'Communal, Hate-Mongering & Xenophobic': BJP Assam's AI-Generated Video Of A Muslim-Majority State Crosses The Line Using Religion To "Stoke Fear Of Division"
New Age Islam News Bureau
18 September 2025
'Communal, Hate-Mongering & Xenophobic': Why BJP Assam's AI-Generated Video Of A Muslim-Majority State Crosses The Line | FPJ
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· 'Communal, Hate-Mongering & Xenophobic': BJP Assam's AI-Generated Video Of A Muslim-Majority State Crosses The LineUsing Religion To "Stoke Fear Of Division"
· Former U.S. Envoy Khalilzad SlamsGulbuddin Hekmatyar’s Legacy, Labels Him ‘Butcher of Kabul’
· Israel To Defund National Awards After Film About Palestinian Boy Wins
· Emerging Saudi Creators Gather Ahead Of Fifth 48Hr Film Challenge
· Trump Designates Left-Wing Antifa Movement As A ‘Terrorist Organization’
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India
· Congress Accuses Assam BJP Of ‘Spreading Venom’ Through AI-Generated Video, Seeks EC Action
· Opposition Parties To File Police Complaint Against Assam BJP Over AI Video
· PM Modi Finds Operation Sindoor Validation In Video Of Jaish-e-Mohammed Commander
· Pak Army Chief Ordered Officers To Attend Sindoor Funerals: JeM Man
· 'Wrath Of Allah To Blame...': Farooq Abdullah On Crisis In J&K Apple Industry
· Mehbooba Mufti, Sajad Lone, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq claim house arrest after Hurriyat leader’s death
· Activist For Peace With Pak To ‘Staunch BJP Nationalist’: The Arc Of J&K Waqf Board Chief
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South Asia
· Pakistan Warns UN of Terror Threats Originating from Afghanistan
· No evidence Afghanistan poses threat to other countries, says defence minister
· Karnaphuli police warn house owners against renting to banned organisations
· Bangladeshi expat voters' registration to begin in Oct: EC
· Over 7,000 BNP members punished for corruption, misconduct: Tarique
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Mideast
· Moves To Recognize Palestinian State Sends Israel Message On ‘Illusions’ Of Continuing Occupation: Palestinian FM
· Top UN Gaza Investigator Hopeful Israeli Leaders Will Be Prosecuted
· Palestinians flee Israeli troop surge into Gaza City, death toll hits 65,000
· UN Security Council appoints special envoy to resolve Kuwait missing persons, stolen property
· Israel demolishes 40 homes in ‘unrecognized’ Arab village in Negev
· UN warns on supplies for famine-stricken north Gaza after Israel shuts crossing
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Arab World
· Saudi Pavilion At Expo Osaka Highlights Falconry Heritage
· Saudi coin exhibition begins in Riyadh
· MWL Chief Highlights Gaza’s ‘Mass Genocide’ At Religion Conference In Kazakhstan
· Design research forum debuts with focus on creativity and impact
· Saudi crown prince, Pakistani PM sign joint strategic defence agreement
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North America
· CAIR Welcomes Defeat of Dishonest Censure Attempt Against Rep. Ilhan Omar, Warns Fight Is Not Over
· Man Pleads Guilty To Setting 2 Twin Cities Mosques On Fire
· CAIR-Minnesota Welcomes Guilty Plea of Jackie Rahm Little for Mosque Arsons
· Obama says US faces 'political crisis' after killing of Charlie Kirk
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Europe
· Home Secy. Shabana Mahmood Vows To Fight 'Last-Minute Claims' Against Migrant Deportations
· Uzbekistan, INCEIF ink memorandum to advance Islamic finance cooperation
· Aylesbury Town Council has no objections to mosque plan
· Ground broken on new Preston mosque site
· Spain arrests 19 on suspicion of torture and murder after 50 disappear from migrant boat
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Africa
· Libya Joins Global Federation Of Takaful And Islamic Insurance
· Gunmen kill 22 during baptism ceremony in western Niger
· ‘Let’s Do DNA Test’ – Actor, Stanley Ontop Accuses NAPTIP Of Converting Trafficked Christian Children To Muslims
· South Africa: top police official testifies on criminal infiltration in justice system
· Haiti: gangs continue to terrorise local population
· You Shouldn’t Have Suspended Fubara – Lawyer Tells Tinubu
· Drama As Security Operatives Protest As Ibas Attends Emergency Abuja Meetin
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Southeast Asia
· ‘Democracy Is About Being Questioned, Criticised’: PM Anwar Urges Asean Lawmakers To Embrace Scrutiny
· Islamic Party PAS Pushes For ‘Big Brother’ Role
· MACC widens counter-setting probe to families, associates of arrested officers
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/muslim-majority-state-assam-religion-division/d/136888
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'Communal, Hate-Mongering & Xenophobic': BJP Assam's AI-Generated Video Of A Muslim-Majority State Crosses The LineUsing Religion To "Stoke Fear Of Division"
Aditi Suryavanshi
September 18, 2025
'Communal, Hate-Mongering & Xenophobic': Why BJP Assam's AI-Generated Video Of A Muslim-Majority State Crosses The Line | FPJ
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New Delhi: An AI‑generated video shared by Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Assam’s official X handle on September 15, drew massive backlash on social media, with users accusing the ruling party of using religion to "stoke fear of division".
The controversial clip portrays a purportedly dystopian future if the BJP is not re‑elected, framing Assam as a Muslim‑majority state with legalised beef, opposition leaders under a Pakistani flag, and public spaces overrun by Muslims.
— HubSpot (@HubSpot)
Assam, a Muslim-Majority State Without BJP?
The 90‑second video imagines what Assam might become without BJP in charge. It shows leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi speaking against the backdrop of a Pakistani flag. Public spaces are filled exclusively with Muslims wearing stereotypical burqas and skull caps. Some scenes even suggest Muslims are taking over the government land, hinting at an alleged waqf control. The clip also claims that 90% of Assam’s population would be occupied by Muslims in future.
The message was clear: BJP is portrayed as the only defence against this imagined outcome. To add to the bigotry, the party captioned the post, "We can’t let Paaijaan’s dream come true," urging viewers to use their vote wisely.
Let us know! 👂
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, condemned the video in a post on X on September 17. He called it "a disgusting AI video that shows a Muslim‑majority Assam if there was no BJP… Their dream is a Muslim‑mukt Bharat.”
He added that the video exposes what he described as the “repulsive Hindutva ideology” that views the very existence of Muslims in India as a problem.
Netizens also expressed alarm. Some described the video as “hateful”, “xenophobic”, and “communal”. One user wrote “a propaganda video made in poor taste… and speaks volumes about the hate the party harbours against minority Indians.”
Another said “The Constitution of India guarantees equal rights for all religions and this video violates the very idea of India.”
Have a look at the reactions here:
AI, Propaganda and Political Strategy
The video uses artificial intelligence to create its scenes. Although fictional, the fear the video is capable of instilling, is very much real. A fear that without BJP, Assam would be transformed into a Muslim-majority state, by framing legalised beef, Pakistani influence and demographic shifts as existential threats.
Congress party's Chairperson for social media and digital platforms, Supriya Srinate, wrote, "Election Commission @ECISVEEP, do you have no objection to posts like this? BJP is spreading poison in this manner - Mr. Gyanesh, will you, as always, remain a silent spectator and justify this?"
Despite the criticism, the video remains live on BJP Assam’s official X handle as of writing this article.
Should Political Parties Use Religion as a Campaign Tool for Vote Banks?
The video raises three important questions. First, whether a ruling party should use religious identity as a campaign tool to influence voter behaviour. Second, whether democracy can endure if leaders openly portray entire communities as enemies. Third, how the rise of AI in political communication might enable or accelerate misinformation and propaganda.
This is not an isolated incident. The use of AI in election content has prompted legal interventions before. For example, the Patna High Court ordered Congress to remove an AI‑generated video involving Prime Minister Modi and his late mother, calling it "offensive" and "derogatory". Congress argued it was satire, while critics pointed to hypocrisy in allowing similar content from ruling parties to go unchecked.
As election season heats up, one thing is clear - It's no longer just about who gets your vote. It's about how far political parties will go to control the narrative.
The question is, are we choosing our leaders, or are we choosing our fears?
Source: freepressjournal.in
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https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/communal-hate-mongering-xenophobic-why-bjp-assams-ai-generated-video-of-a-muslim-majority-state-crosses-the-line
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Former U.S. Envoy Khalilzad SlamsGulbuddin Hekmatyar’s Legacy, Labels Him ‘Butcher of Kabul’
By Fidel Rahmati-
September 17, 2025
Former U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad slammed Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s violent legacy, labelling him the “Butcher of Kabul,” citing wartime atrocities, failed political ambitions, and foreign ties.
Former U.S. envoy for Afghanistan peace Zalmay Khalilzad sharply criticized Gulbuddin Hekmatyar on Wednesday, Septermber 7, in a post on X, reigniting debate over the warlord’s violent past and political ambitions.
Khalilzad’s remarks resurfaced accusations that Hekmatyar, known as the “butcher of Kabul,” was responsible for acid attacks on female students, kidnappings in Peshawar, and the devastating shelling of Kabul during the 1990s civil war.
He further claimed that Hekmatyar recently sought a side deal with Taliban deputy leader Mullah Baradar in Moscow but was rejected as “too corrupt” and “a traitor to his people.”
The former envoy also suggested that Hekmatyar has long relied on Pakistan’s ISI and Iran’s Quds Force to sustain influence, arguing that such ties undermine his credibility among Afghans.
“Hekmatyar, the butcher of Kabul, who used to throw acid into the faces of female students in Kabul, infamous in Peshawar for assassinating or kidnapping members of other resistance groups, a person who participated in the bloody civil war following the Soviet withdrawal, throwing bombs on his own city, destroying entire neighborhoods and killing hundreds — now trying to reinvent himself as a political and moral authority, Khalilzad stated.”
Zalmay Khalilzad is often blamed for the flawed Doha deal that paved the way for the Taliban’s return. Critics accuse him of lobbying for the Taliban internationally while overlooking their repression, and now denouncing Hekmatyar as the “Butcher of Kabul.” Observers argue that his shifting alliances and past ties to both groups reflect a pattern of political opportunism and dirty bargaining rather than genuine concern for Afghanistan’s people.
Hekmatyar, leader of Hezb-e Islami, played a major role in Afghanistan’s conflicts following the Soviet withdrawal, with his forces blamed for heavy civilian casualties. Khalilzad’s intervention underscores how Afghanistan’s unresolved past still shapes today’s politics, leaving figures like Hekmatyar struggling for legitimacy amid widespread public distrust.
Despite his attempts to reinvent himself, Hekmatyar has also become an outspoken critic of the Taliban regime, frequently condemning its harsh restrictions, internal corruption, and failure to provide basic governance. His speeches highlight divisions among former mujahideen leaders and the Taliban rulers now in power.
Observers note that while Hekmatyar continues to seek a political role, public memory of his wartime record continues to overshadow his efforts to rebrand as a statesman. Critics argue that his own history of authoritarianism and bloodshed makes his criticism of today’s rulers ring hollow.
Source: khaama.com
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Israel to defund national awards after film about Palestinian boy wins
September 18, 2025
‘The Sea’ follows a Palestinian boy whose school trip to Tel Aviv’s beach is blocked at the border, prompting him to embark on a dangerous journey to sneak into Israel. Above, a Palestinian boy swims near the port of Gaza City on May 31, 2010. (AFP file photo)
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LONDON: Israeli Culture Minister Miki Zohar intends to end funding for the country’s national film awards starting in 2026, after a film featuring the story of a Palestinian boy won the best feature film prize.
Zohar, who recently described the Oscar-winning documentary “No Other Land” as a “sabotage” against Israel, said on Wednesday that the Ophir Awards held in Tel Aviv was a “pathetic ceremony” after “The Sea,” a film about a 12-year-old Palestinian boy, won the prize.
“There is no greater slap in the face of Israeli citizens than the embarrassing and detached annual Ophir awards ceremony. Starting with the 2026 budget, this pathetic ceremony will no longer be funded by taxpayers’ money,” he said on X.
He added: “Under my watch, Israeli citizens will not pay from their pockets for a ceremony that spits in the faces of our heroic soldiers.”
Israeli rights groups are investigating whether the Culture Ministry has the authority to withdraw funding from the Ophir Awards, which members of the Israeli Academy of Film and Television vote on.
“The Sea,” directed and written by Israeli filmmaker Shai Carmeli-Pollak, is poised to be the country’s entry for the best international film Oscar. Baher Agbariya is a producer of the film and one of the 1.6 million Arab citizens of Israel, representing 20 percent of the population. He thanked the Israel Film Fund for supporting the film.
“The Sea” follows a Palestinian boy whose school trip to Tel Aviv’s beach is blocked at the border, prompting him to embark on a dangerous journey to sneak into Israel. Mohammad Gazawi, 13, who stars as Khaled, won the Ophir for best actor, while co-star Khalifa Natour received the award for best supporting actor.
Assaf Amir, chair of the Israeli Academy of Film and Television, said that “the selection of ‘The Sea’ is a powerful and resounding response” to the culture minister’s statement and to the recent boycott calls from the international film community.
