Trump Role, ‘Rafale Losses’ To Muslims In India, What Countries Asked India’s Op Sindoor Delegations
New Age Islam News Bureau
06 June 2025
Images of delegations led by Baijayant Panda, Shashi Tharoor, Kanimozhi & Sanjay Jha | Photos: ANI
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· Trump Role, ‘Rafale Losses’ To Muslims In India, What Countries Asked India’s Op Sindoor Delegations
· Government of India Maintained A Studied Silence As Pakistan Set To Chair, Co-Chair UN Security Council Anti-Terror Panels
· Muslim Pilgrims ‘Stone The Devil’ As Hajj Nears End In Saudi Arabia
· UK Labour Muslims Say Islamophobia Not Taken Seriously By Party, Call For Sanctions On Israel
· Jihad: Its Veto Proves US Role In Supporting Israeli Gov't Crimes
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India
· ‘Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Algeria, and Kuwait See India As An Opportunity, Pakistan As The Problem Child’: Leader of the Delegation
· BRICS Must Intervene As Terror Infra Very Much Active In Pakistan, Says Speaker Of Parliament
· Central Portal For Waqf Properties, ‘UMEED’, To Be Launched Today
· ‘Pakistan Attacked Both Humanity And Kashmiriyat There’: PM Modi In J&K
· Eid al-Azha: Haryana Police To Intensify Social Media Monitoring, Deploy More Cops
· Delhi Government Issues Advisory Warning Against 'Illegal Sacrifice' Of Animals On Eid
· Muslim Groups Oppose Police Action Of Seizing Loudspeakers In Mosques
· 'Will Cut Hair With Razor': Indian-Origin Hindu Man Bhushan Athale Jailed In US For Violent Threats Against Sikhs
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Arab World
· Saudi Arabia Is Getting Creative And Everyone Has A Chance To Shine, Says Saudi Canadian Musician DJ Viva
· Pilgrims depart Muzdalifah at midnight for stoning ritual in Mina
· How AI tech innovation has elevated the Hajj 2025 pilgrimage experience
· From Arafat to Muzdalifah, 1.6m Hajj pilgrims continue their sacred journey
· Saudi authorities pump nearly 1 million cubic meters of water to serve Hajj pilgrims
· Guardians of the sacred: SRCA and university volunteers unite to shield pilgrims
· Arafat’s Namirah Mosque Equipped With Advanced Comfort Features For Pilgrims
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Europe
· Azerbaijan’s top Muslim leader announces plans to meet Pope Leo XIV during Vatican visit
· Why Zia Yusuf's resignation matters for Reform UK
· Eight injured on Ryanair flight hit by 'severe turbulence', police say
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Mideast
· Hamas, Islamic Jihad Affirm Resistance's Steadfastness In Defending Palestinian People
· Islamic Jihad: Targeting Journalists Continuation of Enemy's Approach to Committing War Crimes
· Al-Qassam Brigades target Israeli enemy gatherings near "Umm Habiba" Mosque in Khan Younis
· Yemen President Al-Mashat Congratulates Arab & Islamic Leaders On Eid Al-Adha Occasion
· WHO urges ‘urgent protection’ of key Gaza hospitals
· Media groups urge Israel to allow Gaza access for foreign journalists
· Netanyahu says Israel has ‘activated’ some Palestinian clans opposed to Hamas
· Syria ‘will give UN inspectors immediate access to suspected former nuclear sites’
· Residents of south Beirut suburbs flee Israeli warnings, strikes on Hezbollah factories
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North America
· CAIR Welcomes South Carolina County’s New Hate Crime Ordinance
· US Sanctions International Criminal Court Judges
· Muslim Community In Atlanta Condemns Trump’s New Travel Ban
· As school districts hold graduation on Eid al-Adha, Muslim group calls for more inclusivity
· Judge temporarily blocks Trump's ban on foreign Harvard students
· Trump confirms China trip after 'very good' call with Xi
· US on track for biggest nuclear arms spending hike since Cold War – disarmament activists
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South Asia
· New E-Governance Tools Signed into Action by Islamic Emirate Ministers
· President Dr Muizzu extends Eid al-Adha felicitations to the leaders of Islamic countries
· Can't afford another lost decade for education
· BNP issues warnings to Bulu, Dudu over controversial remarks
· Farah Governor Signs Agricultural and Infrastructure Agreements with Iran
· Over 1000 Afghan Migrant Families Return Home
· 10 million in Afghanistan need Emergency Food Aid to Survive: WFP
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Africa
· Eid-el-Kabir: Yahaya Bello Urges Nigerians To Embrace Unity, Compassion
· MURIC accuses FG of religious bias over free train rides
· Sallah: Akpabio celebrates Muslims, urges peace, patience
· Muslims mark Day of Arafat on the second day of Hadj in Saudi Arabia
· Nigerian Army Kill Several Boko Haram/ISWAP Terrorists In Borno
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Southeast Asia
· Penang's Indian Muslim housing discount sparks lawyer's ire
· DPM Zahid urges Muslims to embrace day of Arafah blessings
· Major highways clear ahead of Aidiladha, heavy traffic expected later, says Malaysian Highway Authority
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/trump-muslims-india-sindoor-delegations/d/135800
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Trump Role, ‘Rafale Losses’ To Muslims In India, What Countries Asked India’s Op Sindoor Delegations
SHANKER ARNIMESH
06 June, 2025
Images of delegations led by Baijayant Panda, Shashi Tharoor, Kanimozhi & Sanjay Jha | Photos: ANI
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New Delhi: In the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, seven all-party delegations visited several countries to convey India’s message against cross-border terrorism. Key questions raised by countries visited by the delegations have been related to US President Donald Trump’s role in the India-Pakistan ceasefire, the number of fighter jets India lost in the military face-off, the status of Muslims in India, the western narrative portraying India and Pakistan as equally responsible, the potential use of nuclear weapon, and Pakistan’s inclusion in the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list.
The most challenging outing was in Malaysia, where Pakistan tried to invoke “Islamic solidarity” to undermine India’s outreach. While the Indian delegation was in Kuala Lumpur, the Pakistani embassy reportedly urged Malaysian officials to cancel the delegation’s programmes. Malaysia, however, reportedly refused to entertain Pakistan’s request.
BJP MP Brij Lal, who was part of the Sanjay Jha-led delegation that visited Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, said to ThePrint, “Pakistan tried to scuttle our mission. The Malaysian embassy was very active and questioned why we were making the trip. We told them, ‘Pakistan is your friend, but you must distinguish between perpetrator and defender’.”
“We told them they are free to keep their friendship with Pakistan, but should remember what Zulfikar Ali Bhutto said in 1965—that Pakistan would wage a ‘thousand-year war’ against India. That reflects the mindset of their leadership and military. Even General Zia-ul-Haq had repeated that statement. We also reminded them of (Pakistani Army chief) Asim Munir’s remark a week before the Pahalgam attack,” he added.
Sanjay Jha, who led the delegation, said, “Indonesia’s stand was more supportive, as they share Indian culture despite having the world’s largest Muslim population…. We told them that Pakistan keeps bringing resolutions against India in the OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation). Since we are not a part of the OIC, we asked them to also consider our point of view before entertaining such resolutions. Indonesia agreed to this, but Malaysia made no such commitment. We sensed a slight tilt in Malaysia’s position towards Pakistan.”
Another challenging visit was in Colombia, where the nation initially condoled the deaths of Pakistanis in India’s strike during the Indian delegation’s visit. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor’s delegation met Colombia’s vice-minister of foreign affairs and presented a detailed timeline. Their discussions led Colombia to withdraw its statement supporting Pakistan. This was significant as Colombia is set to become a member of the UN Security Council starting 1 January, 2026, making its stance very important for India.
Speaking to ThePrint on condition of anonymity, a member of Tharoor’s delegation said, “Since Colombia has been a victim of terrorism, they understood India’s position after the initial goof-up. The problem in many countries is that they lack understanding of India’s perspective and tend to treat India and Pakistan on par in the ongoing tensions.”
BJP MP Baijayant Panda, who led the delegations to the Muslim-majority nations of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Algeria, and Kuwait, was asked a range of questions during his visits—from President Trump’s role in announcing the ceasefire, to India’s economic trajectory and the status of Muslims in the country, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir.
BJP national vice-president Baijayant Panda told ThePrint, “Since all these countries have suffered from terrorism at some point—Saudi Arabia, for instance, was a victim of Al-Qaeda, with bombings in Riyadh in 2003—we didn’t have to convince them. They shared our concerns. Most of these countries have dealt firmly with jihadi elements. We argued for keeping Pakistan on the FATF grey list and presented facts showing that when Pakistan was under grey list monitoring, terrorist activity and cross-border terrorism had reduced.”
In October 2022, Pakistan was removed from the FATF Grey List, which includes countries with strategic deficiencies in their anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing regimes.
On questions being raised about Trump’s role in mediation between India and Pakistan during the recent conflict, Panda said, “We categorically stated that during such escalations, many countries offer suggestions or make phone calls—just as we did during the Russia-Ukraine war. That doesn’t mean we were mediating. The India-Pakistan issue is a bilateral one, and we agreed to a ceasefire only after Pakistan’s DGMO reached out to us.”
Panda shared that AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi and Democratic Progressive Azad Party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who were also part of the delegation led by him, “very emphatically” conveyed India’s position on terrorism and highlighted how Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir have suffered due to Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.
During an interaction in Bahrain, Owaisi said, “Quran has categorically stated that killing of one innocent person, Quran has not said the killing of one innocent Muslim, it says the killing of one innocent person is like killing of whole humankind. Islam has condemned terrorism. Pakistan has used religion to justify killing of people. There is no difference between these terrorists and ISIS.”
He added that Pakistan has become the epicentre of “takfirism”—the practice of accusing fellow Muslims of apostasy.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, known for his strong Hindutva stance, defended the situation of Muslims in India when questioned during a delegation visit. “With all clarity, we are articulating who is treating minorities how in their countries. After independence, India’s Muslim population was around 9-10 percent. Now it is about 20 percent. On the other hand, the Hindu population in Pakistan was 13 percent and is now just 1 percent. So, it is Pakistan that is treating its minorities badly, and also impacting India through terror. We have been able to communicate this as well,” he said during the visit.
Panda said, “Nishikant Dubey ji might have tweeted to address his domestic constituency during the trip, but during the outreach mission, all members spoke for India and showcased the country’s religious and cultural diversity.”
Even Ghulam Nabi Azad, who fell ill during the trip, said, “When the Pahalgam terror attack happened, Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir came out onto the roads to show solidarity with the victims.”
Questions about Rafale performance, India’s economy
Samajwadi Party MP Rajeev Rai, part of DMK MP Kanimozhi’s delegation to Greece, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, and Latvia, told ThePrint, “One suggestion during the visit was to continue the ceasefire and hold talks with Pakistan. I intervened and said, ‘We hear your suggestion. India has a democratically elected government with a prime minister, but in Pakistan, the army controls the civilian government, which acts like a puppet. Let us know whom to talk to. Pakistan has the biggest gang of terrorists’.”
“I also raised the point that before Munir, only one other Pakistani officer was promoted to the rank of Field Marshal by a civilian government despite military losses,” he said.
In Spain, the delegation was questioned about the situation of the Muslim population in Jammu and Kashmir. “We briefed them on the successful elections, the presence of a civilian government, and how the people of Jammu and Kashmir showed solidarity after the terror attack,” said Rai.
Greece asked about the Rafale fighter jets and whether any had been shot down by Pakistan. “Their interest was in understanding Rafale’s performance and technical details. We assumed they were seeking feedback for a purchase,” he added.
In Japan and Korea, according to Brij Lal, the delegation was questioned about the precision of India’s operation. “We explained that our technological advances allowed us to carry out the strike without harming civilians. It targeted only terrorist camps and their airbases, completed with precision in 22 minutes. We emphasised that India is a peace-loving country and cited the example of the IC 814 hijacking, which had Abdul Rauf Azhar (younger brother of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar) behind it. India retaliated by eliminating 10 members of his family to send a strong message.”
With India’s economy reaching fourth place, overtaking Japan, the Indian delegation was asked about the country’s economic performance. “We said, within 2 years, we will surpass Germany’s economy, too, reflecting India’s focus on development and peaceful coexistence,” said Brij Lal.
He added that the question of a possible nuclear conflict and escalation also came up. “We categorically stated that India follows a no-first-use nuclear policy and firmly stands by it,” he said.
Outcomes shared with Jaishankar
The outreach delegations on Operation Sindoor led by Sanjay Jha and Kanimozhi met External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar Thursday to brief him on the outcomes of their visits. Baijayant Panda’s delegation had met the minister earlier to apprise him of their results.
AAP MP Ashok Kumar Mittal, part of Kanimozhi’s delegation said, “After returning today, we met External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar. He wanted to know the response in the five countries we visited. We told him about it. Wherever we went, they appreciated the steps taken by India against terrorism…External Affairs Minister said he will talk to the Prime Minister about all our feedback and inform him on the matter.”
According to SP’s Rajeev Rai, the delegation told Jaishankar that “A few countries complained that our bilateral parliamentary forum is not functioning effectively. It should be regularised to allow regular exchange of views and to strengthen our mutual relationship—not just during times of crisis.”
Former Union minister S.S. Ahluwalia, who was part of the delegation led by Shiv Sena leader Shrikant Shinde—to UAE, UAE, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Congo—said to ThePrint “Our mission was to present India’s viewpoint to the world. Many questions were asked about the ceasefire, our measured response, and Trump’s role. We reminded the countries how India has suffered from Pakistan-sponsored terrorism even during former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure, despite his best efforts. Vajpayee used to say that Pakistan is our neighbour because of geography and we cannot change that, but we can bring about a change and make Pakistan our friend.”
“So, during the Lahore Declaration, he travelled to Lahore by bus. But what happened after that? Kargil happened… Time and again, we try to reach a settlement and send a message of peace, but Pakistan always betrays us. Pakistan does not engage in a conventional war with us but engages in terrorism because it wants to weaken us,” he said.
Ahluwalia was part of the PA Sangma-led delegation to Brussels, seeking the European Union’s support, following the 2001 Parliament attack.
Source: theprint.in
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https://theprint.in/diplomacy/trump-role-rafale-losses-to-muslims-in-india-what-countries-asked-indias-op-sindoor-delegations/2648645/
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Government of India Maintained A Studied Silence As Pakistan Set To Chair, Co-Chair UN Security Council Anti-Terror Panels
Anita Joshua
06.06.25
Representational image
Sourced by the Telegraph
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The government on Thursday maintained a studied silence on Pakistan being appointed co-chair of the United Nations Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee and chair of the Taliban Sanctions Committee, with the Congress describing the development as a "sad story of our own foreign policy collapse".
The BJP opted not to rise to the bait but the irony of the development was not lost on anyone, particularly as it comes close on the heels of the government’s all-party outreach to 33 nations — many of them permanent and non-permanent members of the UNSC — to mobilise opinion against Pakistan and its use of terrorism as state policy.
