Qayamat Will Never Come, Babri Masjid Will Never Be Rebuilt, Says UP CM Yogi Adityanath
New Age Islam News Bureau
11 February2026
UP CM Yogi Adityanath
PTI
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· Qayamat will never come, Babri Masjid will never be rebuilt, says UP CM Yogi Adityanath
· Soviet and U.S.-Led Wars in Afghanistan Not Fought for Islam, Pakistan Defense Minister Says
· Lebanese village buries child and father killed by Israeli drone
· Anti-Muslim hate definition would protect people, not shut down Islam criticism
· US lawmakers name powerful men ‘likely incriminated’ in Epstein files
· How terrorist organisations are nearing strategic levels of operation in Nigeria
· Saudi cabinet authorizes nuclear cooperation talks with Jordan and Turkiye
· Crypto is Non-Halal, Indonesia’s LPS Boss Says
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India
· Gym owner who said 'My name is Mohammad Deepak' gets death threats in Uttarakhand
· Hindu concept of joint family alien to Muslim law: Why Gujarat HC rejected woman’s claim to ‘ancestral’ property
· SC asks NIA to file report in HC over invoking UAPA in case linked to Murshidabad violence
· 'They got scared and withdrew threat': Jammu CM Omar Abdullah on Pakistan playing India in T20 World Cup
· 2024 Sambhal violence: Allahabad HC stays order for FIR against cops over youth’s gunshot injuries
· Work Begins On Ex-Trinamool MLA HumayunKabir'sBabri Masjid Replica
· J&K CM expresses regret over Assembly remarks, agrees to expunge words
· MHA guidelines on VandeMataram: All six stanzas to be sung before National Anthem in govt events, schools
· Punjab police foil Pakistan-backed terror plot, seize IED in Amritsar
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South Asia
· Bangladesh set to vote, worried Hindus ask: ‘Who will protect us?’
· Pro-BNP, Jamaat actors play the religion card
· Bangladesh fares worse in TI’s Corruption Perceptions Index
· Islamabad Police Detain 65 Suspects, Including 7 Afghans, in Security Operation
· Afghanistan Ranks Among World’s Most Corrupt Countries in 2025, Report Shows
· Addressing Forced Marriage Through Islamic and Social Responsibility
· IEA Rejects UNAMA Human Rights Report, Calls Findings “Contrary to Reality”
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Mideast
· Arab and Muslim nations at UN condemn Israel over new West Bank control measures
· Israel informs Palestinian community of imminent demolition of playground
· Netanyahu orders two Palestinian-Israelis to be stripped of citizenship, deported
· Lebanon, Jordan seek solutions after Damascus bans non-Syrian trucks
· A father in Gaza searches for his family’s bones in the rubble of their home
· Turkiye’s Erdogan appoints new justice and interior ministers
· US sanctions target alleged Hezbollah gold exchange
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Europe
· Spike in antisemitism reports after synagogue attack
· Child rapist who worked at mosque groomed kids as young as nine with sweets and games
· Thousands Sign Petition against Planned Muslim Prayer Hall in Western Hungary
· Azerbaijan’s Garabagh monuments included in Islamic World Heritage List
· Preston City Mosque's renovation plan 'to cut heating bills' for historic building
· Muslim housing association execs accused of bribery over £10m housing fund
· Boy arrested for attempted murder after two pupils stabbed at school
· UK urging Israel to reverse West Bank move
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North America
· US governors cancel White House meeting after Donald Trump didn’t invite Democrats: Report
· US commerce secretary rejects Epstein links amid bipartisan calls to step down: 'Met 3 times in 14 years'
· CAIR-Texas Action Alert: Urge the Texas Comptroller’s Office to End Exclusion of Muslim Families from TEFA
· CAIR-Austin Invites Community for Groundbreaking of New Pedestrian Signals on North Lamar in Memoriam of Imam Islam Mossaad
· CAIR Exposes History of Racism and Bigotry Among Witnesses at House’s ‘Sharia Hoax’ Hearing
· With some Minneapolis Muslims in hiding, a nonprofit is gathering halal food for Ramadan
· Trump could send another ‘armada’ toward Iran
· 'They snatch people off our streets': LA Mayor Karen Bass signs directive barring ICE from city properties
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Africa
· Osun Imam, four others remanded over worshipper’s killing
· Senegalese government says death of student in protests is a 'tragedy'
· Gates Foundation denies claims it’s behind mosquito surge in Kenya
· NEWSNigerian Army Attack, Burn Terrorist Camps InKogi State
· DSS Raises Fresh Alarm Over Planned Attack On Kwara Community After Woro Killings
· Russia Denies Recruiting Nigerians For Ukraine War
· Outrage In Taraba As Bandits Storm Tiv Villages, Set Churches Ablaze
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Arab World
· Mecca museum unveils legendary Blue Quran: Viral pictures of 1,100-year-old masterpiece with Surah Al-Baqarah verses break the Internet
· Saudi Arabia’s KAUST named FIFA’s first research institute in MENA
· Saudi fund deputy CEO receives Japan International Cooperation Agency official
· Saudi, Bahraini crown princes meet in Diriyah
· Saudi defense localization advances as SAMI launches new subsidiaries
· Ramadan volunteering initiatives encourage participation of community
· Saudi Arabia to build world-class horse racing venue in Qiddiya
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Southeast Asia
· Follow the law on construction of houses of worship, avoid politicising religion, says King
· Zambry: Industry collaboration now essential, not optional, for all tertiary institutions to meet national needs
· Nearly one million vehicles expected to enter Kelantan for Chinese New Year and early Ramadan
· Prabowo-Initiated Tower for Islamic Institutions to Be Built from Scratch
· King stresses rule of law in house of worship issues
· MACC chief to sue Bloomberg for defamation over shareholding claims, calls reporting misleading
· Bersatu chiefs to face disciplinary board tomorrow sans HamzahZainudin who’s Australia for daughter’s varsity enrolment
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/up-cm-yogi-speaks-about-qayamat-and-babri-masjid/d/138809
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Qayamat will never come, Babri Masjid will never be rebuilt, says UP CM Yogi Adityanath
10.02.26
UP CM Yogi Adityanath
PTI
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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday asserted that the day of ‘Qayamat’ or doomsday would never arrive and therefore the Babri Masjid would never be rebuilt.
Speaking at an event in Barabanki, Adityanath recalled the Ram temple movement slogan, saying, “We had said that ‘Ram Lalla, hum aayenge, mandirwahibanaayenge’. Has the temple been built? Is there any doubt?” The crowd responded with chants of “Jai Shri Ram”.
“The day of ‘Qayamat’ (doomsday) will never come, and hence the Babri structure will never be rebuilt. Those who are dreaming of the day of ‘Qayamat’ will rot away, that day will come,” the chief minister said.
The long-running Babri Masjid dispute was settled by a Supreme Court verdict on November 9, 2019, which paved the way for the construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya and directed that an alternative five-acre plot be allotted for the construction of a mosque.
The dispute over the site of Babri Masjid, a three-domed mosque built by or at the behest of Moghul emperor Babur, dates back more than a century with Hindus contending that the invading Muslim armies had razed an existing Ram temple to erect the mosque.
However, it turned into a legal dispute in 1885 when a mahant went to court seeking permission to build a canopy outside the mosque. The plea was dismissed. In December 1949, unidentified miscreants spirited a Lord Ram idol into the mosque. The structure was destroyed by a large mob of karsevaks on December 6, 1992.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/qayamat-will-never-come-babri-masjid-will-never-be-rebuilt-says-up-cm-yogi-adityanath/cid/2146748
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Soviet and U.S.-Led Wars in Afghanistan Not Fought for Islam, Pakistan Defense Minister Says
By Fidel Rahmati
February 10, 2026
Pakistan defense minister tells parliament past Afghanistan wars served political interests, not religion, while regional security consequences continue affecting national policy debates.
Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif told parliament on Monday that Soviet forces were invited by Afghanistan’s government, arguing the term occupation reflected a narrative shaped largely by the United States.
He said Pakistan’s involvement in conflicts connected to Afghanistan was driven by political necessity and the search for superpower backing rather than religious solidarity or ideological motives.
Analysts note Pakistan became a frontline state during both the Soviet-Afghan war and the post-2001 conflict, hosting supply routes and military cooperation crucial to international operations in Afghanistan.
Relations with Washington, however, remained strained, as U.S. officials repeatedly accused Pakistan of tolerating or sheltering insurgent networks, allegations Islamabad consistently denied over the years.
Asif also admitted Pakistan altered educational narratives and policies to support wartime objectives, changes he said still affect society and remain difficult to reverse decades later.
He criticized past military leadership decisions, arguing Pakistan paid heavy economic and security costs, eventually being sidelined after serving external strategic interests in regional conflicts.
During the same parliamentary session, officials said a recent Islamabad suicide bomber was trained in Afghanistan, blaming India’s alleged involvement, while authorities reported dozens killed and many injured.
Officials emphasized Pakistan must acknowledge past strategic mistakes and prioritize internal stability and regional cooperation to prevent future conflicts from undermining national security and social cohesion.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/soviet-and-u-s-led-wars-in-afghanistan-not-fought-for-islam-pakistan-defense-minister-says/
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Lebanese village buries child and father killed by Israeli drone
February 10, 2026
Relatives of policeman Hassan Jaber, who was killed on Monday by an Israeli drone attack, mourn over his coffin during his funeral procession in Yanouh village, south Lebanon, on Tuesday. (AP)
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YANOUH, Lebanon: Mourners in southern Lebanon on Tuesday buried a father and his young son killed in an Israeli drone strike that targeted a Hezbollah member.
Hassan Jaber, a police officer, and his child, Ali, were on foot when the strike on Monday hit a passing car in the center of their town, Yanouh, relatives said. Lebanon’s health ministry said the boy was 3 years old. Both were killed at the scene along with the car driver, Ahmad Salami, who the Israeli military said in a statement was an artillery official with the Lebanese militant group.
It said it was aware of a “claim that uninvolved civilians were killed” and that the case is under review, adding it “makes every effort to reduce the likelihood of harm” to civilians.
Salami, also from Yanouh, was buried in the village Tuesday along with the father and son.
“There are always people here, it’s a crowded area,” with coffee shops and corner stores, a Shiite religious gathering hall, the municipality building and a civil defensecenter, a cousin of the boy’s father, also named Hassan Jaber, told The Associated Press.
When the boy and his father were struck, he said, they were going to a bakery making Lebanese breakfast flatbread known as manakish to see how it was made. They were standing only about 5 meters from the car when it was struck, the cousin said.
“It is not new for the Israeli enemy to carry out such actions,” he said. “There was a car they wanted to hit and they struck it in the middle of this crowded place.”
Jaber said the little boy, Ali, had not yet entered school but “showed signs of unusual intelligence.”
“What did this innocent child do wrong, this angel?” asked GhazalehHaider, the wife of the boy’s uncle. “Was he a fighter or a jihadi?”
Attendees at the funeral carried photos of Ali, a striking child with large green eyes and blond hair. Some also carried flags of Hezbollah or Amal, a Shiite party that is allied with but also sometimes a rival of Hezbollah.
Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces, of which the child’s father was a member, said in a statement that the 37-year-old father of three had joined in 2013 and reached the rank of first sergeant.
The strike came as Israel has stepped up its campaign against Hezbollah and its allies in Lebanon.
The night before the strike in Yanouh, Israeli forces launched a rare ground raid in the Lebanese village of Hebbarieh, several kilometers (miles) from the border, in which they seized a local official with the Sunni Islamist group Al-Jamaa Al-Islamiya, or the Islamic Group in English. The group is allied with Hezbollah and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
After the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel triggered war in Gaza, Hezbollah began firing rockets from Lebanon into Israel in support of Hamas and the Palestinians.
Israel responded with airstrikes and shelling. The low-level conflict escalated into full-scale war in September 2024, later reined in but not fully stopped by a US-brokered ceasefire two months later.
Since then, Israel has accused Hezbollah of trying to rebuild and has carried out near-daily strikes in Lebanon that it says target Hezbollah militants and facilities.
Israeli forces also continue to occupy five hilltop points on the Lebanese side of the border. Hezbollah has claimed one strike against Israel since the ceasefire.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2632545/middle-east
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Anti-Muslim hate definition would protect people, not shut down Islam criticism
10 Feb 2026
Two Muslim women in London. Photo Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire
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A new definition of anti-Muslim hate would aim to protect people from abuse and harassment rather than shut down criticism of Islam, a member of the working group that advised the UK Government on the topic has said.
Critics of efforts to create a new definition have raised concerns that doing so could create backdoor blasphemy laws and curtail speech about Islamic extremism.
Ministers launched a working group, chaired by barrister and former Conservative attorney general Dominic Grieve, in February 2025 and their recommendations were submitted to Government in October.
Communities Secretary Steve Reed said last month that the new definition would be published “very shortly”.
A draft definition, reported by the BBC at the end of last year, included the phrase “anti-Muslim hostility” and referred to the “prejudicial stereotyping and racialisation of Muslims”.
Akeela Ahmed, chief executive of British Muslim Trust (BMT), has said a new definition would “help provide clarity” as to “what anti-Muslim hatred is, how it shows up, what it looks like, the different ways that it can be manifested”.
In an interview with the Press Association ahead of the formal launch of the BMT and its helpline for people to report incidents of hate against them on Monday, she said many British Muslims feel their place in the country “is being questioned” as they face regular abuse and hostility.
She declined to give any detail on what the working group’s submission to Government looked like, but insisted a new definition could help police, school staff, universities and local authorities have a clear understanding of what qualifies as anti-Muslim hatred.
According to the working group’s terms of reference, the new definition, if accepted by ministers, would be non-statutory and would aim to provide “the government and other relevant bodies with an understanding of unacceptable treatment and prejudice against Muslim communities”.
Ms Ahmed told PA: “A definition of anti-Muslim hatred, or anti-Muslim hostility, is about protecting people so that they can go about their daily lives safely, without fear of being attacked or abused or harassed.
“And similarly, that they can go about their lives without suffering any kind of prejudice or discrimination. It’s not about closing down criticism of religions or Islam.”
‘Thuggery’
She said the situation in Britain had deteriorated in the past two years with “echoes of the overt, thuggery (and) racism that my parents experienced when they arrived in this country in the 1970s and the early 80s”.
Speaking of her own experience of not being served in a shop last year, she recalled feeling “surprise and shock, and then I felt quite vulnerable”.
Some women who are visibly identifiable as followers of Islam because of the way they are dressed are scared to visit the shops, choosing to stay indoors and order online because of previous experiences of harassment, she said.
She said the summer 2024 riots, the Unite the Kingdom rally and flag-raising in various parts of the country in recent years, as well as the polarisation of views in the UK on the situation in the Middle East, have all meant “people really felt like their place in this country is being questioned”.
‘Integrated’
She added: “People quite powerfully expressed to us that they felt like, even though they’ve done all the right things – they’re born here, they’re educated here, they’ve got good jobs here, they’re integrated – it’s still not good enough.
“And now, in recent months and years, their loyalty to the country is being questioned. Their identity is being questioned.”
While she declined to say how soon or how urgently she feels a new definition should be agreed and published by Government, she said: “It would be helpful for them to kind of move forward on this.”
Speaking in January, Mr Reed said: “There will be no restrictions on the right to criticise a particular religion or religion in general on my watch.
“What we’ll do is look at how we can protect people from abuse that is extreme.”
Source: nation.cymru
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https://nation.cymru/news/anti-muslim-hate-definition-would-protect-people-not-shut-down-islam-criticism/
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US lawmakers name powerful men ‘likely incriminated’ in Epstein files
10 Feb, 2026
FILE PHOTO: Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) speaks alongside Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) outside the US Capitol © Heather Diehl / Getty Images
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A Democratic lawmaker has publicly identified six men whose names were redacted from government documents related to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, adding pressure on the Justice Department regarding transparency in the release of the files.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-California) read the names aloud on the House floor Tuesday after he and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) reviewed unredacted versions of the files at a Justice Department office earlier this week.
The six men named by Khanna are billionaire retail magnate Leslie “Les” Wexner; Emirati businessman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, the CEO of DP World; and four others identified as Nicola Caputo, Salvatore Nuara, ZurabMikeladze and LeonicLeonov.
None of the men have been charged with crimes in connection with Epstein, and Khanna acknowledged that inclusion in the files does not itself establish guilt, despite insisting that the context of the records “likely incriminated” them.
The decision to reveal the names on the House floor gives Khanna constitutional protection under the Speech and Debate Clause, which shields lawmakers from potential defamation lawsuits.
Khanna and Massie are co-sponsors of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which mandated the public release of the documents with only narrow redactions to protect victims.
Khanna accused the Justice Department and the FBI of improperly redacting the identities of potential associates while, in some cases, failing to adequately protect the identities of Epstein’s victims.
“Why did it take Thomas Massie and me going to the Justice Department to get these six men’s identities to become public?” Khanna said during his floor speech. “If we found six men that they were hiding in two hours, imagine how many men they are covering up for in those three million files.”
US Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche pushed back against the lawmakers’ claims, accusing them of “grandstanding.” Blanche said some redactions were required to protect personally identifiable information, including email addresses, and insisted the Justice Department was “hiding nothing.” Following the criticism, the department unredacted several additional pages.
Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting a minor for prostitution and died by supposed suicide in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. His longtime associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, was later convicted of aiding his abuse of underage girls.
The Justice Department has not announced any new criminal investigations related to the newly unredacted names.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/632282-epstein-files-likely-incriminated/
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How terrorist organisations are nearing strategic levels of operation in Nigeria
Abiodun Ramon Oseni
10 February 2026
Extremist groups operating in Nigeria include Boko Haram, ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province), and Ansaru (Vanguard for the Protection of Muslims in Black Africa), which is linked to Al-Qaeda and initially formed part of Boko Haram. Ansaru is recognised for its kidnappings and assaults, although it is not as influential as ISWAP.
Lakurawa reportedly emerged for the first time in 2018 within the Gongono Forest of Tangaza, Sokoto state. Additionally, armed bandits and kidnappers are notable for conducting mass abductions for ransom, stealing cattle, and attacking villages while often employing ‘terrorist’ methods.
However, for all the groups identified, the situation of their mode of operation is transitioning rapidly from tactical considerations to strategic planning.
One indication of the shift from tactical measures to strategic planning was the recent incident in Kwara State, where over 100 armed jihadists, wearing military uniforms, invaded the nearby Muslim communities of Woro and Nuku in Nigeria’s western region and reportedly murdered around 200 innocent individuals.
Reports showed that the village leader informed law enforcement agencies about the terrorists’ approach long before the assaults occurred. But the law enforcement response took nearly 10 hours to get to the location of the horrific attacks.
It is crucial to emphasise that a brief deployment against terrorists in Nigeria is a poor strategy; it is even more detrimental when citizens provide intelligence to the authorities, only for the authorities to fail in addressing the crisis.
On November 9, 2025, a confrontation between Boko Haram and ISWAP in northeastern Nigeria led to the deaths of more than 200 combatants, with ISWAP reportedly sustaining greater casualties. The violence erupted as Boko Haram sought to regain territory from its fellow terrorist adversaries.
Failing to grasp the complexities of insecurity in Nigeria will mislead any security agency into being overly absorbed by the conflict between these terrorist factions.
The rivalries and realignments among terrorist groups have long been a feature of the insecurity landscape in Nigeria. In fact, in 2021, Boko Haram forces reunited with ISWAP, which is a splinter group from the original insurgent organisation.
A 13-minute footage, released and acquired by local news outlets, depicts the gunmen stacking their hands on top of one another while reciting words of unity to signify their reunion and solidarity. They swore loyalty to one Aba Ibrahim Al-HashimiyilAlKhuraishi, whom they collectively referred to as ‘KhalifanMuslimai’ or “The leader of all Muslims.”
