Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Comes Out In Support Of Bhagwat while Several Muslim Organizations Are Criticizing
New Age Islam News Bureau
30 August 2025
Photo: IANS
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· All India Muslim Jamaat Chief Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Comes Out In Support Of Bhagwat while Several Muslim Organizations Are Criticizing
· US Revokes Visas Of Palestinian President, Other Officials Ahead Of UN General Assembly
· Ban On Public PrayerIn The Fall: Muslim Group Says Quebec’s Move Targets Community
· Why Soldiers Run Away When Boko Haram Attacks – General Williams
· How Saudi Arabia Is Nurturing A New Generation Of Eco-Journalists
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India
· SC Directs J&K HC To Examine Plea Against Book Ban Over Secession Charges
· Supreme Court Asks Centre Over Illegal Detention Of Muslim Workersfrom Bengal
· Don’t Burden Indian Women With ‘Three Children’ Theory: Owaisi To RSS Chief Bhagwat
· Sambhal report shows how Hindus were targeted in order to change demography: UP CM Yogi Adityanath
· Delhi HC Defers Trial Against Kapil Mishra In 2020 ‘Mini Pakistan’ Comments Case
· Rahul Invokes Mahatma Gandhi’s Non-Violence After BJP Protest Outside Congress Office In Patna
· 'Reflects Communist Mindset': RSS Chief’s Three Children Advice Sets Off War Of Words
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North America
· Peel Police Investigate After Person Damaged Mississauga Mosque
· US court rules many of Trump's global tariffs are illegal
· Why has Kamala Harris' security detail been withdrawn?
· Rubio hands USAID over for final termination
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Africa
· The Hard Life of a Kenyan Christian Teacher at a Muslim School
· It’s unfair to Muslims for Friday to be working day – Reno Omokri
· Official campaigns launch for Guinea referendum amidst new media coverage guidelines
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Arab World
· Saudi minister meets US industry experts
· Saudi Culture Ministry to hold photography expo in Venice
· Ministry of Culture, Korea Heritage Service sign agreement to enhance cooperation
· Saudis, expatriates throng Jeddah fish auction for a bargain
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Europe
· Inside The Abandoned St Thomas’ United Reformed Church Set To Become A Community Mosque
· Russia Ready To Assist Taliban Government In Afghanistan – Former Defence Minister
· 'Disgraceful cowards' target South Essex Islamic Centre with graffiti as police issue wanted appeal
· BBC Proms performance interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters
· EU state pledges to outpace US in NATO military spending
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Mideast
· Ibb Stages 290 Pro-Gaza Marches, Vows Continued Support, Jihad
· Million-Man Marches in Capital Sana’a, Across provinces in Defence of Holy Qur’an and Al-Aqsa Mosque
· Palestinian Resistance Committees: Israeli Aggression on Yemen proves it targets All components of Ummah
· Islamic Jihad condemns new Israeli aggression on Yemen
· Jordanian foreign minister calls for global action over latest Israeli offensive in Gaza
· Lebanese army completes disarmament of 6 Palestinian refugee camps
· Fired employees accuse Microsoft of complicity in Gaza genocide
· Turkiye sets year-end goal for PKK peace framework
· Journalist Mariam Dagga’s final images show where she was killed by an Israeli strike in Gaza
· Lahj: Three rallies in Al-Qubaita under slogan “With Gaza, Jihad & Steadfastness… In Anger for Spilled Blood & Violated Sanctities”
· 50,000 Worshippers perform Friday prayers at al-Aqsa Mosque
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South Asia
· 32 Sacks Of Cash, Gold, Foreign Currency Found In Bangladesh’s Pagla Mosque Donation Boxes
· UN Envoy Urges Pakistan to Halt Deportation of Afghan Refugees
· US Court Blocks Trump’s Expanded Fast-Track Deportation Plan
· Attack of Nur: GonoOdhikar Parishad to stage nationwide protests today
· Jatiya Party office in Rajshahi vandalised over attack on Nur
· Public Health Minister Emphasize Anti-Smuggling Measures for Food Products
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Southeast Asia
· Three To Face BatuPahatSyariah Court Over Viral ‘Djinn Ritual’ KudaKepangClip
· High Court Jails Man 16 Years For Promoting Islamic State And Possessing Terror-Linked Materials
· Hajiji teases Sabah state assembly dissolution, says media can ‘still take one- or two-week’ break
· Anwar hails Madani government for dismantling entrenched market cartels, calls it true independence
· Kedah MB Sanusi declines PAS vice-president nomination again
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/muslim-support-bhagwat-organizations-criticizing/d/136659
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All India Muslim Jamaat Chief Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Comes Out In Support Of Bhagwat while Several Muslim Organizations Are Criticizing
August 29, 2025
Photo: IANS
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While several Muslim organizations are criticizing RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat for his recent statements, All India Muslim Jamaat’s National President Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi has come out in his support.
Talking to the media here on Friday, the Maulana said this is not the first time Mohan Bhagwat said such things. In fact, he has aired his views on various occasions to connect the society, which developed positive thinking in the country. “The RSS chief exhorted fellow Hindus not to look for a temple under every mosque and repeated the same at the conference at Vigyan Bhavan, Delhi. He also talked about taking everyone along and claimed that when everyone walks together, the country will progress,” he added, claiming that such statements always unite the country.
