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Islamic World News ( 7 Feb 2026, NewAgeIslam.Com)

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Few Complainants, But 'Conversion Net' Probe Deals Mirzapur Gyms A Body Blow

New Age Islam News Bureau

07 February2026

Faizal Khan (34) had won the title of ‘Mr Mirzapur’ in 2019, and ‘Mr Purvanchal’ in 2022. (Express Photo)

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· Protests in Kashmir over Islamabad Deadly Mosque blast targeting Shia worshippers

· ISIS Claims Deadly Mosque Bombing in Pakistan’s Islamabad

· UN warns of abuse of Palestinians returning to Gaza through Rafah crossing

· Kuwait bans use of external loudspeakers at mosques during Ramadan

· British Muslims suffer 'Fiinancial faith' penalty says new report

· US plans meeting for Gaza ‘Board of Peace’ in Washington on Feb 19, Axios reports

· How Informants, Jihadists Turned WoroInto Killing Field, 162 Feared Dead

· The National Unity Ministry of Malaysia urges legal process, warns against racial or religious tensions over places of worship

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India

· BJP MLA says ‘criminals produced in madrassas’, Trinamool hits back

· Top Jaish, LeT men call for jihad, threaten to strike Delhi, Agra

· 'I want to give you Rs 2 in alms': Owaisi hits out at HimantaSarma over 'trouble Miya Muslims' remark

· Muslims will never surpass Hindu population in India, says AsaduddinOwaisi

· Cong is Muslim League in Telangana: Kishan Reddy

· JMB militant gets 8 years in jail for prison break attempt

· Bystanders cannot be ‘picked up’ as part of mob, cautions HC

· Few complainants, but ‘conversion net’ probe deals Mirzapur gyms a body blow

· Five mazars on KGMU campus face demolition over lack of land records

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South Asia

· Tarique tells Reuters he will not form post-election unity government with Jamaat

· Mohammad Badrul Ahsan’s death anniv observed

· Leasing out Ctg port terminal goes against public interest: Says FarhadMazhar

· 6 BGB platoons deployed around Kakrail Mosque, InterContinental Dhaka

· Uzbekistan Power Cut Again Hits Kabul and 12 Provinces of Afghanistan

· Kabul Rejects Pakistan Claim Over Islamabad Mosque Attack

· Afghanistan’s Security and Need for Realistic International Engagement

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Mideast

· A man detonates explosive belt during arrest attempt in Iraq, injuring 2 security members

· Two Palestinians killed in Gaza

· For Palestinians returning to Gaza, a bittersweet reunion

· Hezbollah accepts resignation of senior security official WafiqSafa amid restructuring

· Lebanon, Syria sign landmark deal to repatriate 300 Syrian prisoners

· Pro-Palestinian flotilla announces new mission to Gaza

· France to rally aid for Lebanon as it warns truce gains remain fragile

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Arab World

· Saudi Arabia Railways breaks records in 2025: 14 million passengers and 30 million tons of freight

· Saudi FM joins Arab counterparts in talks with Slovenia on Gaza, regional stability

· Saudi Arabia condemns mosque bombing in Pakistan which left dozens dead

· Cooperation is ‘essential’ to fight misinformation, says DCO secretary-general

· UNESCO honours Al-Bisht Al-Hasawi as thousands flock to Al-Ahsa festival

· KSrelief distributes food to 1,479 families in Burkina Faso

· How the UAE determines the first day of Ramadan each year

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Europe

· Knife attacker avoids jail over stabbing outside Maidenhead Mosque amid ‘family feud’

· Police search properties linked to Mandelson over Epstein investigation

· Zelensky criticizes Ukrainian Air Force

· Photo Exhibition on Victims of Recent Massacres by the Islamic Republic Held in Front of the European Parliament

· Next session of Muslim Council of Elders may be held in Azerbaijan

· Exhibition by acclaimed photographer to take place in Settle

· CCTV captures Lancashire mosque burglar taking his shoes off before stealing charity box

· EU court approves state theft of private cars bought in Russia

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North America

· CAIR-NY Welcomes Arrest for Town of Clay Hate Crime Graffiti Incident

· CAIR-SFBA to Join Interfaith Leaders for Super Bowl Vigil at Morgan Hill ICE Office

· US cuts ties with senior Polish official over ‘despicable’ Trump comments

· School District Under Fire After Muslim Group Hands Out the Quran During Lunch Period

· Trump removes video with racist clip depicting Obamas as apes

· US pressuring Ukraine to hold elections soon – Reuters

· US to fund free speech activists in Europe – FT

· US slaps Iran with new sanctions shortly after nuclear talks

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Africa

· Two clerics arrested for allegedly torturing minors with heated cutlass

· Thousands attend funeral of slain son of Muammar Gaddafi

· ISWAP Militants Kill Soldiers, Burn Vehicles InBorno Base Attack

· ‘No Tension Between Quran And Bible’ – Oshiomhole Says After Visiting Tinubu

· Moroccan lawyers protest bill they say threatens profession’s independence

· What the lifting of the RSF’s Kadugli siege means for Sudanese civilians

· Survivors of deadly attack on villages in Nigeria left reeling

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Southeast Asia

· ‘Rembo Melaka’ says sorry, deletes Facebook vaccine posts in defamation settlement with ex-Islamic Affairs minister Na’im Mokhtar

· As Melaka readies for Ramadan and Aidilfitri bazaars with 4,000 traders, authorities vow crackdown on licence misuse

· Up to 2.2 million vehicles on the road per day: PLUS forecasts heavy highway traffic for CNY and start of Ramadan

· New Jelebu mosque opens ahead of Ramadan

· LembahPantai traders’ bazaar fees cut to RM300

· Titles don’t matter, results do, Anwar tells PKR delegates at Selangor convention

· Johor Pakatan starts internal seat-sharing talks as state polls loom

· KL mayoral polls not new, let’s wait for IIUM study before weighing in, says local govt minister

Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau

URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/complainants-conversion-deals-mirzapur-gyms-body-blow/d/138770

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Few complainants, but ‘conversion net’ probe deals Mirzapur gyms a body blow

Manish Sahu

Feb 7, 2026

Faizal Khan (34) had won the title of ‘Mr Mirzapur’ in 2019, and ‘Mr Purvanchal’ in 2022. (Express Photo)

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He won the title of ‘Mr Mirzapur’ in 2019, and ‘Mr Purvanchal’ in 2022, his impressive bodybuilding skills making a gym trainer’s job a natural fit for him.

Now, Faizal Khan, 34, has another tag: an accused in an alleged conversion racket which, police claim, was being run from five gyms across the town.

Known for its carpets and its temples, and far removed from the gritty Amazon Prime web series in its name, the small town of Mirzapur located along the Ganga only recently saw the fitness wave wash up to its corner, leading to opening up of seven fitness centres in the past two years alone, taking the total to 17, as per one estimate.

In the wake of the charges against owners and trainers of the five gyms, fitness centres across Mirzapur are emptying out, especially of women, say the owners.

Police have arrested eight members of the “gang” allegedly involved in harassing, blackmailing and pressuring women gym trainees into religious conversions. On Wednesday, in its latest arrest, police held a 39-year-old maulvi, Khalilur Rahman, who was allegedly “actively involved” in the conversions.

What are the charges against the accused?

The accused are booked on various charges, including intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace, extortion, criminal intimidation, assault or criminal force and forced conversion.

But while police talk of “nearly 20” women being targeted by the men, they are struggling to find any complainants after the initial two.

All the five gyms, including three of KGN chain — considered Mirzapur district’s biggest such chain — have been sealed. Apart from Faizal and Maulvi Rahman, those arrested include KGN owner and “prime accused” Imran Khan (35), his brother Zaheer (32), Shadab (36), Fareed Ahmed (28), Mohammed Shaikh Ali Alam (31), and a constable, Irshad Khan (40). Police are looking for another of Imran’s brothers, Lucky Ali.

None of the arrested persons has a criminal record.

Who are the accused?

Imran, who had recently got into the property business and handed over the running of the gyms to his two brothers, was intercepted by immigration officials at Delhi Airport on January 21, after a lookout notice. Irshad, who is posted with the Government Railway Police in Bhadohi, had allegedly “invested” money in one of the gyms under investigation. Fareed, reportedly a business partner of Irshad, was arrested following an “encounter”, in which he was shot in the leg.

Manish Kumar Mishra, Additional Superintendent of Police, Mirzapur, said that they were still investigating the “network”. However, he said, “So far, our probe has not found any evidence to suggest that this group has links with others arrested in illegal conversion cases in the state.”

The families of the accused question the “network” allegation, saying even police recovery of allegedly incriminating videos and photographs has been made from the mobile phone of only one of the men.

Pleading that Faizal, the second of his three children, is innocent, his father Anwar Ahmed Khan, who retired from a private firm, says: “Police picked him up from the gym and later showed his arrest in the case. His passion for bodybuilding has led him into this situation… I don’t know what evidence the police have against him.”

Faizal is married and has a son.

The family of Fareed, who was injured in an “encounter”, questioned the police version of his arrest. “Irshad had come home and Fareed had gone with him. Later, police showed him arrested in an encounter,” says his mother Safia Begum

Speaking from behind a window iron grille, and refusing to open the house door, Safia adds that Fareed had ended his partnership with Irshad about a year ago. “I don’t know what evidence has been shown against Fareed… I have been told nothing was found on his cellphone.”

The house shared by Imran and his brothers is locked. “The family left after police started visiting their home,” says neighbour Rakesh Pathak.

The Mirzapur police says the first tip-off about the “racket” came on the women’s helpline run by them, where an alleged victim lodged a complaint against Alam, a coach at KGN gym, in confidence. Police said they summoned Alam for questioning, but initially did not consider the matter serious.

When Alam failed to appear, police say they contacted him again to resolve the complaint, and he denied the allegations. According to them, they sought to check Alam’s phone, and discovered in it a “hidden”, “password-protected” folder. The officers allegedly asked him to unlock it, and found that it contained several photographs, chat records, and a number of AI-generated images.

As per police, some photographs showed Hindu women wearing burqas, with the location shown as Varanasi, while others were suggestive photographs of women exercising at the gym. Police say they traced the identities of some of the women, and found that they were mostly locals.

They decided then to find out and contact the woman who had called on the helpline. She turned out to be a college student, and allegedly filed a detailed statement, claiming the presence of an organised gang that used AI-generated images to blackmail victims, and forced them to come to gyms, among other places. She reportedly said she was pressured to wear a burqa, recite religious verses, and to convert, and was threatened with her life when she refused. She also claimed the accused used photos to extort money from her, and to make her visit different places with them.

Later, another woman approached police and reportedly filed a similar complaint against the same group.

Police claim that digital evidence and interrogation of the accused confirm the allegations of an organised gang operating through gyms to target young women. They also claim the women were blackmailed to give cash to the accused.

“During the course of the investigation, the suspects have confessed to the crime,” Mirzapur Circle Officer Munendrapal Singh says. “Probe has revealed that the accused were operating the gang through gyms to specifically target women. They were also found to be extorting money from the victims.”

Police say they believe the other “victims” are apprehensive about lodging complaints as they fear repercussions. They claim to have met one of them to persuade her, but failed. Responding to queries about this, Singh says that the investigation is still underway “and that more facts and developments are likely to emerge as the probe progresses”.

Under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion legislation, which prohibits religious conversion by means of misrepresentation, force, fraud, undue influence, coercion, allurement, or marriage, the maximum punishment is life imprisonment.

Gym owners worried, reach out to patrons to reassure them

With the town’s rumour mills busy, gym owners say many of their women clientele have stopped coming, as have youths belonging to the Muslim community. Only now had the business really taken off with more and more middle-aged women signing up, they say.

Abhay Gupta, 30, who runs a sweet shop near one of the sealed gyms, says families are uneasy about young girls visiting gyms in the wake of the controversy. “Earlier, this gym had a good crowd, and people trusted it,” he says.

Abhishek Kushwaha, the owner of ‘The Boss Gym’, says: “The reputation of the entire industry is dented. We don’t doubt that police acted on the basis of solid evidence, but its fallout has created widespread fear and anxiety among women clients and their parents.”

Kushwaha, who started The Boss Gym five years ago and now has around 130 members, including women, says the episode underlines the need for a district-level gym association. Such a body would regulate operations, ensure discipline, and prevent “misuse”, he says. “It would also help rebuild public trust.”

Many gym owners have been calling up clients and their parents to assure them that their facilities are safe, professionally managed, and have no links to the sealed gyms. They have also held meetings, and conveyed the “safety measures” they have put in place, to reassure customers.

Additional benefits not enough to bring back customers?

Some gyms have come up with offers such as Zumba and aerobics classes within the membership package to lure clients back. Others are advertising that they are appointing more women instructors, creating time slots exclusively for women, and strengthening supervision inside the premises.

However, clients have been giving reasons such as guests at home, examinations, health issues, or the coming Ramzan, to say they can’t join back for now.

DharmendraJaiswal, 40, the manager of ‘One Rap Max Gym’ in Vasaliganj, says “rebuilding trust” is their biggest challenge. “People are scared. That is why we are taking every possible step to create a secure and comfortable environment for women.”

SagarKasera, who started ‘Fit 3’ a year ago, says while facilities near the sealed gyms have been the worst affected, his gym located on the outskirts of the city has also felt the impact. “Not a single new woman customer has come in even for a consultation,” he says.

Mohammad Azad Ansari, who opened ‘Solid Gym’ around three months ago, says he is relatively unaffected for now, as he had just started and doesn’t have a big client base.

One woman present at a gym, who did not want to be identified, says: “We keep assuring our parents that we train only under women coaches and go to the gym only when other women are present.”

SahibaBalmiki, a 20-year-old graduate student, who joined a gym about a year and a half ago, says before this, it had been heartening to see women of all ages signing up. But she understands the “fear”. “For women, safety is always the first priority…. It has not just created fear and uncertainty, but also hit their confidence.”

Source: indianexpress.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/lucknow/few-complainants-but-conversion-net-probe-deals-mirzapur-gyms-a-body-blow-10518257/

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Protests in Kashmir over Islamabad Deadly Mosque blast targeting Shia worshippers

February 7, 2026

ANI Photo | Shia locals in J-K protest Islamabad mosque bombing with ‘Pakistan Murdabad’ chants

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Protests erupted in several Shia dominated areas of Kashmir on Friday night after a blast at a Shia mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan, killed at least 31 people and injured dozens, officials said.

The protests were held in ChainabalPattan in Baramulla, ImambaraZadibal and Harwan in Srinagar, and Inderkote–Sumbal in Bandipora.

Protesters raised strong anti-Pakistan slogans and condemned the attack on worshippers.

The powerful explosion struck the Khadija Tul Kubra mosque in Islamabad during Friday prayers.

The protesters denounced the killing of civilians and expressed solidarity with the victims, calling for an end to sectarian violence.

The demonstrations remained largely peaceful, with gatherings dispersing late into the night.

Source: thestatesman.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.thestatesman.com/india/protests-in-kashmir-over-islamabad-blast-targeting-shia-worshippers-1503553230.html

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ISIS Claims Deadly Mosque Bombing in Pakistan’s Islamabad

By Fidel Rahmati

February 7, 2026

ISIS claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing at a mosque in Islamabad as Kabul rejected Pakistan’s claims linking Afghanistan to attack.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing at a Shia mosque in Islamabad that killed at least 31 people and injured 169 others during Friday prayers, according to the IS statement on Saturday.

Pakistani officials said the attacker detonated explosives at the mosque gate after being confronted by security volunteers, causing heavy casualties among worshippers gathered for prayers.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowed to bring those responsible to justice as security forces increased patrols and investigations continued into the attack.

Earlier, Pakistan’s defense minister Khawaja Asif claimed the attacker had links to Afghanistan, but Kabul rejected the allegation, calling accusations against Afghanistan baseless.

Taliban’s Defense Ministry said Pakistan often blames Afghanistan after attacks without presenting evidence and urged Islamabad to address its internal security challenges instead.

Pakistan has faced a surge in militant violence in recent months, with religious gatherings and civilian areas increasingly targeted across different provinces.

Security tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have also risen, with both sides accusing each other of failing to control militant groups operating along the shared border.

Analysts warn continued attacks threaten regional stability, stressing that improved intelligence cooperation and political dialogue are needed to prevent further violence.

Source: khaama.com

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https://www.khaama.com/isis-claims-deadly-mosque-bombing-in-pakistans-islamabad/

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UN warns of abuse of Palestinians returning to Gaza through Rafah crossing

EPHREM KOSSAIFY

February 06, 2026

A man embraces and kisses a woman as Palestinians coming from Rafah crossing arrive at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, February 5, 2026. (Reuters)

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NEW YORK CITY: The Rafah crossing on the border between Gaza and Egypt opened for a fourth consecutive day on Thursday, allowing a limited number of people to pass through.

However, the UN voiced concerns about reported mistreatment of Palestinians returning to the war-ravaged enclave.

The UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs also said reports continue across civilian areas in Gaza of airstrikes, gunfire and shelling, resulting in casualties and damage to infrastructure.

And Israeli forces on Wednesday demolished Jabalya Preparatory Boys’ School in northern Gaza, OCHA said. Run by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, it was the last remaining school in a compound of six. Its destruction means the entire educational complex has been razed to the ground.

A limited flow of people were allowed to use the Rafah crossing, Gaza’s main physical connection to the outside world, for four days in a row since it reopened on Monday, OCHA said. Only 98 returnees were received by UN teams inside Gaza between Monday and Thursday, it added, and the crossing remains closed on Fridays.

The UN Human Rights Office warned of what it described as a pattern of ill-treatment, abuse and humiliation of returnees by Israeli forces, and by armed Palestinians allegedly backed by the Israeli military.

According to accounts collected by the UN’s Human Rights Office, armed Palestinians handcuffed and blindfolded returnees, threatened and intimidated them, conducted searches and stole personal belongings and money. Returnees also reported violence, degrading interrogations and invasive body searches upon arrival at Israeli checkpoints.

The accounts point to conduct that violates the rights of Palestinians to personal security and dignity, and freedom from torture and other ill-treatment, the Human Rights Office said.

Meanwhile, the UN said it attempted to coordinate 11 humanitarian missions with the Israeli authorities on Wednesday and Thursday. Six were fully facilitated, but four faced lengthy delays at holding points along designated routes. Two of those missions were only partially completed, the other two eventually went ahead despite the delays.

A mission to monitor humanitarian cargo at the Kissufim crossing, east of Khan Younis, was denied on Wednesday after the crossing was closed.

The purposes of the missions included the collection of water, sanitation supplies, fuel and other items, medical evacuations through the Rafah crossing, and the transportation of returnees to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, OCHA said.

Source: arabnews.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2632025/middle-east

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British Muslims suffer 'Fiinancial faith' penalty says new report

6TH FEBRUARY

The report is based on a survey of 1,000 British Muslims conducted by Muslim Census (Image: PA)

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A new report by reveals that British Muslims are suffering a “financial faith penalty”, with 8 in 10 saying their home finance choices are restricted due to their faith.

The report by Offa entitled , From faith penalty to financial fairness: Unlocking the potential of British Islamic home finance, challenges Islamic home finance providers, brokers and policymakers to help build an industry where faith-aligned finance no longer means accepting slower application processes.

The findings also reveal that a majority of young British non-Muslims (Gen Z and Millennials) favour the ethics of Islamic finance, while 4 in 10 would consider trying Islamic home finance.

The report is based on a survey of 1,000 British Muslims conducted by Muslim Census and a survey of 2,000 British non-Muslims conducted by OnePoll.