The Muslim community asserted that terrorism does not represent Islam. Additionally, the video features one insurgent expressing gratitude to the new leader for uniting them.
These occurrences can be seen as the beginning of the transition from tactical operations to strategic planning within these terrorist groups.
Other elements that are bolstering the shift from tactical to strategic planning include the exchange of intelligence, collaboration on financial matters, joint training, sharing information regarding logistics, and efforts to acquire intelligence from both within and outside the Nigerian law enforcement agencies.
Extremist groups operating in Nigeria all utilise kidnapping for ransom tactics and engage in negotiations with authorities without facing the risk of arrest. These terrorists’ groups later shares patterns, methods and outcome of negotiation together.
The Africa Defense Forum (ADF) magazine, reported on August 19, 2025, that a terrorist organisation dominating the Lake Chad area generates approximately $191 million each year in taxes levied on farmers, livestock owners, and fishermen, according to a recent report from an independent nonprofit news agency.
Joint training efforts are now coordinated among the terrorist groups, who are attempting to incorporate modern technology and drone warfare. Various terrorist groups are now progressing toward collaborative logistics efforts to sustain their malicious activities.
The collaborative logistics efforts align, since they operate within the same industry – utilising comparable routes and sharing geographic areas.
Given the operations of the terror groups, it is crucial for the Nigerian government to genuinely investigate potential insider threats.
According to a report by Reuters, charges were brought against former Nigerian Attorney General AbubakarMalami and his son Abdulaziz by state police for five counts related to terrorism and firearms offenses, following their earlier money laundering charges by the financial crimes watchdog.
These charges are insufficient, as the Nigerian government frequently claims awareness of the politicians who fund terrorism in the nation.
The degree of corruption in the acquisition of weapons and ammunition for Nigeria’s war on terrorism may be a clear sign that traitor threats against the country’s war on terrorism would continue to exacerbate insecurity for individual benefit. The government must take effective action to reduce corruption in this sector.
The Nigerian government should focus on the root causes of insurgencies in Nigeria, such as good economic policies, employment opportunities, improved infrastructure, good health systems, a good education system that discourages children from dropping out of school, massive youth empowerment, outstanding poverty alleviation programmes, an inclusive government that represents trust, and strengthening the Nigerian institutions that truly fights against corruption, and symbolises justice for all.
The advancement of all these terrorist organisations from the tactical to strategic level will define Nigeria as a failed state. And it is instructive to say that Nigerians are not willing to remain under the control of terrorist groups in the country.
Source: guardian.ng
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https://guardian.ng/opinion/columnists/how-terrorist-organisations-are-nearing-strategic-levels-of-operation-in-nigeria/
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Saudi cabinet authorizes nuclear cooperation talks with Jordan and Turkiye
February 10, 2026
RIYADH: The Saudi cabinet on Tuesday authorized the Minister of Energy to negotiate and sign draft agreements on peaceful nuclear and atomic energy cooperation with the governments of Jordan and Turkey.
The cabinet also approved a high-speed electric rail agreement with Qatar, visa exemption agreements with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Mongolia, a cultural cooperation memorandum with Uzbekistan, and a health cooperation memorandum with Syria.
The session, chaired by King Salman, reviewed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and visits with Turkish President RecepTayyip Erdogan and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, highlighting strengthened bilateral relations.
The session addressed regional security and stability, emphasizing Saudi support for the Gaza ceasefire, and the “Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh.”
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2632490/saudi-arabia
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Crypto is Non-Halal, Indonesia’s LPS Boss Says
Jayanty Nada Shofa
February 11, 2026
Jakarta. AnggitoAbimanyu, chairman of the Deposit Insurance Agency (LPS), said Wednesday that cryptocurrencies would fall into the “non-halal” category due to the lack of a ruling that clearly states it complies with Islamic transaction principles.
Cryptocurrencies are booming in Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country. The Financial Services Authority (OJK) reported that Indonesia had 19.56 million crypto asset trading consumers as of Nov. 2025, up 2.5% month-to-month.
Cryptoasset transactions amounted to around Rp 482.23 trillion or $28.8 billion in value throughout 2025. Amid the rising popularity, cryptocurrencies had yet to secure a sharia fatwa issued by the recognized religious authority, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI). Islamic law mandates sharia-compliant transactions to be tied to a tangible underlying asset. The term halal means permissible according to Islamic teachings.
“Crypto has not had any Sharia fatwa to this day. It has not complied with Sharia terms because it does not have an underlying [asset],” Anggito told the Investor Daily Roundtable in Jakarta.
“Cryptocurrencies are just about money circulating and turned into bitcoins. That’s why crypto is in the non-halal category.”
But at the end of the day, the decision to embrace crypto or not — despite knowing the fact — rests in the person’s hands.
“It’s your responsibility,” he said.
In 2021, MUI labeled the use of crypto as a currency as haram (non-permissible) due to its uncertain and dharar (harmful) nature. The council finds that cryptos as a digital asset cannot be traded, even likening it to gambling, which is a definite no-no for Muslims. Cryptos also fail to meet the requirement as a valid commodity (sil’ah) as it does not exist in physical form. But the council admitted that it could give its greenlight to crypto as an asset only if it meets the valid commodity principles, has an underlying asset, and comes with clear benefits.
Central Statistics Agency (BPS) data showed at least 207 million Indonesians identified as Muslims, making up 87.2% of the total population.
Source: jakartaglobe.id
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https://jakartaglobe.id/business/crypto-is-nonhalal-indonesias-lps-boss-says
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India
Gym owner who said 'My name is Mohammad Deepak' gets death threats in Uttarakhand
Piyush Srivastava
11.02.26
Deepak Kumar, the Uttarakhand gym owner who identified himself as Mohammad Deepak while standing up to a group of Bajrang Dal activists harassing an elderly Muslim shopkeeper, has been receiving death threats.
Police in Kotdwar have registered a case against a social media user for announcing a reward of ₹2 lakh for whoever kills Deepak. Although nobody is named, the accused identifies himself as Raja Utkarsh on social media. The police have tracked this person to Motihari in Bihar, SarveshPanwar, senior superintendent of police of PauriGarhwal under which Kotdwar falls, said.
Pradeep Negi, a police inspector, said: “We are in touch with Bihar police and trying to nab the culprit.”
A large number of Bajrang Dal members had barged into Baba School Dresses & Matching Centre, owned by Mohammad Shoeb, 60, on January 31 and asked him to either remove the board bearing the name “Baba” or accept Hinduism. The activists said the only “Baba” they recognised and revered was Lord Hanuman, the presiding deity of the local Sidhbali temple.
Deepak, whose gym is nearby, intervened and when the Bajrang members asked him who he was, he said: “My name is Mohammad Deepak.”
A few days after the incident, Uttarakhand police registered a case against Deepak for allegedly using foul language and disturbing law and order and questioned him.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/uttarakhand-gym-owner-mohammad-deepak-faces-death-threats-after-bajrang-dal-row-case-prnt/cid/2146771
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Hindu concept of joint family alien to Muslim law: Why Gujarat HC rejected woman’s claim to ‘ancestral’ property
Aditi Raja
Feb 11, 2026
The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday rejected the plea of a Muslim woman challenging a 1983 family arrangement to claim a share in the immovable properties her brothers received from their father, holding that the concept of “a joint family” under Hindu succession laws is alien to Mohammedan law. The high court held that succession in Muslim law was “individual” as members of the Muslim family living in “commensality” do not form a joint family like Hindus.
In a 50-page judgment, Justice J C Doshi held that in Mohammedan law, “there is not, as there is in Hindu Law, any presumption that the acquisitions of the several members are made for the benefit of the joint family” and so, the acquisition of the property by some members “will not deemed to be for the benefit of all of them jointly”.
The court was hearing a bunch of pleas and revision applications filed by the descendants of the deceased, ValimohammadKaduji and his wife, the late Ayesha.
The original complaint was filed by one of Kaduji’s two daughters. She had sought “relief of administration” (receiving legal share in property) of the estate of her deceased father, which had been settled as per a family arrangement dated April 25, 1983. As per the arrangement, the plaintiff and her sister were entitled to an amount of Rs 30,000 in lieu of their share in the estate of their father. As per the facts of the case, the sister had already relinquished her rights.
The judgment notes that the plaintiff moved the courts contending that her brothers—who are also related to the plaintiff as inter-se in-laws by way of the marriage of their son and daughter with each other—had falsely assured her of a share from properties located in Akota and Tandalja area of Vadodara city, but instead “in connivance with other defendants”, started the development of a residential complex titled Jumeirah Park in Tandalja.
While a trial court had passed an order in 2024 in favour of the plaintiff, the advocates for the defendants submitted to the court that the plaintiff had “remained silent for 37 years” and only demanded her share when her brothers and their sons decided to develop the upcoming real estate property.
“Such pressure tactics clearly suffer from inordinate delay and latches… It is further argued that if at all plaintiffs succeed in the suit, her share is so negligent that it can be compensated in terms of money, which is already recognized in the family settlement (of 1983),” the defendants submitted in the court.
Mohammedan law unlike Hindu law of succession
Rejecting the grounds for the plea of the woman that the estate in contention was “ancestral property”, the court delved into the tenets of Mohammedan law. The high court order states, “In thus, the base of the suit claiming the relief of administration as well as discretionary relief… revolves around two concepts, vis the concept of ‘joint family property’ and ‘ancestral property’… Plaintiff, by this kind of the pleading implies that a joint family was existing and father, in order to avoid the operation of the ‘Tenancy Act’… purchased the parcels of lands in the name of the sons… to benefit the family. The concepts pleaded by the plaintiff very much would be available to her, provided that she is governed by the provisions of the Hindu Law, but here is a case where a Muslim female claims and contends the concept of joint family property, which is wholly not available to her.”
The court held that the parties were governed by the principle of Mohammedan Law, to which the concept of ‘joint family’ as well as coparcenary property (where members acquire interest by birth) are foreign, as in Mohammedan law, right to succeed is “nothing more than a mere spes i.e. mere chance of succession”.
Serious error: HC on trial court injunction granted to woman
Stating that the trial court had committed a “serious error” and delving into the definition of ‘perversity’ to refer to the injunction granted by the trial court to the plaintiff, the high court said, “(The trial court) had failed to apply the mind that parties to the dispute are governed by the principles of Mohammedan law, where concept of ‘joint family property’ or ‘ancestral property’ are totally alien, and thus, when it is established on record that the learned trial court has failed to refer the provisions of the law governing the succession of the parties being Muslim, and reached to a particular conclusion to grant interim-relief, is to be defined as a conclusion arrived at by the wrong way or distorted from the righteous and logical conclusion.”
The high court also noted that the trial court had ignored that the plaintiff had not challenged the original family settlement executed in 1983. The high court judgment also cited the principle of Mohammedan law, ‘Nemo estheresviventis’, which implies that a living person has no heir, and the plaintiff could have claimed her right in case a fiduciary relationship existed between the parties.
The high court said, “The relationship between the members of the Mohammedan family is distinct from that of the members of the Hindu family. The presumption of the Hindu law regarding the joint family, joint family property or joint family funds has got to be completely forgotten in deciding cases between the parties who are Mohammedans… Had the plaintiff made out such a case of partnership or agency or fiduciary relationship, he/she can take advantage of the provisions of the Indian Trusts Act and provisions arising out of the relationship of partners or principal or agent to claim the share in the property.”
Source: indianexpress.com
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SC asks NIA to file report in HC over invoking UAPA in case linked to Murshidabad violence
11 Feb 2026
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to file a report in a sealed cover before the Calcutta High Court justifying the invocation of a UAPA provision pertaining to terror acts in a case related to repeated incidents of violence and unrest in West Bengal's Murshidabad district.
Disposing of an appeal of the West Bengal government, a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice JoymalyaBagchi also asked the state government to approach the high court with its grievances against the NIA probe in the Murshidabad violence case.
The top court said the Calcutta HC can also examine the state government's challenge to the Centre's decision to order the NIA probe in the case.
On January 20, the high court expressed concern about repeated incidents of violence and unrest in Murshidabad district and directed the police and administration to ensure peace is maintained there.
A division bench presided by Chief Justice Sujoy Paul said that the state government may requisition central forces if required.
The high court also said that the central government will peruse reports by the state government to decide on a probe by the NIA.
The Union home ministry, on January 28, ordered an NIA probe in the case.
Two PILs were moved before the high court seeking that central forces be deployed at Beldanga in Murshidabad district due to the violence there in connection with alleged attacks on migrant workers in neighbouring states.
On January 16, protesters blocked National Highway 12 for around six hours over the alleged death of a Beldanga-resident migrant worker in Jharkhand.
On January 17 morning, too, road and rail blockades took place over the alleged heckling of a Murshidabad-resident migrant worker in Bihar.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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'They got scared and withdrew threat': Jammu CM Omar Abdullah on Pakistan playing India in T20 World Cup
10 Feb 2026
JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday mocked Pakistan for playing India in the ongoing T20 World Cup and said "those who issue threats must be prepared to stand by them".
The high-profile India-Pakistan match on February 15 in Colombo will go ahead as scheduled after Pakistan's government, following persuasion from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, decided to withdraw its boycott call.
"Now that Pakistan has decided to play the match against India, I want to tell them that do not issue threats if you are not prepared to stand by them.
They had threatened that they would not play a match against India, but then they got scared and withdrew their own threat," the chief minister told reporters here.
He said those who do not have the strength to stand by their threats should not make such threats in the first place.
"They should quietly come onto the field and play the match-whatever happens in the match will happen," Abdullah said.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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2024 Sambhal violence: Allahabad HC stays order for FIR against cops over youth’s gunshot injuries
Bhupendra Pandey
Feb 11, 2026
The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday stayed the January 9 order issued by the Sambhal Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) for registering an FIR against police officers in connection with the gunshot injuries sustained by a youth during November 2024 violence.
The Sambhal court had ordered registration of an FIR against the then Circle Officer (CO) Anuj Kumar Chaudhary and other police officers, including the then local SHO Anuj Kumar Tomar, for allegedly firing at 23-year-old biscuit seller, Mohammad Alam, during the violence over the survey of Jama Masjid in November 2024. Alam’s father, Yameen, had approached the CJM court seeking lodging of an FIR against the policemen, claiming that his son was innocent.
Following the Sambhal court’s order, two petitions were filed in the High Court, one by then CO Anuj Kumar Chaudhary and SHO Anuj Kumar Tomar, and another by the UP government, challenging the FIR order.
While staying the CJM’s order till March 24, the next date for hearing, the High Court Bench of Justice Samit Gopal granted two weeks’ time to the youth’s father to file a rejoinder affidavit.
In their petitions, the police officers and the state government sought the quashing of the Sambhal court order and imposition of award costs to the youth’s family.
Pleading before the High Court, Additional Advocate General, representing the state government, argued that Alam and his father, Yameen, did not approach the local police station for lodging of an FIR and instead approached senior police officers and the CJM. “Therefore, the procedure under Section 174(3) of the BNSS has not been followed,” the government counsel said, adding that the Sambhal court did not consider the police report filed before it, giving a detailed version about the alleged incident.
The counsel for Yameen, however, submitted that the petitioner in the case is Principal Secretary (Home) of the UP government, “who is the protector of a citizen, and is even then challenging an order of the court directing registration of an FIR and investigation”.
Yameen’s counsel requested the Bench to grant him two weeks’ time to file a counter-affidavit.
“The submissions of the petitioners (police officers and UP government) are on merits, whereas the preliminary objection has been raised regarding the maintainability of the petition filed by the State on behalf of the private respondent, and for addressing it on merits, time to file a counter affidavit is being sought. A petition before this Court is filed under Article 227 of the Constitution… and this Court should not scuttle its jurisdiction while entertaining a matter,” the order issued by the High Court Bench read.
The High Court also noted that the “complainant (Yameen) has failed to produce any relevant document or even make a relevant pleading that he approached the Officer In-charge of the police station or information was provided to the Officer In-charge of the police station regarding the commission of cognizable offence and the Officer In-charge refused and neglected to register the FIR”.
In his petition filed in the CJM court, Yameen had said he was unable to lodge a complaint earlier due to fear, and only after approaching officials with no success, he decided to seek the court’s intervention to direct the registration of an FIR against the policemen.
It is to be noted that VibhanshuSudheer, who as Sambhal CJM had on January 9 ordered registration of an FIR against the police officers, was transferred to Sultanpur district 11 days later. He was replaced by Aditya Singh, the judge who had ordered a survey of the SambhalJama Masjid two years ago on a petition claiming that a temple had been demolished to build the mosque. Following this, violence had broken out that left four dead and several, including policemen, injured.
However, within three days following protests by lawyers, Aditya Singh was moved out, and Deepak Kumar Jaiswal was appointed the new Sambhal CJM.
Source: indianexpress.com
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Work Begins On Ex-Trinamool MLA HumayunKabir'sBabri Masjid Replica
Feb 11, 2026
Construction of a replica of the Babri Masjid – a project driven by HumayunKabir, the suspended Trinamool Congress leader – began Wednesday in West Bengal's Murshidabad district.
"The construction of the mosque is expected to be completed within two years. By the grace of Allah and with His blessings, our Babri Masjid will be built," Kabir said at the building site.
"To those who are opposing this, I would say 'step aside'. People are free to follow their own religions and build temples, churches, or whatever they wish. I won't oppose anyone in the name of Islam."
"My effort is for Islam to please Allah… it is not about imposing anything," he said.
Murshidabad, West Bengal: Janata Unnayan Party (JUP) President HumayunKabir says, "The construction of the mosque is expected to be completed within two years. By the grace of Allah and with His blessings, our Babri Masjid will be built." pic.twitter.com/e2JlQivmW3
Kabir kicked up a political storm in Bengal – which is scheduled to hold an Assembly election in March/April – after he announced plans to re-build the Babri Masjid, a 16th century mosque in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya that was demolished by a right-wing mob in December 1992.
The announcement led to a 'temple vs mosque' battle of optics between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool and the Bharatiya Janata Party. The Trinamool responded to the MurshidabadBabri Masjid plan by suspending Kabir to underline its secular credentials.
In a fierce attack that included jabs at the BJP, he acknowledged Banerjee's "unquestionable" leadership – the redoubtable Trinamool boss has guided her party to three electoral wins, i.e., two federal and one state – over the BJP but declared "she is no longer the same person I knew…"
"In 2026, she will not become the Chief Minister and will not be sworn in… she will be branded as ex-Chief Minister," he said, hinting also that collusion with the BJP had allowed the latter's ideological mentor, the RashtriyaSwayamsevakSangh, to expand its Bengal footprints.
The Trinamool, though, played down, and even dismissed Kabir. Party spokesperson JayprakashMajumdar claimed that such parties had been floated against Mamata Banerjee before and then sank into oblivion. "It is nothing more than a communal provocation," he said.
The BJP, meanwhile, called the row an attempt to create communal tensions and a "calculated" move by the Trinamool. It also claimed Kabir is working with the Trinamool and that his apparent discord is a ruse to split votes. "Kabir will not be a factor... He will face a drubbing with Trinamool, with which he is in touch in a clandestine manner," state BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya claimed.
The JUP - expected to ally with AsaduddinOwaisi for the 2026 election, though Owaisi's AIMIM has not confirmed talks - will contest a total of 135 (of the state's 249) seats, Kabir told NDTV, and will work for the aamaadmi, i.e, including Muslims.
Muslims comprise a major vote bank for the Trinamool and the ruling party must now avoid losing those votes to Kabir (and Owaisi) while simultaneously blocking the BJP from making deeper inroads in the state, after it emerged as a stronger-than-ever force in the 2021 poll.