In the middle of this, the government was hit with a statement from Moscow that quoted US President Donald Trump as telling Russian President Vladimir Putin that he had intervened to resolve the military dispute between India and Pakistan, a claim the American has made multiple times.
"They also touched upon the Middle East and the armed conflict between India and Pakistan, which was stopped with the personal participation of President Trump," the Russian news agency TASS quoted from Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov’s briefing on the Trump-Putin telephone conversation.
Trump has claimed many times in the past month that the US brokered the "ceasefire", adding on some occasions that he had leveraged trade to get the two warring countries to stop firing at each other.
Indian external affairs ministry sources sought to play down Pakistan’s UNSC appointments, underlining that the neighbour had been selected for the two chairs as it is a non-permanent member of the committee.
All the existing committees and working groups are made up of the 15 members of the UNSC. The committees and working groups are chaired or co-chaired by designated members of the UNSC, who are announced on an annual basis by a note of the president of the council.
The presidency of the council rotates monthly.
No explanation was forthcoming on why other member countries did not stall Pakistan’s selection for these positions, that too so close to India’s political outreach. Nor was there any clarity on whether India planned to protest the decision, which many see as an affront to New Delhi’s efforts to isolate Pakistan for its sponsorship
of terrorism.
The seven outreach teams have visited 12 of the 15 countries which are either permanent or non-permanent members of the UNSC. The three UNSC member countries that these delegations did not visit were China, Pakistan and Somalia.
Congress leader Pawan Khera posted on X: “Of course, this is the sad story of our own foreign policy collapse, but how can the global community allow this continuous legitimisation of sponsorship of terrorism by Pakistan?”
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge urged the world on behalf of the party to “understand and support India’s stand on terrorism emanating from Pakistan”.
Stating that India and Pakistan should not be hyphenated, he said the International Monetary Fund, Asian Development Bank and the World Bank deciding to sanction loans and bailout packages would only increase Pakistan’s military expenditure, “which its rogue army uses to unleash terror on Indians”.
Kharge described the developments within the UNSC as “most unfortunate, ill-informed and unacceptable”, adding that the international community must see merit in India’s case that Pakistan should be included back in the Financial Action Task Force Grey List for monitoring its terror financing.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/modi-government-silent-as-pakistan-to-chair-co-chair-united-nations-security-council-panels-prnt/cid/2106364
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Muslim pilgrims ‘stone the devil’ as Hajj nears end in Saudi Arabia
June 06, 2025
Muslim pilgrims perform the symbolic ‘stoning of the devil’ ritual as part of the Hajj pilgrimage in Mina on June 6, 2025. (AFP)
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MINA, Saudi Arabia: Pilgrims were performing the last major ritual of the Hajj – the “stoning of the devil” – on Friday, as Muslims around the globe celebrated the beginning of the Eid Al-Adha holiday.
Starting before daybreak, the more than 1.6 million Muslims taking part in the pilgrimage threw seven stones at each of three concrete walls symbolizing the devil in the Mina valley, on the outskirts of the holy city of Makkah.
Droves of pilgrims had already set out of their camps and accommodations in the sprawling tent city in Mina before dawn, taking advantage of the shade and cool temperature.
The ritual commemorates Abraham’s stoning of the devil at the three spots where it is said Satan tried to dissuade him from obeying God’s order to sacrifice his son.
GALLERY: Hajj 2025: Muslims ‘stone the devil’ as pilgrimage nears end
“Our experience in Mina was easy and simple. We entered and within five minutes we had completed the stoning of the devil at the ‘Jamarat’,” said 34-year-old Wael Ahmed Abdel Kader, from Egypt, after carrying out the ritual at dawn.
Howakita, a pilgrim from Guinea, said the prospect of celebrating Eid in Makkah filled her with joy.
“When I threw the stones I felt at ease. I was truly proud,” she said.
A day earlier, pilgrims converged on Mount Arafat, praying and reciting Qur'anic verses at the 70-meter rocky rise near Makkah, where the Prophet Mohammed is believed to have given his last sermon.
Many climbed the mount despite the searing heat, though numbers had thinned by midday following official warnings for pilgrims to stay inside between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
This year’s Hajj saw authorities implementing a range of heat mitigation efforts alongside a wide-ranging crackdown on illicit pilgrims – resulting in noticeably thinner crowds and a heavy security presence at holy sites in Makkah and surrounding areas.
The measures were aimed at preventing a fatal repeat of last year’s Hajj that saw 1,301 people die in temperatures that hit 51.8 degrees Celsius (125 degrees Fahrenheit).
Saudi authorities said a majority of those deaths were among pilgrims who illegally snuck into Makkah and lacked access to accommodation and other services aimed to keep pilgrims safe and protected from the searing desert heat.
This Hajj season has recorded the lowest number of pilgrims in over three decades, barring the years of COVID-19 restrictions from 2020-2022.
Last year, 1.8 million Muslims took part in the Hajj, according to official figures.
Hajj permits are allocated to countries on a quota basis and distributed to individuals by a lottery system.
The end of the Hajj coincides with the beginning of Eid Al-Adha – an annual feasting holiday marked by the slaughter of an animal – typically a goat, sheep, cow, bull or camel.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2603580/saudi-arabia
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UK Labour Muslims say Islamophobia not taken seriously by party, call for sanctions on Israel
05 June, 2025
Israel's war on Gaza, and the broader issue of Palestine, has revealed huge fractures within the Labour Party [TNA]
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A landmark survey of Muslim representatives in the UK Labour Party has revealed widespread dissatisfaction with the party’s position on Israel's war on Gaza , as well as significant concerns about Islamophobia within the party itself.
The survey, conducted by the Labour Muslim Network (LMN) between 2 April and 16 May, is the first of its kind. It received responses from 221 out of 477 eligible Muslim elected officials within the Labour Party, including MPs, councillors, and mayors.
The findings show that 77 percent of respondents believe the UK government should end all arms exports to Israel. An even greater proportion, 84 percent, said they support imposing sanctions on the Israeli government. Almost all - 97 percent - said they support the immediate recognition of the state of Palestine.
The results reflect mounting frustration with Labour leader Keir Starmer's handling of Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza, which began in October 2023.
Since the war began, Starmer and senior Labour ministers have emphasised Israel's "right to self-defence" and resisted calls for stronger action against Tel Aviv.
Starmer caused particular controversy in the early weeks of the war when he told LBC radio that he believed Israel had the right to withhold power and water from Gaza. He later claimed his comments were misinterpreted and said he had only intended to affirm Israel's right to security.
In recent weeks, Starmer has taken a slightly firmer stance on Israel. Last month, the Labour Party suspended free trade talks with Israel and imposed sanctions on settler leaders.
On Wednesday, Starmer told Parliament he would consider taking further action in response to Israel’s actions in Gaza. However, unlike Spain, Ireland, and Norway, the UK has yet to recognise Palestine as a state.
The LMN survey also found that 58 percent of Muslim Labour representatives believe the party had failed to represent British Muslims adequately.
A further 66 percent said they did not believe Muslim representatives were treated equally within the party. One-third of respondents said they had personally experienced Islamophobia.
When asked about how the party addresses Islamophobia, more than half of respondents said they did not believe Labour takes the issue seriously.
In a statement shared with The Guardian, the Labour Muslim Network said: "Our Labour Party cannot credibly claim to be an anti-racist movement while ignoring the testimonies and experiences of its own Muslim elected officials."
In response, the Labour Party said: "We are the party of equality and we take any complaints of discrimination, including Islamophobia, seriously. All complaints are assessed in line with our complaints policies and procedures through our independent complaints system."
Source: newarab.com
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https://www.newarab.com/news/uk-labour-muslims-urge-action-govt-islamophobia-gaza-war
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Jihad: Its veto proves US role in supporting Israeli gov't crimes
05 Jun 2025
The Islamic Jihad Movement stated that the US administration's use of its veto power in the Security Council to defeat a draft resolution calling for an end to the aggression on the Gaza Strip confirms that it is sponsoring the crimes perpetrated by the government of war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu.
In a press release, Islamic Jihad emphasized that the US veto confirms that it is a de facto partner in the barbaric genocide and war crimes committed by the Israeli enemy army in the Gaza Strip.
It added that "the practices and positions of the Donald Trump administration are essentially no different from those of the previous administration, and are directed at all regimes that continue to rely on US administrations that seize Arab funds without regard for Arab dignity, and fund the criminal entity with weapons, equipment, ammunition, and mercenaries, providing it with political cover to continue its crimes."
Source: saba.ye
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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3494154.htm
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India
‘Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Algeria, and Kuwait See India As An Opportunity, Pakistan As The Problem Child’: Leader of the Delegation
Jun 6, 2025
MANOJ C.G
BJP MP Baijayant Panda returned to the country after leading an all-party delegation to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Algeria, and Kuwait to put forward the government’s stand on the Pahalgam terror attack, Operation Sindoor, and the terror emanating from Pakistan.
In an interview, he speaks about the discussions the delegation had in these Islamic countries, India-Pakistan hyphenation on the global stage, and reactions from back home. Excerpts:
* You led the all-party delegation to four countries that are part of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Were there any surprises with regard to their responses?
The surprises were only pleasant … These countries are literally in Pakistan’s backyard and being Islamic nations, Pakistan has cultivated them over decades. However, two things go in the other direction.
One, these nations have had historical and civilisational ties with India, which they truly value … When we spoke of India not having invaded other countries, they were already aware. They talk with pride about how their grandfathers were dependent on India in the pre-oil era and spoke about how they used Indian currency till the 1960s.
Secondly, the last decade has seen a dramatic turnaround. All of them spoke respectfully and fondly of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and had a positive impression. He has worked towards it and visited these countries multiple times, during which he has developed a rapport with some of their top leadership. Some of these countries have bestowed their highest honours on our PM.
Third is India’s renewed trajectory as one of the global economic engines. Lastly, over the last few years, not only trade and investments but even military cooperation with these countries has gone up. There are military agreements with Saudi Arabia and joint military exercises have happened over the last couple of years. Also, discussions on intelligence sharing are underway.
All these things went in our favour. Moreover, these countries understand Pakistan very well and have been on the receiving end of terrorism. So, it was a bit surprising for us that we found ourselves on the same page as them even before we put our points across.
* What about the OIC? It has not taken a strong position …
That in itself is a good sign as the OIC in the past has been completely one-sided. Now, some of the member nations of the OIC are in the UN Security Council and a few others are a part of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Some nations have been party to proscribing terrorists and terror organisations that operate in Pakistan and some member nations have said the OIC must take up a path of deradicalising some of these countries.
The trajectories of these countries and Pakistan have diverged over the last two decades … All these countries are reforming and are now very strictly against radicalisation, and do not allow jihadi elements to use their soil but Pakistan has taken a different direction. Pakistan has also taken funding from some of these countries and not used it for the right purpose.
* Who did you meet in these countries?
The meetings were at the government level, Deputy PM level. Some of these countries have bicameral representative bodies, while some are unicameral. Some meetings were at the chairman level, which is equivalent to our Speaker or Vice President. Then, we held meetings with think-tanks. Some of them are very impressive.
* What type of questions was your delegation asked? Did Kashmir come up?
Everybody understands the Kashmir issue and knows that many portrayals of India are inaccurate. For instance, if you look at minorities, they understand that their percentage in India has grown. Minorities in India are not looking to make a dash to the exit door, unlike in neighbouring countries where they have been decimated.
The paradigm has been the same for years. Pakistan has a set copybook that they will send proxy terrorists across the border, execute an attack, and immediately claim innocence. They have done it repeatedly: Mumbai, Pulwama, everywhere. Six months later, they get caught and acknowledge it but do not take any action.
If India retaliates, they scream bloody murder and try to get the world involved. They also resort to nuclear blackmail, while we have made it clear that we do not want hostilities. In fact, Pakistan provokes hostilities with a terrorist attack, but we do not want escalations either. These are nuances which were discussed a lot. I would not say they were tough questions. They were very cooperative as the countries have taken similar actions against terrorists.
* Much is being talked about the India-Pakistan hyphenation…
Somebody is either misreading the situation or some people are trying to misrepresent it. It is clear that India is an opportunity and Pakistan is the problem child.
At least in the Gulf countries, Algeria, and West Asia, they do not see India and Pakistan as hyphenated. They told us that India and Pakistan are in different orbits. Maybe some other countries have different interests, but these countries see Pakistan as exploitative, while they view India as an opportunity.
* While the delegations were abroad, political differences emerged back home with the Congress slamming the government. Did this come up in your discussions?
Not at all. The leaders we met have high regard for our PM and high respect for India. They have pinned hopes on India as an economic and military partner. All countries repeatedly told us that they want to increase economic and military cooperation.
This (contrarian) narrative has come only from two or three individuals. I will not blame the Congress entirely as several of its members were a part of the delegations. It all boils down to the same three or four individuals. They are so frustrated that they stoop to the extent of taking a stand against India’s foreign policy in the garb of attacking the PM. It was not at all reflective of our engagement and experience in the four countries.
* Were there any questions on the future of the Indus Waters Treaty?
We specifically explained to them the situation we are in and how we have been in this deja vu situation.
Pakistan started cross-border terrorism from October 1947, right after Partition. We explained that we tried everything: treaties, initiatives, bus diplomacy, PM Modi inviting them to India and going there for weddings, cultural diplomacy, cricket diplomacy, and Bollywood. But nothing has worked. We also told them that Pakistan keeps violating understandings like the Simla Agreement.
One of the key aspects was to explain to them our new normal and as a country we have taken a different approach over the last few years. We will target terrorist bases and not escalate unless you do and we will never go to the nuclear threshold.
The next move will be economic sanctions and not just water. They will involve trade, shipping, and visas. We also explained that these sanctions are not intended to be permanent and are only intended to push Pakistan into changing its policies.
We made it clear, whether it is water or trade, we have made concessions in the past with magnanimity, but they have not worked. Now, Pakistan has to take action against the terrorists, who openly operate from its soil.
Source: indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/muslim-countries-see-india-opportunity-pakistan-problem-child-baijayant-panda-10049946/
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BRICS Must Intervene As Terror Infra Very Much Active In Pakistan, Says Speaker Of Parliament
06 Jun 2025
NEW DELHI: In a sharp rebuke to the BRICS Parliamentary Forum, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla accused Pakistan of failing to dismantle terror networks operating from its soil, while defending India’s recent counter-terror operations.
“Pakistan has failed to take concrete action against the terrorist infrastructure operating from its territory,” Birla said during a bilateral meeting with the President of the Federal Senate of Brazil, Davi Alcolumbre.
Referring to the recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, Birla said: “The recent terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir, India, in which 26 innocent civilians were brutally killed, has shaken not only India but also the conscience of the entire world.” He added that India had exercised “its right to respond, to prevent such cross-border attacks in the future, and to defend itself.”
