Priests Cleaned The Temple With Milk, Curd, Ghee, Cow Urine, And Cow Dung After Prashant Kishor Offers Prayers With Muslim Nominee In Bihar
New Age Islam News Bureau
30 October 2025
Jan Suraaj Party chief Prashant Kishor.File Photo | ANI
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· Priests Cleaned The Temple With Milk, Curd, Ghee, Cow Urine, And Cow Dung After Prashant Kishor Offers Prayers With Muslim Nominee In Bihar
· 'Go Straight To Paradise': Masood Azhar Details JeM's New Women Course 'Daura-e-Taskiya'; Vows 'Global Jihad'
· New Shariah Judicial Academy To Drive Knowledge, Reform And Modern Practices In Malaysia’s Courts: Religious Affairs Minister
· Protesters In London Rally For Sudan As War Reaches New Deadly Phase
· Iran ‘Is Not And Was Not’ Developing Nuclear Weapons, Says UN’s Nuclear Chief
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India
· Urdu Is The Most Beautiful Language In The World, Says Union Minister
· Delhi HC Rejects PIL Seeking National Commission for Minorities Chief From Non-Muslim, Sikh Communities
· Film ‘The Taj Story’ Actors: 'We Never Intended To Create Any Hindu-Muslim Conflict'
· Mayawati holds meeting with Muslim leaders after formation of Bhaichara committees
· J&K L-G Sinha sacks two more government employees over alleged 'anti-national activities'
· Whose ‘Dham’ Is It Anyway? Karnal’s Pucca Pull Caught In Waqf Board Row
· BJP MLA sparks row in J&K Assembly alleging bias against Hindu and nationalist voters
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Pakistan
· Pakistan Accuses India of Using Afghanistan Territory for “Limited War” Operations
· Six Pakistani Soldiers, Including Army Captain, Killed in Clash Near Afghanistan Border
· Pakistan Intensifies Crackdown on Afghan Refugees in Punjab
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Southeast Asia
· Anwar Makes Top 10 In 2025 World’s Most Influential Muslims Ranking
· Govt plans Malaysian Shariah Judiciary Commission to boost judges’ status, Parliament told
· Anwar: Malaysia Pressed Trump For Gaza Peace In Every Meeting, Including ‘Heart-To-Heart’ In ‘The Beast’
· ‘BRICS is about expanding opportunities’
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Europe
· Fiji Muslim League Condemns Hurtful Remarks Against Any Religion
· Yousaf: Glasgow Mosque Graffiti Shows Anti-Muslim Hate 'Normalised'
· Dependants of Gazan students can join them in UK, government says
· Pro-EU liberals and anti-immigration hardliners tied in Dutch election
· Mosque plan for former rugby clubhouse approved
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Mideast
· Israel Bans Red Cross Visits To Detained Palestinian Combatants
· Israel Has Erected Nearly 1,000 Barriers In The West Bank During The War In Gaza, Group Says
· UAE evacuates 57 Palestinian patients from Gaza, dispatches water tanks
· Doha ready to host 8,000 delegates at UN social development summit, Qatari envoy says
· Syrian authorities arrest two prominent Assad-era gang leaders in Homs
· UN says deaths in fresh strikes on Gaza ‘appalling’
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North America
· NYC Mayor Compared Anti-Israel Protests After Oct. 7 To KKK Rallies, Lawsuit Says
· CAIR Welcomes Introduction of the ‘Combatting the Persecution of Religious Groups in China Act’
· A Religious Freedom Lifeline to Burma’s Persecuted People of Faith Needs to be Extended
· Indian American groups condemn Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Hinduphobic’ remarks as acts of bigotry and bias
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Africa
· Coalition Faults Push For Sharia Law, Cites Breach Of 1999 Constitution
· Nigerian govt denies anti-Christian attacks, says terrorists target all citizens
· Taraba: 2 Killed In Clash Over Leadership Of Jummat Mosque
· Christian Genocide: Claims Made By US Lawmakers Are Based On Faulty Data – Information Minister
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South Asia
· 50 Hurt As Cops Disperse Madrasa Teachers’ March In Bangladesh
· ‘Hasina’s claims should not appear uncontested’
· Yunus holds high-level meeting on election preparations
· UK Defence Data Leak Leaves Afghan Allies Unwarned and at Risk
· Kazakhstan Reports $336 Million Trade With Afghanistan, Plans Larger Food Exports
· Eight Islamist parties demand July Charter referendum in November
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Arab World
· Kingdom’s Seha Virtual Hospital Confirms AI Accuracy In Heart Disease Diagnosis
· Saudi Arabia Welcomes Syrian Announcement Recognizing Kosovo
· Taradhi platform streamlines legal conciliation process
· Saudi minister, Vietnam deputy PM discuss strengthening economic ties
· Saudi crown prince receives Syrian president, Chinese VP in Riyadh
· KSrelief continues humanitarian work throughout the Middle East
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/priests-temple-prayers-muslim-nominee-bihar/d/137449
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Priests Cleaned The Temple With Milk, Curd, Ghee, Cow Urine, And Cow Dung After Prashant Kishor Offers Prayers With Muslim Nominee In Bihar
Ramashankar
30 Oct 2025
Jan Suraaj Party chief Prashant Kishor.File Photo | ANI
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PATNA: A fresh controversy has erupted over cleaning of a temple by its priests after Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) founder Prashant Kishor offered prayers to the deities in the presence of his party’s Muslim candidate in Bihar’s Madhubani district.
The incident took place at Kapileshwar Nath Mahadev Mandir when Prashant Kishor along with his party’s candidate Parvez Alam visited the temple’s ‘garbh grih’ (sanctum sanctorum) and offered prayers to the idols of Lord Shiva and other deities late on Tuesday.
The priests cleaned the temple with ‘panchgavya’ (a mixture of milk, curd, ghee, cow urine, and cow dung) and Gangajal as soon as the JSP leaders left for election campaign in Benipatti assembly constituency. Shrawan Kumar, a priest, said that he was told by some residents that Prashant Kishor would offer prayers.
“I consented and provided the materials for the prayers. But Prashant Kishor did not turn up till 7.30 pm. As per traditional norms, the temple is shut for visitors after 8 pm. Later Prashant Kishor along with his party candidate visited the temple’s ‘garbh grih’ and offered prayers,” he said.
The priest said he later came to know that Kishor was accompanied by his Muslim candidate. The priests could not recognise the candidate as he was wearing traditional Mithila attire. Some residents also objected to a Muslim visiting the ‘garbh grih’.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Oct/30/temple-cleaned-after-pk-offers-prayers-with-muslim-nominee
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'Go Straight To Paradise': Masood Azhar Details JeM's New Women Course 'Daura-e-Taskiya'; Vows 'Global Jihad'
Oct 29, 2025
Masood Azhar (File photo)
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Days after Jaish-e-Mohammed announced the formation of its first-ever women's wing, 'Jamaat-ul-Mominaat', the JeM's chief Masood Azhar has released a 21-minute audio message from group's Bahawalpur headquarters, Markaz Usman o Ali, outlining a detailed plan for training, indoctrinating, and deploying women under the new unit, as local media reported.
According to media reports, in the audio, Azhar explains how women will be recruited, trained, and integrated into his long-term "global jihad" mission, mirroring the structure of JeM's long-running male training programme.
Azhar declares that just as men undergo the 15-day "Daura-e-Tarbiat" course, women joining 'Jamaat-ul-Mominaat' will be trained through an induction course named "Daura-e-Taskiya", conducted at Markaz Usman o Ali in Bahawalpur.
For the past two decades, JeM's "Daura-e-Tarbiat" has served as the primary indoctrination stage for male recruits, convincing them that jihad against India guarantees paradise. Azhar now intends to extend the same ideological training to women.
In his speech, the wanted terrorist promises that any woman who joins Jamaat-ul-Mominaat “will go straight to paradise from her grave after death.”
He added that women completing the first course will advance to a second stage, "Daura-Ayat-ul-Nisah," which will teach how Islamic texts "instruct women to conduct jihad."
Justifying the formation of a female brigade, most-wanted terrorist Azhar claimed, "The enemies of Jaish have put Hindu women into the army and set up female journalists against us," declaring that he is "mobilising his women to compete and fight against them."
He asserts that JeM’s male Mujahids will work alongside this new female unit, saying the women’s brigade will "spread Islam across the world."
Azhar also announces that Jamaat-ul-Mominaat branches will be opened in every district of Pakistan, each headed by a District Muntazima responsible for recruiting local women. He lays down strict communication rules, stating, "Women joining the brigade must not speak to any unrelated men through phone or messenger, except their husbands or immediate family members."
According to IANS, the women’s wing will be led by Sadiya Azhar, sister of Masood Azhar. Her husband, Yusuf Azhar, was killed during Operation Sindoor on May 7, when Indian forces targeted JeM’s previous base, Markaz Subhanallah.
"His other sister Samaira Azhar, and Afeera Farooq, widow of Pulwama attacker Umar Farooq, are also part of the leadership," sources confirmed, adding that “they are tasked with conducting daily online sessions to motivate and recruit women.”
JeM has since verified these details in a new poster naming Umme Masood (real name Samaira Azhar) as the instructor for online classes, conducted five days a week from October 25.
Azhar further reveals that Jamaat-ul-Mominaat includes “4–5 women whose male relatives were killed in encounters with the Indian Army,” who will inspire new recruits under a campaign called “Shoba-e-Dawat.”
He urges women cadres to read his book “Ae Musalman Behna” (O Muslim Sister) as part of their indoctrination.
It is significant that 14 members of Masood Azhar’s family were killed in India’s Operation Sindoor, including Yousuf Azhar, Jameel Ahmed, Hamza Jameel, and Huzaifa Azhar. Azhar now claims that his elder sister Hawa Bibi also died in the same strike.
In the audio, an emotional Azhar recounts that he had conceptualised the idea of a women’s brigade with his sister before her death.
Operation Sindoor
In retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians, India launched a major military operation targeting Pakistan-based terror infrastructure. The counterterror action, named Operation Sindoor, struck nine key terror hubs across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
The strikes destroyed major bases of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), including their headquarters in Bahawalpur and Muridke, which were reduced to rubble by precision airstrikes carried out by the Indian armed forces.
In response, Pakistan attempted retaliation by launching multiple drones and missiles towards Indian territory the following night. However, India’s advanced air defence systems swiftly intercepted and neutralised the incoming threats, preventing any casualties or damage.
India then answered this provocation with targeted strikes on crucial Pakistani airbases, including the strategically significant Nur Khan Airbase and Rahim Yar Khan Airbase.
The heightened military tensions between the two neighbours were eventually de-escalated following a mutual peace agreement, initiated by Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO).
Since then, these outfits have reportedly relocated to Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) region to avoid further strikes. Their leaders have been issuing propaganda messages and appeals for funds to rebuild their networks.
Media sources also reveal that Masood Azhar has been aggressively collecting donations. During his September 27 address at Markaz Usman o Ali, he publicly appealed for financial support.
JeM is now collecting a donation of 500 PKR from every woman enrolling in the new course and requiring them to fill out online registration forms.
Earlier, on October 8, Masood Azhar formally announced the formation of Jamaat-ul-Mominaat, followed by an event titled “Dukhtaran-e-Islam” in Rawalakot, PoK, on October 19, aimed at drawing women into the organisation.
While groups like ISIS, Boko Haram, Hamas, and LTTE have long deployed women in combat and suicide missions, organisations such as JeM, LeT, and Hizbul Mujahideen had largely avoided such practices -- until now. Security agencies believe JeM’s latest move signals its intent to train and deploy female suicide bombers in future terror operations.
Source: indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/go-straight-to-paradise-masood-azhar-details-jems-new-women-course-daura-e-taskiya-vows-global-jihad/articleshow/124902553.cms
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New Shariah Judicial Academy To Drive Knowledge, Reform And Modern Practices In Malaysia’s Courts: Religious Affairs Minister
By Anis Zalani
30 Oct 2025
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Mohd Na’im Mokhtar delivers his speech during the launch of the Malaysian Syariah Judicial Academy at PJH Tower, Putrajaya, October 30, 2025. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin
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PUTRAJAYA, Oct 30 — Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Mohd Na’im Mokhtar has urged all members of the Shariah judiciary to embrace continuous learning and self-improvement as part of their professional and spiritual responsibilities.
He said that as Muslims, they must always strive for progress but reminded that such advancement is only possible with a solid foundation of knowledge.