He noted that the RSS is the biggest organization of India. Such a big organization of the followers of any religion has not come into existence in the country.
The maulana said the positive thinking of the Sangh chief would reduce the growing Hindu-Muslim tensions in the country. People of all communities should listen and read his statements and articles with a positive attitude.
He poited out that there are many organizations that keep creating disturbances in the country. Neither can anyone progress through mutual conflict and hatred nor can the society or the country progress. For progress, people of all communities will have to walk together, he added.
Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi further said that in the last two years it has been seen that religious places like mosques, madrasas, tombs, and shrines were targeted by anti-social elements in different parts of the country due to which the situation has become tense. After these efforts of the Sangh chief, Muslims have a hope that now the activities of anti-social elements will be stopped in the country and a harmonious environment will be established.
Source: thestatesman.com
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https://www.thestatesman.com/india/muslim-jamaat-chief-comes-out-in-support-of-bhagwat-1503478623.html
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US revokes visas of Palestinian president, other officials ahead of UN General Assembly
Aug 30, 2025
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. File | Photo Credit: AP
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio has revoked the visas of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and 80 other officials ahead of next month's annual high-level meeting of the UN General Assembly, where the Palestinians previously have been represented.
A State Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss visa issues that are normally confidential, disclosed Friday that Abbas and other officials from the Palestinian Authority were among those affected.
The move is the latest in a series of steps the Trump administration has taken to target Palestinians with visa restrictions and comes as the Israeli military declared Gaza's largest city a combat zone. The State Department also suspended a program that had allowed injured Palestinian children from Gaza to come to the US for medical treatment after a social media outcry by some conservatives.
The department said in a statement earlier that Rubio also ordered some new visa applications from Palestinian officials, including those tied to the Palestine Liberation Organisation, be denied.
"It is in our national security interests to hold the PLO and PA accountable for not complying with their commitments, and for undermining the prospects for peace," the statement said.It said that to be considered partners for peace the groups "must consistently repudiate terrorism, and end incitement to terrorism in education, as required by US law and as promised by the PLO."
The State Department didn't specify how many visas had been revoked or how many applications had been denied or give details beyond its statement.
The Palestinian Authority denounced the visa withdrawals as a violation of US commitments as the host country of the United Nations and urged the State Department to reverse its decision.
It said in a statement that the Palestinian presidency "expressed its deep regret and astonishment" at the visa decision, which "contravenes international law and the Headquarters Agreement, especially since the State of Palestine is an observer member of the United Nations."
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the world body would be seeking clarification from the State Department.
"We obviously hope that this will be resolved," he said. "It is important that all member states, permanent observers be able to be represented."
The State Department said representatives assigned to the Palestinian Authority mission at the United Nations would be granted waivers under the US host country agreement with the U.N. so they can continue their New York-based operations.
The Palestinian ambassador to the UN, Riyad Mansour, told reporters Friday that Abbas planned to lead the delegation to the UN meetings and was expected to address the General Assembly - as he has done for many years.
He also was expected to attend a high-level meeting co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia on September 22 about a two-state solution, which calls for Israel living side-by-side with an independent Palestine.
Source: indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/us-revokes-visas-of-palestinian-president-other-officials-ahead-of-un-general-assembly/articleshow/123594449.cms
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Ban On Public PrayerIn The Fall: Muslim Group Says Quebec’s Move Targets Community
SwiddaRassy
August 29, 2025
Quebec plans to introduce legislation to ban prayers in public spaces in the fall, but one Muslim group says they feel targeted.
The head of the National Council of Canadian Muslims says the ban is concerning.
“The idea that somehow prayer in the street is a new thing or a dangerous thing is absurd,” said CEO Stephen Brown.
He adds, “The exact same thing is happening with other communities, but they don’t talk about it.”
The move comes amid simmering tension in Quebec over Muslim prayers taking place as part of pro-Palestinian demonstrations, including in front of the Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal.
In December, the CAQ expressed unease with people praying in public.
Brown says when it comes to pro-Palestinian demonstrators, organizers have permits to allow them to use the space.
“What are we going to start doing in Quebec? Mandating that you get your messaging approved by the government before you’re given a permit to go protest?”
This comes in the wake of an independent committee that provided 50 recommendations to the Quebec government on how to strengthen secularism.
While the report stopped short of recommending a provincial ban on public prayers, it said it should be up to the municipalities to decide.
Côte-Saint-Luc Mayor Mitchell Brownstein applauds the move from the province.
“Municipalities know their communities best, and we certainly would not allow it to happen blocking the street or in other situations. It has to be reasonable,” said Brownstein.
That said, Brown believes the ban is merely a political move.
“This is a government that is looking for a win a year out from an election in order to boost its poll numbers,” he said.
Political analyst and former NDP leader Tom Mulcair agrees. He says the move shows that the CAQ government is in trouble.
“They know that this is something that they can ride with a good part of their base and their hope to try to get their voters back,” said Mulcair.