Last week, more than 3,000 actors and directors signed a pledge to boycott Israeli film institutions, which they said are “implicated in genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people” in Gaza and the West Bank. Signatories include filmmakers Yorgos Lanthimos, Ava DuVernay, Asif Kapadia, Boots Riley and Joshua Oppenheimer, among others.
Workers in the Israeli film industry criticized the boycott as “deeply troubling,” while Paramount, a Hollywood studio, said it “does not promote better understanding or advance the cause of peace.”
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2615732/middle-east
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Emerging Saudi creators gather ahead of fifth 48Hr Film Challenge
AFSHAN AZIZ
September 17, 2025
The French Consulate in Jeddah hosted several young Saudi Arabia creators for a preparatory meeting on Tuesday before the fifth 48Hr Film Challenge. (Supplied)
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JEDDAH: The French Consulate in Jeddah hosted several young Saudi Arabia creators for a preparatory meeting on Tuesday before the fifth 48Hr Film Challenge, which is a collaboration between the Red Sea Film Foundation, Alliance Francaise and Institut Francais.
The 48Hr Film Challenge was set up for young, aspiring citizens and foreigner resident in the country to create a short film in just two days, which takes place on Wednesday and Thursday.
The evening brought together mentors, industry figures and participants to focus on storytelling and collaboration.
Zain Zedan, Red Sea Souk manager at the RSFF, said that interest in the challenge continues to grow. There were 70 applicants for 14 team spots this year.
“The quality of work this year was very high,” she told Arab News.
The challenge gives participants the chance to gain guidance from Saudi Arabia and French mentors through workshops and roundtable sessions.
The program will culminate on Thursday with screenings and the announcement of two winners who will attend a residency in France in early 2026.
French Consul General Mohammed Nehad told Arab News the initiative was designed to nurture emerging filmmakers.
“We focus on emerging talent rather than seasoned professionals, as they represent the future and bring fresh vision and creativity, he said. “By pairing them with experienced mentors from France and Saudi Arabia, we aim to foster collaboration and growth.”
“France has always been a faithful partner of Saudi Arabia in developing the cinema industry, which is why we launched the 48Hr Film Challenge for young filmmakers,” he added.
Workshops covered acting, directing, production, distribution and post-production.
Actress, filmmaker and mentor Summer Shesha said she urged participants to “trust their instincts, be present and spontaneous,” and to use the 48-hour time limit as a creative spark rather than a constraint.
“I believe challenges like this mirror the real industry, where you have to be quick, decisive, collaborative, communicative, and resourceful, and graceful under pressure,” she said.
“We are in a hard industry that requires softness, flexibility, and a thick skin and braveness at the same time.”
Moroccan director and actor Ayoub Layoussif co-led the acting and directing workshops, guiding participants through masterclasses, exercises and improvisation.
He said the compressed timeline forces young filmmakers to adapt quickly, a skill essential for future careers.
“Challenges like this teach emerging filmmakers to adapt, stay focused, work with actors, producers, and technicians, pitch their movies, and above all, nurture creativity and passion for cinema,” he added.
For Camille Varenne, programmer at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, the visit to Saudi Arabia offered a chance to discover new voices.
“The passion of the participants grows, and the quality of the movies is getting better every year. It’s a privilege to be here, to meet new talents, to meet the new generation of Saudi filmmakers, and understand their context.
“This allows me to defend Saudi films in my festival because I can give colleagues the background of the movies and the filmmaker,” she said.
The festival selects just 160 titles out of around 8,000 submissions annually, she said.
Only two Saudi films have made the cut so far: “Irtidad” by Mohamed Al-Hamoud, founder of Telfaz11, and “Mera, Mera, Mera,” directed by Khaled Zidan, an alumni of the first 48-hour challenge.
“This festival is a bridge to the Saudi cinema industry, and for me, it’s important for young filmmakers to tell their own story, rooted in their culture, and project themselves internationally,” she added.
Larry Lamartiniere, managing director of Alliance Française in Jeddah, described the event as a part of the group’s broader commitment to cultural exchange.
“Cinema holds a central place in French culture. It is a living art form, a mirror of society, and a powerful medium for dialogue between people.
“Hosting this event in Jeddah is a shared celebration of the power of storytelling and the richness of our interconnected imaginations,” he said.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2615703/saudi-arabia
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Trump Designates Left-Wing Antifa Movement As A ‘Terrorist Organization’
18 Sep, 2025
Members of Antifa hold shields during a protest at Black Lives Matter Plaza on December 12, 2020 in Washington, DC. © Stephanie Keith / Getty Images
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US President Donald Trump has announced that he is officially designating the left-wing Antifa movement as a terrorist organization.
The decision comes a week after the assassination of conservative podcaster and organizer Charlie Kirk during his college speaking tour. Senior Republican officials, including Vice President J.D. Vance, have attributed the murder to “left-wing extremism.”
“I am pleased to inform our many U.S.A. Patriots that I am designating ANTIFA, A SICK, DANGEROUS, RADICAL LEFT DISASTER, AS A MAJOR TERRORIST ORGANIZATION,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform Wednesday evening.
He added that those funding Antifa should be “thoroughly investigated in accordance with the highest legal standards and practices.”
Antifa, short for “antifascists,” is an umbrella term for black-clad, masked left-wing activists who often violently disrupt conservative demonstrations and clash with right-wing protesters, as well as with police.
The movement gained national attention during the 2020 George Floyd unrest. Antifa members have also been accused of participating in riots and carrying out ambush attacks on conservative figures and journalists.
Tyler Robinson, the man charged with Kirk’s murder, had reportedly held left-leaning and pro-LGBTQ views, according to officials.
Prosecutors said he confessed to killing Kirk in text messages to his transgender romantic partner. “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out,” Robinson allegedly wrote shortly after Kirk was shot.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/624845-trump-labels-antifa-terrorist/
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India
Congress accuses Assam BJP of ‘spreading venom’ through AI-generated video, seeks EC action
Scroll Staff
September 18, 2025
The Congress on Wednesday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party in Assam of “spreading venom” in society through a social media video, and urged the Election Commission to take note of it.
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate objected to a 36-second artificial intelligence-generated video shared by the Assam BJP on X. The video, titled “Assam without BJP”, showed a series of visuals of Muslims in public places in Assam, and appeared to suggest that the state would be overrun by the minority community if the Hindutva party were to lose power.
The video showed AI-generated images of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Assam Congress chief Gaurav Gogoi standing before a Pakistan flag, and a butcher in a skullcap under the label “beef legalisation”. It ended with the lines “90% Muslim population” and “choose your vote carefully”.
Shrinate asked whether the Election Commission had no objection to such a video.
“The BJP is spreading venom in this manner,” she said. “Gyanesh ji [Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar], will you, as usual, consider this as acceptable and remain a mute spectator?”
Assam Congress leader Bedabrata Bora said the party would file a police complaint against the BJP at the Bhangagarh police station in Guwahati on Thursday, The Indian Express reported.
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president Asaduddin Owaisi accused the BJP of fear-mongering, and said it was not doing so just for votes.
“…This is the repulsive Hindutva ideology in true form,” Owaisi said. “The very existence of Muslims in India is a problem for them, their dream is a Muslim-mukt Bharat. Besides this constant whining, they’ve no vision for India.”
However, Assam BJP spokesperson Rupam Goswami defended the video.
“If you see the demographic change in Assam, in 14 districts, there is an alarming situation,” The Indian Express quoted Goswami as saying. "The threat is not from Muslims, but from illegal immigrant Muslims. We have to be conscious of it. They have become economically strong, they are damaging us socially, and they will take away our political rights.”
The BJP Assam Pradesh account, which has over 2 lakh followers, has previously shared several similar AI-generated videos, including ones showing Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi wearing a skullcap and speaking on the phone with Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir.
Source: scroll.in
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https://scroll.in/latest/1086706/congress-accuses-assam-bjp-of-spreading-venom-through-ai-generated-video-seeks-ec-action
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Opposition Parties To File Police Complaint Against Assam BJP Over AI Video
Sep 17, 2025
Opposition parties in Assam have said they will lodge a police complaint against the BJP over a controversial artificial intelligence-generated video circulated on social media.
The video, posted on the official X handle of the Assam BJP (@BJP4Assam), suggested that the state faces a "Muslim takeover." The post drew sharp criticism from several political leaders, including Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, who accused the BJP of seeking to create a "Muslim-free India."
Assam Congress chief and deputy leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, condemned the video, saying it misrepresents Assamese society and its traditions.
"The words, actions and images produced by the BJP IT cell do not even have the strength to scratch the surface of Assamese society," he wrote on X.
"Assam has been nurtured by Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva, Azan Pir, Swargadeo Siukapha, Lachit Borphukan and Bhupen Hazarika. People linked to smuggling of cattle, coal, betel leaves or drugs will not dictate to the Assamese mind. The proud and great state of Assam deserves politicians who help its people reach new heights," he added.
Mr Gogoi said the Congress party would file a formal police complaint in Guwahati.
In another post, he outlined his party's vision for the state: "We want to build a society of pilots, engineers, doctors, entrepreneurs, bankers and business owners. We want to see an Assam where hard work trumps hate, decency matters over hubris, democracy crushes autocracy, and everyone is treated with respect."
The All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), another key opposition party, also criticised the BJP's video.
"Assam BJP wants to create a sense of fear through this AI video," said Aminul Islam, MLA and general secretary of the AIUDF.
"They want to give the impression to the majority community that if the BJP is not in power there will be a total Muslim takeover. They have pushed such narratives before - sometimes through so-called 'love jihad,' sometimes through 'intellectual jihad.' They are trying to demonise Muslims. This video is a form of hate speech. There should be a suo motu case against it, and we plan to approach the Election Commission," he added.
Responding to the criticism, Assam BJP spokesperson Rupam Goswami defended the video. Speaking to NDTV, he said: "The Assam BJP believes the video reflects the truth about how the state has suffered a demographic shift that has threatened the lives, livelihoods, land and culture of indigenous communities."
The controversy comes at a politically sensitive time in Assam, with opposition parties sharpening their attacks on the BJP ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
Source: ndtv.com
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https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/opposition-parties-to-file-police-complaint-against-assam-bjp-over-ai-video-9296179
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PM Modi finds Operation Sindoor validation in video of Jaish-e-Mohammed commander
J.P. Yadav
18.09.25
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday seized on a social media video that purports to show a Jaish-e-Mohammed commander to hail the success of Operation Sindoor, stressing that Pakistan’s duplicity on terror had been exposed by its terrorists.
“Just yesterday, the country and the world saw yet another Pakistani terrorist weeping and recounting his plight. This is new India — one that doesn’t fear anyone’s nuclear threats…. It enters the enemy’s home and hits,” Modi said, addressing an event in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar on his 75th birthday.
The video, which was widely shared on social media on Tuesday, shows what many claimed was a top JeM commander acknowledging that Indian missiles ravaged the terror outfit’s headquarters in Pakistan’s Bahawalpur on May 7 during Operation Sindoor.
“In defending this country and its borders, we embraced militancy and fought in Delhi, Kabul and Kandahar. After sacrificing everything, on May 7, Indian forces struck in Bahawalpur, tearing apart the family of Maulana Masood Azhar,” the man in the video, identified in some quarters as JeM commander Masood Ilyas Kashmiri, is heard telling a crowd.
Azhar, a proscribed terrorist, is the chief of the JeM, the group behind the Parliament attack in 2001, the strike on the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly in 2000, the attack on the IAF base in Pathankot in 2016 and the Pulwama suicide bombing in 2019.
At the Dhar rally, Modi said the admission had confirmed what India has been saying all along — that Bahawalpur remains the hub of Jaish operations despite Pakistan’s denials.
“Terrorists from Pakistan desecrated the vermilion of our sisters and daughters. Our soldiers destroyed the terrorists’hideouts in Pakistan. Our brave soldiers brought Pakistan to its knees in theblink of an eye,” the Prime Minister said.
Modi was addressing the rally after inaugurating and laying the foundation of development projects.
Modi said September 17 also marked the liberationof Hyderabad.
“On this day, the nation witnessed the steel-like willpower of Sardar Patel. It was on this day that the Indian Army liberated Hyderabad from numerous atrocities and integrated it with India. Hyderabad Liberation Day inspires us with the reminder that nothing is greater than the honour and glory of Mother India,” he said.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/pm-modi-finds-operation-sindoor-validation-in-video-of-jaish-e-mohammed-commander-prnt/cid/2123608
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Pak Army Chief Ordered Officers To Attend Sindoor Funerals: JeM Man
Sep 18, 2025
NEW DELHI: Jaish-e-Muhammed (JeM) commander Ilyas Kashmiri has revealed that it was Pakistan army chief Asim Munir, who had ordered top army officers to attend the funeral of terrorists killed in India's Operation Sindoor.
"GHQ ordered the martyrs to be honoured and given the last salute. Corps commanders were asked to accompany the janaza (funeral procession) and guard it in uniform," Ilyas purportedly says in a video that has emerged online.