Source: ndtv.com
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J&K CM expresses regret over Assembly remarks, agrees to expunge words
11 Feb 2026
JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday expressed regret over remarks made during the Assembly proceedings, saying statements were made in the heat of the moment and that he had no objection if they are expunged from the record.
"I leave it to the Speaker. If any unparliamentary words were used by me in my speech yesterday, they may be removed from the record. I have no objection," Abdullah said.
The Assembly witnessed noisy scenes for the second consecutive day as BJP members demanded an apology from the CM over his "unparliamentary" remarks against them before walking out of the House in protest during the Question Hour.
"As far as the matter is concerned, sometimes things are said in the heat of emotions. What I said hurt him, and I regret that. However, whatever I said was about them; I did not bring any of his family members into it. His field commanders, while leaving, dragged my parents and my late grandfather into it. But I will let that go as well", Abdullah told the House here.
Ahead of the CM's statement, BJP MLA Sham Lal Sharma said that he believed that nothing very serious had been said (by his party legislators) and maintained that there could have been a "slip of the tongue." CM
Abdullah said that he shared cordial relations with legislators across party lines and had been interacting with all MLAs over the past one and a half years.
"Had I been allowed to speak earlier, I would have clarified and withdrawn my remarks. But I was not given the opportunity to do so at the time", he said.
Reiterating his responsibility as the CM, Abdullah said that he represented voters from all regions and had responded to questions raised by the Opposition, despite some being difficult to answer.
He further cautioned that disruptions in the House could hamper the passage of grants related to key departments, including Education, Health and Social Welfare, adding that he did not want voters from any constituency to feel ignored.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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MHA guidelines on VandeMataram: All six stanzas to be sung before National Anthem in govt events, schools
11 Feb 2026
NEW DELHI: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued a detailed notification directing that that India's National Song, VandeMataram, shall be sung first when played with the National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana.
The notification outlined comprehensive guidelines for the observance of the National Song, in honour of the 150th year of VandeMataram, written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee. The official composition is approximately three minutes and ten seconds long.
The MHA stated that “whenever the National Song and the National Anthem are sung or played together at official or public events, VandeMataram must be rendered first.”
The directive seeks to ensure uniformity and clarity in ceremonial practices across the country.
The MHA specified occasions when the official version of the National Song is to be played. These include civil investiture ceremonies; the arrival and departure of the President at formal State functions and other government-organised events and immediately before and after the President addresses to the nation on All India Radio or television.
It is also to be played on the arrival and departure of Governors or Lieutenant Governors at formal State functions within their respective States or Union Territories. The song is also prescribed to be sung when the National Flag is brought on parade and on any other occasion as may be directed through special orders issued by the Government of India.
The notification also details the protocol for band performances. When rendered by a band, the National Song must be preceded by a drum roll lasting seven paces in slow march, rising to peak volume before softening, followed by a single beat of rest before the commencement of the song. Alternatively, another clear musical signal, such as a fanfare, may be used.
The ministry has identified specific instances where the National Song should be accompanied by mass singing. These include the unfurling of the National Flag at cultural or ceremonial functions other than parades, and the arrival and departure of the President at government or public functions that are not formal State ceremonies. On such occasions, the official version must be coordinated with collective singing.
The notification further states that VandeMataram may be sung at other significant gatherings attended by ministers or dignitaries, even if they are not strictly ceremonial, provided it is rendered with due respect and decorum.
Schools have been encouraged to begin the day with community singing of the National Song and to promote respect for the National Anthem and the National Flag among students.
The MHA reiterated that audiences must stand to attention whenever the National Song is sung or played. An exception has been made for instances where it forms part of a newsreel or documentary film, as standing in such cases could disrupt the screening and cause disorder.
The government said the consolidated instructions aim to ensure uniform practice, dignity and respect in the observance of national symbols at official functions, educational institutions and public ceremonies across the country.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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Punjab police foil Pakistan-backed terror plot, seize IED in Amritsar
11 Feb 2026
CHANDIGARH: Punjab Police have foiled a terror plot backed by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) with the recovery of an RDX-based improvised explosive device (IED) and the arrest of one individual in Amritsar, DGP Gaurav Yadav said on Tuesday.
The accused has been identified as Rahul Kumar, also known as Gaju, a resident of Chamrang Road in Amritsar, who worked as an assistant in a salon.
Yadav said preliminary investigations indicated that the accused was in contact with a foreign-based handler operating under instructions from Pakistan.
The probe also revealed that Rahul collected the IED from a designated location on the outskirts of Amritsar, following directions from his foreign-based handler, the DGP added. The device had been concealed in a PVC pipe casing, likely to evade detection.
A probe is underway to determine the intended target of the IED, the officer said.
Sharing operational details, Assistant Inspector General Sukhminder Singh Mann said that, following credible intelligence about an IED being sent from Pakistan, police launched an operation and arrested Rahul after recovering the device from his possession.
Mann added that the accused had come into contact with his foreign-based handler during the latter’s visit to Punjab in 2022. They maintained communication through encrypted mobile applications.
The handler initially provided Rahul with small amounts of money to meet his expenses before assigning him this task, Mann said.
A case has been registered at the State Special Operations Cell in Amritsar under relevant provisions of the Explosive Substances Act, the Arms Act, and the Indian Penal Code.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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South Asia
Bangladesh set to vote, worried Hindus ask: ‘Who will protect us?’
Shubhajit Roy
Feb 11, 2026
l At the 900-year-old Dhakeshwari temple, a 36-year-old man has come with his three-year-old daughter to pay obeisance to the “Goddess of Dhaka”. As the young girl plays in the tiled courtyard, her father prays for the “safety” of his family.
“My parents were teachers and well-respected here. In 2001-2006, when I was in school, there were many incidents against Hindus during the BNP-Jamaat coalition-ruled government. At that time, we had thought of moving out of Bangladesh but my parents said, ‘We love Bangladesh, we belong here, so why should we leave?’ Today, when I think of my child’s future, I feel we made a mistake by staying,” the father, who did not wish to be identified, said.
l About 100 km from Dhaka, in Mymensingh, Apu Das (20), the brother of Dipu Das who was beaten and burned to death by a mob for alleged blasphemy in December last year, is hoping for justice. The brutal killing, in the Square Masterbari area of Bhalukaupazila, was reported in the media at the time as “communal violence”.
Apu remembers his brother as a “kind-hearted person”. “He was the sole breadwinner of our family and we lost him too early. I hope he gets justice,” Apu, who works in a workshop, said. It is up to him now, he said, to provide for the family, including his parents and Das’s wife and children.
l BasudebDhar, a community leader, drove more than five hours from Dhaka on Monday to Kishoreganj, when he heard about Hindus being allegedly intimidated so that they wouldn’t cast their votes. He met local authorities and returned after being assured of their security.
As Bangladesh votes on February 12, these vignettes capture the unease among the Hindu community in Bangladesh, who say they have been “living in fear” and are “concerned about their future”. With the rise and return of BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, who have a poor track record on the safety of minorities, these concerns have heightened.
Bangladesh is a 90 per cent Muslim-majority country, where about 1.3 crore Hindus live along with more than 16 crore Muslims.
After the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in August 2024, there was lawlessness on the streets and many seized the opportunity to target the vulnerable — the Hindu community, which constituted the traditional support base of Hasina’s Awami League, became an easy target.
According to community leaders, about 2,700 incidents of targeted violence have allegedly taken place in the past 18 months of the interim government led by Prof Muhammad Yunus. “Despite Prof Yunus promising and making declarations about inclusivity, the interim government had failed to provide security and take action against these elements,” Manindra Kumar Nath, who heads a community group, said.
Speaking to The Indian Express at the Dhakeshwari temple, Nath said, “The minorities, we are living in fear and tension… so many incidents and atrocities, including murder, rape, temple attacks have taken place. The interim government has been denying the real picture. In this situation, secularism is the main issue… everyone has equal rights in this country.”
According to him, “Prof Yunus came and said we are one family, but they deny the atrocities. They said they are political killings. How can that be?”
Given this environment, all eyes are on BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, which are expected to emerge as the two biggest parties in the elections.
BNP leaders point to their manifesto, which has a section on “religious harmony”. It reads: “National Identity: ‘Religion is individual, the state is for all’, ending all divisions through the unified Bangladeshi identity.”
It also commits to “Religious Freedom: Ensuring the right to perform religious rituals and celebrate festivals without any hindrance” and “Security: Implementing strict legal protections to ensure the safety of life, property, and places of worship for minorities and followers of all faiths.”
The Jamaat-e-Islami has merely said that they “seek to establish a political environment in which all individuals — regardless of ethnicity, religion, or race — can freely think, express their opinions, and develop their full potential”.
But minority leaders are not impressed. “The BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami have not given any commitments to protect the minorities clearly in their manifesto document,” said Rana Dasgupta, adding that he has been facing death threats and has been in hiding for the past 18 months.
Minority candidates fielded in polls by major parties
While the BNP has nominated six minority candidates, Jamaat-e-Islami has nominated one in the elections for 300 seats.
Political representation apart, there is also a sense of disquiet among the Hindu community that the Yunus government has not been able to protect or provide justice to the victims of violence.
Almost on cue, two days before the elections, the interim government made an announcement on Tuesday that “12 people directly involved in the incident have already been arrested and investigations are underway”.
Education Advisor Dr C R Abrar said all those responsible for this incident will be brought to justice through due legal process. Abrar had visited Das’s family on December 23, and had assured financial assistance for the family, including the construction of a mud house.
In this context, the interim government said, “…25 lakh Taka will be allocated for the construction of a house according to the needs of the family, which will be implemented by the National Housing Authority. Along with this, cash financial assistance will also be provided. The government will give 10 lakh taka to DipuDas’s father and wife and an FDR of 5 lakh taka will be made for the future security of his child.”
‘Dipu’s murder a brutal crime’
Education Advisor Abrar said, “The murder of Dipu Chandra Das is a brutal crime, which has no excuse and has no place in our society. The efforts made by the government to help his family are nothing compared to a life. The state will definitely ensure justice.”
He said, “The way Dipu Das was killed by spreading communal madness is a shame for the entire nation. Only justice can free us from this shame. We, as a state and society, respect the peaceful right of people of all religions, ethnicities and communities to express their opinions — as long as it is done with respect for others. No one has the right to take the law into their own hands, even in moments of disagreement or objection.”
In Dhakeshwari, meanwhile, two young men — one Hindu, the other Muslim — and a Hindu woman, all in their late teens and early 20s, have come from Rangpur, waiting for the temple to reopen at 4 pm. “We want to live together peacefully, we don’t want to divide society, we are friends…why is it tough for the politicians to understand this?” they said.
Source: indianexpress.com
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Pro-BNP, Jamaat actors play the religion card
11 FEBRUARY 2026
Election codes strictly prohibit exploitation of religious sentiments for gaining electoral advantage. These rules apply not only to candidates, but also their electoral agents and supporters, which took effect on December 11, the day election schedule was announced. It will remain in force until the gazette notification of the final results.
In practice, however, parties and candidates from across the political spectrum are running paid ads as well as non-sponsored content on Facebook to prove how the rival camps are “bad Muslims.”
Analysis of 50 sponsored ads between December 23, 2025, and February 6, 2026 shows both BNP and Jamaat candidates sling slurs, each calling the other a “munafeq,” the Islamic term referring to a person who outwardly professes faith but is actually a nonbeliever.
The Daily Star also analysed 55 similar religiously provocative posts from 33 Facebook pages, groups and profiles. Thirty of them appear to support the BNP and the Jamaat.
BNP supporters and anti-Jamaat activists are heavily promoting the claim that Jamaat-e-Islami leaders are promising “tickets to Jannah (paradise)” in exchange for votes.
On the other hand, Jamaat and its 11-party alliance partners are claiming their opponents are “seasonal Muslims” who only adopt Islamic attire (beards and tupis) during election season “to deceive voters”.
According to section 16(e) of the National Parliamentary Election Code of Conduct, which governs election conduct on social media, states: “No person shall engage in any activity that exploits religious or ethnic sentiments for the purpose of gaining electoral advantage.”.
Asked about the violation by the parties at a press conference yesterday, Election Commissioner AbulFazalMdSanaullah, told The Daily Star, “Election Commission cannot go into the theoretical discussion [about Islamic faith], but we are taking action whenever we have clear evidence of code violations.”
“The Better Muslims”
On January 28, the official page of Maj General (Rtd.) Sharif Uddin, the BNP-nominated candidate for Rajshahi-1 and former defence adviser to Begum Khaleda Zia, ran a political ad on Facebook. The ad labeledJamaat’s tactics as deceptive, stating, “Asking for votes in the name of religion or promising tickets to Jannah is clear hypocrisy (Munafiqi); Allah has commanded us to stay away from such deception.”
The ad, which cost between $200 and $299, reached more than a million people. It showed a short rural documentary where a man says his wife was approached by women “preaching Islam” and urging them to vote for a certain party. A cleric is then seen telling the man that Allah is the almighty and there is no relation between faith in Allah and election – is a clear reference to Jamaat‑e‑Islami’s door‑to‑door female campaigners.
Just days later on February 3, 2026, the Facebook page “KazipurDaripallaSamarthak” (KazipurDaripalla Supporters), which appeared to be campaigning for MaolanaShahinurAlam ran an ad. In the ad, the Sirajganj-1 Jamaat candidate called “seasonal muslims” those individuals who accused Jamaat of “selling Jannah tickets”.
In the ad, which reached 1.25 lakh people, Shahinur mocked his opponents for only adopting Islamic attire like beards and prayer caps for the election season, claiming that “looking at them, there is no way to tell if they are Muslims or followers of another religion.”
In addition to dismissing the BNP, members of the Jamaat-led alliance also spent money on Facebook to provoke voters using religion.
For example, AbmShirajulMamun, the KhelafatMajlish candidate and 11-party alliance nominee for Narayanganj-5, ran a provocative ad addressing voters. In the ad, he demands to know why there is no sign of Allah’s law on His own land. The ad carried a caption with an ominous ultimatum, “We will meet on the Day of Judgment.”
In another ad in January, he pledged to implement a “Jiziya” tax for non-Muslims, to exempt them from protecting the sovereignty of the country.
Shirajul ran a total of 18 ads between December and February, many of which were religiously provocative, spending a little more than $270, and reaching 1.8 million people.
Another ad of his, running in early January, pledged to implement a “Jiziya” tax for non-Muslims, to exempt them from protecting the sovereignty of the country.
Other BNP-aligned platforms sponsoring religious provocation include the pages of Shohidul Islam Babul (Faridpur-4) and Khairul Islam Sajib. According to his facebook profile, Sajib is the senior joint convener of Narayanganj District Jubo Dal, and he ran ads on behalf of Narayanganj-3 BNP candidate Azharul Islam Mannan. Surrogate pages such as “Team Jhalakathi” for Rafiul Islam Jamal (Jhalakathi-1), “Voice Of Mirza Abbas” for Mirza Abbas (Dhaka-8) also ran similar ads.
Babul targeted Jamaat by characterising them as communal and disrespectful of minority rights, positioning himself and the BNP as the protectors of a diverse society. Sajib said that Jamaat’s lack of religious sincerity is evident on their campaign leaflets, which omit the phrase “BismillahirRahmanir Rahim.”
Pages which spread religious narratives for 11-party alliance and Jamaat-nominated figures include those affiliated with Principal Shahabuddin (Bogra-1), Nurul Islam (Rajbari-1), AbmShirajulMamun (Narayanganj-5), Advocate Md Abdul Awal (Jamalpur-4), Shayekh Mufti Shuaib Ibrahim (Gopalganj-2), and Hafez Hazi Muhammad EnayetUllah (Dhaka-7).
Abdul Awal sponsored an ad speaking about how Muslims have no alternative but to implement Allah’s law on the planet, calling those who disagree as non-believers and “munafeqs” and claiming that if Jamaat had agreed to turn away from Allah’s law, their leaders would not have been hanged to death.
Together, the 50 BNP and Jamaat-affiliated pages targeted an estimated 21.1 million viewers with their political ads, with BNP having a slight edge over Jamaat, drawing 57 percent of the eyeballs.
While BNP led the race when it came to paid ads Jamaat-aligned entities topped the list of non-sponsored posts, disseminating 16 posts classified as religiously provocative from 17 December to 24 January. Pro-BNP actors posted 14, and both sides targeted each other an equal number of times during this period.
Jamaat-aligned entities repeatedly portrayed the BNP as hostile to Islamic symbols such as beards, tupi, hijab and the burqa. Through such posts, pro-Jamaat actors have sought to position themselves as the sole guardians of Islamic identity, while questioning the religious credibility of BNP leaders.
For instance, on December 17 last year, a page named Tafsir TV Dhaka shared a video of a religious sermon (waz). The caption directly targeted BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed, stating: “BNP leader Salahuddin wants the Islam of Medina! Then why doesn’t he have a beard?”
However, not all posts from Jamaat-aligned entities targeted the BNP. Some of them sought to bolster Jamaat’s own islamic credentials. For instance, Uttarbongo Television circulated an AI-generated content, portraying an elderly man who equated political opposition to Jamaat with an affront to the Quran.
Pro-BNP entities also attempted to portray BNP as the “true” Islamic party and attack Jamaat for their alleged religious and political hypocrisy.
The cumulative engagement of these non-sponsored religiously charged contents from the two sides drew 5 lakh likes, comments and shares.
Although pro-Jamaat entities contribute to a third of the total non-sponsored posts, which is only about three percentage points more than pro-BNP ones, they garnered more than half of the total 24-hour engagement (54.46 percent).
Reporting and research: Zyma Islam, Nourin Sultana, Abdullah Hel Bubun
Source: thedailystar.net
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Bangladesh fares worse in TI’s Corruption Perceptions Index
11 Feb 2026
Bangladesh’s ranking in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) worsened, with the country placed 13th among the world’s most corrupt nations out of 182.
The country ranked 14th in the CPI 2024.
Its score increased by one point to 24 this year.
Bangladesh’s score had remained between 25 and 28 from 2012 to 2022, before falling to 24 in 2023 and 23 in 2024, said Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh, at the report’s launch yesterday at its office in Dhanmondi.
Although the score rose by one point this year, trend analysis shows Bangladesh is now two points below its 2012 level, marking the second-lowest score in the past 14 years.
The slight increase reflects short-term optimism following the July uprising and expectations of democratic and accountable governance.
However, the data sources do not yet capture the later realities of the reform process.
The results indicate that despite the fall of authoritarian rule, meaningful changes in state and legal structures have not taken place.
“Over the past one and a half years, the interim government has failed to take effective and exemplary action against corruption. At the same time, proposed reforms by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and other institutions have largely been ignored or left unimplemented, weakening their ability to act independently,” he said.
Sri Lanka recorded the greatest improvement with a three-point increase in South Asia, while Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and the Maldives each gained one point.
Bhutan and Afghanistan lost one point and Nepal remained unchanged.
Despite these changes, all South Asian countries except Bhutan scored below the global average, highlighting deep and widespread corruption across the region, the report said.
The global average score dropped to 42, the lowest in more than a decade.
Bangladesh is among the countries failing to control corruption and ranks the second lowest in South Asia after Afghanistan, Iftekharuzzaman said.
Bangladesh’s score of 24 is 18 points below the global average and 21 points below the Asia-Pacific average. It is also eight points lower than the average of sub-Saharan African countries, making the situation “extremely alarming”.
Full democracies average a CPI score of 71, flawed democracies 47 and authoritarian states only 32, showing that democratic systems are far more effective in controlling corruption, the TIB chief said.
“Based on civic space indicators, Bangladesh falls into the category of authoritarian countries where civil society freedoms are severely restricted.”
Commenting on the domestic situation, Iftekharuzzaman said public expectations after the mass uprising have not been met and the foundation of state reform remains weak.