On Operation Sindoor, he stressed, “These steps were measured, non-provocative, proportionate, and responsible. Their sole objective was to destroy terrorist infrastructure and neutralise the capabilities of terrorists.”
He reaffirmed India’s stance: “Today’s India is firmly committed to a policy of zero tolerance towards all forms of terrorism and gives a strong response to every terrorist attack.”
Birla also praised the longstanding partnership between India and Brazil, describing the bilateral relationship as rooted in “shared democratic values, peace, cooperation, sustainable development, and common objectives.”
On the sidelines of the BRICS Forum, Birla held a separate meeting with Hugo Motta, President of the Chamber of Deputies of Brazil. He called for deeper cooperation in future-facing sectors.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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Central Portal For Waqf Properties, ‘UMEED’, To Be Launched Today
Jun 6, 2025
NEW DELHI: Ahead of the launch of ‘UMEED’ Central Portal that will start the process of building a fresh database of all Waqf properties, minority affairs minister Kiren Rijiju has stressed that the portal in no way violates the law or the Constitution.
The minister was reacting to questions regarding All India Muslim Personal Law Board's statement that it will challenge the legal validity of the portal in Supreme Court where Waqf Amendment Act 2025 is under scrutiny owing to petitions filed against its provisions.
Speaking on the sidelines of a programme to mark World Environment Day at the Central Waqf Council in Saket on Thursday, Rijiju pointed out that there was no stay on the law, with the portal being the first crucial step for improving waqf management in India.
“The country runs on the basis of the law and the Constitution, not on the basis of what they (AIMPLB) say. Those opposing the law are doing so due to political reasons or because they are unaware of its purpose. They will eventually regret their stance and come round when they see positive outcomes,” he said.
“After the launch of the portal all waqf properties across the country will be registered on this centralised platform. I am going to appeal to state govts and state waqf boards to register and upload details of properties as a first step towards proper management. We want that the over 9 lakh waqf properties are managed and used properly. Accountability, efficiency and transparency are the core principles defining the process,” he added.
Significantly, only waqf properties, including those in the ‘waqf by user’ category, existing prior to Waqf Amendment Act 2025’s coming into force on April 8 that are registered with state waqf boards as per norms laid out in the 1995 Act will be able to upload their information on the Central Portal. The officials at the ministry of minority affairs said asserting that this will help weed out the possibility of bogus entries into the database.
For existing waqf properties, the status has to be uploaded within six months of the portal’s launch. For new properties seeking waqf status, the process laid out under the new law will apply.
For uploading details on the portal, the mutawalli (caretaker) will serve as the ‘maker’, entering property details, including registration document details. A Waqf Board official will function as the ‘checker’, reviewing and validating entries. Finally, a designated ‘govt authority’ will act as the ‘approver’, ensuring full verification before records are finalised.
Source: indiatimes.com
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‘Pakistan Attacked Both Humanity And Kashmiriyat There’: PM Modi In J&K
Jun 6, 2025
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated several infrastructure projects in Jammu and Kashmir worth approximately Rs 44,000 crore.
The key projects included the Anji bridge and the Chenab bridge. PM Modi also flagged off two Vande Bharat Express trains between Katra and Srinagar, enhancing rail connectivity to the Kashmir Valley.
He first inaugurated the Chenab bridge, the world’s highest railway arch bridge, which stands 359 metres above the riverbed in Reasi district. Waving the national flag, the Prime Minister called the bridge a symbol of engineering achievement. Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha, chief minister Omar Abdullah, and railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw were present.
PM Modi also inaugurated the Anji bridge, India’s first cable-stayed rail bridge. Both structures are part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), which connects Kashmir to the rest of India by rail for the first time.
Later, PM Modi also flagged off two Vande Bharat Express trains from Katra railway station to Srinagar. Before departure, he interacted with school student and railway staff onboard.
The new trains are expected to reduce travel time between Katra and Srinagar from 6–7 hours to about 3 hours. “These trains have been specially designed to operate in the cold climatic conditions of the Kashmir Valley,” officials said. The route covers both the Anji and Chenab bridges.
The Chenab railway bridge, part of the Katra-Sangaldan section, is a 1,315-metre-long steel arch built to withstand seismic activity and strong winds. The USBRL project faced several technical challenges due to the region's terrain and weather conditions.
The completed USBRL project spans 272 km and was built at a cost of around Rs 43,780 crore. It includes 36 tunnels totalling 119 km and 943 bridges, enabling all-weather rail connectivity between Kashmir and the rest of the country.
“The project establishes seamless rail connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of the country, aiming to transform regional mobility and improve socio-economic integration,” officials said.
Here are top quotes from PM Modi's speech:
“Our neighbouring country opposes peace, tourism, and even the livelihood of the poor. What happened in Pahalgam on April 22 is a clear example. Pakistan attacked both humanity and Kashmiriyat there.”
“Their intent was to stop Kashmir’s income and create riots in India. The growing tourism, which supports the poor families of J&K, was targeted by Pakistan.”
Source: indiatimes.com
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Eid al-Azha: Haryana Police To Intensify Social Media Monitoring, Deploy More Cops
Jun 6, 2025
The Haryana police have issued guidelines to maintain law and order across the state in view of the Eid al-Azha (Bakrid) festival, which will be celebrated on June 6 or 7, depending on the visibility of the crescent moon.
State police headquarters has instructed all police commissioners, superintendents of police, and field units to remain vigilant and ensure communal harmony.
Shatrujeet Kapur, Director-General of Police, Haryana, has issued detailed instructions to all the district police chiefs to initiate steps for maintaining law and order and communal harmony during the festival. The district police chiefs are instructed to monitor social media posts and take stern action against anyone posting inflammatory content or any other content violative of the law.
Shatrujeet Kapur emphasised that “maintaining peace, law, and order in the state is of utmost priority, and officers have been directed to ensure a harmonious atmosphere at all costs”.
The DGP’s office has directed that “meetings with peace committees be held at the district level and that advance monitoring of the law and order situation be ensured. It must be ensured that no untoward incident occurs during the festival”.
The order further states that “special attention must be paid to the activities of anti-social elements and individuals who may attempt to disturb communal harmony. All sensitive areas should be identified, and special security arrangements must be ensured there”.
“Instructions have been given for adequate deployment of police personnel and for setting up checkpoints at religious places and sensitive areas to ensure swift response in case of any emergency. All intelligence units across the state have been instructed to remain active and provide timely, accurate, and effective inputs so that police forces can take prompt action. During the festival, monitoring of social media platforms will be intensified. Strict legal action will be taken against those posting inflammatory content or violating the law,” the order issued by the DGP’s office read.
“Senior officers deployed in the field have been instructed to brief the police force properly before deployment and to personally supervise the situation on the ground. It must also be ensured by the officers that all instructions are fully complied with,” a police spokesperson said in a statement.
Source: indianexpress.com
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Delhi government issues advisory warning against 'illegal sacrifice' of animals on Eid
05.06.25
The Delhi government on Thursday issued an advisory warning against "illegal sacrifice" of cows, calves, camels, and other prohibited animals on Eid-ul-Azha tomorrow.
The advisory features a ban on taking or sharing photos and videos of the sacrifice rituals on social media platforms.
It mandates that all sacrificial rituals must occur exclusively at designated locations, explicitly prohibits sacrifices on roadsides, streets, or any public spaces.
Development Minister Kapil Mishra said the strictures were a matter of protecting "our cultural and environmental heritage, of which animal welfare is an integral part." "We will not tolerate any illegal sacrifices or cruelty during the festival celebration. Strict compliance with the advisory is non-negotiable, and violators will face immediate action from the law enforcement agencies," he said, according to a statement.
The advisory cites existing laws, including the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, Transport of Animals Rules, 1978, Slaughter House Rules, 2001, and the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, as a legal recourse to its strictures.
Rule 3 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Slaughter House) Rules, 2001, prohibits slaughter outside designated slaughterhouses, especially for animals that are pregnant, have offspring less than three months old, or are uncertified by a veterinary doctor.
The Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011, further classify camels as non-food animals, making their slaughter illegal.
The Delhi Agricultural Cattle Preservation Act, 1994, also strictly prohibits the slaughter of cows in Delhi.
The advisory has been forwarded to the Secretary-cum-Commissioner (Development), as well as the DMs, DCPs, Commissioner (MCD), and other authorities, with instructions to enforce animal welfare laws rigorously, the statement read.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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Muslim groups oppose police action of seizing loudspeakers in mosques
Jun 6, 2025
Mumbai: Muslim groups are accusing Mumbai police of excessive action against use of loudspeakers for azaan. After several mosque managements complained about notices and the forcible removal of loudspeakers, community leaders have held a series of meetings in the city.
Sakinaka-based Masjid Ajmeri and Madrassa Ali Hassan Ahle Sunnat held a meeting attended by Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad and MLAs Amin Patel and Aslam Shaikh.
"The cops cite the Bombay High Court order of January this year to crack down on religious places that violate the decibel limit of noise, but the police are acting selectively. They are removing loudspeakers and threatening to remove them even without verifying if the mosques are adhering to the permitted decibel level," said Sakinaka mosque and madrassa trustee Abul Hasan Khan.
The permitted decibel limit is 55 during the daytime and 45 at night. On Thursday, a delegation led by Samajwadi Party state chief and MLA Abu Asim Azmi met police commissioner Deven Bharti and complained about the alleged police harassment. They named BJP functionary and former MP Kirit Somaiya as an instigator.
"Mosque trustees complain that Kirit Somaiya puts pressure on police to remove loudspeakers. While we are telling mosques to follow the decibel limit for azaan, a jobless BJP politician is trying to spoil the communal harmony in the city," said Samajwadi Party leader Yusuf Abrahni, who was also part of the delegation that met the commissioner.
Bharti told TOI: "Police are acting as per provisions of law and will continue to act accordingly in future."
While Bombay High Court said in its judgement that the use of loudspeakers was not an essential part of religion, Muslim groups have cited observations of HCs in Gujarat and MP, which said azaan does not create noise pollution. They argue that azaan lasts for a few minutes in a day, while festivals and celebrations of other faiths are noisier and go on for days. Abrahni said he has called for a meeting of trustees of mosques after Bakr Eid to discuss and will tell them to abide by the decibel limit.
Source: indiatimes.com
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'Will cut hair with razor': Indian-origin Hindu man Bhushan Athale jailed in US for violent threats against Sikhs
Jun 5, 2025
49-year-old Bhushan Athale, an Indian-origin man in Texas, was sentenced to 26 months in prison for making violent threats against Sikh employees of a nonprofit organization in New Jersey. Athale called the main number of the Sikh nonprofit organization and left numerous messages threatening to injure or kill these individuals, cut their hair with a razor etc.
The first calls were made in 2022 and in January this year he pleaded guilty to "interfering with federally protected activities” by threatening to use a dangerous weapon and making an interstate threat to injure another person.
He threatened to shave off her and other Sikhs’ “top and bottom” hair with a razor and called members of the religious group by profane names and other insults, according to the criminal complaint authorities wrote when the charges were filed.
In 2023, he again called the same Sikh organization and left two more voicemail using violent, sexual imagery against Sikhs and Muslims.
He had also sent “hate-fuelled” emails and messages to a Muslim colleague in November 2021, a separate complaint against him said. In a telephone interview with law enforcement in February 2022, the criminal complaint stated, Athale told investigators that he hated Muslims because they ruined India.
“The Department of Justice has no tolerance for hate-fueled threats of violence in our country, and we appreciate the strong efforts of US Attorney Alina Habba and her team in working with us to bring this perpetrator to justice,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
Source: indiatimes.com
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Arab World
Saudi Arabia Is Getting Creative And Everyone Has A Chance To Shine, Says Saudi Canadian Musician DJ Viva
HUSSAM AL-MAYMAN
June 05, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is experiencing a boom in all the various forms of creative expression and this is creating a wealth of opportunities, according to Saudi Canadian musician DJ Viva.
Appearing on the third episode of the seventh season of The Mayman Show, the artist — who has performed across the Kingdom and around the world, opening for global stars including David Guetta — recalled her first international performance, describing it as a nerve-racking experience.
“I was in Cannes at the Cannes electronic music festival, (which) happens every August over there,” she said. “It was very nerve-racking, but I loved it.
“It was good to see the difference between what’s happening here, locally (in Saudi Arabia), and how things are conducted internationally.”
Despite the nerves, she said was proud that she had been able to step out of her comfort zone and noted: “The audience there is very different. I feel like it is a bit more difficult to read them; maybe because I’m used to here (in the Kingdom).”
DJ Viva told how she left behind a career in academia to pursue a creative career and her adventure began as a result of a bold challenge from a friend.
“I used to teach at the business university in Jeddah,” she said. “One day, my friend, he was a DJ, came up to me. It was the first big event that happened here — at King Abdullah Economic City, when Tiesto was there — and he (my friend) was DJing on one of the yachts for the VIP guests.”
The friend asked her why she has not tried her hand at creating music. Given that she was an educator, she explained, the question initially seemed strange, but her friend wanted her to see how much time and effort it takes to be a music creator and his question was actually more of a challenge.
Beyond the musical realm, DJ Viva is also a certified aerial artist, the founder of an art gallery, and a brand collaborator who combines music, fashion and storytelling in her projects. She is also clear about what motivates her.
“For me, it’s the part that I get to create an impact on people’s lives and create a feeling,” she said.
“I mean, I always say that in a lot of my interviews; whether it’s visual arts, which I also do, or aerial arts or music, it’s all creativity. You must go inside yourself and take something out to give to people.”
It is all about giving something back and making an impact on the people around you, she added.
“With visual arts, it’s about people seeing your paintings,” she explained. “With music, it’s about what they’re hearing and how they react to it.”
DJ Viva appears very content with where she is at this stage of her career and has no regrets about her decision to shift from the halls academics to the creative world.
“I like the space that I’m in right now,” she said. “I love the creative realm. I find it much more fulfilling.”
Her upcoming plans include further work on a long-running project related to cosmetics.
“That’s something I’m going to be revisiting later this year,” she said. “I started during COVID-19 and it did take off very nicely. But unfortunately my partner in that (project), she passed away. So I kind of froze it for a while.”
In 2023, DJ Viva founded the Sensation Art Gallery in Jeddah, described as a modern, luxury, holistic art experience. Her concept for it is that it represents an expression of all the various types of creative work in which she is involved.
“If you attend the gallery, you’ll see that there’s the visual arts and then we have the DJs and the musicians outside,” she explained.
“We also have mixology and all the different types of food art happening there, as well as the aerial arts.”
As for the evolution of the creative scene in Saudi Arabia, DJ Viva said the country is “hungry for entertainment. That’s really such a good thing. It’s nice to see the excitement and to see how they appreciate music here — and creativity as a whole.”
As the wider development and transformation of the Kingdom continues, she said that the progress in all the creative industries is happening quickly and on an even bigger scale.
“I think, in the coming years we are going to be continuing that trajectory and there’s going to be a lot of growth,” she predicted.