Of the 24.3% British Muslims who had used Islamic home finance, 62% had to wait up to two weeks for a finance decision, 17% waited 15 to 31 days, 16% waited more than a month and only 5% received a same-day finance decision.

The three biggest challenges they faced were long decision times (28%), excessive paperwork (22.6%), and poor customer service (18.9%).

Islamic home finance firms say they do not charge interest and they also avoid investing in sectors such as the arms trade, animal testing, gambling, alcohol and tobacco.

Chief Commercial Officer and Managing Director of Home Finance at Offa, Sagheer Malik, said: “Property is the asset class of choice for many of the UK’s 3.87 million Muslims, both as a route to generational wealth and as a long-term financial foundation, yet our insightful research report reveals that British Muslims are being underserved and deterred by slow, outdated and opaque Islamic home finance provision.

“This is not a niche concern, in fact it goes to the heart of financial fairness and inclusion in modern Britain. Our research indicates that British Muslims both desire and deserve high‑quality, Sharia‑compliant home finance products that match mainstream standards on price, speed and simplicity. There is no reason why we should not offer equivalent modern products and systems driven by the latest technology, which is what we at Offa are delivering.”

The report reveals that British Muslims share the same aspirations as any other community in the UK. The main reasons they want to own a property are to provide a stable home for their family (79.1%) and to build generational wealth and investment (18.6%). Only 2.2% stated they did not want to own a home.

Half of the British Muslims using conventional finance felt unhappy or uneasy (50.7%) about having a conventional mortgage rather than a Sharia-compliant one because of their faith.

Young non-Muslims are the most open to Islamic ethical finance, with 43% of Gen Z and 37% of Millennials saying they would consider using Islamic home finance, compared with just 7% of Baby Boomers, while 77% of Gen Z and 72% of Millennial respondents stated it is important that their finance provider avoids investing in sectors often considered ethically harmful to society.

Source: asianimage.co.uk

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.asianimage.co.uk/news/united_kingdom/25832449.british-muslims-suffer-fiinancial-faith-penalty-says-new-report/

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US plans meeting for Gaza ‘Board of Peace’ in Washington on Feb 19, Axios reports

February 07, 2026

A man runs for cover through a graveyard as smoke rises from an Israeli military strike on a building in the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City, Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

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WASHINGTON: The White House is planning the first leaders meeting for President Donald Trump’s so-called “Board of Peace” in relation to Gaza on February 19, Axios reported on Friday, citing a US official and diplomats from four countries that are on the board.

The plans for the meeting, which would also be a fundraising conference for Gaza reconstruction, are in early stages and could still change, Axios reported.

The meeting is planned to be held at the US Institute of Peace in Washington, the report added, noting that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet Trump at the White ⁠House on February 18, a day before the planned meeting.

The White House and the US State Department did not respond to requests for comment.

In late January, Trump launched the board that he will chair and which he says will aim to resolve global conflicts, leading to many experts being concerned that such a board could undermine the United Nations.

Governments around ⁠the world have reacted cautiously to Trump’s invitation to join that initiative. While some of Washington’s Middle Eastern allies have joined, many of its traditional Western allies have thus far stayed away.

A UN Security Council resolution, adopted in mid-November, authorized the board and countries working with it to establish an international stabilization force in Gaza, where a fragile ceasefire began in October under a Trump plan on which Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas signed off.

Under Trump’s Gaza plan revealed late last year, the board was meant to supervise Gaza’s temporary governance. Trump thereafter said ⁠it would be expanded to tackle global conflicts.

Many rights experts say that Trump overseeing a board to supervise a foreign territory’s affairs resembled a colonial structure and have criticized the board for not including a Palestinian.The fragile ceasefire in Gaza has been repeatedly violated, with over 550 Palestinians and four Israeli soldiers reported killed since the truce began in October. Israel’s assault on Gaza since late 2023 has killed over 71,000 Palestinians, caused a hunger crisis and internally displaced

Gaza’s entire population.

Multiple rights experts, scholars and a UN inquiry say it amounts to genocide. Israel calls its actions self-defense after Hamas-led militants killed 1,200 people and took over 250 hostages in a late 2023 attack.

Source: arabnews.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2632056/middle-east

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How Informants, Jihadists Turned WoroInto Killing Field, 162 Feared Dead

February 7, 2026

Residents of Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State went to bed last Tuesday unaware they would wake up to mass graves.

At dusk, the village remained alive with its usual routines – farmers returning from the fields, shop owners closing their stalls, families preparing evening meals. By dawn, Woro had been reduced to ashes, tears and silence.

A group of jihadists stormed the community in what survivors described as a coordinated invasion, unleashing hours of violence that left scores dead and dozens missing.

By Wednesday afternoon, the death toll stood at 162, while several residents were still unaccounted for and others abducted.

A local resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the attackers were not strangers to the community.

According to him, the bandits had previously visited Woro under the guise of preaching, urging residents to renounce the Nigerian Constitution and embrace their ideology.

It was gathered that early last month, the group reportedly sent a letter to the village head, Alhaji Umar SaliuTanko, informing him of their intention to hold another sermon and requesting that residents assemble.

Uncomfortable with earlier sermons, the village head reportedly alerted security agencies.

A local government official said soldiers and security agents were deployed to the venue on the appointed day with the intention of arresting the group.

“On sighting security agents from afar, they retreated. From that day, they planned the invasion,” the official said.

The bandits later allegedly sent a voice note to the village head, accusing him of attempting to set them up and vowing to wipe out the community.

Although the threat was reported, no specific date was mentioned until the Tuesday attack.

Residents said more than 50 gunmen invaded Woro around 5pm on Tuesday, killing indiscriminately and setting houses, shops and offices ablaze.

“They know the terrain. From one street to another, they went killing people. In some cases, they entered houses to kill. They burnt shops and houses with people inside,” a resident told Vanguard.

While official figures from the governor and local government chairman confirmed 75 bodies physically counted, residents insisted the actual toll was far higher.

“There are others killed in the bushes and some burnt beyond recognition inside their homes. As of Thursday afternoon, more corpses were still being recovered after Wednesday’s mass burial,” the resident added.

The attackers reportedly returned in the early hours of Wednesday, ambushing residents heading to early morning prayers and killing several more.

Grave diggers were said to have worked through tears, burying victims in quick succession.

Chairman of Kaiama Local Government Area, AlhajiAbubakarAbdullahiDanladi, described the scene as horrifying when he addressed Governor AbdulRahmanAbdulRazaq during a visit on Wednesday.

“It’s disheartening. What we saw was like a horror film. There were still several corpses in the bushes. We have counted seventy-five corpses so far,” he said.

He alleged the presence of informants within the community, claiming the attackers went directly to the village head’s house, killed his children and abducted family members.

“The vigilantes tried to fight back, but their weapons had no effect. The bandits went after them and burnt them to ashes. I’m a medical personnel, but I have never seen the magnitude of such horrific corpses,” he lamented.

The Emir of Kaiama, Alhaji Omar Muazu, said 75 victims had been identified and given mass burial but warned that the figure could rise.

“This excludes those taken away and those still in the bush. The figures are likely to go up,” the monarch said.

He called for the establishment of a permanent military base in Woro and expressed concern that criminals were hiding within forests near the National Park.

Forty-eight hours after the attack, Woro remained largely deserted. Burnt homes stood where families once lived, and soldiers and forest guards patrolled empty streets as displaced residents stayed away in fear.

Arewa Group Condemns Attacks

Meanwhile, the Arewa Discussion Group (ADG) condemned the resurgence of terrorist attacks across northern states.

In a statement by its Chairman, AlhajiMaisudan Muhammed Bello (TafidanDutse), the group described the attacks in Kwara, Katsina and Kaduna as alarming.

“We are horrified by the recent wave of attacks and abductions,” the statement read.

The group criticised recent truces reportedly entered into with armed groups, describing them as a “farce” that had emboldened perpetrators.

“The time for mere condemnation is long past. We must move beyond rhetoric to concrete, effective and sustainable action,” the ADG added, calling for a total overhaul of the region’s security strategy.

Source: naijanews.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.naijanews.com/2026/02/07/how-informants-jihadists-turned-woro-into-killing-field-162-feared-dead/

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The National Unity Ministry of Malaysia urges legal process, warns against racial or religious tensions over places of worship

07 Feb 2026

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 7 — The National Unity Ministry has stressed that issues related to places of worship are managed based on the existing legal framework and the principle of the rule of law, in line with the Federal Constitution and the spirit of Malaysia Madani

In a statement today, the ministry said matters related to the construction, renovation and compliance of places of worship fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government through relevant legal provisions.

“Accordingly, the ministry stresses that any issues related to places of worship must be addressed prudently, factually and in accordance with the law, without dragging in racial or religious sentiments that could undermine social harmony,” it said.

Among the key provisions is the Local Government Act 1976 (Act 171), which empowers local authorities to regulate building structures, cleanliness and to ensure that no place of worship is constructed without permission within their respective administrative areas.

In addition, the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974 (Act 133) is also applied to regulate technical aspects of construction and the structural safety of places of worship to safeguard public safety.

The ministry also explained that the Town and Country Planning Act 1976 (Act 172) is implemented through PLANMalaysia for zoning planning and the designation of specific sites for places of worship in Local Plans.

The ministry said it remains committed to playing its role as a facilitator in strengthening understanding, dialogue and harmony among followers of different religions, while respecting the jurisdiction of the relevant agencies and decisions of the authorities made in accordance with the law.

It called on all parties to respect legal processes, avoid speculation and maintain a spirit of mutual respect to preserve national unity and the country’s stability. — Bernama

Source: malaymail.com

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India

BJP MLA says ‘criminals produced in madrassas’, Trinamool hits back

Feb 7, 2026

Kolkata: A remark on madrassas and criminality by BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul in the Bengal assembly on Friday sparked a war of words, with Trinamool MLAs hitting back.

Speaking on the state's vote-on-account budget, tabled on Thursday, Asansol (South) MLA said :"State govt has allocated Rs 5,713 crore for madrassa education and development of minorities. Can they show how many doctors, engineers or bureaucrats, and how many criminals, these madrassas have produced so far?"

Reacting immediately, TMC senior and minister Firhad Hakim stood up, schooling Paul on the contribution of the minority community in the freedom struggle. "Do you mean to say that KaziNazrul Islam and APJ AbulKalam were criminals? Is that a statement from a member of a civilised society?" Hakim questioned, demanding an apology from Paul.

Speaker Biman Banerjee intervened, asked Paul to withdraw her statement, and requested her not to use any word that would hurt the sentiments of a community.

Trying to defend her statement, Paul said she did not question the contribution of the minority community, and added that Trinamool had put guns and bombs in the hands of madrassa students while children from the minority community were deprived of quality education.

Hakim stopped her again and said, "Stop equating every Muslim with criminals. This country is equally ours. That mindset is shameful." Other MLAs in the treasury bench, including Javed Khan, Siddiqullah Chowdhury and Aroop Biswas, asked Paul to withdraw the statement. Parliamentary affairs minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay demanded exemplary punishment for Paul.

Intervening, Banerjee said Paul's statement would be expunged from the House records. "She shouldn't have made such a comment inside the House. I asked her to withdraw her statement. She didn't withdraw it. Chattopadhyay has lodged a complaint with me and it was discussed. I condemned the statement," Banerjee said. "We must remind honourable members who took oath under the Constitution not to make any statement which will hurt the sentiments of the people. The assembly represents pluralistic values and principles and is not toxic, divisive and prejudiced to any religion," he added amid persistent demands by the treasury bench to take strong action against Paul.

Meanwhile, even as TMC MLAs were protesting, leader of the opposition SuvenduAdhikari started sloganeering: "Hindu-Hindu bhaibhai". A heated exchange of words ensued.

Speaking to reporters outside the House, Paul said she harboured no malice against minority community members and had only tried to draw the attention of the govt towards ground realities in the state. "I have nothing against Muslims. Mr Hakim should explain why jihadis and anti-nationals are being sheltered in many madrassas across the state. It is time for the truth to come out," she said.

Source: indiatimes.com

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Top Jaish, LeT men call for jihad, threaten to strike Delhi, Agra

Feb 7, 2026

NEW DELHI: In a coordinated escalation of hostilities coinciding with so-called "Kashmir Solidarity Day", top commanders from Jaish-e-Muhammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) engaged in incendiary anti-India rhetoric during public gatherings in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, inciting direct violence against India and global powers.

The rhetoric, which included open calls for jihad and threats to strike major Indian cities, has triggered a high-level alert across the Indian intelligence establishment as forces brace for potential cross-border spillover. Top Lashkar ideologue Syed Abdul Rehman Naqvi's speech was particularly alarming for its specific geographic targeting, as he shouted to a cheering crowd the group will "set Agra on fire, rouse the Deccan, and shake Delhi".

In Rawalakot, POK, JeM commander Masood Ilyas Kashmiri addressed a large gathering where he exhorted Pakistani youth to join the ranks of the terror group. Kashmiri said his supporters stand ready with "full force and terror to crush the enemy". He also warned that a "message" would be delivered to Delhi and global powers, specifically referencing the US, England and Israeli PM Netanyahu.

The rally featured the public appearance of a "next-generation" cadre of newly recruited terrorists. Kashmiri is the same operative who previously admitted to the devastating impact of Indian strikes on JeM's Bahawalpur headquarters, describing how the blasts left terrorists in "shreds". In Lahore, Syed Abdul Rehman Naqvi, a commander of Pakistan Markazi Muslim League, the political front for Hafiz Saeed's LeT, issued a chilling threat to India's territorial integrity. Naqvi, who maintains close ties with Saeed and his son Talha Saeed, vowed to fulfil the "testaments of his elders" by dismantling "Akhand Bharat".

Source: indiatimes.com

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'I want to give you Rs 2 in alms': Owaisi hits out at HimantaSarma over 'trouble Miya Muslims' remark

Feb 6, 2026

NEW DELHI: AIMIM chief AsaduddinOwaisi on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on Assam chief minister HimantaBiswaSarma over his controversial remarks on "troubling Miya Muslims", calling them unconstitutional and divisive.

Owaisi mocked the chief minister, saying, "I want to give you Rs 2 as alms," and accused him of reducing constitutional governance to prejudice and intimidation. In a lengthy response, Owaisi said India's Constitution guarantees equality and non-discrimination, regardless of religion or community. "The Constitution says all are equal. No discrimination should be done, whether it is a chief minister or anyone else," he said.

Owaisi alleged that Bengali-speaking Muslims in Assam were being scapegoated for issues ranging from migration to rising prices. "If vegetable prices increase in Assam, Miya Muslims are blamed. If someone wants to vote, they are told to go to Bangladesh," he said, adding that such rhetoric amounted to targeting a community for political gain.

The AIMIM leader's remarks came after Sarma made statements encouraging action against "Miya Muslims" in Assam. Sarma said, "Trouble the Miya Muslims by any means. If they face trouble, they will go from Assam ... We are directly against the Miya Muslims. We are not hiding anything."

The comments triggered a political storm in the election-bound northeastern state, with opposition parties accusing the BJP of resorting to communal polarisation to consolidate votes.

The BJP, however, has long maintained that its focus in Assam is on addressing illegal immigration and protecting indigenous rights. Bengali-speaking Muslims have frequently been labelled “illegal infiltrators” in political discourse, an issue that has remained central to Assam’s electoral politics.

Source: indiatimes.com

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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/i-want-to-give-you-rs-2-as-alms-owaisi-hits-out-at-himanta-sarma-over-trouble-miya-muslims-remark/articleshowprint/128001528.cms

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Muslims will never surpass Hindu population in India, says AsaduddinOwaisi

07.02.26

AIMIM president AsaduddinOwaisi on Friday dismissed claims that Muslims would overtake Hindus demographically in India, saying such fears were misplaced and politically motivated.

Addressing a rally in Nizamabad ahead of the Telangana municipal polls, the Hyderabad MP said concerns over Muslim population growth were being raised while larger demographic and economic questions were being ignored.

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent speech in the Rajya Sabha, Owaisi said the Prime Minister had spoken about India having a young population at a time when the rest of the world was ageing. Owaisi questioned what steps the government had taken for this demographic group.

If the Prime Minister was asked if 60 per cent of the country's population is aged under 40, then what (measures) he (Modi) did for their jobs, and what skills have been taught to them, the AIMIM chief asked.

He said discussions around population often focused selectively on Muslims, without addressing long-term economic pressures.

"After 20 years, this young population will age. How much inflation and how much they need to spend we don't think of it. Instead, they say the population of Muslims is growing... Muslim population will stabilise. Muslims will never exceed the Hindu population in India. They are now understanding that after 25-30 years, the country's population will age. RSS (chief) Mohan Bhagwat says to give birth to at least three children. Though he himself is not doing, that's another matter," Owaisi said.

Owaisi also referred to earlier discussions around a population control law, saying Muslims were frequently targeted during those debates. Earlier, it was said a bill would be brought for population control and they used to criticise Muslims.

Now they have realised that when the country's population ages how it will affect the nation, he said.

The AIMIM chief also commented on Pakistan’s reported boycott of its T20 World Cup match against India, criticising both Pakistan and the Indian government’s response.

On Pakistan's boycott of their T20 World Cup match against India, Owaisi said India is hosting the T20 World Cup and that "useless" Pakistani team says they will not play the game against India.

"You should have told them (Pakistan) why did you come here and go out from here, if you won't play. But you are sitting silently and listening," he said. Owaisi further accused the Modi government of avoiding tough responses on external security issues.

Owaisi further hit out at the Modi government, accusing it of remaining silent on China's (border) issue.

Source: telegraphindia.com

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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/muslims-will-never-surpass-hindu-population-in-india-says-asaduddin-owaisi/cid/2146266

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Cong is Muslim League in Telangana: Kishan Reddy

Feb 7, 2026

Hyderabad: Stepping up his attack on the Congress ahead of municipal elections in Telangana, Union coal minister G Kishan Reddy on Friday accused the ruling party of pursuing ‘religion-based politics' under the cover of welfare and social justice, alleging that its policies would seriously harm Backward Classes in the state.

Kishan Reddy said that, in Telangana, the name ‘Muslim League Congress' suited the Congress party well. He recalled that chief minister A Revanth Reddy had on several occasions stated that "Congress means Muslims, and Muslims mean Congress." He also pointed out that the CM had said the govt would submit documents to the Supreme Court to ensure the permanence of the 4% reservation for Muslims.

When the Congress introduced 4% Muslim reservations in the undivided Andhra Pradesh, the high court struck them down twice as unconstitutional. Despite this, the Congress approached the Supreme Court, obtained a stay, and implemented the reservations, he said in a post on social media.

BC numbers reduced

The Union minister further alleged that under the guise of a caste survey, the Congress govt had recently conducted an exercise aimed at significantly reducing the BC population in Telangana. The actual BC population in the state is 46%, he said. However, by including 10% Muslims in the BC category, the Congress claimed that BCs constituted 56% of the population.

He said the govt then provided 42% reservations in local bodies for BCs and Muslims together. After granting 10% reservations to Muslims, the existing 34% quota for BCs effectively comes down to 32%. If the court does not stay these orders, the BC community would suffer greatly, he warned.

Kishan Reddy said the consequences of forcibly including non-BCs in BC categories were already evident to the people of Telangana. He cited the 2020 GHMC elections, where 50 of the 150 seats were reserved for BCs, but non-BC candidates won 31 of those seats. "This means that AIMIM effectively captured 62% of the seats allocated to BCs. When reservations intended for BC empowerment are thus misdirected, how will true BCs receive justice?" he asked.