Sections of the bureaucracy and political parties are obstructing accountability-focused reforms.
Calling for comprehensive and sustainable changes, he said: “Although kleptocracy has ended, money laundering has not stopped -- rather, it has been re-established.”
TIB clarified that it does not produce the CPI but only publishes it locally.
The CPI 2025 is based on 13 surveys from 12 international institutions, including the World Bank, the World Economic Forum, the Economist Intelligence Unit and the World Justice Project. Eight surveys were used for Bangladesh.
Responding to a question from a journalist about whether the February 12 election will be inclusive without the participation of the Awami League, Iftekharuzzaman said that the party cannot expect to return to political participation without first admitting its mistakes and showing remorse for its actions.
“The party [AL] itself had taken a clear position against the ongoing election process and therefore could not claim exclusion afterwards. The party has openly declared an anti-election position. If a party boycotts an election on its own, how can it then be included?”
Regarding the current narrative around “inclusive elections”, Iftekharuzzaman said concerns over inclusivity were conspicuously muted during the past 16 years when the AL was in power.
“When we talk about inclusive elections today, we must ask what we did in the last 16 years. How many institutions or individuals had the courage at that time to say elections were not inclusive?”
Although the AL is officially boycotting the polls, it is still attempting to shape the electoral environment indirectly.
“They are trying to obstruct the election through violence and instability. This is happening through their supporters, agents at home and abroad, and in some cases with encouragement from sheltering countries.”
Iftekharuzzaman also questioned the party’s actual stance on participation, claiming that many AL members had already cast their votes while in jail.
“Those voters have already voted. You protested against this yourselves,” he said.
At the grassroots, the AL leaders and activists are not contesting under the party symbol but are instead joining or campaigning for other political platforms.
“Yet some people still say the Awami League is actively participating in the election. On what logic is this being said?”
The TIB chief stressed that the party’s political legitimacy cannot be restored by outside actors.
“No one else can bring the Awami League back to politics. The current situation of the party is primarily the result of decisions taken by its own leadership.”
Public acceptance remains possible if the party demonstrates accountability, he said.
“If they accept responsibility, express remorse and say, ‘we were wrong’, I think the people of this country will accept them. But whether they choose to do that is entirely up to them.”
Source: thedailystar.net
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Islamabad Police Detain 65 Suspects, Including 7 Afghans, in Security Operation
By Fidel Rahmati
February 11, 2026
Islamabad Capital Territory police detained 65 individuals, including 7 Afghan nationals, during a large-scale search and clearance operation in the SabziMandi area of the capital.
According to reports, the operation was carried out under supervision of senior Pakistani officials, with police teams conducting coordinated searches across commercial and residential locations.
Security operations in Islamabad have increased in recent months following concerns about rising crime and security threats in densely populated neighborhoods and commercial districts.
Pakistani authorities have also intensified documentation and monitoring of foreign nationals, particularly Afghan refugees, amid broader national security and migration management concerns.
Police inspected 472 individuals, searched 93 shops and five hotels, and checked 137 motorcycles along with 17 vehicles during the extensive overnight operation.
Authorities transferred suspects and 21 motorcycles considered suspicious to police stations for further legal investigation and verification of documents and possible criminal involvement.
Police stated the purpose of the operation was to identify suspicious elements, prevent crime, and strengthen public safety measures for residents across the federal capital.
The operation comes as Pakistan continues increased detentions of Afghan migrants, reflecting growing pressure on authorities to balance public security with humanitarian and migration concerns.
Source: khaama.com
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Afghanistan Ranks Among World’s Most Corrupt Countries in 2025, Report Shows
By Fidel Rahmati
February 10, 2026
Transparency International’s latest report shows Afghanistan remains among the world’s most corrupt countries in 2025, reflecting worsening governance challenges and declining global anti-corruption performance.
The annual Corruption Perceptions Index ranks Taliban controlled- Afghanistan 169th out of 182 countries in 2025, earning only 16 points out of 100, marking another decline compared with recent years.
In 2024 Afghanistan scored 17 points and ranked 165th, while earlier years showed slightly better results, confirming a steady deterioration in governance, accountability mechanisms, and public sector transparency.
The Corruption Perceptions Index measures perceived levels of public sector corruption worldwide, using expert assessments and institutional evaluations, scoring countries from zero, meaning highly corrupt, to one hundred, indicating strong transparency.
Experts note that countries with weak judicial independence, limited civil liberties, and fragile oversight institutions are particularly vulnerable to corruption, especially where political financing systems and accountability frameworks remain opaque.
The report lists Denmark, Finland, Singapore, New Zealand, and Norway among the cleanest countries, while South Sudan, Somalia, Venezuela, Yemen, and Libya occupy the lowest global rankings for corruption perception.
Transparency International warns most countries are failing to control corruption, with the global average score declining, signaling worsening governance trends and increasing risks even across previously stable democratic nations.
The organization urges global leaders to strengthen judicial independence, protect media freedoms, ensure transparent political financing, and intensify cooperation against cross-border illicit financial flows to reverse corruption’s expanding global impact.
Source: khaama.com
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Addressing Forced Marriage Through Islamic and Social Responsibility
February 11, 2026
The recent statement by the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice regarding the prevention of more than 1,500 forced marriages over the past ten months reflects a serious commitment by the Islamic Emirate to protect women’s rights within the framework of Islamic law. Forced marriage is clearly prohibited in Islam, which places strong emphasis on consent, dignity, and justice. Any effort aimed at eliminating this harmful practice is therefore in line with both religious principles and social responsibility.
According to the ministry, thousands of cases related to women, including forced marriage, domestic violence, inheritance rights, dowry disputes, and the unlawful confinement of women, have been addressed across various provinces. These actions indicate that government institutions are actively engaging with long-standing social challenges and attempting to resolve disputes through legal and Sharia-based mechanisms. Preventing dozens of forced marriages in a single month alone shows that intervention at the community level is ongoing and responsive.
It is important to recognize that forced marriage in Afghan society is not a new phenomenon. It is deeply connected to decades of conflict, poverty, lack of education, and entrenched traditional practices. Eliminating such a practice cannot happen overnight. Gradual reform, guided by Islamic values and implemented through responsible institutions, is often more sustainable and socially accepted than abrupt or externally imposed changes.
The Islamic Emirate has repeatedly stated that women’s rights are safeguarded within Islamic law, and addressing forced marriage is a practical demonstration of this position. Ensuring that offenders are dealt with according to Sharia and legal standards reinforces the message that injustice and coercion have no place in society. At the same time, resolving family disputes through dialogue and mediation can help preserve social harmony while protecting the rights of vulnerable individuals.
Religious scholars have also emphasized the importance of awareness. Mosques and religious gatherings remain influential platforms for educating communities. When imams and scholars clearly explain that forced marriage contradicts Islamic teachings, public understanding improves and harmful customs gradually lose legitimacy. This approach strengthens reform from within society rather than through confrontation.
Education and awareness, particularly for families, play a supportive role in these efforts. When communities better understand Islamic rights and responsibilities, they are more likely to respect the consent of women and girls in marriage decisions. Addressing social problems through education, guidance, and lawful intervention aligns with the broader goal of building a morally sound and stable society.
While challenges remain, recent efforts demonstrate that meaningful steps are being taken. Combating forced marriage requires patience, consistency, and cooperation between government institutions, religious scholars, and communities. Progress should be viewed as a continuing process, one that prioritizes justice, upholds Islamic values, and seeks the well-being of families and society as a whole.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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IEA Rejects UNAMA Human Rights Report, Calls Findings “Contrary to Reality”
February 10, 2026
KABUL: The Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has strongly rejected the latest human rights report released by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), calling its findings inaccurate and inconsistent with the realities on the ground.
According to the ministry’s spokesperson, Saif-ul-Islam Khyber, the other day, all activities carried out by the ministry strictly adhere to Islamic Sharia law, and no individual, particularly women, is subjected to arbitrary detention or mistreatment.
“I can confidently say that no such actions have taken place, and no one is permitted to arbitrarily detain or use violence against women or men,” Khyber said.
UNAMA’s quarterly report, covering October to December 2025, claimed that more than 500 cases of arbitrary arrest and mistreatment of Afghan women and men were recorded by personnel of the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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Mideast
Arab and Muslim nations at UN condemn Israel over new West Bank control measures
EPHREM KOSSAIFY
February 11, 2026
NEW YORK CITY: Arab and Muslim nations at the UN on Tuesday condemned newly approved Israeli measures that tighten control over the occupied West Bank. The moves amount to a step toward illegal annexation and threaten to fuel wider conflict in the region, they warned.
On Sunday, Israel’s Security Cabinet approved new rules designed to strengthen control over the territory, make it easier for Israeli settlers to buy land there, and give Israeli officials stronger powers to enforce laws on Palestinians.
Speaking on behalf of the UN’s Arab Group, Syrian Ambassador Ibrahim Olabi warned that the measures were an attempt to impose “unlawful Israeli sovereignty” over occupied Palestinian territory.
“The Arab Group condemns in the strongest terms the illegal Israeli decisions and measures aimed at imposing unlawful Israeli sovereignty, entrenching settlement activities, and imposing a new legal and administrative reality in the occupied West Bank,” he said outside the Security Council in New York.
Syria holds the presidency of the UN Arab Group this month, and Olabi spoke in the presence of dozens of representatives of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League.
The new measures represent an acceleration of Israel’s attempts to achieve the “illegal annexation” of the West Bank and the displacement of Palestinians, he said, stressing that “Israel has no sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territory.”
The Arab Group warned that Israel’s “expansionist policies and illegal measures” in the West Bank were contributing to escalating violence and instability across the region.
Olabi said the latest move constituted “a flagrant violation of international law” and an assault on the right of Palestinians to self-determination and statehood based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as their capital.
“These measures undermine the two-state solution and the ongoing efforts to achieve peace and stability in the region,” he added.
The group said the latest decision by Israeli officials was “null and void” and violated UN Security Council resolutions, including Resolution 2334, which condemns Israeli actions that aim to alter the demographic composition and status of territory occupied since 1967.
It also cited a 2024 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice that concluded the continued presence of Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory constituted a “flagrant violation of international law” and the occupation must end.
The Arab Group urged the international community to “assume its legal and moral responsibilities” and compel Israel to halt what it described as a dangerous escalation, reverse its policies and stop what it called inciting statements by Israeli officials.
The group welcomed a statement made by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday, praising his reaffirmation of the illegal nature of settlements and his call for the reversal of Israeli measures that undermine a two-state solution.
The Arab Group’s condemnation came as the Palestinian ambassador to the UN submitted a letter to the Security Council’s president for February, British Ambassador James Kariuki, accusing Israel of “grave breaches of international law,” including violations of Security Council resolutions and a July 2024 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice.
In that opinion, the court said Israel’s decades-long occupation of Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem and Gaza, was unlawful. It called for an end to the occupation, a halt to settlement activity, the evacuation of settlers, and reparations.
The Palestinian ambassador’s letter urged the Security Council to “ensure respect of its resolutions,” and to hold Israel accountable for what it described as “flagrant violations” of the council’s authority and the UN Charter.
It added that the international community was “duty bound” to consider taking action, including imposing sanctions, to compel Israel to reverse its policies, including measures that could lead to annexation.
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation also condemned the recent decisions of the Israeli Cabinet, which it said were aimed at “imposing a new reality through colonization and altering the legal status of the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem.”
Source: arabnews.com
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Israel informs Palestinian community of imminent demolition of playground
February 10, 2026
LONDON: Israeli authorities informed the Umm Al-Khair community, located near Hebron, about the planned demolition of their playground in the southern part of the occupied West Bank.
The Civil Administration issued the military order, a unit within the Israeli Ministry of Defense responsible for approving building permits in the West Bank.
Forces pinned a copy of the order at the playground gate on Tuesday, which was constructed approximately two years ago with donor funding, according to the Wafa news agency.
Residents said the imminent threat of demolition of the facility, which serves the nearly 500 residents of Umm Al-Khair, came after a campaign waged by Regavim, a pro-settler group, which described the playground as an obstacle to settlement expansion.
In January, Israeli authorities delayed the demolition of the Aida Youth Center’s football pitch, which is used by children of the refugee camp on the outskirts of Bethlehem, following an international campaign to save it.
The Israeli government aims to assert control in the West Bank. It has taken steps to implement “de facto sovereignty” in the region, attempting to hinder the establishment of a Palestinian state. The measures introduced this week allow Israel to control land use in areas governed by the Palestinian Authority, enabling Jewish settlers to pressure Palestinians to give up land.
Source: arabnews.com
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Netanyahu orders two Palestinian-Israelis to be stripped of citizenship, deported
February 10, 2026
JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday he had ordered two Palestinian citizens of Israel convicted on terror charges to be stripped of their citizenship and deported to areas under Palestinian control.
It is the first time such measures are being taken under a 2023 law, which allows for the revocation of Israeli citizenship or residence permits from perpetrators of anti-Israeli attacks whose families subsequently received compensation from the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority.
“This morning I signed the revocation of citizenship and deportation of two Israeli terrorists who carried out stabbing and shooting attacks against Israeli civilians and were rewarded for their heinous acts by the Palestinian Authority,” Netanyahu said in a statement released by his office.
“I thank Coalition Chairman Ofir Katz for leading the law that will expel them from the State of Israel, with many more like them to follow,” it added.
The statement was released as Netanyahu was heading to Washington where he will meet US President Donald Trump on Wednesday.
Netanyahu, who heads one of the most right-wing governments in Israel’s history, did not identify the two men, but Israeli media named them as Mohammed Hamad Al-Salhi and Mohammed Halasah.
The Palestinian Prisoners Club advocacy group confirmed their names to AFP and said they hailed from Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem.
Salhi was released from prison in 2024 after 23 years behind bars and holds Israeli citizenship, the Club said.
It also said that Halasah holds an east Jerusalem residency card — an ID document issued to Palestinians by the Israeli authorities — which does not confer Israeli citizenship.
A relative contacted by AFP that Halasah had previously held Israeli citizenship but was stripped of it months ago.
The same source said saidHalasah was sentenced to 18 years in prison while he was still a minor and has served about half of his sentence.
Israeli media reported that Salhi’s deportation could be carried out soon, while Halasah’s would only be applied upon his release from prison at the end of his sentence.
Under the law, such deportees will be expelled to areas controlled to the Palestinian Authority in the occupied West Bank or to the Gaza Strip.
Adalah, an Israeli group defending the rights of the Arab minority, said at the time the law was passed that it “explicitly and exclusively targets Palestinians as part of Israel’s entrenchment of two separate legal systems based on Jewish supremacy.”
In early 2025, the Palestinian Authority announced it was ending payments to the families of those killed by Israel or imprisoned in Israeli jails, including many detained for attacks on Israelis.
But the Israeli government claims the system, which it dubs as the “Pay for Slay” program, still exists in other forms.
Source: arabnews.com
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Lebanon, Jordan seek solutions after Damascus bans non-Syrian trucks
February 10, 2026
BEIRUT: Lebanon and Jordan are seeking a solution with Syria after the latter barred foreign trucks from entering its territory, officials from both countries told AFP on Tuesday.
Damascus had issued a decision on Saturday stipulating that “non-Syrian trucks will not be allowed to enter” the country, and that goods being imported by road must be unloaded at specific points at border crossings.
The decision exempts trucks that are only passing through Syria to other countries.
Dozens of trucks unable to enter the country were lined up on the Lebanese side of the Masnaa border crossing on Tuesday, an AFP photographer saw.
Ahmad Tamer, head of land and maritime transportation at the Lebanese transport ministry told AFP that discussions were underway with Damascus over the decision.
He said the issue was not specifically targeting Lebanon — which is trying to reset ties with Damascus after the fall of Bashar Assad — adding that he hoped to hold a meeting with the Syrian side soon.
Lebanon sends around 500 trucks to Syria per day, according to Tamer.
In Jordan, also affected by the decision, transport ministry spokesperson Mohammed Al-Dweiri told AFP that “discussions are currently underway, and we are awaiting a response from the Syrian side regarding allowing foreign trucks to enter and cross.”
Dweiri said that Jordanian trucks were continuing to unload their cargo at the free zone at the Nassib border crossing with Syria despite some “confusion.”
Around 250 Jordanian trucks travel to Syria daily, according to him.
A source in the Syrian General Authority for Ports and Customs told AFP that the decision aimed to “regulate the movement of cargo through the ports.”
Representatives of unions and associations in Lebanon’s transport sector denounced the decision on Tuesday and warning of “negative repercussions,” according to the state-run National News Agency.
Syria is the only land route Lebanon can use to export merchandise to wealthy Gulf markets.
As part of continued attempts to rekindle ties, the two countries signed an agreement on Friday to hand around 300 Syrian convicts over to Damascus.
Source: arabnews.com
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A father in Gaza searches for his family’s bones in the rubble of their home
February 11, 2026
GAZA CITY: Crouching amid a pile of rubble that used to be his Gaza home, Mahmoud Hammad scoops dirt into a large sieve and shakes it, looking carefully before dumping it out.
In recent days, he was lucky. Tiny bones appeared.
He believes they belong to the unborn girl his pregnant wife was carrying when an Israeli airstrike hit the family’s building more than two years ago, killing his wife and their five children.
He added the fragments to a box of bones he has collected during months of burrowing into the wreckage on his own, using picks, shovels and his hands.
“I won’t find them all,” he said.
Some 8,000 people remain buried under the rubble of their homes destroyed by Israel’s bombardment during its campaign against Hamas, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. While airstrikes and ground assaults raged, retrieving most was out of the question. But since a ceasefire deal in October, efforts to dig them out have increased, though hampered by the lack of heavy equipment.
‘They were martyred, and I survived’
Around 11:30 a.m. on Dec. 6, 2023, an Israeli strike smashed into the six-story building where the families of Hammad and his brother lived in Gaza City’s Sabra neighborhood.
The 39-year-old Hammad had just stepped out of the apartment to go upstairs as his wife NemaHammad, who was nine months pregnant, and their five children, aged 8 to 16, were finishing breakfast.
In the days leading to the strike, the Israeli military had dropped leaflets over the area, ordering people to leave and head to the southern half of the strip. Mahmoud Hammad refused to leave.
For a while, NemaHammad and the kids went to her parents’ home in the nearby Jabaliya district, while her husband stayed behind. But NemaHammad wanted to come back. Her husband tried to discourage her, with Israeli bombardment all around. But on Dec. 5, he found his wife and kids at his door.
“Either we live together or we are martyred together,” he said his wife told him.
“They were martyred, and I survived,” he said. His brother, sister-in-law and their four sons were also all killed.
Mahmoud Hammad was taken to a nearby clinic with multiple injuries, including fractures in the chest, pelvis, knee and internal chest bleeding.
After the strike, neighbors were able to recover the body of his eldest son, Ismail, and two of his brother’s children.
The rest remained under the rubble.
Digging through his home
After recovering from his wounds, Hammad returned to his home’s ruins and set up a shelter nearby to live in.
“I stayed with them, my wife and children, in the rubble,” he said. “Every day, I am talking to them. Their scent lingered, and I felt a deep connection with them.”
He began the search for their bodies. He first sought help from Gaza’s Civil Defense corps. But rescue teams never came, either because it was too dangerous amid intense Israeli bombing or because they didn’t have the equipment and machinery to remove the rubble.
So he started digging himself. He began with the collapsed ceilings and walls, breaking them into small stones and putting them in sacks. Piles of dozens of sacks now surround the site like a wall.
In March 2024, he found some remains he believed were of his family.
“There were simple bones covered with flesh … some of which had been eaten by animals,” he said.
