How India’s Gen Z Navigates ‘Discord’, The App Nepal’s Youth Used To Topple The Government
New Age Islam News Bureau
16 September 2025
A demonstrator hurls a tear smoke shell during the protest in Nepal; the Discord voting poll screengrab
PTI; Sourced from X
---------
· How India’s Gen Z Navigates ‘Discord’, The App Nepal’s Youth Used To Topple The Government
· US Vows To Keep Pressuring Iran On Anniversary Of Mahsa Amini’s Death in Police Custody
· UN Expert Albanese: Israel Seeks To Make Gaza City Unliveable, Is Endangering The Lives Of Israeli Hostages
· Malaysia’s Islamist Party PAS Opens Doors Wider: Non-Muslim Supporters Gain Official Party Membership
· Chief Adviser of Bangladesh Urges Vigilance Against Conspiracies Over Durga Puja
-----
India
· Muslim In Kerala Carries Out Last Rites Of Hindu Woman Stricken By Cancer
· With No One From Her Family To Shoulder The Responsibility, Muslim Youth Performs Last Rites Of Hindu Woman In Rajasthan
· Four Killed On Jaipur-Mumbai Train: Ex-RPF Cop Forced Me To Say ‘Jai Mata Di’: Burqa-Clad Woman Passenger To Court
· ‘Rs 92 Lakh And Gold Found’ During Raids At Assam Civil Services Officer’s House, Himanta Says She Profited From Sale Of ‘Hindu’s Lands To Muslims’
· Expelled Karnataka BJP Leader Booked In Two Cases For Allegedly Provocative Remarks About Muslims
· AIMPLB: SC interim order on Waqf 'incomplete and unsatisfactory'
· Muslim bodies call waqf decision ‘victory’ of Constitution’s spirit
· Muslim man poses as Hindu to marry Gujarat woman: If not mine, then no one's
------
North America
· CAIR Condemns Racist ‘Keep Hamilton County White’ Propaganda in Indiana
· CAIR-NY Calls on NY Law Enforcement to Disclose What Israeli Practices Will Be Implemented After Study Tour in Israel During Gaza Genocide
· US says 'framework' for TikTok ownership deal agreed with China
· Charlie Kirk suspect linked to crime scene by DNA, says FBI chief
-----
Mideast
· Arab, Muslim leaders urge review of Israel ties after Qatar attack
· Jordanian army chief, foreign diplomats discuss military ties in Amman
· Palestinians warn of Israeli seizure of Ibrahimi Mosque’s roof in Hebron
· Kuwait sends ninth relief aircraft to assist Palestinians in Gaza
· Israel must end financial stranglehold on Occupied Territories: UN experts
----
Southeast Asia
· Malaysia’s Islamist Party PAS Aims To Govern In 3 New States Including Selangor, Eyes Bigger National Role
· Malaysia and Zetrix AI Partner to Build Global Standards for Shariah-Compliant Artificial Intelligence
· Mihas 2025 To Open Tomorrow, 80 Nations Gather For World’s Largest Halal Exhibition
· Anwar calls for safe passage of humanitarian flotilla to Gaza, warns against violence
· King and Queen extend Malaysia Day greetings, pray for lasting peace
-----
South Asia
· Pakistan–Afghanistan Ties Hit New Low as Islamabad Warns Kabul Over TTP, Says Dawn
· IEA Committed to Supporting Refugees with Permanent Housing
· UN Says Over Three Million in Afghanistan Face Displacement and Humanitarian Crisis
· Fiber-Optic Internet Services Suspended in Balkh Province
· Bangladesh condemns Israeli attack on Qatar
------
Europe
· Former Priests' House Could Be Turned Into Mosque
· Azerbaijani FM delivers speech at Extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit in Doha
· Councillors consider legal challenge over mosque decision
· Ukrainian teens speaking Russian to spite parents – language commissioner
-----
Arab World
· Deal to enhance digital judicial services in KSA
· Saudi Arabia launches Arabic Language Month in Italy
· Saudi lifts summer ban on working in sunlight as cooler weather arrives
· Judge demonstrates AI-based litigation training tool at Riyadh conference
· Swiss embassy hosts fintech report launch, underlining opportunities in Saudi Arabia
· Jazan unveils 145 new walkways to encourage healthier living
· First hotels, golf course at Shura Island to open soon
----
Africa
· Muslim Ritual Meets Swahili Culture At Kenya’s Unique Annual Maulidi Festival
· Chief Imam has not been appointed for Oyo, says Alaafin
· President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud Addresses the Emergency Arab-Islamic Summit in Doha
· INEC Chairman: ‘Tinubu’s Govt Is Inviting Civil War’ – Galadima
· ‘Talk Is Cheap, You Are Clearly Out Of Touch’ – Presidency Knocks Atiku
· From pulpit to presidency: Chakwera’s profile tested as Malawi votes
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/india-gen-z-nepal-youth-government/d/136859
----
How India’s Gen Z Navigates ‘Discord’, The App Nepal’s Youth Used To Topple The Government
Debrup Chaudhuri
16.09.25
A demonstrator hurls a tear smoke shell during the protest in Nepal; the Discord voting poll screengrab
PTI; Sourced from X
-------------
In Nepal, Discord became a ground for Gen Z political resistance; in India, it has evolved from a gamers’ hub into a refuge for friendship, streaming and late-night conversation
Sheikh Sakib Javaid, a 25-year-old from Jammu, remembers when Discord turned into more than background chatter during multiplayer gaming contests.
“I’ve been using Discord on and off since 2018, mainly for in-game communication,” he says. “But I became consistent during the Covid lockdown when it became my primary way to stay in touch with friends.”
A mix of function and privacy explains much of the appeal of Discord, created in San Francisco in 2015 by Jason Citron and Stan Vishnevskiy, two entrepreneurs frustrated with the clunky tools gamers were then stuck with.
Discord began as a way to make voice chat smoother during multiplayer matches, but its seamless blend of text, video and community “servers” quickly pushed it beyond gaming and gave it an edge over traditional chat apps.
“Before most other platforms, Discord introduced screen sharing with impressively low latency. It meant we could watch movies or listen to music together in real time, and it felt like hanging out without leaving the room,” says Sakib.
Discord now has servers for students, coders, musicians and sports fans. A server is like a private club with multiple rooms — live voice channels, quick-fire text threads and integrations for streaming.
Bots can be added to play music or manage events, while features such as “Go Live” allow users to broadcast games or host watch parties.
For young audiences, that structure has turned Discord into a kind of digital common room.
“It’s not essential but very convenient when talking to a big group,” explains Tryakshar Chakravarty, 16, who sees it as an easy way to connect with large groups.
Voice chat and streaming, he says, are the features that stand out most, especially when he and his friends settle in to watch Formula One races over the weekend.
Discord has become a natural extension of social viewing for a generation raised on YouTube and live-streaming online. For many, the appeal also lies in the unexpected friendships.
“I met lovely people on Discord and made a few online friends with whom I’m still in contact,” says Aditya Alexander, a 24-year-old master’s student who joined the platform in 2020.
During lockdowns, it became his window to the world:
“It wasn’t essential before, but when we weren’t allowed outside it became an essential part of my life.”
Now he continues to use servers to swap opinions and play the in-built mini games.
Another 16-year-old from Kolkata, who requested anonymity, said: “I find it very easy to find friends with common interests, like gamer music in my case, on Discord. In fact, it’s easier to find friends on Discord than real life.”
Discord’s structure makes these connections work. Servers can be customised with bots that play music or manage events, while conversations remain divided into text, voice, and stage channels.
For Sakib, this is part of the charm: “It keeps everything structured and easy to navigate.”
The result is a platform that feels more like a community hall than a crowded feed.
In Nepal, the app became a digital meeting ground where political debates unfolded in voice channels, votes were simulated in chat rooms, and memes powered momentum.
The catalyst for the Gen Z protests in Nepal was a social media ban. Their tool of choice to organise the protests was Discord.
Pranaab Dangol, one of the participants in the Discord poll in Nepal that chose Sushila Karki as prime minister of the interim government, recalls how the platform became essential.
“The stream was initially created because there was a social media ban and a curfew imposed,” he explains. According to him, Discord offered a rare digital safe space: “This was a way for Gen Z to connect without infiltration because we knew that only Gen Z knows how to use Discord.”
The app turned into a virtual campaign headquarters. The discussions evolved into a movement that overthrew the government.
“Initially it was for positive debates and discussions,” Dangol says, “but then the idea of a poll emerged. Not as anything official, just a feeler to see whom people would support to bring Nepal back to stability.”
Unlike social networks built around followers and feeds, Discord thrives on privacy—shared servers where communities shape their own rules.
In Nepal, that privacy helped mobilise a generation to engage in politics in unexpected ways. Globally, it continues to evolve as a platform for everything from classroom study groups to professional networking.
Source: telegraphindia.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.telegraphindia.com/life/how-indias-gen-z-navigates-discord-the-app-nepals-youth-used-to-topple-the-government/cid/2123309
------
US Vows To Keep Pressuring Iran On Anniversary Of Mahsa Amini’s Death in Police Custody
16 September 2025
An image of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini, an Iranian Kurdish woman, is displayed on a pole during a protest following her death, in Los Angeles, California, US, September 22, 2022
------------
The United States marked the third anniversary of Mahsa "Jina" Amini’s death in Iran's police custody on Monday with a statement condemning the Islamic Republic leadership and pledging continued pressure on Tehran.
“On the third anniversary of her savage murder, we honor the memory of Mahsa Zhina Amini, whose young life was cut short by the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Thomas “Tommy” Pigott, principal deputy spokesperson at US State Department said in a statement on Monday.
“Her murder, along with so many others, is a damning indictment of the Islamic Republic’s crimes against humanity. The United States will continue to work with allies and partners around the world to ensure that the regime’s atrocities are met with accountability, justice, and resolve,” Pigott added.
Amini, 22, died on September 16, 2022, after being detained by Iran’s morality police for allegedly violating mandatory hijab rules. Her death sparked months of protests dubbed Woman Life Freedom uprising during which at least 551 protesters, including 68 children, were killed, according to rights groups, and thousands detained.
Iran has executed 12 detainees linked to the 2022 protests, with eight others sentenced to death and awaiting execution, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).
Pigott accused Iran of ruling “through torture and execution,” neglecting its own people while funding regional militias.
“The United States stands with the people of Iran in their calls for dignity and a better life. We will continue to apply maximum pressure on the Islamic Republic, ensuring it is held accountable for actions against its people and against its neighbors,” Pigott said.
Source: iranintl.com
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202509150821
-------
UN Expert Albanese: Israel Seeks To Make Gaza City Unliveable, Is Endangering The Lives Of Israeli Hostages
September 15, 2025
A Palestinian girl searches the rubble of Al-Ghafari tower after its destruction by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City on Monday. (AFP)
-------------
GENEVA: Israel is trying to make Gaza City unliveable in its assault on the enclave’s largest urban area and is endangering the lives of Israeli hostages, the top UN expert on Palestinian rights Francesca Albanese said on Monday.
“Israel is bombing using unconventional weapons ... it is trying to forcibly evacuate Palestinians. Why? This is the last piece of Gaza that needs to be rendered unlivable before advancing the ethnic cleansing of that piece of land,” Albanese told reporters in Geneva.
The Israeli mission in Geneva was not immediately available for comment.
Israel says the offensive to take control of Gaza City is part of a plan to defeat Palestinian militant group Hamas for good and that it has warned civilians to head south to a designated humanitarian zone.
However, the UN and numerous countries say its tactics amount to forced mass displacement and that conditions in the humanitarian zone are dire, with food in short supply.
Italian lawyer Albanese serves as a special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, one of dozens of experts appointed by the 47-member UN Human Rights Council to report on specific global issues.
“The ongoing assault to take the last remnant of Gaza will not only devastate the Palestinians but endanger also the remaining Israeli hostages,” Albanese said.
She accused Israel of genocide and said the international community was complicit.
The nearly two-year campaign in the Palestinian enclave has killed more than 64,000 people, according to local authorities. Some rights groups like Amnesty International have also accused Israel of committing genocide, but not the United Nations itself. UN officials have in the past said it is up to international courts to determine genocide.
Israel rejects the accusation, citing its right to self-defense following the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas militants that killed 1,200 people and resulted in the capture of 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures.
In July, the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Albanese would be added to the US sanctions list for her actions, which he described as prompting illegitimate prosecutions of Israelis at the International Criminal Court.
Albanese said her attempts to travel to New York for the UN General Assembly in September to deliver a report do not look promising.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2615398/middle-east
-------
Malaysia’s Islamist Party PAS Opens Doors Wider: Non-Muslim Supporters Gain Official Party Membership
By Malay Mail
15 Sep 2025
Speaking at PAS’ 71st annual congress in Kedah, the Kota Bharu MP said the Registrar of Societies (ROS) approved constitutional changes last month to pave the way for the move, which lifts the party’s total membership to 1.3 million. — File picture by Miera ZUlyana
------------
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 15 — Members of PAS’s Non-Muslim Supporters Wing (DHPP) have been formally absorbed into the party under a new category of associate membership, secretary-general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan announced today.
Speaking at PAS’ 71st annual congress in Kedah, the Kota Bharu MP said the Registrar of Societies (ROS) approved constitutional changes last month to pave the way for the move, which lifts the party’s total membership to 1.3 million, according to a Malaysiakini report today.
“PAS now has an additional membership category — associate members — after ROS approved the amendment to our constitution last month,” he told delegates.
Under Article 10 of the revised constitution, Takiyuddin explained, anyone aged 18 or above who is Malaysian and adheres to a faith other than Islam can apply as an associate member.
