‘Won’t Tolerate A Khan In Mumbai’: Mumbai BJP President’s Warning After Zohran Mamdani’s New York Victory
New Age Islam News Bureau
06 November 2025
· ‘Won’t Tolerate A Khan In Mumbai’: Mumbai BJP President’s Warning After Zohran Mamdani’s New York Victory
· Burqa-Clad Voters Should Show Faces If Asked - ‘BJP Minister Says, “This Is A Secular Country’
· Germany Cracks Down On Muslim Groups Viewed As Threats To Constitutional Order
· Iran Executes Seven Prisoners Including One Woman, Kobra Rezaei, in Yazd
· Nigeria Rejects Religious Persecution Claims, Urges Global Cooperation On Peace
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India
· Supreme Court Questions Rajasthan’s Anti-Conversion Law Over Property Confiscation Clauses
· Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema Objects To J&K Directive On ‘Vande Mataram’, Calls It Against Islamic Beliefs
· ‘Congress-RJD protect infiltrators, dislike Lord Ram for vote bank politics’: PM Modi in Bihar
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Europe
· Humza Yousaf, First Minister Of Scotland, Warns Of ‘Frightening’ Rise In Islamophobia In UK And US
· Leader of Barnet Council issues a statement to mark the start of Islamophobia Awareness Month
· Kirklees man charged after allegedly planning to join so-called Islamic State
· British activist Tommy Robinson pledges to burn Khamenei's image
· Mosque leader suspended over Hamas video inquiry
· Dead pigs have long been used to intimidate Muslims - and now it's surfaced in Ireland
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Mideast
· Gaza And Sudan Crises Take Center Stage As UAE Hosts First Emirates International Press Conference
· Former Iraq PM Al-Maliki could heavily influence election despite troubled past
· Sultan Of Oman And King Of Spain Discuss Gaza Peace Deal, Economic Partnerships
· US may ask UN to mandate force in Gaza for 2 years
· Israel to expand Geva Binyamin settlement north of occupied East Jerusalem
· Israel holds more than 9,250 people in prisons, some from Lebanon and Syria
· US asks UN to lift sanctions on Syria’s president
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Africa
· Why Muslims, Christians Must Live In harmony — Governor Lawal
· Air Chief Orders Intensified Air Strikes On Terrorists Nationwide
· Ogun govt orders 25-year-old Ibara GRA mosque to vacate in seven days
· Trump’s Threat: U.S. Lawmakers Seek Sanctions On Miyetti Allah, Others
· Over 13,500 Terrorists Neutralised Since 2023 – FG
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South Asia
· Pakistan’s Defence Minister Says Talks in Istanbul Focused Solely on Stopping TTP Attacks From Afghanistan
· Seminar on Value of Reading and Public Libraries in Islamic History Held in Logar, Ministry
· Foreign Ministry Denies Pakistani FM’s Claims of Multiple Calls by Muttaqi in a Single Day
· UN Chief Calls Education the Foundation of a ‘New Social Contract’
· Doctors Without Borders Sends Medical Teams to Help Earthquake Victims in Samangan Province
· Badri Meets MCCT, MJAM Heads on Mess Aynak Project
· MoUs Signed to Support Returnees and Displaced Families
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Arab World
· Noor Riyadh Announces Artists For This Year’s Festival Of Light And Art
· Royal reserve plants more than 3,000 seedlings in Jouf
· Islamic coalition advances military exercises in Gabon
· Malaysia’s king visits SAMI Alsalam Aerospace Industries in Riyadh
· Baha University to develop AI transport solution
· Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee chief meets IOC president
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North America
· CAIR, CAIR-NY Condemn ADL’s ‘Mamdani Monitor’ as Hypocritical Act of Anti-Muslim Bigotry
· CAIR-Alabama Welcomes Federal Charges for Threats to Jewish and Muslim Leaders, Calls on Politicians to Stop Promoting Bigotry
· School vouchers row: Local Islamic leaders hit back at Uthmeier's 'Sharia law' claim
· US ‘may be working on plan to denuclearize’ with Russia and China – Trump
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Southeast Asia
· NGO Muslim Friendly Watch disbands after Jakim says ‘Muslim Choice’ label not recognised halal mark
· Anwar back on his feet, playfully hops to show he’s recovered
· Anwar says new Asean capital markets plan to position region for responsible, long-term investments
· Malaysia-US trade rose 15pc as tariff risk mitigated, says Tengku Zafrul
· Malaysia adopts neutral strategy to secure access to AI chips from US, China, says Tengku Zafrul
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/mumbai-bjp-zohran-mamdani-new-york-victory/d/137543
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‘Won’t Tolerate A Khan In Mumbai’: Mumbai BJP President’s Warning After Zohran Mamdani’s New York Victory
November 5, 2025
With civic elections in the city around the corner, Mumbai BJP president Ameet Satam on Wednesday sounded an alarm-bell — apparently referring to Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the New York mayoral polls and warning against the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)’s alleged ‘vote jihad’.
Without directly referring to Mamdani, Satam said that seeing the surnames of some mayors and witnessing the MVA’s alleged vote jihad, it is necessary to stay cautious.
“Just as the colour of some international cities is changing, after seeing the surnames of some mayors and witnessing the Maha Vikas Aghadi’s vote jihad, it seems necessary to stay cautious in the context of Mumbai..!” he wrote in a post on X.
The BJP leader further warned that “if someone tries to impose a ‘Khan’ on Mumbai, it will not be tolerated! Wake up, Mumbaikars!”
For the unversed, Mamdani, a staunch critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s politics, is an Indian-origin Democratic leader.
The 34-year-old is the son of Indian-origin political commentator Mahmood Mamdani and acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair. He defeated former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to become the first Muslim and the youngest mayor of New York.
In his victory speech, Mamdani quoted Jawaharlal Nehru while the popular Bollywood song ‘Dhoom Machale’ played in the background.
Source: thestatesman.com
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https://www.thestatesman.com/india/wont-tolerate-a-khan-in-mumbai-bjp-leaders-warning-after-zohran-mamdanis-new-york-victory-1503508132.html
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Burqa-Clad Voters Should Show Faces If Asked - ‘BJP Minister Says, “This Is A Secular Country’
November 6, 2025
Union Minister for Textiles, Giriraj Singh (Express)
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As the first phase of the Bihar Assembly election began Thursday, Union Minister Giriraj Singh, defended checking of the identity of burqa-clad women and said that “women wearing burqas should show their faces” if polling officials have “doubts about their identity”, describing India as a secular country where Election Commission rules apply equally to all.
Speaking to reporters, Singh said, “This is India. The Election Commission’s rules apply here. When a woman in a burqa goes to get an Aadhaar card made, she lifts it. When she goes to the airport, she lifts it. When she goes to make a reservation or receive government benefits, she lifts it. Is this Pakistan or Bangladesh? This is a secular country. If anyone has doubts here, we will make them show their face.”
Giriraj Singh cast his vote in Lakhisarai and added that it will prevent ‘vote chori’ (vote theft).
The BJP leader’s remarks came on the day polling began in 121 constituencies across the state in the first phase of the Assembly election.
Singh represents Bihar’s Begusarai in the Lok Sabha.
“The way Lalu Yadav is trusting criminals, trusting Muslim votes… Nitish Kumar has done enormous work for Muslims. What did Lalu Yadav do… he is creating Hindu-Muslim tension which is very sad,” he said.
A total of 13.13 per cent of 3.75 crore voters exercised their franchise in the first two hours of voting in phase one of the Bihar assembly elections on Thursday, an official said.
Saharsa recorded the highest polling percentage so far at 15.27, followed by Begusarai (14.6) and Muzaffarpur (14.38).
Several senior politicians, including RJD leader and INDIA bloc’s CM candidate Tejashwi Yadav, Union ministers Giriraj Singh and Rajiv Ranjan Singh ‘Lalan’, and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha were among those who cast their votes early.
Source: indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/elections/giriraj-singh-burqa-clad-voters-faces-10348946/
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Germany Cracks Down On Muslim Groups Viewed As Threats To Constitutional Order
05/11/2025
Copyright AP Photo
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The Interior Ministry said Muslim Interaktiv represented a threat to the country's constitutional order by promoting antisemitism and discrimination against women and sexual minorities.
The German government banned a Muslim group over accusations of violating human rights and the country's democratic values on Wednesday and conducted raids against two other Muslim groups.
The Interior Ministry said Muslim Interaktiv represented a threat to the country's constitutional order by promoting antisemitism and discrimination against women and sexual minorities.
Several hundred police officers searched seven premises in the northern city of Hamburg linked to Muslim Interaktiv, as well as 12 other premises in Berlin and the central state of Hesse in connection with two other Muslim groups, Generation Islam and Reality Islam.
Authorities in Hamburg confiscated assets including cash, data stored on computers and handwritten notes.
Muslim Interaktiv's websites were also shut down and the group is banned from continuing its activities and from actively displaying any symbols connected to it.
Muslim Interaktiv is known for a savvy online presence used to appeal especially to young Muslims who may feel alienated or discriminated against in Germany's Christian majority society.
The government argued the group was a particular threat because it promoted Islam as the sole model for social order and maintained that Islamic law should take precedence over German law in regulating life in the Muslim community, including in areas such as the treatment of women.
"We will respond with the full force of the law to anyone who aggressively calls for a caliphate on our streets, incites hatred against the state of Israel and Jews in an intolerable manner, and despises the rights of women and minorities," Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said.
"We will not allow organisations such as Muslim Interaktiv to undermine our free society with their hatred, despise our democracy and attack our country from within," he added.
Germany has been acting more forcefully against extremism in recent years and banned several groups, including a number of far-right and Muslim organisations.
The latest crackdown comes after a spate of attacks by Muslim extremists and far-right groups plotting to overturn the country’s order.
The Interior Ministry said Muslim Interaktiv "is particularly opposed to gender equality and freedom of sexual orientation and gender identity."
"This expresses an intolerance that is incompatible with democracy and human rights," it added.
The government said Muslim Interaktiv sought to indoctrinate as many people as possible to "create permanent enemies of the constitution in order to continuously undermine the constitutional order."
Andy Grote, the interior state minister of Hamburg, where the group was especially active, applauded the ban and called it a blow against "modern TikTok Islamism," according to German news agency dpa.
In a recent report, the domestic intelligence service of Hamburg said Muslim Interaktiv's leaders used online posts and videos to address socially relevant topics in order to exploit them "to portray a supposedly ongoing attitude of rejection by politics and society in Germany towards the entire Muslim community," dpa reported.
Ahmad Mansour, a prominent activist against Muslim extremism in Germany, wrote on X: "It is right and necessary that Interior Minister Dobrindt has banned this group."
He described Muslim Interaktiv as "part of an Islamist network that has become significantly more aggressive and dangerous in recent months. They carry out intimidation campaigns, specifically mobilise young people and attempt to indoctrinate them with Islamist ideology."
Muslim Interaktiv, whose online presence was disabled on Wednesday, could not be reached for comment.
Source: euronews.com
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https://www.euronews.com/2025/11/05/germany-cracks-down-on-muslim-groups-viewed-as-threats-to-constitutional-order
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Iran Executes Seven Prisoners Including One Woman, Kobra Rezaei, in Yazd
NOVEMBER 5, 2025
Three of those executed were identified as Farzad Hosseini, Rasoul Karimi, and Kobra Rezaei
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Iran executed seven prisoners, including one woman, on Tuesday morning at Yazd Central Prison, bringing the country’s total executions this year to at least 1,281, a human rights organization reported.
The prisoners were convicted on charges of premeditated murder and drug-related offenses, according to Iran Human Rights, a Norway-based advocacy group that tracks executions in Iran.
Three of those executed were identified as Farzad Hosseini, Rasoul Karimi, and Kobra Rezaei.
Hosseini was convicted of premeditated murder, while Karimi and Rezaei faced drug-related charges. He was arrested four years ago on murder charges and sentenced to death.
Karimi was arrested two years ago on drug charges and sentenced to death.
Rezaei, the woman among those executed, was convicted on drug-related charges.
Drug-related executions have surged in Iran over the past five years.
At least 503 people were executed on drug charges in 2024, a 6.6 per cent increase from 2023 and nearly 20 times higher than the number executed for similar offenses in 2020.
At least 31 women were executed in Iran in 2024, the highest number since 2010, according to Iran Human Rights.