By providing 4% reservations on religious grounds and adding another 10%, the Congress is now attempting to unlawfully include Muslims in the BC category, directly harming genuinely eligible BCs, he alleged.

Source: indiatimes.com

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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/cong-is-muslim-league-in-telangana-kishan-reddy/articleshowprint/128006473.cms

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JMB militant gets 8 years in jail for prison break attempt

Feb 7, 2026,

Kolkata: A court in Kolkata has sentenced Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) militant Jahidul Islam to eight years in prison after he confessed to plotting a jail break while being transferred from Kolkata sessions court to Presidency Jail.

Chief judge Sukumar Roy of city sessions court held Islam guilty on Wednesday and imposed a fine of Rs 50,000, with an additional one year of imprisonment in default of payment. The court also awarded separate sentences on other counts, but directed all sentences to run concurrently.

Islam, aka Kausar and ‘Bomb Mizan' is the former operations chief of JMB in India. He is serving a 29-year sentence in connection with the Khagragarh explosion case, in which an accidental blast at a suspected bomb-making unit in 2014 led to a wider network linked to JMB.

The latest conviction relates to a separate case registered by the Kolkata Police Special Task Force (STF) after intelligence indicated a prison-break bid.

STF filed a charge sheet in the case in Feb 2019 against Islam and 10 others, charging them with criminal conspiracy, sedition and possession of explosives among others.

Source: indiatimes.com

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Bystanders cannot be ‘picked up’ as part of mob, cautions HC

Feb 6, 2026

New Delhi: Delhi High Court on Friday cautioned police that bystanders cannot be "picked up" as part of the mob that indulged in stone pelting during a demolition exercise near Faiz-e-Elahi mosque in Turkman Gate last month.

Justice PrateekJalan made the oral observation while dealing with a plea for anticipatory bail by a person accused of instigating the crowd.

The court asked Delhi Police to file a status report in response to the plea for pre-arrest bail by Sajid Iqbal, detailing the specific role played by him along with video evidence, as his counsel claimed he was not part of the mob.

The counsel for the police said it is looking into a "deeper conspiracy" in the case.

"If the video material shows he is instigating, you are right. If he is simply passing by, you are not right. If you are picking up everyone in that area, that will not be permitted," the court pointed out, and listed the matter for further hearing next week.

The petitioner's lawyer said that he was simply coming back from his relative's house when he was pushed into the mob.

Iqbal moved the high court after the trial court dismissed the petitioner's anticipatory bail plea on Jan 21, holding that the investigation was at a preliminary stage. It observed that he appeared to be gathering the crowd in a video.

The case relates to violence during an anti-encroachment drive by civic agencies near the mosque in the RamlilaMaidan area on the intervening night of Jan 6 and 7.

Police said rumours were spread that the mosque opposite Turkman Gate was being demolished, prompting people to gather at the spot. It said around 150-200 people hurled stones and glass bottles at the police and MCD personnel, injuring six policemen, including the area's station house officer.

Source: indiatimes.com

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Few complainants, but ‘conversion net’ probe deals Mirzapur gyms a body blow

Manish Sahu

Feb 7, 2026

He won the title of ‘Mr Mirzapur’ in 2019, and ‘Mr Purvanchal’ in 2022, his impressive bodybuilding skills making a gym trainer’s job a natural fit for him.

Now, Faizal Khan, 34, has another tag: an accused in an alleged conversion racket which, police claim, was being run from five gyms across the town.

In the wake of the charges against owners and trainers of the five gyms, fitness centres across Mirzapur are emptying out, especially of women, say the owners.

What are the charges against the accused?

The accused are booked on various charges, including intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace, extortion, criminal intimidation, assault or criminal force and forced conversion.

But while police talk of “nearly 20” women being targeted by the men, they are struggling to find any complainants after the initial two.

None of the arrested persons has a criminal record.

Who are the accused?

Faizal is married and has a son.

The house shared by Imran and his brothers is locked. “The family left after police started visiting their home,” says neighbour Rakesh Pathak.

Later, another woman approached police and reportedly filed a similar complaint against the same group.

Gym owners worried, reach out to patrons to reassure them

Additional benefits not enough to bring back customers?

However, clients have been giving reasons such as guests at home, examinations, health issues, or the coming Ramzan, to say they can’t join back for now.

Mohammad Azad Ansari, who opened ‘Solid Gym’ around three months ago, says he is relatively unaffected for now, as he had just started and doesn’t have a big client base.

One woman present at a gym, who did not want to be identified, says: “We keep assuring our parents that we train only under women coaches and go to the gym only when other women are present.”

Source: indianexpress.com

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https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/lucknow/few-complainants-but-conversion-net-probe-deals-mirzapur-gyms-a-body-blow-10518257/

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Five mazars on KGMU campus face demolition over lack of land records

Piyush Srivastava

07.02.26

Five mazars located on the King George Medical University (KGMU) campus here are staring at demolition as their management committees have failed to furnish legal proof of ownership or land rights within the deadline that expired on Friday.

The university administration had served notices to the committees 15 days ago, threatening demolition of the structures in the absence of a satisfactory response.

Local BJP leader Abhijit Mishra had claimed in a complaint to the KGMU administration that the mausoleums were built illegally and should be razed.

The management committees of the mazars have, in their reply to the notices, said the structures predate the medical college by over six to seven centuries. The KGMU was originally established as a medical college and later upgraded to a university.

According to the KGMU website, Raja Sir TassaduqRasul Khan, a taluqdar of Jahangirabad in Barabanki district, conceived the

medical college in 1905. Its foundation stone was laid by Prince George (later King George V) on December 26, 1905, and it became functional in 1911.

Khalid Rasheed Firangimahli, the shahi imam of the Lucknow Eidgah and member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, said: “It is beyond doubt that these mazars are many centuries older than the medical college. The land was provided by a Muslim taluqdar (TassaduqRasul Khan) and the British government decided to let those structures exist. Currently, they are registered waqf properties. There had been no controversy surrounding them all these years. All of a sudden, this government wants to remove them.”

Firangimahli said there was no such department centuries ago to permit the construction of such structures. “The KGMU is making itself a laughing stock by issuing such notices,” Firangimahli added.

Mahmood Madani, president of the JamiatUlama-i-Hind, expressed concern over the attack on the shrine of Hazrat Haji Harmain Shah, located adjacent to the university, and the issuance of demolition notices against “centuries-old shrines situated in the precincts of HazratMakhdoom Shah Meena”.

“We warn the university administration against violating the laws of the land governing waqf properties under the cover of misleading propaganda and demand the immediate withdrawal of all such notices,” he added.

Shah Meena was a 15th-century Sufi saint of the Chishti-Nizami order based in Lucknow. Some of the mazars bear no specific name.

Madani said the shrines were more than 700 years old, adding that a couple of them had already been “damaged by the university administration at the behest of the

BJP leaders”.

K.K. Singh, a professor of KGMU, who has been tasked with taking action against the mazars, said: “The unnecessary gathering of people (to pray at the mazars) creates problems in the day-to-day functioning of the university. We had pasted demolition notices on their walls.”

“There were eight mazars and three of them have already been demolished in

the last one-and-a-half years. Notices have been served to the remaining five located near the microbiology, orthopaedics and respiratory

medicine departments and trauma centre,” Singh said, adding that they made it difficult for ambulances to reach the departments.

MaulanaYasub Abbas, a Shia cleric, denied the allegation that the mausoleums were obstructing the movement of ambulances. “The college was established on the land of the Muslim community, and now they want to remove us from there,” he said.

Mohammad Shakeel, member of the management committee of a mazar, said: “The government must ask the KGMU to withdraw its illegal notices to us. People occasionally gather here to offer prayers, but that has been going on for centuries.”

Source: telegraphindia.com

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South Asia

Tarique tells Reuters he will not form post-election unity government with Jamaat

07 Feb 2026

BNP Chairman and leading prime ministerial contender Tarique Rahman, in an interview with Reuters, has rejected a proposal from his main rival to form a unity government after next week’s election, saying his party expects to secure a mandate on its own.

Speaking at the interview at his party office, Tarique dismissed the idea of sharing power with Jamaat-e-Islami, the BNP’s main rival in the February 12 parliamentary election.

“How can I form a government with my political opponents, and then who would be in the opposition?” he told Reuters.

“I don't know what will be their seat number, but if they are in the opposition, I hope to have them as a good opposition.”

The BNP and Jamaat previously governed together between 2001 and 2006. Jamaat has indicated it is open to renewing that partnership or forming a unity government to help stabilise the country after months of political turmoil in 2024 that disrupted the garments industry, according to Reuters.

Tarique’s aides told Reuters that the BNP is confident of winning more than two-thirds of the 300 parliamentary seats. The party is contesting 292 constituencies, while its allies are fielding candidates in the remaining seats.

Although Tarique declined to predict a specific figure, he said:, “We are confident that we’ll have enough to form a government.”

Opinion polls have forecast a BNP victory but also suggest a strong challenge from the Jamaat-led alliance, which includes a Generation Z party that emerged from “youth-led anti-Hasina protests”, Reuters reports.

According to Reuters, New Delhi’s decision to shelter Hasina, whom a Dhaka court last year sentenced to death over her role in a crackdown, has strained Bangladesh-India relations and created an opportunity for China to expand its investment and political engagement in the country.

Asked whether he would shift Dhaka’s foreign policy focus from India towards China if elected, Tarique said Bangladesh would prioritise economic growth and employment.

“If we are in the government, we need to provide jobs for young people. We need to bring businesses into the country so that jobs can be created and people can have a better life,” he told Reuters.

“So whoever, while protecting the interests and sovereignty of Bangladesh, offers what is suitable for my people and my country, we will have friendship with them, not with any particular country.”

On whether Hasina’s children would be free to return and participate in politics, he said political engagement should depend on public acceptance.

“If someone is accepted by the people, if people welcome them, then anyone has the right to do politics,” he said.

Bangladesh hosts nearly 1.2 million Rohingya Muslim refugees who fled successive crackdowns in neighbouring Myanmar.

The interim government said last year it lacked the capacity to allocate additional resources for the refugees given multiple domestic challenges and urged the international community to support their repatriation.

Tarique said he supported the return of the Rohingya but only when conditions in Myanmar were safe.

“We will try to work on the issue so that these people can go back to their own land,” he told Reuters. “The situation has to be safe for them to go back there. As long as it is not safe, they are very welcome to stay here.”

Source: thedailystar.net

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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/news/tarique-tells-reuters-he-will-not-form-post-election-unity-government-jamaat-4100026

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Mohammad Badrul Ahsan’s death anniv observed

07 Feb 2026

The sixth death anniversary of Mohammad Badrul Ahsan, a longtime weekly columnist for The Daily Star and the publisher and editor of the now-defunct weekly magazine, First News, was observed yesterday, said a press release.

He also had a long career with Standard Chartered Bank, serving in both Dhaka and Dubai. A passionate writer, he left banking career to launch First News in 2010, the country’s first and only news magazine.

Mohammad Badrul Ahsan, the inimitable weekly author of Cross Talk in The Daily Star, began writing his column in 2000. He also authored several books, including Grameen Bank and Muhammad Yunus, In Search of a Nation, and Tales from the Heart, published by Mowla Brothers.

His other works, such as A Good Man in the Woods and Other Essays, Crosstalk Essays, and The Parallax View, were published by The University Press Limited. His relatives, friends, and well-wishers are requested to pray for the salvation of the departed soul.

Source: thedailystar.net

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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/obituary/news/mohammad-badrul-ahsans-death-anniv-observed-4100036

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Leasing out Ctg port terminal goes against public interest: Says FarhadMazhar

07 Feb 2026

Poet and columnist FarhadMazhar yesterday said leasing out the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) of the Chattogram port without informing the public goes against public interest.

He stressed that such decisions must be made through transparent consultations with workers, business communities, and other stakeholders.

He made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion titled “Port Protection versus the Politics of Port Paralysis” at the Chattogram Press Club. The event was organised by the Port Protection Committee.

Mazhar criticised the use of non-disclosure clauses to keep the public uninformed, calling it dangerous to justify handing over the port to foreign companies by citing local inefficiency.

He questioned whether the state would be able to take sovereign decisions during times of crisis if key infrastructure is outsourced.

Expressing concern over popular sovereignty, he said ports and sovereignty are inseparable, and bureaucrats cannot take unilateral decisions in the name of the state.

Speakers at the event alleged that projects built with port funds are being handed over to foreign companies, threatening jobs and national interest.

They claimed that leasing the NCT could put around 800 employees at risk and demanded full disclosure and an investigation into the proposed agreements, citing concerns over transparency and national security.

Source: thedailystar.net

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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/leasing-out-ctg-port-terminal-goes-against-public-interest-says-farhad-mazhar-4099861

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6 BGB platoons deployed around Kakrail Mosque, InterContinental Dhaka

6 FEBRUARY 2026

Six platoons of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been deployed in areas surrounding Kakrail Mosque and InterContinental Dhaka hotel to reinforce security around the State Guest House Jamuna.

According to a brief message from the BGB, the deployment is intended to bolster overall law and order and prevent any untoward incidents in this high-importance zone.

BGB personnel have taken up strategic positions and are working in coordination with other law enforcement agencies in the area.

Authorities said the security arrangement is precautionary and part of routine measures adopted during sensitive periods.

Source: thedailystar.net

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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/6-bgb-platoons-deployed-around-kakrail-mosque-intercontinental-dhaka-4099591

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Uzbekistan Power Cut Again Hits Kabul and 12 Provinces of Afghanistan

By Fidel Rahmati

February 6, 2026

Power outages spread across Kabul and 12 Afghanistan provinces after Uzbekistan’s imported electricity line failed due to technical problems and severe weather conditions.

Afghanistan’s power company, Breshna, announced that electricity imported from Uzbekistan was cut again after a technical failure on the 220-kilovolt transmission line in the Naibabad–Pul-e-Khumri section.

Following the disruption, parts of Samangan and Baghlan, along with Parwan, Panjshir, Kapisa, Kabul, Logar, Paktia, Khost, MaidanWardak, Ghazni, Nangarhar, and Laghman provinces lost access to imported electricity.

Power company said technical teams were dispatched to repair the fault, but severe storms in the area have delayed the start of restoration work until weather conditions improve.

The company added that domestic power sources are temporarily supplying electricity but warned that bad weather could delay full restoration of imported power.

Power interruptions have repeatedly occurred during winter months, when heavy snowfall and storms often damage transmission lines connecting Afghanistan to neighboring countries.

Afghanistan remains heavily dependent on imported electricity from Central Asian countries, making the national grid vulnerable to technical failures and cross-border disruptions.

Frequent power cuts worsen humanitarian challenges in Afghanistan, where many households and hospitals rely on stable electricity during harsh winter conditions.

Source: khaama.com

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https://www.khaama.com/uzbekistan-power-cut-again-hits-kabul-and-12-provinces-of-afghanistan/

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Kabul Rejects Pakistan Claim Over Islamabad Mosque Attack

By Khaama Press

February 6, 2026

Kabul has rejected Pakistan’s claims linking the Islamabad mosque suicide bombing to Afghanistan, calling the accusations premature and unsupported by evidence.

Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif earlier said the deadly suicide bombing at a Shia mosque in Islamabad involved a militant who had traveled to Afghanistan, claiming cross-border militant links and vowing a strong response.

Responding to those remarks, Taliban Defense Ministry spokesman EnayatullahKhwarazmi said Pakistani officials have repeatedly blamed Afghanistan for security incidents, including past attacks in Balochistan, without presenting credible evidence.

Khwarazmi questioned how authorities could quickly identify alleged external links after attacks while failing to prevent such incidents beforehand, arguing that such accusations cannot hide Pakistan’s internal security shortcomings.

He stressed that Afghanistan’s authorities do not support attacks against civilians and consider violence against innocent people unacceptable under Islamic and humanitarian principles.

The spokesman urged Pakistani officials to avoid shifting responsibility and instead work toward constructive regional cooperation and improved relations with neighboring countries.

The exchange follows the suicide bombing during Friday prayers in Islamabad that killed dozens of worshippers and injured many more, prompting tightened security measures across Pakistan as investigations continue.

Source: khaama.com

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Afghanistan’s Security and Need for Realistic International Engagement

February 7, 2026

Recent discussions at the United Nations Security Council regarding Afghanistan’s security situation have once again highlighted differing assessments of the country’s current realities. While several international representatives expressed concerns about the alleged presence and threat of ISIS-Khorasan in Afghanistan, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has firmly rejected these claims, describing them as unfounded and based on inaccurate or exaggerated information.

The Islamic Emirate responded to the Security Council meeting by emphasizing that Afghanistan’s absence from such forums has contributed to misunderstandings. Without Afghanistan’s official representation, the international community often relies on second-hand reports that fail to reflect documented progress and on-the-ground realities. Some narratives are shaped by outdated data, propaganda, or political bias, leading to an exaggerated portrayal of instability in the country.

Regarding ISIS, this should be stated that the group has been eliminated inside Afghanistan and no longer maintains an organized or effective presence. Afghanistan’s security institutions have taken serious and continuous measures to ensure national stability and to prevent any group from using Afghan soil to threaten other countries. The Islamic Emirate has repeatedly assured the international community that it remains committed to this responsibility.

During the Security Council session, officials from the United States, the United Kingdom, China, and the United Nations expressed concerns about the global threat posed by ISIS, including ISIS-K in Afghanistan. These officials called for sustained counterterrorism efforts and urged Afghan authorities to take decisive action. While acknowledging the broader international concern over terrorism, the Islamic Emirate maintains that Afghanistan’s situation should not be generalized or assessed through a global lens without direct engagement.

Afghanistan has experienced decades of conflict largely driven by foreign intervention, miscalculations, and imposed policies. Since the restoration of the Islamic Emirate, the country has witnessed a significant reduction in widespread violence, improved internal security, and increased territorial control under a single authority. These developments, according to Afghan officials, are often overlooked in international discussions.

The Islamic Emirate believes that constructive dialogue, realistic assessments, and direct engagement are essential for addressing remaining challenges. Excluding Afghanistan from international platforms not only limits accurate understanding but also undermines opportunities for cooperation on shared concerns such as counterterrorism, regional stability, and humanitarian assistance.

China’s call for practical counterterrorism measures reflects a broader international expectation for responsibility. In response, the Islamic Emirate reiterates that it has already taken effective steps and remains open to engagement based on mutual respect and non-interference. Rather than relying on pressure or accusations, Afghan authorities argue that collaboration and recognition of progress would yield better results.

In conclusion, Afghanistan’s security situation should be evaluated through verified facts and direct communication, not assumptions or politically motivated narratives. A balanced and inclusive approach would not only benefit Afghanistan but also contribute to regional and global stability. The Islamic Emirate continues to emphasize that peace, sovereignty, and security remain its core priorities, and it calls on the international community to engage with Afghanistan accordingly.

Source: thekabultimes.com

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Mideast

A man detonates explosive belt during arrest attempt in Iraq, injuring 2 security members

February 06, 2026

BAGHDAD: A man wearing an explosives belt blew himself up Friday while a security force was trying to arrest him in western Iraq near the Syrian border, killing himself and wounding two security members, an Iraqi security official said.

The raid was being conducted in the Al-Khaseem area in Qaim district that borders Syria, said the official who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

The official added that “preliminary information” confirms that no members of the security forces were killed, while two personnel were injured and transferred for medical treatment.

Iraq’s National Security Agency said in a statement that its members besieged a hideout of a Daesh group security official and two of his bodyguards. One bodyguard ignited his explosives belt, killing him. It gave no further details.