“All DHPP members, who were previously recognised only as ‘friends of PAS’, are now automatically absorbed into this new category,” he added.
Takiyuddin also said the change elevates DHPP to the same standing as other official party wings, joining As-Sabiqun (veterans) and the three existing wings.
Source: malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/09/15/pas-opens-doors-wider-non-muslim-supporters-gain-official-party-membership/191247
-------
Chief Adviser of Bangladesh Urges Vigilance Against Conspiracies Over Durga Puja
Sep 16, 2025
Photo: UNB
---------
Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus has urged everyone to remain vigilant so that no scope for conspiracy arises around Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community.
He conveyed his sincere thanks and extended advance greetings when Hindu religious leaders met him at the State Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka yesterday.
Leaders of puja celebration councils invited the chief adviser to visit mandaps during the upcoming Durga Puja.
"Although I always want to meet you, I rarely get the chance. On the occasion of puja, I at least get to meet you in person once a year and exchange views," Prof Yunus told them.
The chief adviser enquired about preparations for the festival and the overall situation.
Hindu community leaders informed him that the number of puja mandaps has increased significantly this year compared to last year, and preparations across the country are underway in full swing.
They said all necessary cooperation is being provided by the interim government for this year's celebrations.
They specially thanked the adviser and secretary of the relevant ministry.
They also said the religious affairs adviser remains in regular contact with them and visits temples frequently.
They expressed hope that, with the continued cooperation of all sides, this year's Durga Puja would be celebrated smoothly, as in previous years.
Jayanta Kumar Deb, president of the Metropolitan Puja Committee, specially thanked the chief adviser for allocating land through the Ministry of Railways for a permanent Durga temple, calling it a historic event.
"You have kept us informed regularly since taking charge. Like last year, we received two days' holiday for puja again this year -- our special thanks for that. "You also visited the Dhakeshwari Temple immediately after returning to the country on August 8 last year and said, 'We are all one family.' That message deeply inspired us," he said.
Bangladesh Puja Celebration Council President Basudev Dhar recalled Yunus' remarks during his visit to the Dhakeshwari Temple last year.
"This was the first time we heard such a statement from a head of government. We agree with your vision. Your words and cordial approach have inspired us," he said.
Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Kalyan Front Secretary General SN Tarun Dey praised Yunus's efforts to promote communal harmony.
He said, "You have set an example during your tenure. For the past year, we have seen lies and fake news spread, specially through social media. We wish that all people of Bangladesh, regardless of religion or ethnicity, can live well under your leadership."
Religious Affairs Adviser Dr AFM Khalid Hossain emphasised that the Ministry of Religion represents all faiths.
"We ensure welfare programmes through the Welfare Trust. For example, a temple is being built in Tahirpur, Sunamganj, with ministry support… We are assisting temples, pagodas, and churches, and also supporting vulnerable groups, including widows and orphans," he said.
Mass Education Adviser Prof Dr Bidhan Ranjan Roy Poddar and leaders of the Hindu community were present.
Source: thedailystar.net
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/yunus-urges-vigilance-against-conspiracies-over-durga-puja-3986916\
-----
India
Muslim In Kerala Carries Out Last Rites Of Hindu Woman Stricken By Cancer
September 15, 2025
S R PraveenS.R. PRAVEEN
When 44-year-old Rakhi, a native of Chhattisgarh lodged at the Benedict Menni Psycho Social Rehabilitation Centre in Kadinamkulam grama panchayat in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, was close to the end of her life after being stricken by cancer, the only wish she conveyed to authorities was that she wanted her last rites to be conducted as per the Hindu custom. But, the woman who was recovering from mental illnesses could not recollect the location of her home or her relatives.
After her death on Friday, the Christian nuns running the centre got in touch with T. Safeer, the panchayat member of Chittattumukku, where the centre is located. Learning about their dilemma, Mr. Safeer, a practising Muslim, stepped in to take up the role of the deceased’s son to carry out the funeral rights according to Hindu rites.
T. Safeer, member of the Kadinamkulam grama panchayat in Thiruvananthapuram, performing the last rites of Chhattisgarh native Rakhi. | Video Credit: special arrangement
Relatives couldn’t be traced
“The attempts to find out her surviving relatives were futile. When someone expresses such a wish, we have to do whatever we can. My religion has taught me to give the utmost respect to the body of a human being, be it of a close relative or an unknown person. Since I often take part in funerals and other functions of people from all the religions in my ward, I was somewhat familiar with the rites to be carried out. The person at the Kazhakuttam crematorium also guided me. My religion did not become a hindrance to me in this. Rather, the Imam of the local Jamaath congratulated me. He said this was the right thing to do,” Mr. Safeer told The Hindu.
Not the first instance
This was not the first time that Mr. Safeer has carried out the last rites to someone from another religion. Two weeks ago, when another person lodged at the rehabilitation centre passed away due to illnesses, he conducted the funeral according to Hindu beliefs.
“We could locate her brother and daughter, but both of them were mentally unstable and unable to do anything in this case. I had carried out the last rites as I did this time, but since no one took photos or videos, hardly anyone knew about it. We later immersed her ashes on the Papanasam beach,” says Mr. Safeer, whose act is being hailed on social media as yet another instance of the “real Kerala story.”
Source: thehindu.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/muslim-panchayat-member-in-kerala-carries-out-the-last-rites-to-hindu-woman-from-chhattisgarh/article70052161.ece
-------
With No One From Her Family To Shoulder The Responsibility, Muslim Youth Performs Last Rites Of Hindu Woman In Rajasthan
15 Sep 2025
JAIPUR: In a heart-warming display of communal harmony, the last rites of a 67-year-old Hindu woman, who was living alone, were performed by a Muslim youth in Rajasthan's Bhilwara.
Shanti Devi, a resident of Jangi Chowk in Gandhi Nagar area of Bhilwara, had been unwell for some time and was undergoing treatment at the Mahatma Gandhi Hospital where she died on Sunday.
She had been living alone since 2018 after the death of her three daughters and a son.
With no one from her family present to shoulder the responsibility, 30-year-old Asgar Ali Khan, who grew up seeing Shanti Devi as a mother figure, came forward.
"She would love me like a mother since my childhood. She would ask me every day if I had eaten or how I was feeling. After she passed away, I felt like I had lost my mother again," he said with teary eyes.
"My parents passed away long ago, and Shanti Devi filled that void. Even during Covid, when she was unwell, I took care of her. On Sunday, after she passed away, I felt like I had lost my mother again," Khan said Supported by his neighbours and friends -- Ashfaq Qureshi, Abid Qureshi, Shakir Pathan, Firoz Qureshi, Inayat and Zabid, Khan arranged for the funeral, carried the bier on the shoulders, and performed the cremation according to Hindu rituals.
Local Muslim women also broke down during the final procession, grieving for the woman they had seen as part of their colony.
Relatives of Shanti Devi arrived later from Madhya Pradesh and joined the final journey.
Khan said Shati Devi's ashes would be immersed at Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj or Matrikundia in Chittorgarh district, in keeping with her wishes.
Source: newindianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Sep/15/muslim-youth-performs-last-rites-of-hindu-woman-in-rajasthans-bhilwara
-------
Four Killed On Jaipur-Mumbai Train: Ex-RPF Cop Forced Me To Say ‘Jai Mata Di’: Burqa-Clad Woman Passenger To Court
September 15, 2025
IDENTIFYING DISMISSED RPF constable Chetansingh Chaudhary, who is facing trial for four murders on a passenger train in 2023, a woman passenger told the sessions court Monday that she was forced by him to say “Jai Mata Di”.
The woman, who deposed as a witness in the Dindoshi sessions court, said that she was wearing a burqa and hence the accused came to her to make her say “Jai Mata Di”.
Chaudhary, who is currently lodged in Thane jail, was produced in court through video-conference.
Chaudhary is facing trial for the murders of his senior, Assistant Sub Inspector Tikaram Meena and three Muslim passengers — Asgar Ali Abbas, Abdul Kader Bhanpurwala and Syed Saifuddin, on the Jaipur-Mumbai train on July 31, 2023.
The 38-year-old woman told the court that on the day of the incident, she was travelling to Mumbai from Ratlam on the train with her two children.
The woman said that around 5.30 am, when she woke up, she saw a man in a police uniform carrying a rifle walk towards her. She said that he pointed the rifle towards her.
“He told me iss desh mein rehna hai toh ‘Jai Mata Di’ bolo (Say ‘Jai Mata Di’ if you want to live in this country),” the woman told the court.
The woman said that she repeated it but he told her to say it louder and threatened her that he would shoot her otherwise.
The woman said that she caught his rifle and raised it upward and asked him who he was. The woman said that the man then told her not to touch the gun, and again threatened to shoot her.
The passenger said she was frightened and released the rifle, after which he went away.
The woman told the court that she alighted at Borivali when the train stopped and came to know that there were dead bodies lying in another coach.
The police claimed that after another passenger, who deposed during the previous hearing, pulled the chain, the train stopped and Chaudhary alighted. He was arrested while trying to flee from the railway tracks.
Responding to questions put to her by Chaudhary’s lawyer, she told court that she had not immediately disclosed about the incident after alighting from the train, as she was scared. She said that when police made calls to her subsequently, she came forward and told them about the incident.
Chaudhary faces charges including promoting enmity on grounds of religion, as he is alleged to have chosen the victims based on visible markers of religion.
Source: indianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/four-killed-on-jaipur-mumbai-train-ex-rpf-cop-forced-me-to-say-jai-mata-di-burqa-clad-woman-passenger-to-court-10252080/
------
‘Rs 92 Lakh And Gold Found’ During Raids At Assam Civil Services Officer’s House, Himanta Says She Profited From Sale Of ‘Hindu’s Lands To Muslims’
Sukrita Baruah
September 16, 2025
After the CM’s Special Vigilance Cell said it had seized over Rs 92 lakh in cash and gold jewellery from a 2019 batch Assam Civil Services officer’s house, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said she had been under the scanner for allegedly extracting money to facilitate land transfer from Hindus to Muslims amidst government curbs on such actions.
On Monday, the vigilance cell conducted simultaneous raids in four locations allegedly linked to ACS officer Nupur Bora, including her residence in Guwahati and a house she rented in Barpeta. According to Vigilance Cell Superintendent of Police Rosie Kalita, Rs 92,50,400 in cash was allegedly found in the Guwahati residence and Barpeta house, along with gold jewellery. She stated that the officer has been taken into custody.
Bora (36), originally from Assam’s Golaghat district, has been a civil servant for six years. After her appointment in January 2019, she was posted as Assistant Commissioner in Karbi Anglong district. In June 2023, she was transferred and posted as Circle Officer in Barpeta district. She is currently posted as Circle Officer in Kamrup district’s Goroimari.
Addressing the raids, Chief Minister Sarma said that Bora had been under the scanner of the government because of land transfers in her jurisdiction during her tenure as Circle Officer in Muslim-majority Barpeta district.
“There is a lot of corruption happening in Assam’s minority-dominated revenue circles. We had been screening this officer for the past six months for transferring land belonging to Hindus to doubtful people. We have been observing her routine for six months now. While she was a circle officer in Barpeta, she was transferring Hindu’s lands to Muslims by taking money in return, and because of that, we are now taking stern action against her,” he alleged.
Last year, Sarma had announced that the state could make the District Collector’s consent necessary for the sale of land between Hindus and Muslims. Following this, in the absence of a laid-down policy, requests for such land transfers had been pending.
Last month, the Assam cabinet approved an SOP for inter-religious land transfers, which states that when a proposal for a land transfer is received by a sub-divisional magistrate, in the case of a land transfer proposal between people of two different religions, they will forward it to the DC’s office after carrying out the usual checks and verification. This will be followed by checks by the Special Branch of the Assam police to examine “coercion” or illegality; source of funds for the purchase; potential effect on “social cohesion”; and “national security” implications.
Source: indianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/gold-raids-acs-officers-house-himanta-profited-from-sale-hindus-muslims-10252981/
-----
Expelled Karnataka BJP leader booked in two cases for allegedly provocative remarks about Muslims
Scroll Staff
16.09.25
Expelled Bharatiya Janata Party leader Basanagouda Patil Yatnal has been booked in two cases in less than a week for making allegedly provocative speeches about the Muslim community in the state, The Indian Express reported on Tuesday.
On September 10, the Maddur town police registered a case against Yatnal for remarks made during a Ganesha idol immersion in Mandya district. Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, including MP Pratap Sinha and MLC C T Ravi, were also present at the event.
During his speech, Yatnal, who was expelled from the BJP in March for six years over “anti-party” remarks, announced that he planned to launch a new political outfit called the “Karnataka Hindu Party,” with a bulldozer as its election symbol, The Indian Express reported.
The September 10 event was organised after communal clashes broke out on September 7 during a Ganesha procession, when stones were allegedly thrown.
On September 13, Tumakuru town police filed a suo motu case against Yatnal for another speech at a Ganesha immersion event, the newspaper reported.
Yatnal, the MLA from Bijapur City, allegedly said the “Karnataka government means Tipu Sultan government,” referring to the 18th-century Mysuru ruler. He claimed that only members of a minority community were receiving contracts, reservations and development benefits.
The first information report in Tumakuru was filed under sections related to promoting enmity between religious groups and delivering provocative speeches, The New Indian Express reported.
In recent years, while the Congress and several other parties have celebrated Tipu Sultan as a freedom fighter who resisted the British and modernised Mysore’s administration, several BJP leaders and Hindutva groups have claimed that he was “anti-Hindu” and accused him of religious persecution.