He adds, “Mr. [Francois] Legault understands that a good part of his base is uneasy for all sorts of reasons with the Muslim community.”
A statement from Secularism Minister Jean-Francois Roberge reads, “The Premier of Quebec has given me the mandate to strengthen secularism, and I am determined to fulfill that mandate diligently.”
Source: ctvnews.ca
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https://www.ctvnews.ca/montreal/article/ban-on-public-prayer-muslim-group-says-quebecs-move-targets-community/
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Why Soldiers Run Away When Boko Haram Attacks – General Williams
August 29, 2025
By OladipoAbiola
Former Chief of Defence Training and Planning, General Ishola Williams (retd.), has stated that soldiers in Nigeria are not properly briefed before they are deployed to the war front to fight against insurgency.
He submitted that the lack of proper education and training on the type of war they are fighting is why the soldiers flee when they are attacked by insurgents such as the Boko Haram terrorist group.
Williams, however, stated that the wars against insurgency and Nigeria’s battle with insecurity can end in six months if security agencies are reorganized, a new intelligence and counterintelligence system is developed, and proper training is given to personnel.
Naija News reports that the retired General added that purchasing more weapons is not the solution to curbing insecurity in Nigeria.
“All these problems can be solved within six months. Reorganise the security agencies.
“Develop a new technical system, develop a new intelligence and counterintelligence system and train the people properly.
“You must train the soldiers how to fight. If you ask any soldier in the North-East or South-East, what are you fighting for? Has anybody ever explained to them what they are fighting for?
“If they don’t know what they are fighting for, they just take it like an ordinary duty. And if they are tired, they are tired. So there has been cases that soldier run away when Boko Haram attacks,” he stated while speaking during a Channels Television interview on Friday.
Williams decried a situation whereby some communities still support the terrorists and bandits, hence frustrating government’s efforts.
The retired general also emphasised the need for traditional rulers to be fully involved in sensitising the people to the importance of collaborating more closely with security agencies.
On the issue of arms smuggling, he called on Immigration, Customs, and Police operatives to have greater inter-agency synergy.
He stated that some arms still illegally pass through the nation’s borders because of collusion by some personnel.
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2025/08/29/why-soldiers-run-away-when-boko-haram-attacks-general-williams/
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How Saudi Arabia is nurturing a new generation of eco-journalists
HAIFA ALSHAMMARI
August 29, 2025
Saad Al-Matrafi, executive director and official spokesperson at NCEC. (Supplied/NCEC
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RIYADH: As a nation moving toward a greener future, Saudi Arabia is building bridges between the public and officials, raising awareness, and designing campaigns that promote sustainable development.
These efforts, in line with Vision 2030, seek to educate people about ecosystems and how they play a role in protecting and improving them. To support these goals, communication is critical. Journalism is one of the most effective tools.
Environmental journalism, used widely in both developed and developing nations, plays an essential role in shaping public awareness.
From reporting on ecological issues to empowering communities to take part in Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia needs more environmental journalists. Yet the field remains relatively unknown in the country.
Recognizing this gap, the National Center for Environmental Compliance has begun taking steps to advocate for and support eco-journalism.
“I think we had been noticing for the past years … a decade ago that there wasn’t really this professional, specialized media… in the Arab world,” Saad Al-Matrafi, NCEC’s executive director of media and communication and official spokesperson, told Arab News.
Al-Matrafi noted that while political, business, and sports journalism are quite popular, environmental journalism lags far behind.
“Here at the center we’re concentrating on actually bringing up a specialized generation, to be well-focused, well-informed, and educated about the environment,” he said.
Al-Matrafi explained that environmental journalists should not only report on events but also take part in wider conversations, join awareness programs, promote environmental education, and act as a bridge between the public and policymakers
That role is recognized internationally. UNESCO has identified environmental journalism as a critical field for reporting, investigating and communicating environmental issues to the public.
In a 2024 report, the UN agency noted that more than 70 percent of environmental journalists worldwide had been attacked for their work over the past 15 years — a period that also saw a surge in disinformation on environmental issues.
Al-Matrafi tied the role of journalists directly to the broader goals of Vision 2030, which emphasizes improving quality of life across the Kingdom.
“If we relate that to our strategy at the NCEC, part of that is improving the quality of life of citizens and the visitors and the tourists of the Kingdom,” he said.
For him, compliance programs and inspection systems are not simply about monitoring firms and factories. They are also about ensuring safer conditions for workers, their families and communities.
He stressed that the center’s efforts are for both individuals’ well-being and society as a whole.
Here, again, journalism plays a vital role. By raising awareness among workers, companies and institutions, reporters can help explain why compliance with environmental regulations and inspections matters.
Al-Matrafi stressed that NCEC’s purpose is not to detect violations and issue penalties, but to save lives.
He described operations the center oversees, such as preventing and managing oil spills, which, if neglected, could cause severe health and environmental damage.
“We have all these kinds of sensors in the sea to detect if there is any pollution in the water that could affect our marine life,” he said. “We were using the satellite to detect if there’s any pollution in the soil, and it’s really very high.”