Daesh once controlled large parts of Syria and Iraq and declared a caliphate in 2014. The extremist group was defeated on the battlefield in Iraq in 2017 and in Syria in 2019 but its sleeper cells still carry out deadly attacks in both countries.

In December, two US service members and an American civilian were killed in an attack in Syria that the United States blamed on Daesh. The US carried out strikes on Syria days later in retaliation.

US and Iraqi authorities in January began transferring hundreds of the nearly 9,000 Daesh members held in jails run by the US-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in northeast Syria to Iraq, where Iraqi authorities plan to prosecute them.

Source: arabnews.com

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Two Palestinians killed in Gaza

February 06, 2026

GAZA: Two Palestinians were killed in Beit Lahia and Jabalia in northern Gaza by Israeli forces on Friday in breach of the ceasefire agreement, according to local sources.

A woman was also injured in gunfire east of Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza.

The Israeli army also carried out several coordinated attacks in the early hours of Friday, targeting residential buildings across several areas of the Gaza Strip as part of its policy of destroying urban blocks.

A WAFA correspondent reported that forces demolished residential buildings northeast of Gaza City and conducted additional attacks on buildings in northern Gaza.

In Khan Younis, the army attacked the southeast of the city, while eastern and southern areas of the province came under heavy artillery fire.

In Rafah, Israeli warplanes fired heavily on the city alongside shelling from military vehicles stationed there, while on Thursday night, airstrikes hit the home of the Abu Hatab family in Khan Younis refugee camp.

Meanwhile, the UN said ending the deepening humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip required the unrestricted opening of all crossings for aid delivery. It also warned that opening the Rafah crossing to individuals only, without humanitarian assistance, did not alter the deteriorating situation on the ground.

UNRWA spokesperson Jonathan Fowler said humanitarian supplies destined for Gaza remain stuck in Egypt and Jordan, adding Israel had blocked their entry since March 2025.

He stressed that allowing people to pass alone, while preventing aid deliveries, did nothing to alleviate the severe humanitarian conditions and added the continued obstruction of relief supplies was among the main reasons for ongoing suffering in Gaza.

He said that the humanitarian situation saw a very limited improvement during summer 2025 compared with the peak of the crisis but the slight increase in aid and commercial goods far from compensated

for the massive destruction caused by “a man-made humanitarian disaster.”

Fowler added children continued to suffer from hunger, medical supplies remained insufficient to meet overwhelming needs, and disease outbreaks persisted amid the collapse of water and sewage systems and an acute shortage of shelter materials.

At least 600 aid trucks per day were needed to sustain the population, he added, warning that any fewer effectively meant the crisis would continue, particularly given restrictions on the type of aid allowed in and the limited operating hours at crossings.

Fowler also said the continued ban on UNRWA’s work following the ceasefire reflected a political choice targeting the largest humanitarian organization operating in Gaza, despite the agency’s readiness, long-standing experience and extensive operational capacity.

He warned that restrictions imposed on civil society organizations were aimed at confining humanitarian work to selected actors willing to overlook violations and stressed that adherence to humanitarian principles and respect for international humanitarian law, must remain non-negotiable.

Source: arabnews.com

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For Palestinians returning to Gaza, a bittersweet reunion

February 06, 2026

GAZA/CAIRO: EatedalRayyan waited for this moment for nearly two years: a reunion with her husband in Gaza, where she says yearning for family and homeland has persisted despite widespread destruction from the enclave’s two-year war.

Rayyan, 29, left Gaza with her mother and three children after suffering a leg injury that doctors warned could need amputation if left untreated. She was one of tens of thousands who fled to Egypt in the early months of the conflict.

After months of treatment in Egypt, Rayyan was eventually able to walk again. And on Thursday, she, her mother, and her children were among a small number of Palestinians allowed to return to Gaza after Israel reopened the Rafah border crossing, largely shut since the start of the fighting in October 2023.

“I long to return to my homeland, despite everything that happened, the bombardment, and despite the fact that I will be returning to live in a tent,” Rayyan, who fled in March 2024, said from Egypt before crossing back in on Thursday.

Reuters followed her journey from the Egyptian town of Al-Arish, where thousands of Palestinians have taken refuge. Her children — Hanan, 8, Ezz, 5, and Mohammed, 4 — grinned from ear to ear as they packed their suitcases with blankets and winter coats.

Hanan put a bow in her hair in anticipation of the reunion with her father.

“We are going to Gaza!” the kids chanted excitedly before heading off toward the border.

Rayyan and her children left midday on Thursday for the Rafah crossing, about 50 km from Al-Arish.

Once there, they would have to clear three checkpoints: one run by Egypt, another by Palestinian and European officials, and a third by Israeli security forces.

A bus would then carry them from Rafah, which Israeli forces have destroyed and depopulated after retaining control of the town following the October ceasefire deal, to the city of Khan Younis in Hamas-controlled territory.

It was nearly midnight when Rayyan and her family arrived in Khan Younis, with her husband, Ahmed, eagerly waiting.

The two held each other in a long embrace. Ahmed kissed and hugged his children.

The girl, Hanan, clung to her father’s leg.

Rayyan said she knew much of Gaza had been demolished in the war but that re-entering still shocked her to the core.

“No building is standing,” Rayyan said.

“Everything is destroyed, destroyed. There is no electricity or anything.”

Their family used to have a large house in Al-Saftawi, a district near Gaza City in the north, but it was destroyed in the war, Ahmed said. They would now live together in a tent in a Gaza City encampment.

“I tried in every possible way and managed to get three mattresses for five people to sleep on,” Ahmed said.

The Rafah crossing is the only exit and entry point for nearly all of Gaza’s more than 2 million residents.

Its limited reopening on Monday was a key element of a US plan to end the Israel-Hamas war.

Around 50 people were expected to cross in each direction daily, but the actual numbers have been far lower.

On Thursday, only 21 Palestinians, including Rayyan and her children, re-entered Gaza, according to enclave authorities.

Rayyan said many people had asked her why she would want to leave Egypt for isolated, rubble-covered Gaza, where food and water are scarce, most of the population is displaced, and frequent ceasefire violations have killed hundreds of people.

“It is true that life in Egypt was good; everyone was kind to us,” Rayyan said.

“But still, you long for your country, your family, your relatives, your husband, your life. Being away from home is hard. Life in Gaza is still beautiful, even though it’s been destroyed.”

Source: arabnews.com

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Hezbollah accepts resignation of senior security official WafiqSafa amid restructuring

February 06, 2026

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s Hezbollah accepted the resignation of senior security official WafiqSafa on Friday, the first time an official of his rank has stepped down, sources familiar with the group’s thinking told Reuters.

Safa, who heads Hezbollah’s liaison and coordination unit responsible for working with Lebanese security agencies, survived an Israeli assassination attempt in October 2024.

A source said “the resignation and its acceptance were part of an internal restructuring move” ⁠following losses Hezbollah sustained in last year’s war with Israel, adding that southern commander Hussein Abdullah was appointed to replace Safa.

Israel and Lebanon agreed to a US-brokered ceasefire in 2024 to end more than a year of cross-border fire between Israel and Hezbollah, ⁠which had culminated in Israeli strikes that severely weakened the Iran-backed militant group. Since then, the sides have traded accusations of ceasefire violations.

Lebanon has faced growing pressure from the US and Israel to disarm Hezbollah, and its leaders fear that Israel could dramatically escalate strikes across the battered country to push Lebanon’s leaders to confiscate Hezbollah’s arsenal more quickly.

Hezbollah has fought numerous conflicts with Israel since ⁠it was founded by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in 1982. It kept its arms after the end of Lebanon’s 1975-1990 civil war, using them against Israeli troops who occupied the south until 2000.

Safa, whom Middle East media reports said was born in 1960, oversaw negotiations that led to a 2008 deal in which Hezbollah exchanged the bodies of Israeli soldiers captured in 2006 for Lebanese prisoners in Israel. The 2006 incident triggered a 34-day war with Israel.

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Lebanon, Syria sign landmark deal to repatriate 300 Syrian prisoners

NAJIA HOUSSARI

February 06, 2026

BEIRUT: In a historic first, Lebanon and Syria signed a landmark prisoner transfer agreement on Friday, paving the way for the repatriation of hundreds of Syrian inmates held in Lebanese prisons.

The agreement, hailed by Lebanese officials as a major breakthrough in bilateral judicial cooperation, will result in the relocation of about 300 Syrian prisoners, many of whom have spent over a decade in Lebanese detention. The first transfers are scheduled to begin early on Saturday.

The deal was finalized after months of technical and legal negotiations, culminating in six consecutive sessions led by a joint Lebanese-Syrian committee co-chaired by the two countries’ justice ministers.

Under the terms of the agreement, inmates may be transferred to their home country to serve the remainder of their sentences — provided they offer written consent. The legal framework, effective immediately on signing and publication, bypasses lengthy bureaucratic hurdles that typically stall such processes.

The development signals a shift in Lebanese-Syrian relations, long strained by decades of political tension and the aftermath of Syria’s military presence in Lebanon, which ended in 2005.

According to the agreement, transfer operations must be completed within three months, with prisoners moved in phases, either in groups or individually.

Lebanon currently holds an additional 2,500 Syrian detainees awaiting final verdicts. Their uncertain legal status underscores the enormous strain on an overcrowded prison system already burdened by Lebanese and foreign inmates.

A judicial source said Syrian detainee cases remain “gridlocked in the courts, caught between adjudication delays, resource shortages, and the entanglement of security and judicial concerns.”

Lebanon is also grappling with a long-standing unresolved issue: the fate of Lebanese citizens abducted and imprisoned in Syria during its years of military presence. Despite the collapse of the former Syrian regime and the opening of Syrian prisons, no trace has been found of many of those who went missing.

The signing ceremony at the government palace brought together Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Mitri, and Justice Ministers Mazhar Al-Wais of Syria and Adel Nassar of Lebanon.

Al-Wais described the deal as “intricate and impossible to resolve through a single sweeping agreement,” but said it marked a significant stride toward justice in addressing prisoner conditions and establishing a basis for future bilateral cooperation.

He said the deal covers about 300 Syrian prisoners, calling it “a critical step in tackling the file of the disappeared and inmates who have endured extended incarceration in Lebanese facilities.”

Al-Wais said that the agreement was the result of sustained efforts and underscored a shared political will to strengthen Lebanese-Syrian relations on the basis of trust and mutual respect.

Work is also underway to set a timeline for reviewing the cases of detainees not covered by the current agreement, including individuals who have spent lengthy periods in detention with no clear information about their fate, he said.

Mitri said the agreement had been unanimously approved by the Lebanese Cabinet, and that both countries would later sign an additional accord to address the issue of Syrian detainees.

“Lebanon and Syria have a genuine opportunity to redefine their relationship on new foundations based on equality and mutual respect,” Mitri said, describing the agreement as “an effort to move away from a long legacy of unequal relations, coercive practices, and issues imposed by force rather than governed by law.”

Lebanese Minister of Information Paul Morcos said the agreement will significantly ease the overcrowding in Lebanese prisons,” adding that Lebanon could benefit in the future from a similar mechanism to address prison conditions.

As part of efforts to support the Lebanese army, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot held talks with Lebanese officials, describing the discussions as “successful and positive”.

At the same time, a French team from the mechanism overseeing the implementation of the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire toured the Marjeyoun and Hasbaya areas, including the zone between Kfarkela, Marjeyoun, and the Kfarshouba barracks south of the Litani River.

Ahead of his arrival in Beirut, Barrot highlighted that the Lebanese army must be given the means to continue its mission of disarming Hezbollah.

His visit comes weeks ahead of an international conference that Paris will host on March 5, aimed at rallying support for the Lebanese armed forces.

Speaking at Irbil airport, the French minister said that his country’s “vision for Lebanon is that of a strong, sovereign state holding a monopoly on arms.”

Achieving this begins with providing the Lebanese Armed Forces with the resources and capabilities required to disarm the militant group, he said.

Lebanese Army Commander Gen. RodolpheHaykal recently held talks in Washington with US officials.

An official source told Arab News that the visit was positive and took place within the framework of cooperation between the US and Lebanese armies.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said in a post on X on Friday that he ended his meeting with Haykal after asking him whether he considered Hezbollah a terrorist organization, to which Haykal replied: “No, not in the context of Lebanon.”

The source said that the brief meeting will not affect measures aimed at supporting the Lebanese Army.

Source: arabnews.com

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Pro-Palestinian flotilla announces new mission to Gaza

February 07, 2026

TUNIS: A flotilla of pro-Palestinian activists who attempted to reach Gaza last year will set sail for the besieged territory again next month, one member told AFP on Friday.

The Global Sumud Flotilla said the new mission set for March 29 would be "the largest coordinated humanitarian intervention for Palestine in history" and will mobilise "thousands from over 100 countries".

"We will be sailing from Barcelona, Tunis, Italy and many other ports not yet made public," Brazilian activist Thiago Avila told AFP.

The group said an overland convoy would also leave for Gaza on the same day, without specifying from where.

The campaigners sought to break an Israeli blockade by delivering aid to Gaza by sea last October, before they were intercepted by Israel, detained and deported.

Israel controls Gaza's borders and scrutinises all aid coming into the territory.

The activists describe their actions as a "non-violent response to genocide, siege, mass starvation, and the destruction of civilian life in Gaza".

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France to rally aid for Lebanon as it warns truce gains remain fragile

February 06, 2026

BEIRUT: France said on Friday that Lebanon’s recovery remains precarious despite positive signs following a ceasefire and government transition, and it stood ready to support the country’s reconstruction if it continues with reforms.

French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot, addressing reporters after meetings in Beirut with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and other top officials, said France was prepared to host a dedicated conference in Paris on reconstruction, but only if reforms continue, legislation is passed and decisions are implemented.

While Lebanon has adopted banking ⁠secrecy and bank resolution laws, it must still complete restructuring, reach an IMF agreement and pass a loss-sharing law, Barrot said. He also urged swift action on Hezbollah disarmament and national reconciliation.

Barrot said Lebanon had reached a crucial juncture in implementing the November 2024 truce with Israel, as well as restoring ⁠state authority over weapons and stabilising a shattered financial system.

France, the country’s former colonial power, plans to mobilize international backing for the Lebanese armed forces and internal security forces at a separate conference scheduled for March 5 in Paris.

“Lebanon must work to restore confidence — that of its citizens, businesses, depositors, and the diaspora,” Barrot said.

France’s immediate focus was ensuring respect for the ceasefire, which he emphasized “implies that Israel withdraws from Lebanese territory, in accordance with its ⁠commitments, and that civilians are protected from strikes,” alongside implementation by Lebanese authorities of an agreed-upon arms monopoly plan.

Lebanon has pledged to bring all arms in the country under state control, in line with the 2024 agreement that ended a devastating war between Hezbollah and Israel, and has asserted control over areas of the country closest to the border with Israel. But Hezbollah has warned the government that pressing on with efforts to disarm the group throughout the country would trigger chaos and possibly civil war.

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Arab World

Saudi Arabia Railways breaks records in 2025: 14 million passengers and 30 million tons of freight

February 07, 2026

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) has announced record-breaking operational milestones for the year 2025, solidifying its position as a cornerstone of the Kingdom’s logistics and tourism sectors.

SAR transported over 14 million passengers, representing a significant leap from the 11.2 million passengers recorded in 2023, highlighting the increasing adoption of rail travel for both commuting and pilgrimage, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Similarly, freight operations have expanded robustly from approximately 24 million tons in 2023 to the current 30 million tons, driven by increased industrial demand and mining logistics.

By transporting 30 million tons of freight via rail in 2025, the network successfully removed two million truck journeys from the Kingdom’s highways, resulting in 139 million liters of fuel saved.

It also meant a reduction of carbon emissions by 364,000 tons, contributing directly to the Saudi Green Initiative, the report said.

These figures underscore SAR’s pivotal role in realizing the National Transport and Logistics Strategy (NTLS) and Saudi Vision 2030, delivering a network that is not only efficient but also environmentally sustainable.

“Dream of the Desert”

A standout achievement of 2025 was the official launch of the Dream of the Desert, the first luxury train service in the Middle East and North Africa.

Developed in partnership with the Italian luxury hospitality company Arsenale Group, this service has redefined rail tourism. The train features 40 custom-designed luxury cabins, offering a “rail cruise” experience inspired by the classic Orient Express but with a distinct Saudi Arabian identity. The route traverses the Kingdom from Riyadh to Al Qurayyat, stopping at key cultural heritage sites including Ha’il and Al-Jouf, effectively turning the journey itself into a destination.

In a major move to capitalize on Transit-Oriented Development (TOD), SAR announced the establishment of a SAR6 billion real estate fund focused on Makkah.

This fund is dedicated to developing prime lands adjacent to the Haramain High Speed Railway station in Makkah. The initiative aims to enhance the pilgrim experience by constructing high-capacity hotels, commercial centers, and residential units directly linked to the station. This development not only diversifies SAR’s revenue streams but also supports the government’s goal of hosting 30 million Umrah pilgrims annually by seamlessly integrating transport and accommodation.

Global Recognition

Internationally, SAR’s commitment to excellence was recognized on the global stage. SAR became the first company to win the prestigious International Union of Railways (UIC) award for long-distance tourist trains.

The ceremony was held at the union’s headquarters in Paris, France, with broad participation from major railway companies worldwide.

The UIC, known as the worldwide railway organization, presented the award in recognition of SAR’s innovation in integrating luxury tourism with heavy rail infrastructure.

This accolade cements SAR’s reputation for service quality and places the Kingdom on the map as a premier destination for railway enthusiasts and luxury travelers alike.

Source: arabnews.com

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Saudi FM joins Arab counterparts in talks with Slovenia on Gaza, regional stability

February 06, 2026

LJUBLJANA: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held talks with Slovenia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon in Ljubljana on Friday, as he joined Arab counterparts for an expanded meeting focused on Gaza and wider regional developments.

Prince Faisal met Fajon separately to review Saudi-Slovenian relations and explore ways to strengthen cooperation across various fields, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The two sides later signed a general cooperation agreement aimed at enhancing ties between the Kingdom and Slovenia and intensifying joint efforts to support further progress and prosperity for both countries, SPA added.

The expanded ministerial meeting also brought together Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Egyptian Foreign Minister BadrAbdelatty, Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al-Zayani and Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan Al-Muraikhi.

During the talks, ministers discussed ways to bolster regional and international security and stability, with a focus on the situation in Gaza.

They stressed the need to uphold the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, ensure its full implementation and deliver sufficient and sustainable humanitarian aid to the enclave.

The officials also reviewed efforts to advance US President Donald Trump’s peace plan and reiterated the importance of achieving a clear political horizon leading to an independent and sovereign Palestinian state along the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the two-state solution.

They addressed developments in the occupied West Bank, calling for an end to illegal, unilateral Israeli measures and violations against Islamic and Christian holy sites in occupied Jerusalem, warning that such actions undermined de-escalation efforts.

The ministers praised Slovenia’s support for Palestinian rights and its recognition of a Palestinian state, and also discussed broader regional developments, ways to reduce escalation through dialogue, and efforts to resolve the Russia-Ukraine crisis.

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Saudi Arabia condemns mosque bombing in Pakistan which left dozens dead

February 06, 2026

RIYADH: Saudi authorities strongly condemned a terrorist attack on a mosque in Islamabad on Friday that left dozens dead or injured.

At least 31 people were killed and 169 wounded when a suicide bomber targeted a Shiite mosque on the outskirts of the city during Friday prayers, officials said.