Source: scroll.in
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://scroll.in/latest/1086624/expelled-karnataka-bjp-leader-booked-in-two-cases-for-allegedly-provocative-remarks-about-muslims
-------
AIMPLB: SC interim order on Waqf 'incomplete and unsatisfactory'
Sep 16, 2025
NEW DELHI: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board has expressed disappointment over the Supreme Court of India’s interim judgment on the Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025, describing it as “incomplete and unsatisfactory” and sharing that the community feels that “those provisions not stayed at this stage shall be abused.”
The Board noted that while the Court has granted partial relief, the refusal to stay the entire Act “leaves numerous other harmful provisions in operation, including the prospective de-recognition of 'Waqf by user' and the mandatory requirement of a Waqf deed, which goes against the established tenets of Islamic law.” The Board’s spokesperson S Q R Ilyas said the Board will continue with its protests under the 'Save Waqf Campaign' and a rally will be held at Ramlila Maidan, Delhi, on November 16.
The Court verdict evoked a mixed reaction from Muslim bodies like Jamiat Ulama -i- Hind that while welcoming the partial relief on certain clauses by the SC, emphasized that the Court’s remarks on “Waqf by User” are particularly “alarming and demand serious attention”.
Meanwhile, All India Pasmanda Muslim Mahaz, Shariq Adeeb Ansari, national working president, welcomed the the verdict saying that the “nuanced judgment that protects constitutional principles, secures justice and maintains the sanctity of Waqf institutions while upholding the rule of law.”
“I believe this verdict will benefit India's Muslims -- especially the Pasmanda sections -- by safeguarding their rights within the constitutional framework," he said.
However, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind faction led by President, Maulana Mahmood Madani expressed concern over the fate of “Waqf by User”. He said that that India has more than 4 lakh Waqf properties classified under “Waqf by User,” including 1.19 lakh mosques and 1.50 lakh graveyards. More than 80% of these are unregistered.
“The recent amendment has completely abolished the concept of “Waqf by User,” while merely exempting properties already registered — a cosmetic adjustment that fails to resolve the core concern,” he said. The interim order cannot be considered satisfactory until “Waqf by User” is fully safeguarded,” he added.
Even as the JUH faction led by Arshad Madani welcomed the interim relief on certain provisions, he alleged that the Waqf Amendment Act was a “dangerous conspiracy against the Constitution aimed at snatching away the religious freedom of Muslims” and said that the Jamiat is confident that the SC will “strike down this law and provide complete constitutional justice”.
The AIMPLB, however, highlighted the provisions where the Supreme Court’s interim order has provided relief like staying the provision that required a government officer’s report to validate waqf ownership, observing that executive authorities cannot decide property rights of citizens and saying that no Waqf shall be dispossessed or have its records altered until the matter is fully adjudicated by the Waqf Tribunal.
The Board also cites that the Court’s directions with regards to number of non-Mulsims in the Central Waqf Council and State Waqf Boards and the stay on the requirement that a person must show or demonstrate that they have been "professing Islam for at least five years" to create a Waqf until the govt frames rules for such determination.
Source: indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/aimplb-sc-interim-order-on-waqf-incomplete-and-unsatisfactory/articleshow/123906776.cms
------
Muslim bodies call waqf decision ‘victory’ of Constitution’s spirit
September 15, 2025
Ziya Us SalamZIYA US SALAM
Leading Muslim bodies have “cautiously” welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to pause three key provisions in the Waqf (Amendment) Act until the petitions challenging the constitutionality of the Act are decided.
“The interim relief provided by the court has turned our hope into belief that justice is still alive in our country. The Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind will continue its legal and democratic struggle till the black law is repealed,” Arshad Madani, president of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind said.
Mr. Madani said the amended waqf law is a “direct attack on the Constitution” which grants “the right to equality and the freedom to practice any religion”, adding that the interim relief is “a victory of the spirit of the Constitution.”
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board’s (AIMPLB) spokesman Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas told the media that though some of the major contentions of the petitioners have been accepted “to a large extent” by the court, the board will continue with its ‘Save Waqf’ campaign.
“The Supreme Court’s interim order has provided relief on protection of property rights. Waqf properties cannot be dispossessed or altered in official records until a final decision is delivered. The court has stayed the operation of Section 3C of the Act and clarified that a government officer cannot have the unilateral authority to decide who is eligible to create a waqf,” Mr. Ilyas said.
He said the court addressed the “grave concerns of external interference in religious management” and has directed that the Central Waqf Council shall not consist of more than four non-Muslim members (out of 22). “The court has stayed the arbitrary requirement that a person must show or demonstrate that they have been ‘professing Islam for at least five years’ to create a waqf,” he said.
The AIMPLB spokesman, however, expressed dissatisfaction that the court did not do away with the entire amendment. “The board maintains that the entire amendment is a deliberate move to weaken and seize waqf properties. We seek the complete repeal of the Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025 and the restoration of the earlier Waqf Act. The refusal to stay the entire Act leaves numerous other harmful provisions in operation, including the prospective de-recognition of ‘waqf by user’ and the mandatory requirement of a waqf deed, which goes against the established tenets of Islamic law,” he said.
Navaid Hamid, the working president of All India Majlis-e-Mushawarat, the umbrella body of Muslim organisations, said the judgment is a “reminder to the BJP allies, the TDP and JD(U) that supporting the BJP’s unconstitutional moves will bring embarrassment to their politics of convenience.”
He welcomed that the waqf tribunal, not the collector, will decide the status of a waqf property and also expressed satisfaction that the “Waqf Board’s CEO will continue to be a Muslim”.
Source: thehindu.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/muslim-bodies-call-waqf-decision-victory-of-constitutions-spirit/article70052984.ece
-------
Muslim Man Poses As Hindu To Marry Gujarat Woman: If Not Mine, Then No One's
Sep 15, 2025
Vadodara police have arrested a man for allegedly posing as a Hindu, deceiving a woman into marriage, sexually exploiting her, and threatening to kill her.
Police said the case surfaced in the city’s Manjalpur area after the complainant alleged that a Muslim youth concealed his identity by changing his name and lured her into a relationship. When she discovered his real identity and refused to continue with him, the accused allegedly issued death threats.
The complainant, Iqbal Parmar, who introduced himself as Pratik Patel, claiming to be Hindu. She said that he won her trust by promising marriage and later took her to Rajasthan, where he sexually exploited her.
According to the woman, she became pregnant three times during the relationship. When she refused to further continue the physical relationship after learning the truth, the accused allegedly told her: “If you don’t become mine, I won’t let you become anyone else’s.”
Police registered a case under multiple sections. Officials confirmed that the accused has been arrested and remanded to police custody for three days.
Source: indiatoday.in
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/vadodara-man-posed-as-hindu-deceived-woman-into-marriage-sexually-assaulted-threatened-to-kill-gujarat-2787719-2025-09-15
-------
North America
CAIR Condemns Racist ‘Keep Hamilton County White’ Propaganda in Indiana
September 15, 2025
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned the promotion of racist “Keep Hamilton County White” propaganda in central Indiana.
In a statement, CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper said:
“This hateful and racist propaganda has no place in any community. It is a stark reminder that white supremacist ideologies continue to pose a serious threat to marginalized communities and to equality and inclusion nationwide. Community members of every belief and background must also come together to reject bigotry in all its forms.”
He noted that last month, CAIR condemned a march by armed neo-Nazis in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Also last month, CAIR condemned the bias-motivated vandalism of a Hindu temple’s sign in Greenwood, Indiana
Hooper said Washington, D.C., based CAIR and the American Muslim community stand in solidarity with all those challenging antisemitism, systemic anti-Black racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, white supremacy, and all other forms of bigotry.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
Do you like reading CAIR press releases and taking part in our action alerts? You can help contribute to CAIR’s work of defending civil rights and empowering American Muslims across the country by making a one-time contribution or becoming a monthly donor. Supporters like you make CAIR’s advocacy work possible and defeating Islamophobia an achievable goal. Click here to donate to CAIR.
You are receiving this email due to your interest selection from commercial media databases. If you would like to join CAIR’s media list, please sign up here:
Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-condemns-racist-keep-hamilton-county-white-propaganda-in-indiana/
-------
CAIR-NY Calls on NY Law Enforcement to Disclose What Israeli Practices Will Be Implemented After Study Tour in Israel During Gaza Genocide
September 15, 2025
The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY), a chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on New York-area law enforcement officials to disclose what Israeli practices will now impact New Yorkers after a recent tour in Israel to study counter-terrorism initiatives and anti-antisemitism programs as the genocide in Gaza continues unchecked.
According to the article, the delegation of 13 officials visited Israel to observe security practices, technology, and community resilience strategies.
Afaf Nasher, Esq., CAIR-NY Executive Director, stated:
“Israel is currently conducting a genocide based on race and religion. Sending law enforcement officers there for training is dangerous for our diverse New York Community, and especially dangerous for Palestinian, Muslim, Arabs, and allies to the pro-Palestine movement.
“While combating antisemitism and ensuring public safety are essential, we must ensure that measures adopted from a genocidal regime do not infringe on the rights of New Yorkers or promote discriminatory policing. Transparency, oversight, and community engagement are critical to prevent policies that unfairly target Muslim and other minority communities, especially during the ongoing genocide of our Palestinian brothers and sisters.”
CAIR-NY is calling on New York law enforcement agencies to publicly disclose the scope of any practices they plan to implement from this program and to engage affected communities before adopting foreign counter-terror measures. CAIR-NY is concerned that adopting lessons from foreign counter-terror policies could risk importing practices that compromise civil liberties, enable profiling, or disproportionately target Muslim, Arab, and immigrant communities in New York.
Nasher also encourages the public to report incidents of bias, profiling, or harassment using CAIR-NY’s incident report form at www.cair-ny.org/report-incident.
CAIR-NY’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR-NY 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-NY’s press releases and taking part in our action alerts? You can help contribute to CAIR-NY’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-NY’s advocacy work possible and defeating Islamophobia an achievable goal. Click here to donate to CAIR-NY.
Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-ny-calls-ny-law-enforcement-to-disclose-what-israeli-practices-will-be-implemented-after-study-tour-in-israel-during-gaza-genocide/
------
US says 'framework' for TikTok ownership deal agreed with China
September 16, 2025
Jessica Rawnsley
Washington has reached a "framework" deal with China on TikTok's US operations, paving the way for American ownership, as the world's two biggest economies negotiate a trade deal.
The framework was set in talks in Madrid, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday, adding that President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping would "complete" the deal on Friday.
Trump said on Truth Social that the talks had "gone very well". China confirmed a framework agreement but said no deal would be made at the expense of their firms' interests.
A Wednesday deadline looms for TikTok's Chinese owner to find a buyer for US operations or face a ban in the country over national security concerns.
The deadline for a sale has since been extended three times already and the latest delay is due to end on 17 September.
The BBC's US partner CBS reported late on Monday that Oracle was among a group of firms that would enable TikTok operations to continue in the US if a deal between Washington and Beijing is finalised.
The BBC has contacted Oracle, TikTok, the White House and the Chinese embassy in Washington DC for comment.
The ownership of TikTok has been a major sticking point in US-China trade talks. It was seen by observers as key to Beijing's efforts to negotiate lower tariffs and fewer trade barriers with the US, one of China's biggest markets.
Bessent announced the "framework" deal after the second day of negotiations to end a trade war which, at its peak, saw tariffs on some goods hit145%.
The agreed upon commercial terms would protect US national security interests, he added.
US trade representative Jamieson Greer, part of the delegation in Madrid, said the deal struck was "subject to the leaders' approval", but added his team was "not... in the business of having repetitive [ban] extensions".
China's top trade negotiator, Li Chenggang, said his country would not reach a deal with the US at the expense of its own principles and its leadership would review any deal before it was agreed.
In January, the US Supreme Court upheld a law passed in April 2024, banning TikTok unless its parent company ByteDance sold its US division.
TikTok went dark for a day that month after the law came into effect, before Trump intervened and issued a 75-day postponement.
The US Justice Department has said TikTok's access to data on American users poses "a national-security threat of immense depth and scale".
But ByteDance has repeatedly insisted that its US operations are fully independent and no data has been shared with the Chinese government. The company also argued that the ban would violate free speech protections for its 170 million US users.
Various figures have previously been touted as potential buyers of the platform, including Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, YouTube creator MrBeast and billionaire investor Frank McCourt.
'Backdoor' for Beijing?
Details of the deal remain sparse and some experts are sceptical over issues including who will control TikTok's powerful recommendation algorithm.
It is also unclear if the data of TikTok's American users would be fully stored and encrypted domestically, and whether there would be independent audits to detect backdoor access by Beijing, said Sarah Kreps, director of the Tech Policy Institute at Cornell University.
"Until these details are clarified, the risk is that the deal resolves ownership on paper but leaves core vulnerabilities untouched," she added.
Jim Secreto, a former national security official in the Biden administration, said Beijing has control over whether the algorithm will be transferred to a new owner, which is probably why the TikTok deal was folded into broader trade and tariff negotiations.
If national security concerns were addressed, the deal "would be a major breakthrough," he said.
He added that the stakes were high as ByteDance was now one of the largest AI firms in China - but is still operating as it did when Congress decided action was necessary.
"The data TikTok collects from Americans today could help train the models that power China's military and intelligence capabilities tomorrow," Mr Secreto said.
Source: bbc.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yj5xj78p5o
-------
Charlie Kirk suspect linked to crime scene by DNA, says FBI chief
September 16, 2025
Zahra Fatima
DNA on a towel wrapped around the suspected gun used to kill Charlie Kirk has been matched to the suspect in custody, the director of the FBI said on Monday.
Tyler Robinson, 22, was arrested over the death of the right-wing influencer at an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. A bolt-action rifle was recovered near the shooting, and a screwdriver was found on the roof from where the fatal shot was fired.