Preventing and managing oil spills is a critical task for environmental response centers, involving monitoring, preparedness, rapid response, and long-term cleanup to limit health and environmental damage.
“These technical satellite programs are used to detect very small details,” Al-Matrafi said. “For instance, if that satellite notices or detects any pollution in the soil, it will give us notes and reports.
“We are helping the environment to be better. It’s affecting your life and your kids’ lives.”
Al-Matrafi also highlighted the NCEC’s national oil spill drills. “We have two national oil spill drills a year — the last one was in Yanbu in July,” he said. “It was drill number 17 … and I think this is one of the most interesting experiences that I'd like to cover.
“It goes from 40 to 60 entities in the country who actually participate … that covers government entities, private sector, and even non-government sectors like institutes, universities. In the future, we are going to add volunteers to be part of that.”
Journalists, he noted, are central to these exercises. “We have journalists on the boats to see what is going on, and we have them in the media center, they write, they take shots, and they record … I think it is a great opportunity to be part of that.”
Al-Matrafi concluded that no matter how much effort a nation invests in tackling environmental challenges, raising awareness is just as important. “It’s awareness, enlightenment, instructions, and good journalism.”
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2613485/saudi-arabia
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India
SC directs J&K HC to examine plea against book ban over secession charges
30.08.25
The Supreme Court on Friday requested a three-judge bench of Jammu and Kashmir High Court to examine the controversy surrounding the Union Territory’s notification banning 25 books on the ground that they encourage secessionism and endanger India’s sovereignty.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant, Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi passed the order while disposing of a petition filed by Shakir Shabir challenging the Union Territory’s decision to ban the books, which include those written by constitutional expert A.G. Noorani and activist-author Arundhati Roy.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police banned the books under Section 98 of the BNSS, which empowers them and the other authorities concerned the “power to declare certain publications forfeited and to issue search warrants for the same”.
The Supreme Court order said: “We have heard learned senior counsel for the petitioner. Having regard to the issues sought to be raised in the instant writ petition, we are satisfied that the petitioner can seek redressal thereof effectively by way of writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution before the high court of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Consequently, we dispose of this petition with liberty to the petitioner to raise all the contentions before the high court.”
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/supreme-court-directs-jammu-and-kashmir-high-court-to-examine-plea-against-book-ban-over-secession-charges-prnt/cid/2120400
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Supreme Court Asks Centre Over Illegal Detention Of Muslim Workersfrom Bengal
30.08.25
The Supreme Court on Friday sought a reply from the Centre on allegations that migrant Muslim workers from Bengal were being detained illegally in many states on suspicion of being Bangladeshis.
It, however, said that Calcutta High Court was free to deal with the habeas corpus petition moved before it for the production of “Sunali Bibi”, allegedly deported to
Bangladesh.
The Telegraph had reported that a migrant couple from Birbhum — Danish Sheikh, 26, and Sonali Khatun, 24 — had been pushed into Bangladesh by Delhi Police along with their son Sabir, 5, and three other Bengali migrant workers. A habeas corpus petition on “Sunali Khatun and five others” is pending before the high court.
The apex court on Friday impleaded the state of Gujarat in the matter. Nine other states had been issued notices during the last hearing of the petition, moved by the West Bengal Migrant Workers Welfare Board.
These states are Bengal, Odisha, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Delhi, Bihar,
Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Haryana.
Appearing for the board, advocate Prashant Bhushan complained that Sunali had been forcibly pushed out of the country merely because she was a Bengali speaker, without anybody determining that she was indeed a foreigner. He said this violated international laws and covenants.
“She has been arrested by Bangladeshi authorities who are saying she’s an Indian,” Bhushan told the bench of Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul Pancholi.
Bhushan added: “These are the kind of things that are happening and the Calcutta High Court had adjourned the habeas corpus plea filed on her behalf as the Supreme Court was hearing the issue relating to the deportation of Bengali-speaking Muslims.”
He said that in some instances, BSF personnel had threatened to shoot those being deported unless they ran to the other side of the border.
“Once a person is within the Indian landmass, there must be some procedure which is to be followed,” Justice Bagchi observed.
Solicitor-general Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, intervened to question the board’s locus standi.
“Why have associations/ organisations come here? Let some individual come saying, ‘I am being pushed out.’ The moment they come, they will have to justify (their) presence legally,” he said.
The bench, however, observed that the petitioner’s allegation was that people were being singled out solely because they are Bengali speakers. “Is language a presumption of being a foreigner?” it asked.
Justice Kant, however, agreed with Mehta that illegal immigration was going on.
“There are persons who are trying to enter — (in) forcing them back, there should not be any difficulty. But those who are presumed to have entered, the first question is they have to show proof of citizenship,” he said.
Justice Bagchi said: “There are questions of national security, integrity of nation... preservation of our resources — but at the same time, we have a legacy of common heritage. In Bengal and Punjab, the language is the same, the border divides us. We want the Union of India to clarify on the issue.”
Bhushan said that illegal detentions were now happening even in Gujarat, with nearly 1,000 people lodged in detention centres.
The bench asked Bhushan whether the police did not have the power to detain people on the apprehension that they were illegal immigrants. “Even on apprehension, one can be detained,” it remarked.