“It is therefore essential for everyone in the Department of Syariah Judiciary Malaysia (JKSM) and across the Shariah judicial institutions to strengthen their commitment to knowledge.
“We must see ourselves as custodians entrusted with upholding and elevating Malaysia’s legal and judicial institutions under the Shariah system,” he said during the launching of Akademi Kehakiman Syariah Malaysia (AKSM) here today.
He added that Islamic scholars have long emphasised the importance of learning in upholding and elevating Malaysia’s legal and judicial institutions.
He noted that support for the development of the Shariah judiciary could come in many forms, including financial, academic, and institutional assistance.
“I am grateful that we now have an academic platform dedicated to advancing kehakiman Shariah, such as this newly established academy.
“It represents the government’s commitment to fostering intellectual and professional excellence in the Shariah judiciary,” he said.
He then said the academy serves as an ideal platform to nurture individuals committed to learning and driving positive change, emphasising that the judiciary cannot rely solely on traditional methods but must adapt to current realities and challenges.
He also highlighted that the academy provides a vital avenue for collaboration not only among Shariah judges but also between judicial practitioners and academics from universities.
“Scholars offer theoretical insights, while judges contribute practical experience. Together, this exchange will strengthen the Shariah judiciary as a whole, fostering a deeper understanding between theory and practice,” he said.
The collaboration, he added, will enable institutions such as universities and training centres to share expertise and ensure that knowledge continues to evolve in line with the judiciary’s needs.
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/10/30/religious-affairs-minister-new-syariah-judicial-academy-to-drive-knowledge-reform-and-modern-practices-in-malaysias-courts/196597
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Protesters in London rally for Sudan as war reaches new deadly phase
October 30, 2025
Protesters in London rally for Sudan as war reaches new deadly phase
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Copyright © africanews
Wakam, Nathalie/
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Protesters gathered outside London’s Downing Street on Wednesday to show solidarity with the people of Sudan, as the country’s brutal two-year war enters a new and more dangerous phase.
The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have seized control of the entire Darfur region, including the provincial capital El-Fasher, the army’s last major stronghold in the west. The fall of El-Fasher has fueled fears that Africa’s third-largest nation could fracture once again, nearly 15 years after South Sudan gained independence following decades of civil war.
Demonstrators in London called for international action and a boycott of the United Arab Emirates, which they accused of supplying weapons and support to the RSF, allegations the UAE denies.
“The last three days, a lot of people have been killed by RSF militia, by Hemedti’s forces, by Emirati weapons and the world stays silent,” said protester Elhussein Yassin. “They have committed genocide in our country, and we are here to stand with our people.”
Another demonstrator, Ziyad Kashan, described the devastation: “They burn down houses, entire neighborhoods like Bahri and Khartoum have been completely destroyed. It’s heartbreaking that I can’t go back to my country.”
The war for control of Sudan has already killed more than 40,000 people and displaced over 14 million, creating what the United Nations calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Both the RSF and Sudanese army have been accused of targeting civilians and committing war crimes.
Source: africanews.com
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https://www.africanews.com/2025/10/30/protesters-in-london-rally-for-sudan-as-war-reaches-new-deadly-phase/
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Iran ‘is not and was not’ developing nuclear weapons, says UN’s nuclear chief
EPHREM KOSSAIFY
October 30, 2025
International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi is interviewed at United Nations headquarters, Wednesday, Oct., 29, 2025. (AP Photo)
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NEW YORK CITY: The director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, on Wednesday said that Iran is not developing nuclear weapons, pushing back against what he described as persistent misquoting of the agency’s position.
Speaking at the UN headquarters in New York, he said the Iranians “are not, and they were not,” attempting to develop nuclear weapons.
“I want to be very clear on this,” he added. “We are often misquoted about this and people say that we have said things we never said.”
Grossi, who has led the UN’s nuclear watchdog since 2019, said cooperation between Iran and the IAEA has fluctuated in recent months as a result of political developments, but Tehran had nonetheless reaffirmed its commitment to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
“I have told our Iranian counterparts repeatedly that reducing cooperation is not the right response,” he said. “But I think it is a wise step that they have made clear they will not leave the NPT.”
IAEA inspections in Iran were temporarily withdrawn for safety reasons as a result of the “12-Day War,” between Iran and Israel in June, Grossi said. Efforts to resume engagement are ongoing, he added, highlighting in particular an agreement brokered in September in Cairo, under Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, that allows inspections to proceed again.
“The arrangement is not perfect but it is working,” Grossi said, adding that he remains in frequent contact with Iran’s foreign minister and other officials.
Asked about the Israeli and US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites during the conflict in June, Grossi said the damage to three facilities was “very considerable” and had set back Iran’s nuclear program.
“There is no doubt about this,” he added, cautioning that such incidents complicate the inspection work carried out by the IAEA.
He rejected claims in the Iranian media that reports compiled by his agency had contributed to regional conflict.
“It is not correct to attack an international organization and blame it for something that has nothing to do with it,” Grossi said. “Our reports reflect technical facts, not political judgments.”
During the briefing, Grossi also confirmed that he intends to stand as a candidate to replace UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, whose term will conclude at the end of 2026, and shared his motivation for doing so. He said he believes he can “make a contribution at this existential moment” for the organization.
“I think we all agree that the United Nations needs change,” Grossi told Arab News. “What made me decide to run is exactly what I am doing at the IAEA: leading an organization through difficult times, dealing with crises and still delivering results.”
He added that he would discuss his candidacy further “when the moment comes,” in line with procedures set out by the UN General Assembly and Security Council.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2620798/middle-east
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India
Urdu Is The Most Beautiful Language In The World, Says Union Minister
October 30, 2025
Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju, on Wednesday (October 29, 2025), termed Urdu “the most beautiful language in the world”. Speaking at the 105th foundation day of the Jamia Milia Islamia University, the Minister also stressed that harmony between Hindus and Muslims was vital for India’s progress and unity.
“I don’t know much of Urdu, but I can say that Urdu is the most beautiful language in the world,” the Minister said, while praising the songs being played at the varsity’s auditorium.
He added that among the six minorities, which included Christians, Muslims, Parsis, Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists, the Muslims were the biggest minority. He added that the country could not develop without Hindu-Muslim harmony.
“Of the six recognised minorities, Muslims form about 80%.... It is the responsibility of the larger communities — the Hindus and the Muslims — to ensure harmony. If they live in peace, then all other smaller communities would also continue to contribute to the growth of the country. The Jamia Millia Islamia is the best symbol from where such a message can go out,” Mr. Rijiju said.
The Minister also lauded the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) in the university and also hailed the varsity’s national ranking and academic records.
Speaking on the working of Parliament, which had members of all communities from all parts of India, Mr. Rijiju, who is also the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, said people often witnessed noisy debates in the House, but that should also be seen as part of a ‘vibrant democracy’’.
“MPs come from different regions and diverse ideologies. It is natural for them to voice their opinions. That is what Opposition is about. Therefore, there is no need to worry excessively,” he added.
The Minister also underlined India’s constitutional strength and diversity. “Because of the Constitution, we will be safe, as it covers every aspect of a problem and provides a solution for it,” he said.
Source: thehindu.com
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https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/urdu-is-the-most-beautiful-language-says-kiren-rijiju/article70218562.ece
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Delhi HC Rejects PIL Seeking National Commission for Minorities Chief From Non-Muslim, Sikh Communities
October 30, 2025
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday refused to entertain a plea seeking the appointment of members of minority communities other than Muslims and Sikhs as chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM).
The petition claimed that the chairperson of NCM has been appointed from two minority communities –Muslims and Sikhs – since the commission was established in 1978. Of the 16 chairpersons appointed so far, 14 were Muslims and two Sikhs.
It added that members of other minority communities, such as Christians, Buddhists, Zoroastrians, and Jains, have not been represented as chairperson.
A Bench of Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyay and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela said the petitioner, Salek Chand Jain, could approach the government with his plea.
The court observed that the National Commission for Minorities Act mandates the inclusion of members from minority communities in the commission, but does not require the appointment of a chairperson from any specific community.
“Section 3 of the act only provided that the commission shall consist of a chairperson, vice chairperson, and five members. The act does not provide that the commission shall comprise all the members belonging to minority communities,” the court said.
“The only provision is that five members, including the chairperson, shall be among the minority communities. The provision does not provide that the members or the chairperson shall be from a particular minority community,” it added.
The petitioner said he submitted several applications for the nomination of a chairperson from the Jain minority community, but “no fruitful result came forward in the last two years”.
Source: thehindu.com
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https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/delhi-hc-rejects-pil-seeking-ncm-chief-from-non-muslim-sikh-communities/article70218531.ece
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Film ‘The Taj Story’ Actors: 'We Never Intended To Create Any Hindu-Muslim Conflict'
Oct 30, 2025
Just days ahead of its nationwide release, Paresh Rawal’s highly-anticipated film 'The Taj Story' has been hit by a wave of controversy after two separate Public Interest Litigations (PILs) were filed seeking a ban and demanding a review of its certification. Breaking his silence, the veteran actor Paresh Rawal has now responded to the allegations and issues a strong statement that the film does not promote any communal agenda.
The legal challenges stem from a BJP leader from Ayodhya who claims the film is based on the same subject as a petition he had filed in the High Court in 2022. Another PIL by Shakeel Abbas demanded a review of the film’s certification and called for a disclaimer stating that it “deals with a contested narrative and does not claim to be a definitive historical account.”
However, on Wednesday, the Delhi High Court refused to grant an urgent hearing to the plea.
“There is nothing hanky-panky in it”
In an interview with NDTV, Paresh Rawal and co-star Zakir Hussain addressed the controversy, emphasizing that the film is based on extensive research and aims to promote understanding, not division.
Tushar (the director) came with amazing research. There is nothing hanky-panky in it, Rawal said. “His sources were clearly mentioned, and I even checked with friends who confirmed the facts. From the very beginning, we made sure there would be no Hindu-Muslim jingoism in this film.”
“It’s about shared history, not conflict”
Rawal further revealed that the film consciously avoids polarising themes. “There’s even a dialogue in the film where a character says, ‘Brother, it’s you journalists who make everything about Hindu and Muslim. There’s no Hindu-Muslim conflict here. This is about shared history,’” he explained.
Sharing another moment from the film that captures its core message, he added, “When someone says, ‘What should we do with this?’ another replies, ‘Break it.’ Then a character says, ‘No, brother, we’re not the ones who destroy. Not even a scratch should come to it. Every problem cannot be solved by breaking or destroying things. Sometimes, acceptance itself is a big thing.’”
Zakir Hussain, who stars alongside Rawal, reiterated that The Taj Story is based on documented history. “The acceptance is based on facts written by Shah Jahan himself. We’re not saying he built something bad; he made something magnificent. But what was it actually? Why hide it, and from whom?” he said.
“We never intended to create controversy”
Addressing the petitions, Paresh Rawal clarified that the intent behind the PIL was not malicious. “That PIL wasn’t filed to stop the film. They just wanted the judiciary to watch it once. But the film already has a CBFC certificate. Even the judiciary understands all this; they’re not foolish,” he said.
He further added, “We never intended to create any Hindu-Muslim controversy. Would anyone invest so much money just to create communal trouble? You can cause a riot for far less!”
Directed by Tushar Amrish Goel, 'The Taj Story' stars Paresh Rawal and Zakir Hussain in lead roles. The film, which aims to present a reflective take on India’s shared cultural heritage, is supposed to release on October 31, 2025. On Wednesday, the Delhi High Court declined to take up on priority a PIL challenging the film’s release and its CBFC certification, according to a report by LiveLaw.
Source: indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/paresh-rawal-breaks-silence-on-the-taj-story-controversy-we-never-intended-to-create-any-hindu-muslim-conflict/articleshow/124917336.cms
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Mayawati holds meeting with Muslim leaders after formation of Bhaichara committees
October 29, 2025
In a clear move aimed at reshaping Uttar Pradesh’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati Wednesday launched an extensive outreach to strengthen Dalit–Muslim unity through the formation of Muslim Bhaichara (Brotherhood) Committees across the state.
Addressing a special meeting of the newly-formed BSP Muslim Bhaichara committees here, Mayawati outlined her strategy to consolidate the Bahujan base, particularly Dalits, Muslims, and other backward and marginalized communities, under one umbrella.
The move is seen as an attempt to make a significant dent in Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav’s PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) plank, which has been the core of SP’s renewed social engineering efforts.