"I can report today that the DNA hits from the towel that was wrapped around the firearm and the DNA on the screwdriver are positively processed for the suspect in custody," Kash Patel told Fox and Friends.
A formal charge is expected this week. A motive has yet to be determined.
The FBI director - who is expected to face questions at a hearing in Congress on Tuesday - also mentioned a note that was discovered at the suspect's home, which vowed to "take out" Kirk.
It's "basically saying... 'I have the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk', and I'm going to take it that note was written before the shooting," said Patel.
He added, "even though it has been destroyed, we have found forensic evidence of the note".
Investigators are also looking at social media accounts used by Mr Robinson, according to the BBC's US news partner CBS, and any signs that anyone may have known about or encouraged the shooting beforehand.
According to a Utah County Sheriff inmate booking sheet obtained by the BBC, Mr Robinson is accused of aggravated murder, obstruction of justice, and felony discharge of a firearm.
The breakthrough comes after Utah Governor Spencer Cox said on Sunday that Mr Robinson - who had been persuaded to surrender by his father - had been refusing to co-operate with investigators and had not confessed to carrying out the shooting.
Cox added that Mr Robinson's roommate and partner had been helping with the investigation.
Vice-President JD Vance on Monday hosted a tribute episode of Kirk's daily podcast from the White House, speaking with conservative personalities and Trump administration aides to remember the 31-year-old - a long-time ally of the president.
"One of Charlie's gifts was not talking at you, but engaging you where you were," White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles told Vance.
The vice-president, a close friend of Kirk's, also spoke directly to the audience, slamming criticism of Kirk following his death.
"I'm desperate for our country to be united in condemnation of the actions and the ideas that killed my friend," Vance said, but "there is no unity with the people who celebrate Charlie Kirk's assassination, and there is no unity with the people... who pay the salaries of these terrorist sympathisers".
Vance said the administration would "work to dismantle the institutions that promote violence and terrorism in our own country", echoing earlier podcast remarks from White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller.
"The last message that Charlie sent me was... that we need to have an organised strategy to go after the left-wing organisations that are promoting violence in this country", Miller told Vance.
He said the government will "uproot and dismantle these terrorist networks" that Miller claimed "led to this assassination".
Kirk grew to national prominence as co-founder of Turning Point USA, a conservative youth group.
The father-of-two had been hosting the American Comeback Tour, visiting several college campuses across the US to debate college students, when he was shot.
Source: bbc.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c203qgn61geo
------
Mideast
Arab, Muslim leaders urge review of Israel ties after Qatar attack
September 15, 2025
DOHA: Arab and Muslim leaders called for a review of ties with Israel after emergency talks in Doha on Monday following last week’s deadly strike on Hamas members in the Qatari capital.
The Arab League and Organization of Islamic Cooperation joint session, which brought together nearly 60 countries, sought to take firm action after Israel’s attack on Qatar-hosted Hamas officials as they discussed a Gaza ceasefire proposal.
A joint statement from the summit urged “all States to take all possible legal and effective measures to prevent Israel from continuing its actions against the Palestinian people,” including “reviewing diplomatic and economic relations with it, and initiating legal proceedings against it.”
Qatar’s fellow Gulf nations the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, along with Egypt, Jordan and Morocco, were among those present that recognize Israel.
The leaders of the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco, which signed the Abraham Accords recognizing Israel five years ago to the day, did not attend Monday’s talks, sending senior representatives instead.
The statement also urged member states to “coordinate efforts aimed at suspending Israel’s membership in the United Nations.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will arrive in Qatar on Tuesday, after pledging “unwavering support” for Israel’s goal of eradicating Hamas during a visit to the country.
The attack strained ties between Washington and key allies in the Gulf, raising concerns over US security guarantees in a region housing major US assets including a major military base in Qatar.
The State Department said Rubio would “reaffirm America’s full support for Qatar’s security and sovereignty” after last week’s strike.
Mounting pressure over Gaza
Qatar had called for a coordinated regional response after the Israeli attack, which stunned the usually peaceful, wealthy peninsula.
The summit aimed to pile pressure on Israel, which is facing mounting calls to end the war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The host country’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, accused Israel of trying to scupper ceasefire talks by firing on Hamas negotiators in Qatar, a key mediator.
Hamas says top officials survived last week’s air strike in Doha, which killed six people and triggered a wave of criticism.
“Whoever works diligently and systematically to assassinate the party with whom he is negotiating, intends to thwart the negotiations,” the emir told the summit.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was among those present on Monday, as were Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas.
“Tomorrow, it could be the turn of any Arab or Islamic capital,” said Pezeshkian, whose country fought a 12-day war with Israel in June, at one point attacking a US base in Qatar in retaliation for strikes on its nuclear facilities.
“The choice is clear. We must unite.”
President Abdelfattah El-Sisi of Egypt, the first Arab country to recognize Israel, warned its attack in Qatar “places obstacles in the way of any opportunities for new peace agreements and even aborts the existing peace agreements with countries in the region.”
Israel and its main backer Washington have been trying to expand the Abraham Accords, signed during US President Donald Trump’s first term, notably courting Saudi Arabia.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Israel of adopting a “terrorist mentality,” as countries took turns slamming it over Gaza.
The rich Gulf countries also met on the sidelines of the summit, urging the US to use its “leverage and influence” to rein in Israel, Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi told a press conference.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2615427/middle-east
-------
Jordanian army chief, foreign diplomats discuss military ties in Amman
September 15, 2025
LONDON: The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Jordanian Armed Forces on Monday held meetings with the ambassadors of Australia, Sweden and France to review security cooperation.
Maj. Gen. Yousef Huneiti met the envoys separately at the General Command in Amman.
The talks, which were attended by several other officers from the JAF, focused on enhancing military and security cooperation and exchanging expertise, the Petra news agency reported.
The diplomats praised Jordan’s role, under King Abdullah II, in promoting peace and recognized the JAF’s humanitarian and medical contributions.
Huneiti and Swedish Ambassador Maria Sargren discussed security cooperation and mutual regional as well as international issues, the report said.
The army chief emphasized the strong Franco-Jordanian relations and military partnership in his talks with French Ambassador Franck Gellet, while his meeting with Australian Ambassador Bernard Lynch focused on enhancing cooperation in training and expertise exchange.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2615413/middle-east
-----
Palestinians warn of Israeli seizure of Ibrahimi Mosque’s roof in Hebron
September 15, 2025
LONDON: Israeli authorities have issued an order to seize the roof of the inner courtyard of the Ibrahimi Mosque in the city of Hebron, in the south of the occupied West Bank, a Palestinian settlements watchdog revealed.
The Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission reported that an Israeli expropriation order, issued on Monday, mandates the seizure of 288 sq. meters of the designated roof area.
Muayyad Shaaban, the head of the commission, said that the order follows a decision made last February to transfer authority over the Ibrahimi Mosque from the Palestinian Ministry of Endowments to the Israeli Civil Planning Authority.
In July, the supervisory authority over parts of the Ibrahimi Mosque was officially transferred from the Hebron Municipality to the Religious Council in Kiryat Arba for management and structural changes.
The Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates has said that Israel’s decision to transfer the management of the mosque, known to Jews as the Cave of the Patriarchs, to a settlement council is “an unprecedented move to impose control over it, Judaize it, alter its identity, and a blatant violation of international law and UN resolutions.”
Shaaban said that the latest Israeli measures “isolate the Mosque from its Palestinian surroundings and link it administratively and security-wise to colonial councils,” according to the Wafa news agency.
He called on UNESCO, which had designated the Ibrahimi Mosque as a World Heritage site in 2017, to urgently intervene and protect the site.
“Defending the Ibrahimi Mosque is a defense of Hebron’s identity and heritage, and of the Palestinian people’s right to administer their holy sites and protect their religious and cultural sovereignty,” he said.
The Ibrahimi Mosque is in Hebron’s Old City, where about 400 settlers are protected by about 1,500 Israeli soldiers and surrounded by numerous military checkpoints.
Since 1994, Israel has spatially divided the Ibrahimi Mosque into 63 percent for Jews and 37 percent for Muslims, after an extremist settler massacred 29 Palestinian worshippers at the site.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2615401/middle-east
-------
Kuwait sends ninth relief aircraft to assist Palestinians in Gaza
September 15, 2025
LONDON: Kuwait dispatched its ninth relief aircraft on Monday to assist Palestinians in the Gaza Strip as part of the country’s humanitarian Kuwait is by Your Side campaign.
The Kuwait Red Crescent Society, in collaboration with charities and relevant ministries, loaded 40 tonnes of food and aid relief onto an aircraft which took off from Abdullah Al-Mubarak Air Base heading to Al-Arish Airport in Egypt.
Latifa Al-Meer, a board member of the KRCS, told the Kuwait News Agency that the charity was continuing to send humanitarian convoys to Gaza following directives from the leadership to address urgent needs in the Palestinian coastal enclave.
She stressed the need for an immediate response and increased efforts from humanitarian organizations to address the critical needs in Gaza. Al-Meer added that the KRCS prepared the shipment of essential food aid for families in Gaza, aided by the Al-Salam Humanitarian Society.
She acknowledged the efforts of Kuwait’s Embassy in Egypt and the Egyptian Red Crescent in facilitating the delivery of aid to Palestinians in Gaza.
The second phase of Kuwaiti air support has transported about 150 tonnes of essential humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, demonstrating Kuwait’s commitment to international relief and solidarity, KUNA added.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2615395/middle-east
-------
Israel must end financial stranglehold on Occupied Territories: UN experts
EPHREM KOSSAIFY
September 15, 2025
NEW YORK: Israel’s attacks on Gaza and its broader financial control across the Occupied Territories have triggered a severe economic emergency, UN independent experts warned on Monday, calling for an immediate end to measures that are causing “catastrophic harm” to human rights.
“Economic life in Gaza has been decimated by sheer physical destruction, blockade and siege, and repeated forced displacement,” they said in a statement, citing widespread damage to commercial, agricultural and industrial infrastructure in the Palestinian enclave, with unemployment surging above 80 percent, a sharp contraction in gross domestic product, halted trade and endemic poverty. Famine has already been declared.
They said a liquidity crisis across Gaza has been exacerbated by the destruction of banks and ATMs, and Israel’s blocking of new currency inflows.
The scarcity of cash has triggered hyperinflation, with the price of cooking oil increasing by 1,200 percent and flour by 5,000 percent by mid-2025.
Humanitarian workers are losing nearly 40 percent of their salaries just to access cash, while digital payments are frequently disrupted by electricity and telecommunications outages.
“The disproportionate civilian harm caused by Israel’s blockade and siege violates international humanitarian law and the economic and social rights of Palestinians,” the experts said.
They also highlighted how Israeli legislation restricting the UN Relief and Works Agency, and the US suspension of its funding, have jeopardized thousands of jobs and undermined humanitarian efforts amid Gaza’s economic collapse.
The financial pressure, they said, extends beyond Gaza. In the occupied West Bank, Israel has allegedly withheld and diverted tax revenues owed to the Palestinian Authority in violation of the Oslo Accords, disrupting salary payments and weakening liquidity.
“Israel has threatened not to renew the annual waiver of terrorist financing laws that allows Israeli banks to process transactions with Palestinian banks in November 2025,” the experts warned. “This would cut Palestinians off from the global financial system.”
They also noted the suspension of work permits for 100,000 Palestinian workers, eliminating a vital source of cash inflow that had accounted for nearly a quarter of gross national income.
“These measures exacerbate heavy economic losses from the illegal taking of land and the illegal exploitation of natural resources by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank,” the experts said.
They added that since 2023, purported counterterrorism measures have led to “unjustified de-risking” by international banks, resulting in account closures and blocked humanitarian transfers.
“Cumulatively, these measures seriously violate Israel’s obligations to guarantee the human rights to an adequate standard of living, work, food, water, sanitation, health, life, and freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment,” the experts said.
They added that Israel, as an occupying power, is obligated under international law to sustain Palestinian economic life, not expropriate property or exploit natural resources.
The experts further emphasized that Israel’s economic restrictions impede the Palestinian people’s collective rights to economic self-determination, sovereignty over natural resources, and development.
The economic rights of Palestinians have been affirmed by multiple international bodies, including the International Court of Justice and the UN General Assembly, most recently at the High-Level International Conference on Palestine in July, which was co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France.
The experts called on Israel to immediately lift the blockade and siege of civilians in Gaza, end violations of international humanitarian law, remove currency restrictions, restore cash flows, establish secure cash distribution systems and facilitate digital payments.
They added that Israel must also commit to the permanent renewal of the banking waiver in the West Bank and stop holding Palestinian tax revenues to ransom.
They also referred to the ICJ’s 2024 advisory opinion demanding an end to Israel’s “illegal occupation,” and noted that the UNGA has set a deadline of September, 17, 2025, for Israel to comply.
“The international community must act urgently to compel Israel to stop violating fundamental rules of international law, respect the economic rights of the Palestinian people, alleviate the humanitarian crisis and prevent financial collapse,” the experts said.
They include Ben Saul, special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism; Attiya Waris, independent expert on the effects of foreign debt and other related international financial obligations of states on the full enjoyment of all human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural rights; George Katrougalos, independent expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order; and Carlos Arturo Duarte Torres of the working group on the rights of peasants and other people working in rural areas.
They are part of the UN Human Rights Council’s Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the organization’s human rights system. They work on a voluntary basis and are not paid for their work.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2615383/middle-east
------
Southeast Asia
Malaysia’s Islamist party PAS aims to govern in 3 new states including Selangor, eyes bigger national role
15 Sep 2025
ALOR SETAR, Kedah: Malaysia’s opposition Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) has drawn the first battle lines as it declared its interest in wresting the Pahang, Perak and Selangor states from the incumbent coalition, by winning the legislative elections and forming the new local governments there.
PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang revealed these new goals at the party’s annual general meeting on Monday (Sep 15), as he pledged that the Islamist party would lead the country’s “pluralistic” society without neglecting the rights of non-Muslim communities.
This even as he took an apparent jibe at Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his Malaysia Madani slogan that the premier unveiled after he took power in November 2022.
In his policy speech at the event held in Kedah, Hadi said PAS has an “obligation to safeguard” both its state and parliamentary seats at upcoming electoral contests, referring to both the state legislative polls and the country’s general elections.
Hadi described the PAS-governed states of Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perlis as “base states” that must be defended while the party advances an “Islamic agenda” in accordance with the states’ jurisdictions.
“Meanwhile, the next victories are expected to come from Pahang, Perak, and Selangor, thereby strengthening PAS and PN’s representation in parliament, while also boosting achievements in the southern states and in Sabah, which will soon face its state election,” he said, referring to the Perikatan Nasional opposition coalition.
There is a well-known belief among PAS leadership that its governance of states like Terengganu and Kedah should be seen as a signal that it can manage the country at the federal level, and that a wider state-level presence - especially in state governments - would boost this impression.
Malaysia has two levels of elections: One at the federal level that elects Members of Parliament for the House of Representatives, and at the state level, which elects members for the state legislative assemblies.
STATE-LEVEL AMBITIONS
Hadi’s roughly 45-minute speech, in a hall full of PAS delegates clad in white, was regularly punctured by the party’s rallying cry of “takbir”, or a call to praise God. Also in attendance were leaders of PN component parties, including Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) president Muhyiddin Yassin.
Of the three incumbent-held states that it has earmarked for possible victories, PAS has the second-most seats in the Pahang state assembly (15 out of 47 seats) and the Perak state assembly (17 out of 59 seats).
And during the 2023 state elections, PAS stunned observers by claiming 10 seats in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) stronghold of Selangor, whose state assembly has 56 seats.
In a press conference after his speech on Monday, Hadi explained that victories in Pahang, Perak and Selangor were a “possibility” due to what he feels is PAS’ significant support in these states.
“If UMNO worked with us (after the Pahang and Perak state elections in 2022), we would have formed the state governments there. Unfortunately, UMNO broke apart; they joined the DAP (Democratic Action Party),” he told reporters, referring to the United Malays National Organisation.
The 15th general election (GE15) in November 2022 was UMNO's worst performance in history, as the party only managed to win 27 seats and 31 per cent of the popular vote.
The election results led to a hung parliament, and after royal intervention, the UMNO-led Barisan Nasional coalition eventually formed a unity government with Anwar’s PH coalition and other parties. PAS and Bersatu became the opposition.
The DAP - a Chinese-majority PH component party - has a long-standing rivalry with PAS due to perceived differences in political ideology.
The Pahang and Perak state elections were held concurrently with GE15, while the Selangor polls were held about a year later in August 2023.
Meanwhile, a slew of state elections - chiefly in Sabah, Melaka, Johor and Sarawak - are expected to be held between now and 2028, by when the next general election is due.
NATIONAL POWER
At GE15, PAS emerged as the party with the most seats by winning 43 of the 222 seats in parliament.
Hadi on Monday urged PAS to build on its “greatest success” of the previous general election, as the party sets its sights on winning 80 seats at the next general election.
“Therefore, it is our duty to continue the struggle, for sustaining victory is more challenging than attaining it,” he said.
At the press conference, Hadi also addressed questions of whether PAS would name its own prime minister candidate by repeating what party leaders had previously said.
“We are ready to lead Malaysia and our priority is to get support and win the election. The issue of choosing who will be leader - that will be settled internally,” he said, adding that the candidate should ideally be someone who is younger than 70.
Recently, several PAS leaders had criticised Bersatu for being “overly enthusiastic” in naming its prime minister candidate without coalition consensus.
Separately, PAS will also retain Hadi as its president and Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man as deputy president. This after the two won unopposed in the party’s internal elections that was to be held during the two-day general assembly.
The party’s three vice-president posts - held by Idris Ahmad, Amar Abdullah and Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar - were also uncontested after election director Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor dropped out of the race.
The no-contest for PAS’ top five posts leaves only its central working committee facing a contest, with delegates expected to cast their votes on Monday evening.
APPEALING TO NON-MALAYS
PAS, for all its popularity in the Malay heartlands, has often been criticised for failing to appeal to the non-Malay population, an issue that party leaders have acknowledged in the past few days of the assembly, which officially runs from Sep 11 to 16.
The party will uphold the the sanctity of the Federal Constitution with the “true interpretation of Islam”, without neglecting the rights and interests of other communities, Hadi reassured.
He added that PAS is committed to upholding Islamic tenets regarding non-Muslim citizens, including respecting the sensitivities of non-Muslims even in matters “relating to the belief in God”.
Hadi stressed that PAS bureaus overseeing unity and preaching, and a wing staffed by non-Muslim members, bear “crucial” roles in engaging constituencies with a non-Muslim majority as well as securing decisive votes in Muslim-majority areas.
“This approach must be strategically structured and impactful, whether through participation in state governments or by assuring non-Muslims that their religious rights will remain protected under PAS leadership,” he said.
Even so, Hadi took aim at Anwar’s Malaysia Madani (Civil Malaysia) slogan, which the premier said was also meant to reset the country’s direction on race and religion.
While Malaysia’s pillar would still be the Malay majority with an emphasis on the principles of Islam, the Malay language and Malay rights, the country is also a multi-racial nation, where no one should not be left behind in the country’s development, Anwar said in 2023 when introducing the slogan.
“True madani is when Islam holds authority to govern human affairs,” Hadi said on Monday.
“The problem, however, is that Malaysia Madani has been reduced to a mere slogan used to deceive the people with a shallow understanding devoid of true knowledge. It serves only as empty rhetoric without genuine direction or guidance.”
PAS’ STANCE ON GEOPOLITICS
Hadi also touched on geopolitical events shaping the world at the moment, in a sign of PAS’ federal government ambitions.
The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war is being fuelled by “Western provocations against neighbouring states that challenge its dominance”, Hadi claimed, while asserting that Israel’s “brutality” in the Gaza conflict has contributed to its increasing isolation in the international community.
But Hadi chose to single out the “situation” in the South China Sea as one that demanded “serious attention”, saying it is best addressed through “diplomacy and strengthened ties among regional states”.
China claims most of the resource-rich South China Sea, while a number of Southeast Asian nations including Malaysia are claimant states.
“Lessons must be drawn from the experience of the two World Wars, in which the peoples of colonised nations, which serve as the battleground, ended up with casualties far greater than those of the major powers who waged the conflicts,” said Hadi.
“We therefore expect the government to act with greater prudence and firmness, maintaining a neutral stance to ensure that Southeast Asia does not once again become a battleground for rival superpowers or a proxy to any side.”
Source: channelnewsasia.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/malaysia-pas-state-election-selangor-hadi-awang-5349791
------
Malaysia and Zetrix AI Partner to Build Global Standards for Shariah-Compliant Artificial Intelligence
September 16, 2025
Johor Bahru, Malaysia (ANTARA/PRNewswire)- In a significant step towards islamic values-based artificial intelligence, Zetrix AI Berhad, developer of the world's first Shariah-aligned Large Language Model (LLM) NurAi and the Government of Malaysia, through the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs), today signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to collaborate on establishing the foremost global framework for Shariah compliance, certification and governance in AI. The ceremony was witnessed by Prime Minister YAB Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Building Trust in NurAI
JAKIM, Malaysia's Department of Islamic Development, is internationally recognised as the gold standard in halal certification, accrediting foreign certification bodies across nearly 50 countries. Malaysia has consistently ranked first in the Global Islamic Economy Indicator, reflecting its leadership not only in halal certification but also in Islamic finance, food and education. By integrating emerging technologies such as AI and blockchain to enhance compliance and monitoring, Malaysia continues to set holistic benchmarks for the global Islamic economy.
NurAI has already established itself as a pioneering Shariah-aligned AI platform. With today's collaboration, JAKIM, under the Ministry's leadership, would play a central role in guiding the certification, governance and ethical standards of NurAI, ensuring its alignment with Islamic principles.
Additionally, this milestone underscores the urgent need for AI systems that move beyond secular or foreign-centric worldviews, offering instead a platform rooted in Islamic ethics. It positions Malaysia as a global leader in ethical and Shariah-compliant AI while setting international benchmarks. The initiative also reflects the country's halal and digitalisation agendas, ensuring AI remains trusted, secure, and representative of Muslim values while serving more than 2 billion people worldwide.
Prime Minister YAB Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim reinforced that national policies should incorporate various inputs, including digitalisation and artificial intelligence — and must always remain grounded in islamic principles and values that deserve emphasis.
Areas of Collaboration
Through the LOI, Zetrix AI and the Government via JAKIM, propose to collaborate in three key areas:
Shariah Certification and Governance — Developing frameworks, ethical guidelines and certification standards for AI systems rooted in Islamic principles.
Global Advocacy and Promotion — Positioning Malaysia as the global centre of excellence for Islamic AI and championing the Islamic digital economy projected at USD 5.74 trillion by 2030.
JAKIM's Official Channel on NurAI — Creating a trusted platform for Islamic legal rulings, halal certification and verified Shariah guidance, combating misinformation through AI.
Reinforcing Global Halal Tech Leadership
Through this collaboration, NurAI demonstrates how advanced AI can be guided by ethical and faith-based principles to serve global communities. By extending halal leadership into the digital economy particularly in Islamic finance, education and law — Malaysia positions itself as a key contributor to setting international benchmarks for Shariah-compliant AI.
Inclusive, Secure and Cost-Effective AI
NurAI is developed in Malaysia, supporting Bahasa Melayu, English, Indonesian and Arabic. It complies with national data sovereignty and cybersecurity policies, reducing reliance on foreign tools while ensuring AI knowledge stays local, trusted, and secure.
NurAI is available for download on nur-ai.zetrix.com
About Zetrix AI Berhad
Zetrix AI Berhad ("Zetrix AI"), formerly known as MY E.G. Services Berhad, is leading the way in the deployment of blockchain technology and artificial intelligence in powering the public and private sectors across ASEAN. Headquartered in Malaysia, Zetrix AI started operations in 2000 as a pioneer in the provision of electronic government services and complementary commercial offerings in its home country. Today, it has advanced to the forefront of technology transformation in the broader region, leveraging its Layer-1 blockchain platform Zetrix and embracing the convergence of Web3, AI and robotics to enable optimally-efficient, intelligent and secure cross-border transactions, digital identity interoperability and automation solutions that seamlessly connect peoples, businesses and governments.
Source: antaranews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://en.antaranews.com/news/380097/malaysia-and-zetrix-ai-partner-to-build-global-standards-for-shariah-compliant-artificial-intelligence
------
Mihas 2025 to open tomorrow, 80 nations gather for world’s largest halal exhibition
16 Sep 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 16 — The Malaysia International Halal Showcase (Mihas) returns for its 21st edition at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (Mitec), Kuala Lumpur, from September 17 to September 20, 2025.
Organised by the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade), Mihas 2025 will be officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on September 19.
Recognised as a significant platform for the halal sector, Mihas 2025, themed “Pinnacle of Halal Excellence”, will see the participation of 45,000 visitors, 2,400 booths, as well as exhibitors and buyers from 80 countries, according to Matrade in a statement today.
The trade promotion agency said the four-day event will provide global businesses, policymakers, and industry thought leaders opportunities for deals, dialogues, and collaboration through its multiple components, including exhibition, incoming specialised buying mission (INSP), Knowledge Hub seminars and an awards ceremony.
Matrade said this year’s Mihas invites trade visitors to a well-curated exhibition space highlighting halal food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, Islamic finance, fashion and lifestyle products, personal care, cosmetics, and Muslim-friendly tourism.
“Mihas 2025 serves as the trade component of the Global Halal Summit (GHaS), underlining Malaysia’s commitment to advancing standards, innovation, and transnational partnerships as the halal sector develops further,” it added.
Following the success of Mihas in Dubai in 2024, the agency noted that this year introduces Mihas@Shanghai, to be held from November 5 to November 10, in conjunction with the China International Import Expo (CIIE).
Matrade said Malaysian enterprises would benefit from a dedicated platform to present their products and services to the Chinese market, one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing halal consumer bases.
“Through responsible partnerships and bilateral cooperation, exemplified by a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Matrade and the CIIE Bureau, Mihas@Shanghai enables participating companies to strengthen their global competitiveness and build lasting business connections with buyers across East Asia and the wider region,” said Matrade.
In 2024, Mihas set a new benchmark by recording sales of RM4.3 billion. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/money/2025/09/16/mihas-2025-to-open-tomorrow-80-nations-gather-for-worlds-largest-halal-exhibition/191312
-----
Anwar calls for safe passage of humanitarian flotilla to Gaza, warns against violence
16 Sep 2025
DOHA, Sept 16 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has urged that the humanitarian flotilla sailing toward Gaza be allowed safe passage, emphasising that it must not be turned back through violence or obstruction.
Delivering Malaysia’s national statement at the Extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit here on Monday, Anwar said the flotilla carries not weapons of war but the promise of aid for a besieged people in Gaza.
“It is a mission of mercy, and we must do all in our power to see that it reaches its shore.
“To let it be turned back with violence is to betray the charge that our conscience has placed upon us: to defend the weak, to shelter the oppressed, to give food to the hungry,” the Prime Minister said.
