Delhi Allows Loudspeakers In Ramlila Performances, Durga Puja Pandals Till Midnight For Festivals
New Age Islam News Bureau
27 September 2025
Courts have consistently ruled to regulate the use of loudspeakers in public, but have kept room for exceptions. Archive Photo
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· Delhi Allows Loudspeakers In Ramlila Performances, Durga Puja Pandals Till Midnight For Festivals
· Legislation Needed To Ban Attempts To Impose Sharia Law In US: Reps. Fine, Self
· Immigration Is Turning Entire Cities Muslim: Former Political Secretary To Boris Johnson
· Oldest Human Settlement In Arabian Peninsula Discovered Near Tabuk
· China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan Oppose Return of Foreign Troops to Afghanistan
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India
· Police, Locals Clash After Friday Prayers Outside Bareilly Mosque Over 'I Love Muhammed' Campaign
· Delhi HC Calls For Uniform Civil Code Amid Conflicts Over Child Marriage Laws
· Muslims Forced Out Of Business In Indore Market – Under Pressure From BJP MLA’s Son
· After Operation Sindoor, LeT Moves Deep Into Pakistan
· 'Pakistan Link Being Probed': Ladakh DGP Explains Why Sonam Wangchuk Was Arrested; Details How Leh Protests Unfolded
· 'Action Against Terror Networks In Kashmir': NIA Attaches Properties Of Hizbul Mujahideen Operative; Private Residence And Orchard Seized
· BSF warns of terrorists waiting at LoC launch pads to infiltrate Kashmir
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North America
· CAIR Calls on Trump Admin, Congress to Block West Bank Annexation as Israel Plans ‘Maximum Land, Minimum Population’
· US revokes Colombian president’s visa for urging American soldiers to ‘disobey Trump’
· Elon Musk and Prince Andrew named in new Epstein files
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Europe
· ‘Horrific Hate Crime’: UK Muslim Family ‘Deeply Traumatised’ After Pig’s Head Left On Doorstep
· Ingush imam receives suspended sentence for possession of weapons
· Tony Blair in discussions to run transitional Gaza authority
· Nuclear watchdog chief vying for UN leadership role
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Arab World
· How Saudi Arabia’s esports push is turning play into a profession for budding gamers
· Saudi Fashion and Textile Expo shines spotlight on sustainability, innovation
· Saudi foreign minister meets Luxembourg’s deputy PM
· Saudi Arabia champions youth empowerment at UN
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South Asia
· BNP activist held in New York for 'assaulting' BCL leader outside UNHQ
· Afghanistan’s Education Model Threatens Country’s Future: Former Afghanistan Education Minister
· Afghanistan, Norway Sign Agreement on Geological Risk Research Project
· Shaikh Haqqani, Iranian Ambassador Hold Talks on Strengthening Bilateral Cultural Ties
· Turkiye Sends 922 Tons of Aid to Eastern Earthquake-Affected Families
· New condition for $5.5B loan: IMF limits Bangladesh’s foreign loan intake
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Mideast
· UN Security Council Rejects Russia And China’s Last-Ditch Effort To Delay Iran Sanctions
· World must take decisive action on Syria’s Al-Hol camp: UN officials
· Lebanese government vows to rein in Hezbollah after defiant Raouche Rock display
· Greek PM warns Israel risks losing friends
· Israel detains Palestinians in Nablus, reopens West Bank-Jordan crossing
· World must not fail children of Gaza: Pakistan PM
· Civil defence says over 20 killed in Gaza ahead of Netanyahu’s UN speech
· Tony Blair could lead transitional authority in Gaza: reports
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Africa
· World Leaders Step Up Efforts Behind The Scenes At The UN To End The War In Sudan
· Bandits kill five worshippers, abduct others in Zamfara mosque attack
· Religious leaders worry over conflict-related gender-based violence
· Wike’s Aide Exposes Sowore Over ₦885 Million Mansion In US
· Nighttime curfew imposed in Madagascar after violent service delivery protests
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Southeast Asia
· Anwar Rebukes Critics Over Trump’s ASEAN Summit Invite, Says Malaysia Will Use Platform To Press Palestine Cause
· Anwar tells Armed Forces Chief to speed up RM190 million Sandakan military housing project
· Singapore pharma group monitors US plan for 100pc tariff on branded drugs ahead of October rollout
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/delhi-loudspeakers-durga-puja-pandals-festivals/d/137012
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Delhi Allows Loudspeakers In Ramlila Performances, Durga Puja Pandals Till Midnight For Festivals
by Vineet Bhalla
September 27, 2025
Courts have consistently ruled to regulate the use of loudspeakers in public, but have kept room for exceptions. Archive Photo
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Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday (September 23) announced that the deadline to use loudspeakers in Ramlila performances, Durga Puja pandals and other cultural festivities will be extended until midnight, providing a two-hour extension from the usual 10 pm cut-off time for the use of loudspeakers in public.
Here’s what the law says.
Law on loudspeakers
The Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, framed under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, are the primary regulation governing noise pollution. These rules provide a detailed framework for regulating noise from various sources, including loudspeakers.
Rule 5(1) states that a loudspeaker or a public address system cannot be used without obtaining written permission from a designated authority. Crucially, Rule 5(2) imposes a blanket ban on their use during night hours, defined as the period between 10 pm and 6 am, except in closed premises like auditoriums, conference rooms, and banquet halls for internal communication.
The rules prescribe maximum permissible noise levels for different areas, categorised as industrial, commercial, residential and silence zones. For residential areas, the daytime limit (6 am to 10 pm) is 55 decibels (dB) while that for night-time is 45 dB. For context, a whisper is about 30 dB, while normal conversation is about 60 dB.
Gupta’s announcement is enabled by a specific provision in the rules. Rule 5(3) allows a state government to permit the use of loudspeakers between 10 pm and 12 midnight on or during any cultural or religious festive occasion for a limited duration, not exceeding 15 days in a calendar year.
Therefore, the Delhi government’s decision to extend the deadline is legally permissible, provided it is confined to the 15-day annual limit specified in the rules.
Court rulings
Over the past two decades, the Supreme Court and High Courts have repeatedly adjudicated on the issue of noise pollution. The judiciary has consistently prioritised the right to a peaceful environment over the use of sound amplification for religious purposes.
In a judgement in 2000 concerning the use of loudspeakers by a church in Chennai, a two-judge Bench of the Supreme Court held that no religion prescribes that prayers should be performed by disturbing the peace of others. It emphatically stated that the use of loudspeakers could not be claimed as a fundamental right under Article 25 of the Constitution, which provides the fundamental right to freedom of religion. The court observed that “in a civilised society in the name of religion, activities which disturb old or infirm persons, students or children… cannot be permitted.”
However, it was in a judgement in 2005 that the apex court laid the bedrock for modern noise pollution jurisprudence. In a suo moto case — that is, one initiated by the court on its own accord — the Supreme Court declared that the right to a peaceful and noise-free environment is a fundamental right implicit in Article 21 of the Constitution that guarantees protection of life and personal liberty. It held that the freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a) does not grant anyone the right to force an unwilling audience to listen to them through “aural aggression”. This ruling established the strict 10 pm-6 am ban on loudspeakers in public places.
Just a few months later, though, the same Bench of the Supreme Court heard a specific challenge to the constitutional validity of the 15-day midnight exception under Rule 5(3). The Court upheld the rule, calling it a “limited power” necessary for a country with diverse cultures and religions. However, it laid down strict conditions for its use.
The power to grant exemption is conferred only on the state government and cannot be delegated to any other authority.
The exemption must be for the entire state as a unit and different dates could not be specified for different districts.
The scope of the exemption could not be widened by increasing the number of days beyond 15 or the duration beyond two hours (10 pm to midnight).
The exemption would not apply to designated ‘silence zones’ — areas within 100 metres of hospitals, educational institutions and courts.
Following the Supreme Court’s lead, various High Courts have strictly enforced the Noise Rules, often going further to prescribe practical measures for implementation.
In 2016, the Bombay High Court reiterated that the use of loudspeakers is not an essential part of any religion. It pulled up the state government for its “very casual” approach to implementation and failing to procure the necessary number of decibel meters for the police.
In 2018, the Karnataka High Court showed a nuanced application of the rules. When police restricted a music school from using loudspeakers for an all-night concert inside a banquet hall, the court allowed their use within the closed premises during prohibited hours, citing the exception in Rule 5(2). But it placed the strict condition that noise levels at the boundary of the venue does not exceed the prescribed limits.
In a 2019 judgement, the Punjab and Haryana High Court issued a detailed set of mandatory directions for Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh: it directed state authorities to ensure no loudspeaker is used by any religious body without written permission, even during the day. It also mandated creating a common helpline and directed that the identity of complainants be kept confidential to protect them.
In a judgement in 2020, the Allahabad High Court made a crucial distinction while hearing a plea for using loudspeakers for azaan, the Islamic call to prayer. It held that while azaan is an essential part of Islam, its recitation through loudspeakers is not. It affirmed that the use of microphones was a recent development and not a historical part of the religious practice.
The most recent significant ruling in this regard came from the Bombay High Court in January. Hearing a petition from residents against noise from mosques, the court prescribed a practical, graded penalty system for enforcement:
First offence: A caution.
Repeat violations: Fines imposed on the concerned trusts or organisations.
Continued violations: Seizure of loudspeakers and cancellation of licences.
Significantly, the court introduced the concept of cumulative noise levels. It ruled that if several religious places in a vicinity use loudspeakers, authorities must consider the combined sound level of all amplifiers, not just the noise from an individual source.
The court also suggested modern enforcement solutions, such as directing police to use decibel-level measuring mobile applications and asking the state to consider an inbuilt mechanism for “calibration or auto-fixation” of the decibel limit in loudspeakers.
Source: indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-law/delhi-allows-loudspeakers-till-midnight-for-festivals-what-does-the-law-say-10274651/
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Legislation Needed To Ban Attempts To Impose Sharia Law In US: Reps. Fine, Self
26 September 2025
Legislation is needed to ban attempts to impose Sharia law in the United States, as it is essential to preserve the Constitution as the sole legal framework in the United States, according to Reps. Randy Fine and Keith Self, who have proposed a "No Sharia Act."
The measure would bar courts from enforcing any judgment, decree, or arbitration that relies on Islamic law or any foreign system that violates constitutional rights, and Fine, R-Fla., and Self, R-Texas, told Newsmax's "National Report" on Friday that efforts to introduce alternative legal systems must be rejected.
"Whether it's calls to prayer at 5 a.m. in violation of noise ordinances, whether it's mayors that are out telling Christians they're no longer welcome in their city, and whether it's whether we listen to the imams who are very clear and they don't do it on hidden camera, they do it in public broadcast that they seek to impose Sharia law on the United States," Fine commented. "I think it's very clear that we speak loudly with one voice and say, we're not going to have that here."
Their legislation comes on the heels of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signing a state law targeting what he called "Sharia compounds" in Texas, including a proposed Muslim-only housing development called Epic City. Abbott argued the development could have operated under Islamic law had the state not intervened.
Supporters of the congressional bill say it would protect the Constitution and American culture from being undermined.
Critics, however, warn that the measure risks fueling Islamophobia and could face constitutional challenges of its own, including arguments that it unfairly targets a particular religion and violates protections of equal treatment under the law.
Self stressed that Sharia represents not just a legal system but a broader culture that, if left unchecked, could erode U.S. principles.
"Look, I don't even use Sharia law. I say Sharia because it is a complete culture. It is a complete civilization. That and it tends to be dominant," he said. "Look at the places that have been radicalized, even Iran. When the ayatollahs came into power, they radicalized Iran, a Shia nation."
He added that now, the U.K. is also being radicalized.
"That's what we do not want to happen," said Self. "We cannot have two sets of laws, Sharia and the U.S. Constitution. We have to have one set of laws, one culture, one civilization based on the U.S. Constitution."
Fine pointed to concerns in Dearborn, Michigan, where residents have complained about mosque loudspeakers broadcasting early-morning calls to prayer.
"This is very obtrusive ... This violates noise ordinances, and this needs to be stopped. You cannot violate other people's rights simply because you have Sharia in a neighborhood," he said.
Momentum, Fine added, is already building in Congress. "We're closing in on a dozen co-sponsors already, and I think you're going to see widespread support among Republicans because they're horrified with some of the things that they're seeing in America. And we're terrified of becoming like the U.K.," he said.
While Fine said it remains unclear whether Democrats will support the measure, he and Self vowed to keep pushing. "We're going to go and we're going to fight to do what's right and to protect America and American values," Fine said.
Source: newsmax.com
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https://www.newsmax.com/newsmax-tv/randy-fine-keith-self-muslims/2025/09/26/id/1228025/
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Immigration Is Turning Entire Cities Muslim: Former Political Secretary To Boris Johnson
Genevieve Holl-Allen
26 September 2025
Danny Kruger defected from the Tories to Reform earlier this month - Rii Schroer
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Reform UK’s newest MP has claimed that whole cities have “essentially become Muslim” as a result of mass migration.
Danny Kruger, who defected from the Tories earlier this month, claimed the UK was becoming a “segregated society” with “whole communities living an entirely un-British life”.
The former minister and political secretary to Boris Johnson in Downing Street joined Nigel Farage to help develop policy in a new unit preparing Reform for government.
On the BBC’s Political Thinking podcast, Mr Kruger said he believed “the rate of immigration is simply too great and too swift”.
Asked why he had a particular concern around immigration from Muslim countries, the Reform MP said: “The problem is that Islam brings with it the expectation that you will live in a certain way that is not conforming to the traditional habits of life of the UK.
“It’s primarily, in fact it’s entirely, a question of degree because we have many little subcultures within our country that live apart.
“My concern is when whole cities essentially become Muslim, then we’ve got change that I don’t think the people voted for and is not consistent with the best interests of our country as well.”
The MP for East Wiltshire, who has been in the Commons since 2019, added: “We are getting a segregated society.
“We are seeing not just people – as there’s always been in this country, sad to say, class divisions and some cultural divisions – but whole communities living an entirely un-British life.”
Mr Kruger said there were “many Muslims who successfully integrate, and we need more of that” and that Britain had “always been a home for religious diversity and cultural diversity”.