Source: arabnews.com
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Pilgrims depart Muzdalifah at midnight for stoning ritual in Mina
WAAD HUSSAIN
June 06, 2025
RIYADH: The early hours of Friday saw pilgrims start the journey from Muzdalifah to Mina, where they will perform one of Hajj’s most symbolic rituals — the stoning of the Jamarat, which marks the beginning of Eid Al-Adha and commemorates Prophet Ibrahim’s rejection of Satan.
Following a night of worship and rest, where the travelers combined and shortened the Maghrib and Isha prayers and collected pebbles for the ritual, the movement to Mina began shortly after midnight.
Saudi authorities orchestrated operations with meticulous precision, ensuring pilgrims moved in structured waves to prevent overcrowding and followed routes mapped out in advance by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in coordination with the Ministry of Interior.
Security personnel, crowd control units and volunteer guides lined the roads to ensure pilgrims — many of whom were elderly or physically exhausted — could travel safely.
Transportation was provided by a fleet of buses operating on strict schedules. Many people also used the Al-Mashaaer Al-Mugaddassah Metro, the dedicated Hajj-only rail system which loops between Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifah and can carry up to 72,000 passengers per hour. According to Saudi Press Agency, the nine-station line significantly reduced surface congestion and supported the Kingdom’s strategy for a safe and sustainable Hajj.
Upon arrival in Mina, pilgrims proceeded to Jamarat Bridge, a purpose-built, multi-level structure designed to accommodate millions performing the stoning ritual.
Each pilgrim casts seven pebbles at Jamrat al-Aqaba, symbolizing the rejection of evil. The ritual is repeated over the next two days at all three Jamarat pillars.
The millions of pebbles fall into the Jamarat’s basement, which is 15 meters deep, where they are collected by conveyor belts.
They are then sifted, washed to remove impurities, and transferred to storage vehicles. Ahmed Al-Subhi, a representative of Kidana Development Co., which manages the holy sites, said bags of pebbles were prepared in advance and distributed at more than 300 contact points in Muzdalifah and Mina.
The process is part of a broader system designed to reduce the ritual’s environmental impact and preserve its spiritual symbolism.
To ensure smooth flow at the Jamarat, the bridge is equipped with advanced surveillance systems, ventilation units, emergency exits and designated pathways for groups and individuals.
Entry and exit are managed through RFID-based Nusuk cards and digital crowd-tracking systems operated by the Saudi Data and AI Authority.
According to the General Authority for Statistics, 1,673,230 pilgrims are performing Hajj this year, with some 1,506,576 coming from outside the Kingdom.
Source: arabnews.com
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How AI tech innovation has elevated the Hajj 2025 pilgrimage experience
SULAFA ALKHUNAIZI AND GHADI JOUDAH
June 05, 2025
RIYADH: As the annual Hajj pilgrimage draws millions of Muslims to Makkah in 2025, Saudi Arabia is using a powerful suite of artificial intelligence tools to ensure that this sacred journey is safer, smoother, and more spiritually enriching than ever before.
In a remarkable blend of ancient ritual and modern innovation, the Kingdom is harnessing AI, biometric technologies, and digital services to overcome the logistical challenges of hosting one of the world’s largest religious gatherings — from crowd control to heat management — all while preserving the sanctity of the experience.
“Saudi Arabia carries an immense responsibility in hosting millions of pilgrims,” Hatem Mandeel, managing director and co-founder of the digital transformation consultancy Tyde AI, told Arab News. “It continues to demonstrate a strong commitment to this role through innovative approaches to event management and safety.”
At the heart of this transformation is Vision 2030, the Kingdom’s national roadmap for economic diversification and digital growth. This year’s Hajj reflects those ambitions in action, with technologies being used to streamline everything from spiritual guidance to crowd movement.
Among the most notable are two new tools — the Smart Enrichment Assistant and the Digital Mutawwif.
Developed by the Agency for Religious Affairs at the Prophet’s Mosque, the Smart Enrichment Assistant provides real-time updates on prayer times, imam schedules, and locations of religious activities. Offered in numerous languages, it reduces logistical stress while deepening spiritual engagement for pilgrims.
The Digital Mutawwif, meanwhile, was created by the General Authority for the Care of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque to serve as a digital companion for Umrah pilgrims. It includes navigation tools for tawaf and sa’i, a library of audio-visual supplications, and built-in ritual counters to help pilgrims stay focused and on track.
These tools are complemented by the Makkah Route Initiative, a fast-track immigration service powered by biometric technology and AI.
Now operating at 11 international airports in seven countries, the initiative allows pilgrims to complete visa, customs, and health checks before boarding their flights — reducing congestion on arrival.
It is supported by round-the-clock monitoring systems run by the Saudi Data and AI Authority, which ensure health compliance and swift issue resolution through AI-driven analytics.
Behind the scenes, more sophisticated AI platforms are addressing the enormous logistical demands of Hajj. One of the most critical is Baseer, a platform developed by the Ministry of Interior in partnership with the Saudi Data and AI Authority.
Using computer vision and machine learning, Baseer tracks and analyzes the movements of more than one million worshippers a day inside the Grand Mosque. The insights help authorities predict crowd surges and prevent dangerous bottlenecks.
Using AI at this scale is a major milestone in event management, especially in sensitive, sacred contexts.
“Building this technology is one thing, but maintaining system reliability under high demand, ensuring data privacy and properly onboarding personnel is a whole operation in itself,” Mandeel said.
Adding a more personal and interactive touch, the Kingdom has also introduced Manarah 2, a multilingual robot equipped with a smart touchscreen. It provides real-time information and guidance to pilgrims in several languages, along with a dedicated application to help non-Arabic speakers recite Surah Al-Fatiha correctly.
“This demonstrates how Saudi Arabia is taking the initiative to manage — but also elevate — the sacred journey for millions of pilgrims,” Mandeel said. “This is a powerful example of how AI can thoughtfully enhance sacred, deeply human experiences — something more people globally should be aware of and inspired by.”
With extreme heat, massive crowds, and time-sensitive rituals, the pilgrimage poses huge logistical challenges. But Saudi Arabia’s strategic investment in AI is setting a global standard for how digital transformation can serve human traditions.
“This proactive use of technology not only supports the goals of Vision 2030,” Mandeel said. “But also offers a model for other nations managing large-scale gatherings in sensitive contexts.”
Source: arabnews.com
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From Arafat to Muzdalifah, 1.6m Hajj pilgrims continue their sacred journey
WAAD HUSSAIN
June 05, 2025
RIYADH: On Thursday, corresponding to Dul Hijjah 9, more than 1.67 million pilgrims gathered on the plain of Arafat, marking the spiritual apex of the Hajj pilgrimage.
From early morning, the atmosphere in Arafat was one of intense devotion, with worshippers praying, reciting the Qur’an, and raising their hands in supplication.
The Day of Arafat, considered the most sacred in the Islamic calendar, is the heart of the Hajj journey.
As the sun set over Mount Arafat, signaling the end of the day’s rituals, pilgrims began leaving en masse for Muzdalifah, a holy site nestled between Arafat and Mina.
The move to Muzdalifah is an integral part of Hajj, combining logistical coordination with spiritual significance.
This leg of the journey is tightly choreographed by Saudi authorities to ensure safe and efficient travel despite the enormous scale of the operation.
According to the General Authority for Statistics, 1,673,230 pilgrims are performing Hajj this year, with 1,506,576 of them from outside the Kingdom.
The number of domestic pilgrims is 166,654, including citizens and residents.
Managing the movement of such large numbers requires seamless coordination between several agencies, including the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, the Ministry of Interior, and the Transport General Authority.
Travel from Arafat to Muzdalifah was achieved by using a vast fleet of buses operating on a phased schedule. Additionally, the Al-Mashaaer Al-Mugaddassah Metro, a railway system built exclusively for Hajj, played a major role in easing congestion.
The nine-station metro can transport up to 72,000 pilgrims an hour in one direction, operating on a circular loop connecting Arafat, Muzdalifah, and Mina.
Authorities also used smart surveillance systems, drones, and real-time data to monitor crowd movement and prevent bottlenecks.
Volunteers and security personnel were stationed at checkpoints to guide pilgrims and ensure safety during this critical transition.
Upon arrival in Muzdalifah, pilgrims performed the Maghrib and Isha prayers — traditionally shortened and combined — before beginning another key ritual: collecting 49 pebbles for the symbolic stoning of the devil at the Jamarat site in Mina.
Many pilgrims chose to rest or sleep under the open sky, emulating Prophet Muhammad’s practice during his farewell pilgrimage. Although logistically smaller than other holy sites, Muzdalifah was fully equipped with ample lighting, shaded rest areas, water stations, and mobile medical units.
The Ministry of Health deployed more than 120 ambulances and several field hospitals at Arafat and Muzdalifah, supported by thousands of medical staff to respond to heat stress, dehydration, or urgent health issues.
Mobile clinics were also stationed at key points to assist elderly and vulnerable pilgrims.
These logistical and health measures reflect Saudi Arabia’s long-term commitment to improving the Hajj experience under Vision 2030.
Through a blend of faith, planning, and technology, this year’s Hajj continues to evolve into a model of safety, efficiency, and spiritual focus for millions of Muslims worldwide.
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi authorities pump nearly 1 million cubic meters of water to serve Hajj pilgrims
June 05, 2025
MAKKAH: Saudi water authorities have provided nearly a million cubic meters of water to serve the 1.4 million Muslim pilgrims participating in the Hajj since Wednesday.
The National Water Company said that it pumped more than 980,633 cubic meters of water to key holy sites visited by pilgrims, including Makkah, Madinah, Mina, Mount Arafat and Muzdalifah.
The Saudi Water Authority, a government body overseeing water operations in the Kingdom, said that providing water to pilgrims was one of its 24-hour continuous tasks during the Hajj season.
On Thursday, it presented its comprehensive water supply chain plan, which begins with seawater desalination, undergoes transportation and treatment, and ends with distribution, reuse and irrigation.
An interactive presentation, “The Story of Water in Hajj,” was shown in numerous languages at the Hajj Media Hub, an integrated media center supporting journalists covering Hajj, in the Makkah Chamber Exhibition and Events Center.
It showcased advanced technologies for water desalination, storage, transportation and treatment, along with smart operations and sustainability solutions, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Source: arabnews.com
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Guardians of the sacred: SRCA and university volunteers unite to shield pilgrims
GHADI JOUDAH
June 05, 2025
ARAFAT: Beneath Makkah’s unrelenting sun, the Saudi Red Crescent Authority, or SRCA, and university volunteers have engineered a sanctuary of safety for Hajj 2025.
From SRCA’s 7,517 paramedics to Umm Al-Qura University’s medical students, this human tapestry works in lockstep across Islam’s holiest sites.
The SRCA’s logistical symphony spans 578 ambulances, nine helicopter surveillance teams and 80 rapid-response vehicles threading through human currents.
Mobility support includes 500 electric scooters and 205 golf carts pre-positioned at ritual grounds, while 633 logistics specialists orchestrate medical supply chains.
Fourteen emergency clinics and 32 first-aid stations anchor operations, with nine ambulance buses drilled for mass casualties.
Volunteers confront predictable yet constant health threats. Kholood Abdulwasea, an SRCA volunteer who traveled from Madinah to serve in Makkah, reported: “The cases we face, mostly they were having heat exhaustion. Some of them had hypoglycemia.” She credited mitigation efforts: “It wasn’t much because of the water sprays and the efforts put into providing water.”
Medical students corroborated this clinical landscape. Rawabi Omar Al-Arabi, a fifth-year Umm Al-Qura University medical student leading the Systematic Hajj Program, cited heatstroke, dehydration and hypoglycemia as predominant issues.
Jannah Halawani, a second-year peer heading the Media Committee, expanded the list, as she told Arab News: “Heatstroke, low blood sugar, low blood pressure, plus fractures or wounds needing stitches.”
Coordinating 10,000 caregivers across shifting pilgrim tides presented particular hurdles. Al-Arabi highlighted accommodation logistics as her team’s steepest challenge: “Coordinating large volunteer groups across field hospitals while ensuring 24/7 oversight. That’s the toughest part.”
Transportation emerged as another pressure point. Halawani emphasized the complexity of reaching ritual sites such as Arafat and Mina, calling it a “massive time and coordination” effort.
Beyond statistics, the human spirit defined the mission. Abdulwasea called her contribution an enduring honor: “It was a good day and I’m honored to be part of this noble mission.”
For university volunteers, the experience resonated deeper. Al-Arabi described serving pilgrims as “life-changing,” stressing that sacrificing seven days with family was “worth every second” for the privilege of honoring Allah’s guests.
Halawani captured the sentiment: “An indescribable privilege. Being chosen by Allah to serve Hajj pilgrims honors both the location and the moment. If you get this chance? Grab it. It’s truly unmissable.”
Source: arabnews.com
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Arafat’s Namirah Mosque equipped with advanced comfort features for pilgrims
June 05, 2025
RIYADH: Namirah Mosque, a pivotal religious and historical landmark in Arafat, draws millions of pilgrims for the Dhuhr and Asr prayers on the Day of Arafat.
It spans more than 110,000 sq m and accommodates about 350,000 worshippers.
The mosque features six 60-meter minarets, three domes, 10 main entrances with 64 doors, and a radio room for live satellite broadcasts of the Arafat sermon, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
For this Hajj season, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs has covered the mosque with 125,000 sq. m of luxurious carpets and initiated extensive development projects.
These measures include installing 19 canopies (reducing the temperature by 10 degrees Celsius), applying reflective paint to the floors, and operating 117 misting fans (reducing the temperature by 9C).
The ventilation and air-conditioning system has been upgraded with smart controls, renewing the air completely twice an hour.
Health services now include 70 water cooling units, serving up to 140,000 pilgrims an hour.
A comprehensive restoration also included upgrades to thermal and water insulation, flooring, paint, LED lighting, electrical panels and drainage systems.
The mosque also features an advanced audio system, security cameras, and 72 controlled entry and exit gates, all managed by 24/7 operations teams.
In related efforts, Kidana Development Co., the main developer of the holy sites, has implemented support projects around Namirah Mosque.
These include installing 320 canopies and 350 sprinkler columns, and planting more than 290,000 sq m of greenery (exceeding 20,000 trees) to enhance pilgrims’ comfort and spiritual experience.
Source: arabnews.com
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Europe
Azerbaijan’s top Muslim leader announces plans to meet Pope Leo XIV during Vatican visit
06 June 2025
The Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Office (CMO), Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade, has announced plans to meet with the newly elected Pope Leo XIV, as part of an upcoming visit by the Muslim Council of Elders to the Vatican.
“A visit by the Muslim Council of Elders to the Vatican will take place in the near future, during which a meeting with Leo XIV will be held,” Pashazade told journalists after the Eid prayer at the Taza Pir Mosque in Baku on June 6, Caliber.Az reports via local media.