In late 2024, he had dug down to his brother’s apartment, which had been on the third floor, where he found the bodies of his brother and sister-in-law. He buried them in a temporary graveyard that residents of the area created during the war to hold their dead until they could be moved to a proper cemetery.
Since October, Hammad resumed digging. He drove down nine meters (30 feet). Finally, he reached his own apartment, which had been on the ground floor. Now he has been focusing on clearing rubble from the eastern side, because that’s where he knows his wife was in her last moments.
“They were eating rice pudding in the living room,” he said.
Sifting through the dirt with his sieve, he found tiny bone fragments. He shared images of the bones through WhatsApp with a doctor who said the fragments, which included a jawbone, appear to be for a small baby.
He believes it’s the remains of the baby girl they had been waiting for. They had planned to name her Haifa, after one of Hammad’s sisters-in-law who was killed by an Israeli strike just a few weeks before the strike on their home.
“All the baby’s clothes, a crib, and a room were prepared, and everyone at home was waiting for her arrival,” he said.
Discovering the bone fragments has brought him hope.
“There’s a clue that I’m reaching my wife and other children,” he said.
Once he collects enough remains, he said, he will give them a proper burial.
61 million tons of rubble
More than 700 bodies have been recovered from under buildings since the ceasefire began, Zaher Al-Waheidi, head of the Health Ministry’s records department, told The Associated Press.
Each is added to a list of the dead from the war – now more than 72,000, according to the ministry, part of the Hamas-led government that maintains detailed casualty records seen as generally reliable by UN agencies and independent experts, though it does not give a breakdown of civilians and militants.
Israeli bombardment destroyed or damaged 81 percent of the strip’s 250,000 buildings, including schools, hospitals and private houses, according to the UN’s satellite imagery analysis unit.
That has left Gaza as one of the most devastated places on earth with 61 million tons of rubble — about as much as 15 Great Pyramids of Giza or 25 Eiffel Towers by volume, according to the UN
Digging out has been made more difficult by the lack of bulldozers and heavy equipment, which Israel often bars from entering Gaza.
Rescue work remains impossible in the more than 50 percent of the Gaza Strip that remains under Israeli military control. There, the military has been systematically blowing up and bulldozing buildings, further reducing the possibility of finding any bodies lost inside.
About two months ago, the UN and the Red Cross coordinated the entry of an excavator for the Civil Defense, said Karem Al-Dalu, a Civil Defense worker.
“But that’s not enough,” Al-Dalu said. He spoke as he and other rescue workers, using the new excavator, cleared the rubble of a building in Gaza City’s Sheikh Radwanneighborhood.
The building was leveled by an airstrike on Dec. 11, 2023, with some 120 people inside, said Rafiq Abdel-Khaleq Salem, whose immediate family was among those sheltering inside.
“Their only crime was that they didn’t leave, so they flattened the building over them,” he said.
In the days following the strike, 66 bodies were recovered, he said. Another 54 people remained buried under the rubble.
Rescue workers were finally able to come back to the site over the weekend. They managed to find 27 more bodies, but the rest remain missing, including Salem’s wife and their four children.
“It is a painful feeling,” he said. “I hoped to find my wife and children to bury them in graves and visit them.”
Source: arabnews.com
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Turkiye’s Erdogan appoints new justice and interior ministers
February 11, 2026
ISTANBUL: Turkish President ?Tayyip Erdogan replaced the country’s justice and interior ministers ?in a mini ?reshuffle ?on ?Wednesday, ?with ?Istanbul chief ?prosecutor Akin Gurlek taking the role of ?justice minister, ?the ?Official Gazette ?said.
It ?said ?Gurlek replaced Yilmaz Tunc as justice ?minister, while Erdogan appointed Erzurum provincial ?governor ?Mustafa Ciftci as interior minister in place of Ali Yerlikaya.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2632576/middle-east
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US sanctions target alleged Hezbollah gold exchange
February 10, 2026
WASHINGTON: The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions against a gold exchange it said facilitates Iranian financial support to Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite movement that has been battered by Israel.
The Treasury Department said the targeted gold exchange was part of Al-Qard Al-Hassan, a Hezbollah financial institution already under US sanctions and whose branches were bombed by Israel in 2024 strikes.
“Hezbollah is a threat to peace and stability in the Middle East,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement.
“Treasury will work to cut these terrorists off from the global financial system to give Lebanon a chance to be peaceful and prosperous again.”
The Treasury Department imposed sanctions on the gold exchange, JoodSarl, which it said “masquerades as a non-governmental organization” and is used to ensure Hezbollah’s cash flow from Iran.
It also said it was imposing sanctions on a number of individuals or entities, including a Russian national, for working on Hezbollah’s finances.
The sanctions freeze any assets in the United States and make financial transactions with the listed entities a crime.
Israel struck a major blow against Hezbollah in the 2024 war, killing its longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah, a year after Hamas, another group backed by Iran, carried out a devastating attack against Israel.
In accordance with a truce, the Lebanese army said it had disarmed Hezbollah in an area close to the Israeli border. But Hezbollah has refused to surrender further arms and Israel says progress is insufficient, keeping up periodic attacks.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2632551/middle-east
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Europe
Spike in antisemitism reports after synagogue attack
11 Feb 2026
Natasha Preskey
Reports of antisemitism incidents in the UK spiked after the deadly Manchester synagogue attack last year.
The volunteer-run Community Security Trust (CST), which provides security and monitors antisemitism in the UK, said 40 incidents were recorded on the day of the attack and 40 the day after - the highest daily totals of 2025.
Worshippers Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby were killed on 2 October when Jihad Al-Shamie drove into the gates of the Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester and began attacking with a knife, while wearing a fake suicide belt.
The CST said more than half of the incidents it recorded across both days involved direct reactions to the attack, including celebrating it.
Of these 42 incidents, three involved "face-to-face taunting and celebration of the attack to Jewish people", and 39 took place online. These included antisemitic social media posts referencing the attack, abusive responses to public condemnations of the attack from Jewish organisations and individuals, or antagonistic emails sent to Jewish people and institutions.
The killings in Manchester were the first fatal antisemitic terror attack in the UK since the CST began recording incidents in 1984.
According to the CST report, there were 3,700 anti-Jewish hate incidents recorded in 2025, up 4% from 3,556 in 2024. Last year saw the second highest annual total ever, second only to 2023 when there were 4,298.
The total for 2023 included 416 incidents in the week following Hamas's 7 October attacks on Israel - a larger number than any subsequent week.
Though 2023 saw the highest total number of incidents, last year was the first time more than 200 cases of anti-Jewish hate were recorded in every calendar month.
Last year also saw the highest ever recorded number of cases of damage and desecration to Jewish property - including damage to the homes and vehicles of Jewish people and to synagogues.
There were 217 such incidents in 2025, up 38% from 157 in 2024.
CST chief executive Mark Gardner described the attack in Manchester as the culmination of "two years of intense anti-Jewish hatred".
He said: "The terror attack then triggered even more antisemitism, showing the depths of extremism faced by Jews and all our British society."
Chief Constable Mark Hobrough, the national policing lead for hate crime, said 2025 had seen "unacceptably high" levels of antisemitic hate.
He added: "The tensions that exist in our society have not abated and are both deeper and more long-standing than anything we have experienced in modern times."
The CST said there was also a spike in reports on the day of the Bondi Beach killings in Sydney in December, and on the two following days.
Of the 50 incidents across those three days, just under half (21) directly referenced the Bondi attack, the CST said.
Lord John Mann, the government's independent adviser on antisemitism, said it was "particularly troubling" to see the large number of incidents that had taken place immediately after the Manchester attack.
Overall, he said the latest figures were "deeply alarming and illustrate the unrelenting nature of antisemitism in our country today".
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the latest numbers were "shocking" and the government "stands against the scourge of antisemitism".
She added: "We are providing record funding for security at synagogues, Jewish schools and community centres. I will go further to strengthen police powers so they can crack down on intimidating protests."
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said while the figures were "appalling" they were "not a surprise" and said the "evil of antisemitism" must be called out.
He added: "Anyone espousing extremist views or who expresses support for terrorism, or racial or religious hatred of any kind, including antisemitism, who is not a British citizen, should be removed from this country."
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjd95r4lyvko
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Child rapist who worked at mosque groomed kids as young as nine with sweets and games
10 Feb 2026
A rapist who worked at a Birmingham mosque has been jailed for abusing kids as young as nine after grooming them with sweets and games.
Said Daauud raped and sexually abused five boys after winning their trust through AirPods, computer games and mobile phones.
The youngest was only nine, the oldest just 14. Police today, Tuesday, February 10, released his mugshot after he was jailed for 16 years.
Daauud was an agency IT support worker at the mosque, which cannot be named for legal reasons, but stopped working there in February 2022.
He continued to attend the mosque and was well-known to the congregation. Police began their investigation in May 2022 when two of the victim's mothers revealed that Daauud had been grooming their children.
He had stayed overnight at one of the boys’ houses and touched them inappropriately. He used WhatsApp and Snapchat to groom one of the victims and asked for him to send indecent images of himself.
Well over 4,000 messages were sent, where he tried to normalise his behaviour and encouraged them to tell him that they loved him. He told one of them: “It’s OK, you can do this” while carrying out abuse.
Daauud, of Rudgewick Croft, Aston, answered ‘no comment’ in interview. But specially-trained officers took statements from the boys and CCTV from the mosque captured some of his inappropriate physical contact with them. It meant police could charge him with one rape, nine sexual assaults and four others of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. After a trial at Birmingham Crown Court, he was found guilty of all charges. He was jailed for 16 years on February 6 and ordered to remain on licence for five years after that period. Daauud was also ordered to abide by a sexual harm prevention order indefinitely and indefinite restraining orders against each of the children he attacked.
Det Sgt Thomas Finney, from West Midlands Police's public protection unit’s child abuse team, said: “Daauud showed no remorse and took the case to trial, which meant the children had to give evidence and be cross examined. We have made sure they’ve been supported through the process. “He used his position within the community to build a real level of trust with families, who were happy to let him stay the night and care for their children. “He abused that trust in the most appalling way, with a series of appalling sexual attacks on really young members of the community. “It was only when one of the boys revealed what was happening to his family that the alarm was raised and the full extent of what was happening came to light. “We worked closely with the management at the mosque, who were supportive of the police investigation. They provided us with CCTV footage, statements and details of the children involved to get us to these convictions. “I’d like to thank each of the boys and their families for their bravery and support in helping us put this dangerous sexual predator behind bars. Our thoughts are with them today.”
Source: birminghammail.co.uk
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https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/child-rapist-who-worked-mosque-33399520
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Thousands Sign Petition against Planned Muslim Prayer Hall in Western Hungary
February 11, 2026
A Muslim prayer house is being secretly built in Szombathely, western Hungary. Locals are up in arms, the formerly socialist party (MSZP) mayor is silent.
A social media entry states that “The Hungarian Islamic Community has taken an important step forward: we have purchased a closed hospitality venue in Szombathely, which we hope to transform into a mosque and a welcoming community space. This place is meant to be more than just a prayer hall — it will be a home for faith, peace, and togetherness. We sincerely hope to open it during the month of Ramadan, a time of generosity, reflection, and unity. However, the renovation requires significant support, and we kindly ask for your help. The work is at an advanced stage, and according to reports, the opening is scheduled for Ramadan, between February 17 and March 19.”
The social media entry was written in Hungarian, English, and Turkish. Some commenters took to their keyboards pointing out the irony of the timing of this Islamic prayer hall on the 500th anniversary of the battle of Mohács (1526), when Ottoman Turks defeated the Hungarian army, beginning 150 years of Islamic occupation. There are an estimated 120 Muslims, mostly Turks, in and near the Szombathely region.
The property is a former pub, a rundown building that is being converted into a site of Muslim worship. Yet locals have complained that the town’s mayor, AndrásNemény, formerly of the Hungarian Socialist Party, now independent, has issued the permit without consultation with citizens. “Many people are only now realizing what is happening in this western Hungarian town near the border. Many are only now beginning to recognize the significance of this,” reads the petition launched in opposition against the project.
“Yet we are not talking about a minor change or investment. A building like this always becomes a symbol in the public space. It affects the daily lives, sense of security, and lives of those who live here. It is important to state that there is no need to incite hatred against the peaceful, law-abiding Muslims who are guests in our country. At the same time,
continues the petition. “The question is whether the majority will have a say in this, or whether they will have to swallow the bitter pill. Several examples from Western Europe warn us that if a religious institution is built with external funding, ideological influence, and an uncontrollable background, it can have serious consequences. Parallel communities may form, and coexistence may become tense. Good intentions are not enough if responsibility is not transparent.”
The authors claim that the issue is a warning sign for all of Hungary – “If such a significant investment can be pushed through in Szombathely against the will of the locals, it will be done elsewhere tomorrow… The opinion of the locals must be taken into account officially, in the form of public consultation, therefore we demand the immediate suspension of preparations for the opening of the mosque. We demand a comprehensive, public consultation.”
In referring to Western European examples, the authors of the petition are most likely referring to the rapid transformation of previously overwhelmingly Christian societies into ones visibly dominated by Islam. In Germany, for instance, there were only three purpose-built churches in 1990, today there are over 2,800, including prayer halls.
The petition against the Szombathely Muslim prayer hall has reached 10,000 signatures to date.
Source: hungarytoday.hu
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https://hungarytoday.hu/thousands-sign-petition-against-planned-muslim-prayer-hall-in-western-hungary/
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Azerbaijan’s Garabagh monuments included in Islamic World Heritage List
10.02.2026
The 13th session of the Islamic World Heritage Committee of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) is underway in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, running from February 10 to 13.
During the session, the committee reviewed nominations submitted to the Islamic World Heritage List and the Islamic World Heritage Tentative List.
It was decided to include the nomination files prepared by Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Culture for the Aghdam “Imarat” Historical and Architectural Museum Complex and the Shusha City State Reserve in ICESCO’s Islamic World Heritage List.
This marks the first time monuments from Aghdam have been included in international cultural heritage lists and also recognizes the cultural and historical significance of Shusha.
Source: azertag.az
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https://azertag.az/en/xeber/azerbaijans_garabagh_monuments_included_in_islamic_world_heritage_list-4013931
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Preston City Mosque's renovation plan 'to cut heating bills' for historic building
By Paul Faulkner
February 11, 2026
A Preston mosque has applied for permission to keep in place a dummy ceiling that it has installed in its Grade II-listed premises.
City Mosque, on North Road, says the ‘suspended ceiling’ above its main hall has been designed to “lower fuel bills by reducing the total volume of air that needs to be heated”.
“By creating a lower, secondary ceiling, the occupied space has become smaller, allowing room to warm up faster and more economically,” an application to Preston City Council for retrospective ‘listed building consent’ states.
The place of worship – which has operated as a mosque since 2016 after being built as a Wesleyan Methodist Church back in 1838, before later becoming the North Road Pentecostal Church – has also sought upfront permission for other renovation works, including the proposed refurbishment of its washing, or ablution, area.
The existing toilet facilities were last renovated in 2014, when the city authority’s conservation officer found they contained “no historic fabric”.
The plan now is to replace the brick partitions between each of the cubicles with acrylic ones, along with the installation of new doors. The changes would create an easier-to-clean and more hygienic space, the application explains.
Work to repair two of the mosque’s pews and some damaged plaster on the first floor has also been applied for.
Source: lep.co.uk
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https://www.lep.co.uk/news/politics/preston-city-mosques-renovation-plan-to-cut-heating-bills-for-historic-building-5524109
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Muslim housing association execs accused of bribery over £10m housing fund
By Rommel Lontayao
10 Feb 2026
The chief executive of Ash Shahada Housing Association (ASHA) and his deputy face High Court allegations that they tried to bribe a councillor over a proposed £10 million social housing investment and misused public funds for family and associates.
Court documents reported by The Telegraph allege that Toaha Qureshi (pictured top), ASHA’s chief executive, and his son, deputy chief executive Umar Mahmood, offered Birmingham councillor Morriam Jan “generous under-the-table cash payments” in connection with a £10 million fund said to have been approved by ASHA’s board. The payments were allegedly conditional on the executives being allowed to spend the money as they wished and that she should “never question this”.
The claim is brought by former board member Joseph Mbang as a derivative action against ASHA, Qureshi, Mahmood and another director. It alleges that the father and son “are using… ASHA (and its public funds) for their own purposes and lifestyles for themselves, family members and friends” and that there is a “climate of intimidation [and] fear”.
ASHA is a not-for-profit association providing social and supported housing in south London and the Midlands, mainly in the exempt accommodation sector. The organisation reports turnover of £47 million, most of it from housing benefit and related public funding. Birmingham City Council is a major purchaser of exempt accommodation and was reported to have paid £27.5 million to ASHA in 2022. The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) found ASHA non-compliant in relation to some supported housing in 2021.
The particulars of claim state that after Jan raised concerns about the alleged bribe, Mbang reported “serious financial irregularities”, including “the misuse of public funds” and “improper personal benefits”, to ASHA’s board and to the RSH. He alleges that he then faced retaliation, including a false complaint over a contractor dispute and threats.
The claim also alleges that Qureshi’s son, Saad Qureshi, vice-chairman of ASHA’s tenants’ board, lives in an ASHA-owned house in Croydon valued at about £500,000, which is said to have been refurbished at a cost of about £200,000. Further contracts worth tens of thousands of pounds are alleged to have gone to companies linked to other family members.
Qureshi and Mahmood deny that ASHA has spent such sums on refurbishments and state that all tenants meet the required criteria for tenancy. “We strenuously deny any allegation of financial impropriety or other unlawful or inappropriate conduct,” they stated.
“The allegations made are false, defamatory and highly damaging. We will be filing a robust defence to Mr Mbang’s claim.”
Qureshi and his son, added that Mbang was their former line manager, and that they have an ongoing employment tribunal claim against him due to harassment, discrimination and a failure to abide by employment law.
“We are in fact whistleblowers, having raised concerns about Mr Mbang and he has retaliated against us against whistleblowing protections, including this recent claim and going to the press,” they said. “We reiterate that Mr Mbang was lawfully removed from his position on the board of Ash Shahada Housing Association Limited in October 2025 due to serious breaches of the association’s governing documents and rules.”
Lawyers for ASHA also said the “allegations are not true, they are defamatory and highly damaging”, adding that an independent investigation is under way and that they will file a full defence.
Source: mpamag.com
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https://www.mpamag.com/uk/news/general/muslim-housing-association-execs-accused-of-bribery-over-10m-housing-fund/564879
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Boy arrested for attempted murder after two pupils stabbed at school
11 Feb 2026
James W Kelly
A 13-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after two boys were stabbed at a school in north-west London.
Officers were called to Kingsbury High School at about 12:40 on Tuesday following reports a 13-year-old boy had been stabbed.
Police say they were later made aware that a second victim, a 12-year-old boy, had also been stabbed at the scene.
Both boys were taken to hospital, with one admitted to a major trauma centre as a priority. Officers said they were both believed to be in a serious condition.
Counter-terror officers are leading the investigation but it has not been declared a terrorist incident, the Met Police said.
Weapon recovered
DetCh Supt Luke Williams said armed and local officers were at the scene within 13 minutes of the 999 call.
The suspect, he said, left the scene following the stabbings but was later arrested.
According to Williams, a weapon believed to have been used in the attack was recovered and the suspect remained in custody for questioning.
Officers are not looking for anyone else in connection with the stabbings, the police spokesman told a press conference on Tuesday evening.
"This is a fast-moving and developing investigation," he added.
"At this very early stage, we are keeping an open mind as to any motivation behind this attack. However, due to the surrounding circumstances, the investigation is now being led by officers from Counter Terrorism Policing London, who are working closely with our local officers in response to this incident."
He added: "I absolutely recognise that this incident will cause considerable concern among the local community, students and parents. Our officers will remain in the area to offer support and answer any questions."