But he added: “The threat is primarily cultural, which is that we are talking about very large numbers of people who have a very different way of life and a different world-view and who live set apart.
“So I think it is a legitimate concern, and it explains why there is such distress and disquiet in so many communities around the UK and it should never be disparaged. The pace of change, the rate of immigration, is simply too great and too swift.”
Reform announced on Monday that it would abolish indefinite leave to remain to eject hundreds of thousands of legal migrants.
Mr Farage announced that all migrants with permanent residency would be forced to reapply for visas under strict criteria including a higher salary requirement and a better standard of English.
The population grew by more than 700,000 in the year to June 2024 to almost 62 million, the second largest annual increase since records began in 1949, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Almost all of that population increase – some 98 per cent – was as a result of international migration, with natural changes due to births and deaths accounting for only a fraction.
Last year, a former Conservative MP was rebuked by then-prime minister Rishi Sunak after he claimed there were “no-go” areas in London.
Paul Scully was forced to apologise after telling the BBC: “If you look at parts of Tower Hamlets, for example, where there are no-go areas, parts of Birmingham Sparkhill, where there are no-go areas, mainly because of doctrine, mainly because of people using, abusing in many ways, their religion.”
Source: yahoo.com
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https://uk.news.yahoo.com/immigration-turning-entire-cities-muslim-102852891.html
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Oldest human settlement in Arabian Peninsula discovered near Tabuk
TAMARA ABOALSAUD
September 26, 2025
Dr. Jasir Alherbish, CEO of the Ministry of Culture introduces the Saudi Heritage Commission’s findings. (AN Photo/Huda Bashatah)
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RIYADH: The oldest architectural settlement in the Arabian Peninsula, dating back to the pre-pottery Neolithic period of 10,300-11,000 years ago, has been discovered near Tabuk, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture announced on Thursday.
Dr. Ajab Al-Otaibi, director general of the Heritage Commission’s antiquities sector, said the find was “among the oldest settlements in the world.”
Archeological excavations at the Masiyon site northwest of Tabuk, were carried out by the commission in partnership with Japan’s Kanazawa University, and in collaboration with Neom.
Although the area has been listed on the National Antiquities Register since 1978, studies in December 2022 revealed it to be the earliest known example of human settlement in the Arabian Peninsula.
Four excavations seasons were conducted up to May 2024 using advanced methods such as documenting stratigraphic layers, classifying artifacts, and analyzing organic samples to establish absolute dating.
Semi-circular granite structures were uncovered — including residential buildings, passageways, hearths and storage areas — suggesting a functional layout supporting hunting and early grain cultivation.
Other finds included stone tools such as grinding stones, knives and arrowheads, along with decorative objects, ceramics, agricultural tools, beehives and human and animal skeletons. Stones engraved with geometric patterns were also unearthed.
The commission described the discovery as a landmark in understanding the origins of human settlements in Saudi Arabia’s northwest and the Kingdom’s wider history.
Al-Otaibi said the findings “highlight the pivotal role of the Arabian Peninsula in the emergence of human civilization.”
They also support the theory that the northwest was a natural extension of Mesopotamia, the Levant and Southern Anatolia — otherwise known as the Fertile Crescent — and that it was home to humanity’s early transition from nomadism to settlement.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2616883/saudi-arabia
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China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan Oppose Return of Foreign Troops to Afghanistan
By Fidel Rahmati
September 27, 2025
China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan issued a joint statement opposing any return of foreign troops to Afghanistan, warning such moves threaten regional peace and security.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun has announced that China, Russia, Iran, and Pakistan oppose the redeployment of foreign troops to military bases in Afghanistan, calling it harmful to regional peace and security.
Speaking on Friday, Jiakun said the four countries made their position clear in a joint communiqué following the fourth quadrilateral meeting of their foreign ministers.
According to the statement, all four nations expressed strong opposition to any foreign military presence, particularly by countries they said were responsible for Afghanistan’s current situation.
Jiakun added that the communiqué reflects respect for Afghanistan’s sovereignty and independence, while also signaling a shared international commitment to support the country’s reconstruction and long-term stability.
The statement came shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump declared that his administration was exploring ways to regain control of the Bagram airbase, a move strongly rejected by Taliban officials.
Analysts say the joint stance illustrates growing regional alignment against renewed Western military involvement, with neighbors keen to limit external interference while shaping Afghanistan’s future trajectory.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/china-russia-iran-and-pakistan-oppose-return-of-foreign-troops-to-afghanistan/
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India
Police, locals clash after Friday prayers outside Bareilly mosque over 'I Love Muhammed' campaign
Namita Bajpai
26 Sep 2025
BAREILLY: Communal tensions flared in Bareilly on Friday, a week after the controversy over an “I Love Mohammad” poster in Kanpur, as protests spiralled into violence across several parts of the city.
Following Friday prayers, a large crowd gathered at Islamia Ground demanding to march in protest. When police attempted to block their movement, demonstrators pushed ahead, raising religious slogans. Violence soon spread across three police station areas—Sadar Kotwali, Premnagar, and Baradari—as stone-pelting erupted from rooftops and windows. Police resorted to mild force to disperse the crowd.
As clashes intensified, reinforcements were rushed in from adjoining districts including Shahjahanpur, Badaun, Pilibhit, Moradabad, Rampur, Amroha, Sambhal, and Bijnor. Police carried out flag marches across communally sensitive zones, urging residents to stay indoors.
Authorities urged residents to stay indoors while officers maintained a strong presence on the streets conducting flag march. The situation escalated quickly again as people began pelting stones at police personnel. Authorities resorted to lathi charge and fired tear gas shells to control the mob. In Shahmat Ganj, protesters blocked roads and forced markets toclose temporarily.
Eyewitnesses described chaos, with people running in all directions as police tried to disperse them.
Police detained Maulana Tauqeer Raza, president of the Ittehad-e-Millat Council (IMC), who had called for the protest. Raza, accused in the 2010 Bareilly riots case still pending in court, had earlier warned that continued “injustice” could force Muslims onto the streets.
Meanwhile, authorities have urged residents to remain indoors and cooperate in their attempt to restore normalcy. Raza had warned that continued injustice could force Muslims to take to the streets, claiming the situation could spiral if ignored.
The lathi charge left debris, including scattered shoes and slippers, on the streets near Islamia Ground. As per the police sources, cops were deployed to monitor hotspots and were ensuring markets and public areas remained secure.
Residents were being advised to cooperate with authorities and avoid gathering in large numbers.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Sep/26/police-locals-clash-after-friday-prayers-outside-bareilly-mosque-over-i-love-muhammed-campaign
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Delhi HC calls for Uniform Civil Code amid conflicts over child marriage laws
Sep 27, 2025
New Delhi: Advocating for the enactment of a uniform civil code (UCC) to prevent personal or customary laws from overriding national legislation, Delhi High Court recently highlighted the conflicts between Islamic law and Indian criminal law concerning child marriages.
"Is it not time to move towards a uniform civil code, ensuring a single framework where personal or customary laws do not supersede national legislation?" questioned Justice Arun Monga of a single-judge bench on Sept 23, while hearing a bail plea filed by Hamid Raza.
Raza was charged with rape and other offences under the Pocso Act for marrying a minor girl who was allegedly sexually assaulted by her stepfather and had a child from that abuse. The stepfather, currently in judicial custody and facing trial, filed a case against Raza shortly after the marriage, accusing him of raping the girl. Raza was incarcerated for over 11 months.
Justice Monga described this as a "recurring conflict" between Islamic law, which allows a minor girl who has attained puberty to marry, and Indian criminal law, which considers such a marriage an offence under the BNS and POCSO Acts.
The judge noted the dilemma of criminalising society for following long-standing personal laws but emphasised that the resolution lies with the legislature. He urged Parliament to provide "legislative clarity" on whether to continue criminalising entire communities or promote social harmony through a "pragmatic middle path".
"No doubt, opponents of the UCC caution that uniformity risks eroding religious freedom guaranteed to every citizen under the Constitution. However, such freedom cannot extend to practices exposing individuals to criminal liability," the court said.
Granting bail to Raza, the court observed that under Muslim personal law, puberty—presumed at 15 years, unless proven otherwise—is the marriageable age for girls. The court also noted that even if the marriage was invalid for bail purposes, the relationship was consensual and resembled that of live-in partners.
Source: indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/delhi-hc-calls-for-uniform-civil-code-amid-conflicts-over-child-marriage-laws/articleshow/124165925.cms
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Muslims Forced Out Of Business In Indore Market – Under Pressure From BJP MLA’s Son
Tabassum Barnagarwala
Sep 27, 2025
Arbaaz Shaikh began his career 12 years ago as a sales boy at a cloth store in Sitlamata market, a popular cloth hub in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore.
He worked 10 hours every day, showing saris and lehengas to customers bustling through the narrow lane where the market is located.
In 2024, Shaikh invested all his savings to rent a tiny store in the same market and start his own business. With five workers on his payroll, he earned about Rs 50,000 every month selling fabric.
But on September 22, Shaikh was forced to vacate the shop, move his entire stock to his home and fire all his employees.
“In the last four days I have had zero business,” Shaikh said. “And my workers are unemployed.”
He is not the only one. This week, about 40 to 50 Muslim tenants in the market have had to leave their shops and 100 Muslim workers have been removed from their jobs after the son of the local Bharatiya Janata Party MLA forced a ban on them.
Scroll spoke to several businessmen who operate out of the market. They said that about a month ago, Aklavya Singh Gaur, the son of BJP MLA Malini Gaur, held a series of meetings with them and asked them to evict their Muslim tenants and sack Muslim employees by September 25.
Malini Gaur represents the Indore-4 assembly constituency in which Sitlamata market is located. Aklavya Gaur leads an outfit called Hind Rakshak, which claims to protect “Hindu culture”.
Sitlamata Cloth Market Association backed Gaur’s diktat, which was verbally communicated to all the merchants in the market, the shop owners said.
On September 24, in a rare show of unity, Hindu and Muslim shop owners and workers came together in the city's main square, Rajwada, to protest against the forced eviction. They held black posters with phrases promoting Hindu and Muslim unity written on it.
In a video that went viral on social media, Balwant Singh Rathore, a shopkeeper, said he ran his shop named “Sada Suhagan” along with his Muslim partner, Mohamed Harun . Protesting against the eviction, he said: “Hindu-and Muslim brotherhood should continue. We should not be separated.”
Rathore added: “We are fighting to fill our stomachs. We may be forced to go to court if required.”
Harun told Scroll that he and Rathore met 10 years ago in Indore and have two shops in the market: one 20 years old and the other is a year old.
“We have vacated one shop,” said Harun. “The owner of the second shop has not asked us to leave yet. We eat both our meals together. Now politics is trying to divide us.”
On September 25, under pressure to comply with the diktat, several Hindu shop owners dismissed their employees.
District Congress committee president Vipin Wankhede said his party members were holding a series of meetings with the police commissioner to prevent the “illegal evictions”.
“This is Hindutva politics,” Wankhede said. “And it is impacting both communities.”
Aklavya Gaur and Sitlamata Cloth Market Association head Hema Panjwani did not respond to calls and messages. MLA Malini Gaur could not be reached for comment.
Indore Deputy Commissioner of Police Anand Kaladgi told Newslaundry on September 24 that no case was registered since there was “no official video” of Gaur issuing the ultimatum. “He has not made any statement openly, and there is no video evidence except what is in the media,” Kaladgi told Newslaundry. “We are working on this issue and trying to resolve it.”
Javed Akhtar, the Madhya Pradesh secretary of the Association for Protection of Civil Rights, said this was not an isolated incident where a minority community had been targeted in the state. “Similar instances where Muslims are boycotted have been ongoing across the state,” Shaikh said.
Employed for years, dismissed for no reason
Located in a lane close to the Holkar palace, Sitlamata market is one of the oldest markets in Indore. Some of its 500 establishments are nearly a century old. According to the Congress leader Wankhede, around 150 of them are run by Muslim tenants. Even those owned and run by Hindus employ Muslims in large numbers.
For 20 years, Mohammed Shakir Hussain, aged 35, has been working in a store named Bahubali that sells readymade suits, saris and lehengas.
On Friday, his employer asked him to collect the month’s salary and leave. “I have never witnessed such hostility in my entire career as a salesman,” Hussain told Scroll.
He said that his employer Chintu Jain was like family to him, but he was forced to act under pressure. “He faces the risk of social boycott if he does not remove us from our jobs,” Hussain said.
Jain told Scroll that he is “helpless”. “I have attended several meetings of the shopkeepers to negotiate a solution,” he said. “We have another meeting today. But we are clueless. We don’t know what to do and how to resolve this situation.”
He added: “I have three Muslim workers who have been with this shop for several years. It is painful to see what is happening.”
A Muslim employee who works at a readymade salwar-suit store said on the condition of anonymity that many shop owners were trying to diffuse the situation by temporarily letting go of their employees.
“I have worked in the same store for 18 years,” the worker said. “I am close to my employer. He asked me to stay at home for a few days until the situation becomes better.”
The 35-year-old worker earns Rs 20,000 a month and has no other employment opportunities outside the market. “All my life I have sold salwar suits,” he said.
‘Love jihad’ rumours
Moin Tawar’s bungalow in Sitlamata market is nearly a century old, he said. On the ground floor, Tawar has 12 shops that he has rented out to Hindus and Muslims. “We never differentiated between two communities in business,” said Tawar, who is Muslim.
His own store named “Tawar Sari” has been managed by a Hindu on rent since 2020. “I have not been asked to vacate since I own this plot,” Tanwar said. “But there are very few Muslim landowners like me. Most operate their business on rent. They are losing their livelihood.”
Tawar said the market has never witnessed any communal tensions. “But many are citing ‘love jihad’ as a reason to evict Muslims,” he added.
“Love jihad” is a term coined by Hindutva groups to allege a conspiracy by Muslim men to lure Hindu women into interfaith relationships with the aim of converting them to Islam.
At least three shopkeepers told Scroll that preventing “love jihad” was the main objective behind the diktat.
Hansraj Jain, who owns ‘Soni Sarees’, said the move to evict Muslims from the market is “actually a fight against jihad”.