Source: iranwire.com
https://iranwire.com/en/news/146090-iran-executes-seven-prisoners-including-one-woman-in-yazd/
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Nigeria Rejects Religious Persecution Claims, Urges Global Cooperation On Peace
5 November 2025
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dunoma Ahmed. Photo: The Cable
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The Federal Government has rejected claims of religious persecution, emphasising that its national legal framework contains no offence of blasphemy.
It noted that public-order laws are religion-neutral, protecting all communities equally.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dunoma Ahmed, who spoke at the briefing of the members of the diplomatic corps on Wednesday in Abuja, stressed that Sharia laws, which exist in some northern states, apply only to Muslims and operate under the oversight of the secular judiciary.
Ahmed noted that Christian and Muslim institutions continue to operate freely, promoting peaceful coexistence.
He said, “Nigeria’s national legal framework contains no offence of blasphemy. The existing public-order laws are religion-neutral and protect all communities equally from incitement to violence.
“Sharia laws, limited to some northern states, apply only to Muslims and remain under the oversight of the secular judiciary. Christian and Muslim institutions operate freely, promoting peaceful coexistence.
“Nigeria is a resilient and vibrant democracy confronting complex security challenges, not a state of religious persecution. Through its constitution, courts, and security institutions, the Nigerian state remains the primary bulwark against sectarian violence and intolerance.
“Nigeria has consistently demonstrated its openness to dialogue and cooperation, and constructive engagement, which should remain the standard in the engagement between and among sovereign states in the international system.”
The government expressed concern over what it described as “unfounded and disparaging rhetoric over the security situation in the country.”
Ahmed added that it is the government’s firm conviction that the international community will continue on the path of mutual respect and cooperation that fosters peace, prosperity, and harmony.
He stressed the importance of an accurate understanding of Nigeria’s religious and political context, calling it a unique model of religious pluralism within a constitutional democracy.
“A reassessment grounded in factual accuracy and an appreciation of Nigeria’s unique model of religious pluralism within a constitutional democracy is both warranted and essential for productive international cooperation.
“Nigeria stands as a beacon of peace, stability, and progress in Africa, committed to protecting its citizens, ensuring peaceful coexistence, and strengthening global partnerships built on truth and mutual respect,” he said.
The government also highlighted its ongoing reforms under President Bola Tinubu, describing them as transformative.
“Indeed, more than at any time before, we solicit the understanding, support, and collaboration of well-meaning partners in the ongoing efforts of the Federal Government towards economic growth and development and ensuring enhanced peace and security in the country, to achieve a better life for every Nigerian, both at home and abroad,” he added.
His comment came after United States President Donald Trump, on October 31, labelled Nigeria a “country of particular concern,” citing alleged threats against Christian communities.
The federal government rejected the US claim, calling it inconsistent with facts and reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to fighting violent extremism, protecting citizens, and upholding religious freedom and inclusiveness.
On November 1, Trump reportedly warned that if FG continued to “allow the killing of Christians,” the US would halt all assistance to Nigeria and could consider military action to eliminate what he described as Islamic terrorist groups.
Source: punchng.com
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https://punchng.com/fg-rejects-religious-persecution-claims-urges-global-cooperation-on-peace/
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India
Supreme Court questions Rajasthan’s anti-conversion law over property confiscation clauses
06.11.25
The Supreme Court has sought the Rajasthan government’s response on a PIL challenging the constitutional validity of various provisions of the Rajasthan anti-conversion law which, among other things, empowers the state to confiscate and demolish properties of the alleged offenders.
The provisions have been contested on the ground that the law contravened a top court ruling that prohibited the demolition of properties without giving proper notice and time to the aggrieved persons to defend themselves.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Gupta issued notice to the state on the petition filed by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) challenging the constitutionality of Sections 5(6), 10(3), 12, and 13 of the Rajasthan Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2025, which prescribe severe penalties for alleged illegal conversions, including forfeiture, confiscation and demolition of properties.
The bench issued notices on both the main petition and a plea seeking an interim stay on the impugned legislation.
The PIL has argued that the impugned provisions were a direct assault on the judiciary and amounted to a legislative overruling of the apex court’s landmark judgment in 2024 in which a bench headed by Chief Justice B.R. Gavai had directed that no punitive action could be undertaken without judicial determination of guilt.
It was submitted that the Rajasthan anti-conversion law allowed the district magistrate or a gazetted officer to order confiscation or demolition of properties through summary inquiries, replacing judicial procedure with arbitrary executive discretion. It noted that Section 5(6) of the Act permitted the forfeiture of properties of innocent owners “with or without consent”, institutionalising a form of collective punishment and absolute vicarious liability.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/supreme-court-seeks-rajasthan-response-on-pil-challenging-states-anti-conversion-law-provisions-prnt/cid/2131446
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Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema Objects To J&K Directive On ‘Vande Mataram’, Calls It Against Islamic Beliefs
Fayaz Wani
05 Nov 2025
SRINAGAR: The Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and comprising J&K’s Grand Mufti Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam, on Wednesday objected to a J&K Culture Department directive asking schools to mark the 150th anniversary of “Vande Mataram.”
The MMU urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to ensure no student or institution is compelled to act against their religious beliefs.
“Singing or reciting ‘Vande Mataram’ is un-Islamic as it contains expressions of devotion that contradict the fundamental Islamic belief in the absolute Oneness of Allah (Tawheed). Islam does not permit any act that involves worship or reverence directed to anyone or anything other than the Creator,” reads a statement issued by the MMU.
According to the MMU statement, while Muslims are urged to deeply love and serve their homeland, that devotion should be expressed through service, compassion, and contribution to society and not through acts conflicting with faith.
“Forcing Muslim students or institutions to participate in activities that conflict with their faith is both unjust and unacceptable,” reads the statement.
The MMU alleged that the government directive on ‘Vande Mataram’ appears to be a deliberate attempt to impose a “Hindutva-driven ideology” on a Muslim-majority region under the guise of cultural celebration rather than promoting genuine unity and respect for diversity.
The Under Secretary to the J&K Government, Department of Culture in a communiqué with subject “commemoration of 150th Year of Vande Mataram, the national song J&K – regarding destination Nodal Officers” has stated that the J&K government is organising a UT-wide programme from 7th November 2025 aimed at commemorating the 150th year of Vande Mataram through structured musical and cultural performances.
"In this connection, the participation of schools across Jammu and Kashmir is crucial for ensuring wider outreach and meaningful involvement of young students in the program," states the communiqué issued by the Department of Culture.
The Directors of School Education for Kashmir and Jammu have been appointed as nodal officers to coordinate the programme in schools across their respective regions.
J&K Chief Secretary Atal Duloo recently chaired a meeting where it was decided that the celebrations would commence on November 7.
The MMU, which represents religious groups of various schools of thought, said the directive has sparked deep anguish among Muslims in J&K, many of whom have approached the religious leadership over the issue.
It urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to withdraw what it called a “coercive directive” and to ensure that no student or institution is compelled to act against their faith.
The MMU further warned that if the order is not revoked, it will convene a meeting of all religious leaders across J&K to decide on the next course of action.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Nov/05/religious-body-objects-to-jk-directive-on-vande-mataram-calls-it-against-islamic-beliefs
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‘Congress-RJD protect infiltrators, dislike Lord Ram for vote bank politics’: PM Modi in Bihar
06 Nov 2025
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday accused the opposition RJD-Congress alliance in Bihar of appeasing “infiltrators” while displaying “dislike” for Lord Ram and Chhathi Maiya due to their vote bank politics.
Addressing rallies in Bhagalpur and Araria, Modi alleged that the reluctance of opposition leaders to visit Ayodhya for the ‘darshan’ of shrines dedicated to Nishad Raj, Mata Shabri and Maharshi Valmiki reflected their “hatred” for Dalits and backward classes.
“The naamdaar (Rahul Gandhi) of Congress called devotion to Chhathi Maiya a drama. They never visit Ayodhya to have a darshan of Lord Ram. I can understand their dislike for Lord Ram, but at least they could pay respects at the shrines of Nishad Raj, Mata Shabri and Maharshi Valmiki. Their reluctance shows their contempt for Dalits and backward classes,” Modi said.
The Prime Minister charged that the opposition’s politics of appeasement has led them to protect “infiltrators”. “The NDA is committed to driving out every infiltrator from the country. But the Congress-RJD protect them, take out yatras in their favour and spin misleading narratives,” he alleged, in an apparent reference to Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’.
Modi said that whenever the RJD-Congress come to power, they attempt to give “backdoor entry” to infiltrators. “They do it for vote bank politics, but it ultimately harms the people. Infiltrators claim a share in what rightfully belongs to citizens,” he said.
Taking aim at the opposition’s record in Bihar, Modi said, “During 15 years of jungle raj, Bihar saw zero development, no highways, no bridges, no centres of higher learning. Under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the NDA has worked hard to bring the state out of that era.”
Listing recent achievements, he said the state now has expressways, bridges over major rivers, four central universities and other institutions of higher education. “Only the NDA can ensure this journey of growth continues uninterrupted,” he asserted.
Referring to the ongoing polling in 121 of the 243 Assembly segments in the first phase of elections, Modi said he was encouraged by the turnout. “Our mothers, sisters and daughters have created a veritable fortress at polling booths to thwart the return of jungle raj,” he said.
He urged voters to remember the power of one vote, saying it had first brought social justice to Bihar and later ousted the “15-year jungle raj”, which he said was marked by katta (country-made guns), kroorta (cruelty), katuta (bitterness), kushasan (misgovernance) and corruption.
“In the RJD’s curriculum, ‘a’ stands for apharan (kidnapping), ‘f’ for firauti (ransom) and ‘p’ for parivarvaad (dynasty rule),” he said, adding that Congress’s dictionary “doesn’t have words like swadeshi and atmanirbharta.”
Accusing the two parties of fomenting social strife, Modi said the RJD was responsible for caste violence and the Congress for “communal riots like the infamous Bhagalpur riots of 1989, which was as much of a blot as the anti-Sikh violence of 1984.”
He also alleged that both parties were controlled by “the most corrupt families in Bihar and the country” and claimed infighting had already begun between them. In apparent reference to Gandhi he said “People say the Congress naamdaar didn’t even want to come to Bihar and was forcibly brought here. Now he is damaging the RJD. After elections, all these INDI Alliance partners will be seen breaking each other’s heads,” Modi said.
He further alleged that the RJD had “put a katta to the Congress’s head” to name Tejashwi Yadav as its chief ministerial candidate, and that the Congress, humiliated after its leader was dropped from RJD posters, was “out to avenge the insult.”
Referring to Vikassheel Insan Party founder Mukesh Sahani, Modi said even the alliance’s deputy CM candidate was now speaking out against “jungle raj.”
“The jungle raj wallahs once lorded over you as if they were masters. Modi believes the people are his mai-baap, his family,” he concluded.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Nov/06/congress-rjd-protect-infiltrators-dislike-lord-ram-for-vote-bank-politics-pm-modi-in-bihar
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Europe
Humza Yousaf, First Minister Of Scotland, Warns Of ‘Frightening’ Rise In Islamophobia In UK And US
November 06, 2025
Conspiracy theories and lies told about Muslims today are “hauntingly reminiscent” of the language used about Jewish people in the 1930s, Humza Yousaf has warned.
Speaking ahead of an address in Washington DC on Thursday, the former First Minister said there has been a “frightening rise” in Islamophobia on both sides of the Atlantic in recent months.
He said the UK had seen mosques targeted with arson attacks, Muslim graves desecrated, and up to 150,000 people attend the Unite the Kingdom march in London, which was organised by “proud Islamophobe” Tommy Robinson.
Mr Yousaf also said there had been “open Islamophobia” from senior politicians in the USA, including against the mayor-elect of New York City, Zohran Mamdani.
The former SNP leader said it was “incumbent” on those who abhor Islamophobia to unite against it, warning that the consequences could be “devastating” if hatred goes unchecked.
Ahead of his speech at Georgetown University, Mr Yousaf said: “We are seeing a frightening rise of anti-Muslim hatred in both the US and UK.
“In recent months, in the UK, we have seen arson attacks targeting mosques; Muslim children’s graves desecrated; Muslim women and men targeted with violence; and 150,000 people in London marching behind proud Islamophobe and serial criminal, Tommy Robinson.
“In the US, we have witnessed open Islamophobia from senior politicians against Muslims in public life, including most recently against mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani.
“Many Muslims in the US tell me they are living in fear, and worry about their rights as citizens being stripped away from them without notice or due cause.
