving a third term in power if not for the campaign by the Nigerian media.
Vatsa declared the Niger State Government readiness to work with the media for the effective reportage of the state’s activities
While further highlighting the role of the media in Nigeria, he pointed out that innovative leaders take the utmost advantage of the media to project their government and set a road map for their development.
“But for the vociferous campaign mounted by the Nigerian media, Obasanjo would have continued ruling the country beyond the eight-year period and the country would not have been enjoying the democracy it is enjoying today,” he said.
While admitting that there had been a wide gap between the government of Niger State and the media, especially the Correspondents Chapel who, he said, are major stakeholders, Vatsa said there was an urgent need to bridge that gap because “there is no government that can succeed without the media.”
The former Commissioner of Information Culture and Tourism further stressed the importance of the media to the success of any government or enterprise.
Vatsa advised, “The political elite and especially political office holders should have a good relationship with the media. There should be no gap between politicians and the media.
“I want us to build on the already established relationship and see how we can further bridge the gap for a better and improved partnership.”
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2025/06/20/obasanjo-would-have-ruled-nigeria-for-more-than-eight-years-if-not-for-the-media-niger-govt/
------
Benue Killings: How Community Members Gave Food, Women, Accommodation To Attackers – CDS Musa
June 19, 2025
By Oladipo Abiola
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has alleged that some community members in Benue State were accomplices to the attackers who killed several residents recently in Yelwata community of Benue State.
CDS Musa made the allegation while speaking on Thursday during an expanded media interaction at Defence Headquarters in Abuja.
The military chief alleged that some local informants provided accommodation, food, and even women to the bandits and terrorists who carried out the recent deadly attack.
He added that the informants also helped the attackers to identify the location of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Yelwata.
Naija News reports that General Musa further disclosed that the troops had received intelligence about potential attacks in various communities across Benue State and were mobilised accordingly. However, upon arrival at the initially mentioned locations, it turned out the information was misleading, as the real attack had already been executed in Yelwata using a hit-and-run approach.
“These criminals were harboured by people in the community. They were given food. They were even given women. They were guided on where the IDP camp was located. Yet, security forces received no information,” the CDS lamented.
He, however, added that based on the directive of President Bola Tinubu, the full national security forces — Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, and intelligence agencies — have been activated to track down the armed criminals and bring them to justice.
He called on the communities to see security as a joint effort, not just the responsibility of the security forces.
“This is why we consistently urge communities to be vigilant and report suspicious activities. Security is everyone’s responsibility,” he stated.
The CDS also called on the federal government to urgently address the issue of Nigeria’s porous borders, which he described as a growing threat amid rising instability in the Sahel region.
He said some armed fighters from crisis-hit countries like Sudan, Libya, and the Central African Republic, are taking advantage of Nigeria’s porous borders and unmonitored frontiers.
He proposed learning from countries like Pakistan, which successfully built a fortified double-layer border wall to separate itself from Afghanistan.
The CDS offered heartfelt condolences to the families and communities affected by the Benue attacks, especially the tragic killings in Yelwata and other violence-stricken areas across the country and reiterated the commitment of the armed forces to the protection of lives and properties.
“These senseless killings weigh heavily on our hearts. We remain fully committed to ensuring justice and restoring peace to every part of Nigeria,” he said.
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2025/06/19/benue-killings-how-community-members-gave-food-women-accommodation-to-attackers-cds-musa/
-------
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/operation-sindoor-pakistan-ceasefire-india/d/135934