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced the attack and reiterated the Kingdom’s firm stance against violence that targets places of worship, terrorizes civilians or sheds innocent blood, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The ministry said Saudi Arabia stands in solidarity with Pakistan in efforts to confront all forms of violence, extremism and terrorism. It offered its condolences and sympathies to the families of the victims, and to the government and people of Pakistan, and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

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Cooperation is ‘essential’ to fight misinformation, says DCO secretary-general

LAMA ALHAMAWI

February 06, 2026

KUWAIT CITY: Cooperation between all sectors of society remains an “essential” weapon to fight misinformation, says Digital Cooperation Organization Secretary-General Deemah Al-Yahya.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 5th DCO General Assembly in Kuwait recently, Al-Yahya underscored what she considers to be the critical partnership between Arab News and the organization.

During the interview, she also highlighted the organization’s expansion and the opportunities presented by artificial intelligence.

“Well, this partnership with Arab News is truly significant, especially at this time. The leadership that Arab News showed in stepping up and partnering with DCO shows the real commitment to combating misinformation and disinformation,” Al-Yahya told Arab News.

On Thursday, Arab News became the first media outlet to partner with the DCO in a joint pledge to combat misinformation and mitigate its growing global threats.

“This is becoming a threat to all our societies, economies as well,” Al-Yahya said.

“And it is increasing when it comes to its negative implications, either from a government perspective or also from a private sector perspective,” she said.

“So therefore, we are very much excited to partner with Arab News in providing the right awareness, providing the right frameworks, and also providing the right technologies that can help countries and nations combat misinformation,” she added.

According to the DCO, misinformation erodes trust in governments, media, digital platforms, and markets, which is a core currency of the digital economy. It can trigger financial volatility, damage reputations, disrupt public services, and undermine public health and social cohesion.

Al-Yahya said that if there was one key message she wants stakeholders, officials, media, and private sector partners to take away from the general assembly, it was that “cooperation is essential.”

“No nation can accelerate their growth, or digital economy growth, without cooperation. We have to work together.

“DCO is a platform that brings in governments, private sector, civil society together and makes sure that we convert dialogue into action,” she said.

“The message is, let’s work together, and let’s make digital prosperity for all,” she added.

The DCO general assembly convened in Kuwait City under Omar Saud Al-Omar, Kuwait’s minister of state for communication affairs and chairperson of the DCO council for the current term.

The annual assembly brought together the full digital ecosystem — including ministers from member states, observers, partners, policymakers, CEOs, innovators, and representatives from more than 60 countries — to help shape the global digital agenda.

The theme this year was “Inclusive Prosperity in the Age of AI,” and Al-Yahya emphasized that while AI offers immense opportunities, it was even more critical to unite efforts in bridging the digital economic divide that the technology may create.

“We’re looking at AI right now, and how it’s opening opportunities — $15 trillion, we expect, added to the global GDP (Gross Domestic Product) because of AI,” Al-Yahya said.

“Now that is an abundance of opportunities for countries to diversify their economy. But then, how many countries can benefit? And this is where 70 percent of that number will go to fewer countries, even less than 10 countries.”

“And this is where we have to bridge that gap. And bridging that gap will not come without the commitment, collectively, from member states to share either infrastructure, to share talent and best practices,” she added.

The DCO marked its fifth year since its inception in 2020. It has helped to facilitate social prosperity and the growth of the digital economy through unified efforts with its member nations.

Al-Yahya said the DCO is the first global organization of its kind in the region, and revealed ongoing conversations with Azerbaijan, China, Lebanon, Iraq, Poland, and Palestine in becoming new members.

“It really fills me with pride that it was just an initiative five years ago, and now it is a credible organization where countries are flooding to join DCO.

“And that’s a sentiment of the great power that the secretariat and its team are driving to serve its member states, and also the commitment of the member states to work together, and to cooperate,” Al-Yahya said.

“It brings me pride. To see DCO grow in five years to be this platform of influence, of power, and of impact, which is most importantly, impact.”

“We do see the outcomes of DCO growing and growing every year. And the speed, agility, is very much appreciated by our member states,” she added.

The event has ended and preparations are now underway for the 2027 general assembly under the presidency of Pakistan.

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UNESCO honors Al-Bisht Al-Hasawi as thousands flock to Al-Ahsa festival

February 06, 2026

RIYADH: The third edition of Al-Bisht Al-Hasawi Festival is drawing thousands of local and international visitors to Ibrahim Palace in Al-Hofuf.

Running until Feb. 7 at the historic palace, the event features a bisht exhibition, a rare bisht gallery, a handicrafts zone and workshops led by skilled artisans.

The festival showcases a convergence of cultures, with international pavilions highlighting the global appeal of this authentic Saudi heritage.

The bisht’s allure has drawn international visitors eager to explore Al-Ahsa’s rich history and traditional crafts.

Tourists enthusiastically don the traditional robe, admiring its royal designs. Many participate in workshops with master artisans, learning the intricate art of Zari embroidery.

Organized by the Heritage Commission, this year’s festival celebrates the inscription of the bisht on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The event showcases Al-Ahsa’s centuries-old tradition of hand-weaving and gold embroidery, a craft passed down through generations of local families.

Visitors can explore interactive displays, participate in live workshops, and witness the meticulous process of tailoring this iconic symbol of prestige.

With UNESCO’s participation and representatives from six countries, the festival has evolved into a global platform for cultural dialogue, cementing the bisht’s status as a world-class cultural treasure.

At the heart of the festival is the story of the “Golden Threads” (Al-Zari), intricate gold-plated silver threads that define the bisht’s character and prestige.

Visitors can discover them in the Golden Threads VIP Area, where they can watch master artisans demonstrate the full bisht-making process at the Host’s Majlis, offering insight into Al-Ahsa’s centuries-old craftsmanship.

Source: arabnews.com

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2631981/saudi-arabia

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KSrelief distributes food to 1,479 families in Burkina Faso

February 06, 2026

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s aid agency KSrelief has distributed food relief to 1,479 families in Ouahigouya in Burkina Faso, benefiting 8,874 individuals.

The aid is a part of the organization’s 2026 Food Security Support Project for the country, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday.

KSrelief provides support to vulnerable people across the world.

Source: arabnews.com

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How the UAE determines the first day of Ramadan each year

February 06, 2026

Dubai: Each year, as the Islamic world approaches Ramadan, attention turns skyward. In the UAE, the question of when the holy month begins is answered not by a calendar alone, but by a carefully structured process that blends centuries-old tradition with modern scientific precision.

One or two days before Ramadan, the UAE’s Moon Sighting Committee, which is made up of Islamic scholars and experts holds a meeting to deliberate the visibility of the crescent moon that marks the beginning of the lunar month.

The crescent of Ramadan is sought after sunset on the 29th day of Sha’ban, the month preceding Ramadan, by directing observation towards the western horizon.

The newborn crescent appears as a very thin arc, with its horns pointing upward and leaning slightly southward. If the crescent is sighted, Ramadan begins the following day. If not, Sha’ban is completed as 30 days.

While naked-eye observation remains central to the process, technology plays a supportive role. Binoculars and telescopes are used to assist observers in locating the moon’s precise position, especially when the crescent is extremely young.

Astronomical calculations, including the moon’s altitude, angular distance from the sun, and time spent above the horizon, are used in advance to assess whether sighting is physically possible.

According to subject-matter experts, the best observation points are elevated areas with an unobstructed western horizon, far from light pollution. Clear atmospheric conditions are essential. Dust, humidity or cloud cover can render sighting impossible even when the crescent is technically present.

Astronomers also caution against optical illusions. Bright planets, particularly Venus, can appear low on the horizon and are sometimes mistaken for the crescent by untrained observers. For this reason, the committee applies strict verification standards before accepting any testimony.

When science says “not possible”

For Ramadan 2026, most Islamic countries are expected to attempt moon sighting on Tuesday, 17 February. However, based on established astronomical criteria, including those developed by Ibn Tariq, Yallop, Ilyas, Bruin and the South African Astronomical Observatory, sighting the crescent that evening is considered either impossible or extremely unlikely across the Arab and Islamic world.

In the UAE, calculations indicate that the moon will set before the sun by approximately one minute on that day, meaning the crescent will not be present in the sky at sunset. Similar conditions apply across much of the region, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt.

Astronomers point to the “Danjon limit”, a well-established threshold which states that the crescent cannot be seen, even with optical aid, if the angular distance between the moon and the sun is less than about seven degrees. On 17 February, that distance will be far below the required minimum.

Further evidence comes from a rare annular solar eclipse expected to occur later that day over parts of southern Africa and Antarctica, confirming that the moon and sun are in near-perfect alignment, a condition incompatible with crescent visibility.

As a result, countries that require confirmed moon sighting to begin Ramadan are expected to complete Sha’ban as 30 days, making Thursday, 19 February, the most likely first day of Ramadan in the UAE. Some countries applying different jurisprudential criteria may announce Ramadan a day earlier.

A moving calendar, a changing fast

Ramadan shifts earlier by roughly 10 to 12 days each year because the Islamic calendar is lunar. This annual shift affects fasting hours, climate conditions and daily routines across the Muslim world.

In 2026, fasting hours in the UAE will begin at approximately 12 hours and 46 minutes on the first day, around 30 minutes shorter than at the start of Ramadan last year. Rather than changing abruptly, fasting hours increase gradually week by week as sunrise advances and sunset occurs later.

By mid-month, fasting will exceed 13 hours, while the final days of Ramadan will see the longest fasts, reaching approximately 13 hours and 27 minutes, still shorter than the nearly 14-hour fasts observed in 2025.

Faith, reason and certainty

While some may question why moon sighting is attempted when calculations already indicate impossibility, scholars and astronomers emphasise that the process is about verification, not contradiction.

In cases where the moon is known with certainty to have set before sunset, several contemporary juristic bodies have concluded that sighting need not be attempted.

This position was formally endorsed during the UAE Astronomical Conference, which concluded that if definitive scientific data confirms the moon is not present in the sky, calling for observation serves no practical purpose and may invite error.

Source: gulfnews.com

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Europe

Knife attacker avoids jail over stabbing outside Maidenhead Mosque amid ‘family feud’

06 February 2026

A teenage knife attacker has avoided jail after he stabbed a relative multiple times outside Maidenhead Mosque following a months-long ‘family feud’.

IbrarShahzad, 18, was sentenced at Reading Crown Court to an 18-month youth rehabilitation order, a three-month GPS monitoring requirement, 40 hours of unpaid work, and to pay a £26 victim surcharge.

Shahzad was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder but was later charged and pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm after the broad daylight attack outside the gates of the mosque in 2025.

At Reading Crown Court on Friday (February 6), Judge Neil Millard said Shahzad had committed ‘very serious’ offences, but that his ruling would ‘focus on rehabilitation’.

Judge Millard said the attack had come ‘in the heat of the moment’ and Shahzad ‘didn’t really think through’ his actions.

As the attack and guilty plea had been entered when Shahzad was 17, Judge Millard said, he had to be ‘dealt with as a youth’.

CCTV footage presented to the court showed how the attack had unfolded following Friday prayers on the afternoon of May 30, 2025.

A crowd of people were gathered around the gates of the mosque in Holmanleaze Road.

Two people, the attack victim Zaffran Zaman and Shahzad’s father Mohammad, were involved in what Judge Millard described as a ‘tussle’ on the street outside.

Shahzad, wearing a hooded jacket, could be seen standing in the crowd behind Mr Zaman when he produces a knife and begins a lunge towards his victim.

He stabbed Mr Zaman three times in his left side and thigh ‘before retreating back towards the gates of the mosque,’ prosecution barrister James Preece told the court.

Mr Preece added: “In doing so, he throws the knife on the floor, which is then picked up by another member of the public.”

The court heard how the attack had left Mr Zaman with a punctured lung and an injured spleen, which required an operation. He has since been discharged from hospital.

Shahzad and his father were arrested on suspicion of attempted murder over the attack, but were later charged with causing grievous bodily harm.

Mohammed Shahzad was found not guilty by a judge, Recorder G Bull KC, on November 24, after the prosecution said its ‘main witnesses have withdrawn from proceedings’.

IbrarShahzad pleaded guilty to one charge of section 20 grievous bodily harm and one charge of possession of a knife in a public place at a case management hearing on January 2.

The prosecution entered no evidence on a charge of section 18 wounding with intent.

At the sentencing, Judge Millard described the offences as ‘very serious’.

He added: “You were, crucially, 17 at the time you pleaded guilty to these matters.

“So, I have to deal with you as you are a youth.”

He said he agreed with the findings of a report prepared by Shahzad’s defence that had determined Shahzad did not meet the threshold to be found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm 'with intent'.

“In the heat of the moment, your father was threatened in this family feud, you didn’t really think through what you were doing,” Judge Millard said.

The court heard how the family dispute had been over ‘some computer games’ and had ‘lasted for some months’.

Judge Millard told Shahzad: “Although this is your offending, I have to note… this is a matter that should have been de-escalated by the adults present.

“They are adults, they have lived their lives, they should have done more to de-escalate tensions.”

Shahzad’s defence, represented by Emma Oliver, said: “He has recognised the horrendous impact this has had on many people, some of which are sitting in this courtroom.”

A handwritten letter Shahzad had provided to the court, Ms Oliver said, said he was studying for a career in the construction industry.

Judge Millard said a statement from Shahzad read: “I accept full responsibility of my behaviour and I’m deeply ashamed that my actions brought me before the court.”

The judge, who earlier in proceedings said Shahzad had ‘led an exemplary life until this point’, said he would impose a sentence with a ‘focus on rehabilitation’.

Shahzad, of Doggett Road in Catford, was handed an 18-month community order which included a supervision requirement.

Shahzad will be monitored by GPS for three months to ensure he complies with a ban from the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.

He was also ordered to undertake 40 hours of unpaid work and to pay a £26 victim surcharge.

Source: twyford-advertiser.co.uk

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http://www.twyford-advertiser.co.uk/news/crime--courts-and-inquests/703722/knife-attacker-avoids-jail-over-stabbing-outside-maidenhead-mosque-amid-family-feud.html

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Police search properties linked to Mandelson over Epstein investigation

6 Feb 2026

Richard Wheeler

Two properties linked to Peter Mandelson in Wiltshire and north London have been searched following allegations of misconduct in public office, the Metropolitan Police has said.

The force launched an investigation into the ex-Labour minister on Tuesday after suggestions he passed on market-sensitive government information to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said: "He has not been arrested and enquiries are ongoing."

Lord Mandelson has not responded to requests for comment but the BBC understands his position is that he has not acted in any way criminally and that he was not motivated by financial gain.

He has previously expressed his regret for his continued association with Epstein and apologised "unequivocally to the women and the girls who suffered".

The BBC understands Lord Mandelson, 72, was at his address near Camden when police began the search.

Officers were seen briefly searching a car outside the property before returning inside and leaving the building carrying several boxes.

Lord Mandelson was able to arrange for police to enter the Wiltshire address without force.

Police entered the property carrying unfolded archive boxes and also investigating outhouses.

Accusations that Lord Mandelson, as a government minister, leaked information to Epstein came after the US Department of Justice released a tranche of documents including emails to and from the US financier.

Messages from 2008 appear to show Lord Mandelson - who was at the time business secretary in Gordon Brown's government - discussing Treasury plans for a one-off tax on bankers' bonuses with Epstein.

Two days after Lord Mandelson and Epstein exchanged emails about the bankers' bonus policy, the documents suggest they had further conversations about the plan.

An email from Epstein asks if "jamie" should call then-Chancellor Alistair Darling "one more time".

That appears to be a reference to Jamie Dimon, who was chief executive of US banking giant JP Morgan at the time.

Lord Mandelson appears to have replied to Epstein saying he should call the chancellor again, before suggesting he should "mildly threaten" him.

Other emails indicate that Lord Mandelson gave advanced notice to Epstein of a €500bn bailout from the EU to save the Euro.

The UK did not contribute to the bailout, but Mr Darling was present in Brussels for the negotiations.

After the police launched their investigation, a UK government spokesperson said: "The government stands ready to provide whatever support and assistance the police need."

The offence of misconduct in public office often applies to those in public service roles such as civil servants or police officers and carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

In practice, sentences rarely exceed 10 years imprisonment, according to the Law Commission.

'Incredible misjudgement'

On Wednesday, in the face of a threatened rebellion by Labour MPs, Downing Street promised to release documents relating to its appointment of Lord Mandelson as the UK's ambassador to the US.

The BBC has been told that the number of documents, which covers all electronic communications, could be close to 100,000.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in a letter to the Intelligence and Security Committee on Friday warned a "very significant volume of material" will likely need to be reviewed but said it is important that the documents are made available to Parliament "as soon as possible".

Publication of the files could take some time after the government asked to withhold some of the material for national security reasons and the Metropolitan Police made a similar request to reduce any interference with its criminal investigation.

Sir Keir has previously apologised to Epstein's victims saying he was "sorry for having believed Mandelson's lies".

Former Prime Minister Brown said he "greatly regrets" appointing Mandelson in his government.

"As I digest the details of what has emerged, I also find it hard to find words to express my revulsion at what has been uncovered about Epstein and his impact on our politics," he wrote in the Guardian on Friday.

Brown added that he takes "personal responsibility" for Lord Mandelson's appointment but said he was informed that his record was "unblemished" and there were "no reports of a relationship with anyone named Epstein".

Labour MPs have publicly and privately been expressing their anger at the alleged actions of Lord Mandelson but also at the prime minister for having appointed him as the UK's ambassador.

Liverpool Riverside MP Kim Johnson told BBC Radio Merseyside Sir Keir had handled the situation "appallingly" and he should "consider resigning".

Brian Leishman, MP for Alloa and Grangemouth, told the BBC Sir Keir had "shown an incredible misjudgement in appointing Lord Mandelson and it goes beyond saying sorry".

"Has his judgment been good enough for that office? I think the answer is a categorical no," he added.

Stroud MP Simon Opher said the prime minister "needs to change his advisers in Number 10".

He suggested chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, who was close to Lord Mandelson, should go over the scandal.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has said Sir Keir's position was "untenable" and called for a vote of no confidence.

On Sunday, Lord Mandelson quit the Labour party and three days later retired from the House of Lords.

Source: bbc.com

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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c99k9yzzvm4o

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Zelensky criticizes Ukrainian Air Force

6 Feb, 2026

Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky has sharply criticized the “unsatisfactory” performance of his country’s Air Force for failing to intercept Russian drones.

Russia unleashed a series of long-range strikes as a response to Ukrainian attacks on Russian power facilities, civilian infrastructure and “indiscriminate attacks on civilians,” according to Moscow.

“I consider the performance of the Air Force in some regions of Ukraine to be unsatisfactory,” Zelensky said in a Facebook post after meeting with Defense Minister Mikhail Fedorov and the Air Force chief, Lieutenant General Anatoly Krivonozhko, where he said urgent changes to the military tactics were discussed.

Zelensky also blamed local authorities for power outages across the country.

In January, Kiev Mayor VitalyKlitschko linked the Russian attacks to a major energy crisis in the Ukrainian capital, where thousands of apartment buildings remained without power and heating for weeks. Zelensky responded that the mayor had only himself to blame for the low level of preparedness for such emergencies.

Later the same month, Zelensky pinned the blame on Kiev’s backers by claiming that Western-supplied Patriot and NASAMS air defense systems were unable to repel recent attacks due to the lack of ammunition caused by a failure of Western logistics and financing.