“The accusations, conspiracy theories and downright lies that are told about Muslims today, are hauntingly reminiscent of the language used against Jewish people in Europe in the 1930s.
“We know the far-right forces across the Atlantic are supporting each other and sharing disinformation.
“It is therefore incumbent on those, both Muslim and non-Muslim, who abhor Islamophobia, to stand together, united in defiance of hatred. We must get organised and mobilise across borders to tackle this growing threat.
“I will be working with allies in the fight against anti-Muslim hatred both at home and in the US to create a transatlantic alliance to tackle Islamophobia.
“We cannot be passive as the threat of the far-right continues to rise, if we allow such hatred to go unchecked, the consequences could be devastating.”
Source: heraldscotland.com
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https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/25600206.humza-yousaf-warns-frightening-rise-islamophobia-uk-us/
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Leader of Barnet Council issues a statement to mark the start of Islamophobia Awareness Month
5th November 2025
The Leader of Barnet Council. Cllr Barry Rawlings, has issued a statement to mark the start of Islamophobia Awareness Month.
“This Islamophobia Awareness Month, I call on all Barnet residents to pause and reflect on what community cohesion means to us.
“We are a tremendously diverse borough, and it is in our diversity that we find our strength. Sadly, there are many who seek to divide us and sow fear and hatred.
“My fellow councillors and council officers have been and will continue to collaborate closely with our Muslim communities to address anti-Muslim hate. Working in partnership with the Police, we are meeting regularly with representatives of our Muslim communities to understand their concerns about safety and to look at ways to tackle anti-Muslim hate on our streets, in our schools, and online.
“The Consortium of Barnet Mosques will be hosting a closed event, titled Uniting Against Islamophobia, on 19 November. The community-led event will bring together Muslim community group leaders as well as the Police, the Mayor of Barnet, representatives of the council’s Cabinet and the council’s Chief Executive, Cath Shaw.
“Our engagement with our Muslim communities will continue with a series of planned community safety hub pop-up events.
“We will support the work of the British Muslim Trust, which has been set up to provide confidential support and safe reporting for victims of anti‑Muslim hate across the UK. Throughout November, we will work in partnership to promote the launch of the new British Muslim Trust helplineExternal link.
“Barnet is a designated Borough of Sanctuary, a place where members of our Muslim communities should feel welcome and without the need to conceal their faith to feel safe. This month, we should each think about the role we can play in standing up to anti-Muslim hate.”
Source: barnet.gov.uk
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https://www.barnet.gov.uk/news/leader-barnet-council-issues-statement-mark-start-islamophobia-awareness-month
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Kirklees man charged after allegedly planning to join so-called Islamic State
Elizabeth Mackley
05 Nov 2025
A Kirklees man has been charged after allegedly planning to leave the UK to join the so-called Islamic State.
Muhammad Bham, 19, is one of two men who have been charged with preparing to commit an act of terrorism between March 15 and October 29 this year. Mr Bham, of Dewsbury, West Yorkshire and Oliver William Rea, 24, of Arnold, Nottinghamshire, have been remanded in custody and are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Thursday.
Counter Terrorism Policing North East (CTPNE) also stated that Mr Rea is facing additional charges including three counts of disseminating terrorist publications, two counts of inviting support for a proscribed organisation (Isis), and two counts of expressing support for a proscribed organisation (al Qaida and Isis).
The CTPNE said the men, who are both UK nationals, were apprehended as part of an intelligence-led operation on October 29, supported by West Yorkshire Police, Nottinghamshire Police and Counter Terrorism Policing East Midlands.
On October 31, the court granted warrants for further detention.
Source: examinerlive.co.uk
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https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/kirklees-man-charged-after-allegedly-32820329
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British activist Tommy Robinson pledges to burn Khamenei's image
06 Nov 2025
British activist Tommy Robinson vowed to burn an image of Iran's Supreme Leader as anti-government activists plan to perform the protest on Friday in solidarity with a man found dead in Iran after filming himself doing so.
Robinson appeared on the YouTube channel Tousi TV on Tuesday, where host Iranian-American host Mahyar Tousi relayed a request from an audience member for the outspoken activist to take part in the symbolic act against Ali Khamenei.
"Print a big picture of the scumbag, and I will happily burn it," said Robinson, 42, an anti-migration activist whose legal name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon.
Iranians on social media have launched a campaign to burn Khamenei's image after Omid Sarlak was found dead in a car in the city of Aligoudarz in western Iran on Sunday.
His death came shortly after posting a video of himself burning a picture of the 86-year-old theocrat with a speech by Iran's last shah playing in the background.
Local police described it as a suicide, but family members and rights activists blamed authorities. The United States on Wednesday called the death "suspicious" and suggested Tehran was responsible.
His death came as senior Iranian clerics renewed calls for severe punishment of those who insult or threaten the Supreme Leader, which is a crime in the Islamic theocracy.
One prominent official said such acts amount to "waging war against God" and warrant the death penalty.
Robinson was cleared by a UK court on Tuesday on charges relating to his refusal to provide the PIN for his mobile phone to investigators, which is an offence under counterterrorism laws.
He thanked Elon Musk, the world's richest man and in recent years a strong advocate of right-wing commentators, saying the owner of the X social media platform paid his legal fees.
Source: iranintl.com
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https://www.iranintl.com/en/202511054476
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Mosque leader suspended over Hamas video inquiry
06 Nov 2025
A councillor and magistrate is being investigated by a government watchdog and has been suspended as chair of one of the largest mosques in Bristol.
Abdul Malik is being investigated after sharing a video on social media from Hamas about the 7 October 2023 attacks on Israel.
The Charity Commission said: "We have an ongoing regulatory compliance case into Easton Jamia Masjid to assess concerns regarding a trustee's personal use of social media. As part of this case, we can confirm that we have suspended Abdul Malik as a trustee".
Mr Malik posted on Facebook that he had been "temporarily suspended" as chair of Easton Jamia Masjid while the regulator reviews a "historic social-media matter".
'Cooperate fully'
The Green Party councillor has already been given a formal warning by The Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (JCIO) for serious misconduct.
In 2023, according to the JCIO, a post on Mr Malik's Facebook timeline contained "a video from Hamas regarding their attack on southern Israel".
Mr Malik initially claimed he had only been tagged in the post by someone else but later accepted he must have shared the post himself.
Despite apologising repeatedly for the incident and insisting that he does not support Hamas, the JCIO found his actions "had a detrimental effect" upon the "reputation of the magistracy" and he was issued with a formal warning.
Since then, Mr Malik posted on his Facebook page that the Charity Commission is now reviewing the incident and he has been suspended as chair of Easton Jamia Masjid.
"This is an administrative process, not a finding of wrongdoing, and I continue to cooperate fully with the commission to resolve it as quickly as possible," he said.
He added that his community service, inter-faith work, and equality campaigning in Bristol would "continue without interruption".
"I am confident that the process will conclude fairly and that the facts will speak for themselves," he said.
"I appreciate everyone who has reached out with support, it means a great deal."
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0exrj4le0jo
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Dead pigs have long been used to intimidate Muslims - and now it's surfaced in Ireland
5 Nov 2025
A MAN WAS jailed for animal cruelty yesterday after he was involved in the brutal maiming of pigs at a site earmarked for asylum seekers.
The crime at the Thornton Hall site in north county Dublin was inspired by online rumours that Muslims would not be able to reside at a site tainted with pig’s blood.
The judge noted that Darren Jackson, a 40-year-old former IT worker from Rivermeade in Co Dublin, was not the “author of the scheme” but was still jailed for 15 months for his involvement.
The incident in June 2024 took place after numerous protests by anti-immigrant activists at Thornton Hall in the wake of news that the site, which had been earmarked for the construction of a new prison, would provide emergency housing for people seeking international protection in Ireland.
(Work at the site was paused in late 2024, and there are currently no plans for an IPAS centre on the site).
The court heard that four pigs were found at Thornton Hall. One was missing a front leg while another had cuts to its stomach which were between four and five centimetres deep. Both of the injured pigs had to be put down, while the other two were re-homed.
A similar, previously unreported, incident occurred at Flood’s Cross near Naas in Co Kildare, where a pig’s head is alleged to have been thrown into a site earmarked for asylum seekers in April 2024.
That site was intended for Ukrainians who have come to Ireland since the Russian invasion, rather than for people coming from Muslim-majority countries.
Gardaí told The Journal at the time that an official complaint had not been made about that incident, but they had been made aware of it.
These incidents are part of an imported international trend in which pigs and their carcasses are used to harass Muslims, often spurred on by misinformation about Islamic prohibitions on pork.
The trend is not unique to Ireland’s new anti-immigrant movement and has been happening for years in the UK and Europe, but has been repurposed by those opposed to asylum seekers here as a new iteration of attempted anti-Muslim intimidation.
Similar incidents
The two incidents at Thornton Hall and Naas are not the first times that pigs have been used to target Muslims on the island of Ireland.
In Northern Ireland in 2017, pig heads were used to target Islamic centres in Belfast and Co Down, while in 2015, another unused church was targeted in Belfast after false rumours that it was to become a mosque.
There have been other similar occurrences across the Irish Sea, in mainland Europe and the US.
In England, pig heads were put onto the roof of a mosque in 2022, at a site for another proposed mosque in 2023, and dumped at an Islamic boarding school in 2015.
A group in Seville in Spain staged the slaughter of a pig in 2015 at a site where a mosque had been planned to be built, “with the presumed intention of making the land impure”, according to ABC de Sevilla, a local news organisation.
Parts of pig were also impaled on wooden spikes in 2017 where a mosque was planned to be built in Erfurt, Germany.
Over on the other side of the Atlantic, the US witnessed a long list of “swine-based hate crimes” that targeted Muslims in the years following the 11 September attacks in New York.
There, the trend was perhaps best exemplified in 2016 when then-presidential candidate Donald Trump praised John Joseph Pershing, a US general who he said had executed 49 Muslim prisoners a century ago with bullets dipped in pig’s blood (a 50th prisoner was supposedly spared to spread the tale).
The story is a myth, but Pershing did write in his memoirs that by 1911, it was “a practice the army had already adopted” to bury bodies of Muslim attackers in the same grave as a dead pig.
But the use of pork in Islamophobic harassment can be traced even further back to the Spanish Inquisition, and a children’s’ game at the time that supposedly became popular in its aftermath, where pieces of pork were sneakily placed into the pockets of the descendants of Muslims.
Online Misinformation
Dr Umar Al-Qadri, chief imam of the Islamic Centre of Ireland and chairman of the Irish Muslim Peace and Integration Council, told The Journal last year that it’s simply false to think that the use of pigs’ carcasses would stop Muslims residing or praying somewhere.
“Prior to the building of a mosque on any site, it requires merely cleaning,” he said.
Al-Qadri explained that, although the Quran does forbid eating pig meat, it makes no mention of pig slaughter making a ground unsuitable for a mosque.
“There is no such requirement in Islamic law,” he said.
“Muslims are simply not allowed to consume pork meat but they are not allergic to it. Pigs are not kryptonite to Muslims, as assumed by Islamophobes.”
Al-Qadri said that it was customary to do a prayer and blessing on a mosque site once legal formalities were completed, but that only dangerous sites and graveyards were forbidden to have mosques built on them in Islamic law.
“Whoever is behind such acts are not only ignorant,” Al-Qadri said, “but also dangerous to our peaceful society, inciting hatred against minority communities.”
There was a proliferation of posts about the Thornton Hall site by anti-immigrant groups on social media in the first half of 2024.
One user of such a group on the messaging app Telegram seemed to suggest that Muslims themselves had slaughtered the pigs, blaming it on the way in which certain food is prepared in Islamic culture.
“Halal slaughtering” the user said about the incident at Thornton Hall. “They are up to something again.”
The use of pigs to harass Muslims had been trending at the time, including in a viral Irish post that was shared and seen more than 5.7 million times on X on 18 June 2024, less than a week before the cruelty carried out on the pigs at Thornton Hall.
“Residents of the city of Seville found a wonderful way to stop the construction of another mosque in their city: they buried a dead pig in the place where the mosque was to be built, and widely notified the press about their ‘crime’,” the post said.
“Islamic law prohibits the construction of mosques on ‘pig-spattered land.’ The Muslim community had no choice but to cancel the project, which was ready for construction,” the post continued before ending with the hashtag #IrelandBelongsToTheIrish.