It posted the next hearing to September 11.
In its order, the apex court said: “…We clarify that the issue raised in the writ petition pending before this court is entirely different and has no bearing on the writ… of habeas corpus pending before the high court. Consequently, we request the high court to immediately take up the (plea) and other similar matters to pass appropriate orders.”
Mamata ‘relief’
In a post on X, Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said the top court’s directive “to hear the plea of the migrant workers on priority in the High Court… comes as a huge relief to the detained workers”.
“We repose full faith in the judiciary to ensure dignity, fairness and constitutional justice for every worker from Bengal,” she added.
Source: telegraphindia.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/bengalis-singled-out-supreme-court-asks-centre-over-illegal-detention-of-muslim-workers-prnt/cid/2120408#goog_rewarded
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Don’t burden Indian women with ‘three children’ theory: Owaisi to RSS chief Bhagwat
August 29, 2025
In a scathing attack on RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday (August 29, 2025) advised him against burdening Indian women with his “three children a family” theory.
He also slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that animosity against Muslims was “institutionalised” during his tenure.
In an exclusive interview with PTI Videos, Mr. Owaisi accused the RSS and organisations sponsored or supported by it of being responsible for “spreading anti-Muslim hatred”.
Citing the 2011 census, the AIMIM leader said the Muslim population growth rate is decreasing and stood at 14.23% compared to nearly 80% of Hindus.
“And now you are saying, okay, give birth to three children. Who are you to enter into people’s family lives? Why are you trying to put a burden on Indian women, who might have their own different priorities in their lives? So, this is a classic double speak of RSS,” he said.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had on Thursday (August 28, 2025) said every Indian family should have three children to keep the population sufficient and under control.
Mr. Bhagwat also said RSS doesn't believe in attacking anyone, including on religious lines.
In response, the Hyderabad Lok Sabha MP cited numerous examples wherein Mr. Bhagwat called Muslims “chorikasamaan (stolen goods) and Mughal badshaahkiaulad (descendants of Mughal rulers).”
“Who is holding all the dharamsansads and calling for an open genocide of Muslims and open rape of women?” he asked.
They claim to have no connection with all these right-wing organisations, he added.
“So, it is the RSS-sponsored, RSS-supported organisations which talk about and perpetuate hate against Muslims. In fact, hate against Muslims has been institutionalised during Mr. Narendra Modi's tenure,” he alleged.
Mr. Owaisi further said people of the country should recognise the need to remove the BJP from power in the upcoming election, giving them a political retirement.
“We must not give them this comfort of retiring, they themselves retiring. It is the people of India and democracy, I hope, and we are striving for it that they (BJP) should be retired from politics forever,” he opined.
According to Mr. Owaisi, V.D. Savarkar propounded the two-nation theory in his 19th session of the Hindu Mahasabha in Ahmedabad in 1937, and later in 1940, it was espoused by the Muslim League.
Source: thehindu.com
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https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/dont-burden-indian-women-with-three-children-theory-owaisi-to-rss-chief-bhagwat/article69989331.ece
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Sambhal report: Yogi says files reveal how conspiracy unfolded; minister flags 'demographic shift'
Aug 29, 2025
NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said that the Sambhal report, which the judicial commission submitted, revealed how a conspiracy for riot unfolded in 2024.
The three-member panel met the CM on Thursday and submitted its report concerning the violence that erupted near the Shahi Jama Masjid on November 24 during an ASI-monitored survey of the mosque. The unrest resulted in four fatalities and injuries to several others. In the document, a sharp demographic shift is observed.
Highlighting major demographic shifts in Sambhal, the report notes that the Hindu population declined from 45 percent at the time of Independence to 15 percent currently, while Muslims now constitute 85 percent of the population.
Speaking at the inauguration and foundation-laying ceremony for various development projects in Sambhal, the UP CM asserted that the state is transitioning from "appeasement" to "satisfaction," leaving no room for any demographic shift. Adityanath linked the violence to a history of “targeted actions” against Hindus under previous state governments.
“The judicial commission submitted its report on the Sambhal incident on Thursday, revealing parts of how a conspiracy for riot unfolded in 2024," Adityanath said. “During the tenure of the Samajwadi Party and Congress, Hindus were selectively targeted, their demography was reduced, they were continuously subjected to oppression, and areas were made Hindu-free through riots. But there is a double-engine govt in place today, which will not allow the demography to change. Whoever dares to change the demography will be forced to flee because every citizen is now getting the benefits of government schemes without any discrimination,” he added.
According to the PTI's sources, the judicial panel report asserts that Hindus have been "consistently made the primary target in every riot since 1947" and were again the focus of a plot during the Sambhal flare-up.
The report credits Uttar Pradesh Police with preventing a "massacre" and notes that the rioters were brought in from outside the region. The report also links internal clashes to enduring Turk-Pathan tensions and states that the controversy over the Harihar temple, allegedly replaced by the mosque, was exacerbated by references to Babur's legacy, intensifying the atmosphere, the sources told PTI.
Report alleges that radical organisations and illegal arms and drug networks were activated to destabilise the region, while praising the swift action taken by the state.