He also expressed optimism about a potential papal visit to Azerbaijan, stating, “We hope for a visit by the Pope to Azerbaijan in the near future.”
Pashazade highlighted Azerbaijan’s reputation as a model for religious harmony, especially at a time when many other parts of the world are experiencing internal divisions within the Muslim community.
“While conflicts between Muslims continue in many parts of the world, there are no such issues in Azerbaijan — not even between representatives of different religions and denominations,” he said.
He referred to a recent conference held by the Muslim Council of Elders, which addressed the need for better intra-Islamic relations. According to Pashazade, “At the conference organized by the Muslim Council of Elders, a decision was made to properly structure intra-Islamic relations. Council members also emphasized that Azerbaijan should serve as an example in this matter. A written declaration was adopted, which we will publish soon.”
Further solidifying Azerbaijan's role in promoting religious coexistence, Pashazade announced that the next session of the Muslim Council of Elders will be held in Azerbaijan. He credited this development to national leadership, saying, “Thanks to the policies pursued by our head of state, Ilham Aliyev, there are no interreligious conflicts in Azerbaijan.”
Pashazade also addressed the recent decision to revive the Iravan Eldership, a religious and cultural institution that historically represented Azerbaijanis in Iravan (present-day Yerevan). The decision to resume its activities was taken on May 22 during a meeting of the CMO’s Council of Elders.
Commenting on the move, Pashazade said, “This is not a new institution. It is a restoration of what already existed. These are our ancestral lands. In 1988, the activities of the Eldership were suspended due to the deportation of Azerbaijanis from Iravan. We hope to return to our lands, and that the Iravan Eldership will once again operate there.” He added that Azerbaijan is not concerned with Armenia’s position on the matter: “The position of Armenia regarding the revival of the Iravan Eldership is of no interest to us.”
When asked about the possibility of a meeting with the Catholicos of All Armenians, Garegin II, Pashazade responded firmly, stating that such an encounter is currently not on his agenda. “I do not want to meet with Garegin II at this time. I consider it beneath my dignity,” he said.
Explaining his position further, he criticised what he sees as the Catholicos’s involvement in political matters. “The Catholicos has taken on a political mantle in addition to his religious role. A spiritual leader should not immerse himself so deeply in politics. That is why I have no plans to meet with him,” Pashazade said.
Source: caliber.az
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https://caliber.az/en/post/azerbaijan-s-top-muslim-leader-announces-plans-to-meet-pope-leo-xiv-during-vatican-visit
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Why Zia Yusuf's resignation matters for Reform UK
06 Jun 2025
Chris Mason
The resignation of Zia Yusuf as Reform UK's chairman matters because he was a central character in the stand out trend in British politics since the general election – the rise and rise of Nigel Farage's party.
After 11 months in the role, Yusuf said on Thursday that working to get the party elected was no longer "a good use of my time", without expanding further.
Farage described Yusuf as a huge factor in Reform's success in last month's elections, but added that he believed he had "had enough" of politics.
It comes after Yusuf said it was "dumb" for Reform's newest MP to call for a ban for the burka - a veil worn by some Muslim women that covers the face and body.
I first met this thirty-something Muslim son of Sri Lankan immigrants, a former Conservative, when he was unveiled by Reform almost exactly a year ago, as a donor who had just handed the party £200,000.
Yusuf is a self-made multi-millionaire after setting up and then selling Velocity Black, a luxury concierge service.
Not long after his donation to Reform, he was offered and accepted the job of party chairman. And he wouldn't just be someone behind the scenes, he would be a public figure too.
So how can we measure how important this moment is?
I reckon there are three things worth examining as we assess Zia Yusuf's contribution to Reform UK.
Firstly, money. Yusuf is a rich man, and giving away £200,000 is generous by any one's book. But Reform UK received £2.8m in donations last year, so the party isn't reliant on his money.
Secondly, Yusuf's heritage and ethnicity. To expand in popularity, let alone win a general election, Reform needs to widen its appeal. Having a minority ethnic man as one of its figureheads helped temper the criticism from rival parties that Reform, or at least some of its members or supporters, were racist.
And thirdly, his organisational abilities. Yusuf is credited with building much of the infrastructure up to now that Reform is attempting to assemble at lightning speed, to turn them from an insurgency into general election winners in just a handful of years. And now he is gone. The party has soared during his tenure, but it is also true that the now former chairman put rather a lot of noses out of joint within Reform.
"Were his interpersonal skills at the top of his list of attributes? No," Farage told GB News.
Staff shown the door would joke that they had been "Goldman sacked" – a reference to Zia Yusuf's former employer, the investment bank Goldman Sachs.
Plenty tell me the grumbles about his approach to running the party ran well beyond the gripes you can find in any workplace about the bosses.
Farage and the parties he has led – the UK Independence Party, the Brexit Party and Reform UK – have one heck of a track record of bust ups, fall outs, sackings and resignations.
Douglas Carswell, Diane James, Patrick O'Flynn, Godfrey Bloom, Suzanne Evans, Ben Habib, Rupert Lowe, the list goes on and on. And now Zia Yusuf.
The big reason why this latest departure really matters is it is a stark reminder that a central ingredient in the rapid scaling up of Reform UK is going to be the hiring of staff who stick around long enough to help turn it into a potentially election-winning machine.
The party is attempting something utterly unprecedented and while the force of Farage's personality has and can take them a long way, bringing in a range and depth of expertise at least some of whom can last the course will be central too.
Farage has never managed that before.
And right now, he has to find himself a new chairman.
Source: bbc.com
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Eight injured on Ryanair flight hit by 'severe turbulence', police say
06 Jun 2025
Eight passengers were injured on a Ryanair flight that diverted to an airport in southern Germany after experiencing "severe turbulence" due to bad weather, police have said.
Among those injured on Wednesday night were a two-year-old who suffered bruising and a woman who incurred a head injury, according to Bavarian police.
Three people were taken to a local hospital for treatment, while others were treated on site, they said.
Ryanair apologised to affected passengers. It said the captain of the flight - originally planned to go from Berlin to Milan - called ahead for medical assistance and the plane "landed normally" at Memmingen Airport, to the west of Munich.
Local police said the weather conditions meant it had not been possible to land at Munich Airport, so the plane was diverted to Memmingen, where it landed "safely and without further incident" at 20:44 local time (18:44 GMT).
An onward flight was not approved by the Southern Bavaria Aviation Authority on Wednesday evening, they said.
Ryanair said it organised "alternative transport" to Milan that night, as well as a replacement flight on Thursday morning.
"We sincerely apologise to passengers affected by this diversion," it said.
There were 179 passengers and six crew members on board, according to police.
The ages of those injured range from two to 59, and as a precaution all passengers were checked for injuries, they said.
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y67qp4g83o
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Mideast
Hamas, Islamic Jihad affirm resistance's steadfastness in defending Palestinian people
05 Jun 2025
A delegation from the leadership of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), headed by Mohammed Darwish, Chairman of the Leadership Council, held a meeting with a delegation from the Islamic Jihad Movement, headed by Secretary-General Ziad al-Nakhala, in the Qatari capital, Doha.
During the meeting, the two sides discussed the latest political and field developments in light of the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and the crimes of genocide committed by the occupation against the Palestinian people. They also discussed efforts made through mediators to reach an agreement leading to an end to the war.
The two sides stressed the need to halt the comprehensive aggression, withdraw the occupation forces, and ensure the entry of humanitarian aid into any potential political agreement. They commended the efforts made by the mediating parties in this regard.
The meeting addressed the steadfastness of the Palestinian people and their adherence to their legitimate rights to freedom, independence, and the establishment of a state on all of their national soil, with Jerusalem as its capital, despite the scourge of war, starvation, and destruction they are suffering amidst international impotence and continued silence.
The leaderships of the two movements affirmed the resistance's steadfast position in defending the Palestinian people and confronting the aggression machine, which has failed to break Gaza's will despite the violence of the attacks and the severity of the crimes.
The attendees also condemned the ongoing Israeli crimes in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and inside Palestine, as well as the repeated attacks on Syria and Lebanon, emphasizing the need for a unified Arab and Islamic stance in confronting the Zionist terrorist project.
Source: saba.ye
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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3494502.htm
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Islamic Jihad: Targeting Journalists Continuation of Enemy's Approach to Committing War Crimes
05 Jun 2025
The Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine affirmed on Thursday that "the criminal Zionist enemy army's targeting of a journalists' tent on the grounds of the Baptist Hospital in Gaza, which led to the martyrdom of three media crew members and the injury of several others, is a continuation of the enemy's approach to committing war crimes."
In a statement received by the Yemeni News Agency (Saba), the movement considered this targeting of journalists "a blatant violation of all moral values and international conventions."
Source: saba.ye
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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3494382.htm
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Al-Qassam Brigades target Israeli enemy gatherings near "Umm Habiba" Mosque in Khan Younis
05 Jun 2025
Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), announced on Thursday evening that they had shelled Israeli enemy gatherings south of Khan Younis.
In a brief statement received by the Yemeni News Agency (SABA), Al-Qassam stated that their fighters targeted enemy forces near the "Umm Habiba" mosque in Qizan al-Najjar area, south of Khan Younis city, with 80mm mortar shells.
Source: saba.ye
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Yemen President Al-Mashat Congratulates Arab &Islamic Leaders On Eid Al-Adha Occasion
05 Jun 2025
His Excellency Field Marshal Mahdi Al-Mashat, President of the Supreme Political Council, sent cables of congratulations to the leaders of Arab and Islamic countries on the occasion of Eid al-Adha.
In his congratulatory messages, the President noted that "the greatness of this solemn religious occasion is manifested in the declaration of the completion of the religion, the perfection of the blessing, and the acceptance of Islam as our way of life."
He explained that this religious occasion comes while Gaza is slowly dying, its hunger screaming silently in the absence of a just Arab and Islamic stance to stop the brutal injustice inflicted upon the wounded Palestinian people by the ruthless Israeli occupation.
President Al-Mashat affirmed the Yemeni Republic's steadfast commitment to its faith-based and humanitarian position in support of their brethren in Gaza, continuing to stand with them at all levels and with increasing intensity until the savage and barbaric aggression against Gaza and the entire Palestinian people is ended, and a Palestinian state is established on all its territories with its capital in Al-Quds Al-Sharif.
He pointed out that Yemen's position is firm and will not be swayed despite repeated Zionist aggressions, expressing hope that Arab and Islamic leaders would make decisive choices at the diplomatic, military, and economic levels to halt the brutal and senseless Zionist crimes and work earnestly to support the oppressed Palestinian people.
At the conclusion of his messages, the President of the Supreme Political Council prayed to Almighty God to bring back this great religious occasion with the Arab and Islamic nation achieving the glory, prosperity, victory, and empowerment it aspires to.
Source: saba.ye
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WHO urges ‘urgent protection’ of key Gaza hospitals
June 06, 2025
GENEVA: The World Health Organization on Thursday called for the “urgent protection” of two of the last hospitals remaining in the Gaza Strip, warning that the territory’s health system is “collapsing.”
The WHO said the Nasser Medical Complex and Al-Amal Hospital risk becoming “non-functional” because of restrictions on aid and access routes, further damaging a health system already battered by months of war.
“There are already no hospitals functioning in the north of Gaza. Nasser and Amal are the last two functioning public hospitals in Khan Younis, where currently most of the population is living,” the UN agency said in a statement on X.
“Without them, people will lose access to critical health services,” it said.
The WHO added that closure of the two hospitals would eliminate 490 beds and reduce Gaza’s hospital capacity to less than 1,400 beds — 40 percent below pre-war levels — for a population of two million people.
The WHO said the hospitals have not been told to evacuate but lie within or just outside an Israeli-declared evacuation zone announced on June 2.
Israeli authorities have told Gaza’s health ministry that access routes to the two hospitals will be blocked, the WHO said.
As a result, it will be “difficult, if not impossible” for medical staff and new patients to reach them, it said.
“If the situation further deteriorates, both hospitals are at high risk of becoming non-functional, due to movement restrictions, insecurity, and the inability of WHO and partners to resupply or transfer patients,” the organization said.
The WHO said both hospitals are already operating “above their capacity,” with patients suffering life-threatening injuries arriving amid a “dire shortage of essential medicines and medical supplies.”
It warned the closure of Nasser and Al-Amal would have dire consequences for patients in need of surgical care, intensive care, blood bank and transfusion services, cancer care and dialysis.
After nearly 20 months of war triggered by Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, Gaza is mired in one of the world’s gravest humanitarian crises, with civilians enduring relentless bombardment, mass displacement and severe hunger.
Source: arabnews.com
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Media groups urge Israel to allow Gaza access for foreign journalists
June 06, 2025
NEW YORK: More than 130 news outlets and press freedom groups called Thursday for Israel to immediately lift a near-total ban on international media entering Gaza, while calling for greater protections for Palestinian journalists in the territory.
Israel has blocked most foreign correspondents from independently accessing Gaza since it began its war there following the unprecedented October 7, 2023 attack by militant group Hamas.
An open letter shared by the Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters Without Borders called the restrictions “a situation that is without precedent in modern warfare.”
Signees included AFP’s global news director Phil Chetwynd, The Associated Press executive editor Julie Pace, and the editor of Israeli newspaper Haaretz Aluf Benn.
The letter added that many Palestinian journalists — whom news outlets have relied on to report from inside Gaza — face a litany of threats.
“Local journalists, those best positioned to tell the truth, face displacement and starvation,” it said.
“To date, nearly 200 journalists have been killed by the Israeli military. Many more have been injured and face constant threats to their lives for doing their jobs: bearing witness.
“This is a direct attack on press freedom and the right to information.”
The letter added that it was a “pivotal moment” in Israel’s war — with renewed military actions and efforts to boost humanitarian aid to Gaza.
This, it said, makes it “vital that Israel open Gaza’s borders for international journalists to be able to report freely and that Israel abides by its international obligations to protect journalists as civilians.”
Jodie Ginsberg, CEO of the Committee to Protect Journalists, said in a separate statement that Israel must grant journalists access and allow them to work in Gaza “without fear for their lives.”
“When journalists are killed in such unprecedented numbers and independent international media is barred from entering, the world loses its ability to see clearly, to understand fully, and to respond effectively to what is happening,” she said.
Reporters Without Borders head Thibaut Bruttin said the media blockade on Gaza “is enabling the total destruction and erasure of the blockaded territory.”
“This is a methodical attempt to silence the facts, suppress the truth, and isolate the Palestinian press and population,” he said in a statement.
Thursday’s letter was issued the same day the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate said three reporters were killed by a strike close to a hospital in Gaza City.
Israel’s military said the strike had targeted “an Islamic Jihad terrorist who was operating in a command and control center” in the yard of the hospital.
Source: arabnews.com
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Netanyahu says Israel has ‘activated’ some Palestinian clans opposed to Hamas
June 05, 2025
JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israel has “activated” some clans of Palestinians in Gaza that are opposed to Hamas, though it was not immediately clear what role they would play.