According to Mayawati, two coordinators — one Dalit and one Muslim — have been appointed in each of the state’s 18 administrative divisions. These coordinators will hold local meetings at the assembly level to expand BSP’s presence within Muslim communities and recruit new members. Progress reports from these grassroots drives will be sent directly to the BSP’s state headquarters for her review.
Highlighting the BSP’s past record, she said her government had ensured security, dignity, and fair representation for Muslims, providing them a “riot-free, fear-free” atmosphere in Uttar Pradesh.
She accused the SP and Congress of using Muslims only as vote banks while failing to protect their real interests or challenge the BJP effectively.
“Despite getting overwhelming Muslim support, SP and Congress have repeatedly failed to defeat the BJP,” she said. “When BSP received even partial Muslim backing, we not only stopped the BJP but formed a majority government in 2007. The message is clear — only the BSP has the credibility and track record to safeguard the interests of Dalits and Muslims alike.”
Mayawati also issued a stern warning against internal sabotage, referring to the expulsion of Shamsuddin Raini, whom she accused of damaging the party’s prospects in Western UP during recent elections.
Framing the new outreach as part of the larger “Bahujan Mission” envisioned by Dr BR Ambedkar, Mayawati reiterated that BSP’s goal is to empower the deprived sections through political power, not charity.
Political observers see this as Mayawati’s most assertive organizational move since the 2022 Assembly elections, signaling that the BSP plans to re-enter the 2027 contest as a serious contender by reviving the Dalit–Muslim social coalition that once propelled it to power.
With this recalibration, the battle for Uttar Pradesh’s crucial minority and backward caste vote appears set for an intense three-way contest among the BSP, SP, and BJP.
The meeting was also attended by party vice president and Mayawati’s nephew Akash Anand, national general secretary Satish Chandra Mishra, state president Vishwanath Pal and all district heads.
Source: thestatesman.com
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https://www.thestatesman.com/india/mayawati-holds-meeting-with-muslim-leaders-after-formation-of-bhaichara-committees-1503504731.html
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J&K L-G Sinha sacks two more government employees over alleged 'anti-national activities'
Fayaz Wani
30 Oct 2025
SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has terminated two more government employees by invoking Article 311 of constitution of India for their alleged involvement in anti-national activities.
The terminated employees are Ghulam Hussain and Maajd Iqbal Dar, both teachers in the School Education Department.
In a similarly worded dismissal orders, it was stated that the Lieutenant Governor had considered the circumstances of each case and approved the dismissal of the two employees, .
The order stated that the Lieutenant Governor is satisfied under sub-clause (c) of the proviso to clause (2) of Article 311 of the Constitution of India that in the interest of the security of the State, it is not expedient to hold an inquiry in both the cases.
The Lt Governor has dismissed both the government employees from service with immediate effect.
The sacking of the government employees by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha has taken place despite the fact that the elected government has opposed sacking of the employees.
The Lt Governor has so far dismissed over 80 government employees in J&K for their alleged involvement in anti-national activities by invoking Article 311 of the Constitution of India.
Under the proviso (C) of Article 311(2), the government is empowered to terminate an employee without recourse to the normal procedure if it is satisfied that his/her retention in public service is prejudicial to the security of the state.
After the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A and bifurcation of J&K state into two Union Territories by the Centre on August 5, 2109, the J&K administration has gone tough against its employees in the Union Territory.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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Whose ‘Dham’ Is It Anyway? Karnal’s Pucca Pull caught in Waqf Board row
by Manraj Grewal Sharma
October 30, 2025
The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Haryana government on a public interest litigation (PIL) alleging large-scale irregularities in the management of Pucca Pull Dham, a religious site in Karnal district, where a private family-run trust is accused of misappropriating donations worth over ₹1 crore annually.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry sought the state’s response on the petition filed by Ravinder Kumar, a resident of Uncha Samana village in Karnal. The petitioner has alleged that a trust headed by a former sarpanch and his family members was illegally formed during the COVID-19 lockdown in June 2020 to take control of Pucca Pull Dham and its donations, without any legal backing, transparency or community participation.
The PIL, filed through advocates Namit Khurana and Rahul Dahiya, claimed that despite repeated representations to the authorities earlier this year, no inquiry or action was initiated. The petitioner has sought a court-appointed administrator to oversee the trust’s functioning during the case’s pendency, along with directions to dissolve the existing body and form a lawful trust under proper procedures.
Among the reliefs sought is a probe into alleged financial misappropriation, a full audit of all donations collected since 2020, and restoration of the property’s possession to the Haryana Waqf Board, which, according to the petition, is the rightful owner established through prior judicial decisions.
The land where Pucca Pull Dham stands—recorded as Khasra No. 92 has a protracted legal history. The trial court in 2009 had decreed ownership in favour of the Waqf Board, and subsequent revisions were dismissed by the High Court in 2015, declaring the Gram Panchayat’s possession illegal. The Supreme Court later upheld these findings in 2016 when it dismissed the special leave petitions.
The petitioner has also pointed to notifications issued by the Centre in 1960 and 1961 that vested certain Muslim trust properties with the Waqf Board, with the Pucca Pull Dham site formally recorded as Waqf land in 1970 and mutations completed by 1983.
The plea describes the formation of the current trust as a “family-controlled setup” constituted without any public notice or documentation, effectively placing a public religious site under private dominion. It further alleges that the absence of transparency in accounting for donations and expenditures not only undermines public faith but violates statutory norms governing charitable endowments.
Claiming administrative inaction despite multiple representations—on January 20 and May 2 this year—and unsatisfactory responses to RTI queries, the petitioner argued that judicial intervention was now essential to ensure accountability and protect the sanctity of the site.
Source: indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/whose-dham-is-it-anyway-karnals-pucca-pull-caught-in-waqf-board-row-10335071/
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BJP MLA sparks row in J&K Assembly alleging bias against Hindu and nationalist voters
Muzaffar Raina
30.10.25
A BJP legislator on Wednesday said the Omar Abdullah government was neglecting her constituency for being “Hindu and nationalist”, fuelling an uproar in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly.
Speaking during Zero Hour, Kishtwar MLA Shagun Parihar accused the government of ignoring her constituency's development.
“Seventy per cent of the population in Kishtwar still lives in hilly areas. Even the benefits of central schemes are not reaching these people. Roads are in deplorable condition. The area is being deliberately neglected for being Hindu and Rashtrawadi (nationalist),” she said.
The remarks were bitterly contested by legislators, including minister Javid Dar and deputy chief minister Surinder Choudhary.
“The BJP legislator should refrain from making such divisive statements,” Dar said.
Choudhary said nationalism was not the forte of any particular community. “Not just Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs are also nationalists. Everyone is working for the betterment of the nation,” he said, urging Parihar's remarks to be expunged.
Parihar defended her remarks and claimed that PDP legislators also accused Hindus of following a “divide and rule policy”, but nobody objected to them.
Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather called for restraint and reminded the BJP lawmaker to maintain the decorum of the House. “You are a first-time MLA. Words should be used with care and intelligence,” he said. “You have to achieve big goals, and for that, focus on hard work and constructive discussion.”
Parihar’s remarks mask an irony. Kishtwar is part of the Muslim-majority Chenab Valley, but out of its eight MLAs, six are Hindus. In Kishtwar district, too, Muslims constitute 57 per cent of the population, but all three MLAs are Hindus.
The Centre faced accusations of gerrymandering in the Chenab Valley through a controversial delimitation exercise that allegedly weakened the electoral weight of the Muslims. Kishtwar was allegedly turned into a Hindu-majority constituency by adding Hindu-dominated areas of the Inderwal constituency.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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Pakistan
Pakistan Accuses India of Using Afghanistan Territory for “Limited War” Operations
ByFidel Rahmati
October 30, 2025
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has alleged that India is exploiting Afghanistan territory to wage a “limited war” against Pakistan, deepening regional tensions and mistrust.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has accused India of using Afghanistan soil to wage a “limited war” against Pakistan, alleging growing ties between New Delhi and the Taliban. In an interview with Al Arabiya on Wednesday, Asif said evidence suggests India is exploiting its presence in Afghanistan to destabilise the region.
Asif claimed there were “longstanding relations” between India and the Taliban, noting that a recent attack inside Pakistan occurred while Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi was visiting New Delhi. He alleged that the timing “was not a coincidence,” hinting at coordination between both sides.
“There is no doubt that the Taliban have become India’s proxy,” Asif stated, arguing that New Delhi is “settling scores” with Pakistan through influence and operations based in Afghanistan. The remarks come amid deteriorating relations between Islamabad and Kabul following months of failed security talks.
The minister further revealed that during the latest Istanbul negotiations, Taliban representatives verbally accepted certain terms but refused to sign a written commitment to act against militant groups, particularly Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). He said Islamabad viewed this as a serious breach of trust.
In a strongly worded social media post, Asif warned that Pakistan reserved “the right to defend itself,” asserting the country could “eliminate the Taliban regime” even without deploying its full military capacity. He cautioned that any attack from Afghanistan territory would invite a “severe response.”
Sources quoted by Dawn and The Express Tribune said the collapse of the fourth round of talks in Istanbul has deepened the diplomatic standoff, with Islamabad now publicly linking India to cross-border militancy. Analysts described Asif’s comments as among the toughest since tensions escalated this year.
However, the Taliban have rejected Pakistan’s accusations and insisted that Afghanistan will not allow its territory to be used against any neighbour. Indian officials have not issued an immediate response, but regional observers warn that the exchange may further strain fragile South Asian stability.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/pakistan-accuses-india-of-using-afghanistan-territory-for-limited-war-operations/
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Six Pakistani Soldiers, Including Army Captain, Killed in Clash Near Afghanistan Border
By Fidel Rahmati
October 30, 2025
Six Pakistani soldiers, including an army captain, were killed in an intelligence-led operation against TTP militants near the Afghanistan border, officials confirmed Wednesday night.
At least six Pakistani soldiers, including a captain, were killed during an intelligence-based operation in the Kurram district near the Afghanistan border, the military said late Wednesday. The firefight erupted in the Doga area, where security forces confronted militants linked to the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
According to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), seven TTP fighters were killed during the exchange of fire. The operation was launched following intelligence reports of militant movement in the mountainous region, a known flashpoint for cross-border militant infiltration.
Pakistan’s army said the clearance operation was continuing to ensure the complete elimination of insurgent hideouts. It added that the fallen soldiers had “fought gallantly” in what the army described as part of an ongoing campaign against terrorist groups operating along the frontier.
Security analysts told Dawn that the renewed fighting underscores the TTP’s persistence despite years of counterinsurgency efforts. The group has intensified attacks in border regions since the breakdown of peace talks with Islamabad in late 2022.
The army reaffirmed that the counterterrorism campaign, dubbed Operation Azm-e-Istehkam (“Resolve for Stability”), would proceed with full force to neutralise domestic and externally supported militant threats. Authorities have stepped up surveillance and ground operations across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
Officials told reporters that Pakistan has recorded a sharp rise in cross-border militant incidents this year, particularly in areas adjoining Afghanistan. Islamabad has repeatedly accused the Taliban administration of failing to rein in the TTP, a claim Kabul denies.
Military funerals for the slain soldiers were held with full honours, attended by senior officers and local leaders. The government vowed to continue operations until, in its words, “every trace of terrorism is removed from the country.”
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/six-pakistani-soldiers-including-army-captain-killed-in-clash-near-afghanistan-border/
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Pakistan Intensifies Crackdown on Afghan Refugees in Punjab
By Fidel Rahmati
October 30, 2025
Pakistani authorities have intensified operations in Punjab’s Gujar Khan, arresting undocumented Afghan refugees and demolishing makeshift camps amid heightened security concerns and regional tensions.
Pakistani authorities have launched a broad operation in Gujar Khan, Punjab, aimed at locating and detaining Afghans living without valid documentation, officials and local media reported on Thursday. The actions include targeted arrests and administrative steps intended to identify and remove those deemed to be residing in the province unlawfully.
Hamza Ehtesham, the assistant commissioner in Punjab, told local authorities that no person or organisation may legally shelter, rent to, or sell property to undocumented residents, warning there will be consequences for those who ignore the directive. The instruction is being enforced through municipal orders and police checks.
Punjab officials have characterised the growing presence of undocumented Afghans as a challenge to public order and security, prompting deployment of checkpoints and increased inspections in towns and peri-urban areas to find and register suspected migrants. Local police units are coordinating with civic departments to carry out the measures.