The text was accompanied by photos of the dead pig and was later shared on other social media sites such as Telegram, Facebook, and Instagram.
However, the claim made in the post is extremely misleading.
The phrase in quotes — “pig-spattered land” — is not in common use in Arabic, and a Google search for the phrase only shows results where it is used by anti-Muslim groups to refer to Muslim beliefs (often citing the same story from Seville).
It is also not true that the use of pigs in Seville stopped the mosque from being built.
In that case, the developers continued with plans to build on the land for years afterwards, until construction was cancelled.
The halting of the mosque was not due to religious rules about pigs, but because of a legal dispute over whether the land could be transferred to the developers.
Similarly, workers in Erfurt in Germany, where a pig that was impaled on wooden spikes, built their mosque on the site regardless.
Source: thejournal.ie
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https://www.thejournal.ie/muslims-pigs-online-misinformation-targetted-refugee-site-thronton-hall-cross-islam-6431052-Nov2025/
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Mideast
Gaza and Sudan crises take center stage as UAE hosts first Emirates International Press Conference
DALAL AWIENAT
November 05, 2025
ABU DHABI: The UAE’s growing role as a global hub for innovation and diplomacy took center stage on Wednesday as ministers gathered for the first Emirates International Press Conference, outlining bold plans for artificial intelligence integration, non-oil economic growth, and peace-building in conflict zones.
UAE Minister of Cabinet Affairs Mohammad Al-Gergawi lamented the UAE’s five main principles, which are economic openness, balanced political relationships, agility in government, technology as a key driver of development and progress and human-centric development.
Al-Gergawi said that “77.5 percent of the GDP in the first half of 2025 came from the non-oil economy, and by 2031 we want to increase the non-oil economy by 15 percent.”
He highlighted the UAE’s role during Covid-19 and said its legislation was adapted quickly during that period.
“Eighty percent of legislation was updated in the past three years … our decisions in the UAE are quick in its execution and clear in its goals,” he added.
With technology as a focus in government, the UAE centered AI in its education programs and through various sectors.
“The UAE has made AI part of its school curriculum. We are the nunber one country (that) is adopting AI in the workplace according to a Microsoft report published three days ago,” he said.
Anwar Gargash, diplomatic advisor to the president of the UAE, said the UAE will remain as a diplomatic entity to help resolve conflict in the region.
“The Iranian attack and Israeli attack on Qatar, is not just an attack on the state of Qatar but also a threat to the Gulf region. We need to take more comprehensive solutions and look holistically at the safety of the region using diplomacy,” he added.
Gargash emphasized the UAE’s position in calling for the establishment a Palestinian state and said it is a right for Palestinians and an essential step towards achieving peace.
“We see clearly the role played in the UAE in Gaza through elevating the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza. We believe that we will continue these efforts in Sudan where people are being displaced and suffering food insecurity,” he said.
In Sudan, Gargash affirmed the urge for a lasting ceasefire and reiterated the UAE’s condemnation of the atrocities committed in El-Fashir.
“The UAE condemns all atrocities committed in El-Fashir and across Sudan — including allegations of chemical weapons use. These claims must be investigated, and those responsible must be held to account.
“We want negotiations. We want a transition to civilian rule. And most importantly, we need a ceasefire,” he added.
Minister of State for International Corporation Reem Al-Hashimy touched on a similar sentiment, sharing the UAE’s role in humanitarian aid in the region and globally in countries including Palestine, Yemen, Sudan, Ukraine, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
“The UAE has adopted a clear approach in its foreign policy based on peace and joint comprehensive responsibility … The UAE spared no effort in helping those in need, 370 billion dirhams ($100 billion) in aid on the international level,” said Al-Hashimy.
UAE minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla bin Touq said the UAE is working towards becoming one of the strongest economies globally.
“The UAE has achieved its status as the leader of the innovation hub between the east and the west,” said bin Touq.
Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence Omar bin Sultan Al-Olama affirmed the UAE’s position in being a leader for technological innovation globally and said the UAE remains on its path in developing its AI sector further.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2621536/middle-east
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Former Iraq PM Al-Maliki could heavily influence election despite troubled past
November 05, 2025
BAGHDAD: Former Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki remains a potent force in Iraqi politics despite long-standing accusations that he fueled sectarian strife and failed to stop Daesh from seizing large areas of the country a decade ago.
As leader of the influential State of Law, a Shiite Muslim coalition, he is seen as having enough clout to decide who will become Iraq’s next prime minister after a parliamentary election on November 11.
Maliki, in his mid-70s, was pressured to step down in 2014 by an unusually broad array of critics — the US, Iran, Sunni leaders and Iraq’s top Shiite cleric — after Daesh’s rapid territorial gains in 2014.
His divisive years as premier were blamed by many Iraqis for fostering sectarian strife between majority Shiites and minority Sunnis, while chronic problems like joblessness, poor public services and graft were left to fester.
MALIKI SIGNED SADDAM’S EXECUTION ORDER
Yet despite the criticism, Al-Maliki — a shrewd political operator — staged a comeback in the years that followed, quietly building influence through ties to armed militias, the security services and the judiciary, analysts say.
His political roots stretch back decades, shaped by opposition to Saddam Hussein’s authoritarian rule and a long exile that forged his ideological convictions.
Sentenced to death under Saddam for his role in the outlawed Shiite Islamic Dawa Party, Al-Maliki spent nearly 25 years in exile, mostly in Syria and Iran, agitating for the dictator’s downfall.
Like many exiles, he returned to Iraq after Saddam’s fall — the end of a Sunni-led regime that had long oppressed Shiites and Kurds.
Maliki signed Saddam’s execution order in red ink, paving the way for masked gunmen to place a noose around his neck and pull a lever that quickly ended his life.
Maliki, a friend of Shiite power Iran, had fulfilled his life-long goal of wresting power from the country’s Sunnis, but his drive to entrench Shi’ite dominance proved his downfall.
He was blamed by Sunni leaders for not doing enough to crack down on Shi’ite militias and focusing instead on asserting authority over restless Sunni provinces such as Anbar in western Iraq.
Maliki, who served as premier from 2006-2014, denied that he has a sectarian outlook.
“I am not fighting in Anbar because they are Sunnis, as I have also fought Shi’ite militias. Al Qaeda and militias are one — they both kill people and blow them up. Both rely on perverts and deviants,” Al-Maliki told Reuters in 2014.
MALIKI’S POLICIES HELPED ALIENATE SUNNIS, CRITICS SAY
His term in office was marred by sectarian bloodshed and an anti-American and anti-government insurgency, and accusations that he marginalized Sunnis, one factor in the rise of Sunni Daesh.
To detractors, the dour Al-Maliki threw down the gauntlet with stunning speed in 2011 when his Shi’ite-led government demanded the arrest of a Sunni Muslim vice president — seemingly moments after the departure of US troops in December of that year.
The move called into question Maliki’s commitment to any sort of democracy. The man who plotted from exile against Saddam for years now drew comparisons with his former enemy.
Critics say Maliki’s sectarian policies drove Sunnis into the arms of Daesh.
Maliki left office reluctantly in 2014 after security forces crumbled and fled in the face of a lightning advance by Daesh, which declared a medieval-style caliphate.
In 2015, an Iraqi parliamentary panel called for Al-Maliki and dozens of other top officials to stand trial over the fall of the northern city of Mosul to Daesh.
MALIKI HAILS FROM POLITICALLY ENGAGED SOUTHERN IRAQI FAMILY
A little-known politician in Iraq before the US-led invasion, Al-Maliki was a compromise pick to lead a wobbly coalition government in 2006.
Initially seen as a Shiite Islamist, Maliki’s initial willingness to put aside sectarianism and quell violence was called into question in a leaked US government memo.
“Despite Maliki’s reassuring words, repeated reports from our commanders on the ground contributed to our concerns about Maliki’s government,” National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley wrote to President George W. Bush in the memo.
He went on to list problems including non-delivery of services to Sunni areas and the removal of Iraq’s most effective commanders on a sectarian basis.
Maliki was born in 1950 in Janaja, a southern village among date groves on the Euphrates, into a politically engaged family — his grandfather wrote poetry inciting rebellion against Iraq’s British occupiers and his father was a fervent Arab nationalist.
Maliki was briefly arrested in 1979 and then fled, narrowly escaping Saddam’s police. His family’s land was seized and dozens of his relatives were killed over the next decade. He did not see his home village again until after the 2003 invasion.
He became deputy head of the committee that purged former officials in Saddam’s widely feared Baath Party.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2621521/middle-east
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Sultan of Oman and King of Spain discuss Gaza peace deal, economic partnerships
November 05, 2025
LONDON: As he concluded a three-day visit to Spain on Wednesday, Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tariq held talks with King Felipe, during which both rulers emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts to strengthen economic partnerships and foster growth and innovation.
The sultan also met Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, and together they reaffirmed a shared commitment to the pursuit of peace and stability in regions worldwide plagued by conflict.
During their meeting, the sultan and King Felipe welcomed the Gaza peace deal signed in Sharm El-Sheikh last month, the terms of which established a ceasefire and provided for the release of hostages and improved humanitarian access to Gaza. The rulers said they appreciated the mediation efforts by the US, Egypt, Qatar and Turkiye, the Oman News Agency reported.
The peace agreement symbolized renewed hope, they added, for a fair resolution to the wider conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, based on a two-state solution, that defends the legitimate rights of both peoples.
They also expressed their support for the efforts of the international community in the implementation of the peace agreement, and emphasized the urgent need for humanitarian aid to increase, and for the reconstruction of Gaza to begin.
Other developments during Sultan Haitham’s visit included the signing of a “mutual visa-exemption agreement for official passport holders,” and several memorandums of understanding covering cultural cooperation, the clean energy transition, promotion of investment opportunities, water management, transportation, and agricultural development.
Representatives of the two countries, including officials from leading Spanish companies in the energy, engineering, technology and other key sectors, also explored cooperative opportunities in manufacturing, mining, tourism, artificial intelligence, energy, and space technology.
Source: arabnews.com
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US may ask UN to mandate force in Gaza for 2 years
November 05, 2025
NEW YORK: The US has drafted a UN resolution that approves a two-year mandate for a Gaza transitional governance body and an international stabilization force in the Palestinian enclave, according to the text seen by journalists.
The draft — which is still being developed and could change — was shared with some countries this week, but has not yet been formally circulated to the 15-member Security Council for negotiations, diplomats said. It was not immediately clear when Washington planned to do that.
A State Department spokesperson said discussions with UN Security Council members and other partners on how to implement President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan were ongoing and declined to comment on “allegedly leaked documents.”
The two-page text would authorize a so-called Board of Peace transitional governance administration to establish a temporary International Stabilization Force in Gaza that could “use all necessary measures” — code for force — to carry out its mandate.
The ISF would be authorized to protect civilians and humanitarian aid operations, work to secure border areas with Israel, Egypt and a “newly trained and vetted Palestinian police force, which the ISF will be responsible for training and supporting.
The ISF would stabilize security in Gaza, “including through the demilitarization of non-state armed groups and the permanent decommissioning of weapons, as necessary.”
The Trump plan also ends Hamas governance of Gaza and says the enclave would be demilitarized. Hamas has not said whether it will agree to demilitarize Gaza — something the militants have rejected before.
The ISF would deploy under a unified command agreed by the Board of Peace and in close consultation with Egypt and Israel after detailed status of mission and forces agreements have been reached, according to the resolution.
While the Trump administration has ruled out sending US soldiers into Gaza, it has been speaking to Indonesia, the UAE, Egypt, Qatar, Turkiye and Azerbaijan to contribute to the multinational force.
It remains unclear whether Arab and other states will be ready to commit troops to the force.
Source: arabnews.com
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Israel to expand Geva Binyamin settlement north of occupied East Jerusalem
November 05, 2025
LONDON: The Palestinian Authority’s Jerusalem Governorate condemned Israel’s Ministry of Housing for publishing two tenders to build a new neighborhood in a Jewish settlement on Palestinian land northeast of occupied East Jerusalem.
It described the announcement for the new construction in the settlement of Geva Binyamin as a “dangerous escalation” in Israel’s settlement expansion and annexation of land on the northeastern slopes of Jerusalem.
The move is part of “a frantic race to impose a new demographic and geographic reality to serve the Greater Jerusalem scheme,” it said in a statement.