According to witnesses quoted by the Daily Mail, the suspect is alleged to have shouted "Allahu Akbar", meaning "God is greatest" in Arabic, during the attack.
Pupils, some of whom were in tears, and parents were still leaving the school on Tuesday evening after being spoken to by police.
One father, whose child in year eight was kept in the school as a potential witness, said: "They're holding up the kids who were in the class."
The man, who did not wish to be named, added: "Obviously, they must be traumatised by what happened in front of them."
The head teacher of Kingsbury High School, Alex Thomas, said in a letter to parents and carers it had been a "deeply traumatic event for the whole school community".
"I am very sorry to inform you that there was a serious incident at school today in which two students were stabbed," he said.
"Our thoughts and best wishes are with our students and their families at this incredibly difficult time."
'Deeply distressing'
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said her thoughts and prayers were with the two pupils.
She posted on X: "A shocking attack at Kingsbury High School, where two children have been stabbed.
"My thoughts and my prayers are with them, their families and all those affected.
"The police have arrested the suspect, and I would like to thank them for their rapid work in doing so. We must now give them the space to pursue their investigation."
Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan said there was "no honour in staying silent" as he urged anyone with information to contact the police.
In the statement issued on Tuesday evening, Sir Sadiq said: "My thoughts are with the family, friends and wider community in Brent following the appalling stabbings today."
He added: "The Met have deployed significant resources to the area and I urge anyone with information to call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111."
Muhammed Butt, leader of Brent Council, said the double stabbing was "deeply shocking and distressing".
"No parent should ever have to fear for their child's safety at school, and it is horrifying to think of how someone so young came to be in possession of a weapon capable of causing such harm," he said.
The Labour councillor thanked the emergency services and school staff for their "swift response" and said the council would offer its "full and unlimited support" to those affected.
Kingsbury High School is an academy school serving children aged 11 to 18, with both upper and lower sites.
According to the latest Department for Education information, it has 1,997 pupils.
Source: bbc.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cge8yxpj7e1o
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UK urging Israel to reverse West Bank move
10 Feb, 2026
London has condemned the decision by Israel’s security cabinet to facilitate settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, urging it to reverse the move.
The change will make it easier for Jewish settlers to buy land in the West Bank, abolishing the need to secure a special permit from the Israeli authorities.
Moreover, it also gives more powers to the authorities in the areas supposed to be under full Palestinian control.
The decision has been strongly condemned by the British government, which has called upon Israel to reverse it immediately.
“Any unilateral attempt to alter the geographic or demographic make-up of Palestine is wholly unacceptable and would be inconsistent with international law,” the UK government said in a statement.
According to hardline ultranationalist Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, West Jerusalem is adamant about continuing “to kill the idea of a Palestinian state.” In a joint statement with Defense Minister Israel Katz, Smotrich explained the security cabinet’s decisions made over the weekend.
The cabinet has removed a requirement for those seeking to procure land in the West Bank to obtain a permit from a civil administration office, according to the ministers. It also repealed a law dating back to times of Jordanian control over the territory to make land registries public rather than confidential. The measures will make it easier for Jewish settlers to purchase land, Smotrich and Katz explained.
Critics argue the latest Israeli move represents a step towards total annexation of the West Bank, long pursued by Israeli hardline nationalists. Israeli pro-two-state solution settlement watchdog Peace Now, said the cabinet’s decision further normalized construction of settlements, which are considered illegal under international law.
“The decision to allow every Israeli the right to buy land in the West Bank without government approval, without inspection, is also another way of saying it’s normal life. It’s not occupied territories; it’s like part of Israel,” Peace Now’s HagitOfran has said.
The move also comes in defiance of the policy of Israel’s key ally, the US. President Donald Trump has repeatedly argued against the potential annexation of the West Bank, stating it was not “going to happen.”
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/632278-uk-israel-west-bank/
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North America
US governors cancel White House meeting after Donald Trump didn’t invite Democrats: Report
Feb 11, 2026
The National Governors Association cancelled a meeting with US President Donald Trump later this month after the White House excluded Democratic governors, chairman Kevin Stitt told members on Monday, according to Reuters citing a source.
Governors from across the US gather every year in Washington for the NGA meeting. It is tradition for the President to host the governors at the White House for a session with Cabinet secretaries, among other officials, and a black-tie dinner for the governors and their spouses.
The White House meeting, which was scheduled for February 20, was slated to be part of the association's annual winter gathering. The association's leadership is made up of nine members, including Republican Stitt and Democratic Maryland Governor Wes Moore, who serves as vice chairman.
"To disinvite individual governors to the White House sessions undermines an important opportunity for federal-state collaboration," Brandon Tatum, CEO of the bipartisan association representing US governors, said in a statement. "At this moment in our nation’s history, it is critical that institutions continue to stand for unity, dignity and constructive engagement."
The New York Times reported last week that Trump still planned to hold a separate, bipartisan dinner for governors and their spouses at the White House. However, according to the newspaper, Trump personally blocked invites for Moore and Democratic Colorado Governor Jared Polis, who is also a member of the association.
"The National Governors Association has a long tradition of bipartisan gatherings to trade best practices and ideas, regardless of party affiliation. It's what Americans expect and deserve and unfortunately, the White House does not seem to feel the same," said David Turner, a spokesperson for Moore.
Source: indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/us-governors-cancel-white-house-meeting-after-donald-trump-didnt-invite-democrats-report/articleshowprint/128175196.cms
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US commerce secretary rejects Epstein links amid bipartisan calls to step down: 'Met 3 times in 14 years'
Feb 10, 2026
US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick on Tuesday strongly denied having any substantive relationship with the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during testimony before a Senate committee, even as lawmakers from both parties stepped up calls for his resignation following the release of new justice department files.
Appearing before a Senate appropriations panel, Lutnick said he had met Epstein only three times over a span of 14 years and rejected claims of any personal or professional association.
“I did not have a relationship with Epstein,” Lutnick told lawmakers, adding, “Over 14 years, I did not have any relationship with him. I barely had anything to do with that person.”
The controversy stems from newly released justice department records linked to the Epstein case, which include emails and documents indicating contact between Lutnick and Epstein even after Epstein’s 2008 conviction for sex crimes.
Some records suggest social and business interactions in the 2010s, prompting bipartisan scrutiny and allegations that Lutnick’s earlier public statements were incomplete.
According to the documents, the material includes emails discussing potential meetings, references to visits to Epstein’s private island in 2012, and indications of shared business interests, including a reported joint investment in a technology firm.
Lutnick acknowledged a lunch with Epstein on a boat during a family vacation but maintained that the interactions were limited. “I have done absolutely nothing wrong in any possible regard in relation to Epstein,” he said.
The disclosures have triggered calls for accountability from both sides of the aisle. Republican Congressman Thomas Massie said, “He should just resign,” while Democratic senator Adam Schiff wrote on social media, “Secretary Lutnick lied to the country about his ties to Epstein… He has no business being our commerce secretary. He should resign.” Democratic Congressman Robert Garcia also demanded that Lutnick step down or face further questioning.
Despite the growing pressure, the White House has stood by Lutnick. A spokesperson said the administration remained focused on its policy agenda, while a commerce department spokesperson reiterated that Lutnick’s interactions with Epstein were limited and involved no wrongdoing.
House oversight committee leaders have indicated that further investigations could follow, including possible subpoenas, as more Epstein-related documents are expected to be released under the Epstein files transparency act.
Source: indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/us-commerce-secretary-rejects-epstein-links-amid-bipartisan-calls-to-step-down-met-3-times-in-14-years/articleshowprint/128171441.cms
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CAIR-Texas Action Alert: Urge the Texas Comptroller’s Office to End Exclusion of Muslim Families from TEFA
February 10, 2026
The Texas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-TX) today called on the Texas community to urge the Texas Comptroller’s Office to immediately end the exclusion of Muslim families from the Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) program by approving eligible Islamic private schools without further delay.
TAKE ACTION NOW Contact the Texas Comptroller’s Office immediately and demand an end to the exclusion of Islamic schools from the TEFA program.
As TEFA applications opened on February 4, 2026, not a single accredited Islamic private school has been approved to participate in the program. As a result, Muslim parents across Texas are categorically barred from applying for TEFA funding to send their children to faith-based schools that meet accreditation and compliance standards.
“The Texas Education Freedom Act does not authorize religious gatekeeping, selective delay, or bureaucratic exclusion, yet that is exactly what Muslim families are experiencing right now. By failing to approve even one accredited Islamic school, the state has effectively barred Muslim parents from accessing a public benefit on equal terms,” said Imran Ghani, Executive Director, CAIR-Houston.
He added: “Government inaction that disproportionately excludes an entire religious community is no different than an explicit ban, and courts have made that clear for decades. Texas officials must correct this immediately, or they will be complicit in violating the fundamental principles of religious freedom and equal protection. We are calling on all Texas families to stand up against this injustice and demand that public programs be administered fairly, lawfully, and without religious discrimination. Equal access delayed is equal access denied, and Texans must not accept a system that shuts families out because of their faith.”
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR esproteger las libertadesciviles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a losmusulmanesenlosEstadosUnidos.
Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-texas-action-alert-urge-the-texas-comptrollers-office-to-end-exclusion-of-muslim-families-from-tefa/
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CAIR-Austin Invites Community for Groundbreaking of New Pedestrian Signals on North Lamar in Memoriam of Imam Islam Mossaad
February 10, 2026
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, Austin Chapter (CAIR-Austin), today invited community members and faith leaders to join the groundbreaking of two new pedestrian beacon signals on North Lamar Blvd. on Tuesday, February 11, at 10:30 a.m., taking place outside North Austin Muslim Community Center (NAMCC) at North Lamar Boulevard and Little Oak Drive, where one of the signals will be installed.
Imam Islam Mossaad was tragically killed by a vehicle on July 27 last year while walking along North Lamar Boulevard, a corridor that has long lacked adequate pedestrian infrastructure. In the wake of his death, CAIR-Austin renewed calls for immediate safety measures and for the City of Austin to fund and advance the long-delayed North Lamar corridor development project originally promised in a 2016 bond proposition. CAIR-Austin extends its sincere gratitude to CM Siegel (D7), CM Chitto (D4), CM Qadri (D9), community partners, and Austin Transportation and Public Works (ATPW) for pushing these pedestrian signals as well as other improvements along N Lamar Blvd. such as new sidewalks, and new bus stops.
“These pedestrian signals bring a mix of sorrow and hope,” said ShaimaaZayan, Operations Manager of CAIR Austin. “Imam Islam Mossaad was someone people felt safe around. He served others regardless of their socioeconomic status or background and dedicated his life to building bridges across communities. These beacon signals reflect his legacy of care, protection, and service to all. We hope they provide some consolation to his family and to the community that continues to grieve his loss. We hope this milestone keeps Imam Mossaad’s memory alive as a symbol of dignity and shared responsibility as a faith leader who was actively involved in interfaith work and served as the first Muslim president of iACT (Interfaith Action of Central Texas).”
Schedule:
10:20 – People gather at N Lamar Blvd. and Little Oak Dr.
Free parking is available in NAMCC at 11900 N Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX. 78753
10:30 – ATPW Speaker
10:35 – Council Member Mike Siegel, District 7
10:40 – NAMCC Representative:
10:45 – Groundbreaking ceremony
11:00 – Event concludes
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR esproteger las libertadesciviles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a losmusulmanesenlosEstadosUnidos.
Source: cair.com
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-austin-invites-community-for-groundbreaking-of-new-pedestrian-signals-on-north-lamar-in-memoriam-of-imam-islam-mossaad/
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CAIR Exposes History of Racism and Bigotry Among Witnesses at House’s ‘Sharia Hoax’ Hearing
February 10, 2026
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today released a memorandum exposing the long history of racism and bigotry expressed by witnesses scheduled to speak at a congressional hearing today about the “Sharia hoax” resurrected by anti-Muslim extremists over the past year. CAIR previously shared the memorandum with key members of the House Judiciary Committee.
On Feb. 10, the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government is scheduled to hold a hearing titled “Sharia-Free America: Why Political Islam & Sharia Law Are Incompatible with the U.S. Constitution,” to fan the flames of hate against American Muslims using conspiracy theories about Islam taking over America.
In a letter sent to members of the House subcommittee, CAIR detailed the history of anti-Muslim hate and racism among several of the witness called by the Republican-controlled committee.
In a statement, CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw said:
“All Americans have the constitutional right to practice their own faith or no faith at all. That’s why today’s anti-Muslim congressional hearing is an attack on both the American Muslim community and the First Amendment itself.
“Fascist politicians like Randy Fine have made it clear that they would happily expel or exterminate every ‘mainstream Muslim’ in the United States if they could get away with it. The hate such politicians spew about Muslims today is no different than what was once said about Catholics and other minorities in our nation. Calls for the ‘destruction’ of all mainstream Muslims also mirror the dangerous rhetoric that the Nazi Party weaponized against German Jews and other minorities in the years leading up to the Holocaust.
“Republican and Democratic leaders should unequivocally repudiate the cynical campaign of anti-Muslim hate exemplified by this hearing and make clear that religious freedom applies to all Americans, including American Muslims.”
Witnesses at the hearing include Stephen Gelé, who, according to the New York Times, represented a nonprofit organization that promoted legislation by notorious anti-Muslim bigot David Yerushalmi that would have made “adherence to Islam” a “felony punishable by 20 years in prison.” Gelé was also reportedly involved in a previous effort to promote anti-Islam laws in states nationwide.
Another witness, Robert Spencer, was once a key leader in the anti-Islam hate movement in the United States. In 2013, Spencer was banned from entering the United Kingdom because his views “foster hatred which might lead to inter-community violence.” His recommended reading list has included racist books such as Jean Raspail’s 1973 “Camp of the Saints,” which depicts France being overrun by non-white immigrants from India.
The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) labeled Spencer an “anti-Muslim extremist.” The SPLC labeled Spencer as part of the “Anti-Muslim Inner Circle,” a core group of 10 individuals responsible for the “surge in popular anti-Muslim sentiment in the United States.”
Another hearing witness is Krista Schild of the RAIR Foundation, which the SPLC identified as part of a broader network of anti-Muslim hate groups that promote conspiracy theories and vilify American Muslim communities. CAIR’s Islamophobia project has also documented RAIR Foundation as having been accused of spreading Islamophobic and antisemitic hate and aligning itself with known-white supremacist groups and individuals since at least 2013.
Anti-Muslim bigots have recently revived a decades-old manufactured “anti-sharia” hysteria designed to frighten voters into backing Islamophobic candidates and political leaders.
Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/breaking-cair-exposes-history-of-racism-and-bigotry-among-witnesses-at-houses-sharia-hoax-hearing/
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With some Minneapolis Muslims in hiding, a nonprofit is gathering halal food for Ramadan
By Tony Peterson
February 10, 2026
Food insecurities are a growing concern among many cultures. Many in the Twin Cities' Muslim community have stopped working and leaving their homes due to Operation Metro Surge.
Ramadan is the holiest month in Islam. It's a time for prayer, reflection, community and fasting.
FartunWeli is a proud, first-generation Somali American who's been in Minnesota for 26 years.
"[Ramadan] reminds us what being hungry looks like. It's a devotion to our creator, our God," Weli said. "This time of fasting, it's also a time of family and feasts after sundown each day."
Fifteen years ago, Weli started Isuroon, a nonprofit that provides assistance for immigrants and their families. It also provides culturally specific food, something most food shelves don't.
"We're getting people driving from 40 minutes to come to our food shelf because halal is very kosher," Weli said.
Those foods include dates, rice and halal proteins.
"We ran out of flour and rice, but we're ordering it," she said.
Weli says they need help with financial donations and food to help feed the growing number of people who have lost their jobs and income.
She remains positive and surprised with the response from fellow Minnesotans.
"What happened was an opportunity to see how far trying to destroy one community can ignite the conscience of the larger society," Weli said. "There's so much goodness that this crisis has generated. It's all spiritually great. It fills the soul."
And hopefully it will fill the stomachs of those suffering from food insecurities, something Weli is proud to be helping with.
"The history is, Minnesota, you showed up, and now you're a leader for the world," Weli said.
Isuroon needs help both financially and supplies. Click here for more information.
Source: cbsnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/minneapolis-nonprofit-isuroon-muslim-halal-food-shelf-ramadan/
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Trump could send another ‘armada’ toward Iran
10 Feb, 2026
US President Donald Trump has said he is weighing the deployment of a second aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East, escalating military pressure on Iran and warning that diplomacy has a narrow window.
The remarks come ahead of a likely second round of indirect US-Iran talks next week, following initial negotiations held in Oman on Friday – the first since last year’s Israeli-US strikes.
“We have an armada that is heading there and another one might be going,” Trump told Axios on Tuesday.
“Either we will make a deal or we will have to do something very tough like last time,” he said, referring to US airstrikes in June on Iran’s nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.
Trump claimed Tehran is now engaging more seriously because it no longer doubts his willingness to use force, arguing that Iranian leaders had previously “overplayed their hand.”
In addition to a “no-brainer” deal on Iran’s nuclear program, the US president also hopes to address Tehran’s ballistic missile capabilities.
Tehran, however, has publicly rejected any negotiation beyond its nuclear program and insists it will not surrender its right to enrich uranium. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has repeatedly said enrichment is a matter of sovereignty, stressing that the Islamic Republic is willing to clarify the peaceful nature of its nuclear activities but will not accept a “zero enrichment” demand, even under threat of war.
Iran has also ruled out talks on its missile program, describing it as purely defensive.
Iranian officials have warned that renewed US military action would trigger retaliation against American bases in the region.
Araghchi has said Tehran would strike American facilities in the Middle East if attacked, citing deep mistrust after last year’s strikes and the growing US military buildup near Iran’s borders.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet Trump in Washington on Wednesday.
While Netanyahu has expressed skepticism about the prospects of a broad agreement, Trump dismissed suggestions of tension, saying the Israeli leader “also wants a deal” – provided it is a “good deal.”
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/632281-trump-iran-another-armada/
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'They snatch people off our streets': LA Mayor Karen Bass signs directive barring ICE from city properties
Feb 11, 2026
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass on Tuesday intensified her confrontation with federal immigration authorities, announcing a series of measures aimed at curbing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity across the city.Calling the situation “not normal,” Bass signed an executive directive restricting federal immigration agents from using or staging operations at any city-owned or city-controlled property. “We will never allow our city to be divided,” she said, describing the move as necessary to “protect Los Angeles” from federal overreach.
City moves to restrict ICE footprint
The new directive instructs the Los Angeles Police Department to preserve all evidence related to immigration enforcement operations, ensuring that these activities can be thoroughly documented and reviewed.
Bass also directed the city’s Planning Department to prepare an ordinance that would impose fees on private property owners who grant federal agents site control for enforcement actions.
In addition, the mayor’s office is looking at whether the Police Commission can implement elements of a California law, recently blocked by a judge, that sought to prohibit federal immigration officers from wearing masks during raids.
Bass has repeatedly criticised agents for masking their identities and conducting operations without clear identification, calling the practice “outrageous.”
The measures build on earlier steps taken by the mayor, including instructing city departments to develop preparedness plans for federal immigration activity and appoint designated “immigration affairs liaisons.”
A vocal critic of the Trump administration’s immigration tactics, Bass has argued that recent raids have instilled fear among residents and hurt local businesses. Federal authorities, including the Department of Homeland Security and ICE, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The latest move signals a deepening policy and legal clash between Los Angeles and Washington over immigration enforcement, with the city positioning itself firmly against expanded federal operations within its limits.