The provincial crackdown follows public statements by Punjab’s chief executive that practical steps to expel irregular migrants have already commenced, part of a wider government push to tighten enforcement of migration rules across provinces. Officials framed the campaign as a law-enforcement response rather than a punitive measure against any single community.
Separately in Islamabad, police units have been carrying out late-night verification operations that sources say have led to family detentions from informal settlements. Residents report heightened alarm as officers remove people for paperwork checks and potential deportation procedures. Humanitarian groups have documented the disruptive impact on vulnerable households.
Human rights organisations and relief agencies say that several improvised refugee sites have been demolished during the recent operations, leaving numerous families without shelter, food, or basic services. Aid providers warned that such clearances, if conducted without alternative arrangements, risk creating an acute humanitarian problem.
The intensification of enforcement follows a period of diplomatic friction and stalled talks between Islamabad and Kabul’s representative actors, compounding already fraught cross-border dynamics. Observers caution that forced removals and camp demolitions could aggravate regional tensions and produce further displacement across the border.
Source: khaama.com
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Southeast Asia
Anwar makes top 10 in 2025 world’s most influential Muslims ranking
By Malay Mail
30 Oct 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 30 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has been named among the world’s 50 most influential Muslims in the 2025 edition of The Muslim 500.
The annual publication recognises global Muslim figures who have made significant contributions to politics, religion, education, and social development.
Anwar was 10th overall and seventh under the category of “Rulers and Politicians”, joining leaders such as Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
This year’s top five positions were led by Sheikh Tamim, Iran’s Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Erdoğan, and Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al-Saud.
The inclusion of Anwar, Malaysia’s tenth prime minister, places him among a select group of leaders shaping policy and moral discourse in the Muslim world.
Other regional figures recognised include Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto, Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, and Singapore’s Mufti Nazirudin Nasir, highlighting Southeast Asia’s growing influence.
The publication described Anwar’s political journey as one defined by resilience and reform after decades marked by imprisonment, opposition, and eventual triumph.
The report recounted his years of political persecution, calling his royal pardon in 2018 “a restoration of justice” that paved the way for his eventual rise to the premiership in 2022.
It also cited his international recognition as a peace mediator, particularly his role in easing tensions between Thailand and Cambodia after border clashes.
Anwar’s strong advocacy for Palestinian rights was highlighted, along with his criticism of social media platforms for removing his tributes to late Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
The publication quoted Anwar’s statement urging Meta to “cease this display of cowardice” and stop “acting as instruments of the oppressive Zionist Israeli regime.”
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/10/30/anwar-makes-top-10-in-2025-worlds-most-influential-muslims-ranking/196549
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Govt plans Malaysian Shariah Judiciary Commission to boost judges’ status, Parliament told
29 Oct 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 29 — The government is working to strengthen the Shariah judicial system and elevate the status of Shariah judges through a study on proposed laws paving the way for the establishment of the Malaysian Shariah Judiciary Commission.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Mohd Na’im Mokhtar said the laws being reviewed include the Shariah Courts Act, the Shariah Judicial Appointment Commission Act, and the Shariah Judges Remuneration Act. The government is also considering a special retirement scheme and legislation for Shariah judges.
He said the Madani government, through the Department of Shariah Judiciary Malaysia (JKSM), is working towards setting up the Malaysian Shariah Judiciary Commission under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP).
“At present, a detailed study is being carried out by a drafting committee with the involvement of relevant agencies to ensure the implementation is in line with state jurisdictions and the existing legal structure,” he said when winding up the debate on the 2026 Supply Bill at the policy stage for the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He added that proposed amendments under the Shariah Judges Remuneration Act include raising the retirement age for Shariah judges from 60 to 66 years.
“This proposal is still being discussed. For now, until the new Act is introduced at the federal level, Shariah judges are still governed by the existing public service retirement law, which sets the retirement age at 60,” he said.
On the structure of the Shariah judiciary, he said the government is also studying the establishment of a new court level — the Shariah Supreme Court, as already implemented in Perak and Sabah.
“Insya-Allah, this proposal will be included in the Shariah Courts Bill, which is expected to be tabled in Parliament next year. One of the main amendments is to create another court level above the Shariah Court of Appeal for the Federal Territories,” he said.
Mohd Na’im also said the government supports efforts to make Pusrawi Hospital a Shariah-compliant hospital that offers treatment based on compassion and mercy.
He added that the government is planning to expand the Syariah-compliant hospital concept to other Islamic healthcare institutions.
“This effort also aims to strengthen the use of zakat and waqf health funds while working with the Ministry of Health (MOH) to improve the Islamic healthcare system in the country,” he said. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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Anwar: Malaysia pressed Trump for Gaza peace in every meeting, including ‘heart-to-heart’ in ‘The Beast’
30 Oct 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 30 — Malaysia took every opportunity during meetings with United States President Donald Trump throughout the recent 47th Asean Summit to consistently urge for a comprehensive solution to the Gaza issue.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that he made full use of each engagement with the US leader, whether in official or private settings, to raise concerns about the situation in Gaza.
Anwar said he had used the term ‘comprehensive settlement’ or ‘comprehensive solution’ to stress that a true resolution to the Gaza conflict must be holistic — not limited to a ceasefire but one that recognises the sovereignty and rights of the people of Gaza and Palestine.
“Officially, I raised this issue three times, which received media coverage. Meanwhile, in ‘The Beast’ (Trump’s official vehicle), there was a private four-eye conversation. In those three official occasions, I emphasised the need for a comprehensive solution to the Gaza-Palestine problem.
“What mattered most to me, and what I found most meaningful, was the opportunity to speak heart-to-heart with President Donald Trump about the plight of Gaza and Palestine,” he said during ministers’ question time in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Responding to a question from Suhaizan Kaiat (PH–Pulai) on the outcomes of his meeting with Trump, Anwar said Malaysia did not shy away from expressing its views firmly, even as many world leaders chose to avoid engaging Trump on the Gaza issue.
He said the reconciliation efforts through the proposed ‘20-Point Plan for Gaza’ represented an important initial step, though fragile and requiring global collective strength to sustain.
Anwar stressed that the reality remains that the United States plays a decisive role in halting the attacks or enforcing a ceasefire in Gaza.
“We have expressed our anger and disapproval of the atrocities in Gaza to the United States. Whenever we have the opportunity, we must convey our views clearly, and that view is for a comprehensive solution.
Anwar said Trump had assured him personally and reiterated during their meetings that he would ensure ‘the peace deal works’, and described it as a positive start.
At the same time, the prime minister said Malaysia would continue to play its part by voicing strong calls for peace and maintaining humanitarian efforts, including medical aid and readiness to participate in peacekeeping missions.
He said during his recent discussion with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the latter expressed readiness to increase access through the Rafah Crossing to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian, medical and development assistance.
“This initiative has also been welcomed by several other nations, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Turkiye.
“There are proposals to convene a meeting among Arab and Islamic countries in Cairo soon, and I will attend if invited,” he said in response to an additional question from Syed Ibrahim Syed Noh (PH–Ledang) on further measures Malaysia could take beyond calls for a ceasefire and an end to Israeli aggression. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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‘BRICS is about expanding opportunities’
30 Oct 2025
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s bid for BRICS should be viewed as a continuation of its long-standing foreign policy of neutrality and diversification – positioning the nation as a connector rather than a competitor in an increasingly polarised global economy, said an international relations expert.
Universiti Utara Malaysia Asian Institute of International Affairs and Diplomacy research fellow Assoc Prof Dr Bakri Mat said Malaysia’s strength lies in its balanced approach, which enables it to engage major powers without being drawn into rivalry.
“Malaysia should make it clear that it is about expanding economic opportunities, not choosing sides. We have always practised an open and balanced foreign policy – working with all partners, whether from the West or the Global South. We can support BRICS initiatives while continuing to strengthen ties with the US, EU and Japan.”
He added BRICS could boost Malaysia’s strategic autonomy by opening access to new markets, development funding and South–South cooperation. He, however cautioned against over-dependence on any single partner, especially China.
Bakri said criticism could be expected from the US, but Malaysia could manage this diplomatically by clarifying that it is purely economic.
“We can act as a bridge between East and West. That’s our comparative advantage – it keeps Malaysia relevant, respected and trusted by all sides.”
Source: thesun.my
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Europe
Fiji Muslim League condemns hurtful remarks against any religion
ANISH CHAND
October 30, 2025
The Fiji Muslim League (FML) has strongly condemned derogatory and offensive remarks made by an individual in videos circulating on social media, saying the comments have caused deep hurt to both the Muslim and Hindu communities.
In a statement. FML National President Basheer Ahmed said the organisation fully supports calls for authorities to take appropriate action against the individual responsible.
“Such remarks are unacceptable and have no place in a nation founded on unity, mutual respect, and harmony among all faiths,” Mr Ahmed said.
He added that the Holy Qur’an teaches respect towards all religions, as respect leads to peace while insults only create division and disharmony.
“The Fiji Muslim League stands resolute in denouncing any act that disrespects another religion or faith.”
“Our nation’s diversity is our greatest strength, and we must protect it through understanding and compassion.”
Mr Ahmed urged community leaders and citizens to uphold the values of love, tolerance and respect that are central to all faiths.
“We call upon everyone to continue building a Fiji where every community is valued, and every heart is guided by respect and peace.”
The FML reaffirmed its commitment to promoting interfaith harmony and national unity, emphasising that such values are vital to maintaining peace and cohesion in Fiji’s multicultural society.
Source: fijitimes.com.fj
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https://www.fijitimes.com.fj/fiji-muslim-league-condemns-hurtful-remarks-against-any-religion/
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Yousaf: Glasgow mosque graffiti shows anti-Muslim hate 'normalised'
29TH OCTOBER
By Jody Harrison
Humza Yousaf has said that a graffiti attack on Glasgow's main mosque shows anti-Muslim hate is being “normalised.”
Police have launched a probe after racially-charged graffiti was discovered at Glasgow Central Mosque on Adelphi Street.
The vandalism occurred between 5pm on Sunday, 26 October, and 9am on Monday, 27 October.
Former First Minister Yousaf condemned the attack, highlighting the mosque’s role in supporting the city during crises.
The SNP MSP posted on social media, saying: "Glasgow Central Mosque offered tea, coffee and shelter for emergency workers during the Clutha disaster. They opened their doors to vaccinate us during the pandemic.
"Dreadful, but utterly predictable, to see this vandalism as a result of anti-Muslim hatred being so normalised."
Glasgow Central Mosque released a stament following the attack, saying: "We were deeply upset to find graffiti on the wall of the Mosque today Acts like this do not represent the values of Glasgow or Scotland.
"Our city is renowned for its warmth, diversity, and sense of community, and it is that spirit which will always prevail."
Police Scotland confirmed the case is being treated as a hate crime.
Chief Inspector Paul Daley said: "I understand this will be deeply upsetting for both the local and Muslim communities in Glasgow and I want to reassure them we take this kind of offending seriously.
"Such vile graffiti is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated. We are carrying out extensive enquiries and I am asking anyone with information about this incident to please contact us."
The vandalism comes three weeks after a mosque in Dundee was ‘desecrated’ with human excrement.
A 20-year-old man was arrested in connection with the incident, which occurred at the Bait ul Mahmood mosque on Monday, 6 October.
Several windows were broken and urine and faeces were found in the building.
And in September, a window at the Masjid Yusuf in Clarkston was smashed with a metal pole while children attended classes inside.
Source: heraldscotland.com
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https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/25581957.yousaf-glasgow-mosque-graffiti-shows-anti-muslim-hate-normalised/
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Dependants of Gazan students can join them in UK, government says
Daniel Wittenberg
30 October 2025
Partners and children of Gazan students coming to study in the UK will be now able to join them, the government has confirmed.
It marks a reversal of the original policy which only supported the evacuation of the students themselves.
Each application will be considered on a "case-by-case basis", a government spokesperson said, with dependants needing to meet certain requirements including proving they can cover living costs.
Some students had previously said they would not be able to travel to the UK to take up their university scholarships because it would involve leaving their children behind.
Those wishing to join their relatives in the UK will need to apply for a student dependant visa application and meet the requirements, including evidence they have sufficient funds - up to £6,120 ($8,074) for those studying outside London, or £7,605 for those studying in London.
"Students coming from Gaza to the UK have suffered an appalling ordeal after two years of conflict," the government spokesperson said.