“Young Muslim boys operate multiple fake accounts on Instagram,” Jain said. “They lure our girls. It is important to stop all kinds of funding to them, including their source of earning.”
Leeladhar Namdev, who runs Bhavya Tailoring Shop, said there have been rumours in the market about Muslim salesmen “misbehaving” with female customers. “That is why this issue has become big,” Namdev said. “Muslim boys are bringing disrespect to our market.”
A jewellery store owner who requested anonymity said a common aim among the business community is to keep Muslims away. “I heard of a case where a Muslim salesman took the phone number of a customer and started harassing her,” he claimed. “They are engaging in organised crime. Why should we take on risk and give them jobs in our store?”
Nizam Sabri, a 35-year-old salesman who has worked in a store in the market for two decades, said if a salesman misbehaves, he should be punished and fired. “But the entire community should not be made a scapegoat,” he said.
Sabri quickly added that stories of misconduct were “mere rumours”. He said: “It is an excuse to act against us.”
Advocate Zaid Pathan, a member of the Association for Protection of Civil Rights, said that although the decision to evict Muslims was sudden, Gaur was known for Hindutva politics. “He has attempted to strike communal discord in the past too,” Pathan alleged. “He has proposed to demolish mosques and protested against azaan.”
Arbaaz Shaikh, who is now out of business, said he planned to rent a shop in a Muslim-dominated neighborhood of the city. “But my sales will fall,” he said. “Most customers in the city come to Sitlamata market to buy fabric.”
Source: scroll.in
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https://scroll.in/article/1087044/muslims-forced-out-of-business-in-indore-market-under-pressure-from-bjp-mlas-son
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After Operation Sindoor, LeT moves deep into Pakistan
Sep 27, 2025
NEW DELHI: After Jaish-e-Muhammed and Hizbul Mujahideen, UN-designated terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba has shifted a large chunk of its operational and training infrastructure deeper into Pakistan's Khyber Pakht-unkhwa, moving away from PoK and Punjab, in hopes of avoiding Indian strikes.
Satelite imagery, besides photos and videos, confirms that LeT is constructing a new facility, Markaz Jihad-e-Aqsa, in Lower Dir district, just 47km from the Afghan border. Construction began in July 2025, two months after Operation Sindoor. "It will serve as the replacement hub for LeT's Jaan-e-Fidai Fidayeen unit following the destruction of the Markaz Ahle Hadith facility at Bhimber-Barnala by the Indian Army on May 7," Indian intelligence establishment has noted.
Imagery shows the facility occupies over 4,600 square feet of land adjacent to the LeT's recently built Jamia Ahle Sunnah mosque. "The facility will be headed by Nasr Javed, one of the masterminds of the 2006 Hyderabad blast in India," an intelligence dossier states.
Muhammad Yasin aka Bilal Bhai has been assigned the task of doctrinal instruction in jihad, while operational weapon training responsibilities have been assigned to Anasullah Khan, it noted. Sources said LeT was also planning to expand its existing camps at Markaz-e-Khyber, Garhi Habibullah and Batrasi.
The distance between the new under-construction camps of LeT and Hizb and JeM is just around 4 km.
Source: indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/after-operation-sindoor-let-moves-deep-into-pakistan/articleshow/124169948.cms
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Pakistan link being probed': Ladakh DGP explains why Sonam Wangchuk was arrested; details how Leh protests unfolded
Sep 27, 2025
NEW DELHI: Ladakh DGP Dr SD Singh Jamwal on Saturday briefed about the September 24 violence, which saw violent protests, with 17 CRPF personnel injured and over 70 civilians hurt in stone-pelting and clashes between protesters and authorities.
'5000-6000 strong group marched and damaged government buildings'
Speaking about the unrest, he described how “a 5000-6000 strong group marched and damaged government buildings and party offices."
The DGP said that on Wednesday, a crowd gathered in Leh despite talks already scheduled with the Centre in Delhi for the following days. He claimed “CRPF jawans were brutally beaten up, one jawan is still in hospital with a serious spinal injury… 4 women Police personnel were in the same building when it was set on fire… firing was done in self-defence and 4 lives were lost.” He added that 70–80 security personnel and a similar number of civilians were injured, including a girl who had to be airlifted to Delhi.
Furthermore, Jamwal said a Pakistan PIO was arrested who was associated with Sonam Wangchuk.
'Arrested Pak PIO in touch with Sonam Wangchuk'
The DGP said: "We also arrested a Pakistan PIO in the recent past who was in touch with him (Sonam Wangchuk) and reporting back across. We have a record of this. He had attended a Dawn event in Pakistan. He also visited Bangladesh. So, there is a big question mark on him...Investigation is being done."
The violence was followed by the arrest of Sonam Wangchuk under the National Security Act, with authorities accusing him of inciting unrest through provocative speeches.
Group credibility attempted to hijack this platform
During the briefing, the DGP said that the government is already working with the Leh Apex Body and KDA, but environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk is demanding 6th Schedule status and statehood, creating obstacles and “sabotaging” the decision-making process.
Ladakh DGP Dr SD Singh Jamwal said: "Ever since Ladakh became a UT, there has been a political demand here for 6th Schedule and Statehood. Leh Apex Body and KDA have had lengthy discussions with the government...This is an ongoing process but attempts were also being made to sabotage and vitiate this process. A so-called environmental activist and other such groups with a question mark on their credibility attempted to hijack this platform. The first name here is Sonam Wangchuk. He had said and done things earlier as well to derail this process...The hunger protest was made a platform where elements were invited to vitiate peace & law and order here...Preliminary talks were already planned on 25-26 Sept in Delhi.
The DGP described how 32 people were severely injured on the first day, and he himself was attacked but survived with minor injuries.
"Surprisingly, on 24th Sept a large group gathered and it was joined by a large number of anti-social elements. A 5000-6000 strong group marched and damaged govt buildings and party offices here. They pelted stones and attacked forces...CRPF jawans were brutally beaten up, one jawan is still in hospital with a serious spinal injury...4 women Police personnel were in the same building when it was set on fire...An even bigger mob came here and attacked this building...Firing was done in self-defence and 4 lives were lost. 32 people were severely injured on the first day and after that several more were injured. I too was attacked but I luckily survived with minor injuries...Of the severely injured personnel, 17 were from CRPF and 15 from Ladakh Police...Later, the number rose to 70-80. 70-80 civilians were also injured. Of them, 7 were critically injured; one girl was airlifted to Delhi for advanced medical help. 6-7 are still in Ladakh hospital, " the DGP said.
Jamwal confirmed that the police has arrested 44 people. "We have arrested 44 people so far. The main ring leaders have been nabbed. Sonam Wangchuk, the main player, has been sent out under NSA charges," the DGP said.
Source: indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/pakistan-link-being-probed-ladakh-dgp-explains-why-sonam-wangchuk-was-arrested-details-how-leh-protests-unfolded/articleshow/124179146.cms
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'Action against terror networks in Kashmir': NIA attaches properties of Hizbul Mujahideen operative; private residence and orchard seized
Sep 27, 2025
NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday attached immovable properties of Tariq Ahmad Mir, a Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) operative involved in supplying arms and ammunition to active members of the banned outfit in Kashmir.
Mir, an associate of Pakistan-based HM member Syed Naveed Mushtaq, was arrested in April in connection with a terror-related case and was chargesheeted before the NIA court in October 2024, reported PTI.
According to the NIA, the attached properties included a concrete, single-storey residential building on 780 square feet of land and a piece of land measuring eight marlas in Maldera village, Shopian district, in the form of an orchard.
The move comes on the orders of the NIA special court in Jammu and is part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to disrupt terror networks in the region.
"Today's property attachment was part of NIA's ongoing action against terror networks operating in Kashmir with the aim of disrupting India's peace, stability and harmony," the statement said.
Source: indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/action-against-terror-networks-in-kashmir-nia-attaches-properties-of-hizbul-mujahideen-operative-private-residence-and-orchard-seized/articleshow/124176166.cms
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BSF warns of terrorists waiting at LoC launch pads to infiltrate Kashmir
27 Sep 2025
SRINAGAR: A senior BSF officer here on Saturday said that terrorists were waiting at the launch pads across the Line of Control to infiltrate into the Kashmir valley, but the security forces were alert and prepared to foil any such attempts.
Speaking to reporters here, Inspector General (IG), BSF Kashmir Frontier, Ashok Yadav said increased attempts to infiltrate terrorists into the valley always remain before the onset of winter.
"There are always attempts to infiltrate before snowfall. There are still about two months, and chances of infiltration are there till November because they know they will have lesser chances for the next six months. So, they always attempt to infiltrate, but because of the alertness of the forces, it is very difficult to infiltrate," Yadav said.
He said terrorists were waiting at the launch pads across the Line of Control (LoC) for an opportunity to infiltrate into the valley.
"There is a presence of terrorists on the launch pads across the LoC opposite our AOR (area of responsibility) in the Bandipora and Kupwara sectors. They are waiting for an opportunity to infiltrate, but the security is very tight. Sometimes they wait for inclement weather to make a move. So, the attempts are always there, but we are prepared and alert for any eventuality," he added.
Yadav said the Army and the BSF were alert and dominating the LoC very well with the help of the hi-tech surveillance equipment.
"Along with the army, we are dominating the LC very well. The security forces foiled two infiltration attempts so far this year. It is very difficult to infiltrate our AOR because of the alertness with which we perform our duties and the new methodology and new surveillance equipment that we have," the IG BSF added.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Sep/27/bsf-warns-of-terrorists-waiting-at-loc-launch-pads-to-infiltrate-kashmir
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North America
CAIR Calls on Trump Admin, Congress to Block West Bank Annexation as Israel Plans ‘Maximum Land, Minimum Population’
September 26, 2025
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on the White House and Congress to take immediate steps to block Israel’s illegal annexation of the occupied West Bank, warning that empty pledges from President Trump will not halt Israel’s “maximum land, minimum population” drive to seize Palestinian land and erase its Arab Muslim and Christian population.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes, has shown open disregard for President Trump’s recent pledge to block annexation. While Trump insists he “will not allow” Israel to annex the West Bank, Netanyahu is proceeding as if Washington’s words carry no weight. The disconnect between American assurances and Israeli actions risks making a fool of the United States in the eyes of the world.
In a statement, CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert S. McCaw said:
“The U.S. needs a backbone and so does President Trump’s promise to stop Israel’s genocidal annexation of the West Bank. Annexation is not a threat on the horizon; it is already happening in open defiance of Trump’s pledge to the American people and to Arab allies. Netanyahu and his government are treating U.S. leadership with absolute contempt while demanding some six billion dollars in new American weapons. Empty words only project weakness. If President Trump truly wants to show strength, he must cut off arms sales to Israel, hold Netanyahu accountable, and take concrete action to end annexation, displacement, and ethnic cleansing once and for all.”
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich unveiled a “maximum land, minimum population” plan to annex more than 80 percent of the West Bank, reducing Palestinian life to a handful of disconnected urban ghettos while openly calling for the ethnic cleansing of millions.
On the ground in the West Bank, Israeli settlers and soldiers have already accelerated daily raids, killing over 1,000 Palestinians in the past two years, and land seizures, proving that annexation is not a future threat – it has already begun. Just this week, Israeli forces shot and killed 19-year-old Ahmed Jihad Barahmeh during a raid near Jenin, the second Palestinian killed in the West Bank in two days, underscoring the lethal reality of Israel’s de facto annexation campaign.
At the same time, President Trump is urging Congress to approve a nearly $6 billion arms deal to resupply Israel, even as its government openly undermines American credibility. Providing more bombs and weapons without conditions while Israel flouts U.S. policy signals weakness, not strength.
CAIR is urging members of Congress to:
Reject Trump’s proposed $6 billion arms package until Israel halts all annexation activity and settlement expansion.
Publicly condemn Israel’s “maximum land, minimum population” annexation plan as a violation of international law and an assault on Palestinian Christians and Muslims.
Introduce binding legislation to recognize the state of Palestine, block U.S. complicity in annexation, and to condition all military aid to Israel on respect for human rights.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
Do you like reading CAIR press releases and taking part in our action alerts? You can help contribute to CAIR’s work of defending civil rights and empowering American Muslims across the country by making a one-time contribution or becoming a monthly donor. Supporters like you make CAIR’s advocacy work possible and defeating Islamophobia an achievable goal. Click here to donate to CAIR.
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Source: cair.com
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-calls-on-trump-admin-congress-to-block-west-bank-annexation-as-israel-plans-maximum-land-minimum-population/
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US revokes Colombian president’s visa for urging American soldiers to ‘disobey Trump’
27 Sep, 2025
The United States will revoke the visa of Colombian President Gustavo Petro following what officials described as “reckless and incendiary actions” during a street protest in New York City, according to the US State Department.
The Colombian head of state was seen using a megaphone to address a crowd of pro-Palestinian protesters on Friday afternoon. Earlier in the week, he had given a fiery address at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, where he openly criticized American foreign policy and called for legal action against US President Donald Trump.
“We will revoke Petro’s visa due to his reckless and incendiary actions,” the State Department posted on X Friday evening, adding that the Colombian president “stood on a NYC street and urged US soldiers to disobey orders and incite violence.”
Protests gripped New York during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s appearance at the United Nations on Friday. Thousands of demonstrators marched through Midtown Manhattan, many of them calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and denouncing Netanyahu as a “war criminal.”
“Disobey Trump’s orders — obey humanity’s orders,” Petro told the crowd via a translator. “I knelt down as a Christian before the graves of thousands of American soldiers who died in the fields of Europe fighting against Hitler. The grandparents of today’s mariners and soldiers. The United States Army must set an example. They are in a great alliance with peoples from all over the world.”
During his UN address on Tuesday, Petro issued a scathing critique of Western powers, accused the US of perpetuating global inequality, and described the war in Gaza as “genocide.”
“Trump… allows missiles to be launched against young children, women, and the elderly in Gaza, making himself complicit in genocide,” Petro said in his UN remarks.