Israel’s Ministry of Housing has published two tenders: One for the construction of 342 settler units across five complexes, and the other for 14 detached houses for army reservists. The project, approved in January, will expand the Geva Binyamin settlement’s area by about 15 hectares toward the Bedouin community of Jaba’, east of Jerusalem.
Since January, Israel has announced the construction of 5,667 new settlement units in the West Bank and Jerusalem, marking an unprecedented and record-breaking figure, almost double the peak recorded in 2018. Settlements are deemed illegal under international law and are viewed as obstacles to the establishment of a Palestinian state.
On Wednesday, dozens of right-wing Israelis and settlers breached the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem under heavy protection by police, in the latest provocation against Muslim worshipers and guards, according to a press release by the Islamic Waqf Department, the custodian of the complex.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2621531/middle-east
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Israel holds more than 9,250 people in prisons, some from Lebanon and Syria
November 05, 2025
LONDON: More than 9,250 prisoners and detainees are in Israeli occupation prisons, mostly held without charge or trial under administrative detention or pending investigation, according to prisoner rights organizations.
The figure does not include detainees arrested from the Gaza Strip and held in detention camps, including the infamous Sde Teiman site.
As of November, there are 1,242 men and 49 women facing Israeli prison sentences, one of whom is from Gaza, while the number of child detainees totals 350 in Ofer and Majdo prisons.
Another 3,368 people are held in administrative detention, a measure that allows Israeli authorities to imprison Palestinians without trial or charge and renew their detention periods every three or six months.
Israel has classified 1,205 prisoners as “illegal fighters,” including people from Lebanon, Syria and some from the Gaza Strip. This brings the figure to 6,214, with the rest held under investigation or awaiting court.
The exchange of Palestinian prisoners for Israeli hostages and bodies was one of the primary terms for the Israel-Hamas ceasefire in October. Prominent Palestinian political and military figures have passed through the gates of Israeli prisons since 1967, including former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and Palestinian Vice President Hussein Al-Sheikh.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2621529/middle-east--
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US asks UN to lift sanctions on Syria’s president
November 05, 2025
UNITED NATIONS: The United States has proposed a draft United Nations Security Council resolution that would lift sanctions on Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa, who is due to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday.
The draft resolution, seen by Reuters on Tuesday, would also lift sanctions on Syria’s Interior Minister Anas Khattab. It was not immediately clear when it could be put to a vote. A resolution needs at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes by Russia, China, the US, France or Britain to be adopted.
Washington has been urging the 15-member Security Council for months to ease Syria sanctions.
After 13 years of civil war, Syria’s President Bashar Assad was ousted in December in a lightning offensive by insurgent forces led by Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS).
Since May 2014, the group has been on the UN Security Council’s sanctions list.
A number of HTS members are also under UN sanctions — a travel ban, asset freeze and arms embargo — including its leader Sharaa and Khattab.
A Security Council sanctions committee has been regularly granting Sharaa travel exemptions this year, so even if the US-drafted resolution is not adopted before Monday, the Syrian president is still likely to be able to visit the White House.
Trump announced a major US policy shift in May when he said he would lift US sanctions on Syria.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2621526/middle-east
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Africa
Why Muslims, Christians must live inharmony — Governor Lawal
November 6, 2025
The Governor of Zamfara state Dr. Dauda Lawal has said Christians and Muslims should live together in peace, harmony and appreciate the good different that exist in their faith while avoiding unnecessary discrimination and ranchor.
The Governor said this in Government House on Friday while receiving a team of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN Chairman, members and leaders of Christian denominations who payed an appreciation visit to him.
The Governor commended the effort of the CAN Chairman and other Christian leaders who took a step to appreciate the Government for what was collectively done in the overall interest of the residents of the state.
Governor Lawal reaffirmed the commitment of his administration to ensure the welfare, support and comfortability of all Christians in Zamfara state.
Recalled that, for the past thirty years, a portion of land was purchased at Tudun Wada Area of the state by a certain Church with the aim of erecting structures for school and a place of worship, the leadership of the area rose alongside the youths and resisted the ambition of the church.
Governments came and gone, but no one was able to resolve the situation. When Governor Lawal assumed duty, the church, CAN leadership and other Christian faithfuls met with him and he purchased the land for building of public schools in the interest of both Christians and Muslims living in the area.
Governor Lawal urged everyone to imbibe the spirit of peaceful coexistence and appreciate each other as God was fully aware of the reasons he allowed the two faiths to exist in our world of today.
Earlier, the CAN Chairman, Evangelist Jibril Afolabi and the state Pastor, Living Faith Church, Pastor Umoru Emanuel appreciated Governor Lawal for his wisdom in settling the years long dispute with every party involved returning satisfied, describing him as a worthy father who received everyone with open arms without discrimination.
The highpoint of the visit witnessed the CAN Chairman and the church leaders presenting an Award of an Ambassador of Peace to Governor Dauda Lawal.
Source: thenationonlineng.net
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https://thenationonlineng.net/why-muslims-christians-must-live-inharmony-governor-lawal/
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Air Chief Orders Intensified Air Strikes On Terrorists Nationwide
November 6, 2025
By Richard Ogunsile
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, has directed all Nigerian Air Force (NAF) component commanders involved in ongoing military operations across the country to intensify strikes against terrorists and criminal elements threatening national security.
Aneke gave the directive during a high-level strategic meeting held at the NAF Headquarters in Abuja, where he met with air component commanders from all operational theatres.
Naija News understands that the meeting focused on enhancing precision air operations and delivering “smarter, harder, and more decisive” strikes against insurgents, terrorists, and bandits across Nigeria.
According to a statement released by the NAF, the meeting marked a decisive step in recalibrating its operational posture and strengthening inter-service collaboration to improve national security outcomes.
Addressing the senior officers, Air Marshal Aneke stressed the need for agility, precision, and intelligence-driven warfare, saying such an approach was vital in countering evolving threats across all operational theatres.
“We must fly smarter and strike harder; every mission must reflect professionalism, purpose, and patriotism,”
the air chief said.
He urged the commanders to maintain operational discipline, ensure accuracy in targeting, and minimise collateral damage during air strikes.
The Air Chief stressed the importance of synchronizing air, land, and maritime operations, adding that coordinated efforts would ensure mission success and national security.
“Our operations must be intelligence-led and coordinated with sister services to ensure maximum impact on terrorist networks,” Aneke stated.
He assured that the Nigerian Air Force would continue to strengthen cooperation with the Army, Navy, and other security agencies to achieve unified operational effectiveness in the fight against insurgency and banditry.
Air Marshal Aneke also reiterated his administration’s commitment to improving personnel welfare, innovation, and continuous training to enhance combat readiness and efficiency.
He pledged to equip airmen and airwomen with the necessary tools and modern warfare skills to meet current and emerging threats.
“The safety and confidence of our citizens are our mission success indicators. Nigeria is counting on us, and we will not fail,” the Air Chief affirmed.
Naija News reports that the directive comes amid renewed counterterrorism operations in the North-East, North-West, and parts of the North-Central regions, where coordinated air and ground offensives have recently neutralized several high-value terrorist targets.
The Nigerian Air Force has also stepped up aerial surveillance and precision strikes in collaboration with the Army and Navy under the joint military operation framework.
Aneke’s renewed call for decisive air superiority underscores the military’s resolve to dismantle terror networks, restore peace in troubled regions, and ensure the protection of Nigeria’s territorial integrity.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/11/06/air-chief-orders-intensified-air-strikes-on-terrorists-nationwide/
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Ogun govt orders 25-year-old Ibara GRA mosque to vacate in seven days
Azeez Olorunlomeru
5 November 2025
The Ogun State Government has issued a seven-day quit notice to the management of the Ibara Housing Estate Mosque, located within the Ibara GRA in Abeokuta, threatening demolition of the over 25-year-old structure.
The notice, dated November 5, 2025, and signed by the General Manager, Ogun State Planning and Development Permit Authority, directed the mosque community to vacate the premises within seven days.
It further warned that the government would not be liable for any damages or losses during the impending demolition exercise.
Worshippers were taken aback when a government official, suspected to be from the Planning and Development Permit Authority, served the notice immediately after the Zuhr (noon) prayer.
Members of the mosque also expressed concern over what they described as a “sudden and unfair” move by the government, especially given the mosque’s long-standing presence in the estate.
Part of the notice read, “Sequel to our Notice of Contravention served on you, you are hereby informed to vacate the property within seven days from the date of service of this notice.
“You are advised to remove all valuables within the specified time.
“Please note that the Authority will not be liable for any loss suffered by you or claim for compensation whatsoever for any removable property damaged or destroyed during the impending demolition of the development. You are warned.”
It was alleged that the mosque management had not previously been served any contravention notice by the government.
However, on the same day the quit notice was delivered, another document titled “Notice of Contravention” was also served, signed by the same General Manager.
The contravention notice accused the mosque of “change of use from residential to mosque (public) within Ibara GRA” and “development suspected to be without permit.”
It directed the mosque’s management to submit all relevant planning documents, including a development permit, within 24 hours or restore the property to its original residential state within seven days.
An extract from the second notice stated, “It appears that the provisions of the Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law No. 61 of 2022 and the enabling regulations of the State have been contravened in respect thereof.
“If you dispute the contraventions, you are requested to bring all documents in support of your case, including your planning permit, to the undersigned within 24 hours of the service of this notice.
“If you fail to remove the said contravention(s) within seven days from the date of service of this notice, the said contravention shall be demolished after the service of notice of demolition on you/the property.”
Source: guardian.ng
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https://guardian.ng/news/nigeria/metro/ogun-govt-orders-25-year-old-ibara-gra-mosque-to-vacate-in-seven-days/
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Trump’s Threat: U.S. Lawmakers Seek Sanctions On Miyetti Allah, Others
November 6, 2025
By Enioluwa Adeniyi
The United States House of Representatives has called on the Departments of State and Treasury to impose targeted sanctions on individuals and groups in Nigeria accused of violating religious freedoms, including the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore.
The call was contained in a resolution, H. Res. 860, introduced on Tuesday before the House and published on the U.S. Congress website.
The resolution, sponsored by Rep. Christopher Smith and co-sponsored by Rep. Paul Huizenga, commended U.S. President Donald Trump for redesignating Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC).
The lawmakers noted that the situation in Nigeria had “deteriorated significantly,” citing widespread violence, targeted attacks on Christians, and “the failure of government forces to protect vulnerable communities.”
The sponsors alleged a pattern of large-scale attacks and impunity across parts of Nigeria, referencing media reports, non-governmental organisation data, and findings from human rights monitors.
The resolution reads in parts, “For over a decade, Islamic terror organisations have carried out mass murder, rape, kidnappings, and other atrocities targeting mostly Nigerian Christians and non-Fulani moderate Muslim populations, resulting in mass displacement and destruction of places of worship.
“Prominent Christian and Muslim leaders have been kidnapped or assassinated, including priests, pastors, and imams who advocate for religious tolerance.
“Religious leaders, such as Father Remigius Iyhula and Bishop Wilfred Anagbe, who testified on March 12, 2025, at a hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Committee about the persecution and targeted killings of Christians in the Diocese of Makurdi, have faced intimidation, threats, and harassment from both extremist groups and government authorities.”
Supporters of the measure argued that the CPC redesignation would strengthen diplomatic leverage to press Nigeria for accountability and protection of religious minorities.
“The designation of Nigeria as a CPC will enhance diplomatic efforts to encourage the Nigerian government to take necessary actions to protect religious minorities and uphold fundamental human rights,” they said.
They therefore moved that “President Donald Trump acted appropriately and decisively to redesignate Nigeria as a CPC and hold the Nigerian government accountable for its complicity in religious persecution by radical Islamists, such as Boko Haram and Fulani terrorists.”
They further recommended that US foreign assistance be conditioned on demonstrable steps by Nigeria to prevent persecution, prosecute alleged perpetrators, and care for displaced populations.
“The State Department should provide immediate humanitarian assistance directly to faith-based groups to support internally displaced people in Nigeria’s middle belt states.
“The United States, through the Department of State and Department of Treasury, should impose targeted sanctions, including visa bans and asset freezes under the Global Magnitsky framework and other restrictive measures, on individuals and entities responsible for severe violations of religious freedom in Nigeria, including sanctions against Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, and should place Fulani-Ethnic Militias operating in Benue and Plateau States on the Entities of Particular Concern List under the International Religious Freedom Act,” the resolution read.
The resolution also requested that the US justify the purposes and amounts of recent security and development assistance to Nigeria and tie future support to improved human rights outcomes.