According to the PTI, the panel traces Sambhal's history of communal strife to a 1953 Shia-Sunni clash, with major riots occurring in 1956, 1959, 1962—when Jan Sangh MLA Mahesh Gupta was stabbed—1966, and 1976, when a mosque committee dispute and the murder of a maulvi triggered temple attacks and curfews.
Meanwhile, minister of state for secondary education Gulab Devi flagged the issue and asked where did the 30 per cent of Hindu population go.
Commenting on the report, Devi, said, “The investigation shows that the Hindu population in Sambhal dropped from 45 per cent at the time of Independence to 15 per cent now.
“Where did this 30 per cent go? Did they migrate? Did they convert? Or were they killed? The high court or our government will take action based on the facts mentioned in the report.”
Source: indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/sambhal-report-yogi-says-files-reveal-how-conspiracy-unfolded-minister-flags-demographic-shift/articleshow/123585468.cms
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Delhi HC defers trial against Kapil Mishra in 2020 ‘Mini Pakistan’ comments case
by Sohini Ghosh
August 30, 2025
The Delhi High Court on Thursday requested a trial court to defer hearing in a case involving Delhi Law Minister Kapil Mishra in a 2020 FIR over his tweets, which allegedly accused AAP and Congress of creating a ‘Mini Pakistan’ in Shaheen Bagh during protests against National Register of Citizens (NRC) and Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) .
With the trial court due to hear arguments on framing of charges on Friday, Justice RavinderDudeja requested the court “to defer the hearing on charge to a date subsequent to the date fixed by this court”. The HC will now hear Mishra’s plea next on October 13.
In a plea filed before HC earlier, Mishra had challenged summons issued to him by a magistrate court in connection to the 2020 case lodged against him under Section 125 (promoting enmity between classes in connection with election) of the Representation of the People Act. Now, he has included an application in the plea, seeking a stay on the trial on the ground that certain documents provided by the prosecution “were incomprehensible”.
In 2020, Mishra has been accused of making objectionable statements in the electronic media like “Delhi meinchhotechhote Pakistan bane (there are mini-Pakistans in Delhi)” and “Shaheen Bagh mein Pak ki entry (Pakistan has entered Shaheen Bagh)”. The case also pertains to his tweet where he had said that there will be an “India vs Pakistan” contest on the “streets of Delhi” on February 8, the day of Delhi elections in 2020.
In March, Mishra had made a similar request to stay trial proceedings against him in the 2020 case until HC hears the challenge to the summons issued to him, on the ground that his “reputation will be damaged if charges are framed”. Justice Dudeja at the time had refused to grant a stay and clarified that the “trial court is at liberty to proceed further”.
The police had filed a second supplementary chargesheet in the case on July 5 and a third supplementary chargesheet on August 1 before the trial court, submitting that the probe is complete.
Fresh evidence mentioned in the chargesheet included information on Mishra’s X account, which the police had sought from the social media platform. According to the chargesheet, X had given access to Mishra’s account with a single URL for downloading and retrieving the files. The police attached the downloaded files with the supplementary chargesheet.
However, with Mishra maintaining that such files are “incomprehensible”, the court, while deferring the trial, recorded, “It has been submitted that since the documents are incomprehensible, the prosecution, before the hearing of arguments on charge, must provide interpreted documents to the petitioner (Mishra), failing which, the trial may get vitiated.”
Source: indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/delhi-hc-defers-trial-against-kapil-mishra-in-2020-mini-pakistan-comments-case-10219638/
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Rahul invokes Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violence after BJP protest outside Congress office in Patna
29.08.25
Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that truth and non-violence will prevail after BJP workers pelted stones and vandalised vehicles outside the gates of Congress headquarters in Patna.
"Truth and non-violence prevail, untruth and violence cannot stand before them. Beat and break, as much as you want to beat and break - we will continue to protect truth and the Constitution. SatyamevaJayate," the Leader of Opposition wrote on X.
The Congress MP’s post came as Union home minister Amit Shah accused the Congress leader of lowering the standard of political discourse.
Speaking at an event in Assam on Friday, Shah said: “Rahul Gandhi should apologise to the PM, his late mother and the people of the country if he has any shame left. The nation is watching him and his party in disgust.”
A viral video emerged online on Thursday, showing unidentified people allegedly abusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his late mother purportedly from the Voter Adhikar Yatra of the opposition.
The Telegraph Online has not independently verified the authenticity of the video.
Shah further called the Bihar yatra as a “Ghuspetiya Bachao Yatra (Save Infiltrators Yatra)” and claimed that Gandhi’s politics has touched the “lowest level.”
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar echoed Shah’s views and wrote on X: "The use of indecent language against PM Narendra Modi Ji and his late mother from the Congress and RJD platforms during the Voter Adhikar Yatra in Darbhanga is extremely unbecoming, and I condemn it.”
The Congress has called the home minister’s comments and the BJP protests a ploy to sabotage the Voter Adhikar Yatra.
Even as the controversy over the video unfolded, the Congress continued his attack on the Election Commission. On Thursday, Rahul alleged irregularities in Bihar’s electoral rolls, pointing to Nidani village in Gaya district.