The US State Department has not clarified whether Petro will be expelled immediately or how the decision might affect future diplomatic engagements. The Colombian government has not yet issued an official response.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/625354-us-revokes-colombia-petro-visa/
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Elon Musk and Prince Andrew named in new Epstein files
27 Sep, 2025
Jaroslav Lukiv
Billionaire Elon Musk and Prince Andrew are named in new files released by Congressional Democrats that relate to the late convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The files turned over to the House Oversight Committee by the Jeffrey Epstein Estate appear to show that Musk had been invited to Epstein's island in December 2014.
Separately a manifest for a flight from New Jersey to Florida in May 2000 names Prince Andrew among the passengers.
Musk and Prince Andrew have been approached for comment.
Prince Andrew has previously strenuously denied any wrongdoing. Musk has previously been quoted as saying that Epstein had invited him to the island but he had declined.
The partial records are from the third batch of documents produced by the Jeffrey Epstein Estate. Democrats on the House Oversight Committee say they include phone message logs, copies of flight logs and manifests for aircrafts, copies of financial ledgers and Epstein's daily schedule.
In addition to Musk and Prince Andrew, the files released publicly also contain the names of other prominent figures including internet entrepreneur Peter Thiel and Steve Bannon, a former advisor to Donald Trump
One line in the records dated 6 December 2014 reads: "Reminder: Elon Musk to island Dec. 6 (is this still happening?)"
A flight manifest records that Prince Andrew was on a flight with Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell from Teterboro, New Jersey, to West Palm Beach, Florida, on 12 May 2000. Maxwell was convicted in 2021 of conspiring with Epstein to traffic girls for sex.
One heavily redacted ledger records two references of payments for massages for an 'Andrew' in February and May 2000. While Palace records, photographs and press reports from the time indicate Prince Andrew had travelled to the US around the time of the dates recorded in the newly released document, it is not clear who the 'Andrew' referred to in the ledger is.
On 11 May 2000, Buckingham Palace said on its website that Prince Andrew had flown to New York to attend a reception in New York for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. Andrew returned to the UK on 15 May, a later entry said.
In the files, there is also an entry referring to a planned lunch with Peter Thiel in November 2017.
There is also an entry referring to a planned breakfast with Steve Bannon 17 February 2019.
The files also mention tentative plans for a breakfast party with Microsoft founder Bill Gates in December 2014. In 2022 Gates told the BBC that meeting Jeffrey Epstein had been a "mistake".
It is not suggested that those mentioned in the files were aware of the alleged criminal activity for which Epstein was later arrested.
Epstein died by suicide in a New York jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
In 2008, he reached a plea deal with prosecutors after the parents of a 14-year-old girl told police in Florida that Epstein had molested their daughter at his Palm Beach home.
He was arrested again in July 2019 on sex trafficking charges.
Sara Guerrero, a spokesperson for the Democrats on the committee, urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to release more files related to Epstein.
"It should be clear to every American that Jeffrey Epstein was friends with some of the most powerful and wealthiest men in the world. Every new document produced provides new information as we work to bring justice for the survivors and victims," she said.
Republicans on the committee accused the Democrats of "putting politics over victims" and said they would release the full set of documents soon.
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyl8j1we0lo
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Europe
‘Horrific Hate Crime’: UK Muslim Family ‘Deeply Traumatised’ After Pig’s Head Left On Doorstep
September 26, 2025
A Muslim family were appalled to find a pig’s head on their doorstep, in what they describe as a ‘horrific hate crime’.
The Rizvi family discovered the severed head outside the front of their home in Loughton Essex on the morning of September 14.
They believe the act is the latest example of Islamophobia amid recent nationwide far-right protests and incitement.
One family member told Muslim news site 5Pillars: ‘This was a horrific hate crime deliberately targeting us as the only Muslim family on our street. Discovering a pig’s head and blood smeared on our doorstep was deeply traumatising for my family.’
The woman added: ‘Far-right bigots are trying to intimidate us, and we urgently need decisive action from the authorities.
‘Minority communities like ours have long contributed to this country, and it is the government’s duty to ensure we are protected and able to live in safety and dignity.’
The incident comes after protests in nearby Epping over migrants being housed in a local hotel, as well as other anti-immigration marches and unrest across the country.
The Rivzi family-of-three said they had returned to their home at around 10pm the night before.
The next morning, between 9am and 9.15am, they heard children sounding alarmed outside the house.
When the family opened the door to investigate they saw the pig’s head on the ground.
The Rizvis immediately called the police who arrived around 30 minutes later.
They removed the head and took a statement, the family member said.
She added that the attending officer confirmed it was being treated as a hate crime. They also told them that while recent events in Epping have created tensions in the area, this was the first time something of that nature had happened there.
An Essex Police spokesperson told Metro: ‘We’re investigating an incident in Loughton, which is being treated as a hate crime.
‘Shortly after 9.30am on 14 September, we were alerted to a pig’s head being left outside a property.
‘Officers arrived and local enquiries were carried out, including a review of available CCTV and house-to-house checks, which could help identify suspects
‘Items have also been sent for forensic analysis and we’re awaiting those results.’
The spokesperson said they had met with the victim and remain in ‘consistent contact with them’.
‘We do not underestimate the impact this incident has had and we are determined to do all we can to identify and pursue those responsible,’ they added.
‘We would urge anyone with information on the incident to please report it.’
Contact Essex Police via their website, by using the online Live Chat service which is available 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week or by calling 101.
The Met Police, meanwhile, are hunting for 18 more people following public disorder at Tommy Robinson’s ‘Unite the Kingdom’ march in London on September 13.
It had previously released photos of 11 suspects after officers were punched, kicked and pelted with bottles at the demonstration.
Twenty four people were arrested during the rally, which saw between 110,000 and 150,000 demonstrators descend on Whitehall despite bold claims from Robinson that he attracted three million ‘patriots’.
Source: metro.co.uk
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https://metro.co.uk/2025/09/26/muslim-family-deeply-traumatised-pigs-head-left-doorstep-24271121/
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Ingush imam receives suspended sentence for possession of weapons
by Elizaveta Chukharova
26 September 2025
The Magas District Court of Ingushetia has found the imam of the central mosque in Malgobek, Ingusehtia guilty of unlawful possession of weapons, sentencing him to two years of suspended imprisonment.
Nazir Dzeitov, 31, was sentenced on 19 September.
According to the investigation, at the end of July, a Makarov pistol and seven cartridges were discovered in Dzeitov’s flat. His arrest followed complaints from ‘vigilant residents’ who alleged that they had seen him with objects resembling firearms and that he had threatened others with them during conflicts.
Dzeitov himself stated that while in custody he was subjected to torture in order to ‘extract the necessary confessions’. In one of the videos published after his arrest, he says that he maintained contact with Ansar Garkho, the head of the Committee of Ingush Independence, an organisation banned in Russia.
The Committee of Ingush Independence was established in January 2023, and was included in the foreign agents registry a year later. It was later also included in the list of ‘undesirable organisations’ and in the register of terrorists and extremists in Russia.
According to available information, Dzeitov and Garkho have been acquainted since 2019: they allegedly met in Saudi Arabia, exchanged contacts and maintained correspondence, and Garkho is said to have asked him to ‘provide information’. After the arrest, Garkho himself claimed that he received a call from the imam’s number, stating that ‘people from the jamaat had been detained’ and informing him that Dzeitov was being tortured.
Case records from the trial in Magas on 19 September contained only a note about the hearing, without details of the verdict.
In April 2025, two other Ingush imams were detained — Mukhammad Tamaskhanov from Nazran and Magomed Sultygov from Karabulak. They were charged with failing to report a crime, allegedly for links with groups involved in attacks on security forces. The investigation believes that the imams may have provided ‘financial assistance under the guise of charity’ to the group of Amirkhan Gurazhev.
Gurazhev, a native of Malgobek, was, according to Russian security forces, considered the leader of an armed group involved in attacks on police officers and other crimes classified as terrorist. He was repeatedly placed on a wanted list, with a large reward offered for information about his whereabouts. In March 2024, he was killed along with several alleged accomplices during a counterterrorist operation in Karabulak.
Following their arrest, peaceful gatherings took place in the republic demanding their release, but no official response has been issued to the protests. Religious and public figures in Ingushetia stated that unlawful methods of interrogation had been used against Tamaskhanov. Sources from Fortanga, a regional independent media outlet close to religious circles, linked the prosecution of the imams to pressure on followers of Salafi Islam.
According to unconfirmed information, Dzeitov ‘was on friendly terms’ with the Imams Tamaskhanov and Sultygov.
The two imams were later released and have since resumed preaching.
Dzeitov is a graduate of the Islamic University of Medina in Saudi Arabia. Before his arrest, he was active on social media, with more than 18,000 followers on Instagram, where he published recordings of his sermons. He uses the nickname Abu Taymiya — after a 13th–14th century Islamic theologian. According to human rights defenders, Dzeitov is a follower of Salafism, which often draws the attention of the security services.
Source: media.org
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https://oc-media.org/ingush-imam-receives-suspended-sentence-for-possession-of-weapons/
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Tony Blair in discussions to run transitional Gaza authority
27 September 2025
James Landale
Former UK Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair has been involved in discussions about leading a post-war transitional authority in Gaza, the BBC understands.
The proposal, which is said to have backing from the White House, would see Blair lead a governing authority supported by the UN and Gulf nations - before handing control back to Palestinians.
His office said he would not support any proposal that displaced the people of Gaza.
Sir Tony, who took the UK into the Iraq War in 2003, has been part of high-level planning talks with the US and other parties about the future of Gaza.
In August, he joined a White House meeting with Trump to discuss plans for the territory, which US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff described as "very comprehensive" - though little else was disclosed about the meeting.
The plans could see Blair head a body named the Gaza International Transitional Authority (Gita), according to reports in the Economist and Israeli media. It would seek a UN mandate to be Gaza's "supreme political and legal authority" for five years.
The plan would be modelled on the international administrations that oversaw East Timor and Kosovo's transitions to statehood. It would initially be based in Egypt, near Gaza's southern border, before entering Gaza once the Strip is stable, alongside a multinational force.
As PM, Blair took the decision to commit British forces to the 2003 Iraq War that was heavily criticised in the official inquiry into the conflict, which found he had acted on flawed intelligence without certainty about the production of weapons of mass destruction there.
After leaving office in 2007, Blair served as Middle East envoy for the Quartet of international powers (the US, EU, Russia and the UN). He focused on bringing economic development to Palestine and creating the conditions for a two state-solution.
Reports of discussions about his involvement in a transitional authority for Gaza come after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Thursday that he was ready to work with Trump and other world leaders to implement a two-state peace plan.
Abbas stressed his rejection of a future governing role for Hamas in Gaza and demanded it disarm.
Throughout the conflict, varying proposals for the future of Gaza have been tabled by multiple parties.
In February, Donald Trump floated plans - which since appear to have been dropped - for the US to take "a long-term ownership position" over Gaza, saying it could be the "Riviera of the Middle East".
The idea would have involved the forced displacement of Palestinians in the territory and be in violation of international law. The US and Israel said it would involve "voluntary" emigration.
In March, the US and Israel rejected an Arab plan for the post-war reconstruction of the Gaza Strip that would allow the 2.1 million Palestinians living there to stay in place. The Palestinian Authority and Hamas welcomed the Arab plan, which called for Gaza to be governed temporarily by a committee of independent experts and for international peacekeepers to be deployed there.
In July, a French and Saudi-led international conference in New York proposed a "transitional administrative committee" for Gaza which would operate "under the umbrella of the Palestinian Authority". Neither the US nor Israel attended. The so-called New York Declaration was backed by a majority of the UN General Assembly in a resolution earlier this month.
Earlier this week, the UK formally recognised the State of Palestine, alongside France, Canada, Australia, and several other countries.
In his speech, Abbas thanked them for taking the step, including, he said, Denmark, though that country has not yet recognised Palestine. It says it will only do so if certain conditions are met.
The UK and others reiterated calls for a two-state solution, which would see the creation of an independent Palestine in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital, alongside Israel.
Israel and the US criticised the move as a "reward for Hamas".
The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
At least 65,502 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry. A UN commission of inquiry has said Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, which Israel denies.
Source: bbc.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3drmk95xlzo
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Nuclear watchdog chief vying for UN leadership role
26 Sep, 2025
The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi has said he would like to become the next UN Secretary-General to restore the organization’s credibility and effectiveness.
In an exclusive interview with RT on Friday, Grossi, who is in Moscow for the Global Atomic Forum, stated that the many military conflicts currently raging across the globe seem to have one thing in common – the “UN is absent” from them as far as meaningful peace efforts are concerned.
”I think that we have to restore the ability of the United Nations to be part of the solution” to military conflagrations, the IAEA chief argued. He suggested that his commitment to maintaining dialogue with all parties in any given conflict, as opposed to self-righteous finger-pointing, could help achieve this goal.
Grossi noted that he has “been in constant dialogue with [Russian] President Vladimir Putin” since 2022, “when many people in the West” dismissed the very idea of having a conversation with him due to the Ukraine conflict.
When asked about Ukrainian attacks on the Zaporozhye Nuclear Power Plant, which has been under Russian control since 2022, Grossi said that “tension there is palpable.” The official, who has visited the facility several times himself, noted that “for more than three years, [the IAEA has] had experts that are living there, at the plant.”
Given the fact that the power plant contains “six big nuclear reactors that are situated almost at the contact line, front line,” the watchdog is “trying to manage the situation so we can avoid a nuclear accident before a ceasefire [or] a peace agreement” is agreed upon, he clarified.
Grossi also dismissed Iranian allegations that the IAEA had effectively sided with the US and Israel as they conducted massive airstrikes on Tehran’s nuclear facilities earlier this year. He insisted that the organization has sought to maintain “dialogue among [the] belligerents.”
The official emphasized that “we don’t want to see attacks on nuclear facilities of any kind. There is no ambiguity.”
Grossi also warned against sidelining international bodies such as the IAEA as this risks undermining their mandate to “work with everybody.”
Source: rt.com
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Arab World
How Saudi Arabia’s esports push is turning play into a profession for budding gamers
KHALED AL KHAWALDEH
September 27, 2025
RIYADH: For years, gaming in Saudi Arabia lived in the informal spaces of cafes, bedrooms and late-night Local Area Networks. Today, it resides on national stages.