The resolution was referred to the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Judiciary Committee for further consideration.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/11/06/trumps-threat-u-s-lawmakers-seek-sanctions-on-miyetti-allah-others/
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Over 13,500 Terrorists Neutralised Since 2023 – FG
November 5, 2025
By Justina Otio
The Nigerian government, through the Ministry of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has stated that it is aware of the insecurity crisis plaguing the country.
He stated that the government has taken note of the position of the United States government on Nigeria over alleged violations of religious freedom.
The Minister stated this while addressing the press in Abuja on Wednesday.
According to him, Nigeria faces longstanding security challenges that have impacted Christians and Muslims alike, adding that President Bola Tinubu is more than determined to confront and end these security challenges
On the success recorded by the government in the area of security since May 2023, Idris said that “Nigeria’s security agencies have neutralized more than 13,500 terrorists through sustained operations and arrested over 17,000 suspects, who are now undergoing interrogation or prosecution for various offences.
“Also, more than 9,800 victims abducted by terrorist elements, including women and children, have been rescued and reintegrated.
“It is important to restate that the menace of terrorism in Nigeria does not exclusively target any religious or ethnic group.
“As in many parts of the world, extremism is mindless, blind to religion, tribe, or class. It is a war against all peace-loving Nigerians and against the unity and progress of our great nation.
“Therefore, any narrative suggesting that the Nigerian State is failing to take action against religious attacks is based on misinformation or faulty data.
“Several leading personnel of the very dedicated Armed Forces of Nigeria and the country’s intelligence agencies are Christians, working and succeeding alongside their Muslim colleagues in the fight against extremists and criminals waging war against our country and values.
“Also, Nigeria’s security challenge cannot be fully understood without acknowledging the volatile security situation in the Sahel region, and complicating factors such as the collapse of Libya over a decade ago, flooding the region with terrorist elements, extremist groups, and illegal weapons.
“The regional dimension underscores why Nigeria continues to champion greater cooperation within ECOWAS, the African Union, and international partners, including the United States to stabilise the Sahel and cut off the transnational lifelines of terrorism.
“The other issue is the socio-economic dimension of the conflict in the North-Central, especially in Plateau and Benue State, exacerbated by age-long farmers-herders violent clashes made worse by climate change and desertification.”
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/11/05/over-13500-terrorists-neutralised-since-2023-fg/
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South Asia
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Says Talks in Istanbul Focused Solely on Stopping TTP Attacks From Afghanistan
By Fidel Rahmati
November 6, 2025
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said the Islamabad delegation’s only objective in the Istanbul talks is to ensure Taliban action against cross-border TTP attacks.
The Taliban, however, maintain that Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan’s activities are an internal issue for Islamabad and deny harboring or supporting the group’s fighters on Afghanistan soil.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Wednesday that a delegation has arrived in Istanbul for a third round of talks with the Taliban, expressing hope that the Afghanistan side would act “wisely” to ease tensions between the two neighbours.
Asif said Pakistan’s sole demand is for the Taliban to prevent militant groups from launching cross-border attacks from Afghanistan territory. The new round of negotiations is scheduled to begin on Thursday.
The meetings follow days of deadly border clashes that erupted after Pakistani airstrikes on Kabul and Paktika, which prompted retaliatory attacks by Taliban forces along seven border provinces.
Islamabad has accused the Afghan Taliban of sheltering Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant networks, while the Taliban insists that Pakistan’s insurgency is a domestic issue the government must resolve on its own.
Defence Minister Asif told Geo News that continued cross-border attacks would make conflict “inevitable” if no breakthrough is reached in Istanbul. He said Pakistan remains committed to diplomacy but will defend its borders if provoked.
Analysts say the Istanbul talks represent one of the final chances to de-escalate tensions before winter, warning that renewed conflict could disrupt regional trade routes and worsen humanitarian conditions on both sides of the border.
Observers note that despite multiple rounds of negotiations and temporary ceasefires, deep mistrust persists between Islamabad and Kabul — a divide that continues to shape South Asia’s fragile security landscape.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/pakistans-defence-minister-says-talks-in-istanbul-focused-solely-on-stopping-ttp-attacks-from-afghanistan/
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Seminar on Value of Reading and Public Libraries in Islamic History Held in Logar, Ministry
November 6, 2025
KABUL: The Directorate of Public Libraries, in collaboration with the Logar Department of Information and Culture, organized a seminar titled “The Value of Reading and Public Libraries in Islamic History” in the province.
Mawlawi Faizullah Johari, Head of Logar’s Information and Culture Directorate, spoke on the importance of books and libraries from an Islamic perspective, urging youth to make reading a part of their daily lives, according to a statement from the Ministry of Information and Culture on Wednesday.
Dr. Rafiullah Samim, Head of Public Libraries, discussed the historic role of Muslim scholars in promoting knowledge, while religious scholar Mufti Wahidullah Wahaj emphasized that reviving a culture of study can once again restore intellectual leadership to the Muslim world.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://thekabultimes.com/seminar-on-value-of-reading-and-public-libraries-in-islamic-history-held-in-logar-ministry/
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Foreign Ministry Denies Pakistani FM’s Claims of Multiple Calls by Muttaqi in a Single Day
November 6, 2025
KABUL: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate has rejected recent remarks by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister claiming that Mawlavi Amir Khan Muttaqi, the country’s Foreign Minister, made six phone calls to his Pakistani counterpart in a single day.
Describing the Pakistani FM’s statement as inaccurate and far from reality, Hafiz Zia Ahmad Takal, Head of Information and Public Relations at the ministry, said on Wednesday that the first and only telephone conversation between the two foreign ministers took place within the framework of mutual understanding and coordination, aimed at constructively addressing bilateral issues.
“The Afghan Foreign Ministry emphasizes that relations between nations must be grounded in mutual respect and factual engagement, noting that such misleading statements contradict diplomatic norms and the spirit of neighborly relations,” Takal said.
The Islamic Emirate remains committed to maintaining positive, respectful, and cooperative relations with all neighboring countries, including Pakistan, he reaffirmed, expressing hope that senior Pakistani officials will exercise greater accuracy and responsibility when making public remarks concerning Afghanistan.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://thekabultimes.com/foreign-ministry-denies-pakistani-fms-claims-of-multiple-calls-by-muttaqi-in-a-single-day/
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UN Chief Calls Education the Foundation of a ‘New Social Contract’
By Fidel Rahmati
November 6, 2025
UN Secretary-General António Guterres called education the foundation of a “new social contract,” vital for ending poverty, creating jobs, and ensuring social equality globally.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has described education as the cornerstone of a “new social contract” and a vital tool to end poverty, create decent jobs, and ensure social equality.
Speaking on Wednesday at the High-Level Meeting on Education during the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha, Guterres praised Qatar for its support of global education initiatives while warning of widening inequalities in learning systems worldwide.
He said more than 270 million children and adolescents remain out of school globally, and a shortage of 44 million teachers poses one of the biggest challenges to education systems.
“Education is the engine of social progress and the strongest weapon we have to fight poverty — but only if no one is left behind,” Guterres said.
He urged governments to allocate at least 15% of their domestic revenue and 4% of their GDP to education, calling for stronger and more inclusive learning systems to build equitable futures.
The UN chief stressed that education must adapt to emerging technologies and green skills, but not as a substitute for teachers — rather as a means to empower them and enhance quality learning.
Guterres cautioned that failure to address financial, access, and quality gaps in education would jeopardize global efforts to achieve sustainable development and social justice.
Experts attending the summit said the UN’s renewed focus on education reflects growing concern that learning inequalities could deepen economic divides, particularly in low-income and conflict-affected regions.
They added that Guterres’s remarks in Doha serve as a global reminder that investment in education is not just a moral duty but an economic imperative for lasting peace and prosperity.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/un-chief-calls-education-the-foundation-of-a-new-social-contract/
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Doctors Without Borders Sends Medical Teams to Help Earthquake Victims in Samangan Province
By Fidel Rahmati
November 6, 2025
Doctors Without Borders has deployed emergency medical teams to northern Afghanistan’s Samangan province after a 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck, injuring dozens and destroying homes across several villages.
Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) has dispatched medical teams to quake-hit areas of Samangan province following a 6.3-magnitude earthquake that struck the region earlier this week.
In a statement on Wednesday, the organization said its teams in Kunduz have so far treated 49 injured people, including six admitted for hospitalization and one spinal injury case transferred to the provincial hospital.
The group reported that blocked roads have delayed the evacuation of the wounded, forcing many families to transport injured relatives to health centers a day after the quake.
MSF expressed concern over deteriorating living conditions for displaced families, warning of a heightened risk of infectious disease outbreaks due to limited access to clean water and sanitation.
At least 27 people were killed and nearly 1,000 others injured after a powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck northern Afghanistan.
The organization reaffirmed its commitment to delivering life-saving care in remote Afghanistan regions, focusing on emergency trauma treatment, maternal health, and pediatric services.
Local authorities and aid groups say the latest disaster has added pressure to an already fragile healthcare system. Many villages remain isolated, with reports of casualties and property destruction still emerging as rescue operations continue.
Humanitarian agencies have called for urgent international assistance to prevent further suffering, warning that the combined impact of repeated earthquakes, poverty, and inadequate infrastructure could worsen Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/doctors-without-borders-sends-medical-teams-to-help-earthquake-victims-in-samangan-province/
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Badri Meets MCCT, MJAM Heads on Mess Aynak Project
November 6, 2025
KABUL:Mullah Hidayatullah Badri, Minister of Mines and Petroleum, met with the heads of the MCCT and MJAM companies, contractors of the Mess Aynak project, to review progress and commitments under the project agreement.
During the meeting, the MCCT representative provided updates on project activities, including steps taken toward restoring the project’s power supply and submitted the technical and economic feasibility report to the ministry, the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
Minister Badri emphasized the importance of accelerating the project’s implementation and assured full cooperation from the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum to ensure its successful completion.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://thekabultimes.com/badri-meets-mcct-mjam-heads-on-mess-aynak-project/
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MoUs Signed to Support Returnees and Displaced Families
November 6, 2025
KABUL: The Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation signed two cooperation agreements with the humanitarian organizations Peace Builders of Afghanistan and Afghanistan Empowerment and Climate Institute.
Under the first agreement, Peace Builders will invest over 17 million Afghani to provide vocational training, tools, and cash-for-work programs for 4,056 returnee, displaced, and host families across 13 provinces, the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
The second agreement allocates $7,254 for distributing food aid to 200 displaced families in Nangarhar province, the statement added.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://thekabultimes.com/mous-signed-to-support-returnees-and-displaced-families/
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Arab World
Noor Riyadh announces artists for this year’s festival of light and art
NADA ALTURKI
November 05, 2025
RIYADH: The annual Noor Riyadh, the region’s largest international festival of light and art, has announced its list of participating artists, gearing up for the 2025 launch that will run from Nov. 20-Dec. 6.
The show, curated by Mami Kataoka, Li Zhenhua and Sara Almutlaq, takes place in various hubs across Riyadh and will include 60 artworks by 59 artists, representing 24 nationalities, with 35 newly commissioned pieces.
“Noor Riyadh is defined by its artists; their ideas, their courage and their vision,” said Nouf Almoneef, festival director of Noor Riyadh. “Each work captures the city’s momentum through light, reminding us that creativity is a universal language that connects cultures and inspires dialogue.”
This year’s curatorial theme, “In the Blink of an Eye,” reflects the rapid transformation shaping Riyadh.
The festival will present work responding to the theme by leading international and local artists, including Saad Al-Howede, Monira Al-Qadiri, Abdulrahman Al-Soliman, James Clar, Ivana Franke, fuse*, Ayoung Kim, Shinji Ohmaki, Michelangelo Pistoletto and Muhannad Shono.
The show will also include a special installation dedicated to the work of the late Safeya Binzagr (1940–2024), a leading figure of Saudi Arabia’s modern art movement and the first female Saudi artist to hold a solo exhibition in 1968.
“Light is both a medium and a metaphor for transformation,” said Kataoka, the curatorial advisory lead. “‘In the Blink of an Eye’ reveals how quickly perception can shift — offering a moment to pause within the momentum of change and see beauty in what is constantly evolving.”
The 2025 festival is led by an international curatorial team that brings together distinct perspectives on contemporary culture, whose vision connects Riyadh’s historical heart to its modern skyline and metro network. The show invites audiences to encounter light as a medium for perception, memory and momentum.