His comments on social media were the first public acknowledgment of Israel’s backing of armed Palestinian groups within Gaza, based around powerful clans or extended families.
Such clans often wield some control in corners of Gaza, and some have had clashes or tensions with Hamas in the past. Palestinians and aid workers have accused clans of carrying out criminal attacks and stealing aid from trucks. Several clans have issued public statements rejecting cooperation with the Israelis or denouncing looting.
An Israeli official said that one group that Netanyahu was referring to was the so-called Popular Forces, led by Yasser Abu Shabab, a local clan leader in Gaza’s southernmost city, Rafah. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.
In recent weeks, the Abu Shabab group announced online that its fighters were helping protect shipments to the new, Israeli-backed food distribution centers run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in the Rafah area. But some Palestinians say the group has also been involved in attacking and looting aid convoys.
Netanyahu did not specify what support Israel was giving to the clans, or what specifically their role would be. His announcement came hours after a political opponent criticized him for arming unofficial groups of Palestinians in Gaza.
In a video posted to his X account, Netanyahu said the government made the move on the advice of “security officials,” in order to save lives of Israeli soldiers.
Though it was known in southern Gaza throughout the war, the Abu Shabab group emerged publicly the past month, posting pictures of its armed members, with helmets, flak jackets and automatic weapons. It declared itself a “nationalist force” protecting aid.
The Abu Shabab family renounced Yasser over his connections with the Israeli military in a recent statement, saying he and anyone who joined his group “are no longer linked” to the family.
The group’s media office said in response to emailed questions from the Associated Press that it operates in Israeli military-controlled areas for a “purely humanitarian” reason.
It described its ties with the Israel military as “humanitarian communication to facilitate the introduction of aid and ensure that it is not intercepted.”
“We are not proxies for anyone,” it said. “We have not received any military or logistical support from any foreign party.”
It said it has “secured the surroundings” of GHF centers in Rafah but was not involved in distribution of food.
It rejected accusations that the group had looted aid, calling them “exaggerations” and part of a “smear campaign.” But it also said, “our popular forces led by Yasser Abu Shabab only took the minimum amount of food and water necessary to secure their elements in the field,” without elaborating how, and from whom, they took the aid.
Abu Shabab and around 100 fighters have been active in eastern parts of Rafah and Khan Younis, areas under Israeli military control, according to Nahed Sheheiber, head of the private transportation union in Gaza that provides trucks and drivers for aid groups. He said they used to attack aid trucks driving on a military-designated route leading from the Kerem Shalom crossing with Israel, the main entry point for aid.
“Our trucks were attacked many times by the Abu Shabab gang and the occupation forces stood idle. They did nothing,” Sheheiber said, referring to the Israeli military,
“The one who has looted aid is now the one who protects aid,” he said sarcastically.
An aid worker in Gaza said humanitarian groups tried last year to negotiate with Abu Shabab and other influential families to end their looting of convoys. Though they agreed, they soon reverted to hijacking trucks, the aid worker said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk the media.
The aid worker said he saw Abu Shabab’s men operating in Israeli-controlled areas near the military-held Morag Corridor in southern Gaza in late May. They were wearing new uniforms and carried what appeared to be new weapons, he said.
Jonathan Whittall, head of the UN humanitarian office OCHA for the occupied Palestinian territory, said Thursday that “criminal gangs operating under the watch of Israeli forces near Kerem Shalom would systematically attack and loot aid convoys. .... These gangs have by far been the biggest cause of aid loss in Gaza.”
The war between Israel and Hamas erupted on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-linked militants stormed into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 others hostage.
Israel responded with an offensive that has decimated Gaza, displaced nearly all of its 2.3 million people and caused a humanitarian crisis that has left the territory on the brink of famine.
Gaza’s Health Ministry says over 54,000 Palestinians have been killed, more than half of them women and children. The ministry, which is led by medical professionals but reports to the Hamas-run government, does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its tally.
Hamas is still holding 56 hostages. Around a third are believed to be alive, though many fear they are in grave danger the longer the war goes on.
Source: arabnews.com
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Syria ‘will give UN inspectors immediate access to suspected former nuclear sites’
June 05, 2025
DAMASCUS: Syria’s new government has agreed to give inspectors from the UN’s nuclear watchdog access to suspected former nuclear sites immediately, the agency’s head said.
The International Atomic Energy Agency’s director general, Rafael Mariano Grossi, spoke in an interview in Damascus, where he met with President Ahmad Al-Sharaa and other officials.
He also said Al-Sharaa expressed an interest in pursuing nuclear energy for Syria in the future, adding, “Why not?”
The agency’s aim is “to bring total clarity over certain activities that took place in the past that were, in the judgment of the agency, probably related to nuclear weapons,” Grossi said.
He described the new government as “committed to opening up to the world, to international cooperation” and said he is hopeful of finishing the inspection process within months.
An IAEA team in 2024 visited some sites of interest while former President Bashar Assad was still in power.
Since the fall of Assad in December, the IAEA has been seeking to restore access to sites associated with Syria’s nuclear program.
Syria under Assad is believed to have operated an extensive clandestine nuclear program, which included an undeclared nuclear reactor built by North Korea in eastern Deir Ezzor province.
The IAEA described the reactor as being “not configured to produce electricity” — raising the concern that Damascus sought a nuclear weapon there by producing weapons-grade plutonium.
The reactor site only became public knowledge after Israel, the Middle East’s only nuclear power, launched airstrikes in 2007, destroying the facility. Syria later leveled the site and never responded fully to the IAEA’s questions.
Grossi said inspectors plan to return to the reactor in Deir Ezzor and three other related sites.
Other sites under IAEA safeguards include a miniature neutron source reactor in Damascus and a facility in Homs that can process yellow-cake uranium.
“We are trying to narrow down the focus to those or that one that could be of a real interest,” he said.
While there are no indications that there have been releases of radiation from the sites, he said, the watchdog is concerned that “enriched uranium can be lying somewhere and could be reused, could be smuggled, could be trafficked.”
He said Al-Sharaa had shown a “very positive disposition to talk to us and to allow us to carry out the activities we need to.”
Apart from resuming inspections, Grossi said the IAEA is prepared to transfer equipment for nuclear medicine and to help rebuild the radiotherapy, nuclear medicine, and oncology infrastructure in a health system severely weakened by nearly 14 years of civil war.
“And the president has expressed to me he’s interested in exploring, in the future, nuclear energy as well,” Grossi said.
Grossi said Syria would most likely be looking into small modular reactors, which are cheaper and easier to deploy than traditional large ones.
Regarding the ongoing negotiations between the US and Iran for a deal over Tehran’s nuclear program, Grossi said he has been in “constant contact” with the parties.
“They are negotiating; it’s not us, but it is obvious that the IAEA will have to be the guarantor of whichever agreement they come to,” he said.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2603547/middle-east
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Residents of south Beirut suburbs flee Israeli warnings, strikes on Hezbollah factories
June 05, 2025
BEIRUT: Huge numbers of people fled Beirut’s southern suburbs on Thursday after the Israeli military issued an evacuation warning and said it was striking underground drone factories belonging to Hezbollah.
The streets around the area were seen jammed with traffic as residents tried to leave, with Lebanese media reporting Israeli warning strikes.
“You are located near facilities belonging to the terrorist organization Hezbollah,” said the warning from the Israeli army’s Arabic-language spokesman, Avichay Adraee.
“For your safety and the safety of your families, you are required to evacuate these buildings immediately and move away from them at a distance of no less than 300 meters.”
In a separate statement, the army said it would “soon carry out a strike on underground UAV (drone) production infrastructure sites that were deliberately established in the heart of (the) civilian population” in Beirut.
Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah engaged in more than a year of hostilities that began with the outbreak of the Gaza war and culminated in an intense Israeli bombing campaign and ground incursion into southern Lebanon.
A November ceasefire sought to end the fighting — which left Hezbollah severely weakened — but Israel has continued to regularly carry out strikes in Lebanon’s south.
Strikes targeting Beirut’s southern suburbs, considered a Hezbollah stronghold, have been rare, however.
“Following Hezbollah’s extensive use of UAVs as a central component of its terrorist attacks on the state of Israel, the terrorist organization is operating to increase production of UAVs for the next war,” the army statement said, calling the activities “a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon.”
Under the truce, Hezbollah fighters were to withdraw north of the Litani river, about 30 kilometers from the border, and dismantle their military posts to the south.
Israel was to pull all its troops from Lebanon, but it has kept them in five positions it deems “strategic” along the frontier.
The Lebanese army has been deploying in the south and removing Hezbollah infrastructure there, with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam saying Thursday that it had dismantled “more than 500 military positions and arms depots” in the area.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2603536/middle-east
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North America
CAIR Welcomes South Carolina County’s New Hate Crime Ordinance
June 5, 2025
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed a new hate crime ordinance by Richland County in South Carolina, the first such measure passed by a county in that state.
“We welcome this new ordinance and hope it sends a message to bigots of all types that bias-motivated actions will not be tolerated or excused,” said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper.
He noted that Last month, CAIR urged lawmakers in South Carolina to pass a hate crime bill.
Washington, D.C., based CAIR has previously expressed support for the passage of the hate crime bill in South Carolina.
Hooper said CAIR and the American Muslim community stand in solidarity with all those challenging antisemitism, systemic anti-Black racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, white supremacy, and all other forms of bigotry.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
Do you like reading CAIR press releases and taking part in our action alerts? You can help contribute to CAIR’s work of defending civil rights and empowering American Muslims across the country by making a one-time contribution or becoming a monthly donor. Supporters like you make CAIR’s advocacy work possible and defeating Islamophobia an achievable goal. Click here to donate to CAIR.
Source: cair.com
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-welcomes-south-carolina-countys-new-hate-crime-ordinance/
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US sanctions International Criminal Court judges
5 Jun, 2025
The United States has announced sanctions on four International Criminal Court (ICC) judges over what it described as “illegitimate and baseless actions” against the US and Israel.
The ICC’s jurisdiction is currently recognized by 123 countries. Among the non-signatories are the US, Russia, China, and Israel. The court does not have its own police force and relies on member states to detain and transfer suspects. In February, the US administration sanctioned the ICC and its top prosecutor, Karim Khan, for issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
In a statement on Thursday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the new sanctions targeted judges Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza of Peru, Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini Gansou of Benin and Beti Hohler of Slovenia over their “illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America or our close ally, Israel.”
Rubio accused the ICC of being “politicized” and of falsely claiming unchecked authority to investigate, charge, and prosecute US nationals and Washington’s allies, calling it a “dangerous assertion and abuse of power.”
According to the statement, the four judges are being sanctioned under Executive Order 14203, a measure that restricts their access to the US financial system and complicates international transactions.
In November 2024, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant for allegedly committing grave atrocities in Gaza, including using starvation as a method of warfare, in response to a deadly 2023 raid by the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Israel, which is not a signatory to the Rome Statute, argued that the court lacks jurisdiction over its citizens. Israel’s UN ambassador, Danny Danon, had accused the ICC of acting “as a political tool serving Israel’s enemies.”
Last month, Khan took a leave of absence amid a UN investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/618715-icc-sanctions-judges-israel-us/
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Muslim community in Atlanta condemns Trump’s new travel ban
By Patrick Quinn
Jun. 6, 2025
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - On Thursday, many in the Muslim community and advocacy groups condemned the travel ban signed by President Donald Trump on Wednesday.
The ban prevents people from twelve countries, mostly in the Middle East and Africa, from entering into the United States, effective Monday, June 9.
On the list of banned countries are - Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
People will be partially restricted entrance into the United States coming from seven other countries - Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.
“There is deep concern from the Muslim-American community here,” said Aaron Butler, managing attorney for the Georgia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).
Butler said concerned Muslim community members have reached out to them since the signing of the travel ban.
“Tremendous anxiety, fear, trepidation – a lot of folks here have very close ties to family members back home,” said Butler.
On Thursday, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) also condemned the travel ban, in a statement to Atlanta News First.
“This latest proclamation is an attempt to further eviscerate lawful immigration pathways under the false guise of national security,” wrote Sarah Mehta, the ACLU’s deputy director of Policy and Government Affairs for Immigration. “We saw the chaos that ensued from the first Trump administration’s Muslim ban, and this executive order will only build on that reign of terror to target people solely based on their nationality or religious beliefs.”
Trump said he signed the ban to protect Americans, promoting national security, and added that some banned countries were exploiting the U.S. visa system.
“To generalize a whole country, I think it’s un-American. I can understand case-by-case [assessment], I can understand vetting, I can understand a strong background [check],” said Omar Shekhey, executive director of the Somali-American Community Center.
Shekhey, originally from Somalia, became a U.S. citizen in 1989 after coming to Atlanta to pursue higher education at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
“There are problems in our country [Somalia] and many other Muslim countries, but the answer is not to ban the whole country,” Shekhey said Thursday.
He said members of his community have also reached out to him since the ban wondering how to navigate the travel changes.
“We have cases where people want to bring their spouse, their children, their elderly parents, their siblings. All this is going to change,” said Shekhey.
There are exemptions included in the ban, notably for lawful permanent U.S. residents and for visa holders.
Also, those who were granted asylum or admitted to the U.S. as refugees before the ban are also exempted from the ban.
On Thursday afternoon, Asian Americans Advancing Justice also challenged the merits of the ban.
“Immigration is not a crime – it’s a human right. We have a moral and legal duty to protect families fleeing war, persecution and violence, especially when U.S. foreign policy and military activity plays a driving role in their displacement. This ban doesn’t make us safer – it makes us smaller,” said Executive Director Murtaza Khwaja.
The Trump administration said barred countries can be removed from the list and others can be added over time.
Source: atlantanewsfirst.com
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https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2025/06/06/muslim-community-atlanta-condemns-trumps-new-travel-ban/
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As school districts hold graduation on Eid al-Adha, Muslim group calls for more inclusivity
June 6, 2025
A Muslim advocacy group is calling for school districts to create policies to avoid conflicts with major religious holidays.
The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN) released a statement on Thursday to express “deep concern and disappointment” as Burnsville and Hopkins high schools move forward with holding their graduation ceremonies on Friday, the same day as Eid al-Adha.
Jaylani Hussein, executive director of CAIR-MN, called the decisions by these schools “an equity and inclusion failure.”
“Other Minnesota school districts, even those with smaller Somali and Muslim populations, have proactively adjusted dates to ensure all families can fully participate in both their religious observances and school milestones,” Hussein said. “By refusing to do so, Burnsville and Hopkins send an unfortunate message: that Muslim families’ concerns are less valued and less worthy of accommodation.”
When reached for comment, both school districts said they’re taking steps to do better in the future.
When a scheduling conflict with Eid al-Adha became apparent back in March, the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District began considering a push to reschedule or hold a second ceremony. In April, the school district told families it concluded “it’s not feasible” to do so.