He went on to confirm the complicity of his boss Maulana Masood Azhar in terror attacks in India, including the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. "After escaping from Tihar (post IC-814 hijack), Amir-ul-Mujahideen Maulana Masood Azhar came to Pakistan and the soil of Balakot provided him a base to carry forward his vision, mission, and programme in Delhi and Mumbai," he said.
Another video surfaced on Wednesday, in which Lashkar-e-Taiba's deputy chief Saifullah Kasuri - one of the masterminds of Apr 22 Pahalgam attack - warned India and the PM of consequences of their actions towards terrorist groups. In the video posted on Telegram, Kasuri at an event warned that there will be attempts to seize Indian dams, rivers, and territory in J&K.
Kasuri went on to reveal that Pakistan govt and army are funding the terrorist organisation to rebuild its HQ in Muridke, which was destroyed during Operation Sindoor. "We're going through difficult times but our spirits are high. We are soft like silk for our people, but beyond imagination for our enemies... Our enemies should not assume we will lose our willpower or remain silent about these wounds, we will retaliate aggressively," Kasuri is heard saying even as he sought public support.
"Whatever actions you (India) are taking, God willing... you will have to pay the price for each and every one of them. Whatever you are doing today, it will be avenged, and brick will be answered with stone. We will sacrifice our lives, and protect and defend every inch, every particle of our beloved homeland," he said.
Kasuri's revelation directly implicates the Pakistan govt, which had earlier denied the presence of any army officer at a funeral for terrorists. Pakistan had come under fire in May when the photograph of army officers at the funeral had surfaced, leading to a furore. Islamabad had vehemently denied the existence of JeM camps in Bahawalpur.
Source: indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/pak-army-chief-ordered-officers-to-attend-sindoor-funerals-jem-man/articleshow/123956467.cms
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'Wrath Of Allah To Blame...': Farooq Abdullah On Crisis In J&K Apple Industry
Sep 17, 2025
The "wrath of Allah" is to blame for the transportation crisis affecting Jammu and Kashmir's apple industry, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah said Wednesday. "It is because we don't offer namaaz. Such difficulties (are meant to) awaken us and turn us towards Allah."
Responding to question about the closure of the Srinagar-Jammu highway for the past three weeks - due to a 60m cave-in Udhampur that has trapped thousands of trucks carrying apples - the former ex-Chief Minister rubbished talk of 'sabotage' and shot down criticism of his party's administration.
He accused critics of the NC government, led by his son, Omar Abdullah, of 'playing politics with the lives of the people of J&K'. Referring obliquely to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, the federal representative in Kashmir, he declared, "Some people's houses run on this politics."
#WATCH | Anantnag, J&K | On National Highway closure affecting apple crop and Opposition blaming J&K administration, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah says, "...Politics will never stop in Kashmir. Some people's houses run on this politics. They receive money from Delhi… pic.twitter.com/I85xJqoHBV
"They receive money from Delhi and manage to survive on it. Did the people damage the mountains or bring rain? It was the wrath of Allah because we are far from Him."
Over the past several days over a thousand trucks carrying tons of fresh apples from Kashmir - a region famous for the rosy red fruit - have been trapped because of damage to the highway.
Around 80 per cent of India's overall apple production is from Kashmir.
Distressed farmers, for many of whom the annual crop represents their earnings for the year, have pleaded with the government to repair the road. But progress on that front has been slow, and NDTV reported this week about boxes of apples now lying rotting inside the trucks.
On Tuesday Chief Minister Omar Abdullah urged Union Roadways Minister Nitin Gadkari to intervene. Mr Gadkari said 'concrete steps' would be taken in 24 hours to solve the problem.
The Border Roads Organisation has been working to either restore the sunken portion or build a viable alternative. For now the apples are being transported out via trains, i.e., the boxes are routed to nearby railway stations, picked up by freight trains, and transported to the markets.
This morning fruit from an additional 1,200 trucks were moved out. The Railways has said an estimated 2,000 tons of apples, or nearly 1.26 lakh boxes, have been shifted so far.
The losses from this crisis have already been estimated at crores.
Meanwhile, the continuing blockage on the highway has adversely affected daily life in the Valley, with petroleum products, including diesel and LPG, having become difficult to obtain.
In fact, petrol pumps have started running dry and LPG dealers have warned customers of shortages. In addition, poultry products, including chickens and eggs, are being sold at exorbitant rates while vegetable prices skyrocket with each passing day.
Source: ndtv.com
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Mehbooba Mufti, Sajad Lone, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq claim house arrest after Hurriyat leader’s death
18.09.25
Peoples' Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday claimed she was put under house arrest to prevent her from visiting Sopore to offer condolences on the demise of former Hurriyat Conference chairman Abdul Gani Bhat.
"The decision to place the political leadership under house arrest today, simply to stop us from visiting Sopore to offer condolences on the demise of Professor Abdul Gani Bhat, lays bare the harsh and undemocratic reality in Jammu and Kashmir," she said in a post on X.
Bhat died at his Sopore residence in Wednesday evening after a prolonged illness.
Referring to the recent controversy at the Hazratbal Shrine here, Mehooba said the public anger was a "loud, unmistakable message".
"What unfolded at Hazratbal Dargah the eruption of spontaneous, raw public anger was not just an isolated incident. It was a loud, unmistakable message from a people pushed to the edge. The BJP, however, remains willfully blind to this truth refusing to learn anything from the deep anguish and suppressed emotions that have been building for years now," she added.
A huge controversy erupted in Kashmir after a plaque with the Ashoka emblem was vandalised in the Hazratbal shrine on September 5 as most political parties accused Waqf Board chairperson Darakshan Andrabi of hurting religious sentiments by using the national emblem in the mosque and demanded registration of a criminal case and her immediate removal.
The former chief minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir said it is becoming "increasingly clear" that the BJP has "no interest" in peace or healing in Kashmir.
"Instead, they seem determined to keep the region in a constant state of turmoil weaponising pain and unrest for political mileage across the rest of the country. This cynical approach is not just irresponsible; it is dangerous and utterly reprehensible," she added.
Peoples' Conference chief and MLA Handwara, Sajad Lone also claimed that he was not allowed to travel to Sopore.
"I have been put under house arrest in order to prevent me from visiting Botingoo, the ancestral village of Proffesor Ghani sahib. I fail to understand what is the need for this. Professor sahib was a pacifist and literally long retired. A final good bye is something which we all deserved," Lone said.
The current chairman of the Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, also claimed he was put under house arrest late Wednesday night.
"It pains me beyond words that the authorities compelled the family of Prof. Sb to conclude his 'janazah' hurriedly. I have been locked inside my home, and being denied the right to walk with him in his final journey," Mirwaiz said on X.
The separatist leader said his association with Bhat spanned 35 years of friendship and guidance.
"So many others, too, longed to pay their last respects. To be deprived of even the solace of participating in his 'janazah' and bid him a final goodbye is an unbearable cruelty," he said.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/mehbooba-mufti-sajad-lone-mirwaiz-umar-farooq-claim-house-arrest-after-hurriyat-leaders-death/cid/2123701
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Activist for peace with Pak to ‘staunch BJP nationalist’: The arc of J&K Waqf Board chief
BASHAARAT MASOOD
September 17, 2025
On Valentine’s Day in 2008, three boats on the Chenab sailed from Akhnoor in Jammu towards Pakistan carrying rose-mounted toy guns, heart-shaped balloons, and a message of peace and love. For several years, these boats sailed towards Pakistan annually on February 14. The brain behind this was Darakhshan Andrabi, then an emerging peace activist and founder of the Socialist Democratic Party (SDP).
By 2014, Andrabi’s political ambitions had gravitated her towards the BJP. Last week, the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board chairperson found herself in the middle of a political storm as parties in the Valley demanded her resignation and apology over the installation of a plaque with the Ashoka emblem at the Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar, which houses the holy relic of the Prophet. On September 5, devotees tried to take down the plaque with stones, and raised slogans saying the emblem was against the belief of “Tawheed (oneness of God)”.
Having merged the SDP with the BJP just before the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections of 2014, Andrabi first got into electoral politics when she contested from Sonawar in Srinagar, against National Conference (NC) leader and current Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) Mohammad Ashraf Mir.
Mir won, with Andrabi polling only 1,100 votes and forfeiting her deposit. But that did not stop her rise in the BJP, and in March 2022, with J&K under the Lieutenant Governor’s administration, she was made the Union Territory’s Waqf Board chief. The move raised eyebrows in the Valley as well as within the BJP, as per sources.
‘Daughter of India’
Originally from Lakdhipora village in South Kashmir’s Kulgam, Andrabi’s father Ghulam Nabi Shah migrated to Srinagar several decades ago. Darakshan was born Kounsar Jan, and changed her name to the word meaning ‘light’ during her college days. She holds a Master’s degree in Urdu from Kashmir University and a doctorate in Urdu from Guru Nanak Dev University in Punjab.
Andrabi first came to the spotlight when she became the editor of Sheeraza, an Urdu magazine published by the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art and Culture.
A self-described “staunch nationalist”, she led campaigns such as ‘Vote for India’ and ‘Aman Ke Liye Rai Shumaari (A Referendum for Peace)’ when in the SDP, earning her a following among large sections of the youth and the moniker ‘Daughter of India’.
In a blog that she writes, Andrabi claims, “My political mission has bridged the gap between different regions and communities of Jammu & Kashmir. Have composed poems and also written extensively for defence forces.”
However, over the years, she has earned as many foes as friends, both in the BJP and outside. While people in the Valley question her credentials to be appointed the Waqf Board chairperson, a section of the BJP in J&K is also critical of her “controversial statements”, saying they fritter away the gains the party has painstakingly made in the Union Territory.
A Srinagar-based BJP leader said: “We have given our blood and sweat to this party. We started it when nobody wanted the BJP tag. She came in 2014, contested elections, and was made a National Executive Member and chairperson of the Board!”
A senior leader said that making a person who has “always been controversial in the public eye” the chairperson of the Waqf Board, “showed the government’s insensitivity towards the Muslim majority”.
According to a BJP leader, Andrabi was one reason the party was not able to win a seat in the Valley in last year’s Assembly elections. “She used her influence to give tickets to people close to her, who had recently joined the party and didn’t have a ground base. The result was before everyone. We lost badly, but she managed to stick to her position.”
Within the Waqf Board, Andrabi is accused of creating a coterie of officials and religious clerics. “When she took over as the chairperson, she stopped the pension of retired employees without any reason. They had to go to court,” a Waqf Board employee points out.
The emblem row has given fresh ammunition to her critics. As the political storm raged, Asif Masoodi, an old BJP hand in the Valley, accused the 50-year-old of being “more concerned about her own political career than the party”.
However, there are many in the BJP who appreciate Andrabi’s style of working. “She is very decisive. If she decides on something, she works wholeheartedly for it without caring how the people will view it,” a BJP leader said, pointing to the many shrines which have been renovated during her Waqf tenure.
The leader who contested the 2024 Assembly elections admits he got the ticket due to Andrabi, but adds, “that again is her quality”. “She decides on merit, not your affiliations and closeness to different power centres in the party.”
Another party leader said she backs those who have no one else backing them. “This is a problem in our party. There are many power centres and every leader has aligned himself to one or other. For those like me not close to any leader, she is our power centre. She supports leaders who don’t have any backing and it doesn’t go down well with others in the party,” the leader said.
But for now, with the Central leadership behind her, Andrabi remains in control.
Source: indiatimes.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/activist-for-peace-with-pak-to-staunch-bjp-nationalist-the-arc-of-jk-waqf-board-chief-10255185/
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South Asia
Pakistan Warns UN of Terror Threats Originating from Afghanistan
By Fidel Rahmati
September 18, 2025
Pakistan warned the UN Security Council that militant groups including al-Qaeda, ISKP, and TTP operate from Afghanistan, threatening its national security and exploiting online propaganda platforms.
Pakistan has warned the United Nations Security Council that terrorist groups operating from Afghanistan territory represent the most serious danger to its national security.
According to Dawn on Thursday, Pakistan’s permanent representative, Asim Iftikhar Ahmed, identified al-Qaeda, Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as groups operating with impunity from Afghanistan.
He also warned that these threats are not limited to physical attacks. According to Ahmed, nearly 70 extremist social media accounts linked to Afghanistan IP addresses have been actively spreading propaganda and inciting violence.
The Pakistani envoy further noted that more than 60 terrorist training camps remain functional, serving as bases for cross-border infiltration and for launching attacks on civilians, security forces, and development projects in Pakistan.
Islamabad urged the international community to adopt stronger measures against these networks, stressing that terrorist groups are exploiting both physical sanctuaries and digital platforms to destabilize Pakistan and undermine regional security.
Pakistan’s statement underscores its longstanding concerns that Afghanistan is being used as a staging ground for militancy, fueling instability in the broader region.
By raising the issue at the UN, Islamabad has also sought to shift the debate onto the global stage, pressing for coordinated international action against groups it views as existential threats.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/pakistan-warns-un-of-terror-threats-originating-from-afghanistan/
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No evidence Afghanistan poses threat to other countries, says defense minister
September 18, 2025
Afghanistan’s Defense Minister, Mohammad Yaqub Mujahid, has said that the country’s domestic challenges are “nearing an end,” adding that Daesh does not control “even an inch of Afghan territory.”