The Russian military halted their strikes for a week in late January upon Washington’s request to “create favorable conditions for negotiations” after Russian, Ukrainian and American delegations met in Abu Dhabi. US President Donald Trump said earlier this week that Russian President Vladimir Putin “kept his word” on the pause, while Zelensky claimed Russia broke its promise.

The Ukrainian forces have continued their attacks on Russian civilian infrastructure. On Wednesday, Governor VyacheslavGladkov reported that Ukrainian strikes had severely damaged energy infrastructure in Russia’s Belgorod Region, causing widespread power outages and disrupting heating.

Last month, Moscow also reported that Ukrainian attacks had resulted in 45 civilian deaths and left over 100 people injured in just the first 11 days of 2026.

Source: rt.com

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https://www.rt.com/russia/632132-zelensky-criticize-ukraine-air-force/

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Photo Exhibition on Victims of Recent Massacres by the Islamic Republic Held in Front of the European Parliament

FEBRUARY 6, 2026

The Department of Foreign Relations of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI), in cooperation with the Hengaw Organization and the Kurdish Home Organization, organized a photo exhibition in front of the European Parliament in Brussels. The exhibition showcases images of victims of recent massacres perpetrated by the Islamic Republic of Iran across Iran and Eastern Kurdistan (Iranian Kurdistan).

Several prominent figures attended the opening ceremony, including Pina Picierno, Vice-President of the European Parliament; Daniel Attard, Vice-Chair of the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with Iran and the peoples of Iran; and an advisor to the Social Democrats and Greens group.

During the event, the PDKI representative briefed the parliamentary members and leadership on the exhibition’s purpose, encouraging them to witness the scale and severity of the Islamic Republic’s crimes firsthand, even if only partially.

The exhibition opened on Thursday, February 5, 2026, and was coordinated by HesamDastpish, the PDKI representative to the European Union. Organizers have confirmed that this awareness-raising campaign will continue in the coming period.

Source: pdki.org

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Next session of Muslim Council of Elders may be held in Azerbaijan

06 February 2026

Chairman of the Caucasus Muslim Board, Sheikh-ul-Islam AllahshukurPashazade, discussed hosting the 2027 session of the Muslim Council of Elders in Azerbaijan.

The talks took place during Pashazade’s meeting in Abu Dhabi with the Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders and Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, Mohamed Abdelsalam, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

The parties also exchanged views on various intra-Islamic, interfaith, and intercultural events planned in Azerbaijan and abroad in 2026.

During his visit, Pashazade participated in several sessions at the Zayed National Museum, attended by Heydar Aliyev Foundation Vice President Leyla Aliyeva, Uzbekistan’s Presidential Administration Chief SaidaMirziyoyeva, and other members of the Human Fraternity Award jury.

The Muslim Council of Elders is an independent international organisation founded in July 2014 to bring together respected Muslim scholars, leaders, and thinkers with the goal of promoting peace, tolerance, coexistence and discouraging conflict and sectarian divisions within Muslim communities.

Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, this council works through dialogue, educational initiatives and global outreach to address the root causes of violence, promote moderate Islamic teachings, and strengthen mutual understanding among different groups.

It engages in interfaith and intercultural dialogue around urgent global issues such as intellectual security, climate action and peacebuilding, with programmes aimed at fostering collaboration among religious and civil society leaders worldwide.

Source: caliber.az

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https://caliber.az/en/post/next-session-of-muslim-council-of-elders-may-be-held-in-azerbaijan

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Exhibition by acclaimed photographer to take place in Settle

6TH FEBRUARY

By Lesley Tate

SETTLE Quaker Meeting House is to play host to an exhibition of work by acclaimed photographer NudratAfza.

In 'Kehillah', Hebrew for community or congregation, Bradford's dwindling Jewish community is captured through the lens of the Bradford Muslim photographer.

The exhibition offers a rare and intimate glimpse into the lives of the city's practising Jews, capturing moments of tradition, history and quiet endurance through the photographer's signature grainy textures and beautifully balanced tones.

When Bradford's Reform synagogue faced closure in 2013 due to costly repairs, the city's Muslim community and the Bradford Council of Mosques rallied to raise funds alongside a Lottery grant, ensuring the building's survival. This act of neighbourly compassion forms the backdrop to Afza's work, which began in 2012 when she photographed the newly closed Orthodox synagogue before its demolition.

The late Rudi Leavor, a Kindertransport refugee and the synagogue's nonagenarian chairman, later granted Afza unprecedented access to photograph the Reform synagogue's interior and its congregation.

Born in Rawalpindi in 1955 and moving to Bradford in 1965, Afza is a self-taught photographer dedicated to documenting overlooked communities in her city.

"Settle Quakers are honoured to host Kehillah in our Meeting House," organisers said. "As with last year's 'The Flower Show' exhibition supporting the Shalom Salaam Trust, Afza shines a light on reconciliation and cooperation across faiths and cultures. Kehillah is a further signpost towards peace and hope for the world."

The Kehillah exhibition opens at the Meeting House in Kirkgate, Settle at noon on Sunday, February 15 and will run until April 12. It will be open every day from 9am until dusk.

Source: thetelegraphandargus.co.uk

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https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/25832642.exhibition-acclaimed-photographer-take-place-settle/

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CCTV captures Lancashire mosque burglar taking his shoes off before stealing charity box

6 Feb 2026

By Matthew Calderbank

A burglar was caught on CCTV stealing money from a mosque in Lancashire.

At just after midday on Wednesday, January 14, a man went into the Jamia Masjid MinhajQuaran Mosque in Brunswick Street, Nelson.

He was filmed on CCTV as he took off his shoes before forcibly removing the charity box from the wall before making off.

Lancashire Police said the box contained around £40 in donations. It’s the second time the thief has targeted mosques in Lancashire.

In December, the intruder was captured on CCTV entering the Masjid-e-Raza in Balaclava Street, Blackburn and fleeing with a stolen safe stashed inside a wheelie bin.

Sharing a CCTV appeal from the latest burglary, a police spokesperson said: “We want to speak to him as part of an investigation into the theft of a charity box from a mosque in Nelson last month.

“We are investigating and we are asking for your help to identify the man in these CCTV stills.

“If you know who he is or have any information, please call us on 101 quoting log 1197 of January 14.

“You can also contact independent charity Crimestoppers online or on 0800 555 111.”

Source: lep.co.uk

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https://www.lep.co.uk/news/crime/cctv-captures-lancashire-mosque-burglar-taking-his-shoes-off-before-stealing-charity-box-5506625

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EU court approves state theft of private cars bought in Russia

6 Feb, 2026

The EU Court of Justice has ruled this week that member-states may seize private vehicles imported from Russia, as part of a blanket import ban imposed on the country over the Ukraine conflict.

The court delivered the judgment on Thursday in a case concerning a Russian citizen, identified as JG, who had purchased a second-hand car in Russia in January 2023 and brought into his country of residence, Germany, via Poland, that May. German customs seized the vehicle, valued at just over €50,000, when he declared it that August.

JG claimed the import ban should only apply if his vehicle purchase was proven to provide significant revenue to Russia, which he argued his car did not. He also argued that his vehicle should be exempt because it was already physically inside the EU on December 19, 2023, the cutoff date after which some vehicles could be registered, and therefore the seizure was invalid.

The court rejected both arguments. It ruled the import ban applies automatically to listed goods, with no need to prove each transaction benefits Russia. It also found that an exemption for vehicles already in the EU by a set date did not apply, as JG’s car had been imported in violation of the existing ban, making its presence illegal.

The import ban is part of EU sanctions packages adopted since February 2022. The European Commission issued guidance in September 2023, stating vehicles with Russian plates are banned, regardless of private or commercial use. The EC claimed that permitting such items to cross the border generated income for Moscow.

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) passed a resolution later that November, calling such seizures “overkill” and asking the Commission for a review. However, the measures remain in effect.

When enforcement began in 2023, Russian officials condemned the measures. The Kremlin called the national entry bans “absurd.” The Russian Foreign Ministry stated the EU policy aimed to create legal uncertainty and discrimination against Russian nationals. Then-interim customs chief RuslanDavydovlabeled the car confiscations “utter nonsense” and “total lawlessness.”

Source: rt.com

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https://www.rt.com/news/632128-eu-theft-private-russian-cars/

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North America

CAIR-NY Welcomes Arrest for Town of Clay Hate Crime Graffiti Incident

February 6, 2026

The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY), a chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed the arrest of a man in the Town of Clay, New York, on charges connected to a hate crime involving racist and hate-motivated graffiti.

According to law enforcement reports, 27-year-old Justin C. Wilson, was arrested and charged with Criminal Mischief in the Third Degree with a Hate Crime Enhancement after authorities say hateful symbols and language were spray-painted on property in the community. Officials also reportedly recovered black spray paint and other related items during a search of the suspect’s residence.

In a statement, CAIR-NY Executive Director AfafNasher, Esq., said:

“Vandalism and symbols intended to intimidate or attack people based on their identity are unacceptable, and we commend law enforcement for pursuing this case. Bias-motivated crimes undermine our shared civic trust and sense of safety.”

CAIR-NY stresses that hate crimes, including vandalism and graffiti targeting individuals or communities, are not just offenses against property but assaults on community dignity and security.

CAIR-NY’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

La misión de CAIR-NY esproteger las libertadesciviles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a losmusulmanesenlosEstadosUnidos.

Subscribe to CAIR-NY’s Email List

You can help contribute to CAIR’s work of defending civil rights and empowering American Muslims across the country by making a one-time contribution or becoming a monthly donor. Supporters like you make CAIR’s advocacy work possible and defeating Islamophobia an achievable goal. Click here to donate to CAIR.

Source: cair.com

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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-ny-welcomes-arrest-for-town-of-clay-hate-crime-graffiti-incident/

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CAIR-SFBA to Join Interfaith Leaders for Super Bowl Vigil at Morgan Hill ICE Office

February 6, 2026

Today, Friday, February 6, the San Francisco Bay Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-SFBA) will join faith leaders and community members from across the South Bay and Santa Cruz at a Super Bowl interfaith vigil outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in Morgan Hill. Participants will call for an end to the violence, fear, and harm experienced by immigrant communities as immigration enforcement intensifies.

As the Super Bowl brings national attention and heightened law enforcement and federal presence to the region, immigrant families and communities are experiencing increased fear and uncertainty. Community members will gather in visible solidarity and call for accountability for the harm caused by the growing militarization of ICE operations.

The Morgan Hill ICE office is a known staging site for enforcement operations affecting San Jose, Gilroy, and surrounding communities, making it a focal point for public accountability and moral witness.

Community members of all faiths are invited to attend.

CAIR-SFBA is an office of CAIR, America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

Source: cair.com

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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-sfba-to-join-interfaith-leaders-for-super-bowl-vigil-at-morgan-hill-ice-office/

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US cuts ties with senior Polish official over ‘despicable’ Trump comments

6 Feb, 2026

The US Embassy in Poland announced that it would cut ties with Polish parliamentary speaker WlodzimierzCzarzasty after he said US President Donald Trump does not deserve a Nobel Peace Prize.

On Monday, Czarzasty denounced Trump’s tariff policies and his plan to annex Greenland from Denmark. He also criticized the president for downplaying the contribution of America’s NATO allies during the war in Afghanistan. Czarzasty further described Trump’s proposed global Board of Peace as “illusory” and accused him of undermining the EU, UN, and NATO.

“I will not support President Trump’s nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize because he doesn’t deserve it,” the Polish official said.

In a post on X on Thursday, US Ambassador to Poland Tom Rose accused Czarzasty of damaging bilateral ties. “Effective immediately, we will have no further dealings, contacts, or communications with Marshal of the Sejm Czarzasty,” Rose wrote, citing the “outrageous and unprovoked insults.”

Czarzasty denied any wrongdoing. “I consistently respect the US as Poland’s key partner. That is why I regretfully accept Ambassador Tom Rose’s statement, but I will not change my position on these fundamental issues for Polish women and men,” he wrote on X.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk responded by saying, “allies should respect, not lecture, each other.”

In his reply to Tusk, the US envoy reiterated that Czarzasty’s “despicable, disrespectful and insulting comments about President Trump” could damage relations with Washington. Rose described Trump as “the greatest friend Poland has ever had in the White House.”

Trump sparked outrage among European officials and veterans last month when he claimed that America’s allies “stayed a little back, a little off the front lines” in Afghanistan. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the remarks “appalling,” prompting Trump to later praise UK soldiers on social media.

Source: rt.com

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https://www.rt.com/news/632134-us-embassy-polish-official-trump-insults/

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School District Under Fire After Muslim Group Hands Out the Quran During Lunch Period

By Austin Wood

February 6, 2026

A Wylie East High School staff member has been placed on leave following social media outrage over an outside organization distributing religious materials on campus on Monday.

In a series of letters, the district told parents that the group Why Islam had been invited by Wylie East’s Muslim Student Association to visit the campus for World Hijab Day, but did not receive official approval prior to the visit.

Four women from the group set up a table in the school’s main hallway during lunch periods. The table featured a spin wheel, a photo frame, candy, scarves, hijabs, Why Islam-branded bags, pamphlets and copies of the Quran, according to a letter from Superintendent Kim Spicer.

She further wrote that “I am deeply disappointed and frustrated that this situation occurred” and that public schools were not “the place for promoting personal belief systems.”

Wylie ISD said the group’s religious affiliation did not influence the reaction.

“The district’s response was not influenced by the organization’s religious affiliation,” the district said in a statement. “This situation stemmed from a procedural failure. Regardless of belief system, Wylie ISD does not permit the distribution of religious materials to students, in accordance with board policy.”

District officials said they became aware of the incident around 8:30 p.m. Monday night, when videos began circulating on social media.

One of the trending videos, shared to X by anti-Muslim activist Amy Mek with the words “THIS IS HOW ISLAMIZATION ENTERS YOUR SCHOOLS” written in the caption, shows a student identifying himself as president of Wylie East’s Republican Club speaking out against the group’s presence on campus.

“They were giving hijabs to girls throughout the high school, they were giving out Qurans and they also had pamphlets about sharia law and other Islamic things,” he said in the video, which has been reposted over 19,000 times since it was shared.

In another video, the student said he had not seen Bibles passed out or a church visit the school, and called for action.

“I just want to address this as soon as possible and want this to spread like wildfire. We want everyone to get involved and address this in however way we can,” he said.

The videos drew considerable attention from conservative X pages. Right-wing account Libs of TikTok, which has 4.6 million followers, shared the video early Tuesday morning. Another post, which has over 11,000 likes as of publication time, simply said, “It has to stop.”

Wylie ISD officials said the incident occurred due to disregard for district policy on guest speakers. After they arrived, Why Islam representatives presented IDs and were issued visitor badges at the school’s front desk, following standard procedure. A staff member then escorted them to the main hallway to set up their table.

The lapse, the district says, occurred when that staff member failed to verify their approval to be on Wylie East’s campus. Wylie ISD policy states that outside organizations distributing materials must obtain prior approval from district leadership. Guest speakers invited by student organizations must also obtain district approval, which Why Islam failed to obtain.

Why Islam and its parent organization, the Islamic Circle of North America, could not be reached for comment.

As a result, the staff member has been placed on leave pending an HR investigation. A district spokesperson was unable to comment on potential consequences for students.

Wylie ISD told parents the group did not “actively hand out” materials; instead, Why Islam representatives offered bags to interested students who chose to take items from the table. Fewer than 50 students stopped by the table. A dozen students tried on head scarves or hijabs, fewer than 10 “voluntarily picked up” pamphlets or copies of the Quran, and 4 or 5 received henna tattoos, according to a letter.

U.S. Rep Keith Self, whose congressional district includes almost all of Wylie, chimed in on the incident before noon Tuesday.

“This isn’t accidental. This is purposeful infiltration. We cannot allow this. BAN SHARIA,” Self wrote in an X post.

Later that day, Self held a press conference calling for a “sharia-free America” and declaring Texas “ground zero in this fight.”

In an interview with CBS News, another Wylie East student, Kennedy Williams, said she wasn’t bothered by the display.

“It felt very OK,” Williams told CBS. “It felt like any other club we have, like we have a Christian club, we have a Republican club, and they all do the same thing, so I didn’t find anything wrong with it.”

Source: dallasobserver.com

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https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/wylie-isd-criticized-after-muslim-group-hands-out-qurans-on-campus-40641462/

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Trump removes video with racist clip depicting Obamas as apes

February 7, 2026

US President Donald Trump has removed a social media video which included a racist clip depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes.

The clip - set to the song The Lion Sleeps Tonight - was at the end of a 62-second video he shared containing claims about voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Trump said: "I didn't make a mistake". He added he had only seen the beginning of the video before it was posted by a staff member and didn't know it contained that depiction of the Obamas.

Republican Senator Tim Scott - who is black - had called for the president to remove the post, describing it as "the most racist thing I've seen out of this White House".

The White House initially defended the clip as an "internet meme video" and told critics to "stop the fake outrage".

But after fierce backlash, including from several Republican senators, the post was removed from Trump's Truth Social account and a White House official said that a staffer had "erroneously" made the post.

The clip - which recalls racist caricatures comparing black people to monkeys - appears to be taken from an X post shared by conservative meme creator Xerias in October.

That video also depicts several other high-profile Democrats as animals, including New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, New York City Mayor ZohranMamdani and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Trump's predecessor in the White House, Joe Biden, is also depicted as an ape eating a banana.

The Obamas have yet to comment on the video.

The video was one of dozens posted to Trump's Truth Social account overnight.

"I look at a lot of thousands of things," the president said while aboard Air Force One on Friday, adding that after watching only part of the video he "gave it to the people who generally, they look at the whole thing".

He says he liked the video's message on voter fraud, but that if his staff had looked at the whole thing, "probably they would have had the sense to take it down".

"We took it down as soon as we found out about it," he added.

Some criticism came from within Trump's own party.

Senator Scott, a South Carolina Republican and an ally of Trump, posted that he was "praying it was fake because it's the most racist thing I've seen out of this White House".

"The President should remove it," he added.

Another Republican, New York representative Mike Lawler, called the post "wrong and incredibly offensive - whether intentional or a mistake" and said it "should be deleted immediately with an apology offered."

The criticism continued even after the post was taken down.

John Curtis, a Republican Senator from Utah, posted on social media that the video was "blatantly racist and inexcusable".

"It should never have been posted or left published for so long," he wrote.

According to CBS, the BBC's US partner, Florida representative Byron Donalds - a longtime supporter of Trump's who is running for governor - called the White House after the video was posted and was told that it was the work of a staffer who "let the president down".

The BBC has contacted the White House for clarification on how many people have access to the president's account and what the approval process is for posts.

In a statement sent to the BBC earlier in the day, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the clip is from "an internet meme video depicting President Trump as the King of the Jungle and Democrats as characters from the Lion King".

"Please stop the fake outrage and report on something today that actually matters to the American public," she added.

Before it was removed, Derrick Johnson, the president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, or NAACP, called the video "disgusting and utterly despicable" and accused Trump of attempting to distract the public from the Epstein case and a "rapidly failing economy."

Ben Rhodes, a former deputy national security adviser for strategic communications in the Obama White House, said: "Let it haunt Trump and his racist followers that future Americans will embrace the Obamas as beloved figures while studying him as a stain on our country."

In a short post of his own, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker said that "Donald Trump is a racist".

"Disgusting behaviour by the president," the office of California Governor Gavin Newsom wrote on X. "Every single Republican must denounce this. Now."