The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) is currently crossing the Mediterranean Sea, carrying food, medicine, and messages of peace toward the shores of Gaza.
The mission, comprising more than 50 boats with volunteers from 44 countries, is aimed at delivering humanitarian supplies of food and medicine to the besieged enclave.
Anwar is the patron of Sumud Nusantara, one of the groups participating in the mission that gathers boats and volunteers from across the world.
Representing Malaysia in the flotilla are Cinta Gaza Malaysia (CGM) Chief Executive Officer Muhammad Nadir Al-Nuri Kamaruzaman, singer Zizi Kirana and actress Ardell Aryana.
On Sept 10, the main ship Family was struck by a drone while docked in Sidi Bou Said, Tunisia, followed by an attack on the boat Alma on Tuesday night.
No casualties were reported in the attacks.
On Saturday, an Anadolu correspondent reported that an initial convoy of GSF vessels had departed Bizerte Port in Tunisia en route to the Gaza Strip. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/09/16/anwar-calls-for-safe-passage-of-humanitarian-flotilla-to-gaza-warns-against-violence/191283
-------
King and Queen extend Malaysia Day greetings, pray for lasting peace
theSun Local
2025-09-15
KUALA LUMPUR: Their Majesties Sultan Ibrahim and Raja Zarith Sofiah have extended warm greetings to all Malaysians ahead of Malaysia Day celebrations.
The King and Queen expressed their hopes for lasting peace and divine protection from calamities in a heartfelt message posted on Sultan Ibrahim’s official Facebook page.
Sultan Ibrahim specifically acknowledged the unity and consensus among Malaysia’s diverse racial communities as the nation’s enduring strength since its formation.
The Malaysia Day 2025 celebration carries the theme ‘Malaysia MADANI: Rakyat Disantuni’ and will be hosted at the PICCA@Arena Butterworth Convention Centre.
This year’s event in Penang continues the tradition of rotating the celebration venue between Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia annually.
The celebration will feature various engaging activities starting at 9 am tomorrow for all attendees to enjoy. – Bernama
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thesun.my/malaysia-news/king-and-queen-extend-malaysia-day-greetings-pray-for-lasting-peace-DM14904722
-------
South Asia
Pakistan–Afghanistan Ties Hit New Low as Islamabad Warns Kabul Over TTP, Says Dawn
By Fidel Rahmati
September 15, 2025
Pakistani media reported that officials in Islamabad have hinted at widening air operations deeper into Afghanistan territory if militant attacks continue, heightening fears of escalation.
Pakistan’s relations with Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities have sunk to a new low, with Islamabad voicing alarm over Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants operating from Afghanistan soil.
According to Dawn, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told Kabul to “choose between Pakistan and the TTP,” warning that Islamabad would not accept further cross-border attacks from Afghanistan.
The statement followed Taliban allegations that Pakistani airstrikes in Nangarhar and Khost killed civilians. Islamabad rejected the claims, describing them as an effort to conceal Afghanistan’s own security failings.
Since the Taliban’s return to power four years ago, Pakistan has faced a sharp surge in TTP violence. Despite repeated calls, Kabul has failed to disarm or detain TTP leaders sheltering on its territory.
Dawn reported that Islamabad has grown increasingly frustrated after a year of diplomatic outreach, including high-level visits to Kabul, yielded no meaningful action from Kabul administration.
Pakistan has already carried out cross-border strikes against TTP hideouts, tightened restrictions on Afghan transit trade, and accelerated deportations of undocumented Afghan migrants. These steps underline what Dawn described as Islamabad’s “harder line” toward Kabul.
The newspaper also noted that officials in Islamabad have hinted at expanding the scope of air operations deeper into Afghanistan territory if militant attacks persist, raising fears of further escalation.
Analysts say the current tensions represent a “new low” in bilateral relations, with security concerns overshadowing trade and diplomatic ties between the two neighbors.
While dialogue channels remain formally open, mistrust is growing. Commentators warn that without tangible action from Kabul, Pakistan may be forced to escalate militarily, further straining an already fragile relationship.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/pakistan-afghanistan-ties-hit-new-low-as-islamabad-warns-kabul-over-ttp-says-dawn/
-------
IEA Committed to Supporting Refugees with Permanent Housing
September 16, 2025
KABUL: Mawlavi Abdul Kabir, Minister of Refugees and Repatriation Affairs, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting returning Afghan refugees through comprehensive resettlement efforts.
Mawlavi Kabir stated in a meeting with tribal elders from Chahar Asiab and Sarobi districts of the Kabul province, that relevant government agencies have been tasked with developing permanent housing solutions for returnees, going beyond short-term assistance, according to a statement from the ministry on Monday.
Tribal elders proposed the establishment of residential towns in key regions to provide sustainable shelter for the growing number of families expected to return.
They also called on the government to designate residential areas in advance to accommodate the anticipated influx. The Kabul Times
Source: thekabultimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thekabultimes.com/iea-committed-to-supporting-refugees-with-permanent-housing/
------
UN Says Over Three Million in Afghanistan Face Displacement and Humanitarian Crisis
By Fidel Rahmati
September 16, 2025
The United Nations reported more than three million people in Afghanistan are displaced by conflict and instability, warning urgent international aid is needed to address the humanitarian emergency.
The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Tuesday that Afghanistan is grappling with a deepening humanitarian and displacement crisis, with millions forced from their homes.
More than three million people inside Afghanistan have been displaced by recent conflict and instability, leaving families facing an uncertain future, the agency said in its latest update.
UNHCR noted that financial support remains critical, stressing that funding could provide life-saving assistance and emergency protection for internally displaced Afghans who lack shelter, food, and basic services.
The agency added that only about one percent of its operational budget for Afghanistan is currently covered through UN allocations, underscoring a severe funding gap.
Calling on donor governments and international partners, UNHCR urged the global community to deliver immediate humanitarian aid to support Afghanistan’s most vulnerable populations, including women and children.
Aid workers warn that without urgent resources, millions could be pushed deeper into poverty, hunger, and displacement ahead of the winter months.
Humanitarian observers say Afghanistan’s crisis highlights the consequences of under-funding, adding pressure on the international community to prevent a worsening emergency in a country already struggling with instability.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/un-says-over-three-million-in-afghanistan-face-displacement-and-humanitarian-crisis/
------
Fiber-Optic Internet Services Suspended in Balkh Province
By Fidel Rahmati
September 16, 2025
Officials in northern Afghanistan have confirmed that fiber-optic internet services have been suspended in Balkh province following an order from the country’s leadership.
Haji Zaid, spokesperson for the Balkh governor, said on Tuesday the restriction was imposed to prevent “immoral activities” and that authorities are considering alternatives.
Residents of Mazar-i-Sharif, the provincial capital, reported that Afghanistan Telecom and other cable internet providers were cut off on Monday, leaving only mobile data services available.
Locals said the suspension has disrupted online government services, banking operations, remote learning, and daily business activities in one of Afghanistan’s most important economic centers.
Afghanistan remains connected through fiber-optic links with five neighboring countries. The former government invested nearly $150 million in the network before its collapse in 2021.
Rights groups and digital analysts warn that restricting internet access risks further isolating Afghanistan, hurting its fragile economy and denying communities access to education and information.
Observers say the suspension undercuts earlier investments in infrastructure and sends troubling signals about the future of connectivity and technological development in the country.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/fiber-optic-internet-services-suspended-in-balkh-province/
------
Bangladesh condemns Israeli attack on Qatar
Sep 16, 2025
The unprovoked and unjustifiable Israeli attack on the sovereign territory of Qatar is not merely an attack on Qatar but an affront to the dignity of the entire Muslim Ummah, said Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain yesterday.
He made the remarks while attending the Emergency Arab-Islamic Summit held in Doha on September 15, 2025.
At the summit, Bangladesh called for coordinated diplomatic, political and economic measures by all OIC member states to deter further Israeli provocation and aggression.
The summit was chaired by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. OIC Secretary General Hussain Ibrahim Taha and Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit delivered welcome remarks.
It was attended by 24 heads of state and government, while delegations from other countries were led by foreign ministers or senior dignitaries.
The leaders called for an immediate end to Israeli occupation of Gaza and the establishment of a Palestinian state under the two-state formula, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
They urged undisrupted access to international aid and food supplies for the people of Gaza, saying Palestinian men and women are dying of starvation.
They also demanded intervention from the UN Security Council and the International Court of Justice to hold Israeli leaders accountable for violating the territorial sovereignty of Muslim states and committing genocide in Palestine.
Source: thedailystar.net
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/diplomacy/news/bangladesh-condemns-israeli-attack-qatar-3986981
------
Europe
Former priests' house could be turned into mosque
Paul Faulkner
16 SEP 2025
A developer whose controversial plans for a former priests’ house in suburban Preston have repeatedly been rejected by officials says he now intends to hand it over to a mosque. Mick Patel wanted to turn the property on Sharoe Green Lane into 31 bedsits, which he said would be marketed for use by staff working at the nearby Royal Preston Hospital.
However, that bid – for the conversion of a collection of buildings that had operated as the Xaverian Mission Spirituality Centre for more than 25 years – was knocked back by Preston City Council’s planning committee last December, a decision that was later upheld on appeal to a planning inspector.
It was concluded that the “comings and goings” associated with such a large house in multiple occupation (HMO) would far exceed those of the surrounding residential properties. As the spirituality centre, its only permanent residents were a small number of clergymen, but it also served as a retreat house.
Mr. Patel’s firm – Bamber Bridge-based Sapphire Property Investments Ltd. – had already begun renting out the 30-space car park at the site to other NHS workers last year and, after the initial rejection of the HMO proposal, installed a new “hardstanding” area to more than double the number of parking bays to 65.
But now town hall planners have also refused retrospective permission for the car park expansion – which was completed without approval from the local authority – because of the “unacceptable harm” that would be caused to neighbouring households as a result of the increased “noise and disturbance“ from vehicles. Mr. Patel says he was originally unaware permission was required for the work.
However, he has told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that he is now “in negotiations” to turn the building into a Muslim place of worship – a change which he says the council would be powerless to prevent, because the site’s previous guise means it is already approved for religious use.
“We might have to tell the NHS staff to vacate [the car park] – and they’re absolutely desperate for parking – because we are going to be renting [the property] to a mosque. We needed the [extra] parking for the existing building, so we could [have kept] the NHS spaces there.
“But [the council] turned us down for that and the HMO, so there’ll probably be a mosque going there now,” Mr. Patel said.
He could not yet confirm whether it was an existing mosque community or a new one that may take over the buildings – once a farmhouse and associated units – as “talks” are ongoing. In a report outlining their reasons for rejecting the enlarged parking area, planning officers said that the hardstanding area – which now covers almost the entire plot – has resulted in the creation of “a large-scale car park within an existing residential area” which “directly impact[s]” the appearance of the site and is “unacceptable in principle”.
The document notes that mature trees and hedging had screened the original car park from the main road, but that these had now been “completely removed…which has obliterated the previously green and verdant character of the site”.
As the trees and shrubbery were not covered by a protection order, specific permission for their removal was not needed – but approval was required for the laying of the new car park.
However, Mick Patel said he would be appealing against the refusal of the expanded parking facility – and that, even if he lost, he would simply replace the freshly laid surface with one made of a material that did not require planning permission.
“We won’t be putting [anything] back,” he said when asked about the possibility of replanting the area.
Cllr Maxwell Green – one of the three Shore Green ward councillors who all opposed the HMO plan – also fought against the car park expansion, as he watched with increasing horror as the dense greenery that previously occupied by the site rapidly disappeared.
He told the LDRS he had been “pursuing it almost daily for months” – and condemned Sapphire Property Investments’ actions, appealing to the firm to restore the land to its former state.
“Residents are happy that the car park was refused – the site is not suitable for as many cars as they were aiming for. They’ve undertaken work without permission and just not improved the site – causing upset to residents, removing all the trees and harming the environment.
“I hope with this being refused that the developer will return the site to how it was before, including removing tarmac and planting new trees.
“If it should become a mosque, then I hope those running it will speak with residents and be good neighbours. However, the site is still not suitable for all the cars that would come with this type of usage – something the developer keeps failing to understand.
“There is no suitable on-road parking and it’s already bad enough along Sharoe Green Lane, St Vincents Road and other local streets – especially around school times – with nothing being done to alleviate dangerous parking. The site is immediately on a roundabout, which poses a safety risk.
“I hope whatever comes of the site, the owners will be respectful to their neighbours [and] the environment – and that it is appropriate for the very busy location,” Cllr Green said.
Source: lancs.live
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.lancs.live/news/lancashire-news/former-priests-house-could-turned-32478368
-------
Azerbaijani FM delivers speech at Extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit in Doha
15 September 2025
BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 15. On September 15, 2025, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov attended and delivered a speech at the Extraordinary Arab-Islamic Summit in the capital of the State of Qatar, Doha, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said, Trend reports.
During the speech it was noted that the recent air attack on Qatar is of deep concern, support was expressed for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar. The Minister called for not aggravating tensions, adhering to the principles of international law and the UN Charter.
The mediation efforts of Qatar to overcome the current situation in the Gaza region were highly appreciated, the need to resume negotiations between the parties and achieve a permanent ceasefire was emphasized. In general, in the context of the Palestinian issue, it was once again emphasized that our country supports a solution based on the principle of "two states", in accordance with the norms and principles of international law, the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council.
In addition to peaceful initiatives to resolve the crisis in the region, the importance of efforts to provide humanitarian aid was noted. In this context, it was noted that, in continuation of the support provided by Azerbaijan to the brotherly Palestinian people in previous years, humanitarian aid in the amount of 2 million US dollars has been allocated since 2023, since the beginning of the escalation of the conflict. In addition, it was noted in the speech that our country has implemented projects to support Palestine in the fields of education and health care.