“As we create future calendars, the district will continue to solicit input from a variety of sources with the goal of supporting equitable access and high participation among students for regular school days and major events like graduation,” Burnsville-Eagan-Savage Superintendent Theresa Battle and Burnsville High School Principal Jesús Sandoval wrote.
A Hopkins Public Schools spokesperson said the school district tried to reschedule their ceremony at 3M Arena at Mariucci, but the University of Minnesota “could not accommodate a change on short notice.”
The district said it moved the ceremony back half an hour from noon to 12:30 p.m. and consulted with Muslim students and families on how to proceed.
“Hopkins has a strong record of honoring significant holidays in our calendar planning, including those observed by our Muslim and Jewish communities,” the spokesperson said. “This year’s conflict is a rare and unfortunate occurrence, and we remain committed to ensuring our future planning reflects the needs of all students and families.”
Brooklyn Center High School and Eden Prairie Schools opted to reschedule their ceremonies when similar concerns arose.
Source: kstp.com
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https://kstp.com/kstp-news/local-news/as-school-districts-hold-graduation-on-eid-al-adha-muslim-group-calls-for-more-inclusivity/
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Judge temporarily blocks Trump's ban on foreign Harvard students
June 6, 2025
Max Matza
A US judge has issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Trump administration from enforcing a ban the president ordered barring Harvard University from accepting international students.
The order by Judge Allison Burroughs, who is based in Massachusetts, said the oldest university in the US would face "immediate and irreparable injury" if the proclamation went into effect.
It comes in response to a lawsuit filed by Harvard on Thursday accusing President Donald Trump of waging a "government vendetta" intended to stifle free speech.
Trump has argued that the ban is necessary on national security grounds, and has accused Harvard of not doing enough to stop antisemitism on campus.
The federal judge's order comes only hours after Harvard amended an existing lawsuit against the US government, claiming that Trump's move is "part of a concerted and escalating campaign of retaliation by the government in clear retribution for Harvard's exercising its First Amendment rights" to free speech.
Harvard President Alan Garber also issued a statement saying that the Ivy League school was developing contingency plans for international students in the event they are not able to travel to campus.
The world's wealthiest university has been embroiled in a legal battle with the Trump administration after it froze billions of dollars of federal funding and accused the institution of failing to root out antisemitism on campus.
In May, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem revoked certification Harvard needed to enrol foreign students on campus, a move that was swiftly blocked by a judge.
The BBC has contacted the DHS for comment on the latest order.
Another federal judge upheld that decision last week, saying she would issue a longer-term hold that would allow international students to continue their studies at Harvard while the legal battle plays out.
The move triggered Trump's order on Wednesday, which suspended for an initial six months the entry of foreign students seeking to study or participate in exchange programmes at Harvard University.
Trump's proclamation accused Harvard of developing "extensive entanglements" with foreign countries and continuing to "flout the civil rights of its students and faculty".
For the 2024-2025 school year, Harvard enrolled nearly 7,000 foreign students, who made up 27% of its population.
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c991lz2zd0ko
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Trump confirms China trip after 'very good' call with Xi
June 6, 2025
Donald Trump has said he will visit China after speaking to its leader Xi Jinping over the phone.
The US president said he had reciprocated with an invite to the White House during the "very good talk" - though such a trip has not been confirmed by either side.
Thursday's call is the first time the two leaders have spoken since Trump launched a trade war with Beijing in February. Chinese state media reported that the call happened at the White House's request.
Trump wrote on social media that the hour-and-a-half conversation was primarily focused on trade and had "resulted in a very positive conclusion for both countries".
"He invited me to China and I invited him here," Trump said of the call with Xi while meeting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the Oval Office.
"We both accepted, so I will be going there with the first lady at a certain point and he will be coming here hopefully with the first lady of China."
The Chinese readout of the conversation mentioned its invitation but not the reciprocal one to the White House.
According to Chinese state news agency Xinhua, Xi reportedly told Trump that the US should "withdraw the negative measures it has taken against China".
The Chinese leader was also said to have told Trump that China always kept its promises and since a consensus had been reached, both sides should abide by it - a reference to a recent deal between the two nations struck in Geneva.
Both sides have accused the other of breaching the deal aimed at dramatically reducing trade tariffs - a deal Trump touted as a "total reset".
It came after Trump raised tariffs on imports from a number of countries, but reserved the highest rates for China. Beijing responded with its own higher rates on US imports, sparking tit-for-tat increases that peaked at 145%.
The tentative truce struck in May brought that US tariff on Chinese products down to 30%, while Beijing slashed levies on US imports to 10% and promised to lift barriers on critical mineral exports.
The agreement gave both sides a 90-day deadline to try to reach a trade deal.
But since then, talks have seemed to grind to a halt amid claims on both sides that the deal had been breached.
The US has accused China of failing to restart shipments of critical minerals and rare earth magnets vital to car and computer industries.
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has denied the claims and accused the US of undermining the deal by introducing new restrictions on computer chips.
Trump introduced new export restrictions on semiconductor design software and announced it would revoke the visas of Chinese students.
The US president said following the call that "there should no longer be any questions respecting the complexity of Rare Earth products".
He told reporters in the White House: "Chinese students can come, no problem, no problem - its an honour to have them frankly. But we want to check them."
Chinese state media reported that Xi warned Washington that it should handle Taiwan "with caution" to avoid conflict, just days after US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said China posed an "imminent" threat to the self-governed island.
Hegseth told the Shangri-la Dialogue in Singapore that Beijing was "credibly preparing to potentially use military force to alter the balance of power".
China sees Taiwan as a breakaway province that will eventually be reunified, and has not ruled out the use of force to achieve this. The US supports Taiwan militarily but does not officially recognise it due to the "One China" policy.
According to the readout of Thursday's call given to Chinese media, Xi stressed that the US should handle the "Taiwan issue prudently to prevent a small number of Taiwan Independence separatists from dragging China and the US into a dangerous situation of conflict and confrontation".
The call between Trump and Xi is long awaited and comes after months of silence between the two leaders.
The White House has touted the possibility they might talk from week one of Trump's presidency - and earlier this week he finally vented his frustration on social media.
Trump wrote: "I like President Xi of China, always have, and always will, but he is VERY TOUGH, AND EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH!"
Trump has made it clear that he likes to be involved in negotiations. But this is not the way China does business.
Beijing prefers to appoint a negotiating team led by a trusted official. Any calls or meeting between heads of state are usually thoroughly planned and highly choreographed.
The Chinese will also not want to be seen to bend to Washington's demands.
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0qg23gqllwo
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US on track for biggest nuclear arms spending hike since Cold War – disarmament activists
5 Jun, 2025
The White House has proposed a spending increase on nuclear bomb development unseen since the Cold War, the Los Alamos Study Group has claimed.
The nuclear disarmament activist group based its conclusions on a technical supplement to the budget for the next fiscal year, as well as congressional testimonies by several senior officials released late last month.
In a press release on Wednesday, the group estimated that President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking $4.782 billion for the ‘Weapons Activities’ portion of the National Nuclear Security Administration’s (NNSA’s) budget. The latter is the primary source of funds for the development, construction, and modernization of US nuclear warheads and bombs.
According to the activists, an additional $1.884 billion was allocated to the NNSA in the fiscal year 2025 to cover the damages caused to its installations by two hurricanes. However, this sum, which apparently has yet to be expended, was not tallied in the budget details under consideration.
The Los Alamos Study Group claimed that if this emergency funding is left out, the warhead budget proposed by the White House for 2026 would represent a 25% year-on-year increase – the largest hike since the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.
If the $1.884 billion in question is included, the year-on-year increase would stand at 17% – a level unseen since 1982.
The proposed spending hike is expected to be put to a vote in Congress later this year.
In mid-May, US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright announced that NNSA had completed the manufacture of the first B61-13 gravity bomb, roughly a year ahead of schedule. It is the latest modification to the B61 family of nuclear bombs, which is the longest-serving among the key elements of the US nuclear triad’s air component. It has been in production since 1968.
The warhead is fitted with newer electronics and control features such as a tail kit, which effectively turns it into a guided munition. Its maximum yield is said to be approximately 360 kilotons – 24 times that of the bomb dropped by the US on Hiroshima.
If and when commissioned, the B61-13 will emerge as among the most powerful nuclear gravity bomb in the US arsenal. Several media outlets, citing unnamed officials, previously reported that its destructive force would make it the weapon of choice for targeting underground command and control facilities.
Meanwhile, six more new modifications of the B61 bomb family are currently being developed.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/618706-us-record-spending-hike-nukes/
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South Asia
New E-Governance Tools Signed into Action by Islamic Emirate Ministers
2025-06-05
KABUL(BNA): In a major step toward modernizing public administration, the Islamic Emirate’s Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Mullah Abdul Manan Omari, and Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Mawlawi Najibullah Hayat Haqqani, have signed agreements to implement advanced digital systems for document management and employment services.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, Minister Omari emphasized the benefits of the new “Easy Employment System”, highlighting its potential to bridge the gap between job seekers and employers, streamline the hiring of skilled workers, and enhance the accuracy of labor market surveys.
Expressing appreciation for the Ministry of Communications’ efforts in promoting digital governance, Omari stated, “These systems will significantly improve administrative processes and simplify workflows across government institutions.”
Minister Haqqani added that in light of the country’s evolving needs, his ministry is committed to leveraging information technology to modernize public services. “These efforts are ongoing, and the platforms will soon be made available to all relevant institutions,” he said.
The Document Management System, now active in the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, is designed to ensure efficient, secure, and transparent handling of documents—from registration and transfer to real-time tracking. Citizens will be able to monitor the progress of their documents online, seeing exactly where they stand in the review process.
Meanwhile, the Easy Employment System will enable both public and private sector organizations across Afghanistan to post job openings, manage employee records, search for candidates, review resumes, and process applications through a centralized digital platform.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
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https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/new-e-governance-tools-signed-into-action-by-islamic-emirate-ministers/
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President Dr Muizzu extends Eid al-Adha felicitations to the leaders of Islamic countries
06 June 2025
His Excellency President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has extended the well wishes of the Government and people of the Maldives to the leaders, governments, and people of Islamic countries on the celebration of Eid al-Adha 1446H.
Reflecting on the spirit of the occasion, the President expressed hopes that this time of holy remembrance and shared sacrifice would inspire gratitude, unity, and compassion among Muslim communities worldwide. He prayed for the safety, acceptance, and divine reward of all pilgrims performing the Hajj this year.
President Dr Muizzu concluded his messages with prayers for their good health and well-being, and for the continued happiness and prosperity of the brotherly people of Islamic countries.
Source: presidency.gov.mv
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https://presidency.gov.mv/Press/Article/33915
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Can't afford another lost decade for education
Jun 6, 2025
Whenever the issue of education surfaces in Bangladesh, policymakers across the political spectrum tend to strike a familiar chord. "Education is our top priority," they harp.
This phrase has become so common that it has virtually turned into a cliché as it is repeated endlessly, yet rarely reflected in our national priorities.
Over the past decades, Bangladesh has endured devastating natural disasters, a crippling pandemic, and turbulent political transitions.
Amid all of this, one sector that has persistently borne the brunt of instability is education. Schools and universities remained closed for months on end during the COVID-19 crisis.
Students—particularly those from underprivileged and rural backgrounds—suffered enormous learning losses.
Though education was the first victim of crises and it was hardly prioritised with attention or allocation. Since 2009–10 fiscal year, which marked the beginning of the Awami League's extended stay in power, the allocation for education was less than 2 percent of GDP. There were exceptions in 2009-10 and 2016-17, when allocation was 2.04 and 2.49 percent of GDP respectively.
Since 2016–17 fiscal, allocation in education never touched the 2 percent mark.
Again, the budget for the education sector has remained around 11 to 12 percent of the national budget for nearly 16 years. This falls well short of UNESCO's recommended 4–6 percent of GDP or 15–20 percent of the budget.
One cannot ignore the political economy behind this trend. Over the years, infrastructure and mega projects—such as highways, flyovers, power plants, and bridges—have commanded the lion's share of public investment.
These projects, many of them essential, but many others have often been seen as lucrative opportunities for politically connected business interests and syndicates to make a quick buck.
In contrast, investment in education lacks immediate visibility or commercial returns, and thus has never truly captured the political imagination.
The student-led mass uprising on August 5 brought a new wave of hope. The interim government that emerged from this unprecedented civic movement led by students had a unique opportunity to do things differently, to recast the national budget with a vision for long-term human development and reorder national priorities—placing education at the centre.
But the proposed allocation for 2025–26 has been disheartening. Tk 95,644 crore for the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, though appearing sizeable, translates to just 1.72 percent of GDP and 12.1 percent of the budget.
This is not the budget we were waiting for. We need proper budgetary allocation along with a vision that sees students not as political tools or numbers in exam statistics but as future scientists, thinkers, artists, and leaders.
Bangladesh has made remarkable progress in access to education, but quality and equity remain major concerns.
We need sufficient number of qualified teachers, effective training, better classroom facilities, higher research funding, increased use of technology in education, and curriculum reform that reflects both global knowledge and local needs.
There should be increased attention to addressing disparities in terms of infrastructure, teachers, and access to quality education in rural areas and among marginalised communities. This is easier said than done. For instance, teachers' salary has been typically so low that bright students hardly show interest to become teachers. We need better pay and perk to acquire and retain qualified teachers.
And all this requires money.
If we want a resilient, forward-looking Bangladesh that competes in the global knowledge economy, we must recognise that educational institutions are not expenses—they are investments. The return on this investment is priceless.
To maximise the effective utilisation of the education budget, the government should implement a robust oversight mechanism that ensures transparency, accountability, and proper allocation of funds. It is important to establish an independent audit committee and a digital system to ensure transparency in the use of education and research funds.
The youth of Bangladesh have shown they are willing to rise, mobilise, and demand change. It is now up to the government—interim or otherwise—to listen, act, and invest accordingly.We cannot afford another lost decade for education.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/education/news/cant-afford-another-lost-decade-education-3912291
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BNP issues warnings to Bulu, Dudu over controversial remarks
Jun 6, 2025
The BNP has issued warning notices to vice chairmen Barkatullah Bulu and Shamsuzzaman Dudu for making comments deemed "inconsistent with the party's position".
The recent remarks by Bulu and Dudu have stirred debate and criticism, particularly for their remarks, said party leaders.
On May 20, during a discussion titled "Politics of Revenge, Democracy, and Good Governance: The Bangladesh Context", at the Jatiya Press Club, National Citizens' Party (NCP) leader Hasnat Abdullah alleged, "BNP operates with funds from the Awami League."
Responding sharply to the claim, Dudu said, "If BNP leaders urinate together, the force of that urine will wash you away into the Bay of Bengal. Do not say something for which you cannot take responsibility. If BNP simply spits in response to your allegation, you will disappear within that spit."
In another instance, a video clip of Bulu has recently gone viral on social media, where he is seen publicly questioning the religious identity of Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus.