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries - who himself accused Trump of racism last year after he shared an AI-image depicting Jeffries with a moustache and sombrero - responded to the recent video by calling Trump a "vile, unhinged and malignant bottom feeder".

"Every single Republican must immediately denounce Donald Trump's disgusting bigotry," he added.

The clip of the Obamas was added to the end of a minute-long video which included claims about a voting conspiracy in Michigan in the 2020 presidential election. Those claims were debunked as part of Dominion Voting System's successful civil legal actions against some media companies.

Trump also has a long history of criticising and attacking Obama.

Before his first term as president, Trump regularly made false claims that the Hawaii-born Obama was actually born in Kenya and therefore was ineligible to be president.

He later acknowledged that Obama was born in the US.

Source: bbc.com

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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce8r8y78g10o

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US pressuring Ukraine to hold elections soon – Reuters

7 Feb, 2026

US negotiators have been pushing Ukraine to hold an election as soon as possible, Reuters reported on Friday.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly urged Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky to do so since his five-year presidential term expired in May 2024. Zelensky has argued that holding elections is impossible under martial law, but said in December 2025 that the laws could be amended to allow them.

The American team, led by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, urged Ukrainian officials during recent meetings in Abu Dhabi and Miami to organize an election soon, Reuters said, citing three sources.

US and Ukrainian officials have also discussed the possibility of holding elections alongside a referendum on a peace deal with Russia in May, the news agency reported. Several sources, however, dismissed the US-proposed timeline as “fanciful.”

“The Americans are in a hurry,” one source told Reuters.

Another source said there is still no progress on territorial issues, which remain the main point of contention between Moscow and Kiev.

Russia has said it no longer views Zelensky as the legitimate leader of Ukraine and that his status could complicate the signing of a peace agreement. President Vladimir Putin said in December last year that Russia is prepared to consider refraining from “deep strikes” in Ukraine on the day an election is held.

Zelensky said in December that Ukraine would need up to three months to organize an election, as well as US security guarantees.

Zelensky’s standing has also been affected by a series of high-profile corruption scandals that led to the resignation of two government ministers and his longtime chief of staff, Andrey Yermak. Recent polling shows Zelensky at 62%, trailing former top military commander Valery Zaluzhny at 72% and Kirill Budanov at 70%. Budanov, a former military intelligence chief, replaced Yermak as head of the presidential office last month.

Source: rt.com

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https://www.rt.com/russia/632137-us-ukraine-hold-election/

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US to fund free speech activists in Europe – FT

6 Feb, 2026

The US State Department will fund “MAGA-aligned think-tanks and charities” in Europe as Washington steps up its fight against censorship in the EU and UK, the Financial Times reported on Friday.

State Department official Sarah Rogers discussed the plan with members of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party during a visit to London last year, three anonymous sources told the newspaper. Rogers, a vocal critic of European “hate speech” legislation, is spearheading the operation and will focus on supporting MAGA-friendly organizations in London, Paris, Berlin, and Brussels, one source said.

Rogers has been in contact with “free speech” activists in the EU and UK, and is targeting the UK’s Online Safety Act and the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), they added. Republicans in Washington have accused Brussels of using the DSA to stifle free speech and censor American social media users.

The plan mirrors decades-long initiatives by the US to fund liberal political, media, and civil society organizations in Europe. Many of these initiatives were shut down when US President Donald Trump cut almost all funding for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) last year.

A State Department spokesperson described the latest funding plan as “a transparent, lawful use of resources to advance US interests and values abroad.” However, the Financial Times noted that it is “likely to cause consternation” among center-left governments in Europe, who fear that the US may actively work to undermine their power.

The inverse of this scenario played out in 2024, when Britain’s center-left Labour government sent activists to the US to campaign against Trump for then-Vice President Kamala Harris.

Trump’s most senior officials have repeatedly criticized the EU and UK over censorship laws such as the Online Safety Act and DSA. Speaking at last year’s Munich Security Conference, Vice President J.D. Vance warned that future US support for Europe would depend on whether governments actually uphold freedom of speech.

The Trump administration’s national security strategy went further, warning that mass immigration, censorship, and single-minded commitment to funding the Ukraine conflict have left the continent at risk of “civilizational erasure.”

Accordingly, “cultivating resistance to Europe’s current trajectory within European nations” is a key foreign policy goal of the Trump administration, it states.

Source: rt.com

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https://www.rt.com/news/632133-us-funding-censorship-europe/

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US slaps Iran with new sanctions shortly after nuclear talks

6 Feb, 2026

Any agreement on Iran’s nuclear program can only be reached through “calm” dialogue free of pressure and threats, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said after indirect talks with the US in Oman on Friday. Shortly afterward, Washington announced a new round of sanctions against Tehran.

Araghchi welcomed the resumption of dialogue with the US after “eight turbulent months” and called the eight-hour negotiations in Muscat on Friday, mediated by Oman’s foreign minister, a “good start.” Both sides share a “consensus” on the need to continue the talks, Tehran’s top diplomat said in a statement.

Moments after the talks ended, the US Department of State announced restrictions against 15 entities, two individuals and 14 vessels, accusing them of being linked to what it called “the illicit trade in Iranian petroleum, petroleum products, and petrochemical products.” It said the move was part of a “maximum pressure campaign” launched by the administration of President Donald Trump.

Speaking to journalists on Friday, Araghchi said that the Iranian delegation “made it clear” that any dialogue should be free of threats or pressure. In a post on X, he added that Iran “enters diplomacy with open eyes and a steady memory of the past year.”

According to the minister, the past eight months have created the atmosphere of “great distrust” that needs to be overcome.

Tensions between the two nations have run high since the US struck nuclear facilities in Iran last June, and escalated further in light of widespread anti-government protests that gripped the Islamic Republic in December and January. Tehran accused the US and Israel of instigating the unrest.

In recent weeks, Washington has deployed an ‘armada’ led by the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln to the Middle East, demanding that any potential deal limit uranium enrichment and restrict Tehran’s ballistic missile program. According to Araghchi, the talks in Muscat focused only on the nuclear program.

Iran has maintained that its program is purely peaceful in nature. Washington unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and reimposed sanctions against Tehran, prompting the Islamic Republic to gradually scale back compliance and enrich uranium to 60% purity.

Source: rt.com

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https://www.rt.com/news/632135-us-iran-sanctions-nuclear-talks/

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Africa

Two clerics arrested for allegedly torturing minors with heated cutlass

February 7, 2026

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Ondo State has apprehended two Islamic clerics for allegedly assaulting two minors in Owo, Owo Local Government Area of the state.

The suspects, identified as AdebodunMuideen (30) of Al-Balaagul-Mubeen Arabic and Islamic Centre, and OladejoMusiliu (35) of Abdullah Arabic and Islamic Centre, were arrested following a report of child abuse.

Confirming the arrest of the two suspects in a statement, the Public Relations Officer of the NSCDC in the state, Daniel Aidamenbor, said the arrests were made on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, after a complaint was lodged by a child rights advocacy organisation, Kids and Teens Resource Centre.

Aidamenbor revealed that the report was initiated after a class teacher observed multiple injuries on the bodies of the children.

He noted that preliminary investigations revealed that the victims, whose parents reside in Osun State, had been placed in the care of the clerics to study the Qur’an and other Islamic practices while also attending conventional schools.

Aidamenbor added that one of the boys allegedly brought home a mobile phone he could not properly account for, leading to the implication of the second child.

He noted that the suspects reportedly subjected the minors to severe punishments, resulting in serious injuries.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the children, whose parents are in Osun State, gave the children to the Alfas to learn the Quran and other Islamic practices while still attending conventional schools.

“One of the victims brought home a Vivo Android phone, which he could not explain how he got it convincingly. During their findings, the other boy was implicated in the act.

“In reprimanding them, a heated cutlass was used on their back and buttocks thereby inflicting deep wounds on them.

“The act is a total violation of the Child Rights Act and the Ondo State Child Protection Law,” Aidamenbor added.

He further explained that the clerics, who have since made confessional statements, would be formally charged and prosecuted for offences bordering on assault and child abuse.

Meanwhile, the State Commandant, Oluyemi Joshua Ibiloye, has warned religious institutions, parents and guardians against violent forms of discipline, stressing that any act of abuse against children constitutes a criminal offence under Nigerian law.

He, however, lauded the executive director of Kids and Teens Resource Centre for promptly reporting the case and urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspected cases of child abuse to security agencies.

Source: thenationonlineng.net

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https://thenationonlineng.net/two-clerics-arrested-for-allegedly-torturing-minors-with-heated-cutlass/

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Thousands attend funeral of slain son of Muammar Gaddafi

February 7, 2026

Thousands of people descended on the small town of BaniWalid on Friday to attend the funeral of a son of former Libyan dictator, the late Muamar Gaddafi.

Saif al-Islam, once seen by some as his father’s heir apparent, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen at his home in the north-western city of Zintan on Tuesday.

BaniWalid - a stronghold of the Warfalla tribe - together with Gaddafi’s hometown, Sirte, were the two final strongholds loyal to the Libyan ruler during the 2011 Arab Spring uprising.

Each year, it celebrates the anniversary of the 1969 coup that brought Muammar to power. He ruled Libya with an iron fist until being ousted and killed during the rebellion.

The large turnout on Friday, including people from other parts of the country, at the tightly secured event underscored the political divisions that have split Libya since then.

Saif al-Islam’s burial brought together thousands of Gaddafi loyalists.

"We are here to accompany our beloved one, the son of our leader in whom we placed our hope and our future," said Waad Ibrahim, a woman from Sirte which is nearly 300 kilometres away.

She blamed the country's eastern and western rival powers for his killing.

"They met in France to agree that the only obstacle standing in their way was Saif al-Islam," she said referring to a recent US-brokered meeting in Paris between officials from both sides.

Officials from Libya’s rival governments, the Tripoli-based internationally recognised Government of National Unity, and the Government of National Stability in the east, did not attend the funeral.

On Thursday, Prime Minister AbdelhamidDbeibah's UN-backed administration condemned the killing of Saif al-Islam saying "assassinations never provided stability... but rather deepen division".

"The Libya we are working towards is a state of law and institutions, where disputes are managed through dialogue and by resorting to the will of the people," Dbeibah said.

Tripoli resident, SabriGachout, said Saif al-Islam's killing meant that "elections can now be organised without him in the electoral process".

“They wanted to get him out of the electoral race so that they could win. They succeeded in excluding him from the political scene by assassinating him. He had a good chance and was a leader for us," he said

In 2021, Saif al-Islam announced he would run for president.

But the elections committee disqualified him and the polls aiming to unify the country under a UN agreement were indefinitely postponed due to disputes over the constitutional framework and candidate eligibility.

Source: africanews.com

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https://www.africanews.com/2026/02/06/thousands-attend-funeral-of-slain-son-of-muammar-gaddafi/

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ISWAP Militants Kill Soldiers, Burn Vehicles InBorno Base Attack

February 6, 2026

By EnioluwaAdeniyi

Militants from the Islamic State-backed faction of Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), on Friday launched a deadly attack on a military base in Jakana, Kaga Local Government Area of Borno State, killing an unconfirmed number of Nigerian soldiers and destroying military equipment.

Military sources told SaharaReporters that the insurgents stormed the town in large numbers, opening fire indiscriminately before targeting the Army outpost with explosives.

A top military source said, “The attack occurred this morning, 06/02/2025, at an Army outpost along Maiduguri–Damaturu Road in Jakana town by Boko Haram terrorists, with many casualties recorded on our side.

“Their corpses have been transferred to 7 Division military hospital in Maiduguri.”

The terrorists, believed to be ISWAP fighters, reportedly destroyed armoured vehicles and military trucks during the raid. They also carted away ammunition and supplies from the military facility.

Sources said soldiers were forced to flee into the surrounding bush as the terrorists launched their coordinated assault from multiple directions.

“They came in different groups, and we couldn’t even count them,” one source added.

The incident comes barely days after another deadly ambush on a military base in SabonGari, Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State, in which multiple soldiers were reportedly killed.

Just a week earlier, seven personnel, including a newly promoted Lieutenant Colonel, were ambushed and killed by insurgents while en route from Maiduguri to Damasak in Mobbar LGA.

“The terrorists used explosives and heavy gunfire in that attack,” a source had said.

Several soldiers were wounded in that ambush, while some remain unaccounted for.

Despite repeated claims by the Nigerian Army that the insurgency has been “technically defeated,” attacks by ISWAP continue to intensify, especially in areas near the Lake Chad region.

Since the death of Boko Haram leader AbubakarShekau, ISWAP has consolidated its control, attracting large numbers of former Boko Haram fighters.

The decade-long insurgency has claimed over 100,000 lives and displaced millions, particularly in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states.

Source: naijanews.com

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https://www.naijanews.com/2026/02/06/iswap-militants-kill-soldiers-burn-vehicles-in-borno-base-attack/

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‘No Tension Between Quran And Bible’ – Oshiomhole Says After Visiting Tinubu

February 7, 2026

Senator Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North) has described the public praise of Nigeria’s First Lady, OluremiTinubu, by United States President Donald Trump as a diplomatic victory for Nigeria and a strong signal of religious harmony under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Naija News reports that Oshiomhole spoke to State House Correspondents on Friday after visiting President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The former Edo State governor and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said his visit was to extend New Year greetings to the President and to congratulate him over what he described as President Trump’s glowing tribute to the First Lady during a recent public event in the United States.

“I came to greet Mr President. I have not seen him in 2026; we wish him a happy New Year,” Oshiomhole said.

“But also, very importantly, yesterday (Thursday), we saw how the most powerful man, President Donald Trump of the United States of America, acknowledged not just the First Lady of Nigeria, but described her as a very respectable woman, a very responsible woman, and a pastor of the largest church in Nigeria, and he invited her to stand up for recognition,” he added.

The senator said the recognition was a source of pride for Nigeria, noting the applause that followed Trump’s remarks and the positive global image it projected for the country.

“If it was the other way around, imagine what the opposition would have been saying now,” Oshiomhole said.

“He said Nigeria’s First Lady is here. She’s a Christian, but also a Christian pastor, a woman that commands respect, a responsible and respectable woman. So, congratulations,” he added.

Oshiomhole further interpreted the gesture as symbolic of Nigeria’s religious coexistence, stressing that it reflected harmony between Christians and Muslims under the current administration.

“Trump understands that the Nigerian President is a Muslim, but he now celebrates the fact that he has a Christian wife who is also a pastor of the largest church in Nigeria,” he said.

“So, there can be no tension between the Quran and the Bible, and that, for me, is a merit to all Nigerians.”

Calling for unity and optimism, the APC stalwart urged Nigerians to work collectively toward resolving the country’s challenges rather than talking it down.

“We mustn’t run down our country. We have issues together, we will fix them, and they are being fixed,” Oshiomhole added.

Source: naijanews.com

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https://www.naijanews.com/2026/02/07/no-tension-between-quran-and-bible-oshiomhole-says-after-visiting-tinubu/

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Moroccan lawyers protest bill they say threatens profession’s independence

February 06, 2026

RABAT: Thousands of lawyers demonstrated on Friday outside Morocco’s parliament in Rabat, calling for the withdrawal of a draft law they said threatened their immunity and independence.

Dressed in black robes, they waved banners and chanted slogans against the bill, which is currently under parliamentary review.

The government has presented the draft law as a means of “modernizing” the legal profession with anti-corruption measures.

But the lawyers say some of its provisions could curtail their protections.

A main point of contention is the provision to grant the courts direct disciplinary power over lawyers. Normally, disciplinary matters are handled internally by the bar association.

“Our demand is simply the withdrawal of the draft law,” said Omar Mahmoud Bendjelloun, 49, from the Moroccan bar association, adding that the bill would “subjugate” the legal profession.

Lawyer KarimaSalama, 47, called for “a participatory approach” to reforming the profession.

Justice Minister AbdellatifOuahbi said during a parliamentary session on Tuesday that he was “ready to renounce, modify or reform anything that harms lawyers.”

Still, the minister insisted that “lawyering needs to change, and I will implement that change.”

Source: arabnews.com

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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2632031/middle-east

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What the lifting of the RSF’s Kadugli siege means for Sudanese civilians

February 06, 2026

RIYADH: As Sudan’s devastating conflict approaches its third anniversary, the army announced on Tuesday that it has broken the years-long siege on Kadugli, the famine-stricken capital of South Kordofan, in what analysts say could signal a shift in the war’s momentum.

The army’s breakthrough, announced days after a similar advance in nearby Dilling, offered South Kordofan residents a reprieve from a deepening humanitarian crisis that had triggered mass displacement and widespread hunger, sparking hopes that aid could finally resume.

The oil-rich Kordofan region has become the latest front line in Sudan’s conflict, toward which the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces shifted their focus after seizing El-Fasher, one of the army’s last strongholds in Darfur, last October.

Joining forces with the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North, which controls stretches of territory in Kordofan and beyond, the Abu Dhabi-backed RSF tightened a blockade that had intermittently isolated Kadugli and Dilling since the war began.

The siege deepened the already dire famine conditions, later confirmed by the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification in November, in the city and in El-Fasher.

Although the army’s recent operation has reopened the road between Kadugli and Dilling, aid organizations say sustained humanitarian access is still vulnerable to renewed fighting and insecurity in surrounding areas.

Mathilde Vu, the advocacy manager for the Norwegian Refugee Council in Sudan, said aid trucks have started arriving in Dilling, which is a “good sign.”

“We hope this means more supplies into Kadugli soon,” she told Arab News, but warning that famine in the city will not be reversed overnight.

“Humanitarian access needs to be guaranteed immediately and permanently,” she said, calling for global pressure to ensure the warring parties abide by international law and not attack nor block entry of aid.

On Thursday, Mohanad El-Balal, co-founder of Khartoum Aid Kitchen, posted photos on X showing trucks of aid from Sudan’s Humanitarian Aid Commission heading to Kadugli.

However, humanitarian organizations and global hunger monitors warned that without a sustainable peace, the lifting of the siege on Kadugli and Dilling will offer only a temporary relief for civilians.

The Famine Early Warning Systems Network says famine conditions will probably persist until May even though some commercial supplies have started reaching South Kordofan.

“Access is likely to be volatile as the area remains heavily contested, and joint RSF-SPLM-N forces are expected to seek to regain control,” the monitor said.

It noted that the arrival of large numbers of displaced people in rural areas around the Western Nuba Mountains near Dilling, combined with a troop buildup, insecurity, depleted harvests and restricted trade, could push conditions beyond famine thresholds by May.

Continued fighting in the area, even after the lifting of the siege, is expected to further impede aid efforts, warned humanitarian organizations.

Hours after the army entered Kadugli, the RSF launched a drone attack that hit a medical center in Kadugli, killing 15 people including seven children, according to Sudan Doctors Network, which tracks the war.

The next day, local media reported that a similar drone strike on a military hospital, attributed to the RSF-SPLM-N alliance, killed one and injured eight.

The fighting had already pushed more than 88,000 people to flee the Kordofan region since October, according to UN figures.

Aid agencies expect that figure to grow to 100,000 based on new reports of large-scale displacements in Al-Quoz, Habila, and Ar-Reif Ash Shargi in South Kordofan, as well as continued near-daily displacement out of Kadugli and Dilling.

On Thursday, the IPC issued an alert, confirming that famine has now spread to two cities in North Darfur — Um Baru and Kernoi. It projects that acute malnutrition will continue to spread in 2026, with nearly 4.2 million estimated cases compared with 3.7 million in 2025.

“Prolonged displacement, conflict, and erosion of health, water and food systems are expected to increase acute malnutrition and food insecurity,” the IPC said.