Source: trend.az
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/4090997.html
------
Councillors consider legal challenge over mosque decision
15 Sep 2025
Three councillors who failed in a bid to overturn a decision paving the way for a county’s first mosque could launch a legal challenge.
The two Conservative county councillors and one independent, as well as a local resident, are threatening to seek a judicial review of the decision to lease a disused former library to the Monmouthshire Muslim Community Association who intend using the 120-year-old grade II-listed building as community centre and mosque.
Councillors Louise Brown, Rachel Buckler and independent Simon Howarth, along with local resident John Hardwick, are being supported by the Christian Legal Centre after contacting advocacy body Christian Concern.
The non-profit Christian Concern said the four have formally notified Monmouthshire County Council they intend seeking a judicial review unless the council withdraws the 30-year lease and initiates, what it calls, “a new, transparent tender process”.
Questions
A statement issued by Christian Concern details questions over the £6,000 a year lease which were answered when a council committee considered the “call in” the three had requested of the Labour-led cabinet’s decision to grant the lease.
It has also quoted Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, who said: “This case raises serious questions about transparency, fairness, and the proper use of public assets. The people of Abergavenny deserve to be heard, and their concerns must not be brushed aside. We will stand with these councillors as they urge the council to be democratically accountability and to abide by the rule of law.”
According to the statement the only issue raised in the pre-action letter, signalling their intent to pursue a legal challenge, that wasn’t considered during the call in review are “concerns over religious impartiality”.
Cllr Brown, who represents Shirenewton near Chepstow, is quoted as saying: “Council taxpayers need to know that the council is adhering to its values of openness, transparency and fairness in its use of limited council resources and not operating in a hidden unaccountable secretive way.”
Source: nation.cymru
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://nation.cymru/news/councillors-consider-legal-challenge-over-mosque-decision/
------
Ukrainian teens speaking Russian to spite parents – language commissioner
16 Sep, 2025
Ukrainian teenagers are defying government efforts to discourage the use of Russian, Ukraine’s top language official has said.
Since the 2014 Western-backed coup in Kiev, Ukraine has passed several laws restricting the use of Russian in public, while politicians and activists have campaigned to completely phase the language out.
Elena Ivanovskaya, appointed state language protection commissioner in July, said the widespread use of Russian among young people in major cities remains “a serious problem.”
“Russian is now ubiquitous in teenage spaces, and [many youths] are not maintaining the level of language resilience they acquired in primary school or at home,” Ivanovskaya told the news website Glavkom in an interview published Sunday. She attributed this preference to teenagers’ desire to “break rules and challenge their parents and teachings.”
“When a teacher speaks about the beauty and melody of the Ukrainian language, students feel compelled to do the opposite,” she added, arguing that “the lack of critical thinking” also draws young people to Russian-language content online.
Ivanovskaya said her own daughter used to write in Russian on social media. “I asked my daughter, ‘Sofia, why are you doing this?’ She replied, ‘Mom, who will read me if everyone is a Russian speaker?’ I told her she should become so interesting that people would read and discuss her in Ukrainian,” she said.
Moscow has cited attacks on Ukraine’s Russian-speaking minority as one of the key causes of the ongoing conflict.
Source: rt.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.rt.com/russia/624705-ukraine-russian-language-teens/
------
Arab World
Deal to enhance digital judicial services in KSA
September 15, 2025
RIYADH: Minister of Justice and Chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council Walid Al-Samaani met with Governor of the Digital Government Authority Ahmed Al-Suwaiyan to strengthen their strategic partnership and improve digital judicial services.
The minister said that collaboration with the authority is key to accelerating digital transformation through innovative solutions that enhance transparency, streamline processes, and deliver superior judicial services.
He said that the partnership is a strategic step toward building a comprehensive digital judicial system aligned with the leadership’s vision and public expectations for efficient, accessible services.
The meeting reviewed major joint projects in support of digital transformation in various sectors, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.
Notably, the ministry of justice excelled in the Digital Government Authority’s 2024 indicators, achieving the “Innovation” level in the Digital Transformation Measurement Index and the “Advanced” level in the Digital Experience Maturity Index through its Najiz platform.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2615424/saudi-arabia
-------
Saudi Arabia launches Arabic Language Month in Italy
September 15, 2025
RIYADH: The King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language on Monday launched its Arabic Language Month program in Italy.
The initiative supports the Arabic language, promotes its teaching to non-native speakers and strengthens knowledge cooperation between the Kingdom and international educational institutions.
Secretary-General Abdullah Al-Washmi said hosting the program in Italy reflected the academy’s mission to promote Arabic globally and engage non-Arabic-speaking communities, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
He thanked the Kingdom’s embassy in Italy for supporting the academy’s programs.
Organized in partnership with Sapienza University of Rome and the Catholic University of Milan, the program, which runs until the end of September, targets students, teachers and non-Arabic-speaking audiences through academic and training activities.
The agenda includes a scientific competition, seminars, intensive language courses, discussion groups, cultural and scientific visits, the “Hamza” test — which measures language proficiency — and a closing ceremony to honor the best students.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2615422/saudi-arabia
-------
Saudi lifts summer ban on working in sunlight as cooler weather arrives
September 15, 2025
RIYADH: The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, in coordination with the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, has ended the ban on working in direct sunlight at all establishments.
The three-month ban was in effect from June 15 to Sept. 15, between noon and 3 p.m., the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday. The intention was to protect workers and ensure a safe, healthy work environment in line with occupational standards.
During the ban, the ministry conducted 29,121 inspections throughout the Kingdom, revealing a 94 percent compliance rate. There were 2,414 breaches recorded, and the ministry responded to 325 public reports.
Meanwhile, the council launched a awareness campaign, sharing educational materials and guidance on social media to inform employers and workers about preventive measures and compliance requirements.
The ministry and council stressed that these inspections and awareness efforts are part of an integrated system to promote a culture of prevention, ensure regulatory compliance, and safeguard workers, supporting Saudi Vision 2030 goals to enhance occupational health and safety standards.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2615421/saudi-arabia
-------
Judge demonstrates AI-based litigation training tool at Riyadh conference
HEBSHI ALSHAMMARI
September 15, 2025
RIYADH: An electronic platform intended to train legal professionals by simulating the performance of attorneys during litigation was demonstrated at a conference in Riyadh this week.
At the 2nd International Conference on Judicial Training in Riyadh, Egyptian judge Mohamed Samir Marai unveiled a version of the technology.
Marai told Arab News that AI tools represent a key pillar for judicial development, saying that “AI models can currently accelerate the process of case classification, identify similar patterns and conflicts in lawsuits, and provide research and drafting assistance, thereby enhancing the quality of services provided to litigants, while ensuring that judicial decisions remain fundamentally human.”
He added that that the success of applying these technologies is “conditional on strict safeguards,” which include data protection, transparency, auditability, mandatory human verification and model integrity, to guarantee their fairness and reliability.
“The purpose of launching a digital training platform is to unify training standards and ensure access for all judges and members of judicial bodies throughout the country,” Marai said.
“These platforms will provide learning paths tailored to judicial specialization and practical experience, alongside advanced digital simulations of trial procedures and judgment drafting, with real-time and precise tracking of progress and impact,” he added.
On the expected impact of digital transformation in judicial training, Marai said: “We aim to raise the competencies of judges and public prosecutors through customized learning based on a skills matrix for each pathway, reinforced with digital simulations of procedures and digital evidence.”
He highlighted the implementation of “a pre- and post-assessment system to ensure the product’s effectiveness.”
This approach will “enhance the quality of training packages and assessments with unified standards and audit records, while automatically tracking continuing professional development hours and accreditations.”
Numerous regional and international companies presented digital products at the conference, organized by the Ministry of Justice and opened on Sunday by Vice Minister of Justice Dr. Najem Al-Zaid.
“The Ministry of Justice has been committed to embedding quality in legal and judicial work while enhancing the efficiency of the justice system,” Al-Zaid said.
Luis Maria Palma, vice chairman of the International Institute for Justice Excellence in The Hague, Netherlands, told Arab News that judicial training “fosters a culture of transformation that nurtures leadership, teamwork and empathy.
“By refining those who serve, it becomes the architect of new models of justice and the guardian of society’s most vital trust,” he added.
Saudi Bar Association member, lawyer Khaled Al-Muhaidib, said the conference “represents a major platform and an exceptional opportunity to present new innovations and initiatives, particularly those related to artificial intelligence technologies, which in recent years have increasingly rivaled humans, occupying a prominent place and playing a pivotal role across various fields.”
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2615399/saudi-arabia
-------
Swiss embassy hosts fintech report launch, underlining opportunities in Saudi Arabia
LAMA ALHAMAWI
September 15, 2025
RIYADH: The Embassy of Switzerland in Riyadh hosted a networking event on Sunday evening to launch Tenity’s KSA Fintech Opportunity Report 2025, featuring presentations from industry experts.
“Switzerland is a very important player in the financial sector, it has been for a long, long time, Saudi Arabia as well but in a different way and what is really exciting is Saudi Arabia is entering a new chapter in developing its fintech industry and there’s a lot of experience already in Switzerland,” Yasmine Chatila, Switzerland’s ambassador to the Kingdom, told Arab News.
“It is really great to have these kinds of collaborations because in the past we did not,” she said. “The nice thing about my job is we are entering into new sectors of cooperation and collaboration every year, and fintech is one of those.”
In her opening remarks, the ambassador pointed out that Saudi Arabia and Switzerland will commemorate 70 years of diplomatic relations in 2026.
“Today our relations are really underpinned by shared values of innovation, excellence, and international cooperation, and this is what brings us together on so many more and more new topics,” Chatila said.
She underlined that last year the embassy hosted the inaugural Saudi-Swiss Fintech Forum in Riyadh with Tenity an active participant.
Launched by Tenity, a Swiss global fintech and innovation platform, the Fintech Opportunity Report details insights from 30-plus senior leaders and experts from local banks, investors, and fintechs. The report uncovers the Kingdom’s most promising opportunities.
The event focused on the findings of the report with speeches from industry experts on opportunities including insurtech, wealth tech and gamified investments backed by government support.
According to the Saudi Central Bank, electronic payments accounted for 79 percent of total retail payments in 2024, a major goal that was achieved two years ahead of the 2025 target.
The presentation emphasized several key takeaways, including the importance of focusing on local market needs, local talent, and the value of finding a strong local partner. It also stressed the need for companies to spend more time localizing their approach and understanding the local culture.
Chatila noted in her remarks that Saudi Arabia and Switzerland’s finance ministries will hold their annual high-level “institutional dialogue” in November. The exchange aims to deepen understanding and collaboration between the two governments on a range of financial topics.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2615396/saudi-arabia
-------
Jazan unveils 145 new walkways to encourage healthier living
WAAD HUSSAIN
September 15, 2025
ALKHOBAR: Jazan Municipality has completed 145 walkways and sports paths across the region, part of an effort to encourage physical activity and improve public health.
The project is designed to create a safe, healthy environment while offering spaces that promote both exercise and social interaction, the municipality said.
Each walkway is equipped with lighting, seating, parking, and landscaped green areas, with wide lanes to accommodate walkers and joggers.
Decorative features and shaded spots were added to enhance the experience and make the spaces more attractive for residents of all ages.
Officials said the initiative supports Vision 2030’s goals of enhancing quality of life and creating sustainable urban spaces.
By providing safe, well-maintained routes, the walkways are expected to encourage daily physical activity, contributing to healthier lifestyles and reducing chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity.
Residents welcomed the move as a major step toward improving community health and lifestyle.
“I am absolutely thrilled to hear about the development of 145 new modern walkways and sports paths in Jazan,” said Meshal Al-Makhlafi. “This is a fantastic and much-needed initiative that represents a significant step forward for our community.”
He noted that by removing barriers such as safety and accessibility, the city has made walking a more appealing choice. “I believe they (walkways) will be a powerful incentive for many to start walking and embrace a healthier lifestyle.”
The municipality said it will continue to invest in recreational projects to meet growing demand, including shaded areas, bicycle lanes, and spaces for outdoor group activities.
Officials added that these projects position Jazan as a model city for public health initiatives, reflecting the Kingdom’s commitment to building vibrant, active communities under its national transformation plan.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2615394/saudi-arabia
------
First hotels, golf course at Shura Island to open soon
ARAB NEWS
September 15, 2025
RIYADH: New resorts and attractions, including Saudi Arabia’s first island golf course, are set to open soon at the luxury Shura Island in the Red Sea, the developer said on Monday.
Three hotels — SLS, Edition and InterContinental — and the Shura Links golf course will open to the public within weeks, Red Sea Global said.
“With the soft opening of Shura in the coming weeks, we move closer to achieving our mission to set new standards in regenerative tourism, while realizing Vision 2030,” CEO John Pagano said.
A total of 11 resorts are set to open. The others are: Faena, Fairmont, Four Seasons, Grand Hyatt, Jumeirah, Miraval, Raffles and Rosewood.
The island is accessible by boat, via its own marina, and by electric vehicles along a 3.3 km crossing that incorporates the country’s longest internal bridge.
Regular flights will also connect tourists to Red Sea International Airport, which recently announced thrice-weekly flights operated by Qatar Airways.
RSG described Shura Island, which is fully powered by renewable energy and features environmentally friendly water management systems, as the “main hub” of its tourism megaproject on the Kingdom’s west coast, which is one of the pillars of Vision 2030.
Besides the resorts, the island will be home to a number of residential properties, the first of which will be ready for handover at the end of the year.