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Mujahid stressed that the Islamic Emirate remains committed to the Doha Agreement with the United States, under which Afghan soil will not be used to threaten any other nation. “No one can present evidence that the United States, its allies, or any other country has faced threats from Afghanistan during this period,” he said.
Mujahid underlined that the Islamic Emirate currently has no military agreements with any states, including neighboring countries, and that its policy is to prevent Afghan territory from being exploited against others.
He also outlined plans to rebuild and professionalize Afghanistan’s army, noting that hundreds of cadets graduate each month from military academies and training centers. According to Mujahid, the Islamic Emirate has no military ties with the United States, NATO, China, or Russia, and is instead focused on political and economic engagement, particularly the lifting of international sanctions on Afghanistan.
Source: ariananews.af
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https://www.ariananews.af/no-evidence-afghanistan-poses-threat-to-other-countries-says-defense-minister/
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Karnaphuli police warn house owners against renting to banned organisations
Sep 18, 2025
Police in Chattogram's Karnaphuli upazila have urged local residents not to rent houses to the members of banned organisations.
The announcements were made through loudspeakers yesterday in the Moijjartek area on behalf of Karnaphuli Police Station.
A video of the announcement went viral on the social media platform Facebook.
In the comment sections of those video posts, many said police made the announcement targeting Chhatra League and Jubo League men.
However, Karnaphuli Police Station OC Muhammad Sharif said the police measures apply to all banned organisations to maintain law and order in the area.
In the 1.17-minute video, a man is seen sitting in a CNG-run autorickshaw, reading from a piece of paper and making the announcement.
"Assalamu Alaikum, all house owners are being informed that in the Karnaphuli Police Station area, if any new tenant comes to rent a house, their voter ID card along with other documents must be submitted to the police station. No member of any banned organisation can be rented a house. If any tenant is arrested for criminal terrorist activities on behalf of a banned organisation, then the house owner will also be detained as an accomplice in those activities. By order of CMP, Karnaphuli Police Station."
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/karnaphuli-police-warn-house-owners-against-renting-banned-organisations-3988801
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Bangladeshi expat voters' registration to begin in Oct: EC
Sep 18, 2025
The Election Commission (EC) has announced that the voter registration process for expatriate Bangladeshis in the upcoming 13th parliamentary elections is likely to begin in mid-October.
According to EC officials, Bangladeshi citizens residing abroad who have National Identity Cards (NIDs) will be eligible to register as voters through a mobile application, developed by the commission.
The initiative aims to ensure the participation of expatriate Bangladeshis in the national election process for the first time.
Officials estimate that around 70 percent of expatriates with valid NIDs may be able to register as voters.
The EC has developed mobile apps to facilitate the registration process, although trial runs are yet to be conducted.
Registration may follow two models -- global or region-based examples like Asia, Middle East, Europe, North America -- but the decision in this regard is yet to be finalised.
The commission is currently working to finalise technical and procedural aspects to ensure smooth implementation of the process.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/elections/news/bangladeshi-expat-voters-registration-begin-oct-ec-3988726
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Over 7,000 BNP members punished for corruption, misconduct: Tarique
Sep 18, 2025
BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman today said more than 7,000 party members have faced demotion or expulsion over corruption, extortion, and misconduct, acknowledging the decision was difficult but essential.
"This has not been an easy decision, but it is a necessary one. Discipline is not a weakness – it is our strength. By holding our own members accountable, we show the nation that we are serious about integrity and will hold ourselves to the same standards we demand from those in power," he said in a Facebook post this morning.
Tarique stressed that rebuilding trust with the people, particularly the youth, required internal reform. He urged party members to remain united, disciplined, and committed to service.
"Just as you place your trust in me, I place my trust in each of you for this task. Together, we will prove that Bangladesh can have accountable governance, stable institutions, and a hopeful future," he said.
Looking ahead to the February 2026 election, he said the BNP was reorganising from the grassroots, embedding transparency and accountability, so the party reflects the aspirations of a new generation.
"We know the youth want opportunity, not empty rhetoric; citizens want stability, not chaos; and the world wants to see Bangladesh as a democracy that is credible and respected. We are determined to meet these expectations," Tarique said.
He added that the BNP was modernising by strengthening communications, engaging directly with citizens, and shaping policy platforms around its 31 points, with pledges on education, healthcare, youth employment, climate resilience, and digital innovation.
The party is also involving more women, young leaders, and professionals.
"We are working to ensure our image reflects service, fairness, and competence, not division or entitlement," he said.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/politics/news/over-7000-bnp-members-punished-corruption-misconduct-tarique-3988906
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Mideast
Moves to recognize Palestinian state sends Israel message on ‘illusions’ of continuing occupation: Palestinian FM
September 17, 2025
RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories: The planned recognition by several countries of a Palestinian state at a UN summit sends a clear message to Israel on its “illusions” of continuing its occupation of Gaza and the West Bank, Palestinian foreign minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin told AFP on Wednesday.
Several countries including Australia, Belgium, Canada, France and the United Kingdom have announced plans to formally recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations summit co-chaired by Riyadh and Paris on September 22 in New York.
Shahin, who said she was “shocked” by the European Union’s inaction over the nearly two-year war in Gaza, said this new diplomatic push is the long-awaited fulfilment of a promise made by the international community to the Palestinians.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has insisted “there will be no Palestinian state,” and last month Israel approved a major West Bank settlement that the international community has warned threatens the viability of a future such state.
What are your expectations for next week?
This recognition will not immediately change things on the ground.
So people might say: but what is the recognition, what does it mean if I don’t see an end of the aggression on the Gaza Strip?
But it builds up toward ending the aggression on the Gaza Strip.
Recognition is not symbolic. It is something that is very important because it sends a very clear message to the Israelis on their illusions on continuing their occupation forever.
And it sends a clear message to the Palestinians that ‘we are with your right to self-determination’.
And it empowers and strengthens the two-state concept and solution. And it gives us a push for the future, because we will build on it.
Each country that recognizes will have commitments based on that recognition.
Every bit counts. We cannot negate the fact that recognition brings us closer to actual materialization of the state, but we also need to work on the permanent ceasefire and work on the other aspects that need to take place so that people see a future in Palestine.
Israel has criticized announcements intending to recognize statehood. How do you respond?
The world today understands and sees what Israel is capable of as an (occupying) state, as an expansionist, annexationist state, and understands what Israel is saying because they don’t shy away from saying it.
Israel is telling the world that: ‘I want to go forward, I want to build this greater Israel’, which entails the infringement on the security and independence and sovereignty of neighboring states.
The non-recognition will empower extremists on any side because extremists do not want to see two states.
And if Israel refuses?
Israel does not want to negotiate.
So do we stay at the mercy of this occupier state until it starts thinking that maybe we want to negotiate? If people think Israel would come forward with negotiations, it never will.
What has happened since we embarked on this peace process and onwards is that we’ve seen more of our land annexed by Israel, more settlement activities, more violence by settlers, and more suffocation of our life. We will not take this any further. We are just asking for our rights as enshrined in international law.
We know they will try to annex more, and we see it on the ground. We see the gates that are erected on the entrances of villages and cities. There will be increased violence.
Israel cannot continue to act as a state above the law because if Israel wants to live in the area in peace and security, it needs to act as a normal state.
We can’t just sit back and say, you know, this is Israel and we can’t do anything about it.
Is opposition from the United States a problem?
Eventually there will be the whole world on one side and probably Israel and a few countries on the other side.
I think (recognition) is a game changer, and as such we need to look at it positively and continue moving forward.
We hope that eventually (the United States) will come to terms that what is needed in this area is definitely two states.
Some countries are making recognition conditional on uncertain prospects such as a Gaza ceasefire or the disarmament of Hamas. Could this jeopardize your momentum?
On the disarming of Hamas, I think there is a consensus on this in the Arab world, in the Islamic world, I think a worldwide consensus on the disarming.
And even Hamas is saying that we do not want to have a part in the governance of Gaza in the day after.
And I think if a peace agreement is reached, and there is a ceasefire, a permanent one, that should not be the problem.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2615694/middle-east
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Top UN Gaza investigator hopeful Israeli leaders will be prosecuted
September 18, 2025
GENEVA: The UN investigator who this week accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza said she sees parallels with the butchery in Rwanda, and that she hopes one day Israeli leaders will be put behind bars.
Navi Pillay, a South African former judge who headed the international tribunal for the 1994 Rwanda genocide and also served as UN human rights chief, acknowledged that justice “is a slow process.”
But as late South African anti-apartheid icon Nelson “Mandela said, it always seems impossible until it’s done,” she said in an interview.
“I consider it not impossible that there will be arrests and trials” in the future.
Pillay’s Independent International Commission of Inquiry (COI), which does not speak on behalf of the United Nations, issued a bombshell report on Tuesday concluding that “genocide is occurring in Gaza” – something Israel vehemently denies.
The investigators also concluded that Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant have “incited the commission of genocide.”
Israel categorically rejected the findings and slammed the report as “distorted and false.”
But for Pillay, the parallels to Rwanda – where some 800,000 people, mostly ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus, were slaughtered – are clear.
As head of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, she says watching footage of civilians being killed and tortured had marked her “for life.”
“I see similarities” to what is happening in Gaza, she said, pointing to “the same kind of methods.”
While Tutsis were targeted in Rwanda’s genocide, she said “all the evidence (indicates) it is Palestinians as a group that is being targeted” in Gaza.
Israeli leaders, she said, had made statements, including calling Palestinians “animals,” which recalled the demonizing rhetoric used during the Rwanda genocide, when Tutsis were labelled as “cockroaches.”
In both cases, she said the target population is “dehumanized,” signaling that “it’s ok to kill them.”
‘Traumatic’
The International Criminal Court has already issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant for suspected war crimes.
Pillay said securing accountability would not be easy, highlighting that the ICC “does not have its own sheriff or police force to do the arrests.”
But she stressed that popular demand could bring about sudden change, as it had in her home country.
“I never thought apartheid will end in my lifetime,” she said.
Pillay, who rose through the ranks to become a judge in apartheid South Africa despite her Indian heritage, has a knack for handling difficult cases.
Her career has taken her from defending anti-apartheid activists and political prisoners in South Africa to the Rwanda tribunal, the ICC and on to serving as the UN’s top human rights official from 2008 to 2014.
The 83-year-old took on a particularly daunting mission four years ago when she agreed to chair the freshly-created COI tasked with investigating rights abuses in the occupied Palestinian territories and Israel.
Since then, she and her two co-commissioners have faced a barrage of accusations of bias and antisemitism, which they deny, and a recent social media campaign urging Washington to sanction them, as it has ICC judges, Palestinian NGOs and a UN expert focused on the situation in Gaza.
The pressure has been intense, but Pillay says the hardest thing for her team has been viewing video evidence from the ground.
“Watching those videos is just traumatic,” she said, pointing to images of “sexual violence of women (and abuse of) doctors who were stripped naked by the military.”
“It’s so painful” to watch.
Pillay said that going forward, the commission aims to draft a list of suspected perpetrators of abuses in Gaza, and also explore the suspected “complicity” of countries supporting Israel.
That work will meanwhile be left to her successor, since Pillay will be leaving the commission in November, citing her age and health concerns.
Before that, she said she had her visa ready to travel to New York to present her report to the UN General Assembly.
So far, she said, “I have heard nothing about that visa being withdrawn.”
Source: arabnews.com
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Palestinians flee Israeli troop surge into Gaza City, death toll hits 65,000
September 17, 2025
JERUSALEM: Israeli troops and tanks pushed deeper into Gaza City on Wednesday as more people fled the devastated area, and strikes cut off phone and internet services, making it harder for Palestinians to summon ambulances during the military’s new offensive.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian death toll in the Israel-Hamas war surpassed 65,000, local health officials said.
The Israeli military said air force and artillery units had struck the city more than 150 times in the last few days, ahead of ground troops moving in. The strikes toppled high-rise towers in areas with densely populated tent camps. Israel claims the towers were being used by Hamas to watch troops.
Regulators said the severed phone and Internet services hindered the ability of Palestinians to call for help, coordinate evacuations or share details of the offensive that began Monday and aims to take full control of the city.
Overnight strikes killed at least 16 people, including women and children, hospital officials reported. The death count in Gaza climbed to 65,062, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government. Another 165,697 Palestinians have been wounded since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas that triggered the war.
The ministry does not say how many of the dead were civilians or militants. Its figures are seen as a reliable estimate by the UN and many independent experts.
Israeli bombardment has destroyed vast areas of Gaza, displaced around 90 percent of the population and caused a catastrophic humanitarian crisis, with experts announcing famine in Gaza City.
Palestinians streamed out of the city — some by car, others on foot. Israel opened another corridor south of Gaza City for two days beginning Wednesday to allow more people to evacuate.
Children and parents among the latest fatalities
More than half of the Palestinians killed in overnight Israeli strikes were in famine-stricken Gaza City, including a child and his mother who died in the Shati refugee camp, according to officials from Shifa Hospital, which received the casualties.