Although supply lines and access to the people of Kadugli and Dilling are expected to improve, it said the “conflict continues to drive displacement, looting, and severe disruptions to livelihoods, trade, access to services, and mutual and humanitarian aid.”

Regular shelling and drone strikes on civilian sites and infrastructure have caused conditions to deteriorate in both towns, the monitor added.

Against this backdrop, the US and UN co-hosted a fundraising event in Washington on Wednesday to appeal for aid for Sudan, launching a new Sudan Humanitarian Fund with $700 million.

However, this figure is a long way from meeting the $2.9 billion requested by the UN’s 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, which was only 5.5 percent funded as of Feb. 3. The 2025 plan received just 38.7 percent of what was needed.

While the military breakthrough in Kordofan is a significant development, observers cautioned that peace remains a distant prospect as mediation efforts stall and the warring parties continue to vie for control over different parts of the country.

The UN estimates more than 40,000 people have been killed since the war began and 14 million displaced, triggering the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. Both sides are accused of war crimes. In Darfur, the RSF has even been accused of genocide — and Abu Dhabi has been accused of backing the RSF.

Last year, a detailed report produced by Amnesty International provides evidence for the presence of UAE armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles in Sudan being used by the RSF in particular. Amnesty also accuses the RSF of war crimes.

The army now controls the capital Khartoum along with the northern, central and eastern regions, and the strategic Red Sea city Port Sudan. The army’s next objective is Darfur — the last region under RSF control.

Speaking to Reuters on Tuesday, Jan Egeland, head of the Norwegian Refugee Council, said that advances on the battlefield had not alleviated civilian suffering.

“Every day we see new overloaded trucks with women and children fleeing fighting and starvation in South Kordofan to South Sudan, which is also in a deep economic crisis,” Egeland posted on X. “It is the worst crisis in the largest humanitarian catastrophe in the world.”

Last month, the US and Saudi Arabia presented the Sudanese Armed Forces with the latest truce proposal. Speaking to reporters after the breakthrough on Tuesday, Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan said there would be no truce as long as the RSF occupies cities.

“We respond to all calls for peace and we respond to any call to end the war, but ending the war will not be at the expense of Sudanese blood,” he said. “There must be no truce that strengthens the enemy, no ceasefire should allow this militia to regain its strength.”

Analysts believe the army’s latest breakthroughs in Kadugli and Dilling are a sign that momentum is beginning to shift against the RSF.

Mariam Wahba, research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, wrote on Thursday that the army’s victory has “weakened the RSF’s control over strategic population centers in South Kordofan by disrupting the rebel group’s supply lines.”

Another political analyst told Arab News that Kadugli’s liberation was “a strategic surprise by all measures,” overturning the balance of power and redrawing the map of control in western Sudan.

During Wednesday’s fundraiser in Washington, MassadBoulos, US senior adviser for Arab and African affairs, confirmed that the US has put forward a “comprehensive proposal” for a humanitarian truce that could be agreed on in the next few weeks.

He said that the plan had already gained the support of members of the Quad — comprising the US, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE — which has been coordinating diplomatic efforts to end the war in Sudan.

However, for peace to succeed, Wahba said Washington must go beyond its current focus on humanitarian aid and ceasefire diplomacy by adopting a dual strategy of pressure and alignment.

She said the US should act to disrupt the RSF’s financial networks and arms supply chains to weaken its capacity to wage war, while applying pressure on the army, through sanctions or diplomatic isolation, to exclude hardline Islamists from its ranks.

Washington, she said, should leverage its ties in aligning efforts with regional powers — Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and the UAE — around shared objectives such as preventing Sudan from becoming a safe haven for militias and transnational criminal networks.

“Coordinated pressure would provide Washington with greater leverage to shape ceasefire terms, marginalize spoilers, and influence Sudan’s postwar trajectory without direct US military involvement,” she said.

On Tuesday, Burhan vowed that he would liberate all Sudanese territory.

“I want to assure our people everywhere — in Al-Geneina, in Al-Tina, and in all other places — the army will reach them. The armed forces will reach them.”

To the people of Al-Fasher he said: “We are coming.”

Source: arabnews.com

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Survivors of deadly attack on villages in Nigeria left reeling

February 7, 2026

There is nothing but destruction left behind for survivors of a deadly attack on the villages of Woro and Nuku in Nigeria’s Kwara State.

Locals say the suspected jihadists arrived on motorcycles late on Tuesday, opening fire indiscriminately and setting homes ablaze, leaving 170 people dead.

In the deadliest attack in Nigeria in several months, the extremists rounded up the mostly Muslim villagers, tied their arms behind their backs, and shot them in the head.

There has been a surge in violence in the state, as well as other conflict hot spots, as armed groups challenge the government’s authority and compete with one another.

A survivor of the attack, Maryam Muhammed, said there was nothing she could possibly save from her house which was left in ruins.

"In my shop, the fridge that was outside is gone, there’s nothing else. The fences have all been destroyed,” she said.

Muhammed said there were people burnt to death in her house with “no legs or heads, they were chopped off, and I could not recognize them”.

The government has deployed an army battalion to the Kaiama district in the state following the violent attacks.

But with just about everything destroyed, residents say it is going to take much more than that for them to get back on their feet.

Another survivor, Abdullahi Ibrahim, said the remote community is neglected.

"That is why the so-called attackers are coming to invade the community to destroy their lives for nothing. Look at this community, look at the people they killed," he said.

Resident, Umar Bio Kabir, said while the government “is trying its best” by bringing soldiers, the community will never be the same.

"Because even though they say yes today, the community is normal, and nothing will happen again. It's not everybody that will come back here. So, in fact there is a lot of damage that has happened."

Days after the killings, residents are finding it difficult to breathe as the harmattan wind blows the ashes of burned houses and shops, spreading the stench of blood.

As zinc roofs clatter lightly against each other in the wind, they wonder how they will be able to rebuild their lives.

Source: africanews.com

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Southeast Asia

‘Rembo Melaka’ says sorry, deletes Facebook vaccine posts in defamation settlement with ex-Islamic Affairs minister Na’im Mokhtar

07 Feb 2026

SHAH ALAM, Feb 7 — The defamation suit filed by former Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), Datuk Dr MohdNa’im Mokhtar, against influencer RamziKamil was amicably settled at the High Court here last Thursday.

MohdNa’im filed the suit on Dec 23, 2025, over allegedly defamatory statements published on Ramzi’s Facebook page on Nov 23 and 25, 2025, concerning the vaccination of Haj and Umrah pilgrims.

Based on the consent judgment obtained by the media today, both parties reached an amicable settlement and resolved the matter out of court. It was recorded before Judicial Commissioner HelmiHamzah during in-chambers proceedings.

According to the consent judgment, Ramzi expressed regret and issued an apology for the inappropriate use of defamatory words and expressions that had given a negative impression of MohdNa’im.

He also agreed and undertook not to issue similar statements in the future.

In addition, the court issued a mandatory injunction requiring Ramzi to delete two Facebook posts containing the defamatory statements from his account, ‘Rembo Melaka’, within 24 hours from the date of the judgment.

Ramzi, his agents or any related parties are also prohibited from publishing, broadcasting, sharing or repeating the said statements in any form whatsoever.

He further undertook to place a clear disclaimer on his social media accounts stating that he does not consent to, support, or take responsibility for any actions by third parties who republish the allegedly defamatory statements without his permission.

“A complete, clear, unequivocal and unconditional public apology text provided by the plaintiff must be uploaded by the defendant on his social media platform within 24 hours from the date the consent judgment is recorded and shall remain public for 30 days,” according to the judgment document.

Additionally, Ramzi is required to pay settlement costs of RM5,000 to the plaintiff within seven days from the date the settlement is recorded.

Lawyers Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader, Muhammad Aslam Akberdin and Ahmad RedzaAkberdin represented MohdNaim, while lawyer NurFazrin Ahmad represented Ramzi.

MohdNa’im filed the suit against Ramzi, among other things, claiming that the defendant, who is a detox product seller, had portrayed him as forcing pilgrims to take the vaccine, and that such actions demonstrated that he was unfit to hold a position related to religious affairs.

He said it also implied that he had denied pilgrims a choice, thereby forcing them to forgo the opportunity to perform Haj and Umrah if they refused vaccination to protect themselves from substances they considered haram. — Bernama

Source: malaymail.com

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As Melaka readies for Ramadan and Aidilfitri bazaars with 4,000 traders, authorities vow crackdown on licence misuse

07 Feb 2026

MELAKA, Feb 7 — The Ramadan month in Melaka is set to be more festive this year with the opening of 50 Ramadan bazaars and eight Aidilfitri bazaars across the state, involving the participation of more than 4,000 traders.

State deputy senior executive councillor for Housing, Local Government, Drainage, Climate Change and Disaster Management Datuk ZulkifleeMohd Zin said that of the total, 19 Ramadan bazaars within the Melaka Historic City Council (MBMB) administrative area have been approved to operate.

He said 10 Ramadan bazaars have been approved in the Alor Gajah Municipal Council (MPAG) area, followed by 10 bazaars in the Jasin Municipal Council (MPJ) area, while the Hang Tuah Jaya Municipal Council (MPHTJ) will have 11 bazaars.

“As for the Aidilfitri bazaars, approval has been granted to organisers to operate two bazaars in the MBMB area, namely in Banda Hilir and Klebang, which are quite popular among visitors.

“In the MPAG and MPHTJ areas, three Aidilfitri bazaars have each been allowed to operate, while no Aidilfitri bazaars will be opened in the MPJ area,” he said.

He said this to reporters after officiating the briefing on the organisation of the Melaka Ramadan and Aidilfitri Bazaars 2026 here, which was also attended by MBMB mayor Datuk Shadan Othman.

Zulkiflee said the two Aidilfitri bazaars in the MBMB area – the iconic Banda HilirAidilfitri Bazaar and the KlebangAidilfitri Bazaar – will begin operations about a week before Ramadan due to the long holiday period during that time.

Meanwhile, he stressed that firm action, including the revocation of business licences, will be taken against any traders found to have misused or transferred their bazaar licences to other parties.

He said the move is aimed at ensuring that no party takes advantage by selling business licences at higher prices to third parties.

“This issue will be monitored by the organisers as well as the local authorities (PBT), as we do not want such incidents to occur in Melaka and tarnish the image or reputation of the state government and the local authorities involved,” he said. — Bernama Source: malaymail.com

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Up to 2.2 million vehicles on the road per day: PLUS forecasts heavy highway traffic for CNY and start of Ramadan

06 Feb 2026

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 6 — PLUS Malaysia Berhad (PLUS) expects a significant increase in traffic volumes along several major stretches of its PLUS-operated highways, including the LebuhrayaPantaiTimur 2 (LPT2), in conjunction with the upcoming Chinese New Year (CNY) celebrations that coincide with the commencement of the month of Ramadan.

In a statement today, PLUS said traffic volumes are projected to reach up to 2.2 million vehicles per day during peak travel periods, particularly on February 12, 13 and 14 for outbound journeys from the Klang Valley, as well as on February 20 and 21 for return journeys to the Klang Valley.

“In view of the anticipated increase in traffic, PLUS strongly advises all highway users to plan their journeys and to fully utilise the MyPLUS-TTA digital travel schedule to ensure smoother traffic movement.

“Such planning is highly encouraged for travel periods between February 11 and 22 along the PLUS highway network and LPT2. Highway users can access traffic data via the MyPLUS-TTA feature available on the PLUS application to assist in journey planning. This proactive approach is expected to contribute towards mitigating traffic congestion across the highway network,” the statement said.

The MyPLUS-TTA is a PLUS digital initiative developed based on real-time traffic data analysis, designed to recommend optimal travel times for highway users.

Through this platform, users can obtain estimated travel times, current traffic conditions and incident notifications, thereby facilitating better journey planning and promoting more balanced traffic distribution, especially during peak periods.

According to the statement, traffic data from the 2025 Chinese New Year period showed time savings of between 30 minutes and one hour for users who followed the MyPLUS-TTA recommendation.

“For example, journeys from Jalan Duta to Juru, which on average would take around five and a half hours during the festive period, were reduced to about five to four and a half hours. In contrast, users who travelled outside the recommended time slots experienced longer journeys, with travel times increasing by up to three additional hours. This shows how greatly journey times are influenced by travel timing,” it said.

Traffic is expected to surge as highway users take the opportunity of the festive period to travel for holidays and return to their hometowns to celebrate Chinese New Year with family members, while also marking the beginning of the fasting month.

For more information and access to the MyPLUS-TTA digital travel advisory, highway users are encouraged to download or update the PLUS application to ensure a smoother, safer, and more comfortable travel experience throughout the festive season. — Bernama

Source: malaymail.com

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New Jelebu mosque opens ahead of Ramadan

6 Feb 2026

The RM8.85 million Dato’ UndangLuakJelebu Mosque is now ready for use, accommodating 1,000 worshippers as the holy month approaches.

JELEBU: The newly completed Dato’ UndangLuakJelebu Mosque is ready for congregants ahead of Ramadan.

The RM8.85 million facility was officially handed over today.

Construction began in March 2022 on a 1.974-hectare site. The mosque can accommodate up to 1,000 worshippers.

Negeri Sembilan MenteriBesar Datuk Seri Aminuddin Harun said the project reflects the Federal government’s commitment to community needs. He stated it strengthens spiritual development and social well-being.

“I call on congregants and the mosque committee to manage and enliven the mosque sincerely,“ he said at the handover ceremony. He urged continuous activity guided by the Negeri Sembilan Islamic Religious Affairs Department.

The mosque includes a multipurpose hall, administrative office, and funeral management room. It also features an audio system, comfortable ablution facilities, and a 25.2-metre minaret.

Designated parking for persons with disabilities is also provided. Aminuddin said the facilities must be fully utilised for the benefit of the community.

He added that the state government has allocated RM16.05 million this year for Islamic institutions. This covers mosque development, religious education, and welfare programmes.

“RM6.5 million is allocated to upgrade the State Mosque and maintain mosques statewide,“ he said. A further RM5.05 million is for allowances for mosque officials and caretakers.

Source: thesun.my

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https://thesun.my/news/malaysia-news/new-jelebu-mosque-opens-ahead-of-ramadan/

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LembahPantai traders’ bazaar fees cut to RM300

7 Feb 2026

FahmiFadzil says LembahPantai traders will get RM100 support, reducing Ramadan bazaar rental fees from RM400 to RM300.

KUALA LUMPUR: Communications Minister Datuk FahmiFadzil today announced that the LembahPantai parliamentary office will contribute RM100 per trader for Taman Sri Sentosa and BazariaPantaiDalam, reducing the Ramadan bazaar rental fee from RM400 to RM300.

He also announced a contribution of RM30,000 to the Federal Territory Malay Hawkers and Small Traders Association, in recognition of its significant role in managing various issues faced by traders.

“This contribution is aimed at encouraging them to continue their efforts, particularly in supporting local traders in LembahPantai.

“A total of 325 units covering two Ramadan bazaars here were handed over as part of the initiative. These include canopies, aprons and e-POS systems,” he told reporters after launching the Touch ‘n Go Group x LembahPantai Ramadan Bazaar programme today.

Fahmi added that the initiative forms part of efforts to help traders prepare for the upcoming festive month and to slightly reduce their operating costs.

Source: thesun.my

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https://thesun.my/news/malaysia-news/lembah-pantai-ramadan-bazaar-fees-cut/

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Titles don’t matter, results do, Anwar tells PKR delegates at Selangor convention

By Ida Lim

07 Feb 2026

HULU KELANG, Feb 7 — PKR members who complain instead of putting in the work can leave the party, PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today.

Speaking at the Selangor PKR Convention here, Anwar said the mandate given by party members is a responsibility to work and deliver results, not to bask in titles or positions.

“This mandate is a trust to work, be willing to work. Don’t want to work, leave.

“Willing to work, focus on raising the party up, stay. Whining non-stop can leave,” he told delegates at the MPAJ Convention Centre here.

Anwar said there was still much work to be done and that he was tired of listening to those who offered complaints without constructive input.

He said the current PakatanHarapan-led unity government would not compromise on efforts to save the country and reject those who sought to rob it of its wealth.

Alluding to ongoing anti-corruption efforts, Anwar said PKR members must rise to support all moves to eradicate every form of “robbery”.

“Now is the time, when else?” he asked, adding that he did not care whether a person held titles such as Tun or Tan Sri, or positions such as minister, former minister or military ranks.

“What I care about is the people’s mandate, to do the best, defend the people’s fate, save this country,” he said.

Fighting corruption has been a key focus of Anwar’s administration, with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission pursuing several high-profile cases in recent years.

Source: malaymail.com

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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/02/07/titles-dont-matter-results-do-anwar-tells-pkr-delegates-at-selangor-convention/208370

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Johor Pakatan starts internal seat-sharing talks as state polls loom

07 Feb 2026

KULAI, Feb 7 — Johor PakatanHarapan (PH) has begun preliminary negotiations and discussions on seat distribution in preparation for a possible state election.

Johor DAP chairman TeoNieChing said the discussions currently involve only parties within the PH coalition.

“I think we cannot rule out the possibility of a Johor state election this year. Therefore, Johor PH has met, and now at the stage of discussing seat distribution,” she told reporters after attending the Next Gen Luxury Coaches Handover Ceremony here today.

Teo, who is also Deputy Minister of Communications, said that seat negotiations within PH would be finalised first before exploring any opportunities or possibilities for cooperation with other political parties.

The Johor PH deputy chairman added that it is customary for political negotiations to begin within the coalition before being expanded to other parties, if necessary.

She also expressed confidence that all political parties are currently making their respective preparations for the state election.

In the last Johor state election, PH won 12 of the 56 state seats, while BarisanNasional secured 40 seats, PerikatanNasional secured three seats, and Muda won one seat.

DAP won 10, while PartiKeadilan Rakyat (PKR), PartiAmanah Negara (Amanah), and Muda each secured one seat. — Bernama

Source: malaymail.com

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KL mayoral polls not new, let’s wait for IIUM study before weighing in, says local govt minister

07 Feb 2026

SUNGAI SIPUT, Feb 7 — Housing and Local Government Minister NgaKor Ming has urged all parties to be patient and wait for the study report by the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) on the implementation of mayoral elections in Kuala Lumpur.

Nga said, as announced by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh, the matter had been entrusted to IIUM for a comprehensive assessment.

“Let the scholars and experts complete their study first. Once it is ready, we will present it to the Cabinet for discussion to determine the best approach.

“However, I would like to remind everyone that mayoral elections are not new. They were held even before the Malaysia-Indonesia Confrontation.

“We actually had local government elections before, but many have forgotten our national history,” he told a media conference after attending the ‘KampungBaruSentuhanKejayaan’ programme here today.

Nga said the public should also consider examples from neighbouring countries, such as Bangkok and Jakarta, the capitals of Thailand and Indonesia, respectively, where mayoral elections are practised.

“In London, Sadiq Khan is a Muslim... but Londoners elected him not because he is a Muslim, but because of his performance. Only one reason, because he can perform.

“If someone cannot perform, what is the point then? What matters is that we care, we serve and we deliver. That is my motto,” he said.

Yesterday, Communications Minister Datuk FahmiFadzil said the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) has the capability and credibility to conduct academic studies on the feasibility of local authority (PBT) elections and the appointment of the Kuala Lumpur mayor.

On Feb 3, Hannah said the feasibility study on holding local authority elections in the capital, including the selection of the Kuala Lumpur mayor, had been conducted since the previous Federal Territories administration. — Bernama

Source: malaymail.com

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