The festival’s program will have Noor Riyadh unfold across six locations this year: Qasr Al-Hokm District, King Abdulaziz Historical Center, stc Metro Station, KAFD Metro Station, Al-Faisaliah Tower and JAX District.
Held under the umbrella of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and Riyadh Art, Noor Riyadh echoes Riyadh Art’s mission to transform the Kingdom’s capital city by sparking creativity and enriching daily lives.
Since its inception, Riyadh Art has showcased more than 550 artworks by 500 Saudi and international artists, attracting more than 9.6 million visitors and spectators through its major programs. Noor Riyadh transforms everyday public spaces into distinctive encounters, hoping to create a sense of shared wonder across communities through art.
The full list of the festival’s 2025 participating artists includes: Addie Wagenknecht (US), Abdulrahman Al-Soliman (Saudi Arabia), Abdelrahman Elshahed (Saudi Arabia), Ahmad Angawi (Saudi Arabia), Alex Schweder (US), Alexandra Gelis (Colombia and Canada), Ayoung Kim (South Korea), atelier oi + WonderGlass (Switzerland), Christian Partos (Sweden), Christophe Berthonneau (France), dies_ (Italy), Saad Al-Howede (Saudi Arabia), Edwin van der Heide (Netherlands), Encor Studio (Switzerland), Fatma Abdulhadi (Saudi Arabia), Francesco Simeti (Italy), fuse* (Italy), Guillaume Cousin (France), Hmoud Alattawi (Saudi Arabia), Iregular (Canada), Ivana Franke (Croatia), James Clar (Philippines and US), Karolina Halatek (Poland), Khalid Zahid (Saudi Arabia), Kurt Hentschlager (Austria), Laszlo Zsolt Bordos (Hungary), Loris Cecchini (Italy), Marnix De Nijs (Netherlands), Michelangelo Pistoletto (Italy), Mohammed Farea (Saudi Arabia), Monira Al-Qadiri (Kuwait), Muhannad Shono (Saudi Arabia), n + n Corsino (France), Nebras Aljoaib (Saudi Arabia), Obaid Alsafi (Saudi Arabia), Otolab (Italy), Plastique Fantastique (Germany), Random International (UK), Rejane Cantoni (Brazil), Robert Seidel (Germany), Roman Hill (US and France), Ryoichi Kurokawa (Japan), Safeya Binzagr (Saudi Arabia), Saeed Gebaan (Saudi Arabia), Shinji Ohmaki (Japan), Shiro Takatani (Dumb Type, Japan), Shun Ito (Japan), Six N. Five (Ezequiel Pini, Argentina), someform Studio (Germany), Studio Above&Below (UK), Tonoptik (Russia), Traumnovelle (Belgium), Vali Chincisan (Romania), Wang Yuyang (China), Wu Chi-Tsung (Taiwan), Zeitguised (Germany), Zhang Zengzeng (China), Zheng Da (China) and Ziyad Alroqi (Saudi Arabia).
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2621560/saudi-arabia
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Royal reserve plants more than 3,000 seedlings in Jouf
November 05, 2025
RIYADH: The King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority has launched an initiative to plant more than 3,000 seedlings in its nursery in the Jouf region.
The project supports the authority’s efforts to protect the environment and expand vegetation cover as part of its vision for a greener, more sustainable future, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
Volunteers from educational institutions across the region took part in the tree-planting campaign, part of the authority’s involvement in the National Greening Season.
So far, the authority’s environmental initiatives have included planting almost 4 million seedlings and rehabilitating 750,000 hectares of degraded land.
The restoration projects aim to revive ecosystems affected by desertification and overgrazing, helping to restore natural plant life and preserve the Kingdom’s biodiversity.
Meanwhile, the National Center for Vegetation Development and Combating Desertification continues its planting efforts, with the Jouf region seeing the cultivation of 1 million seedlings for production.
The project includes planting native species suited to the Kingdom’s rangeland environments, valued for their grazing benefits, drought tolerance and adaptability to desert conditions.
The plants also help to stabilize soil, combat desertification, provide habitats for birds and wildlife, absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2621550/saudi-arabia
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Islamic coalition advances military exercises in Gabon
November 05, 2025
RIYADH: The Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition is implementing its strategic military initiative, “Competence,” in Libreville, Gabon.
The program includes intensive field training, tactical drills and live-fire exercises for special operations forces as part of the second phase of its military training effort, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
This phase focuses on enhancing special forces’ capabilities to counter terrorist threats through practical exercises simulating real combat scenarios.
Training activities cover raids, maneuvering across varied terrains, responding to ambushes and hostage situations, and live-fire drills against moving and stationary targets.
The initiative is one of 15 strategic programs launched by the coalition to promote expertise transfer, knowledge exchange, and a unified training system that strengthens regional and international security.
Last month, the coalition hosted a seminar in the Maldives titled “Manifestations of Ideological Extremism in the Educational Environment,” as part of its prevention initiative focused on intellectual awareness.
The event aimed to strengthen intellectual resilience among educators and communities and prevent the spread of extremist and deviant ideas in educational settings.
It was part of the coalition’s broader efforts to bolster ideological prevention systems in member states by helping educators identify early signs of extremism, address its roots, and promote moderation and tolerance in schools and communities.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2621509/saudi-arabia
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Malaysia’s king visits SAMI Alsalam Aerospace Industries in Riyadh
November 05, 2025
RIYADH: Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskander visited SAMI Alsalam Aerospace Industries, a subsidiary of the Saudi Arabian Military Industries Company, during a visit to the Kingdom on Wednesday.
He was accompanied by Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The king was briefed on the company’s facilities and its advanced capabilities in the fields of maintenance, repair and overhaul of aircraft, and its role in localizing the aviation and space industries in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
SAMI Alsalam Aerospace Industries aims to build sustainable industrial capabilities in the field of aerospace systems.
The visit aims to explore future areas of cooperation between the Kingdom and Malaysia in the aviation and space sector, SPA said.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2621546/saudi-arabia
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Baha University to develop AI transport solution
November 05, 2025
RIYADH: Baha University has been selected for the 2025 cohort of the IBM Impact Accelerator program to develop the CH-MARL framework, an advanced artificial intelligence solution for coordinating transport and port fleets.
The project aims to reduce fleet downtime, fuel use, and carbon emissions across key logistical hubs, aligning with Vision 2030’s sustainability goals, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
Abdullah Al-Hussein, the university’s president, said the participation enhances its research standing, expands opportunities for student researchers, and strengthens its impact on the Kingdom’s transport and logistics sector.
Research team leader Saad Al-Qithami said the CH-MARL project uses AI and cloud computing to transform fleet management and logistics operations, supporting the Kingdom’s sustainability agenda.
He added that the project will enable seamless transitions between simulation and live operations, cutting downtime and fuel use while improving air quality in major logistical centers, contributing to Vision 2030 and global climate goals.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2621558/saudi-arabia
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Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee chief meets IOC president
November 05, 2025
Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee President Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal met with International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the IOC’s Revenues and Commercial Partnerships Commission session at the organization’s headquarters, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
It included a recorded address by the IOC president, who highlighted the commission’s role in strengthening the global Olympic movement through financial sustainability and strategic partnerships.
The discussion also covered topics related to Coventry’s new initiative, “Pause and Reflect,” aimed at reviewing commercial programs linked to the Olympic Games, athletes, and IOC services.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2621570/saudi-arabia
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North America
CAIR, CAIR-NY Condemn ADL’s ‘Mamdani Monitor’ as Hypocritical Act of Anti-Muslim Bigotry
November 5, 2025
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and its New York chapter (CAIR-NY) today condemned the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) announcement that it will create a “Mamdani Monitor” tipline to track policies and appointments of New York Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani.
In a statement, Washington, D.C., based CAIR said:
“The ADL has never established a special monitor to harass any other elected official, including politicians who have actually expressed real bigotry against Jewish Americans. Singling out Mayor-Elect Mamdani is an act of hypocrisy and anti-Muslim bigotry, pure and simple. We strongly condemn the ADL’s increasingly unhinged, desperate attacks on American Muslims and other advocates for Palestinian human rights, and we call on New York community leaders to do the same.”
In August, CAIR condemned ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt’s “dishonest and Islamophobic attacks” against Mamdani that misstated basic facts and subjected Mamdani to an obvious double standard because he is a Muslim.
Disclaimer: As a 501(c)3, CAIR does not support or oppose any candidate for office.
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.
Source: cair.com
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-cair-ny-condemn-adls-mamdani-monitor-as-hypocritical-act-of-anti-muslim-bigotry/
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CAIR-Alabama Welcomes Federal Charges for Threats to Jewish and Muslim Leaders, Calls on Politicians to Stop Promoting Bigotry
November 5, 2025
The Alabama office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-AL), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed federal charges brought against a man who allegedly made multiple threats targeting Jewish and Muslim religious leaders and called on political leaders, especially Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), to stop promoting bigotry against the people of Alabama.
Last month, CAIR-AL welcomed his arrest.
In a statement, CAIR-Alabama Staff Attorney Britton O’Shields said:
“We welcome these federal charges and hope they serve as a clear reminder that threats and acts of hate will not be tolerated. This case underscores how dangerous it is when public officials normalize bigotry and conspiracy theories for political gain. Words have consequences. When political leaders spread misinformation about Muslims, Jews, or any other community, it creates an environment in which hatred and violence can take root.”
She noted that CAIR-AL recently called on political leaders in the state to denounce Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s “increasingly unhinged” conduct, including his embrace Sandy Hook Massacre denier Alex Jones and false claims that “sharia law” is taking over America.
CAIR-AL also called Sen. Tuberville’s bill purporting to ban “Sharia law” an “unconstitutional attack on religious freedom.”
O’Shields said CAIR and the American Muslim community stand in solidarity with all those challenging antisemitism, systemic anti-Black racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, white supremacy, and all other forms of bigotry.
Source: cair.com
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-alabama-welcomes-federal-charges-for-threats-to-jewish-and-muslim-leaders-calls-on-politicians-to-stop-promoting-bigotry/
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School vouchers row: Local Islamic leaders hit back at Uthmeier's 'Sharia law' claim
November 5, 2025
Islamic leaders in South Florida have pushed back against Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier's claims that tax-payer funded vouchers for private Islamic schools violate Florida law and pose a national security threat.
Writing on social media recently, Uthmeier said, "Sharia law seeks to destroy and supplant the pillars of our republican form of government and is incompatible with the Western tradition."
Others in the all-Republican Florida cabinet, including Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia and Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, joined Uthmeier in questioning the legality of public dollars going to Islamic private schools.
The criticism came after it emerged a couple of Tampa-area Muslim schools accept voucher money.
Hifz Academy and Bayaan Academy have brought in $15,700,000 and $2,668,000, respectively, in voucher funds over the past decade, according to reporting by the Florida Phoenix.
Neither of the schools name Sharia law on their websites. WLRN has reached out for comment.
Sharia law is Islam's moral code as outlined in the Quran. It guides worship practices, personal behavior and family principle, as well as some legal code integrated in Muslim-majority countries.
Azhar Subedar, the development director of the South Florida Muslim Federation, told WLRN the political focus on Sharia law is often misguided and misunderstood. It's not an extremist system, he said, it's to "teach us to be the best versions of humans that we can be for ourselves, thereby being better citizens."
"It's no-brainer that when you talk about America and the Constitution and being an American citizen, we already have a system of justice here," Subedar added, "and it cannot be overwritten by any other system."
Subedar is an Islamic scholar and spiritual leader who says he has taken on a mission to bring together multiple communities of faith for open dialogue and discussion, hoping to foster a deeper understanding, interfaith alliance and disarm fear.
Florida's Muslim schools were developed with the "understanding that we live in a beautiful country where everyone's coming together," Subedar said. "It's a melting pot, everyone's growing together."
Vouchers for religious private schools
Florida’s school choice programs were expanded in 2023, allowing any student, regardless of family income, to apply for vouchers for private schools. Previously, Florida law had income and disability requirements to be eligible for the funding.
As of this year, more than 2,000 private schools accept vouchers and 61% of private schools identified as religious, according to data from Step Up For Students, the largest scholarship funding organization in the state. Catholic schools are the single largest religious recipients.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has proudly regarded Florida as the state with the most religious freedom in the country and has supported legislation to support free practice in schools. In 2024, he signed a law establishing a statewide school chaplain program and authorized volunteer chaplains to be on school campuses. Previously he also supported legislation requiring teachers in first-period classrooms in each Florida public school to dedicated a couple of minutes for a moment of silence or prayer daily.