With the Esports World Cup now anchored in Riyadh and a government strategy targeting tens of thousands of jobs, this is no longer just play — it is a career, forever changing what it means to be a gamer.
Few people have a better vantage point on this transformation than Faisal bin Homran, chief product officer at the Esports World Cup Foundation.
In an interview with Arab News, he traced a social shift that mirrors the sector’s rapid professionalization. He believes that for the average Saudi Arabia gamer, the idea of working in esports is no longer a niche ambition.
“The perception of gaming has transformed dramatically over the last two decades. What was once seen purely as entertainment is now recognized globally as a viable profession,” he said.
“Early professional players often faced skepticism from parents, schools and the wider community who questioned whether gaming could provide stability or career longevity. But the industry has proven itself.”
That proof, he argues, is economic as much as cultural, with the industry sprouting jobs across the board, beyond just players.
“Today, gaming is a multimillion-dollar global industry that generates more revenue than music and Hollywood combined, with audiences that rival the biggest sporting events,” bin Homran said.
“Professional players train with the same dedication as traditional athletes, and careers now extend far beyond competition into coaching, event production, game design, content creation and broadcasting.”
Riyadh’s 2025 edition of the EWC drew headlines for its record-setting scale and payouts. But bin Homran is quick to stress that salaries and stability cannot be measured by prize money alone.
He says year-round stability increasingly comes from a combination of team contracts, sponsorships, content creation and programs that reinforce the ecosystem’s foundations.
“Prize pools are the headlines that capture attention, but the story of stability in esports is much broader,” he said.
“The $70 million plus offered at EWC 2025 shows the scale of opportunity at the very top level, but it is not the only way players and staff secure consistent income.”
He highlighted the EWCF Club Partner Program, which channels growth funding directly to organizations and their payrolls as a strong example of financial sustainability in the industry.
The EWCF has provided structured funding to help clubs grow their brands and expand their fanbase. In 2025, the initiative has grown to $20 million, offering up to $1 million in support to each of the 40 participating clubs from around the globe.
The intended outcome is real jobs that last beyond a tournament weekend.
“Through this model, esports can now be pursued as a full-time profession,” said bin Homran. “Players are supported by clubs that are more financially resilient, and staff are employed in long-term roles that go beyond the seasonal highs and lows of competition.”
Saudi Arabia’s National Gaming and Esports Strategy is explicit about its labor ambitions, with an eye on building a domestic workforce for a rapidly internationalizing industry.
Launched in 2022 under the Saudi Vision 2030 reform agenda, it aims to position the Kingdom as a global gaming hub by 2030 through a “whole-of-ecosystem” plan spanning talent, studios, events, and infrastructure.
The strategy targets 39,000 jobs by 2030, something that bin Homran believes feels much more achievable when one factors in the array of jobs available in esports.
“This is how the 39,000-job target becomes real,” he said. “By ensuring that esports careers extend beyond playing and into the broader ecosystem that supports the industry. EWCF’s role is to make Saudi Arabia the hub where both players and professionals can grow and thrive.”
For some teenagers and their parents, the question may have already matured to be more practical: what does a pathway look like today? The map now exists, says bin Homran, from school leagues to academy contracts and university programs.
“For a young person in Saudi Arabia today, the journey into esports is far clearer than it used to be,” he said.
“The first step is grassroots competition — joining school leagues, community tournaments, or online ladders supported by the Saudi Esports Federation. From there, players can progress into amateur and academy-level teams, where they gain structured training and exposure to scouts.”
And just as football academies feed pro squads, he sees clubs investing earlier in talent development.
“Increasingly, we see teams investing in youth development, much like traditional sports academies,” said bin Homran. “For those serious about pursuing esports, international competitions hosted here give them direct access to the world stage without leaving home.”
Crucially, he says the pathways are not just for star players.
“If a teenager is passionate about gaming but not necessarily as a competitor, there are now opportunities to explore careers in game design, broadcasting, coaching, event management and content creation,” he said.
“Universities and training centers are also beginning to introduce esports-related programs to prepare the next generation.
The message is simple: whatever your talent — whether on the stage competing or behind the camera producing — you can find a future in esports today.
“The infrastructure is being built, the ecosystem is growing, and the opportunities are real.”
The career ladder is being built by an increasing number of festivals and major competitions around the Kingdom, which are raking in viewership numbers in line with traditional professional sports.
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, a game increasingly popular in the region, saw a 63 percent increase in live viewership compared to last year, while Honor of Kings surged by 182 percent at the most recent EWC.
Meanwhile, EWC broadcasts reached 750 million viewers worldwide, while arenas in Riyadh were sold out and packed with hundreds of thousands of fans.
Numbers of that magnitude capture attention but also raise expectations, said bin Homran. The challenge now for the industry is converting festival momentum into everyday employment and enterprise creation.
This includes luring producers to stay in Riyadh after the confetti settles, attracting coaches who sign long-term contracts, and onboarding analysts who build careers within clubs, and creators who parlay impressions into salaries.
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi Fashion and Textile Expo shines spotlight on sustainability, innovation
AFSHAN AZIZ
September 26, 2025
JEDDAH: The third Saudi Fashion and Textile Expo, held at the Jeddah International Exhibition and Events Center, marks a new era for sustainable fashion and textile innovation in the region.
The event, which ends on Sunday, brings together designers, innovators and industry leaders from across the globe, highlighting the Kingdom’s growing role as a hub for fashion and trade.
Filiz Karakul, managing director of international at Pyramids Group and one of the organizers, told Arab News that this was the first time the event had been held in Jeddah.
“Previously it was held in Riyadh but now our focus is on Jeddah because the market here has huge potential. Companies from Europe, Japan, Korea and other countries are showing strong interest in Saudi Arabia. They are bringing innovative fabrics, yarns and sustainable fashion products,” she said.
“Sustainability is our key focus and it is becoming increasingly important as climate change affects all industries. Every step we take impacts the ecosystem, which is why we have emphasized sustainability in the designer area.”
Next year’s show would be even bigger, with major pavilions from Germany, Italy and Spain, she said.
“With the support of the authorities and growing international interest, we are confident that this expo will become an even more influential platform, aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.”
The exhibitors are equally committed to the sustainability message.
Victoria Loze, sales manager at Sophie Hallette from France, said: “We have been producing sustainable articles since 1887. We make handcrafted lace using 19th-century machines, with five meters taking eight weeks from start to finish. Our customers include Chanel, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Elie Saab and high-profile individuals like Kate Middleton and Beyonce.
“People in Saudi Arabia have great taste. They know fabrics and appreciate high-quality, sustainable products. This is our first time participating and we are proud to be pioneers here.”
Ivan Mastro, co-founder of Casa Mastro Positano from Italy, said: “All (our) production is done by my family. We only use Italian linen, a natural plant-based fabric. For Saudi Arabia we have adapted lengths and styles. This is our first time here and we are excited by the positive response. People appreciate quality and sustainability, which is very important to us.”
Sourabh Jain, export marketing manager at Indian firm Siyaram Silk Mills, said his company was showcasing fabrics designed for hot climates.
“We manufacture menswear fabrics focusing on natural, sustainable materials. Bamboo fabric is a plant-based fiber that naturally cools the body. Linen is another natural fabric that offers comfort and breathability,” he said.
“The Saudi market is very promising and with Vision 2030 we see huge potential for innovative fabrics and new fashion trends.”
Issie Ninomiya of Uni Textile from Japan, said: “We have 3,000 items in stock, including polyester, cotton, nylon and rayon fabrics. Sustainability is growing and we are producing recycled polyester and organic fabrics. We aim to expand business in Saudi Arabia, which is an emerging market for high-quality, eco-friendly textiles.”
Saudi fashion designer Hana Alhaddad said: “I established my brand, Eeliiite, with a focus on sustainability and uniqueness. I create my designs by recycling waste materials into distinctive pieces. People really appreciate the designs for their originality; most don’t even realize they are made from recycled materials but they love the unique look.”
The expo is showcasing a diverse lineup of designers, from emerging Saudi talent to established names from Switzerland, Tunisia and Morocco.
The event opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by diplomats, cultural representatives and business leaders, including Consul General of Turkiye in Jeddah Mustafa Unal, General Consul of France Mohammed Nahhad and representatives from Jordan, Syria, India and Tunisia.
The event attracted more than 550 exhibitors from 25 countries and over 10,000 visitors, including designers, entrepreneurs and fashion enthusiasts.
Among the highlights is the Vision Fashion Show, featuring leading and emerging designers, seminars exploring sustainability, smart fabrics and digital innovation, and a B2B zone hosting more than 480 meetings to foster partnerships and trade opportunities.
“As a business owner, I see immense opportunity here,” said Mohammed Rayyan, who runs a textile business.
“The expo brings together designers, innovators and suppliers from around the world, giving me a chance to discover new fabrics, sustainable solutions and potential partnerships that I can incorporate into my business.
“It’s the perfect platform to connect with international expertise while keeping up with the latest trends in the market.”
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi foreign minister meets Luxembourg’s deputy PM
September 26, 2025
NEW YORK: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held talks on Thursday with Luxembourg’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel, culminating in the signing of a bilateral political consultation agreement.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session.
The agreement establishes a formal framework for political consultation between the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defense, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
Both ministers looked at opportunities to expand bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors while exchanging views on current international developments and diplomatic initiatives to address issues.
Saudi Arabia is focusing on boosting ties with European countries at all levels.
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi Arabia champions youth empowerment at UN
September 26, 2025
NEW YORK: Saudi Arabia’s Economy and Planning Minister Faisal bin Fadel Al-Ibrahim has told world leaders at the 80th UN General Assembly that young people are “key” to ensure the world’s long-term sustainable development.
Al-Ibrahim was speaking during the commemoration of the World Program of Action for Youth which was set up 30 years ago.
“In a world where many struggle to embrace long-term vision, youth remains the key factor,” Al-Ibrahim told the high-level gathering.
“They possess the future more than we ever will. The lessons from our experiences are clear: involve youth, invest in them, and depend on them today.”
Al-Ibrahim highlighted Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as a prime example of youth-driven leadership, crediting his transformative vision with channeling young people’s energy and ambitions into concrete national progress.
“It is not merely about population size, but about leadership,” Al-Ibrahim explained. He cited Saudi Vision 2030 as “the best model of long-term planning and sustainable implementation.”
The minister noted that while nearly half the world’s population is under 30, youth unemployment remains three times higher than adult joblessness. Millions of young people continue to fall outside formal education, training, and employment frameworks.
Al-Ibrahim warned that collective action would determine whether current demographic trends become “opportunities that bear fruit or burdens that weigh down the entire global system.”
Source: arabnews.com
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South Asia
BNP activist held in New York for 'assaulting' BCL leader outside UNHQ
Sep 27, 2025
Police in New York have arrested a BNP activist for allegedly assaulting a leader of banned Chhatra League in front of the United Nations headquarters in New York.
The arrestee, Riaz Rahman Hossain, is a member of US unit of BNP.
Hridoy Mia, a contender for the post of president of BCL's US unit, suffered physical injuries in the attack and was admitted to a Manhattan hospital, according a Prothom Alo report.
The incident occurred around 2:30pm (NY Time) yesterday, the report said, adding that New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers handcuffed Riaz and took him into custody.
Speaking from hospital, Hridoy told Prothom Alo that after their protest programme ended, he was walking home when a youth approached and started hurling abuse at him and at Awami League. "I told him I did not know him and asked why he was cursing me. Then, suddenly, he punched me on my head, neck and face. I fell to the ground, and nearby police caught both of us. Later, another officer said Riaz hit me first. Then police released me and took me to hospital."
US BNP Senior Vice-President and Central Executive member Gias Ahmed told Prothom Alo that Riaz was their activist. "I went to the police station and spoke. I hope he will be released soon," he said.
However, he claimed the clash was triggered by Hridoy's earlier verbal abuse of BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir at the airport. "Riaz beat him up in anger and broke two of his teeth. Chhatra League activists had come to disrupt our programme, which is why he was beaten," Gias added.
Source: thedailystar.net
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Afghanistan’s Education Model Threatens Country’s Future: Former Afghanistan Education Minister
By Fidel Rahmati
September 27, 2025
Former Afghanistan education minister Mirwais Balkhi warned the country’s current schooling system is ineffective and dangerous, saying it fosters extremism and threatens Afghanistan’s cultural, social, and intellectual future.
Afghanistan’s former education minister Mirwais Balkhi has warned that the country’s current education system is failing and could fuel extremism among its youth.
Speaking at a side event during the UN General Assembly on Friday, Balkhi said the present education structure is “dangerous” and undermines the intellectual and scial future of Afghanistan.
Balkhi said authorities are exploiting Afghanistan’s schools to spread Islamist extremism and secure social legitimacy, warning such practices endanger the nation’s future development and stability.
Since taking power in August 2021, the Taliban have barred girls from attending school beyond the sixth grade, drawing international condemnation and leaving millions of students without access to secondary education.
Instead of expanding modern curricula, the leadership has promoted madrasa-style religious indoctrination, sidelining science, technology, and critical learning—further deepening concerns about Afghanistan’s long-term intellectual and professional capacity.
He stressed that prioritizing ideological indoctrination over modern, quality education poses a serious threat to Afghanistan’s cultural, social, and economic development.
He argued that what students now receive is poor-quality instruction, saying: “Sometimes no education is better than destructive education.”
Rights groups and analysts have echoed similar concerns, warning that generations of Afghanistan’s children are being deprived of meaningful education and left vulnerable to radicalization.
For Afghanistan, Balkhi’s warning underscores the broader risks of an education system shaped by ideology rather than knowledge, with long-term consequences for peace and stability.
Source: khaama.com
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Afghanistan, Norway Sign Agreement on Geological Risk Research Project
September 27, 2025
KABUL: The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum has signed a cooperation agreement with the Norwegian Committee to launch a project focused on researching and collecting data on geological hazards in Afghanistan, according to a statement from the ministry on Friday.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Minister of Mines and Petroleum, Mullah Hidayatullah Badri, highlighted the significance of the agreement and called on the Norwegian Committee to also assist in enhancing the skills and expertise of the ministry’s staff.