Source: indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/they-snatch-people-off-our-streets-la-mayor-karen-bass-signs-directive-barring-ice-from-city-properties/articleshowprint/128175458.cms
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Africa
Osun Imam, four others remanded over worshipper’s killing
Timothy Agboh
10 February 2026
The Osun State Police Command has arraigned the Imam of UmmuHaani Adigun Memorial Central Mosque, AbdulgafarSakariyah, 51, and four others over the death of a worshipper, Ahmed Najeem.
The Imam, alongside the four other suspects – Kosamotu Hakeem, 50; FolorunsoMukaila, 57; SakariyauHafeez, 45; and AbdulwasiuOlatunji, 29, appeared before Magistrate A. Daramola.
In the ex parte motion, the applicant prayed the court to remand the respondents to a correctional centre pending legal advice from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
An affidavit deposed to in support of the motion by Inspector Bashir Sulaiman, attached to the Homicide section, state CID Osogbo, said, “That on the 30th of January 2026, at about 06:15 am, at UmmuHaani Adigun Memorial Central Mosque Osogbo, Osun state, One late Ahmed Najeem ‘m’ enters the above-named central mosque and forcefully collected the microphone from the Imam during the morning Prayer (Subuhi), in an attempt to hit the Imam with the microphone standing, he was beaten to death by the respondents.
“That, according to the Administration of Criminal Justice Laws of Osun State 2018 and Order of this Honourable court, is needed to remand the respondent in a correctional centre pending the outcome of legal advice from the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).
“That, except the application is granted, there is no other way to remand the respondent in Correctional Centre pending the outcome of legal advice from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.”
The court granted the order, and the defendants were remanded in Ilesa Correctional Centre until February 24, 2026.
Source: guardian.ng
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://guardian.ng/news/nigeria/metro/osun-imam-four-others-remanded-over-worshippers-killing/
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Senegalese government says death of student in protests is a 'tragedy'
11 February 2026
The Senegalese government has described the death late on Monday of a medical student during protests as a “tragedy”.
Weeks of unrest at Dakar’s top university over unpaid financial aid escalated into clashes with security forces.
"I offer my sincere condolences to the family, relatives, and friends of Abdoulaye Ba, the student who sadly passed away yesterday,” said Minister of the Interior, MouhamadouBambaCissé.
The government said the circumstances of the second-year dental surgery student at Cheikh Anta Diop University remained under investigation.
Videos posted on social media showed scenes of chaos, with security forces firing tear gas into campus buildings while students retaliated by throwing stones.
"There were acts of violence on both sides, and acts that we saw emanating from the defence and security forces. As an official, these are acts that I cannot condone," he said.
Cissé said some students had begun attacking a food hall on Monday morning and accused them of possessing tear gas grenades and Molotov cocktails.
Rights groups have condemned what they described as the disproportionate use of force by police. A student group said the authorities have detained 105 scholars at the central police station in Dakar.
Senegalese authorities closed UCAD's residences and dining halls "until further notice", leaving a number of students from other cities in the lurch.
Classes, meanwhile, remain in session.
The protests reflect mounting pressure from Senegal's worsening public finances with economic difficulties weighing particularly heavy on young people.
Approximately 75 per cent of the population is under the age of 35.
President BassirouDiomaye Faye's election in 2024 fanned hopes of change among the country's many disadvantaged young people.
He and his prime minister OusmaneSonko promised a break with the past that was widely popular with the younger generation.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.africanews.com/2026/02/11/senegalese-government-says-death-of-student-in-protests-is-a-tragedy/
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Gates Foundation denies claims it’s behind mosquito surge in Kenya
11 February 2026
The Gates Foundation is pushing back against social media claims that Bill Gates is behind a sudden spike in mosquitoes in Kenya. The rumours, led by politician Paul Muite on X, suggested genetically modified mosquitoes were being released to target malaria, but instead were biting children and the elderly.
The foundation was clear: in a statement it said it doesn't release mosquitoes, insisting it doesn’t run labs that do. They stressed that all their work in Kenya follows national laws and local oversight.
Their role, they say, is to support Kenyan-led health priorities, working alongside the government, researchers, and public health partners, not dictate policy or bypass local authorities.
While the social media posts sparked a lot of concern, malaria prevention in Kenya is firmly in the hands of the National Malaria Control Programme, which handles insecticidal nets and indoor spraying.
The Gates Foundation does fund research into innovative tools, like the World Mosquito Program and Target Malaria, but all operations in Kenya are handled by local experts under strict regulation.
With malaria still a major public health challenge, the foundation says it’s crucial for people to separate fact from fiction, and keep the focus on effective, locally-led prevention efforts.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.africanews.com/2026/02/10/gates-foundation-denies-claims-its-behind-mosquito-surge-in-kenya/
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NEWSNigerian Army Attack, Burn Terrorist Camps InKogi State
February 11, 2026
Troops of the Nigerian Army, belonging to the 12 Brigade and operating under Operation Igbo Idanu I, have recorded a major victory against terrorists operating in Kogi State.
According to a statement by the Army on Wednesday, the troops dealt a decisive and strategic blow to a notorious terrorist network linked to Kachalla Ibrahim and Shu’aibu in Kogi State.
Naija News reports that the operation was personally led by the Commander of 12 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Kasim Umar Sidi.
During the operation, significant quantities of arms and ammunition, including eight boxes of 7.62 x 54 link ammunition containing bandolier of 250 rounds each and one box of high-velocity grenades were recovered from the terrorists’ base.
However, the terrorists themselves escaped into the bush upon sighting the advancing troops.
The terrorist camp and operational base were thereafter set ablaze to deny the criminals any opportunity of reoccupation.
The full Army statement on the operation reads: “Troops of 12 Brigade, Nigerian Army, have recorded a major operational success under Operation IGBO IDANU I, dealing a decisive strategic blow to a notorious terrorist network linked to Kachalla Ibrahim and Shu’aibu in Kogi State.
“Advancing through dense forest, difficult terrain, and multiple riverine obstacles, the troops displayed exceptional resilience, professionalism and tactical discipline. Despite severe movement constraints caused by fallen trees and marshy ground, the force pressed forward with determination, highlighting the unflinching resolve of the Nigerian Army to dismantle terrorist strongholds and restore lasting security in the area.
“The operation, personally led by the Commander 12 Brigade Nigerian Army Brigadier General Kasim Umar Sidi, involved troops dismounting and advancing on foot to achieve tactical surprise and operational dominance. This bold manoeuvre enabled the force to penetrate deep into the terrorist enclave, resulting in the complete overrun of the camp. Although the terrorists fled on sighting the advancing troops, a thorough exploitation of the objective led to the recovery of significant quantities of arms and ammunition, including eight boxes of 7.62 x 54 link ammunition containing bandolier of 250 rounds each and one box of high-velocity grenades. These recoveries have significantly degraded the terrorists’ operational capability and logistics base.
“Following the successful clearance operation, the terrorist camp was systematically destroyed and set ablaze to deny the criminals any opportunity of reoccupation. Troops have continued aggressive patrols and sustained offensive operations within the general area to exploit the success, disrupt fleeing elements and prevent regrouping.
“This operation sends a clear and resounding message to terrorist elements that their hideouts will continually be identified and neutralised, reaffirming the firm commitment of the Nigerian Army to safeguarding lives, protecting communities and ensuring lasting peace and security across the region.”
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2026/02/11/nigerian-army-attack-burn-terrorist-camps-in-kogi-state-photos/
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DSS Raises Fresh Alarm Over Planned Attack On Kwara Community After Woro Killings
February 11, 2026
By Justina Otio
The Department of State Service (DSS) Kwara State command has issued a security alert to the Kwara State Police Command over a possible attack on the Gbabe community in Baruten Local Government Area.
Naija News reports that the alert comes days after the deadly attack on the Woro community in Kaiama LGA which left many dead in its wake.
A copy of the letter, signed by the State Director of DSS in Kwara, J.S. Adams, and dated February 5, 2026, was addressed to the Commissioner of Police, Kwara State Command Headquarters, Ilorin, amid rising insecurity across the Kwara North axis.
The letter, referenced S.122/1/1897 and titled Threat of Attack on Gbabe, Baruten LGA, warned of the movement and build-up of armed men suspected to be Mamuda elements around Kiyoru Settlement in Gwanara District.
“Report indicates possible threat of attack by armed group, on Gbabe Community, Gwanara District, Baruten Local Government Area (LGA), Kwara State. This stemmed from the build-up of armed men suspected to be Mamuda elements around Kiyoru Settlement, even as the villagers have expressed hostility towards the elements,” the letter read.
It further highlighted the history of violent activities by armed groups operating around Kainji Lake National Park and stressed the need for heightened vigilance in communities within the corridor.
“In view of the antecedents of armed groups around Kainji Lake National Park, there is a need to emplace necessary security measures to forestall any untoward development,” the DSS added.
The letter urged the police to treat the intelligence with urgency and take appropriate measures to prevent a breakdown of law and order.
“Respectfully forwarded for your attention and necessary action, please,” it concluded.
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2026/02/11/dss-raises-fresh-alarm-over-planned-attack-on-kwara-community-after-woro-killings/
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Russia Denies Recruiting Nigerians For Ukraine War
February 11, 2026
The Russian government has denied allegations that it recruited Nigerians to fight in its ongoing war against Ukraine, insisting that there is no state-backed programme to enlist foreign fighters from Nigeria.
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, escalating the conflict widely described as the biggest war in Europe since World War II.
Naija News reports that the denial followed a report earlier which alleged that four Nigerians, Adam Anas, Akinlawon Tunde Quyuum, Abugu Stanley Onyeka and BalogunRidwanAdisa, were killed on the Ukrainian frontlines.
According to the report, the Nigerians were allegedly recruited under the guise of securing “security jobs” but were later conscripted into the Russian military after undergoing about three weeks of training.
It was reported that the four Nigerians died on different dates between December 2025 and January 2026.
The report further claimed that news of their deaths first emerged from a secret WhatsApp group reportedly created by African mercenaries fighting in the conflict.
It alleged that the Russian Embassy in Abuja issued the Nigerians single-entry tourist visas without biometric capture or full compliance with visa requirements.
The recruits were also said to have been promised a monthly salary of 200,000 roubles, estimated at about ₦3.6 million, alongside allowances and other benefits.
However, upon arrival in Russia, the Nigerians were allegedly forced into military service, given minimal training and deployed to the frontline. They were reportedly compelled to sign military contracts written in Russian, without legal representation or translation.
Some of the alleged recruits also claimed their passports were confiscated, making escape impossible.
Russia Reacts To Allegations
Responding to the allegations, the Russian Ambassador to Nigeria, Andrey Podyolyshev, denied any government involvement in recruiting Nigerians for the war.
“There is no government-supported programme to recruit Nigerians to fight in Ukraine. If there are illegal organisations or individuals trying to recruit Nigerians by unlawful means, this is not connected with the Russian state,” he said on Tuesday in Abuja.
Podyolyshev added that the Russian government was willing to investigate any credible information on the matter.
“If anybody has this information, we are ready to send it to Russian law enforcement authorities so they can investigate those cases,” he said.
‘Western Media Trying To Demonise Russia’
The ambassador also reacted to reports by Western media alleging that Nigerians were deceived into joining the conflict.
“You are receiving information from Western sources. Their main task is to demonise Russia. If you want to know the real situation, you should send journalists to Russia to understand what is really happening,” he said.
While acknowledging that some Nigerians might be present in the conflict zone, Podyolyshev maintained that there was no official Russian policy backing their involvement.
“There are such Nigerians, I know, but there is no government-supported programme to recruit them. If there are agencies, including Russian agencies, violating Russian law, we are ready to transmit this information to our law enforcement authorities,” he added.
Beyond the controversy, the ambassador called for stronger economic relations between Nigeria and Russia, noting that the last meeting of the Russia–Nigeria Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation was held about a decade ago.
He also highlighted Nigeria’s leadership role within ECOWAS and the African Union, referencing the country’s peacekeeping efforts in Liberia, Sierra Leone and The Gambia.
“Nigeria showed readiness to take responsibility for regional stability. Within ECOWAS, Nigeria is the core of the organisation in terms of population, economy and military potential,” he said.
In the energy sector, Podyolyshev disclosed that both countries were working on long-term initiatives, including cooperation in nuclear energy.
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2026/02/11/russia-denies-recruiting-nigerians-for-ukraine-war/
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Outrage In Taraba As Bandits Storm Tiv Villages, Set Churches Ablaze
February 10, 2026
Bandits have murdered scores of people in sustained assaults on Tiv Christian settlements in Chanchanji district in the Takum Local Government Area of Taraba State.
Community elders and religious leaders told SaharaReporters that suspected Fulani militia effectively took over many villages, forcing survivors to flee, occupying homes and farmlands and destroying churches and other properties.
A community elder and Northern Christians Religious Leaders Assembly (NOCRELA) official, Rev. Dr. Micah Philip Dopah, told the aforementioned publication that repeated appeals to authorities had yielded no response
“The issue has been on for long. But government is not doing anything. People are being killed daily without any help. We have written several pleas to the government but no response,” Dopah said.
Another community elder, who spoke during an interview on Tuesday morning, described the situation as dire, saying attacks had been ongoing for about two years but had escalated dramatically in recent weeks.
“Actually what is happening in Chanchanji local government and other neighbouring communities, Fulani herdsmen are attacking us. This started about two years. Properties destroyed. People killed,” the elder said.
He added that the scale of the killings in just one month was alarming.
“Those people will have been identified, I mean I identified corpses within 30 days between January and February this year. Some corpses are yet to be identified, some people are missing, we don’t know whether they are still alive or not,” he said.
According to him, religious institutions and livelihoods have been largely wiped out.
“All farmlands, all churches especially the Roman catholics and the reforms. There were about 36 churches in the community, it is only two churches that now exist. Some of the churches were burnt down, some people ran for safety,” he lamented.
He further said residents could no longer safely return to their ancestral homes.
“As I speak now, it is even very difficult to visit our communities again because the Fulani herdsmen have chased us out. They have occupied our houses and took over our farmlands.”
Despite notifying authorities, he alleged that nothing was done.
“We tried all efforts to inform the government but they kept telling us they don’t care about us. Yesterday, these people attacked another community again and killed a lot of people, we are still trying to count the corpse,” he added.
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2026/02/10/outrage-in-taraba-as-bandits-storm-tiv-villages-set-churches-ablaze/
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Arab World
Mecca museum unveils legendary Blue Quran: Viral pictures of 1,100-year-old masterpiece with Surah Al-Baqarah verses break the Internet
Feb 11, 2026
In a landmark cultural moment for Islamic arts and history, the Holy Quran Museum in Mecca’s Hira Cultural District has opened a special display featuring a folio from the legendary ‘Blue Quran’ (Al-Mu??af al-Azraq), which is one of the rarest and most luxurious Quranic manuscripts ever created. The exhibit, announced by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) and covered by leading international media, underscores the deep historical roots of Islamic calligraphy and manuscript art while elevating Saudi Arabia’s position as a guardian of global religious heritage.
What is the ‘Blue Quran’? A testament to early Islamic art
The Blue Quran is an extraordinary Quranic manuscript believed to date back to the 9th century, a period when early Islamic civilisation was solidifying its distinct artistic and cultural identity. What makes this manuscript so remarkable is its deep blue parchment written in pure gold ink using early Kufic script, a combination that reflects unparalleled craftsmanship and reverence for the sacred text.
The specific folio now on display at the Makkah museum features verses from Surah Al-Baqarah (verses 37–42), offering visitors a rare glimpse into both the devotional dedication and aesthetic achievements of early Muslim scribes. While surviving pages of the Blue Quran are extremely rare, with fragments housed in a limited number of museums and private collections worldwide, the current exhibition allows local and international audiences to engage with this remarkable artifact in the city where Islam’s spiritual journey began.
The Holy Quran Museum in Mecca, Saudi Arabia: Bridging past and present
The Holy Quran Museum opened in Makkah’s Hira Cultural District in 2025 as the first institution of its kind in the holy city, close to Jabal al-Nour, where the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) received the first revelation. Designed to be both a cultural landmark and an educational hub, the museum uses interactive exhibits and modern technologies to tell the story of the Quran’s preservation, transcription and artistic evolution over centuries.
Visitors can explore rare manuscripts, historical copies of the Quran and displays that contextualize the sacred text’s journey since its revelation. The addition of the Blue Quran folio is part of the museum’s ongoing mission to deepen cultural awareness and illustrate the beauty of Quranic heritage for visitors from both within the Kingdom and abroad.
Cultural and scholarly significance of the Blue Quran
The Blue Quran holds exceptional significance in Islamic art history. Beyond its aesthetic opulence, its deep blue parchment and luxurious golden calligraphy reflect early Muslims’ profound reverence for the Quranic text and their commitment to preserving not just its content but its presentation as a work of sacred art.
According to experts, such manuscripts help scholars trace the development of Arabic calligraphy and illumination techniques during the early Islamic period, showing how artistic traditions evolved alongside religious devotion. Globally, other rare Quranic manuscripts, including early Kufic codices and richly illuminated copies from North Africa, Persia and Central Asia are treasured in institutions like the Zayed National Museum (UAE), the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York) and the National Library of Tunisia.
By showcasing a fragment of the Blue Quran, the Makkah museum joins this distinguished circle of world institutions dedicated to preserving and sharing Islam’s manuscript heritage. The Blue Quran display aligns with a broader resurgence of interest in Quranic manuscripts at museums and cultural fairs across the region. For instance:
The Holy Quran Museum in Makkah has hosted other rare displays, including centuries-old copies that illustrate the diversity of Islamic calligraphic traditions and Quranic preservation practices. Islamic art biennales and manuscript exhibitions, such as those in Jeddah and Riyadh, have featured historical Qur’ans and related artifacts, reflecting Saudi Arabia’s growing role as a centre for cultural scholarship and public engagement with Islamic arts.
I was able to squeeze in a quick visit to Tunisia, and one of my main goals was to see the famous and iconic 'Blue Quran'.
Here is a brief video about it.
These initiatives support a broader regional effort to celebrate and protect Islam’s rich manuscript heritage while opening it to researchers, students, and visitors from around the world.
Looking ahead: Sustaining Quranic heritage
The display of the Blue Quran in Makkah carries both cultural and spiritual resonance. The manuscript is not only a testament to artistic craftsmanship, it also symbolises the continuity of Quranic reverence from the earliest centuries of Islam to the present day. Visitors and scholars alike are given the opportunity to reflect on how the Quran has been engaged with by Muslims across eras, upholding not just its textual integrity but celebrating the beauty of its visual presentation.
For many Muslims, encountering such a manuscript in the heart of the Islamic world enhances the connection between faith, history and artistic expression, deepening appreciation for Quranic heritage and its preservation as both a spiritual and cultural treasure. As the Holy Quran Museum continues to expand its exhibitions and educational programming, the inclusion of the rare Blue Quran folio marks a milestone in making Islamic manuscript history accessible and meaningful to diverse audiences.
Future displays may include other rare folios, interactive explorations of manuscript production, and collaborations with global institutions to bring rotating treasures from international collections to Mecca, further enriching the narrative of Islamic art and religious history. By anchoring such initiatives in the Hira Cultural District, a place closely tied to the origins of the Quranic revelation, Saudi Arabia is creating a unique cultural space where visitors can explore not just artifacts, but the enduring story of the Quran’s preservation, interpretation and artistic legacy.
The public display of the rare Blue Quran at the Holy Quran Museum in Mecca is a historic event that connects early Islamic artistry, scholarly heritage and contemporary cultural engagement. It provides an exceptional opportunity for Muslims and global audiences to witness a masterpiece of Islamic manuscript art and reinforces the Kingdom’s role in preserving the spiritual and artistic legacy of the Quran for future generations.