Subedar said Muslim families, like families of other faiths, also value a formal approach to religious teaching.
"It's imperative that they have an environment where this is being incorporated, where [religious values are] being reflected, where this is being shadowed constantly so that they can inculcate those qualities within themselves," he said.
"Plus, when it comes to the teaching, it's the same academic curriculum that the Florida school system has recommended to all schools within Florida, irrespective of it's private school or public school."
Khurrum Wahid, founder and national chairperson for Emgage Action, a nonprofit advocacy group for Muslim Americans, pointed to Republican lawmakers having long embraced religious freedom and vouchers for Christian schools.
"The top cop in the state of Florida, the top prosecutor in the state, is essentially saying that we are going to pick one religion to single out — to say, ‘No, you don't get the same protection as the other religions,'" Wahid, a practicing attorney, told WLRN.
Wahid said state officials and Americans must "maintain our responsibility to the United States Constitution" and accept the First Amendment applies to all religious practices.
Questioning Islamic schools for voucher use is not about following state law, he said in response to Uthmeier's recent comments that "the use of taxpayer-funded school vouchers to promote Sharia law likely contravenes Florida law."
"This is about bigotry and we have to start all calling it what it is," Wahid said.
The cabinet doesn't have the authority to divert state funding from to specific schools, the Department of Education does.
In 2023, DeSantis directed the education department to pull voucher funds from schools with alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party. The DOE in 2003 suspended voucher funds for Tampa’s Islamic Academy of Florida after two men affiliated with the school were charged, and later convicted, with links to terrorism.
The Attorney General's office did not respond to an interview request.
Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingolia told the Florida Phoenix his office is considering auditing several Tampa-area Muslim schools.
" We'd love to host the attorney general," Subedar said. "Come and sit down and come and look at our schools and learn from us what's actually going on. I don't want anyone to live in a state of fear ... in your own state, in your own home."
Source: .wlrn.org
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https://www.wlrn.org/education/2025-11-05/islamic-school-vouchers-florida-uthmeier-sharia
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US ‘may be working on plan to denuclearize’ with Russia and China – Trump
5 Nov, 2025
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he may be working on a plan to denuclearize in tandem with Russia and China.
Last week, Trump ordered the Department of War to begin preparations for nuclear testing, claiming the US is “the only country that doesn’t test.”
In response, Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov has suggested starting preparations for full-scale nuclear tests, while President Vladimir Putin has noted that Moscow has long said it would adhere to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, provided other members do not violate it.
Speaking at the American Business Forum in Miami, Trump stated: “We redid our nuclear – we’re the number one nuclear power, which I hate to admit, because it’s so horrible.”
“Russia’s second. China’s a distant third, but they’ll catch us within four or five years,” the US president added. “We’re maybe working on a plan to denuclearize, the three of us. We’ll see if that works.”
Trump has accused Russia and China of conducting “secret” nuclear tests, although both Moscow and Beijing have denied the allegations. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi has also said the watchdog has no indication that either country has detonated a nuclear device.
Following Trump’s statement, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov indicated that Moscow is still awaiting further “clarifications from the American side” regarding the full implications of the US president’s remarks.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/627393-america-may-work-on-denuclearization-russia-china/
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Southeast Asia
NGO Muslim Friendly Watch disbands after Jakim says ‘Muslim Choice’ label not recognised halal mark
05 Nov 2025
JOHOR BAHRU, Nov 5 — Muslim Friendly Watch (MFW) today announced its official dissolution under the Societies Act 1966 (Act 335), following the controversy surrounding its Muslim Choice initiative.
In a statement today, MFW said it has also taken immediate and responsible steps to cease all operations and systems operating under its banner.
“This move reflects our obedience to the religious authorities and our awareness of the need to safeguard the welfare of the ummah and the good name of Islam in Malaysia,” the statement read.
MFW also acknowledged that all actions and decisions taken by the authorities are based on religious interests, social harmony, and the need to protect the sensitivities of the Muslim community.
“Therefore, we accept this decision with an open heart, a sense of responsibility, and humility,” the group said.
The non-governmental organisation said the dissolution process will be carried out in cooperation with the Registrar of Societies (ROS) to ensure it proceeds in full compliance with legal procedures.
MFW also apologised to the public, particularly to religious authorities, government agencies, and any individuals or entities affected by confusion or misunderstandings caused by its oversight.
Prior to this, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar directed MFW to withdraw all forms of promotion and recognition related to ‘Muslim Choice’, citing potential confusion among Muslim consumers.
Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) director-general Datuk Dr Sirajuddin Suhaimee subsequently clarified that the term ‘Muslim Choice’, introduced by MFW, is not a form of halal certification or endorsement recognised by Islamic authorities.
Sirajuddin explained that the use of the label could mislead the public regarding the halal status of certain products or premises. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/11/05/ngo-muslim-friendly-watch-disbands-after-jakim-says-muslim-choice-label-not-recognised-halal-mark/197301
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Anwar back on his feet, playfully hops to show he’s recovered
By Muhammad Yusry
06 Nov 2025
CYBERJAYA, Nov 6 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today appeared to be in good spirits, even demonstrating his improvement after back pain forced him to cancel official duties on Sunday.
At the launch of the Malaysia Semiconductor IC Design Park 2 here, Anwar smiled when reporters asked about his health.
“I’m in good health, I’m good,” he said, before giving a playful hop to demonstrate his recovery as he made his way to his car.
The gesture came after the Prime Minister’s Office announced on Sunday that Anwar’s planned working visit to Pahang had been cancelled due to health reasons.
The PMO said Anwar’s doctor had advised him to get adequate rest following a period of back pain, believed to have been caused by his hectic schedule of international meetings and travel in recent weeks.
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/11/06/anwar-back-on-his-feet-playfully-hops-to-show-hes-recovered/197368
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Anwar says new Asean capital markets plan to position region for responsible, long-term investments
06 Nov 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 6 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the Asean Capital Markets Forum (ACMF) Action Plan 2026-2030, launched today, will position the region as a destination for responsible and long-term investments.
Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, said the updated ACMF Action Plan and the Asean Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance reflect the collective commitment to credible sustainability standards that align regional markets with global expectations.
“A well-functioning capital market is essential to mobilise resources, allocate capital efficiently and support growth. It must also uphold integrity, accountability and trust,” he said in his keynote address at the ACMF International Conference, held at the Securities Commission (SC) headquarters today.
His speech text was read by Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan.
According to the Prime Minister, investors are now increasingly seeking transparency, ethical conduct and alignment with sustainability, and meeting this expectation is essential.
“By upholding fairness, clarity and good governance, we attract high-quality capital and ensure that investment into Asean strengthens both market confidence and public trust.
“The ACMF and our capital markets play a vital role—not merely moving capital, but advancing confidence, opportunity and shared prosperity for our people,” he said.
Meanwhile, SC chairman Datuk Mohammad Faiz Azmi explained that the ACMF Action Plan 2026-2030 is anchored on five strategic thrusts as building blocks for a more connected Asean capital market ecosystem.
The five strategic thrusts are sustainability, financial inclusion, regional connectivity, digital transformation and enhancements to ACMF’s institutional structures.
“It provides a comprehensive roadmap for our region’s capital markets,” he said. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/11/06/anwar-says-new-asean-capital-markets-plan-to-position-region-for-responsible-long-term-investments/197364
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Malaysia-US trade rose 15pc as tariff risk mitigated, says Tengku Zafrul
By Malay Mail
06 Nov 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 6 — Malaysia’s trade with the United States grew by 15.4 per cent to RM270.88 billion between January and September this year despite new tariffs announced by Washington, said Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
In a written parliamentary reply to Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob (BN–Bera), Tengku Zafrul said the United States remained one of Malaysia’s main trading partners and a key source of foreign investment.
He said more than 7,700 Malaysian companies export to the US, employing about 1.1 million workers, with the electrical and electronics (E&E) sector as the largest contributor.
However, Tengku Zafrul warned that any retaliatory tariff measures by the US could directly affect Malaysia’s economy if not managed prudently.
He said the 25 per cent countervailing tariff announced on July 7 would have reduced demand for Malaysian products in the US market if not addressed through diplomatic engagement.
“The higher tariff will make Malaysian goods less competitive, while US importers may shift the tariff burden onto Malaysian exporters,” he said in his written reply.
He added that such measures could result in cancelled orders, lower export revenues, and pressure on local producers to cut prices to stay competitive.
Tengku Zafrul said local and foreign companies operating in Malaysia might also reduce operations, delay expansion, or relocate to countries with lower tariffs and more favourable investment climates.
He noted that Bank Negara Malaysia had revised the 2025 GDP growth forecast to between 4.0 and 4.8 per cent from an earlier range of 4.5 to 5.5 per cent following the tariff announcement.
The minister also cautioned that Malaysia could face an influx of cheaper imported goods as affected exporters from other countries redirect their products to alternative markets, including Malaysia.
He said this could create unfair competition for domestic producers and raise the risk of US scrutiny over transshipment or tariff circumvention activities.
To address the issue, Tengku Zafrul said the government adopted a “whole-of-government” approach, pursuing trade diplomacy to safeguard national interests while maintaining strategic ties with the US.
He said the negotiations concluded successfully on Oct 26 when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and US President Donald Trump agreed to maintain the countervailing tariff at 19 per cent from Aug 1.
Tengku Zafrul said avoiding negotiations or taking retaliatory action could have jeopardised RM198.65 billion in exports and disrupted small and medium enterprises that depend on the US market.
He said the Madani government would continue to strengthen Malaysia’s export competitiveness through the National Trade Blueprint and the New Industrial Master Plan 2030.
He added that under the 13th Malaysia Plan, exports are projected to exceed RM2 trillion by 2030, with an average annual growth of 5.8 per cent supported by stronger promotion and industrial development programmes.
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/11/06/malaysia-us-trade-rose-15pc-as-tariff-risk-mitigated-says-tengku-zafrul/197351
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Malaysia adopts neutral strategy to secure access to AI chips from US, China, says Tengku Zafrul
06 Nov 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 6 — Malaysia practices a neutral and inclusive approach centred on the country’s strategic interests to ensure domestic industries, including data centres, can benefit from the latest technological advancements.
Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz said this includes access to artificial intelligence (AI) chips from major world economic blocs such as the United States (US), including NVIDIA Corporation, as well as from China, such as Huawei Ascend.
“The government’s main goal is to ensure that companies and industries, including data centres operating in Malaysia, have controlled, competitive, and secure access to global chips and AI platforms, while maintaining the country’s data security and sovereignty,” he said.
He said this in a written reply on the Dewan Rakyat website yesterday to Suhaizan Kaiat (PH-Pulai), who asked about the government’s strategy to ensure data centres in Malaysia can access AI chips from both the US and China.
Tengku Zafrul said several key strategies are being implemented and will continue to be implemented, in line with the aspirations under the National Semiconductor Strategic Plan (NSS) and the country’s digital transformation agenda.
To ensure a safe and transparent trading environment, the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), through the Strategic Trade Act 2010 (STA 2010), stipulated on July 14, 2025 that all export, transit, and transshipment activities involving AI chips require a permit.
“This step is in line with Malaysia’s commitment to ensure continuity in the global semiconductor supply chain while safely supporting the growth of the domestic AI industry,” he said.
Tengku Zafrul said the government is also continuously strengthening collaboration with global technology companies and key trading partners to expand market access and enhance technology transfer.
“For instance, Malaysia is negotiating to develop a Reciprocal Trade Agreement with the US to ensure trade between both countries continues to flourish.
“Malaysia and the US also signed a memorandum of cooperation on resilient semiconductor supply chains in 2022, which remains in effect until 2026. The government will leverage this cooperation to support the local semiconductor ecosystem,” he said.
Tengku Zafrul noted that the implementation of the AI sovereignty policy underscores the development of local capabilities alongside the integration of strict technical controls.
This approach, he said, allows Malaysia to leverage global AI technology while safeguarding national security, governance and strategic interests.
“Through this integrated strategy, Malaysia can ensure that companies operating in the country, including data centres, have open and comprehensive access to international AI chips, while also strengthening domestic technological resilience, enhancing innovation capacity and accelerating digital transformation,” he added. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/11/06/malaysia-adopts-neutral-strategy-to-secure-access-to-ai-chips-from-us-china-says-tengku-zafrul/197346
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