"They have endured unimaginable hardship but can now begin to rebuild their lives through studying in our world class universities.
"That is why we are supporting the evacuation of dependants of students on scholarships who are eligible to study here under the immigration rules on a case-by-case basis."
Manar al-Houbi, who previously told the BBC it was "impossible" for her to leave her three young children and husband behind in Gaza to take up her PhD place at the University of Glasgow, said she was relieved by the policy change and hoped to be evacuated with her family "very soon".
At least 75 Gazan students have arrived in the UK since the government began supporting evacuations for those with fully-funded scholarships last month, including a third group of 17 students who arrived on Monday.
However, the BBC understands that six students due to begin master's courses in Glasgow will now not be evacuated, as they would arrive too late to start their studies this year.
Dr Nora Parr, a University of Birmingham researcher who has been coordinating efforts to support the students, welcomed the policy change but said she was "devastated" that these six students had lost their "hard-earned places".
"The existing government policy leaves both these students and their university in a cruel limbo," she said.
The University of Glasgow declined to comment. The BBC understands that the university will honour the places held by the six students if they are able to arrive in time for future enrolment deadlines.
Israel began the war in Gaza in response to an attack led by Hamas militants on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
More than 65,000 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.
A US-brokered ceasefire deal was signed earlier this month, with Hamas returning all 20 living hostages to Israel as part of the agreement.
But Israel has hit Gaza with a new wave of attacks this week after accusing Hamas of violating the deal by killing an IDF soldier, which Hamas rejects.
At least 104 Palestinians were killed on Tuesday night in Israeli strikes, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly91lj9y47o
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Pro-EU liberals and anti-immigration hardliners tied in Dutch election
30 Oct, 2025
The liberal Democrats 66 (D66) party and the right-wing, anti-immigration Party for Freedom (PVV) are tied in Wednesday’s snap general election in the Netherlands.
With 98.6% of the ballots counted and a voter turnout of 78.4%, both D66 and PVV received 16.7% of the vote, according to the official tally cited by public broadcaster NOS.
According to projections by the ANP news agency, each party will secure 26 seats in the 150-seat House of Representatives.
Wilders, known for his anti-Islam views, led his party to a surprise victory in 2023. He withdrew from the ruling coalition last June after his partners refused to accept his plan to crack down on immigration, triggering the new election. Wilders’ ten-point proposal included turning away all asylum seekers, closing shelters, suspending family reunifications, and deploying the army to patrol the borders.
After exit polls published late on Wednesday suggested a slight lead for D66, Wilders said he had hoped “for a different outcome” and vowed to “fight more than ever.”
D66 leader Rob Jetten thanked his supporters. “The positive forces have won! I want to work for all Dutch people because this country is for all of us!” he wrote on X.
Jetten said it would be “a logical option” to attempt to form a coalition with the center-right People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), which received 14.1% of the vote, the green-leftist alliance GL-PVDA (12.5%), and the Christian Democrats (11.7%).
The election campaign was dominated by debates over immigration, particularly the use of hotels to house asylum seekers, along with the housing crisis and a relatively high unemployment rate.
The Netherlands has seen several anti-migrant protests in recent years, including a demonstration in The Hague in September that led to clashes with police.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/627130-dutch-election-tied-result/
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Mosque plan for former rugby clubhouse approved
Dan Martin
30 Oct, 2025
Plans to turn a disused former rugby clubhouse in Leicester into a mosque have been given the green light.
Members of Leicester City Council's planning committee approved a proposal to convert the pavilion in Knighton Lane East, in Aylestone, into a place of worship at a meeting on Wednesday.
The building was formerly used by Old Aylestonians Rugby Football Club but has been empty for about eight years.
Some residents in the area told councillors they had concerns about traffic safety should the building be brought back into use.
However, highways officials at the city council said the site had sufficient parking and that the proposal was acceptable.
Applicant Dr Louay Al-Alousi, who will be the imam at the new mosque, said officials would look to manage traffic and that many worshipers would walk or cycle to prayers rather than drive.
He said the mosque, which will also have educational facilities, would likely have a maximum of 100 people on site at any time.
He said he hoped it would be ready to open by February 2026.
The council received 163 representations in support of the plan and 38 objections.
Among the objections were concerns about potential noise.
A report prepared for the committee said there was "no intention" for an externally amplified call to prayer, and planning officers proposed a condition that no formally scheduled events could take place outside the building.
Council officers had also proposed a condition that the site could only be used between 07:00 and 23:00, with opening hours extended to 00:30 during Ramadan.
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyldve0q81o
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Mideast
Israel bans Red Cross visits to detained Palestinian combatants
October 30, 2025
JERUSALEM: Israel has banned the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) from visiting Palestinian prisoners detained under a law targeting “unlawful combatants,” the country’s defense minister said on Wednesday.
“The opinions presented to me leave no doubt that Red Cross visits to terrorists in prisons would seriously harm the state’s security. The safety of the state and our citizens comes first,” Israel Katz said, according to a statement from his office.
The order, which was issued just hours before the country’s top court had a hearing on the issue, prohibits the ICRC from visiting thousands of detainees named in a list attached to it.
In practice, the order will make law of the status quo that has prevailed since the war in Gaza started after Hamas’s unprecedented October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
Under Israeli law, the category of “unlawful combatants,” introduced in 2002, allows for indefinite detention of individuals without charge in military detention centers.
The ICRC says it has not been allowed to visit detainees in jail since then, save for pre-release interviews conducted under Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange deals.
“The purpose of the ICRC visits to places of detention and those deprived of their liberty is purely humanitarian,” it said.
“We aim to assess the treatment and conditions of detainees and work with the detaining authorities on ensuring these conditions are according to international standards, as well as restoring contact between the detainees and their families.”
Several NGOs had already told AFP, even before the decree, of delays and complications faced by lawyers seeking to visit Palestinian prisoners.
‘Violation’
According to the NGOs, the Israeli prison administration argues that such visits could be used to send or receive messages to and from Palestinian Islamist groups.
During Wednesday’s court hearing the state’s lawyer Ron Rosenberg said that a decision had been made to allow the “transfer of information to the Red Cross,” which would be implented “in the coming days.”
“The information will only include names and detention facilities,” Rosenberg said, and would only be given for prisoners not associated with Gaza or Hamas.
However, Rosenberg said that access to prisoners would be prevented “until all hostages are back” from Gaza.
The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI), which filed a petition to grant the ICRC access to Israeli prisons, told AFP that some of the combatants are held in military detention centers, and others in regular Israeli jails.
It said that before the ceasefire deal that began on October 10, the Israeli Prison Service “was holding 2,673 prisoners categorized as unlawful combatants.”
It added that hundreds were released under the deal in exchange for hostages held in the Gaza Strip.
In a statement, Hamas said the ban on ICRC visits “constitutes a violation of a fundamental right of our prisoners.”
“This adds to a series of systematic and criminal violations they are subjected to, including killing, torture, starvation, medical neglect, and the withholding of information,” the Palestinian Islamist movement added.
On Tuesday, the Israeli military accused Hamas of faking its search for the bodies of deceased hostages still in Gaza in order to stall the return process.
Providing drone footage as evidence, it said that Hamas staged a body’s discovery in front of ICRC staff, who have facilitated the transfer of hostages and prisoners.
The ICRC said it was unaware the body had been pre-positioned ahead of its team’s arrival, and called the staged discovery “unacceptable,” noting “so much depends on this agreement being upheld.”
Source: arabnews.com
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Israel has erected nearly 1,000 barriers in the West Bank during the war in Gaza, group says
October 30, 2025
SINJIL, West Bank: Since Israel ‘s war with Hamas began more than two years ago, Israel has erected nearly 1,000 barriers in cities and towns in the occupied West Bank, further stifling movement for Palestinians and hindering daily lives, a local government body says.
While Israel’s military has long imposed movement and access constraints after capturing the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war, the number of new barriers is unprecedented, residents say.
According to the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission, an official Palestinian governmental body, 916 gates, barriers and walls have been installed since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel.
Israeli military raids throughout the West Bank have also increased, with Palestinians killed or detained. Israel says it is trying to root out militancy.
Among the new barriers are metal gates stationed at many village and town entrances and between cities, blocking access in and out. Sometimes the Israeli military is stationed at them.
Palestinians say the gates have erratic opening hours, with some staying shut for days. Some people sleep at friends’ or relatives’ homes or go around the gates on foot.
During the first two weeks of September, the United Nations said it documented the installation of 18 gates in the West Bank. It said the gates and other obstacles, such as large earth mounds and concrete blocks, restrict Palestinians’ freedom of movement and access to health care and education. The barriers are placed in the middle of roads, preventing cars from going around them.
The new gates, some of which block roads connecting the northern and southern West Bank, force the territory’s 3 million Palestinians to take long detours, with a 20-minute journey now taking more than an hour.
Israel’s military says the gates are not meant to restrict people but rather to “manage and monitor.”
A military official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said its forces operate under a “complex security reality” in the West Bank, where militants embed themselves within the population and “accordingly, there are dynamic checkpoints and ongoing efforts to monitor movement in various areas.”
Residents say some gates have been equipped with cameras.
They also say the barriers have detrimental effects on their lives.
“Under the current circumstances, everything has been cut off. Everything has stopped,” said Ezzedine Al-Sayouri from Deir Dibwan village. The gates have prevented people from coming to his gym and he’s considering closing the business and leaving the country, he said.
Residents in the village of Aboud say the entry gates there are closed between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. every day, preventing students from going to university and people from going to work.
It’s all part of the “occupation’s strategy to destabilize the people’s sense of security,” said Mohammad Shalatweh, a taxi driver.
Others worry that the added barriers are a security risk.
Eyad Jameel, a restaurant owner in the village of Sinjil, said every time his son goes to the main city of Ramallah he’s not sure he’ll return.
“They don’t always open them, they just close them and trap everyone,” he said.
Source: arabnews.com
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UAE evacuates 57 Palestinian patients from Gaza, dispatches water tanks
October 29, 2025
LONDON: The UAE evacuated dozens of patients from the Gaza Strip to receive medical treatment as part of its humanitarian efforts to assist Palestinians.
On Wednesday, a mission was conducted to evacuate 57 patients from Gaza, along with their family members, via Ramon Airport in Israel and through the Karam Abu Salem crossing, to receive medical treatment in the UAE.
Since October 2023, under “Operation Chivalrous Knight 3,” the UAE has evacuated 2,961 patients and their companions from Gaza, according to the Emirates News Agency.
The UAE International Aid Agency conducted its 29th medical evacuation on Wednesday, aiming to treat 1,000 wounded Palestinians and 1,000 cancer patients in hospitals across the country.
Sultan Mohammed Al-Shamsi, vice chairman of the agency, affirmed the UAE’s commitment to easing the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza.
His agency is coordinating with international organizations to provide healthcare, medical treatment, medications and essential supplies to patients in Gaza and the wounded at the UAE’s floating hospital off the coast of Arish, Egypt. It collaborates with a UAE-operated field hospital in southern Gaza to address the humanitarian crisis caused by the war, which has affected children, women and the elderly.
The UAE also sent the largest convoy of water tankers to northern Gaza on Wednesday to help alleviate the worsening humanitarian crisis and address the acute shortage of drinkable water, the WAM added.
The initiative seeks to restore safe water access where infrastructure is damaged, while also providing food parcels and aid to displaced families in northern Gaza.
Source: arabnews.com
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Doha ready to host 8,000 delegates at UN social development summit, Qatari envoy says
EPHREM KOSSAIFY
October 29, 2025
NEW YORK CITY: More than 8,000 representatives of governments, the UN, civil society, academia and the private sector are expected to attend the second World Summit for Social Development in Doha next week, the Qatari envoy to the UN, Sheikha Alya Ahmed Saif Al-Thani, said on Tuesday.
Speaking at a joint briefing with president of the UN General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, Sheikha Alya said the three-day gathering, which begins on Nov. 4, would mark a “defining moment for global social development,” coming as it does 30 years after the first summit in Copenhagen.
“The State of Qatar is delighted to welcome the international community … all coming together in Doha to recommit to social justice and put people at the center of sustainable development,” she said.
At the heart of the summit will be the “Doha Political Declaration on Social Development,” which Sheikha Alya said reaffirms as essential components of sustainable development the “interlinked priorities” of poverty eradication, full and productive employment and decent work for all, and social inclusion.