Source: indiatimes.com
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Saudi Arabia’s KAUST named FIFA’s first research institute in MENA
February 10, 2026
RIYADH: FIFA has designated the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology as its first research institute in the Middle East and Asia to support the development of innovative football research, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
The recognition highlights KAUST’s commitment to integrating sports, academic research and industry through advanced, high-level initiatives grounded in rigorous scientific methodologies, contributing to the advancement of football studies.
KAUST President Prof. Sir Edward Byrne said that the university’s selection as the fifth FIFA Research Institute in the world — and the first in the region — marks a significant achievement, reflecting Saudi Arabia’s growing presence in international football.
The accreditation aligns with national efforts to invest in research and development and promote the knowledge economy, supporting Saudi Vision 2030’s goals of building an advanced sports system based on innovation and sustainability.
The collaboration’s first project focuses on developing advanced AI algorithms to analyze historical FIFA World Cup broadcast footage, transforming decades of match videos into structured, searchable data, according to the KAUST website.
This work opens new opportunities to apply state-of-the-art computer vision techniques and deepen understanding of how football has evolved over time.
The second project uses player and ball tracking data from the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar and the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 in Australia and New Zealand to compile comprehensive datasets capturing in-game dynamics.
These datasets provide deeper insights into human movement, playing techniques and performance dynamics through AI-driven analysis.
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi fund deputy CEO receives Japan International Cooperation Agency official
February 10, 2026
RIYADH: The Saudi Fund for Development’s Deputy CEO Faisal Al-Kahtani received in Riyadh on Tuesday Kotaro Tanaka, the senior deputy director general and chief of cooperation with the GCC countries, Middle East and Europe at the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
The parties discussed “avenues to enhance development cooperation and promote knowledge exchange between the two sides,” the Saudi fund’s official account said in a post on X.
Al-Kahtani recently welcomed Jacob McGee, deputy assistant secretary at the US Department of State, to discuss the Saudi fund’s development activities.
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi, Bahraini crown princes meet in Diriyah
February 10, 2026
RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received the Crown Prince of Bahrain Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa in Diriyah on Tuesday, Saudi Press Agency reported.
During the meeting, they reviewed the historic relations between their countries, opportunities for cooperation in various fields, and a number of issues of common interest.
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi defense localization advances as SAMI launches new subsidiaries
LAMA ALHAMAWI
February 10, 2026
RIYADH: Saudi Arabian Military Industries unveiled a slate of new subsidiaries and industrial projects at the World Defense Show in Riyadh, reinforcing its push to localize more than 50 percent of the Kingdom’s defense spending by 2030 in line with Saudi Vision 2030.
Under the patronage of Saudi Defense Minister and Chairman of SAMI Prince Khalid bin Salman, the company announced the launch of SAMI Land Co., SAMI Autonomous Co., the SAMI Land Industrial Complex, and the HEET indigenous vehicle program.
“We know that there is a huge demand in the land forces and most of the land systems users,” said Wael Al-Sarhan, SAMI’s chief communication officer, speaking to Arab News. “That’s why it’s one of the first companies that we worked on to spin off as an independent company.
“Today, the first need is to equip the land forces, defense, and security forces with local MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) services (based) on their need and on their current systems that they have,” he added.
“The second is to see the needs across all of the land forces and start working accordingly upon the demand. We think that land forces will contribute significantly … (to) localization.”
The General Authority for Military Industries announced that the localization rate of military spending in Saudi Arabia reached 24.89 percent by the end of 2024, underscoring continued progress toward the Kingdom’s goal of exceeding 50 percent by 2030.
“The goal is to reach 50 percent,” Al-Sarhan stated. “We know that land is a very important domain and there is a lot of interest from the different end users.”
The SAMI Land announcement includes a 1 million-square-meter site, an 82,000-square-meter advanced manufacturing facility equipped with Industry 4.0 technologies and robotics, and a partnership with Zamil Industrial to develop the SAMI Land Industrial Complex.
In parallel, SAMI announced the HEET program, a fully indigenous fire-support vehicle initiative. The program includes the HEET 8x8 vehicle fitted with a 105 mm turret, designed and engineered by teams at the SAMI Land Industrial Complex, with full intellectual property ownership retained by SAMI.
SAMI also announced the launch of SAMI Autonomous Co. “SAMI Autonomous is focused on the autonomous systems from design, services, manufacturing, and MRO, of course, working with the whole of the supply chain and the ecosystem,” Al-Sarhan stated.
During the World Defense Show, SAMI signed over 12 memoranda of understanding, with additional agreements expected before the event concludes.
“The last point that we announced during the visit was something most of the ecosystem was waiting for, especially the SMEs, which is RUKN,” he said.
RUKN is SAMI’s fully automated local content and supplier-engagement platform aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises.
“RUKN means ‘cornerstone,’ and it is our local content program,” Al-Sarhan said. “On our website, you can register as an SME, and you will find local content and partnership opportunities from different companies.”
“This is something that the SME companies have been waiting for, and we’re happy to announce that RUKN is fully automated and it’s available for the supplier, future partner of SAMI,” the CCO added.
SAMI’s presence at this year’s World Defense Show marks its largest participation to date, with more than 60 land-based products on display and heavy visitor traffic at its pavilion.
Founded in 2017 and operational since 2018 under the Public Investment Fund, SAMI is undergoing a broader transformation, Al-Sarhan said, citing a new board, leadership and management structure.
“This year is very unique as we are going through a transformation as a group, starting from a new board, a new leadership led by His Royal Highness Prince Khalid bin Salman as a chairman of the board,” he said. “We have a new management, a new CEO since February last year, Eng. WalidAbukhaled, who is an expert in the industry, led several companies before, and he’s leading this transformation.”
With ambitions to rank among the world’s top 25 defense companies by 2030, SAMI continues to position itself as a central pillar of Saudi Arabia’s rapidly expanding defense ecosystem, using global platforms such as the World Defense Show to showcase local capability, industrial scale and long-term strategic intent.
The World Defense Show brought together global experts in military and defense to showcase the latest naval, air, and security technologies.
Source: arabnews.com
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Ramadan volunteering initiatives encourage participation of community
February 10, 2026
MAKKAH: The General Directorate of Education in the Makkah region is providing more than 200 volunteering opportunities across 13 fields to promote volunteerism during Ramadan, support pilgrim services, and foster values of giving and social responsibility.
The initiative enables volunteers to contribute to community service during the holy month, highlighting education’s role in promoting national and humanitarian values, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
Opportunities include assisting pilgrims by guiding visitors; organizational support such as site management, crowd control, and event assistance; social initiatives through humanitarian projects and community service; and general volunteering work supporting various programs.
Other roles involve translation services for visitors; assisting people with disabilities; cultural programs; technical support and digital documentation; and environmental initiatives promoting sustainability.
Volunteers can also participate in training for capacity building, take on security and safety roles, and engage in health-related activities to raise preventive awareness.
Additionally, volunteers may support government agencies, strengthening field operations and coordination in serving pilgrims and the wider community.
The initiative reflects the commitment of Makkah’s education sector to promoting volunteerism and mobilizing community resources, in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
The Presidency of Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque has launched several Ramadan volunteering opportunities in Madinah to enhance community participation, develop volunteer work, and promote its culture in society.
Opportunities include assisting with religious guidance; organizing worshippers’ rows; monitoring screens and electronic devices; and providing translation and field awareness services for visitors to the Prophet’s Mosque.
Interested participants can register through the National Volunteer Portal by selecting the “religious” field and searching for the Presidency of Religious Affairs of the Prophet’s Mosque to view available opportunities, the SPA added.
Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah has also announced 21 volunteering opportunities during Ramadan to promote volunteerism, empower community participation, and support services for pilgrims and visitors to the Grand Mosque.
Opportunities are in various fields, including simultaneous interpretation, first aid, meal distribution for fasting observers, medical services, guidance and counseling, and welcoming pilgrims.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs’ branch in Makkah has provided several volunteering opportunities to prepare the city’s mosques for Ramadan.
The ministry has reported some 60 openings, engaging 405 male and female volunteers. Activities include organizational and service tasks to ready mosques for worshippers during the holy month.
These efforts reflect the ministry’s commitment to promoting volunteerism and fostering community participation in serving mosques, ensuring a suitable environment for worship and performing rituals with ease and tranquility.
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi Arabia to build world-class horse racing venue in Qiddiya
February 10, 2026
RIYADH: Qiddiya Investment Co. has announced plans for a new horse racing venue in Qiddiya City, highlighting Saudi Arabia’s equestrian heritage.
The venue is planned as a national site for sport, culture and entertainment, and will host the Saudi Cup, the world’s richest horse race, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Abdullah Aldawood, the company’s managing director, said: “Every element, from racing performance and equine welfare to hospitality and fan engagement, has been designed to meet the expectations of the world’s leading racing jurisdictions.
“In line with our wider vision for Qiddiya City, this state-of-the-art venue is designed to be fully accessible, pioneering a new chapter in spectator engagement and experience.”
The facility will feature a flexible racing configuration to support a range of international race formats, ensure optimal conditions for horses, and improve visibility for spectators.
The venue will include the region’s first straight-mile turf course, a 2,200-meter main turf track, and a 2,400-meter inner dirt track, bringing top-level racing together in one location.
A 21,000-seat grandstand will anchor the venue, with capacity expandable to 70,000 for major race days, the SPA reported on Tuesday.
A 110-meter parade ring will place horses and riders at the center of the spectator experience, showcasing the skill and tradition of the sport.
Equine welfare is a priority for the development. A world-class equine hospital will provide veterinary services, including diagnostics, surgery, rehabilitation and emergency care.
Meawhile, Qiddiya Investment Co. and the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding during the Asian Racing Conference to promote collaboration and long-term development of horse racing in the Kingdom.
Source: arabnews.com
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Southeast Asia
Follow the law on construction of houses of worship, avoid politicising religion, says King
11 Feb 2026
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 11 — His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia today reminded all parties that the construction of houses of worship must comply strictly with the law, and warned that politicising religious issues could undermine Malaysia’s harmony and stability.
In a Facebook post, the King stressed that Malaysia was built on a foundation of harmony, with its strength rooted in mutual respect, tolerance, and adherence to the law.
“Every citizen has a responsibility to uphold these values for the common good,” said the King.
Sultan Ibrahim emphasised that disputes over temples should be handled through the same legal channels as mosques, churches, and Chinese temples.
He recalled his role in January 2018, when he mediated a temple demolition issue in Johor, resolving it peacefully and in accordance with the law.
“I personally settled the matter respectfully and advised all parties to adhere to the law to avoid unwanted incidents and maintain public order,” he said.
His Majesty underscored that Islam teaches respect among humanity and does not prevent followers of other religions from practising their faith.
“Other religious communities should also show respect towards Islam. This mutual respect is vital to avoid misunderstandings, tension, and provocation, while strengthening unity among Malaysians of diverse faiths and cultures,” he added.
Earlier today, Sultan Ibrahim received National Unity Minister Datuk Aaron Ago Dagang at Istana Negara.
The King also reminded all parties to refrain from statements or actions that could divide the nation or threaten peace.
Source: malaymail.com
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Zambry: Industry collaboration now essential, not optional, for all tertiary institutions to meet national needs
11 Feb 2026
PUTRAJAYA, Feb 11 — All higher education institutions must establish and strengthen strategic partnerships with industry players to ensure the higher education ecosystem remains relevant and aligned with national development needs, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said.
He said such collaboration is no longer optional but essential to ensure graduates meet job market demands and support the country’s industrial agenda.
“The call to foster strong ties between industry and universities is not limited to the Malaysia Technical University Network (MTUN) or technical institutions alone. It involves all public universities in the country,” he said.
As an example, Zambry cited UniversitiSains Malaysia (USM), which has emerged as a development hub for the semiconductor industry by integrating expertise from both industry and academia.
Zambry was speaking to reporters after officiating the MTUN Academia-Industry Conference 2026 here today. Also present was UniversitiTeknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) vice-chancellor cum MTUN vice-chancellor’s committee chairman Prof Datuk Dr MassilaKamalrudin.
Zambry said traditional campus-based learning models are no longer aligned with current industry developments and requirements.
In his speech earlier, the minister said MTUN — a consortium of the country’s technical universities — has successfully produced graduates with broad knowledge and strong industry demand.
“MTUN is unique in that it was established to produce graduates grounded in applied knowledge. They put into practice what they learn, particularly in manufacturing, and are technically competent, practice-oriented and ready to enter factories,” he said.
At the event, Zambry also witnessed the exchange of 27 Memoranda of Understanding and Agreements between MTUN and industry partners, and the presentation of endowment contributions from industry players to MTUN institutions. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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Nearly one million vehicles expected to enter Kelantan for Chinese New Year and early Ramadan
Feb 11, 2026
KOTA BHARU, Feb 11 — Nearly one million vehicles are expected to enter Kelantan during the upcoming Chinese New Year and early Ramadan period.
According to Harian Metro, Kelantan police chief Datuk MohdYusoffMamat said the number of vehicles entering the state this year is projected to increase due to the overlap of the two festive periods.
He added that police have already identified ‘hot spot’ routes prone to accidents and traffic congestion during both celebrations.
“Given that Chinese New Year coincides with the start of Ramadan, vehicle inflow to Kelantan is expected to be very high, approaching one million,” he said.
“This is because many Kelantanese return to their hometowns at the start of Ramadan to take the opportunity to break fast with their families.”
MohdYusoff said the Op Selamat traffic operation, running from Sunday until next Friday, will focus on key areas, particularly GuaMusang, where several routes are still under construction. More officers will be deployed in these locations to ensure smooth traffic flow.
He spoke at a press conference following the Monthly Assembly at the Kelantan Police Contingent Headquarters (IPK) today.
Referring to last year’s Chinese New Year Op Selamat, he said the state police’s performance was highly commendable.
“According to the Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department (JSPT) statistics, the total number of road accidents decreased from 252 cases to 228, a 10 per cent drop.
“More notably, fatal accidents fell from eight cases to just three, a 63 per cent reduction.
“Additionally, there were no serious accidents or severe injuries recorded throughout the operation. These achievements reflect effective planning, commitment, and the proactive presence of officers on the ground,” he added.
Source: malaymail.com
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Prabowo-Initiated Tower for Islamic Institutions to Be Built from Scratch
February 10, 2026
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President PrabowoSubianto has announced plans to build a 40-story tower for Islamic institutions, including the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), in the Bundaran Hotel Indonesia (HI) area of Central Jakarta.
The new building will be constructed from scratch on land that previously housed the British Embassy.
State Secretary Minister PrasetyoHadi confirmed that the former embassy building will not be used in the project.
“Yes, it will be built from scratch,” Prasetyo said at Gambir Station on Tuesday, February 10, 2026. He added that only the land will be utilized and did not clarify whether the old embassy building, a designated cultural heritage site, will be demolished.
Prasetyo noted that construction has not yet begun, as the building is still in the design phase. The budget allocation for the project has also not been finalized, with funds potentially coming from the Ministry of Religious Affairs or other financial sources.
“It’s just a matter of allocation, which could involve the Ministry of Religion or other sources,” he explained.
MUI’s Chair of the Disaster Mitigation Sector, Nusron Wahid, stated that the project will house not only MUI but also the National Amil Zakat Agency, the Indonesian Wakaf Agency, the Hajj Financial Management Agency, and other Islamic institutions.
He said the consolidation aims to reduce overhead costs for the organizations and allow them to focus on community empowerment.
“The goal is for these institutions to be free from monthly burdens and focus on serving the people,” Nusron said.
The planned 40-story building has sparked criticism from some observers. HerdiansyahHamzah, a constitutional law lecturer at Mulawarman University, argued that uniting various Islamic organizations in one tower could be seen as a political move to co-opt these institutions.
“There is no urgent need for such a tall building, other than serving the interests and legitimacy of the ruling group. These organizations may become a stamp on the political decisions of those in power,” Herdiansyah said on Sunday, February 8, 2026.
He further argued that this effort is a continuation of policies that grant concessions to religious organizations, which he claims are driven by political considerations rather than national and public interest.
Source: tempo.co
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King stresses rule of law in house of worship issues
11 Feb 2026
His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim has stressed that all parties must comply with the law, including in matters involving land use and the construction of houses of worship.
KUALA LUMPUR: His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, has stressed that all parties must comply with the law, including in matters involving land use and the construction of houses of worship.
Through a post on Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar’s official Facebook page today, His Majesty said issues related to the construction of temples must be addressed through the same legal rules and channels applied to the building of mosques, churches and shrines.
His Majesty recalled his experience in January 2018, when he acted as a mediator to resolve the demolition of a temple in Johor in a peaceful, prudent and lawful manner.
“I personally resolved the issue amicably and advised all parties involved to always abide by the law to avoid any untoward incidents and to safeguard public order.
“Islam emphasises the principle of mutual respect among people and does not prevent followers of other religions from practising their beliefs and forms of worship,” His Majesty said.
Source: thesun.my
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MACC chief to sue Bloomberg for defamation over shareholding claims, calls reporting misleading
11 Feb 2026
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 11 — Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Tan Sri AzamBaki has announced he will sue Bloomberg for defamation and slander over its recent report on his alleged shareholdings.
He said the lawsuit is about defending facts and integrity, not silencing the media.
“This is about defending facts and integrity, not only of my personal reputation but that of my Commission, and this should not be misconstrued as silencing the media,” he said in a statement in response to the news agency’s February 10 report.
Titled “Malaysian anti‑graft chief returns to stocks after outcry”, the Bloomberg report alleged that Azam held RM800,000 worth of shares in Velocity Capital Partner Bhd, sparking public outcry over whether he had properly declared the assets.
Azam stressed that the shares in question were properly declared to the Public Service Department in 2025 and fully disposed of within the same year.
“The shares referred to were properly declared through the Human Resource Management Information System to the Public Service Department in 2025, in accordance with public service regulations. They were acquired and fully disposed of within the same year. I do not hold any such shares at present,” he said.
He also defended MACC’s credibility, saying the commission operates independently and professionally, guided by law.
“MACC’s work is institutional, professional and guided by law. The commission’s officers continue to discharge their duties independently and without fear or favour. However, this issue can affect the perception of people towards the credibility of MACC as a law enforcement agency,” he said.
Azam urged the public to rely on verified facts rather than unverified allegations or insinuations.
“I have served in public office for decades and remain committed to integrity and accountability. I urge the public to assess issues based on verified facts, not insinuations and unfounded allegations. MACC will continue its mandate to fight corruption in the national interest,” he said.
Source: malaymail.com
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Bersatu chiefs to face disciplinary board tomorrow sans HamzahZainudin who’s Australia for daughter’s varsity enrolment
11 Feb 2026
KUALA LUMPUR, February 11 — Bersatu deputy president Datuk Seri HamzahZainudin will not attend the party’s disciplinary board meeting tomorrow as he is still abroad, The Star reported today.
The newspaper cited the Opposition leader’s private secretary Ahmad IkhwanFadhli who said the disciplinary board was informed of Hamzah’s absence the same day he received the notice on February 7.
“The disciplinary board secretary acknowledged that Hamzah had informed them that he could not make it (to attend the meeting),” Ahmad Ikhwan told the newspaper.
According to Ahmad Ikhwan, Hamzah is in Sydney, Australia, to enrol his daughter at a university.
The disciplinary board will proceed on Thursday to hear cases involving several Bersatu division chiefs alleged to have breached party rules and reportedly aligned with Hamzah, including Jasin division chief YadzilYaakub and Johor Bahru division chief Datuk ZulkifliBujang.
Hamzah was summoned over allegations of attempting to sabotage the party and tarnish the image of Bersatu president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
Other division chiefs named are: Ahmad Nasir Mid (Selayang), Abdul Aziz Ismail (Dungun), and RamlanMeon (TanggaBatu).
Source: malaymail.com
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