Minister Badri announced the formation of a joint research committee to oversee and implement the project.
The agreement, composed of eight articles, outlines collaboration in scientific research, training programs, and capacity building for ministry personnel and related specialists, marking an important step toward understanding and mitigating geological risks in the country.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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Shaikh Haqqani, Iranian Ambassador Hold Talks on Strengthening Bilateral Cultural Ties
September 27, 2025
KABUL: Sheikh Shir Ahmad Haqqani, the country’s Minister of Information and Culture, met with Alireza Bigdeli, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Kabul, to discuss strengthening bilateral cultural ties, the ministry said in a statement the other day.
Ambassador Bigdeli congratulated Minister Haqqani on his recent appointment and expressed Iran’s desire to enhance and deepen bilateral relations, according to the statement
He highlighted the historical, cultural, and religious commonalities between the two neighboring nations and praised Afghanistan as a good neighbor.
The ambassador also commended the cultural, economic, and political ties between the two countries, proposing joint initiatives such as cultural exhibitions, handicraft fairs, and manuscript displays to further enhance cooperation.
Minister Haqqani emphasized the vital role of culture in fostering strong international relationships, describing it as the bridge that connects nations.
Stressing that mutual respect should form the basis of bilateral ties, he underscored the importance of dialogue and exchange visits in resolving issues.
The Information and Culture Minister also recalled the shared history of resistance between Afghanistan and Iran against common enemies, calling it a defining chapter in the history of both nations.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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Turkiye Sends 922 Tons of Aid to Eastern Earthquake-Affected Families
September 27, 2025
HERAT: In a strong display of international solidarity, the Turkish government has delivered 922 tons of humanitarian aid to support the victims of the recent devastating earthquake in the country’s eastern province.
According to a statement from the Herat provincial governor’s press office the other day, the aid, consisting of food and non-food items, was officially handed over to the Afghan Red Crescent Society at the Roznak railway station.
The aid comes at a critical time as eastern provinces grapple with the aftermath of a powerful earthquake that caused widespread destruction and left hundreds injured.
Turkish media previously reported that, since the Islamic Emirate came to power, Ankara has sent 24 humanitarian shipments to Kabul, a collective effort by the Turkish government and its citizens aimed at alleviating humanitarian suffering in Afghanistan.
The latest delivery underscores Turkiye’s continued commitment to supporting the Afghan people in times of crisis and reinforces growing humanitarian cooperation between the two countries.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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New condition for $5.5B loan: IMF limits Bangladesh’s foreign loan intake
Sep 27, 2025
The International Monetary Fund has, for the first time, set a ceiling on how much Bangladesh can borrow from abroad, citing rising risks in the country's external debt.
The lender introduced the new condition for the next instalment of its $5.5 billion loan package during the fourth and fifth tranche review in June this year.
Under the terms, Bangladesh will be allowed to borrow a maximum of $8.44 billion during the ongoing 2025-26 fiscal year, with a cap of $1.91 billion in the first quarter and $3.34 billion in the first half. The IMF will closely monitor foreign borrowing every quarter.
No such ceiling was there when the IMF originally approved a $4.7 billion programme in 2023. It approved the fourth and fifth instalments, a top-up of the original credit by about $800 million with a six-month extension in June. So far, Bangladesh has received $3.6 billion.
A senior finance ministry official said the newly introduced ceiling on foreign loans is based on the IMF's latest Debt Sustainability Analysis (DSA), which reclassified Bangladesh as a "moderate-risk" country for two years in a row in FY23 and FY24.
The downgrade from a "low-risk" country reflects the growing pressure of repayments against export earnings and revenues.
According to the DSA, Bangladesh's debt-to-export ratio jumped to 162.7 percent in FY24, up from the IMF's earlier projection of around 116-118 percent. The debt service-to-revenue ratio has also risen, squeezing the government's fiscal space for fresh borrowing.
The ratios consistently exceed the IMF thresholds in stress tests due to a downward revision of export figures, the IMF said.
The finance ministry official, requesting anonymity, told The Daily Star, "Although Bangladesh's total external debt remains well below all IMF thresholds, risks have increased in certain areas, prompting this precautionary measure."
Economists say this shift marks a turning point.
"The IMF used to paint a golden picture of Bangladesh's debt outlook. That narrative seems to be changing," said Zahid Hussain, former lead economist of the World Bank's Dhaka office.
He added that the previous complacency based on debt-to-GDP ratio is being reconsidered in light of recent reserve shortfalls and foreign currency liquidity challenges in settling external payments.
Selim Raihan, executive director of SANEM, said the IMF's step seems "cautionary and appropriate" to ensure fiscal discipline during the political transition ahead of the election.
"Over the years, foreign loans have risen significantly, and so has the repayment burden. Since these loans must be repaid in foreign currency, we need to assess repayment capacity not just by debt-to-GDP ratio, but also by revenue and export," he said.
He warned that relying too heavily on loans to cover expenses during this stressed economic period of low investment would be unhealthy, even as reserves, remittances, and revenues show some improvement.
Foreign borrowing surged under the previous Awami League government, driven by mega projects and pandemic-related expenses. An Asian Development Bank report last month said Bangladesh saw the fastest growth in foreign debt among South Asian nations, with public and publicly guaranteed loans more than tripling in 13 years.
Government data shows external debt rose from $20.3 billion in FY10 to $68.8 billion in FY24. As of June 2025, the figure stood at $80.19 billion.
Debt servicing also grew sharply, from $876 million in FY2010 to $4 billion last fiscal year.
Finance ministry officials, however, downplayed concerns, saying the interim government's foreign borrowing is much lower than in previous years.
In FY25, Bangladesh took $8.32 billion in new loans, down 22 percent from the previous year.
This fiscal year, new borrowing so far has been negligible, with only $84 million taken in July and a $150 million ADB loan signed in August, well below the IMF's ceiling.
Source: thedailystar.net
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Mideast
UN Security Council rejects Russia and China’s last-ditch effort to delay Iran sanctions
September 26, 2025
UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council on Friday rejected another last-ditch effort to delay the reimposition of sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program a day before the deadline and after Western countries claimed that weeks of meetings failed to result in a “concrete” agreement.
The resolution put forth by Russia and China — Iran’s most powerful and closest allies on the 15-member council — failed to garner support from the nine countries required to halt the series of UN sanctions from taking effect Saturday, as outlined in Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
“We had hoped that European colleagues and the US would think twice, and they would opt for the path of diplomacy and dialogue instead of their clumsy blackmail, which merely results in escalation of the situation in the region,” Dmitry Polyanskiy, the deputy Russian ambassador to the UN, said during the meeting.
Barring an eleventh-hour deal, the reinstatement of sanctions — triggered by Britain, France and Germany — will once again freeze Iranian assets abroad, halt arms deals with Tehran and penalize any development of Iran’s ballistic missile program, among other measures. That will further squeeze the country’s reeling economy.
The move is expected to heighten already magnified tensions between Iran and the West. It’s unclear how Iran will respond, given that in the past, officials have threatened to withdraw from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, potentially following North Korea, which abandoned the treaty in 2003 and then built atomic weapons.
Four countries — China, Russia, Pakistan and Algeria — once again supported giving Iran more time to negotiate with the European countries, known as the E3, and the United States, which unilaterally withdrew from the accord with world powers in 2018.
“The UShas betrayed diplomacy, but it is the E3 which have buried it,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said after the vote. “This sordid mess did not come about overnight. Both the E3 and the US have consistently misrepresented Iran’s peaceful nuclear program.”
The European leaders triggered the so-called “snapback” mechanism last month after accusing Tehran of failing to comply with the conditions of the accord and when weeks of high-level negotiations failed to reach a diplomatic resolution.
Lots of diplomacy as deadline nears
Since the 30-day clock began, Araghchi, has been meeting with his French, British and German counterparts to strike a last-minute deal, leading up to this week’s UN General Assembly gathering. But those talks appeared futile, with one European diplomat telling the Associated Press on Wednesday that they “did not produce any new developments, any new results.”
Therefore, European sources “expect that the snapback procedure will continue as planned.”
Even before Araghchi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in New York on Tuesday for the annual gathering, remarks from Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, that peace talks with the United States represent “a sheer dead end” constrained any eleventh-hour diplomatic efforts from taking place.
Iranian officials have defended their position over the last several weeks, saying that they’ve put forward “multiple proposals to keep the window for diplomacy open.” On Friday, Araghchi said in a social media post that “the E3 has failed to reciprocate” efforts, “while the US has doubled down on its dictates.” He urged the Security Council to vote in favor of an extension to provide the “time and space for diplomacy.”
European nations have said they would be willing to extend the deadline if Iran complies with a series of conditions. Those include resumption of direct negotiations with the US over its nuclear program, allowing UN nuclear inspectors access to its nuclear sites, and accounts for the more than 400 kilograms (880 pounds) of highly enriched uranium the UN watchdog says it has.
Nuclear inspectors said to be currently in Iran
Of all the nations in the world that don’t have nuclear weapons programs, Iran is the only nation in the world that enriches uranium up to 60 percent — a short, technical step from weapons-grade levels.
Earlier this month, the UN nuclear watchdog and Iran signed an agreement mediated by Egypt to pave the way for resuming cooperation, including on ways of relaunching inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities. However, Iran has threatened to terminate that agreement and cut all cooperation with the IAEA should UN sanctions be reimposed.
Iran has been wary of giving full access to inspectors following the 12-day war with Israel in June that saw both the Israelis and the Americans bomb Iranian nuclear sites, throwing into question the status of Tehran’s stockpile of uranium enriched nearly to weapons-grade levels.
But a diplomat close to the IAEA confirmed on Friday that inspectors are currently in Iran where they are inspecting a second undamaged site, and will not leave the country ahead of the expected reimposition of sanctions this weekend. IAEA inspectors earlier watched a fuel replacement at the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant on Aug. 27 and 28.
The Europeans have said this action alone is not enough to halt the sanctions from coming into place Saturday.
Source: arabnews.com
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World must take decisive action on Syria’s Al-Hol camp: UN officials
CASPAR WEBB
September 26, 2025
NEW YORK: The international community must take decisive action on the Al-Hol detainment camp in Syria or risk further regional instability, senior UN officials have warned.
The camp, located close to the Iraqi border in northern Syria, is used to detain Daesh militants and their families after the terror group lost swathes of territory in 2019.
Al-Hol houses more than 10,000 foreign militants, Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid said on Friday at an event held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
The camp has become a long-term cause of concern for regional governments and international authorities, with questions looming over the future of its inhabitants.
Rashid told the high-level international conference that 34 countries, including his own, have repatriated their nationals from the camp, but citizens of six countries remain.
He said at least 4,915 families, including 18,880 people, have returned to Iraq from Al-Hol since the launch of his country’s repatriation program.
The New York event, supported by the UN Office of Counterterrorism, was attended by 400 officials from 60 countries, as well as 31 high-level officials from leading humanitarian and multilateral organizations, said Iraq’s Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein.
Rashid said Iraq aims to “reintegrate them (former militants) into their communities and their places of origin,” adding: “We cooperate with international organizations to achieve this objective. Our aim is to ensure them a safe future and a dignified life in their country.”
Most of Al-Hol’s inhabitants are women, and reports estimate that 60 percent of its population is younger than 18.
UN acting undersecretary-general for counterterrorism, Alexandre Zouev, warned that conditions in Al-Hol and surrounding camps are “dire and very alarming.”
He added: “With Daesh attacks and assorted humanitarian actors limiting services, the camps threaten to turn into incubators of terrorist radicalization and future recruitment.”
But the fall of the Assad regime in Syria last year presents the international community with a window to take decisive action on the camp, Guy Ryder, undersecretary-general for policy, told the meeting.
“Whilst the situation in northeast Syria grows more complex with increasing volatility, Daesh attacks and limited humanitarian access, member states have new avenues now to engage directly with different stakeholders and to advance solutions,” he said.
“But that window can quickly narrow, and inaction would carry serious consequences for regional stability and for international peace and security.”
Dr. Mohammed Al-Hassan, UN special representative for Iraq and head of the UN Assistance Mission in the country, said camps such as Al-Hol “shouldn’t exist at all.”
The “prolonged presence” of the camp without any foreseeable resolution is “unacceptable,” he added.
Al-Hassan called for the international community to stand behind Syria and support its extension of sovereignty over all its territory.
“The best service the international community can offer Syria and the Syrian people at this particular stage is for every state to repatriate its citizens and nationals from Syria. Syria has borne more than enough,” he said.
Rashid pledged to share his country’s expertise on repatriating former militants, and called on the international community to “turn the page on this inhumane chapter.” Al-Hol must be emptied of people by the end of the year, he added.
Zouev warned that repatriation is just the first step on a “long journey to break the cycle of violence.”
Countries and communities that repatriate Al-Hol’s detainees must provide extensive rehabilitation and reintegration services, he said.
“In this regard, it’s absolutely crucial not to lose sight of the imperative of justice for victims and survivors of terrorism.”
Source: arabnews.com
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Lebanese government vows to rein in Hezbollah after defiant Raouche Rock display
NAJIA HOUSSARI
September 26, 2025
BEIRUT: The Lebanese government pledged swift legal action after Hezbollah brazenly defied an official ban, projecting images of its late leaders onto Beirut’s landmark Raouche Rock, a public display that has reignited fierce debate over state authority and deepened political tensions across the country.
The expanded consultative ministerial council, led by Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam at the Grand Serail, condemned Thursday’s event as “a clear breach of the permit” granted for the gathering, and pledged to take necessary measures to protect the prestige of the state and its decisions.
Ministers stressed the government’s commitment to Lebanon’s stability and social cohesion, vowing to counter divisive rhetoric and halt hate campaigns that threaten national integrity.
“The policy the government committed to in its ministerial statement calls for extending the sovereignty of the Lebanese state with its own forces across all its territories, and … enforcing the laws on all citizens without exception,” it said, adding that this places “great responsibility” on security services to deliver on this mandate.
“The Lebanese are equal before the law, and the state does not discriminate between one citizen and another, or between one group of citizens and another.”