In central Gaza, Al-Awda Hospital said an Israeli strike hit a house in the urban Nuseirat refugee camp, killing three, including a pregnant woman. Two parents and their child were also killed when a strike hit their tent in the Muwasi area west of the city of Khan Younis, said officials from Nasser Hospital, where the bodies were brought.
In a statement, the Israeli military said it took steps to mitigate harm to civilians and that it would continue to operate against “terrorist organizations” in Gaza.
The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel in the 2023 attack, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251 others. Forty-eight hostages remain in Gaza, with fewer than half believed to be alive.
The Gaza Health Ministry said multiple Israeli strikes hit the Rantisi Hospital for children in Gaza City on Tuesday night. It posted pictures on Facebook showing the damaged roof, water tanks and rubble in a hospital hallway.
The ministry said the strikes forced half of some 80 patients to flee the facility. About 40 patients, including four children in intensive care and eight premature babies, remained in the hospital with 30 medical workers, the ministry said.
“This attack has once again shattered the illusion that hospitals or any place in Gaza are safe from Israel’s genocide,” said Fikr Shalltoot, Gaza director for the aid group Medical Aid for Palestinians.
The Israeli military said it was looking into the strikes. In the past, it has accused Hamas of building military infrastructure inside civilian areas.
The military’s Arabic-language spokesman, Col. Avichay Adraee, wrote on social media that a new route opened for those heading south for two days starting at noon Wednesday.
But many Palestinians in the north were cut off from the outside world. The Palestinian Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, based in the occupied West Bank, said Israeli strikes on the main network lines in northern Gaza had cut off Internet and telephone services Wednesday morning. The Associated Press tried unsuccessfully to reach many people in Gaza City.
The Israeli military said it was reviewing the incident and that it does not deliberately target public communication networks.
An estimated 1 million Palestinians were living in the Gaza City region before warnings to evacuate began ahead of the offensive. The Israeli military estimates 350,000 people have left the city. The UN estimates that more than 238,000 Palestinians have fled northern Gaza over the past month. Hundreds of thousands more have stayed behind.
Hamas official speaks
Hamas senior official Ghazi Hamad made his first public appearance Wednesday following the Israeli strike on the militant group in Qatar earlier this month.
Ghazi Hamad, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, appeared in a live interview broadcast by the Qatari channel Al-Jazeera and accused the United States of being a bad mediator and siding with Israel.
The Hamas negotiating team and consultants were reviewing a US ceasefire proposal when “less than an hour into the meeting, we heard the explosions,” Hamad said.
The strike killed five Hamas members and a local security official and infuriated Arab leaders.
Also Wednesday, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement saying it condemned “in the strongest terms” Israel’s ground offensive in Gaza. The ministry wrote on X that the operation marked a “extension of the war of genocide” against the Palestinians.
Aid groups condemn offensive
A coalition of leading aid groups Wednesday urged the international community to take stronger measures to stop Israel’s offensive on Gaza City. The action came a day after a commission of UN experts found Israel was committing genocide in the Palestinian enclave. Israel denies the allegation.
“What we are witnessing in Gaza is not only an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, but what the UN Commission of Inquiry has now concluded is a genocide,” read the statement from the aid groups. “States must use every available political, economic and legal tool at their disposal to intervene. Rhetoric and half measures are not enough. This moment demands decisive action.”
The message was signed by leaders of over 20 aid organizations operating in Gaza, including the Norwegian Refugee Council, Anera and Save the Children.
Israel’s return to Gaza City
An Israeli military graphic suggested its troops hope to control all of the Gaza Strip except for a large swath along the coast by the end of the current operation.
Israeli forces have carried out multiple large-scale raids into Gaza City over the course of the war, causing mass displacement and heavy destruction, only to see militants regroup later. This time, Israel has pledged to take control of the entire city, which experts say is experiencing famine.
An Israeli military official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with military guidelines, said Tuesday that they believe there are 2,000 to 3,000 Hamas militants left in Gaza City, as well as tunnels used by the group.
Hamas’ military capabilities have been vastly diminished. It now mainly carries out guerrilla-style attacks, with small groups of fighters planting explosives or attacking military outposts before melting away.
Source: arabnews.com
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UN Security Council appoints special envoy to resolve Kuwait missing persons, stolen property
EPHREM KOSSAIFY
September 17, 2025
NEW YORK: The UN Security Council on Wednesday adopted a resolution appointing a special representative to support the search for Kuwaiti and third-country nationals missing since Iraq’s 1990 invasion, and to oversee the return of stolen Kuwaiti property, including its national archives.
The council unanimously adopted resolution 2792, tasking the UN secretary-general with appointing a senior representative whose mandate will focus solely on promoting and facilitating progress on the issue.
The move follows concerns that unresolved humanitarian matters may stall after the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq ends its mandate on Dec. 31, 2025.
“The humanitarian importance of allowing families to know the fate and whereabouts of their missing relatives cannot be overstated,” the resolution said, stressing the need for continued cooperation between Iraq and Kuwait under the auspices of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
More than three decades after the Gulf War, Kuwait continues to seek the return of its missing citizens and property, a process that has seen some progress.
The newly appointed representative is expected to work closely with both governments, the ICRC and technical experts to enhance excavation efforts and leverage new forensic and satellite technologies.
The council encouraged member states with relevant capabilities to assist with advanced tools such as DNA analysis, satellite imagery and ground-penetrating radar.
It also welcomed recent capacity-building efforts, such as the 2024 workshop in Nicosia hosted by the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus, aimed at sharing technological expertise.
Baghdad’s ongoing commitment to regional reconciliation and its role in addressing post-conflict humanitarian issues were acknowledged in the resolution, which encourages Iraq and Kuwait to share their experience with other post-conflict regions.
The secretary-general is requested to report back on progress by March 31, 2026, and every six months thereafter.
The council will review the situation by June 30, 2028, with a final decision on the need for continued UN oversight to be made no later than Dec. 31, 2030.
Should the matter remain unresolved beyond that date, Iraq has committed to continuing its efforts through appropriate channels.
Source: arabnews.com
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Israel demolishes 40 homes in ‘unrecognized’ Arab village in Negev
September 17, 2025
LONDON: Israeli police used sound and smoke grenades against villagers in the Negev desert while authorities demolished dozens of Palestinian homes amid protests.
Israeli authorities demolished 40 homes in as-Sir, one of the unrecognized villages in the Negev desert, south of Israel, where about 1,500 Arab citizens of Israel live.
Israeli police reportedly fired sound and smoke grenades at residents protesting demolitions as owners responded to the arrival of bulldozers, leading to clashes with locals, according to Wafa news agency.
Israeli authorities have notified about 50 families of demolition orders for their homes after issuing another 30 notifications last week, leaving many residents of as-Sir homeless or facing displacement.
Residents say that Israeli authorities are providing no alternatives and continue demolitions and tree uprooting to prevent their return to the area, the Wafa added.
In recent months, more than 60 homes and agricultural structures in as-Sir village have been demolished in three phases. An Israeli court ruling has ordered the evacuation of the entire village, which would lead to the demolition of more than 200 additional homes in the coming weeks.
The Israeli government identifies about 40 villages in the Negev as “unrecognized,” claiming that roughly 55,000 Bedouins cannot prove land ownership. Arab citizens make up about 1.6 million people in Israel, representing 20 percent of the population.
Source: arabnews.com
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UN warns on supplies for famine-stricken north Gaza after Israel shuts crossing
September 17, 2025
GENEVA: The United Nations voiced grave concerns on Wednesday about food and other supplies running out in northern Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of people were already experiencing famine, after Israel closed the only crossing there last week.
Israel began its long-expected ground assault on Gaza City in the north on Tuesday and is stepping up efforts to empty the city of civilians by opening an additional route southwards.
Hundreds of thousands of people are sheltering in the city and many are reluctant to follow Israel’s orders to move because of the dangers along the way, dire conditions, a lack of food in the southern area, and fear of permanent displacement.
“There are grave concerns over fuel and food stock depletion in a matter of days as there are now no direct aid entry points into northern Gaza and resupply from south to north is increasingly challenging due to mounting road congestion and insecurity,” the UN humanitarian office (OCHA) said in a statement.
The Zikim Crossing was shut on September 12 and no aid groups have been able to import supplies since, it said.
Israel’s military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Late on Tuesday it said that humanitarian aid would be allowed to enter northern Gaza, without giving details.
Israel controls all access to Gaza and says it allows enough food aid into the enclave, where it has been at war with Palestinian militants Hamas for nearly two years. It accuses Hamas of stealing aid, which the militants deny.
A global hunger monitor said last month that Gaza City and surrounding areas were officially suffering from famine and that it was likely to spread.
Source: arabnews.com
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Arab World
Saudi Pavilion at Expo Osaka highlights falconry heritage
September 18, 2025
RIYADH: The Kingdom’s pavilion participating in Expo Osaka 2025 has organized a special falconry show in the Saudi courtyard until Sept. 25, in collaboration with the Saudi Falcons Club.
This event, which began on Sept. 15, will allow visitors to explore one of the most prominent traditions of Saudi culture.
Falconry holds a significant place in Saudi cultural heritage, dating back hundreds of years.
The show not only showcases this tradition but also emphasizes the cultural connection with Japan, which has its own traditional falconry art known as “takagari.”
This connection reflects the deep relationship between humans and nature in both Saudi and Japanese cultures.
The Kingdom’s pavilion also offers a multi-sensory experience, with a design that embodies Saudi Arabia’s cultural richness and ancient heritage.
It also highlights the Kingdom’s ambitious vision for building sustainable and empowered communities.
Until Oct. 13, the pavilion will host live performances that include performing arts and traditional events.
Visitors to the Saudi Pavilion will embark on a journey through interactive rooms and lounges, where they can explore various topics, including advanced cities, sustainable seas and limitless human potential, all the way to the forefront of innovation.
This immersive experience allows visitors to see the growing global impact of the Kingdom first hand.
The pavilion can also be experienced virtually via Expo 2025’s virtual reality platform, offering a deeper insight into the richness of Saudi culture.
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi coin exhibition begins in Riyadh
September 18, 2025
RIYADH: The Museums Commission on Wednesday opened the “Minted Narratives: Saudi Arabia’s Legacy in Coins” exhibition at the National Museum in Riyadh, drawing a distinguished audience of cultural, historical, and economic figures.
Running until Dec. 16, the exhibition presents a rich journey spanning more than 1,300 years of history, art, and economic transformation traced through the evolution of coins from the pre-Islamic era to the modern Saudi riyal.
Adviser to the Ministry of Culture at the Museums Commission Mona Khazindar described the exhibition as a visual and chronological documentation of the Kingdom’s and the Islamic world’s story through the lens of coinage and minting.
She said that coins carry more than monetary value; they reflect historical, religious, cultural, and social narratives, bearing witness to the rise of civilizations, the unity of nations, and the Saudi state’s own journey of establishment, unification, and development.
Khazindar said the exhibition offers the public a rare opportunity to read history through coins — a cultural artifact as significant as manuscripts or antiquities.
The exhibition features an exceptional collection of rare coins from the personal collection of Dr. Alain Baron, one of the most prominent collectors of historical coins, alongside unique selections from the ministry of culture's holdings.
It also includes contemporary artworks by Swiss artist Zimoun, inspired by the symbolism and visual language of money.
Spanning seven main themes, the exhibition begins with “Pre-Islamic Coins,” highlighting symbols and meanings related to trade and authority, followed by “The Birth of Islamic Coins and Coins in the Islamic Dynasties,” illustrating the unity and diversity of Islamic civilization over the centuries.
The section “Women in Coins” illustrates the presence of women in numismatic memory, while “Artisanal Coins — Minting Art and Culture” explores the intersection of aesthetic value and the economic function of currency.
Visitors can also explore “Treasures and Coins of Saudi Arabia,” which tells the story of unification and the building of the modern state, and “Coins and Contemporary Art,” where currency is a source of creative inspiration.
The exhibition concludes with “The Coin That Was Never Minted,” which highlights the reflection on symbolism and concept before coins exist in physical form.
The exhibition is accompanied by a comprehensive cultural program featuring seminars, workshops, expert-led discussions, and interactive activities for children and families.
Dedicated programs for people with disabilities are also provided, in partnership with the Authority for the Care of Persons with Disabilities and the Royal Institute of Traditional Arts, ensuring a fully inclusive and engaging environment.
This exhibition is part of the Museums Commission’s broader mission to preserve and present national heritage through a contemporary lens, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s presence on the global cultural stage.
It also aligns with Saudi Vision 2030, which seeks to build a knowledge-based society rooted in its heritage while embracing cultural and human dialogue on an international level.
Source: arabnews.com
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MWL chief highlights Gaza’s ‘mass genocide’ at religion conference in Kazakhstan
September 17, 2025
LONDON: Muslim World League Secretary-General Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa took part in the opening of the Eighth Conference of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, held in Kazakhstan on Wednesday.
The two-day conference gathers high-level delegations from more than 60 countries, centered on the theme “Interfaith Dialogue: Solidarity for the Future,” to promote religious diplomacy as a tool to tackle global challenges through spiritual leadership.