The declaration also underscores the principle that social justice cannot exist without peace and security, or without respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, she added. It sends out a “clear call to action” that recommits governments to the creation of the conditions necessary for social development for all, and includes strong provisions relating to implementation, follow-up and review of efforts to achieve this to ensure accountability and measurable progress.
Sheikha Alya thanked Sophie De Smedt and Omar Hilale, respectively the Belgian and Moroccan envoys to the UN, for their “skillful leadership” in steering negotiations among member states toward consensus on the text of the declaration.
The summit, she added, will feature several high-level events, including the first leaders’ meeting of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty; the Doha Solutions Forum for Social Development; and a high-level event focused on education as the new foundation of the social contract, with the participation of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Specific forums for the private sector and civil society will help to “underscore the summit’s inclusive and principled position,” Sheikha Alya added.
Qatar, she noted, continues to build on its legacy as host of major UN conferences in recent decades, including the 2008 Financing for Development Conference; the UN Climate Change Conference, COP18, in 2012; the 13th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in 2015; and, in 2023, the fifth UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries.
“Doha has emerged as a symbol of dialogue and global solidarity,” Sheikha Alya said. “We are confident the summit will deliver hopeful and actionable commitments; not just statements of intent but real pledges of partnership, implementation and accountability.”
Baerbock said that three decades after the Copenhagen summit, the world is facing mounting social and economic pressures, with more than 800 million people still living in extreme poverty.
“Families are taking loans simply to afford food or housing,” she said. “In every region, people are asking urgent questions: Will I make rent next month? Will I have to choose between school fees and groceries?”
She said the leaders who gather in Doha must act “with purpose” to reduce poverty, expand universal social protections and create decent jobs, especially for youth.
“The world is not waiting for more promises,” Baerbock said. “It is waiting for delivery — for action that improves people’s lives and makes dignity a lived reality for all.”
Source: arabnews.com
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Syrian authorities arrest two prominent Assad-era gang leaders in Homs
ARAB NEWS
October 29, 2025
LONDON: Syrian authorities announced the arrest of two prominent gang leaders in the northern region of Homs, who are accused of crimes against civilians during Bashar Assad’s regime.
The ministry of interior said on Wednesday that forces from the counter-terrorism branch and the directorate of internal security had captured Faisal Ahmed Marouf and his son, Ahmed Faisal Marouf, in the eastern province of Homs Governorate, in western Syria.
The former Assad regime, which fell in December last year, relied on militarized criminal gangs known as Shabiha to suppress civilian uprisings, alongside official forces and paramilitary groups, including the Iran-backed Hezbollah.
The ministry said that the Maroufs are accused of involvement in grave violations against Syrian civilians in Homs during the rule of the bygone regime.
“Investigations revealed that the criminals held leadership positions in groups responsible for killings, armed robberies, and unlawful arrests against people in peaceful areas and Abu Hakfa during the rule of the defunct regime,” the ministry of interior announced on Telegram.
Last week, Syrian authorities arrested a former military official accused of executing detainees at Saydnaya prison during the former regime.
Since December, the new government in Damascus has arrested several suspects, including Assad-era army officers, for crimes committed against Syrians during the country’s civil conflict.
Source: arabnews.com
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UN says deaths in fresh strikes on Gaza ‘appalling’
October 29, 2025
GENEVA: The United Nations on Wednesday called the deaths in Israel’s new military strikes on Gaza “appalling,” as it urged all sides not to let peace “slip from our grasp.”
Israel said it had carried out strikes on dozens of Hamas targets following the death of a soldier, with the Gaza Strip experiencing its deadliest night of bombing since a US-brokered truce went into effect earlier in October.
UN rights chief Volker Turk said the attacks had reportedly hit schools, homes and tents for internally displaced people within the Palestinian territory.
“Reports that over 100 Palestinians were killed overnight in a wave of Israeli airstrikes mainly on residential buildings, IDP tents and schools across the Gaza Strip, following the death of an Israeli soldier, are appalling,” he said in a statement.
“The laws of war are very clear on the paramount importance of protecting civilians and civilian infrastructure.”
Turk said Israel must comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law, and would be accountable for any violations.
“It is distressing that these killings occurred just as the long-suffering population of Gaza started to feel there was hope that the unrelenting barrage of violence may be at an end,” he said.
Turk called for all parties in the conflict to act in good faith and implement the ceasefire, and urged other countries, particularly those with influence in the region, to do everything in their power to ensure compliance.
“The past two years have brought untold suffering and misery, and the near wholesale destruction of Gaza,” he said.
“We must not allow this opportunity for peace and a path toward a more just and secure future to slip from our grasp.”
Source: arabnews.com
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North America
NYC Mayor Compared Anti-Israel Protests After Oct. 7 To KKK Rallies, Lawsuit Says
30 Oct, 2025
NEW YORK — Weeks after the October 2023 Hamas invasion of Israel, New York City Mayor Adams told staffers that the city’s Muslim community had not sufficiently condemned Hamas and compared anti-Israel protests to Ku Klux Klan rallies, according to a lawsuit filed on Tuesday.
Hassan Naveed, the former head of the city’s office to prevent hate crimes, filed the lawsuit in a New York court, alleging Islamophobia by the Adams administration.
Naveed, who is a Muslim, served as the director of the Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes from October 2022 to April 2024. He was appointed by Adams and the office is under the mayor’s purview.
Naveed claimed he was removed from his position due to anti-Muslim discrimination and was subject to a “hostile work environment.”
The lawsuit shed light on the Adams administration’s immediate response to the October 7, 2023, attack. The Hamas invasion set off a wave of anti-Israel protests and antisemitic hate crimes in the city.
Adams, a centrist Democrat, is a staunch supporter of Israel and the Jewish community, and forcefully backed the city’s Jews after the start of the war.
Shortly after the Hamas attack, two of the mayor’s staffers asked Naveed what he thought about alleged Hamas atrocities. Naveed said in the lawsuit that he believed the questions were motivated by his Muslim identity. The lawsuit also alleged that administration staffers posted “anti-Muslim, anti-Arab, and anti-Palestinian” statements on social media, without providing details.
On October 23, 2023, Naveed and other Muslim staffers attended a closed-door meeting with Adams to discuss the alleged Islamophobia.
Adams told the group that the Muslim community “had failed to adequately condemn Hamas,” and that there had been no unified voice in the community distancing itself from the terrorist group, the lawsuit said. None of the leading pro-Palestinian groups in the city have condemned the attack or Hamas.
Adams also said that, instead of condemning Hamas, Muslims were “too busy organizing protests for Palestine,” comparing the rallies to Ku Klux Klan events.
The administration began to exclude the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Arab American Association of New York from meetings on hate crimes, the lawsuit said.
Anti-Israel rallies started in New York City immediately after the Hamas attack, while Israel was still collecting its dead and before the IDF launched its counter-offensive in Gaza.
On October 8, 2023, Arab-led and far-left groups in New York City rallied in Manhattan to celebrate the massacre. Some of the anti-Israel protesters mocked, taunted and threatened Jewish counter-demonstrators.
Adams denounced the rally as “spreading hatred.” The Council on American-Islamic Relations New York defended the protest and condemned Adams for his response.
Jews are targeted in hate crimes more than all other groups combined in New York City, according to NYPD data.
The lawsuit also said that the Adams administration had “cherry-picked” Muslim representatives for a meeting on how to handle tensions surrounding the war, choosing an imam who led a group supporting dialogue with Israel and who said that Palestine “should not be a central issue for the Muslim community.”
The administration worked closely with the Israeli consulate to seek advice on public responses to events and issues, the lawsuit said.
Naveed claimed that when he was fired, the administration falsely said he had been removed due to a failure to submit an annual report.
Adams later said Naveed had been terminated because of an increase in hate crimes under his watch.
Adams’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
“This individual was an at-will employee who was let go for poor job performance, plain and simple, and not terminated because of his identity, religion or views,” a spokesperson for the mayor told The New York Times. “Any suggestion otherwise is absurd. We will respond in court, where we are confident these claims will be disproven.”
The lawsuit, filed in the New York State Supreme Court, seeks a judgment declaring that Naveed’s termination violated civil rights laws, compensation, and punitive damages.
The Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes, housed in the mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, funds hate crime prevention programs for around 70 city organizations and encourages residents to report hate crimes.
The lawsuit was filed a week before New York City’s mayoral race. Zohran Mamdani, a far-left, harsh critic of Israel, is the heavy favorite to win. If elected, Mamdani will become the city’s first Muslim mayor.
Mamdani, a longtime anti-Israel activist, has accused his opponents of Islamophobia during the race.
Immediately after the October 2023 attack on Israel, Mamdani focused his criticism on Israel, while his party, the New York City branch of the Democratic Socialists of America, backed the anti-Israel protest the day after the Hamas invasion.
Adams dropped out of the city’s mayoral race last month after polling poorly. Last week, Adams endorsed his former rival, ex-New York governor Andrew Cuomo, citing Mamdani’s past defense of the phrase “Globalize the intifada” and other issues. At a press conference with Cuomo, Adams warned of “Islamic extremism” in the city.
Cuomo, like Adams, is a pro-Israel centrist.
Mamdani’s anti-Israel rhetoric has sparked alarm among Jewish community leaders, who worry that the harsh statements will spur backlash against Jewish communities.
Source: timesofisrael.com
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https://www.timesofisrael.com/nyc-mayor-compared-anti-israel-protests-after-oct-7-to-kkk-rallies-lawsuit-says/
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CAIR Welcomes Introduction of the ‘Combatting the Persecution of Religious Groups in China Act’
October 29, 2025
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed the introduction of the Combatting the Persecution of Religious Groups in China Act by Senator Ted Budd (R-NC) and Congressman Mark Alford (R-MO).
Earlier today, CAIR posted on X expressing support for the measure, which reaffirms U.S. leadership in defending the right to believe and worship freely.
In a statement, CAIR Government Affairs Department Director said:
“We strongly support the introduction of the Combatting the Persecution of Religious Groups in China Act, co-led by Congressman Mark Alford and Senator Ted Budd. This legislation addresses a long-standing and serious violation of human rights: the systematic suppression of religious freedom by the Chinese Communist Party.
“For decades, the CCP has targeted Muslims, Protestants, Catholics, Buddhists, and other religious minorities for arbitrary imprisonment, forced labor, and broad restrictions on freedom of belief and worship.
“By imposing sanctions on officials who carry out these abuses, reinforcing the responsibility of the U.S. Department of State to address religious persecution in the People’s Republic of China, and formally expressing Congress’s sense that China should remain designated as a Country of Particular Concern, the Act offers a concrete and meaningful response.
“Through this legislation, the United States reaffirms its leadership in promoting religious freedom globally, standing with the persecuted, and holding authoritarian regimes accountable for their misconduct. We urge swift action to advance this bill and call on additional members of Congress and the Administration to join this effort.”
CAIR encourages the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to move quickly to advance this important measure and applauds lawmakers working to defend the rights of Uyghur Muslims and all faith communities facing persecution in China.
Source: cair.com
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-welcomes-introduction-of-the-combatting-the-persecution-of-religious-groups-in-china-act/
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A Religious Freedom Lifeline to Burma’s Persecuted People of Faith Needs to be Extended
Oct 29, 2025
Washington, DC – As the Burmese military escalates its vicious war on its own people, its strategy of violence targeting religious gatherings and places of worship in Burma is creating destruction, displacement, and a reign of death. In the past twelve months alone, the Burmese military and pro-junta militia attacked a Muslim village in Sagaing Region, burning down 400 homes and two mosques, while in Chin State the army bombed three churches killing six civilians, including a pastor. More recent action has shown that even those from the majority religion are not safe. Dozens of people were killed and 50 injured when the junta bombed a Buddhist festival in northwestern Burma. Now, the safety and religious freedom of Burmese nationals in the United States is at risk as the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation is set to expire on November 25, 2025, potentially pushing them back into the hands of their persecutors.
“People of faith, especially religious minorities from Karen, Chin, and Kachin States, face egregious persecution if they are forced to return to Burma where rising violence is adding to the hundreds of Christians and Muslims that have been killed in attacks on houses of worship since 2024,” said Chair Vicky Hartzler. “USCIRF urges the Administration to extend and redesignate Burma for TPS to support the religious freedom of Burma’s religious minorities.”
The junta’s rising military actions against its own people are part of an effort to force participation in upcoming “elections” meant to legitimize its dictatorial rule that has seen gross human rights violations, including a genocide against predominately Muslim Rohingya.