Sharing a Congress post on social media, he wrote: “See the magic of EC. An entire village has settled down in one house.”
The Congress post claimed that under the Barachatti assembly segment, “all 947 voters” of a polling booth had been shown to be residents of “house number six.”
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/rahul-invokes-mahatma-gandhis-non-violence-after-bjp-protest-outside-congress-office-in-patna/cid/2120376
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'Reflects communist mindset': RSS chief’s three children advice sets off war of words
29.08.25
Opposition leaders have accused RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat of overreach and pushing a divisive agenda for saying that families should have three children.
Uddhav Thackeray said BJP will not need to take party workers from outside.
"The advice he has given is that there should be 2-3 children, if all those people agree, then there will be no need to take their party from outside. That's why he has given it," said the former chief minister Thackeray.
Congress leader Udit Raj questioned Bhagwat’s authority. "Who are these people talking about having three children, deciding on a national policy? In today's circumstances, there should be no more than one or two children. But who are they to decide on national policy? Now that the government is theirs, they can say anything."
From Bengal, TMC’s Jay Prakash Majumdar warned against normalising such statements. "This is merely his personal opinion, it cannot be considered national policy. This reflects a communist mindset. It’s as if Mohan Bhagwat is trying to follow China’s old model."
Congress leader V. Gurunadham drew parallels with China. "RSS chief Mohan Bhagat has stated that every family must have three children. For example, China is not allowing more than one child, because the population is tremendously increasing."
NCP (SP) leader Seema Malik tied it to women’s health and malnutrition. "If we want to give quality life to our children, then population control is required. Mothers should have good health, both mothers and children suffer from malnutrition."
Congress leader Rashid Alvi said, "The biggest problem in the country is the population. How many leaders of RSS and BJP keep raising questions about the population."
"The statement about having three children, while the long-standing effort has been to encourage the 'Hum do, Humare do' norm. This is surprising and seems to promote a narrative of division, particularly with regard to the Muslim community, blaming them for something that is not true," former Union minister and Congress leader Pawan Kumar Bansal said.
Uttar Pradesh minister Om Prakash Rajbhar called Bhagwat’s comment “personal opinion” and said, “This is a free India; everyone is independent and no one can be restrained."
Shiv Sena’s Shaina NC backed Bhagwat. "If a family has three children, we can avoid the population crisis. Citing demographic science, Bhagwat states that some communities have more children, and some have fewer. To keep the nation secure, educated, and self-reliant, the idea of three children is not wrong."
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/reflects-communist-mindset-rss-chiefs-three-children-advice-sets-off-war-of-words/cid/2120328
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North America
Peel police investigate after person damaged Mississauga mosque
Aug 29, 2025
Police are investigating after a person damaged a mosque and office in Mississauga earlier this month.
Peel Regional Police say they received reports of damage caused to an Islamic Centre in the area of Montevideo Road just after 1 a.m. on Aug. 15.
Const. Tyler Bell-Morena, spokesperson for Peel police, said the incident is being investigated by the hate crime unit, but it's too early to say if it's hate motivated.
"Because it's an Islamic centre, because of the sensitive nature of that location, this is a place of worship, it's a place where people from the Islamic community gather, of course we're considering that this may be hate motivated," he told CBC Toronto on Friday.
Video surveillance footage seen by CBC shows a man breaking the glass doors of the front of the Ar-Rehman Islamic Centre with what seems to be a longboard or a skateboard.
The suspect then did the same thing to the Islamic relief centre, ICNA Relief Canada, next door before walking off.
Fortunately the person did not gain access to the establishments and no injuries were reported, said Bell-Morena.
Police have not identified the suspect by name yet, but they are working with community members in the area who have indicated that they have seen this person before, Bell-Morena said.
He said that although the hate crime unit is investigating, the suspect is being sought for mischief.
"It's important that we do an investigation because not all things that happen at religious institutions are hate motivated, and sometimes they are. That's to basically say all hate incidents are crimes, but not all crimes are hate motivated," said Bell-Morena.
Community is shaken
Some in the community are scared, said Minhaj Qureshi, chairperson with ICNA Canada Mississauga.
"There's fear among them. They are asking the question whether we are safe here or not," Qureshi told CBC on Friday.
Qureshi said he believes the incident was hate motivated and is calling out the police for not releasing more information on the investigation.
"What are they [police] doing? So far we have no information about whether the person was arrested or not," said Qureshi. "We want justice. We want equality. That's what we are demanding, we are not demanding anything else."
He said he also wants to understand why police haven't released a photo or video of the suspect yet.
"Twelve days have passed, but so far they have not released that picture," said Qureshi.
Bell-Morena said the reason why police haven't put out any information on the investigation is because investigators believe there are no threats to the public.
"If this was an outward attack towards an individual, we would have a much more accelerated approach in terms of appealing to the public," said Bell-Morena.
"Investigators want to find this guy and they're right now pursuing some investigative leads and they sometimes have to weigh the balance of holding on to information before they put it out publicly because sometimes that can hinder their approach and what they have planned."