Al-Issa was invited as a guest of honor to the event. He delivered a speech highlighting the plight of the almost 2 million Palestinians who have endured Israel’s war since late 2023, which the UN and senior EU officials have described as genocide.
He said that “mass genocide and systematic famine ... (in Gaza) is a huge disgrace for the world community.”
Al-Issa highlighted the importance of religious leaders in promoting peace and raising awareness that conflicts have adverse outcomes for all sides, according to a statement seen by the Arab News.
On Tuesday, Al-Issa met Kazakhstan’s president, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, at the Presidential Palace in Astana.
He was awarded the Order of Friendship by Kazakhstan “in recognition of his efforts to strengthen friendship between peoples, consolidate interfaith cooperation, and promote religious understanding and peace,” according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Source: arabnews.com
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Design research forum debuts with focus on creativity and impact
JASMINE BAGER
September 17, 2025
DAMMAM: Fresh off her Fashion Award win at the National Cultural Awards, Princess Nourah Al-Faisal headed to the Eastern Province this week for the first Design Research Forum.
A lavender carpet was rolled out at Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University (formerly the University of Dammam), where the all-day forum — the first of its kind — brought together students, academics and enthusiasts from across the Kingdom in the name of design research.
The CEO of Art of Heritage and founder of Adhlal, a Riyadh-based consultancy supporting the creative economy, Princess Nourah told Arab News that it was “a full circle moment.”
“I came here (IAU) in 2017 as part of the first industry report. We did part of our first focus groups here, and some of the people, some of the partners that we brought to participate with us, actually were part of that as well,” she said.
Princess Nourah explained that bridging academia and industry was central to Adhlal’s mission and long-term strategy: “When we originally did our first industry report, we understood right then that one of the big gaps was this connection between academia and the industry.”
She described the forum as “one of the first and definitely the biggest event that we’ve had that focuses on the importance of research in innovation, research in design, research in developing ideas and strategies.
“When you think about all of these big projects, how do you create them in a way that revolves around the Saudi human who lives here?
Judging the poster competition, she was “very, very impressed. I mean, the technical knowledge, the thought process, the clarity, and just the design of the posters.
“Today is, I think, a new beginning for us at Adhlal. We are hoping to do this annually and to see it grow,” she said.
The posters covered relevant themes such as sustainability and AI. Princess Nourah likened today’s AI frenzy to the Industrial Revolution: “That’s why the human-centered skills are the most important— everything else, you can learn.”
She also reflected on a pilot project with Effat University: “I am overwhelmed by how many of them finally understood how important and life-changing good design can be; to improve people’s lives and connect with people.”
Workshops and panels rounded out the day, including a lecture by Badr Al-Rasheed of the Architecture and Design Commission and Donia Belttaib of King Abdulaziz University.
The Adhlal Experience in Jeddah Al-Balad panel was moderated by IAU’s Lujain Rafea, with contributions from Adhlal’s Jeroen Frumau, Effat University’s Ahmed Kassab and his former student, now colleague, Deena Shahadah.
IAU leader and educator Sara Alghamdi told Arab News the forum showcased the strength of student research: “Our students are capable and have a lot of potential. Last year, we had 33 patents from our college — nobody knows about it,” Alghamdi said.
“To incentivize the students, to show them that we can do collaborations with other parties, to empower them, there are cash prizes.”
From 55 submissions, 20 were shortlisted and reviewed by a jury panel that included Princess Nourah. Rawabi sponsored the top three prizes — SR5,000, SR4,000 and SR2,000 — with additional People’s Choice and publication prizes to come.
The top winning project, “Assessing the usability of bio-textiles made of palm waste in carryalls,” was created by seniors Salam Al-Abdulaal, Fatimah Al-Kardoos, Maram Al-Sagar, Ghada Hantoush and Majd Al-Osaimi.
Al-Abdulaal, who is local to the area, told Arab News about the importance of using date palm waste as it is abundant in her hometown: “This is a part of everyday life here, date palms and farms. We are interested in sustainability due to our environment, and we also have been doing some projects previously about this.”
Al-Kardoos added: “We started with the research saying that we want to assess the usability of the bio textile that comes from the palm tree waste and compare it with the conventional leather. Is it usable as much as the conventional leather or not?”
With prototypes in hand and guidance from IAU professors, the students contacted professionals in the Netherlands who had done similar projects and tested carryalls made from palm-derived textiles.
Al-Sagar added: “After we analyzed all of the data that we gathered from all the participants, we experimented with each one of them and we conducted a very successful outcome of our findings.”
The team plans to split the cash prize equally— then “go out to lunch.”
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi crown prince, Pakistani PM sign joint strategic defence agreement
September 17, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed a joint strategic defense agreement in Riyadh on Wednesday, Saudi Press Agency reported.
The agreement comes within the framework of the two countries’ efforts to enhance their security and achieve security and peace in the region and the world.
It aims to develop aspects of defense cooperation between the two countries and enhance joint deterrence against any aggression. This agreement stipulates that any aggression against either country is an aggression against both, SPA said.
The prime minister arrived in Riyadh earlier on Wednesday for a state visit, accompanied by a high-level delegation.
An official reception was held in honor of the prime minister and the two leaders held a session of talks. Sharif asked that his greetings and best wishes be conveyed to King Salman.
The two sides reviewed the historic and strategic relations between their countries and a number of topics of common interest.
Sharif expressed his thanks and appreciation to the crown prince for the warm welcome and generous hospitality that he received. He extended his best regards to the Saudi leadership and people, wishing them further progress, prosperity, and prosperity.
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North America
CAIR Welcomes Defeat of Dishonest Censure Attempt Against Rep. Ilhan Omar, Warns Fight Is Not Over
September 17, 2025
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed the House of Representatives’ narrow 214–213 vote to table H. Res. 713, Representative Nancy Mace’s dishonest attempt to censure Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and strip her of her committee assignments. Four Republicans joined all Democrats in blocking the resolution.
CAIR noted that while today’s outcome is a victory against racism and political repression, the fight is not over. Rep. Mace and her allies may seek to bring the measure back to the floor in the future.
Earlier today, CAIR sent a formal letter to all members of the House urging them to oppose the resolution, which falsely accused Rep. Omar of celebrating the assassination of Charlie Kirk – despite her repeatedly condemning his murder and offering sympathy to his family.
In a statement, CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert S. McCaw said:
“Today’s vote is a welcome rejection of Nancy Mace’s dishonest and racist campaign to silence the nation’s most prominent Muslim congresswoman. We thank the four Republicans who joined Democrats in doing the right thing and rejecting this bad-faith effort. But this fight is not over. Rep. Mace and her allies may try again, and we must remain vigilant against any renewed effort to punish Rep. Omar for words she never said while ignoring the real hate speech and genocidal rhetoric coming from other members of Congress.
“Instead of targeting Rep. Omar, Republican and Democratic leaders should consider holding accountable bigots like Rep. Randy Fine and Rep. Brian Mast, and even Rep. Mace herself – who in recent days said Rep. Omar should go back to Somalia and told a Jewish colleague they should see a plastic surgeon for their nose.”
Earlier today, CAIR condemned Rep. Mace’s racist tirades against Rep. Omar in the hours leading up to the vote, including her social media posts saying “If you celebrate murder, maybe Somalia can take you back” and “One-way ticket to Somalia with your name on it, Ilhan Omar.”
CAIR reaffirmed its support for Rep. Omar and called on Americans of all backgrounds to remain engaged in fighting back against Islamophobia, racism, and double standards in Congress.
Washington, D.C., based CAIR will continue to monitor legislation that threatens constitutional rights and work with lawmakers, allies, and community members to ensure Americans’ freedoms are defended.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
Do you like reading CAIR press releases and taking part in our action alerts? You can help contribute to CAIR’s work of defending civil rights and empowering American Muslims across the country by making a one-time contribution or becoming a monthly donor. Supporters like you make CAIR’s advocacy work possible and defeating Islamophobia an achievable goal. Click here to donate to CAIR.
Source: cair.com
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Man pleads guilty to setting 2 Twin Cities mosques on fire
September 18, 2025
A 38-year-old has entered a guilty plea to setting two Twin Cities mosques on fire, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Jackie Rahm Little pleaded guilty on Wednesday to one count of arson and one count of damage to religious property.
Federal prosecutors say that on April 24, 2023, Little went to the Masjid Al-Rahma Mosque in Bloomington with a container of gasoline or a similar flammable liquid. He set fire to the mosque’s third-floor hallway and stairwell, causing over $378,000 in damage.
The previous day, prosecutors say he started a fire in the bathroom of Masjid Omar Islamic Center in Minneapolis. He was interrupted by an employee and ran off, leaving a partially burnt cardboard box and gas cannister behind.
Source: kstp.com
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CAIR-Minnesota Welcomes Guilty Plea of Jackie Rahm Little for Mosque Arsons
September 17, 2025
The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Minnesota) today welcomed the guilty plea of Jackie Rahm Little, 36, for his role in terrorizing the Muslim community with multiple mosque arsons.
Earlier today, Little entered a guilty plea during a Change of Plea Hearing in Courtroom 13E at the Minneapolis Federal Courthouse (300 South Fourth Street, Minneapolis, MN 55415) before Judge Ann Montgomery.
Following the hearing, CAIR-Minnesota, community leaders, and impacted members of the Muslim community spoke about the importance of accountability and highlighted ongoing concerns about the safety of Minnesota’s houses of worship.
“These violent attacks were meant to instill fear, but instead they have strengthened our community’s resolve,” said CAIR-MN Executive Director Jaylani Hussein. “As I was inside the Mercy Center responding to the attack the day before, I recall pulling children from the daycare and evacuating worshipers from the mosque. This attack shocked our community, and today we begin the next chapter as this case moves forward. We welcome accountability and will continue to advocate for change and greater protections for Minnesota’s houses of worship.”
According to court documents, on April 23, 2023, at approximately 7:00 p.m., Little set fire to a bathroom inside the Masjid Omar Islamic Center. On April 24, just before 7:00 p.m., he was captured on surveillance video entering the Masjid Al-Rahma (Mercy Center). Shortly thereafter, a fire broke out on the third floor of the mosque, forcing an evacuation of the building while worshipers and children were inside.
Little was arrested on April 29, 2023, in Mankato. He was indicted on one count of arson and one count of damage to religious property before entering his guilty plea today.
CAIR-MN notes that Little’s actions are part of a larger trend of increased attacks on mosques and Muslim institutions in Minnesota and across the nation. The organization is calling on public officials, law enforcement, and community leaders to prioritize the safety of religious institutions and to address the rise in anti-Muslim hate crimes.
Source: cair.com
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Obama says US faces 'political crisis' after killing of Charlie Kirk
17 Sep, 2025
Mike Wendling
Former US President Barack Obama has warned of a "political crisis of the sort that we haven't seen before" in the wake of the killing of Charlie Kirk.
At an event in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, Obama said he did not know Kirk and disagreed with many of his views, but called the killing "horrific and a tragedy".
He criticised Donald Trump's remarks towards his political opponents and pointed to previous Republican presidents who, he said, emphasised national unity in moments of high tension, US media report.
In response, the White House called Obama the "architect of modern political division".
Kirk, 31, died of a single gunshot wound while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem on 10 September.
On Tuesday, Tyler Robinson, 22, was formally charged with Kirk's murder, weapons offences and other charges. Prosecutors said they would seek the death penalty.
Utah County Attorney Jeffrey Gray said Robinson had sent text messages which allegedly said he shot Kirk because he "had enough of his hatred".
Before Robinson was captured, top Trump allies pinned blame for the killing on left-wing activists and rhetoric from Democratic lawmakers and their supporters.
Attorney General Pam Bondi has suggested that the administration will crack down on "hate speech" – although there is no specific US hate speech law. Vice-President JD Vance has led calls to expose people who celebrated or condoned Kirk's killing or were critical of him after his slaying.
"Call them out, and hell, call their employer," Vance said as he guest-hosted Kirk's podcast.
Speaking in Erie, Pennsylvania, Obama said: "I think at moments like this, when tensions are high, then part of the job of the president is to pull people together."
He urged Americans to "respect other people's right to say things that we profoundly disagree with".
Obama praised Utah Governor Spencer Cox, a conservative Republican who he said had shown "that it is possible for us to disagree while abiding by a basic code of how we should engage in public debate".
He also endorsed the response of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, whose official residence was firebombed earlier this year in what police called a targeted attack.
The former president contrasted those reactions with comments made by Trump and his allies.
Obama said that he did not use a 2015 mass shooting by a white supremacist at a black church in South Carolina to go after his political enemies, and pointed out that after the 11 September 2001 attacks, President George W Bush "explicitly went out of his way to say, 'We are not at war against Islam'."
"And so when I hear not just our current president, but his aides, who have a history of calling political opponents 'vermin', enemies who need to be 'targeted,' that speaks to a broader problem that we have right now and something that we're going to have to grapple with, all of us," Obama told the crowd, according to reports.
In a statement to the BBC, a White House spokesperson rejected the allegations and accused Obama of stoking division while he was president.
"Obama used every opportunity to sow division and pit Americans against each other," the spokesperson said.