The ministers of defense, interior, and justice attended the Grand Serail at Salam’s request for an emergency meeting, which later expanded to include Minister of Labor Mohammed Haidar (Hezbollah’s representative in the government) and Minister of Finance Yassin Jaber (representing the Amal Movement), along with a number of other ministers.
Discourse intensified Friday morning regarding Hezbollah’s violation of the official ban on using national monuments for “propaganda purposes and to hold activities in which partisan and political slogans are raised” by lighting the Raouche Rock with images of Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine. Hezbollah party supporters launched a campaign of insults on social media against the prime minister, openly challenging his decision.
Salam canceled all his appointments on Friday, a move initially perceived by the media as a retreat. However, he quickly informed his ministerial and parliamentary visitors that he “wanted to devote himself to following up on the Raouche Rock issue,” emphasizing the necessity of holding accountable those who violated the Lebanese state’s decision.
In a firm statement issued Thursday night in response to Hezbollah’s defiance, Salam condemned the event as “a clear violation” of the prohibition on illuminating Raouche Rock and projecting images on it.
Salam described Hezbollah’s actions as a breach of “the explicit commitments of the organizing party and its supporters, and is considered a new lapse on their part, negatively impacting their credibility.” He asserted that “this reprehensible behavior will not deter us from the decision to rebuild a state of law and institutions, but rather increases our determination to fulfill this national duty.”
Salam directed the interior, justice, and defense ministers to “take appropriate measures,” including arresting those responsible and subjecting them to investigation and prosecution under applicable laws.
Minister of Justice Adel Nassar confirmed that the Public Prosecution is working with security services to identify those involved, regardless of political considerations. He said that “the law applies to everyone without discrimination.”
In response to Hezbollah’s defiance, Kataeb Party leader MP Sami Gemayel, after meeting with Salam, said: “The question today is: Is there a state or not? Will Hezbollah accept the state’s conditions, or does it want to remain above them? Our battle is to restrict weapons, not to light the Rock of Raouche.”
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea praised Salam’s “ongoing efforts to establish the desired state,” adding that “Hezbollah has learned nothing from everything that has happened. What happened at the Raouche Rock constitutes an additional black mark on Hezbollah’s record.”
MP Melhem Khalaf also weighed in, saying: “Hezbollah cannot participate in a government while violating its decisions.”
Sami Abi Al-Mona, Sheikh Aql of the Druze community, emphasized the importance of “strengthening the state’s role, preserving its prestige, and developing the work of its institutions in accordance with the Taif Agreement.”
MP Michel Moawad described what happened at Raouche Rock as “a political May 7 against the state, its institutions, and the people of Beirut,” noting that “Hezbollah’s weapons are not directed against Israel,” and highlighting ongoing disputes over arms control, which Hezbollah appears to reject.
In parallel, the Israeli army carried out a series of raids on Friday on the eastern mountain range at border sites straddling Lebanon and Syria.
Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee stated that Israeli forces “attacked a Hezbollah precision missile production site in the Bekaa Valley, and that the presence of this targeted site constitutes a violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon. The army will continue to work to eliminate any threat to the state of Israel.”
Source: arabnews.com
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Greek PM warns Israel risks losing friends
September 26, 2025
UNITED NATIONS: Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, a key partner of Israel within the European Union, warned Friday that Israel risked losing remaining friends with its destructive war in Gaza.
Addressing the UN General Assembly, the center-right Greek leader said Israel had a right to self-defense after the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas but cannot “justify the death of thousands of children.”
“Greece maintains a strategic partnership with Israel, but this does not prevent us from speaking openly and frankly,” Mitsotakis said.
“The continuation of this course of action will ultimately harm Israel’s own interests, leading to an erosion of international support,” he said.
“I tell my Israeli friends they risk alienating all their remaining allies if they persist on a path that is shattering the potential of a two-state solution.”
Greece did not join European powers including France and Britain, which in recent days recognized a Palestinian state as they voiced exasperation with Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — who in a fiery UN speech earlier Friday accused Western leaders of fanning antisemitism — flew over Greece as he took a circuitous route to New York in light of an arrest warrant he faces from the International Criminal Court.
Greece has found common interests with Israel due to tensions both have with Turkiye, which has expanded influence sharply in Syria since the fall of leader Bashar Assad in December.
But Israel also faces wide public criticism in Greece and Mitsotakis’s left-wing predecessor Alexis Tsipras has urged recognition of a Palestinian state.
Source: arabnews.com
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Israel detains Palestinians in Nablus, reopens West Bank-Jordan crossing
September 26, 2025
NABLUS, Palestinian Territories: The Israeli military detained several Palestinians in an overnight raid in the occupied West Bank city of Nablus, an AFP journalist at the scene said on Friday.
When contacted by AFP, an Israeli military spokesman confirmed the raid and said that “forces operated in the Nablus area to apprehend several suspects involved in terrorist activities.”
“The suspects were subsequently transferred to the Shin Bet for questioning,” the spokesman added, referring to the Israeli domestic intelligence agency.
An official from Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas said that “former prisoners, journalists, academics and members of the Legislative Council,” were among those targeted.
The detentions “will only fuel public anger,” said Abdul Rahman Shadid, a Hamas official in the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967.
Violence in the West Bank has soared since the Hamas attack on Israel triggered the Gaza war in October 2023.
Since then, Israeli troops and settlers have killed at least 983 Palestinians in the West Bank, including many militants, according to health ministry figures.
Over the same period, at least 36 Israelis, including members of security forces, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations, according to official figures.
Meanwhile, the Allenby border crossing — which is the only international gateway for Palestinians to leave the West Bank that does not require entering Israel — reopened on Friday, but later than scheduled.
The crossing had been largely closed since a Jordanian truck driver transporting humanitarian aid to Gaza shot dead an Israeli soldier and a reserve officer at the border last week.
On Tuesday, Palestinian and Jordanian authorities said Israel was indefinitely closing the crossing, which Palestinians feared was retaliation by Israel for France and other Western countries formally recognizing a Palestinian state.
Israel announced on Thursday it would reopen the crossing only for passenger traffic from the next morning.
At around 11:00 am (0800 GMT) on Friday, Palestinian travelers confirmed the reopening, roughly three hours later than scheduled.
Thousands of people gathered in front of the terminal, an AFP journalist on the scene reported.
In an angry UN address on Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to block a Palestinian state, accusing European leaders of pushing his country into “national suicide” and rewarding Hamas.
Source: arabnews.com
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World must not fail children of Gaza: Pakistan PM
September 26, 2025
LONDON: Pakistan’s prime minister on Friday warned the world that it risks failing the children of Gaza, and called for a ceasefire in the war-torn Palestinian enclave.
In his address to the UN General Assembly, Shehbaz Sharif said Israel is inflicting “unspeakable terror” on Palestinian civilians, accusing it of a “genocidal” campaign.
“The smallest coffins are the heaviest to carry,” he said. “Therefore, we cannot, and we must not fail these children of Gaza, or any child anywhere in the world. We must find a path to a ceasefire now.”
He called for the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state free from the “shackles” of Israel, and condemned the ongoing violence of Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank.
“Pakistan firmly supports the demand of the Palestinian people for the establishment of a sovereign Palestine state with pre-1967 borders and Al-Quds Al-Sharif (Jerusalem) as its capital. Palestine can no longer remain under Israeli shackles. It must be liberated,” he said.
“The plight of the Palestinian people is one of the most heart-wrenching tragedies of our times,” he added. “This prolonged injustice is a stain on the global conscious and our collective moral failure for nearly 80 years.
“The Palestinians have courageously endured Israel’s brutal occupation of their homeland. In the West Bank, each passing day brings new brutality — illegal settlers who terrorize and kill with impunity — and nobody can challenge them and question them.”
The suffering of civilians, particularly women and children, was at the forefront of Sharif’s address.
“In Gaza, Israel’s genocidal onslaught has unleashed unspeakable terror upon women and children in a manner we haven’t witnessed in (the) annals of history, in blind pursuit of its nefarious goals,” he said.
“The Israeli leadership has unleashed a shameful campaign against the innocent Palestinians, which history will always remember as one of its darkest chapters.”
Sharif also condemned Israel’s strikes against Hamas negotiators in Qatar’s capital. “Israel’s recent attack on Doha, and its continued violations of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of numerous countries, is reflective of its rogue behavior,” he said. “Pakistan stands unwaveringly with our brothers and sisters in Qatar.”
Sharif commended countries that recently recognized Palestine. Pakistan was “among the first to recognize Palestine’s statehood in 1988, and now we welcome the recognition of the state of Palestine by a number of countries recently around the globe, and urge others to also follow suit, because time and tide wait for none,” he said.
Source: arabnews.com
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Civil defense says over 20 killed in Gaza ahead of Netanyahu’s UN speech
September 26, 2025
GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories: Gaza’s civil defense agency said Israeli forces killed more than 20 people across the Palestinian territory on Friday, ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech at the United Nations in New York.
It comes as the Israeli military presses its offensive against Hamas in Gaza City, from which hundreds of thousands have been forced to flee.
The civil defense agency — a rescue force operating under Hamas authority — reported at least 22 people killed since dawn across the territory, including 11 in Gaza City.
Israel’s military said in a statement Friday that the air force had over the past day “struck over 140 targets throughout the Gaza Strip, including terrorists, tunnel shafts (and) military infrastructure.”
AFP footage from the Al-Shati refugee camp near Gaza City showed heavy damage to buildings after an air strike.
Buildings stood with facades blown off by blasts, while people including a barefoot young girl searched through rubble for belongings. Toppled poles created a web of powerless electric wires on the ground.
Israel launched its ground offensive on the territory’s largest city on September 16. The military on Thursday said that 700,000 Palestinians had fled the urban hub since late August.
The UN’s humanitarian agency, OCHA, said that the displacement of 388,400 people had been recorded since mid-August, most of them from Gaza City.
On the ground, Palestinians struggle to meet their basic needs after nearly two years of war that has left the territory devastated and bereft of basic goods.
“We just want the bare minimum to survive, and here in Al-Mawasi, we don’t even have that,” said Khaled Abu Alba, a Palestinian from Gaza City who has been displaced to a designated humanitarian area in south Gaza.
“Even for water, we wait for hours just to get a single bucket,” the 35-year-old added.
Um Youssef Al-Shaer, 50, who is also displaced in Al-Mawasi after fleeing northern Gaza, told AFP that the area had become overcrowded as more and more Palestinians sought refuge there.
“We are piled on top of each other in a single tent — me, my husband, our six children, and my husband’s elderly parents — 10 people in a small tent,” she said.
“There’s no room to sleep in that cramped space... There’s no privacy.”
On Friday, Netanyahu ordered troops to broadcast his speech at the UN headquarters to Gazans from loudspeakers mounted on trucks on the Israeli side of the border, his office said.
Over nearly two years, Israeli military operations in Gaza have killed at least 65,549 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, figures the UN considers reliable.
Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that sparked the war resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.
Source: arabnews.com
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Tony Blair could lead transitional authority in Gaza: reports
September 26, 2025
LONDON: Former UK prime minister Tony Blair could take a leading role in a transitional authority for Gaza under US-led peace plans, various British media reported on Friday.
It follows Blair’s involvement in discussions with the administration of US President Donald Trump and others over the post-war transitional body for the Palestinian territory.
The plan could involve Blair leading the authority with the support of the UN and Gulf nations, according to the BBC and The Economist magazine.
The Financial Times reported that the former UK leader, who worked as a Middle East peace mediator formally from 2007 to 2015, had asked to be on its supervisory board.
The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, a non-profit organization, declined to comment to AFP on the stories.
Israeli media reports last week about his involvement in the US-led peace plan prompted sources close to Blair to confirm that he has been working on a scheme to halt the conflict alongside other parties.
However, they noted he would not support any proposal to permanently displace Gazans, and that any transitional governing body for the territory would ultimately hand power back to the Palestinian Authority, based in Ramallah in the West Bank.
In its report, The Economist said that a body to be known as the “Gaza International Transitional Authority” would seek a UN mandate to be the “supreme political and legal authority” for five years, before handing control to Palestinians.
The authority would have a secretariat of up to 25 people and a seven-person board, it added.
It would initially be based in Egypt, near Gaza’s southern border, before transferring to Gaza once it is secure, the BBC said.
Former Mossad chief Yossi Cohen told BBC Radio on Friday that “I love” the idea, calling Blair a “wonderful person.”
“If he is willing to take this responsibility, which is huge, I think... there is a hope” for Gaza, he added.
“I think that he can bear that burden strongly.”
Blair’s involvement would inevitably raise eyebrows given his involvement in the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.
An official UK inquiry into the conflict found he had acted on flawed intelligence when deciding to join the war.
Blair reportedly joined a White House meeting with Trump in August to discuss plans for post-war Gaza.
Trump has floated plans to make Gaza the “Riviera of the Middle East,” involving the forced displacement of Palestinians in the territory.
Source: arabnews.com
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Africa
World leaders step up efforts behind the scenes at the UN to end the war in Sudan
September 26, 2025
UNITED NATIONS: Behind the scenes at the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations, key countries and regional organizations have been coordinating efforts to try to end the horrific war in Sudan, which has created the most devastating humanitarian and displacement crisis in the world.
Alan Boswell, the International Crisis Group’s project director for the Horn of Africa, said this year’s high-level General Assembly meeting, which ends Monday, could be “make-or-break” for stopping the conflict.
“For the first time since the war broke out more than two years ago, Sudan’s most influential outside powers agreed this month on a roadmap to end the war,” he said in a statement. “Now comes the huge task of trying to convince Sudan’s warring parties to stop fighting.”
Sudan plunged into conflict in mid-April 2023, when long-simmering tensions between its rival military and paramilitary commanders broke out in the capital, Khartoum, and spread to western Darfur and much of the rest of the country.
At least 40,000 people have been killed, nearly 13 million displaced and many pushed to the brink of famine with over 24 million acutely food insecure, UN agencies say.
Diplomats seek a humanitarian truce and ceasefire
In a key development after a summer of discussions, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates issued a joint statement on Sept. 12 calling for a humanitarian truce for an initial three months to deliver desperately needed aid throughout Sudan followed by a permanent ceasefire.