“USCIRF condemns the Burmese military’s continued assault on its people and on places of worship,” said Vice Chair Asif Mahmood. “Without a safe country to return to or well-established refugee programs to rely on, religious minorities from Burma will be persecuted. TPS can save the lives of Burma’s religious minorities – Christians and Muslims – and frustrate the plans of Burma’s junta persecutors.”
In its 2025 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the State Department designate Burma as a “Country of Particular Concern” for engaging in systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom.
Source: uscirf.gov
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https://www.uscirf.gov/news-room/releases-statements/religious-freedom-lifeline-burmas-persecuted-people-faith-needs-be
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Indian American groups condemn Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Hinduphobic’ remarks as acts of bigotry and bias
Oct 30, 2025
A coalition of Indian American and Hindu diaspora organisations across the United States has strongly condemned New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani for what it described as “Hinduphobic actions and statements.” In an open letter dated October 10, 2025, the groups accused Mamdani of promoting “bigotry and bias” against Hindus, citing multiple incidents spanning several years.
The letter, signed by over 20 prominent organisations, stated that Mamdani’s rhetoric had “caused great pain to many New Yorkers of Hindu faith” and questioned his ability to engage with the community in good faith. The controversy has reignited a wider debate about faith, politics, and representation in New York’s multicultural electorate.
Hindu groups call remarks ‘divisive and dangerous’
The coalition included Americans4Hindus, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America (VHPA), the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA), the Federation of Hindu Mandirs, HinduPACT, the India Association of Los Angeles, and South Asians for Empowerment, among others.
In their joint statement, the signatories said that while they respected freedom of expression, “a public official must not use free speech to spread misinformation and endorse bigotry against an entire community.” The letter accused Mamdani of “blatant bigotry and Hinduphobia,” asserting that his words and actions were “divisive, discriminatory and unbecoming of a leader seeking to represent one of the most diverse cities in the world.”
Detailed allegations from the open letter
The document outlined several key examples of behaviour the groups found unacceptable:
Rally remarks in 2020: Mamdani reportedly attended a rally where organisers used anti-Hindu slurs, calling Hindus “dishonest thieves who should go drink cow urine.” The groups said Mamdani “failed to denounce these dehumanising comments” and accused him of legitimising such speech through silence.
Attack on Hindu lawmaker: The letter also referenced Mamdani’s alleged description of Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar, the first Hindu elected to the New York State Legislature, as a “puppet of Hindu fascists.” The signatories said this “vilified a respected lawmaker” and contributed to conspiracy theories about Hindu leaders.
Comments on India’s Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA): The coalition disputed Mamdani’s claim that the CAA represented “an attempt to strip Muslims of their citizenship.” The letter argued the CAA was intended to protect persecuted minorities — including Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Christians — from neighbouring countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.
Failure to address attacks on temples: The letter criticised Mamdani for not condemning repeated attacks and vandalism at Tulsi Mandir in Queens and other Hindu temples in the United States, accusing him of selective silence.
Support for caste-based legislation: The organisations also objected to Mamdani’s co-sponsorship of New York Assembly Bill 6920, which seeks to include “caste” as a protected category in anti-discrimination laws. The letter said the bill “unfairly associates caste with Hindus and people of Indian origin,” warning it could “profile Hindus and violate their civil rights.”
Temple visits intensify the backlash
Just weeks before the letter’s release, Mamdani had visited two Hindu temples in Flushing, Queens, including the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir, during Navratri celebrations. He described the visits as a way to “connect with the Hindu heritage of my maternal family,” referencing his mother, filmmaker Mira Nair, who was born into a Hindu family in India.
However, the letter dismissed the gesture as “performative,” saying that Mamdani “cannot seek the blessings of the Hindu faith while simultaneously endorsing narratives that vilify its followers.” The authors accused him of “using the community for photo opportunities while advancing policies that harm Hindus.”
Call for inclusivity and accountability
The letter concluded by stating that “anyone who aspires to be the mayor of the largest city in America must ensure they stand against hate and bigotry and make New York City a place that welcomes all.” The signatories expressed “no confidence” in Mamdani’s ability to represent the Hindu community and called on all political candidates to ensure that New York “remains a place that welcomes people of every faith.”
Source: indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/indian-american-groups-condemn-zohran-mamdanis-hinduphobic-remarks-as-acts-of-bigotry-and-bias/articleshow/124917475.cms
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Africa
Coalition faults push for Sharia law, cites breach of 1999 constitution
29 October 2025
Sodiq Omolaoye
A coalition of civil rights and faith-based organisations has faulted renewed advocacy for the expansion of Sharia law in Nigeria, saying it poses a direct threat to the nation’s unity, constitutional order, and fundamental human rights.
The coalition, under the umbrella of End Sharia Now and allied groups including One Nation One Law, Global Network of Christian Faith and Truth, and Love a Muslim Ministry, said in a statement on Wednesday that attempts to institutionalise Sharia beyond personal faith practice amount to a breach of the 1999 Constitution.
The group was reacting to a recent article quoting Islamic scholars as saying there is “no justification for opposition to Sharia in Nigeria”
The statement signed by Benson Sunday on behalf of the organisations argued that sections 10 and 42 of the 1999 Constitution clearly prohibit the adoption of any state religion and guarantee equality of citizens irrespective of faith.
“The Constitution is supreme. Any other law inconsistent with it is void to the extent of its inconsistency. The adoption of Sharia penal codes in some northern states directly contravenes these provisions,” the coalition stated.
The groups cited incidents of mob justice, blasphemy killings, and corporal punishments in states operating Sharia penal laws as evidence that the system undermines human dignity and fuels sectarian division.
They referenced cases such as the killing of Deborah Samuel in Sokoto in 2022 and the recent mob execution of a woman accused of apostasy in Niger State, saying such incidents reflect the dangers of elevating religious codes to state law in a multi-religious society.
The coalition also expressed concern over what it described as the creeping expansion of Sharia into the South-West, citing reports that the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, recently supported the establishment of Sharia arbitration panels in Oyo and Ekiti states.
The groups argued that while Muslims are free to practise their faith, using state power to enforce religious laws contradicts Nigeria’s secular framework and international human-rights commitments under treaties such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
The coalition urged the National Assembly to initiate constitutional reforms to restrict Sharia’s jurisdiction strictly to personal matters for consenting Muslims and to consider removing Sections 260–264 and 275–279 of the Constitution, which provide for Sharia Courts of Appeal at the federal and state levels.
It also called for enhanced human rights education, interfaith dialogue, and the enforcement of secular principles in governance.
“Nigeria must remain a secular, democratic nation where all citizens, Muslim, Christian, or traditionalist, are equal before one constitution and one law.
“Any attempt to impose Sharia as a state law threatens not only human rights but the very survival of the Nigerian federation.”
Source: guardian.ng
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https://guardian.ng/news/nigeria/metro/coalition-faults-push-for-sharia-law-cites-breach-of-1999-constitution/
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Nigerian govt denies anti-Christian attacks, says terrorists target all citizens
October 29, 2025
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to religious freedom and the protection of all citizens, irrespective of faith or ethnicity.
In an interview with CNN on Tuesday night, Idris dismissed recent claims by some foreign officials suggesting that terrorist attacks in Nigeria were predominantly targeted at Christians, describing such assertions as inaccurate and detached from the country’s complex security dynamics.
He noted that while Christians had indeed suffered from violent attacks, Muslims had also been frequent victims, particularly in the northern regions. “Some of the claims made by officials of the United States are based on faulty data and wrong assumptions that victims of violence in Nigeria are largely Christians,” Idris stated. “Yes, Christians have been attacked, but so have Muslims. These criminals target everyone indiscriminately.”
The minister cautioned that framing Nigeria’s insecurity as a religious conflict risked deepening divisions and furthering the objectives of extremist groups seeking to destabilise the country. “Portraying Nigeria as a country at war between Christians and Muslims is not only false but dangerous. The perpetrators want to create that impression, but Nigerians know better; we have coexisted peacefully for decades,” he said.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s reputation as a tolerant, multi-religious society, Idris urged international partners and observers to adopt a more nuanced and balanced approach when assessing the nation’s security landscape. “Characterising these attacks as religiously motivated undermines ongoing national efforts to promote unity and stability,” he added.
While acknowledging that Nigeria continues to face significant security challenges, the minister said the administration of President Bola Tinubu has intensified both military and non-military strategies to restore peace and strengthen national security.
“Since 2009, Nigeria has faced security challenges, but in the last two years, there has been renewed determination and investment to make the country safe for everyone,” he said. “We are modernising our military, strengthening intelligence capabilities, and expanding development initiatives in agriculture, social services, and youth empowerment to address the root causes of insecurity.”
He also pointed out that recent changes in the leadership of the Armed Forces were part of efforts to enhance operational efficiency and ensure rapid responses to emerging threats.
“Nigeria remains a safe and welcoming country,” Idris concluded, emphasising that the government is committed to ensuring that every Nigerian, Christian, Muslim, or adherent of any other faith, can live, work, and worship in peace.
Source: ripplesnigeria.com
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https://www.ripplesnigeria.com/nigerian-govt-denies-anti-christian-attacks-says-terrorists-target-all-citizens/
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Taraba: 2 Killed In Clash Over Leadership Of Jummat Mosque
29 Oct 2025
At least two persons were killed in a dispute over leadership of Central Mosque in Donga, a town in Taraba State.
It was gathered that several others were wounded and properties destroyed.
Daily Trust gathered that the clash erupted on Tuesday over the Imamship of the Donga Central Mosque located in front of the palace of the Paramount ruler of Donga chiefdom.
A source in the town told Daily Trust that the crisis began after a disagreement within the Muslim community over who should lead the Central Mosque in the town.
This resulted in a violent confrontation between the two groups.
The source further hinted that security agents, including soldiers, had been drafted to the area to control the situation.
Police Public Relations Officer in Taraba, ASP Leshen James, did not pick calls or reply to a text messages sent to him over the matter.
Source: dailytrust.com
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https://dailytrust.com/taraba-2-killed-in-clash-over-leadership-of-jummat-mosque/
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Christian Genocide: Claims Made By US Lawmakers Are Based On Faulty Data – Information Minister
October 29, 2025
By Justina Otio
Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has accused some United States lawmakers of relying on misleading data to allege that there is a Christian genocide in the country.
Idris was responding to calls by some US legislators urging Secretary of State Marco Rubio to take diplomatic action against the Nigerian government over what they described as “systematic persecution and slaughter of Christians.”
Speaking during an interview on CNN on Tuesday night, Idris insisted that insurgents do not target a particular religion.
He asserted that the lawmakers’ claims do not reflect the complexity of Nigeria’s security situation.
His comments were contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by his Special Assistant on Media, Rabiu Ibrahim.
The Minister said, “Some of the claims made by officials of the United States are based on faulty data and the assumption that victims of violence are largely Christians.
“Yes, there are Christians being attacked, but these criminals do not target one religion, they attack both Christians and Muslims, especially in the northern part of the country.”
Rejecting the genocide claim, Idris maintained that Nigeria remains committed to religious freedom, human rights, and democracy.
He stressed that freedom of religion is guaranteed under the Nigerian Constitution and must be respected by all citizens.
“The minister cautioned that framing the country’s insecurity as a religious war could deepen national divisions and play into the hands of criminals seeking to inflame tensions. “Characterising these attacks as being against Christians alone will drive Nigeria towards unnecessary division,” he warned.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/10/29/christian-genocide-claims-made-by-us-lawmakers-are-based-on-faulty-data-information-minister/
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South Asia
50 Hurt As Cops Disperse Madrasa Teachers’ March In Bangladesh
Oct 30, 2025
At least 50 Ebtedayee madrasa teachers were injured when police used water cannons and sound grenades to disperse them when their procession broke through a barricade and attempted to march towards the Secretariat.
The Ebtedayee madrasa teachers are protesting with five demands including swift implementation of the announcement to nationalise all Ebtedayee madrasas in phases, rapid approval and publication of a gazette notification for the 1,089 institutions whose files have already been scrutinised for MPO inclusion.
The other demands include the issuance of a circular inviting MPO applications from recognised, non-grant-receiving Ebtedayee madrasas, creation of pre-primary posts similar to those in primary schools and establishment of a separate directorate for Ebtedayee madrasas.
The Ebtedayee madrasa teachers were supposed to march from the Jatiya Press Club towards Paltan, according to their pre-announced programme.