"His division has inspired generations of Democrats to slander their opponents as 'deplorables,' or 'fascists,' or 'Nazis.'"
After leaving office, US presidents generally tend to temper criticism of their successors, however in recent months Obama has hit out at Trump's moves against universities and judges, and has also criticised Democratic party leaders for failing to push back harder against White House policies.
Source: bbc.com
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Europe
Home Secy. Shabana Mahmood Vows To Fight 'Last-Minute Claims' Against Migrant Deportations
18 SEP 2025
Sam Francis
The home secretary has vowed to fight "vexatious, last-minute claims" after the deportation of an Eritrean man under the UK-France migrants returns deal was temporarily blocked.
On Tuesday, the High Court granted the man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, a "short period of interim relief" ahead of his deportation to France, which was sceduled for 09:00 BST on Wednesday under the "one in, one out" pilot scheme.
Speaking after the High Court decision, Shabana Mahmood said "last minute attempts to frustrate a removal are intolerable".
The man, who arrived in the UK by small boat last month, argued he was a victim of modern slavery in an appeal made just hours before his flight.
In the first High Court challenge to the "one in, one out" scheme, the Eritrean man's lawyers argued he needed more time to present evidence that he may have been the victim of modern-day slavery - and that the decision to remove him had been rushed.
The injunction raises questions about whether other migrants designated for deportation through the scheme could use similar grounds to delay or block their removal.
A policy of deporting migrants to Rwanda put forward by the Conservatives under the last government became bogged down in repeated legal challenges before being cancelled by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer when he came into office.
The Home Office is set to appeal against the decision and is reviewing the Modern Slavery Act to ensure it is not being misused.
Lawyers for the Home Office had argued that the man could have claimed asylum in France. They added that delaying his departure could encourage others allocated to the return flights this week to make similar claims and would undermine the public interest in deterring deadly small boat crossings.
Mahmood said: "Migrants suddenly deciding that they are a modern slave on the eve of their removal, having never made such a claim before, make a mockery of our laws and this country's generosity.
"I will fight to end vexatious, last-minute claims. I will robustly defend the British public's priorities in any court. And I will do whatever it takes to secure our border."
The deal with France was seen by the previous Home Secretary Yvette Cooper as one of her landmark policy achievements. It is now the job of her successor to make it work.
Ministers agreed the "one in, one out" pilot deal with France in July to curb record small boat crossings this year.
Under the deal, the UK will send asylum seekers who have crossed the Channel back to France, in exchange for those who apply and are approved to come to Britain.
France has reportedly said it will only accept a small initial contingent of deportations, while the UK has said it hopes to increase numbers over the course of the scheme.
The latest setback follows reports that the first flights to France left empty on Monday and Tuesday.
Despite this, the first removals of migrants to France under the pilot scheme are still expected to go ahead this week.
Source: bbc.com
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Uzbekistan, INCEIF ink memorandum to advance Islamic finance cooperation
18 September 2025
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, September 17. Uzbekistan has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance (INCEIF) to deepen cooperation in developing Islamic finance, Trend reports via the Central Bank.
The agreement envisions organizing training programs, courses, and seminars at the Central Bank of Uzbekistan, as well as conducting joint research in Islamic finance. It also includes the translation of four key books on Islamic finance into Uzbek, making specialized knowledge more accessible to local experts and practitioners.
The memorandum was signed within the framework of the 20th International Shari’ah Scholars Forum, held under the theme “Implementation of Islamic Banking: Advancing Towards a Sustainable Financial System.” The forum gathered leading commercial banks from Uzbekistan and abroad, renowned financial institutions, as well as globally recognized scholars, experts, specialists, and regulators in the field of Islamic economics and finance.
On the opening day, participants discussed the classification of contracts, their application in modern practice, and the importance of structuring them based on transparent and unified criteria. International experts stressed that such measures are essential for strengthening client trust and ensuring sustainable growth in Islamic finance.
The forum will continue on September 18, with further discussions on emerging trends and pressing challenges in the sector, aiming to chart new directions for the development of Islamic finance worldwide.
Meanwhile, in Tashkent, momentum is also building on the legislative front. At a recent session of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis, deputies gave preliminary consideration to a draft law introducing Islamic banking in Uzbekistan — a move seen as laying the groundwork for creating alternative financial instruments and widening access to inclusive financial services.
Source: trend.az
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https://www.trend.az/business/4092140.html
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Aylesbury Town Council has no objections to mosque plan
18 September 2025
By Nathaniel Lawson
A council has not objected to a plan to create a mosque in Aylesbury.
Aylesbury Town Council said it has no objections, as long as the parking survey ordered by the highways team also ensures safe access in and out of the building.
The application has been lodged for retrospective planning permission to establish a mosque at Unit 2 in Aylesbury Business Centre, located on Chamberlain Road.
According to documents submitted with the application, the unit is already being used as a mosque, community centre, and educational facility.
Plans submitted outline the original layout of the building. On the ground floor, there was a reception area, informal breakout space, two multi-use meeting rooms, a community hall, toilets, storage areas, and a loading area.
The first floor included four offices, a lobby, a second community hall, a kitchen, additional toilets, and another breakout area.
However, significant internal alterations have already been made. The ground floor has been reconfigured to include separate entrances for men and women.
A new kitchen, library, and security room have been constructed in the space that previously housed the reception and breakout areas.
Four classrooms have been added, the staircase has been relocated, and 12 toilets—including two accessible ones—have been installed, along with multiple storage rooms.
Where the original loading area once stood, a mortuary and an additional kitchen have now been created.
This area also features space for six cold body storage units, a wash table, and a newly installed staircase.
Upstairs, the former community hall and breakout space have been converted into a prayer hall, complete with an audio room and book hall at the rear.
The space that previously contained four offices has been transformed into a meeting room and a first-floor kitchen.
Buckinghamshire Council will now review the application and decide whether to grant retrospective approval.
Source: bucksfreepress.co.uk
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https://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/25474522.aylesbury-town-council-no-objections-mosque-plan/
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Ground broken on new Preston mosque site
Paul Faulkner
17 SEP 2025
Work has officially – if only symbolically – got under way on a long-planned new mosque on the outskirts of Preston. A groundbreaking ceremony took place at the site of the ‘Brick Veil Mosque’ on Sunday (September 14).
The gathering at the plot – alongside the Broughton roundabout, where the A6 and M55 meet – included special guest Mufti Iqbal Bhoja, principal of Darul Uloom Matliwala, in India. The moment marked a major milestone for the ambitious project, which was granted planning permission back in February 2022.
However, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) understands that it remains too early to say how long the landmark building – south of D’Urton Lane – will take to construct and when it might be ready to welcome its congregation. More details on that front are expected in the new year. The 12-metre-tall structure – complete with 30-metre minaret and space for 248 prayer mats and associated worshippers – became the subject of a public inquiry after initially being given the green light by Preston City Council’s planning committee.
That decision was ‘called in’ for reconsideration by the government before the scheme was finally approved in January 2023 by the then communities secretary, Michael Gove.
A spokesperson for the project said after the groundbreaking ceremony: “The mosque’s design was selected through an international RIBA [Royal Institute of British Architects] competition, which attracted entries from around the world. The winning design was chosen for its bold and distinctive response to the site’s prominent location, creating a landmark that will combine traditional values with contemporary architecture.
“The project places strong emphasis on working with local and regional contractors, ensuring that businesses across Preston and the wider North West are at the heart of its delivery. This commitment not only supports the local economy, but also reflects the wealth of skill and expertise within the region’s construction industry.
“Once complete, the Brick Veil Mosque will serve as a place of worship, education, and community activity, while also standing as a lasting asset for future generations. It marks an important milestone for the city and will be a source of pride for the local community and beyond.”
Back in June, the planning committee approved a so-called ‘reserved matters’ application, which set out how the raised site surrounding the mosque – which was used as a compound during the building of the Broughton bypass in the mid-2010s – will look once it is developed. A plaza area outside the place of worship will feature silver grey paving flags and a “monolithic reconstituted stone bench”.
Source: lancs.live
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https://www.lancs.live/news/lancashire-news/ground-broken-new-preston-mosque-32492067
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Spain arrests 19 on suspicion of torture and murder after 50 disappear from migrant boat
18 SEP 2025
George Wright
Spanish police say they have arrested 19 people suspected of murder and torture after more than 50 went missing from a migrant boat that was travelling from Senegal to the Canary Islands.
Police suspect some of the victims were accused of being "witches" after several incidents during the journey, including engine failure, bad weather and food shortages.
The wooden vessel was rescued south of Gran Canaria on 24 August with 248 survivors on board, the Spanish National Police said.
But officials believe that about 300 people were originally on the boat, and that some had been thrown overboard.
Survivors told police that some of their fellow passengers began "attacking dozens of people, beating and abusing them in various ways", a police statement said.
"In some cases, they threw migrants into the sea alive and refused to rescue those who fell in by accident."
Suspected killings were also documented "simply because some people protested or expressed their dissatisfaction with the conditions of the voyage", the statement said.
One male passenger died in hospital after being found seriously ill when the vessel was intercepted, according to police.
Those on board included people from Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Gambia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea-Bissau, local media reported.
All 19 suspects are in pretrial detention facing charges of facilitating irregular immigration, homicide, assault and torture.
Spain is one of the frontline entry points for irregular migration into Europe, with most entering via the Canary Islands.
Almost 47,000 migrants reached the archipelago in 2024, setting a record for a second year, but numbers have been far lower so far this year, the Spanish Interior Ministry said.
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8jm11lmx71o
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Africa
Libya Joins Global Federation Of Takaful And Islamic Insurance
Safaalharathy
17/09/2025
Libya’s Insurance Supervisory Authority has joined the Global Federation of Takaful and Islamic Insurance Companies, the Ministry of Economy and Trade has announced.
The move was confirmed during talks between the Authority’s director general, Ahmed al-Deeb, and the Federation’s secretary-general, Mohamed Abdullah, alongside senior officials from the Libyan Insurance Union.
Al-Deeb highlighted the country’s efforts to regulate and develop Takaful insurance through new legislation and strategic programmes. The Federation praised Libya’s role in hosting the recent International Takaful Forum, saying it reflected the government’s commitment to the sector.
Both sides agreed to draft a memorandum of understanding to boost cooperation, share expertise and expand opportunities for regional and international partnerships.
Founded in 2005, the Federation brings together companies and institutions from across the world to promote Islamic insurance through research, training and collaboration.
Source: libyaobserver.ly
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https://libyaobserver.ly/economy/libya-joins-global-federation-takaful-and-islamic-insurance
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Gunmen kill 22 during baptism ceremony in western Niger
September 17, 2025
According to the French press agency AFP, residents in the Tillabéri region in western Niger said that gunmen shot dead 22 people, most of which were attending a baptism. Niger's authorities have confirmed that an attack happened, but did not release casualty numbers.
22 civilians were killed in an armed attack by a group of gunmen on motorbikes in western Niger on Wednesday, according to various reports from media and witnesses.
The attackers opened fire on villagers attending a baptism ceremony, and killed 15 people there. They then left the vicinity and killed another seven civilians close by.
The region of Tillabéri in western Niger, bordering on Mali and Burkina Faso, is familiar with armed violence. Jihadist groups in particular are very active in the area, and the armed forces of Niger have been struggling to contain attacks from diverse jihadist movements.
Last week, several soldiers from the Nigerien army were killed in attacks, which also took place in the Tillabéri region. It is estimated that around twenty soldiers died in at least two separate attacks on 10 September.
A recent Human Rights Watch (HRW) report drew attention to the violence in Tillabéri and called upon authorities to do more to protect civilians in the region.
Source: africanews.com
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https://www.africanews.com/2025/09/17/gunmen-kill-22-during-baptism-ceremony-in-western-niger/
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‘Let’s Do DNA Test’ – Actor, Stanley Ontop Accuses NAPTIP Of Converting Trafficked Christian Children To Muslims
September 17, 2025
By Richard Ogunsile
Popular Nollywood actor and activist, Stanley Ontop, has accused the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) of allegedly trafficking children from Delta State to Kano.
In a series of posts on his Instagram page on Tuesday, Ontop claimed that some NAPTIP officials stormed Happy Home Orphanage in Asaba on Sunday, June 15, 2025, and took away children aged between 13 and 17 without proper documentation.
“Some group of notorious NAPTIP officials from Kano invaded an orphanage here in Asaba and carted away eight children. The government, women affairs, the SSAs, and the First Lady have not said anything about it. It’s only we the activists for Delta State.
“They pack eight children and take them to the north, change their names to Muslim names, force them to go to the mosque and read the Qur’an. If they decline, they will flog them like an illegal refugee and nothing has happened? Really? Omg,” he wrote.
Below is one of his posts on the allegation.
Orphanage chairman speaks
In a viral video, the Chairman of Happy Home Orphanage, Christopher Nwokoye, also raised concerns over the incident.
He said he was not at home when the officials came, but later discovered a note allegedly left behind by the group.
“When I checked the small paper that was left behind by NAPTIP officials, I saw NAPTIP officials Oka. I now rushed to D Division, their DCO, but he did not send any men from their station to come to this orphanage home.