RSG said the megaproject would also create 120,000 new jobs.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2615391/saudi-arabia
-------
Africa
Muslim ritual meets Swahili culture at Kenya’s unique annual maulidi festival
September 15, 2025
How do you describe the Lamu festival?
In the Lamu archipelago, the mention of maulidi elicits an aura of happiness. During the festival, a carnival-like atmosphere prevails on Lamu Island. Everyone is in high spirits.
The Lamu Maulidi Festival marks the birthday of the prophet Muhammad. It’s celebrated around the world and has its origins in Egypt in the 8th century. But the east African version is believed to have been developed in Lamu by Muslim scholar al-Habib Swaleh in 1866. There’s no exact historical record.
For this celebration, visitors come from as far away as Europe, America, Tanzania, Somalia and the Saudi Arabian peninsula. As well as from many other towns, villages and islands on the coast of Kenya.
Among the religious themes that increasingly became prominent in Arabic poetry from about the 12th century, the eulogy of the prophet, Sufism and pious admonition stand out. The Swahili people in the Lamu archipelago gain personal and communal satisfaction by venerating the prophet and eulogising him during the festival.
Over time, Swahili culture has influenced the maulidi festival extensively. This has happened through the inclusion of Swahili music, dances, burial rites, storytelling, poetry, attire, weddings, food, boat-making, processions and ceremonies.
But the birth of the prophet Muhammad is central. During the festival, there is a reading called the Simt al-Durar in the Riyadha Mosque. It’s a poem praising the prophet. The reading begins with prayers, fatiha, followed immediately by an opening chant.
Traditional Swahili dances are performed in the rectangular social space outside the mosque. These dances draw large crowds and have become an important part of the festival. Just some of the traditional dances are the kirumbizi (performed with sticks), the goma (a slow line dance with men in dark glasses) and the mdurenge (a vigorous dance with young men swaying, clapping hands and singing).
The festival also has an event for memorising the Qur'an, dhow boat races, board games, a swimming gala, donkey race, a henna body painting competition, a calligraphy writing competition and football matches.
The festival was not celebrated in early Islam, and its celebratory nature was, and sometimes still is, disputed by some Swahili. Some view it as a bid'a (an innovation) while others see it as bid'a nzuri (a good innovation).
Who was al-Habib Swaleh?
As more and more immigrants arrived in coastal Kenya and trade flourished, the wealthier of them invested their profits in slaves. By 1873, there were about 4,000-5,000 enslaved Africans in Malindi, south of Lamu. In Takaungu to the north, the Mazrui family owned thousands of slaves.
Traders became farmers, and slave traders became slave owners. A slave system gradually emerged in east Africa that defined the social order.
Habib Swaleh Jamal al-Layl came from the Seyyid family Jamal al-Layl, descendants of the family of the prophet Muhammad. This branch had produced a number of famous scholars who had migrated to many parts of the world. His family moved from the island of Pate to the Comoro islands, where al-Habib Swaleh was born. He came to Lamu some time between 1876 and 1885.
We know that when al-Habib Swaleh turned 17, he travelled to Lamu for medical treatment and stayed with his uncle. He studied under his uncle and several other leading teachers. He got to know the local people and was readily accepted by them. A member of his clan convinced his father, Mwenye Ba-Hassan Jamal al-Layl, to allow his son to settle in Lamu.
Al-Habib Swaleh became a significant figure. He introduced an earlier form of today’s maulidi to Lamu. He was a social reformer whose strove to open up Islam and Islamic education to the descendants of enslaved people and the underprivileged wagema (coconut-tappers). This helped transform local Islam from an exclusive religion for the privileged to an inclusive one, integrating people from all ethnic and social backgrounds.
So, the maulidi festival became a medium for social reform, a symbol of change. Uta was the first dance introduced during the maulidi festival by al-Habib Swaleh. It’s associated with the lowly townspeople of Lamu. Dances are performed in all maulidi festivals, along with the reciting of poems, but these Swahili dances are peculiar to the Lamu event.
How has it evolved over the years?
The maulidi festival has undergone a real metamorphosis. Its carnival aspect may not sound religious. But the festival is now a hybrid one that is part pilgrimage, part carnival and part mystical Islamic ceremony. Even so, the most important element is the veneration of the prophet.
So maulidi today is a complex social phenomenon, balancing what some might view as the sacred with the profane. It’s both a ritual event and an entertainment; a demonstration of a particular religious sensibility that combines feelings of wonder with lively sociability.
It has the atmosphere of a fair or feast – a carnival. There is no feeling of austerity or moral rigour in the atmosphere, at least not outside the holy places themselves.
Source: theconversation.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://theconversation.com/muslim-ritual-meets-swahili-culture-at-kenyas-unique-annual-maulidi-festival-265291
------
Chief Imam has not been appointed for Oyo, says Alaafin
by Yinka Adeniran, Ibadan
September 16, 2025
The palace of the Alaafin of Oyo has denied the selection of a new Chief Imam for the ancient town. Calling on people, particularly the Muslim faithful, to remain calm and disregard such insinuations, the palace said selection of a new Chief Imam of Oyo was undergoing due process and wider consultations with the Alaafin.
In a statement by the Director of Media and Publicity to the Alaafin, Bode Durojaiye, the monarch urged the people to remain calm and peaceful, assuring them that the rightful choice would be made in due course.
The statement said: “The attention of the Alaafin’s Palace has been drawn to wild speculations milling round that a new Chief Imam has been appointed for Oyo.
“The good people of Oyo and the public are advised to disregard such unfounded, baseless and wicked information, as no candidate has been chosen for the number one Islamic seat in Oyo town.
“The selection of a new Chief Imam of Oyo is undergoing due process and wider consultations and the Alaafin and Paramount Ruler of Oyo Kingdom has urged the people to remain peaceful, as the rightful choice will be made in due course.
“It should also be noted that only His Imperial Majesty has the exclusive preserve to appoint a new Chief Imam for the town.”
Source: thenationonlineng.net
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thenationonlineng.net/chief-imam-has-not-been-appointed-for-oyo-says-alaafin/
------
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud Addresses the Emergency Arab-Islamic Summit in Doha
September 16, 2025
President Hassan Sheikh reaffirmed Somalia’s solidarity with the government and people of Qatar during this difficult time, stressing that the attack represented a violation against all Arab nations.
Underscoring the importance of unity and cooperation among Arab and Islamic countries, the President highlighted Somalia’s historic stance of unwavering support for the Palestinian people in the face of oppression and occupation.
He called for unified action to establish an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, emphasizing the urgent need to uphold international law and implement United Nations resolutions in order to end Israel’s acts of aggression and safeguard regional stability.
Source: horseedmedia.net
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://horseedmedia.net/president-hassan-sheikh-mohamud-addresses-the-emergency-arab-islamic-summit-in-doha/413883/
------
INEC Chairman: ‘Tinubu’s Govt Is Inviting Civil War’ – Galadima
September 16, 2025
By Rachel Okporu Fadoju
New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) chieftain, Buba Galadima, has raised serious concerns that the purported move by the administration of President Bola Tinubu to appoint a retired judge known for notoriety as chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) could plunge the country into civil war.
Naija News reports that Galadinm made this known during an interview on ARISE Television’s Prime Time programme on Monday.
While calling for vigilance among Nigerians, Galadima emphasised that the nation cannot afford to allow individuals with questionable reputations to head the electoral body.
He said, “Come November, there are rumours all over the place that this government is nominating a just retired court of appeals judge who is known for notoriety to be the chairman of INEC. I wish it is not true.
“Because if that man becomes the chairman of INEC, be rest assured that this government is inviting a civil war in this country. We cannot allow somebody that has a record of notoriety to be imposed on us as INEC chairman”
The NNPP stalwart also criticised the current leadership of INEC, alleging that the electoral body has already been compromised in favour of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to him, “The INEC chairman has already rigged the election for APC. They brought somebody that is the secretary of the party that went to court for APC as acting national chairman, and he was rewarded with chairman of INEC.”
Galadima argued that such developments pose a direct threat to the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral system and warned of dire consequences if the alleged plan goes forward.
He warned, “If this man is appointed INEC chairman, then forget about elections in Nigeria. Because there would be no elections in this country, and it will create chaos.”
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2025/09/16/inec-chairman-tinubus-govt-is-inviting-civil-war-galadima/
-------
‘Talk Is Cheap, You Are Clearly Out Of Touch’ – Presidency Knocks Atiku
September 15, 2025
By George Oshogwe Ogbolu
The Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration has fired former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over recent comments about the present administration.
Naija News reports that Atiku had lamented that President Tinubu seems unable to resolve the hunger situation in the country.
Speaking via a statement by his media aide, Paul Ibe, Atiku decried the high level of hunger among poor Nigerians.
He recalled how poverty and hunger caused revolutions in the Arab world, as well as in France and Russia.
Atiku argued that there are “no manifest signs that this government is capable of addressing the grim issue of severe hunger staring the poor in the face” after two years in power.
Counselling that the current unacceptable situation offers an opportunity for reflection, Atiku cited the “French Revolution, the 1917 Russian Revolution and the Arab Spring in which a young man caught in the maelstrom of unbearable frustration set himself ablaze in a development which occasioned violent socio-political eruptions starting out from Tunisia to engulf the Middle-East and North Africa.”
Reacting in a statement on Monday, Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, stated that Atiku and his handlers are clearly out of touch with the positive developments currently unfolding in Nigeria, adding that ‘talk is cheap.’
He described Atiku’s claim that hunger is ravaging Nigeria, and their comparison of the country’s situation to the unrest in France before the 1789 Revolution or the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, as grossly misleading.
Onanuga said: “Their latest statement demonstrates a disconnect from the authentic Nigerian reality, as recent data tells a different story. Just today, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) released its figures for August, showing that headline inflation has declined for the fifth consecutive month.
“Over the weekend, the NBS also reported a record trade surplus, with the contribution of non-oil exports to our trade balance now nearly matching that of crude oil at a ratio of 48:52 per cent.
“Our foreign exchange reserves are on the rise, now approaching $42 billion. When President Tinubu assumed office, reserves stood at $32 billion, much of it encumbered. This administration has since cleared over $7 billion in arrears, including $800 million owed to airlines.”
He pointed out that under President Tinubu, Nigeria is recording unprecedented revenues.
According to the presidential spokesperson, states are now able to pay salaries and gratuities promptly and still have surplus funds for capital and social projects – an achievement not previously witnessed at this scale.
Onanuga said: “Nigeria is moving in the right direction. In contrast, Atiku and his party remain stuck in the past, fixated on doomsday scenarios and revolutionary rhetoric.
“Ironically, many of the challenges we face today stem from the economic mismanagement during the PDP years, when Atiku was Vice President. President Tinubu and his team are working relentlessly to correct those errors, with bold reforms.
“After just two years and five months in office, we are proud of the progress being made under President Tinubu’s leadership.
“Atiku and his allies may choose to ignore these gains, but Nigerians can see and feel the positive changes taking place across the nation.”
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2025/09/15/talk-is-cheap-you-are-clearly-out-of-touch-presidency-knocks-atiku/
-------
From pulpit to presidency: Chakwera’s profile tested as Malawi votes
September 15, 2025
As Malawians prepare to head to the polls on Tuesday, President Lazarus Chakwera is fighting for a second term against a backdrop of severe economic hardship and public disillusionment, a stark contrast to the hope that propelled him into office four years ago in a historic election.
Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera’s journey to the State House was anything but conventional.
A respected man of faith, he served as President of the Malawi Assemblies of God for 24 years before entering frontline politics in 2013.
His first presidential bid in 2014 ended in a disputed loss to Peter Mutharika.
He accepted the result, opting to serve as Leader of Opposition in a display of political maturity.
The contentious 2019 election, however, proved a turning point.
Initially declared the loser again amid widespread evidence of vote tampering, Chakwera chose to challenge the results.
In a landmark decision, the Constitutional Court annulled the election, citing "massive, serious, and widespread irregularities."
Chakwera’s subsequent victory in the court-ordered fresh poll in June 2020 made him Malawi’s sixth president and marked a historic first in African democracy.
The Humble Origins of a Leader
Chakwera’s narrative is deeply rooted in humility and resilience. Born in 1955 to subsistence farmers in a rural village, his early life was defined by poverty and tragedy, including the loss of two siblings.
His parents named him Lazarus, symbolizing a hope he would overcome adversity—a story that resonated with many voters.
His academic journey was formidable, culminating in a Doctorate from Trinity International University in the USA.
The promise versus the reality
Upon taking office, President Chakwera pledged a "New Malawi" under a "Tonse Alliance" government, championing a five-pillar plan dubbed the "SUPER HI-5."
This platform promised Servant Leadership, Uniting the nation, Prosperity for all, Ending Corruption, and upholding the Rule of Law.
Yet, his term has been dominated by a crippling economic crisis.
Soaring inflation, critical shortages of fuel and foreign exchange, and rising unemployment have eroded public confidence.
Several high-profile corruption scandals have further tarnished his administration’s image, directly contradicting his core campaign promises.
In a rare move, a contrite Chakwera recently acknowledged the nation’s anger in a televised address, stating, “I take full responsibility for the hardships you are enduring,” and asking for forgiveness.
This apology is seen as a crucial, last-ditch effort to sway voters disappointed by the gap between his ambitious promises and the harsh realities of his governance.
As the nation votes, the central question is whether Chakwera’s historic legacy and heartfelt apology will outweigh the daily struggles of Malawians, or if the electorate will seek a new path forward.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.africanews.com/2025/09/15/from-pulpit-to-presidency-chakweras-profile-tested-as-malawi-votes/
-------
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/india-gen-z-nepal-youth-government/d/136859