But around 2:00pm, the procession broke a police barricade on Link Road near the Secretariat, prompting police to use force, said Sardar Bulbul, inspector (patrol) of Shahbagh Police Station.
Sound grenades and water cannons were used to disperse the demonstrators, he said.
Following the clash, at least 50 injured individuals were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, said Md Faruk, the in-charge of the DMCH police camp.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/crime-justice/news/50-hurt-cops-disperse-madrasa-teachers-march-4022651
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‘Hasina’s claims should not appear uncontested’
Oct 29, 2025
Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam today urged those interviewing ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina to remember her past actions.
"Those who are interviewing her [Hasina] should not forget her past actions. Sheikh Hasina's human rights violations are clear in United Nation's report," he said
Shafiqul Alam made the remarks at a press conference at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka.
He also said, "In the 21st century, no one has committed more murders or human rights violations than Sheikh Hasina."
When a journalist asked about the government's stance on Hasina's interviews published in foreign media, Shafiqul responded that the International Crimes Tribunal could comment on the matter.
"We have not yet read the interview. We will comment after reviewing it," he said.
He also cited United Nations report highlighting Sheikh Hasina's human rights violations.
"Moreover, reports from two other international media outlets suggest she gave orders to commit killings," he said.
Regarding a Reuters interview in which Hasina reportedly mentioned boycotting elections if Awami League is not given the opportunity to contest, Shafiqul Alam said he did not see any issues.
"We have not seen any significant activity. Awami League is not active anywhere. There may be a couple of brief flash processions…and accordingly, some people might get a dollar or two, that's all," he said.
The press secretary also criticised the way claims made by Sheikh Hasina are being reported.
"Her claims should not appear uncontested. Local news media have reported that her party is making claims at the ICC [International Criminal Court], yet there is no mention of the severe human rights violations she committed. This is unfortunate," he said.
Shafiqul Alam further accused her of hiring the UK's most expensive law firms using stolen national funds and said some in the country are promoting these actions.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/hasinas-claims-should-not-appear-uncontested-4022351
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Yunus holds high-level meeting on election preparations
Oct 29, 2025
Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus today held a high-level meeting on election preparations at the State Guest House, Jamuna.
Top officials of Election Commission, different ministries, Bangladesh Army, Police, Rapid Action Battalion, among others were present at the meeting, CA Press Wing said in a statement.
A press briefing is scheduled for 4:00pm today at the Foreign Service Academy, likely to provide information on this issue.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/elections/news/yunus-holds-high-level-meeting-election-preparations-4022016
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UK Defence Data Leak Leaves Afghan Allies Unwarned and at Risk
By Fidel Rahmati
October 30, 2025
Several Afghan families who supported British troops were never informed their personal data was leaked by the UK Defence Ministry, putting their safety in danger.
Several Afghan families who worked with British forces were reportedly never informed about a major data leak from the UK Ministry of Defence that may have endangered their lives, The Telegraph reported Wednesday night. The breach allegedly included details of tens of thousands of Afghans seeking refuge under Britain’s relocation program.
According to the report, a British volunteer identified only as “Person A” said she repeatedly warned officials that the leaked list, accidentally uploaded online in April 2022 by a Royal Marine, contained names of 33,000 Afghan applicants. She said her appeals for disclosure and safety measures went unanswered.
UK authorities later confirmed that around 24,000 Afghan soldiers and their families had been privately assessed as eligible for evacuation to Britain. However, many remain stranded in Afghanistan or neighbouring countries, still awaiting safe passage more than two years after the fall of Kabul.
In an email to former Armed Forces Minister James Heappey in August 2023, Person A warned that Taliban members may have obtained the leaked data, placing thousands at immediate risk. “We were never told if our families were on the leaked list,” she said, describing the government’s silence as “a betrayal.”
The Taliban have long claimed access to confidential Western documents left behind after the 2021 withdrawal. Human-rights advocates told The BBC that several Afghans who cooperated with British forces were later hunted or killed, despite being promised protection through resettlement schemes.
In response, the Ministry of Defence said independent investigations concluded that inclusion on the leaked list “did not in itself create a direct security threat.” Officials insisted that protective assessments had been carried out and that security measures were reinforced following the breach.
Campaigners and refugee advocates, however, rejected the government’s assurances, saying the response has been slow and opaque. They urged London to expedite the relocation of eligible families and fully disclose who was affected by the data leak to prevent further loss of life.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/uk-defence-data-leak-leaves-afghan-allies-unwarned-and-at-risk/
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Kazakhstan Reports $336 Million Trade With Afghanistan, Plans Larger Food Exports
By Fidel Rahmati
October 29, 2025
Kazakhstan says trade with Afghanistan reached $336 million this year and plans to expand exports of wheat, flour and other essential food products.
Kazakhstan’s trade with Afghanistan reached $335.9 million in the first eight months of this year, Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Serik Zhumangarin said on Tuesday. He made the remarks during a meeting with Taliban Industry and Commerce Minister Nooruddin Azizi in Astana.
Trade between the two countries totalled $545.2 million in 2023, according to Zhumangarin. Despite declines in some areas, Kazakhstan recorded strong growth in key export sectors.
Exports of Kazakh wheat increased 2.9 times, while sunflower oil shipments rose 3.1 times, Astana-based media reported. Fuel products and truck exports also doubled over the same period.
Zhumangarin said Kazakhstan expects to export 9.6 million tonnes of wheat this year and is ready to expand shipments of grain, flour, rice and sugar to Afghanistan.
Afghanistan continues to rely heavily on Kazakhstan for staple food imports as domestic production struggles to meet demand during ongoing economic challenges.
The Taliban’s Industry and Commerce Ministry said on Monday that a new trade contract worth more than $360 million had been signed with Kazakhstan, signalling efforts to deepen commercial ties and secure food supplies.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/kazakhstan-reports-336-million-trade-with-afghanistan-plans-larger-food-exports/
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Eight Islamist parties demand July Charter referendum in November
29 Oct 2025
Eight Islamist parties have called for a referendum in November on implementing the July National Charter, alongside four other demands.
Speaking at a joint press conference at the National Press Club on Wednesday, the parties, including the Jamaat-e-Islami, warned that any delay in announcing a referendum date would push the February election into deeper uncertainty.
The parties have planned to submit a memorandum outlining their demands to the Election Commission on Thursday, and announce future programmes after a meeting on Nov 3.
Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar said the Consensus Commission’s report to the government had left the referendum timeline “unresolved”.
“They have not said anything specific. They only said the referendum could be held on election day or any time before. They have left it hanging, creating a critical situation. The ball is now in the government’s court,” he said.
He added that all eight parties had been clear in demanding a November referendum before the national election.
The five-point set of demands includes:
Immediate issuance of an order to implement the July National Charter, followed by a referendum on it within November
Introduction of proportional representation (PR) in both houses of parliament for the next national election
Ensuring a level playing field for a free, fair and credible election
Visible accountability for “atrocities, killings and corruption” by the “fascist government”
A ban on the activities of the Jatiya Party and the 14-party alliance, whom they labelled as “accomplices of autocracy”
Source: bdnews24.com
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https://bdnews24.com/politics/d0f961c6db72#google_vignette
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Arab World
Kingdom’s Seha Virtual Hospital confirms AI accuracy in heart disease diagnosis
October 29, 2025
The Seha Virtual Hospital, through its Digital Clinical Research Center, has successfully conducted a pioneering clinical study to verify the accuracy of the AI-powered digital platform iSelfie.ai in the early detection of heart disease and related chronic conditions.
The study included more than 1,000 participants and received approval from the Saudi Food and Drug Authority and the Research and Studies General Department, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
The clinical trial was conducted in collaboration with leading national medical institutions, highlighting the importance of partnerships in advancing medical research in the Kingdom.
The study’s primary goal was to verify the accuracy of the Canadian-developed iSelfie.ai platform, which uses artificial intelligence to analyze facial selfies taken with a standard smartphone camera.
Within seconds, it can measure vital signs such as blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation and respiratory rate.
The study’s results showed that the platform’s accuracy is comparable to traditional medical devices, positioning it as an innovative, rapid and cost-effective solution for early diagnosis.
This technology had previously achieved promising results in clinical trials conducted in the US, Canada and Brazil, the SPA reported.
The Digital Clinical Research Center, launched during the Global Health Exhibition last year, continues to conduct five pioneering digital studies involving artificial intelligence, wearable devices and telemedicine.
This initiative aligns with a strategic direction to accelerate treatment development, enhance research innovation and empower healthcare professionals with advanced tools, ultimately improving quality of life and patient safety in line with health transformation goals and Vision 2030.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2620733/saudi-arabia
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Saudi Arabia welcomes Syrian announcement recognizing Kosovo
October 29, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia welcomed an announcement made by Syria on Wednesday recognizing the state of Kosovo during a meeting in Riyadh.
Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa made the announcement during a joint meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Kosovan President Vjosa Osmani at Al-Yamamah Palace.
The Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry said that it looks forward to the recognition “contributing to the strengthening of cooperation between the two countries, thereby contributing to the prosperity of both nations and their peoples.”
The ministry also affirmed the Kingdom’s commitment to enhancing frameworks for international cooperation in a way that promotes peace and prosperity for all.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2620774/saudi-arabia
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Taradhi platform streamlines legal conciliation process
October 29, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Justice Walid Al-Samaani has launched the second version of the “Taradhi” platform, affiliated with the Conciliation Center, as part of the ministry’s efforts to enhance conciliation services in line with local and international best practices.
The updated platform aims to improve the efficiency of the conciliation system, enhance service quality, expedite procedures and simplify access, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
The new version introduces several upgrades that ensure high standards of quality, transparency and reliability within a secure digital environment, enhancing service delivery and user satisfaction.
The platform enables disputing parties and ministry or accredited conciliators to hold sessions in person or remotely through fully automated processes, from application submission to the issuance of conciliation agreements.
Agreements issued through the platform are legally enforceable and can be executed directly without court proceedings, offering a reliable and efficient method of dispute resolution.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2620785/saudi-arabia
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Saudi minister, Vietnam deputy PM discuss strengthening economic ties
October 29, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal Alibrahim met with Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung in Riyadh for talks, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the ninth Future Investment Initiative conference, which runs until Oct. 30.
The officials discussed ways to enhance economic, commercial, and investment cooperation, including in agriculture, infrastructure, technology, and energy.
In a separate meeting, Alibrahim held talks with International Finance Corp. Managing Director Makhtar Diop on the latest economic and financial developments in the Kingdom.
Alibrahim also met with World Economic Forum President and CEO Borge Brende to discuss ongoing collaboration, and recent global economic developments.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2620762/saudi-arabia
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Saudi crown prince receives Syrian president, Chinese VP in Riyadh
October 29, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa on Wednesday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Al-Sharaa spoke at the ninth Future Investment Initiative conference in Riyadh on Wednesday, where he also met Saudi ministers to discuss Syria’s economic recovery and partnerships in energy, investment and security.
The crown prince met Al-Sharaa during the FII9 and at Al-Yamama Palace.
He earlier met Han Zheng, vice president of China, at Al-Yamama Palace. The meeting centered on enhancing cooperation between Riyadh and Beijing, discussing regional developments and international issues, and the collaborative efforts of both countries, according to SPA.
Several Saudi ministers representing energy, sports, commerce, investment, transport, interior, foreign affairs, royal affairs and security affairs attended the meeting.
Saudi Ambassador to China Abdulrahman Al-Harbi and Chinese Ambassador to the Kingdom Chang Hua were also present, along with several Chinese officials from the transport, commerce and development sectors.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2620740/saudi-arabia
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KSrelief continues humanitarian work throughout the Middle East
October 29, 2025
RIYADH: The Saudi aid agency KSrelief is continuing its aid work in the Middle East, distributing food and shelter to those most in need in Syria and Gaza, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The agency provided 1,008 shelter kits on Monday to internally displaced people in Daraa, Syria.
It has also continued to distribute food aid to displaced and affected families in the Al-Zawaida area of central Gaza.
Meanwhile the KSrelief Masam Project continues to clear explosives in Yemen, most recently dismantling 805 devices during the last week of October, including 676 items of unexploded ordnance, 102 anti-tank mines, 25 anti-personnel mines, and two explosive devices.
Since the start of the project, 520,629 explosive devices have been cleared.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2620702/saudi-arabia
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/priests-temple-prayers-muslim-nominee-bihar/d/137449