“Then on Monday morning I went to NAPTIP office at the Federal Secretariat in Oka, and I met their head of duties. After I showed him the note I came with, he told me that it’s not from them, that it’s from Kano,” he explained.
Naija News reports that as of press time, relevant authorities had yet to respond to the allegations, sparking concerns among activists and residents of Delta State.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/09/17/lets-do-dna-test-actor-stanley-ontop-accuses-naptip-of-converting-trafficked-christian-children-to-muslims/
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South Africa: top police official testifies on criminal infiltration in justice system
September 17, 2025
A top police official who claimed that South Africa’s police and justice system has been infiltrated by criminal syndicates took the stand Wednesday at a government-backed probe into the allegations.
KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi said at a news conference in July that some top politicians and police officials were interfering in sensitive police investigations in the interest of criminal syndicates and drug cartels. His claims caused a public outcry and led to the commission of inquiry being appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
South Africa’s parliament has been separately investigating Mkhwanazi’s claims.
South Africa has one of the highest crime rates in the world and allegations of corruption within the police are not new. However, it is unusual for high-ranking police officials to accuse each other of involvement with criminals.
During his opening statement on Wednesday, Mkhwanazi said he would show the extent of the threat to the country’s criminal justice system.
“It has been my aim that I want to demonstrate that the criminal justice system has been subject to a continuous threat, as well as sabotage, which has been with us over an extended period," he said. “To a point where we believe it is at real risk of total collapse if nothing is done."
The police minister and a senior officer implicated
During his news conference on July 6, Mkhwanazi alleged that Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and Deputy National Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya were among politicians and security officials involved with crime syndicates.
He alleged that both men had disbanded a crucial crime unit that was investigating politically motivated killings in KwaZulu-Natal province, after it was revealed that crime syndicates were behind the killings.
According to Mkhwanazi, the crime unit had also cracked the unsolved murder cases of two musicians and exposed crime cartels allegedly behind the deaths.
Both Mchunu and Sibiya have since been suspended and are expected to testify at the commission.
Mixed reactions to inquiry
There have been mixed reactions to the establishment of the commission, with many raising concerns that previous commissions appointed by Ramaphosa have not resulted in any high-ranking officials found guilty of wrongdoing.
Julius Malema, a lawmaker and leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters party, has questioned the powers of the commission to result in any meaningful consequences.
Malema has called for Mkhwanazi to be the first witness to appear before a parliamentary committee, which is separately investigating his claims, saying it has more weight that the commission of inquiry.
The country's official opposition party, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK Party), will on Thursday challenge the legality of the commission in court. It accused Ramaphosa of failing to act on the recommendations of similar commissions in the past.
Potential for system turnaround
Louise Edwards, a crime expert from the African Policing Civilian Oversight Forum, said the probe has the potential to turn around the country's law enforcement if recommendations are implemented.
“We have to remain optimistic, but the only way I see real change happening is if the findings and recommendations of the commission leads to real consequences, systemic reforms, and sustained oversight, particularly by permanent oversight structures,” said Edwards.
She said the issues raised by Mkhwanazi were hurting effective policing and eroding morale among officers who were expected to fight crime.
“The focus must be on outcomes, but most significantly, implementation of its findings. Too often this is the weakness in the commission of inquiry approach,” she said.
Source: africanews.com
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https://www.africanews.com/2025/09/17/south-africa-top-police-official-testifies-on-criminal-infiltration-in-justice-system/
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Haiti: gangs continue to terrorise local population
September 17, 2025
In the Solino neighbourhood of Haiti’s capital Port au Prince, residents are hard at work cleaning up what is left of their homes. The area was seized by gangs around a year ago, before they suddenly left in recent weeks and told residents they could return. Some have seen their entire livelihoods destroyed.
Among them is Gerald Jean, an entrepreneur. He says, “I am an entrepreneur. I owned a funeral home, a hardware store, a botanica (apothecary), and a house rental service. In November, since November 13 or 14, I have been left with only a pair of pants and sandals.”
Police have told residents that it’s unsafe to return to the area - a warning that some are taking on board, including Marie-Marthe Vernet. ''There is no way I will return to live here. I am not going to live with Viv Ansanm (gang),” she says.
Others have ignored the warning - since being able to return home is a rare option with the capital being almost entirely controlled by gangs. They include Louisnor Felix, a bakery manager. “It's really serious; they took what they could and broke everything. What they couldn’t take, they broke and left behind,'' Felix says.
An estimated 90% of Port-au-Prince is now controlled by armed gangs, who have tightened their grip on Haiti since the assassination of president Jovenel Moise in 2021.
Source: africanews.com
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https://www.africanews.com/2025/09/17/haiti-gangs-continue-to-terrorise-local-population/
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You Shouldn’t Have Suspended Fubara – Lawyer Tells Tinubu
September 18, 2025
By Richard Ogunsile
Legal practitioner, Liborous Oshoma, has stated that President Bola Tinubu could have acted differently without having to suspend Governor Siminalayi Fubara following the crisis in Rivers State.
Oshoma maintained that Tinubu could have declared the emergency without sacking elected officials.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today shortly after President Tinubu lifted the emergency rule on Wednesday, Oshoma argued that the declaration was unfair and unnecessary.
“The President can declare a state of emergency in Rivers without having to sack the duly elected government in that state. You can still deploy police, DSS, Army to the state to maintain peace without having to sack a democratically elected government,” he said.
He added that the crisis in Rivers was not peculiar, stressing that similar disputes exist in other states.
“The crisis in Rivers State is not different from the crisis we see across the board politically. It is just that of Rivers State was so heightened to the extent that you have House of Assembly members that the governor did not allow to sit,” Oshoma noted.
Speaking further, he said political actors have failed to learn any lessons from the six-month suspension of democratic governance in Rivers State.
“I do not think the politicians have learnt anything. Today, we have seen it happen in a PDP state because you have a former governor who has one leg in the PDP and one leg in the APC, and so it is easy,” Oshoma said.
Naija News recalls that on March 18, Tinubu suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and the Rivers State House of Assembly members, citing political infighting that had crippled the legislature.
He appointed retired Naval Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as administrator of the state, invoking Section 305(5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The declaration was condemned by many concerned Nigerians as unconstitutional and described by critics as a power grab.
Oshoma further argued that the decision exposed partisan bias.
“One would have expected that if this had happened in an APC state where you have this seemingly crisis between the House of Assembly and the governor, and we see a state of emergency, then I will say there is fairness across board,” he said.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/09/18/you-shouldnt-have-suspended-fubara-lawyer-tells-tinubu/
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Drama As Security Operatives Protest As Ibas Attends Emergency Abuja Meeting
September 17, 2025
By Enioluwa Adeniyi
There was mild drama at the Rivers State Government House, Port Harcourt, on Wednesday, after security operatives attached to the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), staged a protest over the non-payment of their entitlements.
Naija News reports that the incident briefly disrupted activities within the Brick House as heated arguments broke out among the operatives before senior officers stepped in to restore order.
A source at the Government House who spoke with Vanguard said the protest started when protocol officials informed the security team that the Administrator was leaving for Abuja.
“The security men thought Vice Admiral Ibas was relocating back to Abuja,” the source, who asked not to be named, told Vanguard.
In a viral video circulating on social media, the operatives were seen chanting and demanding their outstanding allowances.
The noise attracted the attention of a senior security officer within the facility, who came out to intervene.
“After persuasion, the protesting officers were told that the Administrator was only travelling for an emergency meeting in Abuja and would return,” the source added.
Normalcy was eventually restored, though the incident exposed discontent among the operatives as Ibas prepares to round off his six-month tenure as Sole Administrator on September 18.
As of press time, the Rivers State Government had not issued an official statement on the matter.
However, it was gathered that management staff at the Brick House were fully aware of the protest.
Meanwhile, Ibas’ convoy was sighted at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, awaiting his return from the undisclosed meeting in Abuja.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/09/17/drama-as-security-operatives-protest-as-ibas-attends-emergency-abuja-meeting/
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Southeast Asia
‘Democracy is about being questioned, criticised’: PM Anwar urges Asean lawmakers to embrace scrutiny
By Syed Jaymal Zahiid
18 Sep 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 18 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today called on Southeast Asian elected representatives to embrace public scrutiny, reminding them of their duty to serve voters.
Addressing the Inter-Asean Parliamentary Assembly here, Anwar said Prime Minister’s Question Time was introduced in Malaysia’s Parliament to make policy debates more transparent and encourage more democratic discourse.
“When we introduced in the last few years PM’s Question Time, I wasn’t sure if I made the right decision as I’m stuck there on a weekly basis,” Anwar quipped.
Prime Minister’s Question Time is an hour dedicated to the prime minister taking questions and answering them directly.
“But I think not withstanding our personal reflection and views on this, I must say it (makes for a) healthy discourse—it puts the prime minister and the government on guard. This gives real meaning and essence to what we call democratic accountability,” Anwar said.
“Democracy isn’t just about elections every four, five years. Democracy is about a system that would allow the ruling party to be questioned, criticised and assesssed by the people.”
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/09/18/democracy-is-about-being-questioned-criticised-pm-anwar-urges-asean-lawmakers-to-embrace-scrutiny/191526
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Islamic Party PAS Pushes For ‘Big Brother’ Role
Ikhwan Zulkaflee
2025-09-18
PETALING JAYA: PAS leaders have signalled the party’s readiness to be the “big brother” in Perikatan Nasional, positioning PAS for greater influence in shaping the coalition’s strategies and political direction.
PAS central working committee member Datuk Iskandar Abdul Samad said the push for PAS to lead PN was not merely a party aspiration but also a reflection of grassroots sentiment.
“Many Malaysians, especially at the grassroots, believe PAS has the leadership capability to steer Perikatan forward. This has nothing to do with Bersatu’s decision to nominate Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as its prime ministerial candidate – it is simply what the people want,” he told theSun via WhatsApp, adding that growing dissatisfaction with the Madani government was fuelling calls for change.
“PAS is ready to lead the people and ensure their aspirations are fulfilled,” said the former Selangor exco.
As proof of its intent, Iskandar said the PN headquarters should be relocated to PAS’ main office on Jalan Raja Laut in Kuala Lumpur.
“This move would show that PAS’ aspiration is not rhetoric, but a serious commitment.”
Fellow committee member Tan Sri Annuar Musa said it was high time for PAS to take charge.
“We are ready to move to the next level, God willing. We are already the largest single party in Parliament,” said the former Ketereh MP.
Last Saturday, PAS vice-president and Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar said the timing was right for PAS to assume leadership of PN.
“We are monitoring the views of various quarters, including feedback from party wings. I believe the proposal is important and will be discussed at tomorrow’s central committee meeting,” he said in Hulu Terengganu.
On Sept 12, PAS Youth unanimously passed a motion at its general assembly calling for the party to lead PN and the nation, proposing deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man as its preferred candidate for prime minister.
The move came in response to Bersatu’s recent decision to endorse Muhyiddin as its candidate for the 11th prime minister during its annual general assembly earlier this month.
PAS emerged as the biggest winner in the 15th General Election, which resulted in a hung parliament. The party secured 49 parliamentary seats, surpassing DAP (40), PKR (31), Umno (26) and Bersatu (25).
Its previous best performance was in 1999, when it won 27 seats.
At state level, PAS governs four states
- Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu - collectively known as SG4. The bloc has set up SG4 Group Sdn Bhd to pool resources and share economic benefits for joint development.
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/malaysia-news/islamic-party-pushes-for-big-brother-role-GN14918853
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MACC widens counter-setting probe to families, associates of arrested officers
18 Sep 2025
SEPANG, Sept 18 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is now examining the financial records of family members and close associates of those arrested in the counter-setting scandal, said Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki.
He said the move is part of efforts to trace the money trail behind the counter-setting activities, with the probe extending to all linked to those in custody.
“Whoever is associated with them will be investigated. For now, we consider them as witnesses, and we need to obtain full clarification, as some have claimed that the money came from other people (sources).
“We will carry out further investigations in this matter. The money trail isn’t extensive since it doesn’t involve a corporate entity, but they still need to account for the source of the funds, and anyone linked will be called in,” he said when asked if the probe includes family members and close associates.
He spoke to reporters after attending the 4th National Conference on Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption Research here today.
He added that MACC will also look into how those arrested managed to buy luxury cars, run businesses, and amass large sums of cash.
“They will be issued notices to declare their assets… and all of this will be scrutinised, including how the money was acquired and its sources,” he said.
He added that the MACC has also launched an investigation under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLATFPUAA 2001).
He also confirmed that no new arrests have been made but did not rule out the possibility of further arrests, depending on the investigators’ findings.
On September 10, MACC said it had arrested 27 individuals, including 18 enforcement agency officers, for their suspected involvement in a counter-setting syndicate, which facilitates the entry of foreigners into the country without following prescribed procedures.
According to sources, all 27 suspects — 19 men and eight women, aged between 20 and 50 — were detained in operations conducted across Selangor, Melaka, Kuala Lumpur, and Negeri Sembilan. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/09/18/macc-widens-counter-setting-probe-to-families-associates-of-arrested-officers/191520
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/muslim-majority-state-assam-religion-division/d/136888