Then, the four countries said, “an inclusive and transparent transition process should be launched and concluded within nine months to meet the aspirations of the Sudanese people toward smoothly establishing an independent, civilian-led government with broad-based legitimacy and accountability.”
The group, calling themselves the Quad, met Wednesday on the sidelines of the assembly to discuss implementation of their roadmap.
Another meeting also focused on de-escalating the war was convened Wednesday by the African Union, the European Union and the foreign ministers of Germany, France and the United Kingdom. Representatives of the Quad, a dozen other countries, the Arab League, the United Nations and the east Africa regional group IGAD also attended.
A statement issued by the AU, EU, France, Germany, UK, Denmark, Norway and Canada after the meeting urged the warring government and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces to resume direct negotiations to achieve a permanent ceasefire.
It welcomed the Sept. 12 statement by the Quad, and expressed support for efforts by the AU and the EU “to coordinate international and bilateral efforts to pressure all Sudanese parties toward a ceasefire, humanitarian action and political dialogue.”
The statement strongly condemned the military involvement of unnamed foreign countries and “non-state actors” and urged them to stop fueling the conflict.
RSF accused of crimes against civilians
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in his “State of the World” speech at the opening of the global gathering Tuesday, made a similar appeal to all parties, including unnamed countries in the vast assembly chamber: “End the external support that is fueling this bloodshed. Push to protect civilians.”
“In Sudan, civilians are being slaughtered, starved, and silenced,” Guterres said. “Women and girls face unspeakable violence.”
The deputy prosecutor of the International Criminal Court said in July that the tribunal believes war crimes and crimes against humanity are taking place in Darfur, where the RSF controls all regional capitals except el-Fasher in North Darfur.
The RSF and their allies announced in late June they had formed a parallel government in areas the group controls. The UN Security Council rejected the plan, warning that a rival government threatens the country’s territorial integrity and risks further exacerbating the ongoing civil war.
Sudan’s Transitional Prime Minister Kamil El-Tayeb Idris accused the RSF of “systematic killing and torture and looting and rape and humiliation and the savage destruction of all the components of life,” part of its effort “to control Sudan, to plunder its wealth and to change the demographics of its population.”
Speaking to the assembly Thursday, he stressed the country’s sovereignty and said the government is committed to a Sudanese-developed roadmap including a ceasefire, “accompanied by the withdrawal of the terrorist Rapid Support militia from the areas and cities it occupies” including el-Fasher.
El-Tayeb said the civilian government he formed will engage in a national dialogue “that includes all political and societal forces to lay the groundwork for elections that are free and fair, and to engage positively with regional and international communities.”
Chad’s Prime Minister Allah Maye Halina told the General Assembly on Thursday that his country, which borders Darfur, is hosting over 2 million refugees from Sudan, 1.5 million of whom arrived since April 2023. He appealed to the international community to help support the refugees, saying more keep arriving.
“We are convinced that the current crisis in Sudan cannot be resolved through weapons, but rather through peaceful means, through inclusive inter-Sudanese dialogue,” he said, stressing that Chad is strictly neutral in the conflict and is available to contribute to any initiative to end the war.
Source: arabnews.com
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Bandits kill five worshippers, abduct others in Zamfara mosque attack
September 27, 2025
Armed bandits stormed a mosque in Yandoto community, Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State yesterday morning, killing no fewer than five worshippers and abducting many others.
According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication, the attackers opened fire during prayers, killing five people instantly before whisking away an unspecified number into the forest.
The killings triggered panic across the community, with residents later gathering to pray for the victims.
“We pray Allah to forgive their shortcomings, accept them as martyrs, and bring an end to this bloodshed in our land,” a community elder was quoted as saying.
The assault occurred less than a week after gunmen abducted 40 worshippers during dawn prayers at a mosque in Gidan Turbe village, also in Tsafe LGA.
Witnesses said the attackers surrounded the mosque around 5:30 a.m., forcing worshippers out at gunpoint before marching them into the forest near the Gohori axis.
Source: thenationonlineng.net
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Religious leaders worry over conflict-related gender-based violence
Tina Abeku, Abuja
26 Sep 2025
Muslim opinion leaders working towards the promotion of peace, protection, and prevention of conflict-related Gender-Based Violence (GBV) have called on stakeholders to spearhead efforts towards ending the scourge.
The leaders expressed concern over allegations that the spate of GBV is being encouraged by Islam, insisting that the Holy Quran does not support violence in any form, especially towards women.
Deputy Chief Imam of the National Mosque, Professor Iliyas Usman, pointed out that religious and traditional leaders are strong tools for public reorientation, as they affect GBV.
He stated this at a Two-Day Stakeholders Dialogue on Islamic Perspective on Gender-Based Violence Prevention organised by the Development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC), in partnership with Muslim Opinion Leaders for the Prevention of GBV in Northern Nigeria (MOLs), the Centre for Islamic Civilisation and Interfaith Dialogue (CICID), supported by the Ford Foundation, yesterday in Abuja.
The Deputy Imam observed that Islam as a religion does not promote or support gender-based violence; rather, it preaches that the man takes responsibility for the care and protection of his wife from all forms of violence.
He said that some contemporary writers and commentators find in some Qur’anic texts an unjustified discrimination between men and women by “claiming that a man has the right to beat his wife whenever he pleases and that a man has the right to dominate his wife; this is a completely false claim.”
Lead paper presenter and Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Gamaleldin Ibrahim-Mohd, a former Dean of the Faculty of Medicine in Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt, said that one out of three women are subjected to gender-based violence and, unfortunately, in much of the mass media, this scourge is falsely related to Islam.
He argued that Islam as a religion does not promote it because gender-based violence was present even before Islam.
“When you look into the primary sources of Islam—the Holy Quran, the Sunnah, which is the authenticated Hadith and sayings of the Prophet, the Ijma’, which is the unanimous opinion of the Islamic scholars, and the analogy or qiyas—we find that all these primary sources of Sharia have condemned all forms of gender-based violence, not only physical violence but also psychological violence, sexual violence, socio-cultural violence, and political violence.”
Ibrahim-Mohd, who is also the Director of the International Islamic Centre for Population Studies and Research, insisted that “Depriving women of their right to protect themselves and inflicting harm on them through gender-based violence is indeed against religion.”
Speaking on the importance of equipping traditional leaders with the right tools and knowledge on the prevention of conflict-related violence, Member, Board of Trustees of the dRPC, Professor Balarabe Garko, said religious and traditional leaders are powerful drivers of social change.
According to him, “Traditional authorities and faith leadership, when equipped with the right tools, knowledge, and guidance, can bring about desired changes.”
Speaking on the importance of leveraging the influence of Muslim Opinion Leaders in addressing GBV in Northern Nigeria, Minister of Women Affairs Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim said that “Any form of aggression, molestation, or transgression is strictly forbidden in Islam.
“The Noble Prophet (SAW) declared during his Farewell Pilgrimage that your blood and property are sacred; hence, Islam provides clear codes of conduct for treating women with respect, equity, and mutuality. If these are consistently observed, there will be far less GBV and, God willing, a GBV-free society because these provisions, whether direct or indirect, safeguard all humans, with particular protection for women and girls.”
Source: guardian.ng
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Wike’s Aide Exposes Sowore Over ₦885 Million Mansion In US
September 26, 2025
By Rachel Okporu Fadoju
The Media Aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, Lere Olayinka, has alleged that former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, owns a mansion valued at $552,000.00 (about ₦885 million) in the United States.
Naija News reports that Olayinka made this disclosure on Friday in a post on his verified X handle.
He also alleged that Sowore is the sole proprietor of the AAC under which he has been contesting for the presidency.
According to Wike’s aide, Sowore, the Publisher of Sahara Reporters was suspended by AAC members over corruption issues.
He said, “Sowore is the Chairman of AAC political party. He is Presidential Candidate of AAC. He is Financial Secretary of AAC. In fact, he is Sole Proprietor of ACC.
“He owns mansion worth $552,000.00 (about N885m) in the US. Na CASHTIVIST Sowore be that. Reason his party members suspended him for CORRUPTION.”
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Rivers State chapter, has urged the Federal Government to take a tough stance against the African Action Congress (AAC) 2023 presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, over his recent criticisms of President Bola Tinubu and Wike.
The party also appealed to Nigerians to reject what it described as the “antics of a serial merchant of discord and purveyor of half-truths,” insisting that Sowore’s comments were defamatory and dangerous to Nigeria’s democracy.
In a statement on Wednesday, APC state chairman, Tony Okocha, said spreading falsehoods to discredit leaders was unacceptable.
Source: naijanews.com
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Nighttime curfew imposed in Madagascar after violent service delivery protests
September 26, 2025
After violent protests erupted in Madagascar on Thursday, the government has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the capital.
It says this will remain in place until public order is restored.
Hundreds of mostly young people took to the streets of Antananarivo despite a government ban, angry over persistent power outages and water shortages.
As they barricaded road with burning tyres and rocks, the police used rubber bullets and tear gas to quash the demonstrations.
By the afternoon there were reports of looting at various retailers, appliance stores, and banks across the capital.
Several stations of the country's new cable car system were also set on fire.
Local media reported on Thursday that three homes of politicians known to be close to President Andry Rajoelina were also attacked by protesters.
Hospital sources say at least five people were killed in the unrest, which quickly escalated into one of the biggest challenges faced by the president in years.
Security forces claim that bad actors are taking advantage of the demonstrations to destroy property, while legislators have tried to frame the movement as a plot.
Madagascar is one of the world’s poorest countries despite its vast natural resources, with 75 per cent of people living below the poverty line.
Power cuts often leave homes and businesses without electricity for over 12 hours.
Source: africanews.com
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Southeast Asia
Anwar rebukes critics over Trump’s Asean Summit invite, says Malaysia will use platform to press Palestine cause
27 Sep 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 27 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has rebuked critics questioning the invitation extended to United States President Donald Trump to attend the 47th Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur next month, stressing that Malaysia will use the diplomatic platform to continue voicing concerns over Palestine, including the atrocities in Gaza.
Malaysia must be strategic in negotiations, maintaining a firm stance in defending truth and justice while pursuing diplomacy with wisdom.
Although Malaysia is not a major power, Anwar said the nation continues to command respect internationally due to its consistent position in upholding justice and freedom of expression on the global stage.
“Malaysia has been outspoken in defending Palestine and Gaza, but at the same time, we utilise diplomatic channels. We are free to speak up because we are an independent and dignified nation. But we must also be wise in making friends.
That is why negotiations are crucial. Our voice will always uphold truth and justice, but in a wise and strategic manner,” he said at the Wira MADANI Roadshow and the 20th Anniversary Celebration of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) at the MMEA Maritime Zone Complex in Sandakan today.
Also present were Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and MMEA director-general Admiral (Maritime) Datuk Mohd Rosli Abdullah.
Anwar said the stance of certain quarters that reject relations with the United States disregards the economic interests of both the people and the country, particularly in the high-technology export sector.
“Malaysia’s semiconductor exports to the United States alone amount to billions of ringgit. Tens of thousands of Malaysians are employed in the sector. If we reject ties outright, it is the people who suffer,” he said.
The Prime Minister stressed that while Malaysia is a small nation, its sound governance, foreign policy and clear, open yet firm diplomatic approach have earned it consistent respect on the international stage.
This was evident, he said, when Malaysia was called upon to mediate in regional conflicts, including at the Thailand–Cambodia border and in the independence transition of Timor-Leste.
“A few months ago, President Xi Jinping visited, and next month, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, will come. Few small nations receive such recognition. This proves the world respects Malaysia.
“When there was conflict at the Thailand–Cambodia border, Malaysia was asked to mediate. Similarly, with Timor-Leste, which was once part of Indonesia but is now independent and, insya-Allah, will become Asean’s 11th member this October,” he added.
Anwar noted that the 47th Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur next month will gather world leaders from the United States, China, India, Australia, Canada, Brazil, South Africa, Japan, Korea, as well as Asean member states. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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Anwar tells Armed Forces Chief to speed up RM190 million Sandakan military housing project
27 Sep 2025
SANDAKAN, Sept 27 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has called for the military housing project with an allocation of RM190 million in Batu 10 here to be expedited.
He said land issues related to the project would be addressed in cooperation with the state government, which has jurisdiction over land administration.
“I want a progress report within two weeks, possibly at the next Cabinet meeting, with the Armed Forces Chief providing the update. I want to see the project move faster,” he said.
Anwar said this at the ‘Sarapan Mesra Wira Samudera’ event held at Dewan Azim, Taman Samudera today.
Also present were Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, Chief of Defence Force Gen Tan Sri Mohd Nizam Jaffar and Deputy Navy Chief Vice Admiral Datuk Shamsuddin Ludin.
Anwar said that when it comes to defence and security, the government cannot compromise on leakages, wastage or corruption, as these would weaken the nation even with billions of ringgit allocated for defence spending.
“Leakages, wastage and corruption must be stopped. Otherwise, no matter how strong a nation may be, it will fall. If those entrusted with responsibility abuse it, the country will be ruined,” he said.
Meanwhile, he commended MMEA for its improved performance following the government’s increased allocation to the agency.
He said the country’s vast maritime areas require security and defence assets that are always ready and fully equipped.
“Malaysia is a peaceful country, but we face challenges such as human trafficking, arms and drug smuggling, as well as intrusions. All these demand a disciplined and well-equipped force.
“The peace we enjoy today is the result of the contributions and sacrifices of our security forces, including the MMEA. I therefore extend my appreciation to the MMEA and other security forces for fulfilling their responsibilities effectively,” he added. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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Singapore pharma group monitors US plan for 100pc tariff on branded drugs ahead of October rollout
27 Sep 2025
SINGAPORE, Sept 27 — Singapore’s pharmaceutical industry association is monitoring developments closely, it said yesterday in response to US plans to target the sector with a 100 per cent tariff from next month.
US President Donald Trump on Thursday announced 100 per cent duties on imports of branded drugs.
Semiconductors, consumer electronics and pharmaceutical goods, account for about 40 per cent of Singapore’s exports to the United States, according to Singapore’s central bank. — Reuters
Source: malaymail.com
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/delhi-loudspeakers-durga-puja-pandals-festivals/d/137012