Source: thedailystar.net
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/politics/news/bnp-issues-warnings-bulu-dudu-over-controversial-remarks-3912316
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Farah Governor Signs Agricultural and Infrastructure Agreements with Iran
2025-06-05
FARAH (BNA): Farah Provincial Governor Mawlawi Ghousuddin Rahabr concluded a productive two-day visit to neighboring Iran, resulting in the signing of two significant cooperation agreements focused on agricultural development and cross-border infrastructure improvement.
During an interview with Bakhtar News Agency, Governor Rahabr described the visit as mutually beneficial for both nations, their governing systems, and citizens. The governor emphasized that his meetings with Iranian officials served to strengthen and expand bilateral relations, particularly regarding critical border issues.
A central achievement of the talks was the signing of agreements covering agricultural cooperation and the completion of a vital 117-kilometer road connecting to the Sheikh Abu Nasr Farahi border crossing Of this crucial transportation route, 63 kilometers will undergo rehabilitation, while the remaining sections will be completed within a nine-month timeframe. The pacts also include provisions for sharing scientific agricultural expertise between the two nations.
Governor Rahabr detailed substantive discussions held at the border crossing, which brought together Afghan and Iranian officials, national business representatives, local residents, and customs authorities. These talks addressed persistent challenges in cross-border trade, transit, and movement of people, with both sides committing to concrete solutions.
The governor stressed that these agreements mark an important step forward in regional cooperation and will directly benefit communities on both sides of the border through improved infrastructure and agricultural development.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
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https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/farah-governor-signs-agricultural-and-infrastructure-agreements-with-iran/
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Over 1000 Afghan Migrant Families Return Home
2025-06-05
KABUL(BNA): Over 1000 Afghan migrant families have recently returned to Afghanistan from Pakistan and Iran through various transit routes.
The High Commission for Addressing Refugee Problems reported that 1026 migrant families comprising a total of 4501 individuals who forcibly repatriated to the country.
These families have been arrived to the country through several key transit points, including Torkham-Nangarhar, Spin Boldak-Kandahar, Islam Qala-Herat, Abrisham-Nimroz, Angor-Ade-Paktika, and Bahramcha-Helmand and among other routes.
In addition, the necessary services have been provided to these migrants by the committees for registration, verification, reception transportation and financial regulation, health services, and communications committees of this commission.
Moreover, after verification (Biometrics) the migrant families received essential services from local committees, like SIM cards and financial assistance, in addition the commission has also taken necessary steps transfer them to their respective provinces.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
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https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/over-1000-afghan-migrant-families-return-home-3/
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10 million in Afghanistan need Emergency Food Aid to Survive: WFP
By Fidel Rahmati
June 5, 2025
The World Food Programme warns that 10 million people in Afghanistan urgently need food assistance to survive amid worsening hunger crises.
The World Food Programme (WFP) reports that Afghanistan remains one of the world’s hunger hotspots, with over 10 million Afghans in urgent need of food assistance for survival.
According to WFP’s latest update on Wednesday, June 4, an estimated 9.5 million people are experiencing severe levels of food insecurity across the country, particularly in rural and conflict-affected areas.
The report highlights that one in every five Afghans goes to bed hungry, a sign of persistent and widespread food shortages worsened by climate shocks and poverty.
While the WFP notes some relative improvement in Afghanistan’s overall economic situation, it warns that these gains are fragile and at risk due to multiple overlapping crises.
Climate-related hazards, reduced humanitarian funding—down by 40% for food aid—and ongoing economic instability continue to threaten food security, particularly for vulnerable households struggling to meet basic needs.
Earlier, the World Bank had indicated a 2% economic growth in Afghanistan, yet the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) emphasized that poverty and unemployment remain entrenched across the country.
Without urgent international support and sustained humanitarian aid, WFP warns the situation could deteriorate further, especially as budget constraints limit its ability to reach all those in need.
The report urges donors and international partners not to overlook Afghanistan, stressing that millions of lives depend on continued assistance to prevent widespread hunger and malnutrition.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/10-million-in-afghanistan-need-emergency-food-aid-to-survive-wfp/
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Africa
Eid-el-Kabir: Yahaya Bello urges Nigerians to embrace unity, compassion
6th June 2025
Former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, has emphasised the significance of peaceful coexistence among the citizens.
This is as he also extended warm greetings to the Muslim Ummah, the people of the state, and President Bola Tinubu on the occasion of Eid-el-Kabir.
In his goodwill message circulated to journalists on Thursday, Bello emphasised the significance of Eid-el-Kabir as a time for deep reflection, sacrifice, obedience to Allah, and compassion toward one another.
In the statement signed by his Director, Media, Ohiare Michael, the former governnor called on Muslims to uphold the values exemplified by Prophet Ibrahim (AS), whose unwavering faith and obedience to the will of Allah remained a guiding light for all believers.
“As we mark this sacred celebration of Eid-el-Kabir, I rejoice with our Muslim brothers and sisters across the country. This is a season of sacrifice, humility, and devotion — values we must carry with us beyond the festivities,” he said.
He also extended heartfelt felicitations to the President, praying for strength, wisdom, and divine guidance in his leadership.
“I heartily congratulate His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on this auspicious occasion of Eid-el-Kabir.
“May Almighty Allah continue to guide him in his efforts at building a stronger, more united, and prosperous Nigeria of our collective dreams,” he stated.
Bello urged Nigerians to continue to pray for the peace, unity, and stability of the nation, and to use the occasion of Eid to show kindness and support to the less privileged in the society.
“Let us use this opportunity to foster love, unity, and peaceful coexistence in our communities.
“Our nation needs our collective prayers and contributions now more than ever.
“Once again, I wish all Muslim faithful a joyful and peaceful Sallah celebration. Eid Mubarak,” he stated.
Source: punchng.com
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https://punchng.com/eid-el-kabir-yahaya-bello-urges-nigerians-to-embrace-unity-compassion/
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MURIC accuses FG of religious bias over free train rides
5th June 2025
The Muslim Rights Concern has criticised the Federal Government and the Nigerian Railway Corporation over what it describes as religious bias in the provision of free train rides during festive seasons.
The Executive Director of MURIC, Prof Ishaq Akintola, expressed disappointment in a statement issued on Thursday, a day before Sallah, over the government’s decision to offer free train rides only during the Christian holiday of Christmas, without extending similar benefits during Islamic festivals such as Eid al-Kabir.
The statement said, “A strange scenario is currently playing out in the Nigerian socio-cultural landscape. The Federal Government offered free train rides during Christmas; it has maintained a pregnant silence on whether the same handout will be offered during this Salah.”
While the FG had extended its free train services beyond December 2024 into early January 2025, MURIC noted that only paid services were announced for the Salah period.
He said, “The NRC did confirm additional trips for routes such as Lagos to Ibadan, but these services remain commercial, not complimentary.
“This extension cannot even scratch the surface. It is not comparable to the over-pampering luxury of the Christmas period.”
MURIC questioned the equity of such decisions, accusing the government of sidelining Muslims and marginalising them in a country with a Muslim president and a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket.
“We are constrained to ask: Is free train meant for Christians alone? Who is in control of this government? Are Muslims really being carried along?” he asked.
The organisation also condemned what it described as a broader pattern of political, economic, and social exclusion of Muslims, urging a fundamental overhaul of religious practices institutionalised during the colonial era, such as the weekend system and holiday schedules, which it claims remain biased toward Christianity.
“If this is an oversight, we demand an apology from FG. If it is deliberate, we will assume it is an exhibition of executive impunity,” the statement added.
Amidst its criticisms, MURIC extended festive greetings to Nigerian Muslims ahead of the 2025 Eid al-Kabir celebrations and urged patience and perseverance among followers of Islam.
“Despite the fact that neither FG nor NRC has been fair to Muslims, we will hold our peace since we have no iota of doubt that Almighty Allah is forever constant, ever watchful,” Akintola stated.
Source: punchng.com
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https://punchng.com/muric-accuses-fg-of-religious-bias-over-free-train-rides/
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Sallah: Akpabio celebrates Muslims, urges peace, patience
by Sanni Onogu, Abuja
June 5, 2025
As Muslims across Nigeria and around the world celebrate the joyous occasion of Eid-ul-Adha, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, has felicitated the Muslim Ummah, praying that the sacred festival may usher peace, love, and unity to the nation.
In a statement through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh, the Senate President said the spirit of Eid-el-Kabir reminds us of the importance of sacrifice, compassion, and kindness.
He said: “As we commemorate the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son, we are reminded of the values of obedience, faith, and selflessness.
“I urge all Nigerians to embody these virtues, fostering a culture of peace, understanding, and cooperation.
“We also recognise the challenges our nation faces and the efforts of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to address them. His economic and fiscal reforms, though difficult, are yielding results and paving the way for a brighter future. I encourage all Nigerians to remain patient, resilient, and committed to our collective progress.
“Let us use this occasion to promote interfaith harmony, national unity, and development. May Allah bless our nation and grant us peace and prosperity.
“On behalf of my family, constituents, the 10th Senate and the entire National Assembly, I say Eid Mubarak to all Muslims”.
Source: thenationonlineng.net
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https://thenationonlineng.net/sallah-akpabio-celebrates-muslims-urges-peace-patience/
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Muslims mark Day of Arafat on the second day of Hadj in Saudi Arabia
June 5, 2025
Muslim pilgrims flocked to Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia on Thursday on the second day of the annual Hadj.
The rocky hill, just outside the holy city of Mecca, holds immense significance for Islam. It is believed to be the place where the Prophet Muhammad delivered his final sermon.
Undertaking the Hajj is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, a religious obligation involving rituals and acts of worship that every Muslim must fulfil once in their lifetime, if they can afford to and are physically able.
The Day of Arafat is the most sacred of the Islamic calendar, when God draws near to the faithful and forgives their sins.
“We feel the best at of the holy sites with humble heart and faith, it is a very nice feeling,” said Hatem Salem, an Egyptian pilgrim.
The Saudi government says more than 1.5 million foreign pilgrims are attending this year’s Hadj.
Pilgrim Salem Naji Ahmed travelled all the way to from Yemen.
“We came by land. It took four days and nights. This is our best day, the day of Arafat. We pray for the Arab and Muslim nations to be united,” he said.
After sunset on Thursday, pilgrims will head to the desert plain of Muzdalifah to gather pebbles for the symbolic “stoning of the devil”.
Source: africanews.com
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https://www.africanews.com/2025/06/05/muslims-mark-day-of-arafat-on-the-second-day-of-hadj-in-saudi-arabia/
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Nigerian Army Kill Several Boko Haram/ISWAP Terrorists In Borno
June 5, 2025
Troops of the Nigerian Army have successfully eliminated several Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists in Borno State.
Naija News reports that troops of Operation HADIN KAI neutralized the terrorists in Mallam Fatori and Buratai in the early hours of Thursday, 5th June 2025.
This was confirmed in a short statement released via the official Facebook page of the Nigerian Army.
“Troops of Operation HADIN KAI neutralize scores of BH/ISWAP terrorists in Mallam Fatori and Buratai early hours of Thursday 5 June 2025,” the terse statement read.
Meanwhile, the Department of State Services (DSS) along with the military has successfully neutralized approximately 45 bandits near Kuchi town in the Munya Local Government Area of Niger State.
Naija News reports that this operation, conducted discreetly, represents yet another achievement in the ongoing campaigns against banditry in the region.
According to Daily Trust, security sources have disclosed that the DSS meticulously tracked the bandits’ movements and thwarted an impending invasion of the villages, which was intended to execute large-scale assaults orchestrated by the notorious kingpin Dogo Gide and his loyal bandits.
As per the sources, intelligence gathered through the agency’s renewed covert operations indicated that the terrorists, originating from Bilbis forest in Maru LGA of Zamfara State and certain regions of Kaduna State, were summoned by Gide to launch attacks on the villages in the Kuchi vicinity.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/06/05/breaking-nigerian-army-kill-several-boko-haram-iswap-terrorists-in-borno/
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Southeast Asia
Penang's Indian Muslim housing discount sparks lawyer's ire
Jun 6, 2025
Human rights lawyer Rajesh Nagarajan has sharply criticised the Penang state government’s decision to offer an exclusive five percent housing and commercial property discount to Indian Muslims under the Madani Home Ownership Campaign (MOC), branding the move as discriminatory and unconstitutional.
“This initiative is deeply divisive, discriminatory, and unacceptable. It blatantly favours one particular race and religious group at the expense of others and runs contrary to the...
Source: malaysiakini.com
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https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/745372
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DPM Zahid urges Muslims to embrace day of Arafah blessings
Bernama
05-06- 2025
KUALA LUMPUR: In conjunction with the Day of Arafah, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has called on Muslims to reflect, purify their hearts, subdue their egos and strengthen their relationships with others and Allah SWT.
Ahmad Zahid said the 9th of Zulhijjah each year is a profoundly special day in the Islamic calendar, as it is filled with blessings, forgiveness and mercy from Allah SWT.
“Let us guard ourselves, uphold good conduct, and strive to be individuals who bring benefit to others. May we all be granted abundant forgiveness and mercy on this Day of Arafah, insya-Allah,” he said, extending Day of Arafah greetings to Muslims in Malaysia and worldwide.
He also encouraged Muslims in the country to seize the blessings of this day by observing the sunnah fast of the Day of Arafah, in line with the teachings of Prophet Muhammad SAW, and to increase their prayers, recite the zikir, seek forgiveness and give charity.
Ahmad Zahid also prayed for a safe and blessed journey for those travelling back to their hometowns to celebrate Hari Raya Aidiladha with loved ones.
The Day of Arafah, observed on the 9th of Zulhijjah annually, holds great significance, particularly for hajj pilgrims, as it marks the day of wukuf in the plains of Arafah, the pinnacle of the hajj pilgrimage.
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/malaysia-news/dpm-zahid-urges-muslims-to-embrace-day-of-arafah-blessings-CH14201928
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Major highways clear ahead of Aidiladha, heavy traffic expected later, says Malaysian Highway Authority
06 Jun 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, June 6 — Smooth traffic flow has been reported at all major highways nationwide this morning ahead of the Aidiladha celebrations tomorrow.
A Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) spokesman said although traffic is smooth flowing towards the east coast and southbound from the capital as of 10 am, it is expected to be congested by noon today.
However, he said traffic is heavy on the North-South Expressway (PLUS) heading north from Bidor to Tapah due to an influx of vehicles.
The public can get the latest traffic information via the toll-free PLUSLine at 1-800-88-0000, the X account @plustrafik or the LLM line at 1-800-88-7752 and the X account @llmtrafik.
Meanwhile, Pasir Puteh police chief Supt Zaizul Rizal Zakaria said that traffic at the two entry points along the Pasir Puteh, Kelantan-Terengganu border was smooth flowing as of 9 am. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/06/06/major-highways-clear-ahead-of-aidiladha-heavy-traffic-expected-later-says-malaysian-highway-authority/179435
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/trump-muslims-india-sindoor-delegations/d/135800