Source: cbc.ca
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https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/mosque-office-damaged-mississauga-1.7621520
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US court rules many of Trump's global tariffs are illegal
Aug 30, 2025
A US appeals court has ruled that most tariffs issued by US President Donald Trump are illegal, setting up a potential legal showdown that could upend his foreign policy agenda.
The ruling affects Trump's "reciprocal" tariffs, imposed on most countries around the world, as well as other tariffs slapped on China, Mexico and Canada.
In a 7-4 decision, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit rejected Trump's argument that the tariffs were permitted under an emergency economic powers act, calling them "invalid as contrary to law".
The ruling will not take effect until 14 October to give the administration time to ask the Supreme Court to take up the case.
Trump criticised the appeals court and its ruling on Truth Social, saying: "If allowed to stand, this Decision would literally destroy the United States of America."
"Today a Highly Partisan Appeals Court incorrectly said that our Tariffs should be removed, but they know the United States of America will win in the end," he wrote.
"If these Tariffs ever went away, it would be a total disaster for the Country. It would make us financially weak, and we have to be strong."
Trump had justified the tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), which gives the president the power to act against "unusual and extraordinary" threats.
Trump has declared a national emergency on trade, arguing that a trade imbalance is harmful to US national security. But the court ruled that imposing tariffs is not within the president's mandate, and that setting levies is "a core Congressional power".
In its judgement, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit rejected Trump's argument that the tariffs were permitted under his emergency economic powers, calling the levies "invalid as contrary to law".
The 127-page ruling says that the IEEPA "neither mentions tariffs (or any of its synonyms) nor has procedural safeguards that contain clear limits on the President's power to impose tariffs".
The power to impose taxes and tariffs therefore continues to belong to Congress, the court ruled, and the IEEPA does not override this.
The court wrote that it is unlikely that when Congress passed the law in 1977, it was intended to "depart from its past practice and grant the President unlimited authority to impose tariffs".
"Whenever Congress intends to delegate to the President the authority to impose tariffs, it does so explicitly, either by using unequivocal terms like tariff and duty, or via an overall structure which makes clear that Congress is referring to tariffs," the judges wrote.
The ruling comes in response to two lawsuits filed by small businesses and a coalition of US states.
The lawsuits were filed after Trump's executive orders in April, which imposed a baseline 10% tariff on almost every country in the world, as well as "reciprocal" tariffs on dozens of countries. Trump declared the date to be America's "liberation day" from unfair trade policies.
In May, the New York-based Court of International Trade declared the tariffs were unlawful. That decision was put on hold during the appeal process.
In addition to those tariffs, Friday's ruling also strikes down tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China, which Trump argues are necessary to stop the importation of drugs.
However, the decision does not apply to other tariffs, like those imposed on steel and aluminium, which were brought in under a different presidential authority.
Ahead of the ruling, lawyers for the White House argued that invalidating the tariffs would lead to a 1929-style financial collapse, a stock market crash which led to the Great Depression.
"Suddenly revoking the President's tariff authority under IEEPA would have catastrophic consequences for our national security, foreign policy, and economy," they wrote in a letter.
"The President believes that our country would not be able to pay back the trillions of dollars that other countries have already committed to pay, which could lead to financial ruin."
The ruling also raises questions about deals some nations agreed with the US for reduced tariffs rates.
The latest development means the case is now almost certain to head to the US Supreme Court, which has in recent years taken a sceptical view toward presidents who try to implement sweeping new policies that are not directly authorised by Congress.
During Joe Biden's presidency, the court expanded on what it called the "major questions doctrine" to invalidate Democratic efforts to use existing laws to limit greenhouse gas emissions by power plants and to forgive student loan debt for millions of Americans.
The top court's nine justices, if they agree to consider the case, could weigh whether Trump's expansive tariff programme is another example of presidential overreach or if it is sufficiently grounded in law and presidential authority.
Even though the appellate court handed the president a defeat, the White House may take solace in the fact that only three of the court's 11 judges were appointed by Republicans.
The Supreme Court has six Republican appointees, including three who were selected by Trump himself.
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgj7jxkq58o
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Why has Kamala Harris' security detail been withdrawn?
Aug 30, 2025
President Donald Trump has cancelled former Vice-President Kamala Harris' Secret Service detail, seven months after she left office following her unsuccessful presidential campaign.
By law, the US Secret Service provides former vice-presidents and their families six months of protection after their terms end.
That term, however, can be extended, which former President Joe Biden reportedly did before leaving office.
The move already has caused controversy, with both California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass calling it politically motivated.
Here's what we know.
Why did Biden extend her security?
So far, neither Biden nor Harris have commented on the reasons for extending her security past the mandated six months. CNN reported that Biden extended it for one year with a previously undisclosed directive before leaving office.
From a legal perspective, Biden was within his rights to do so.
According to a law enacted in 2008, the Secret Service can provide protection to former vice-presidents, their spouses and any children under the age of 16 after leaving office.
While the law states that the protection should not extend any more than six months, the secretary of homeland security has the authority to order "temporary protection" in situations where "information or conditions warrant such protection."
Ronald Kessler, an author with expertise on the Secret Service, told the BBC that "if you set aside political implications, it's just standard practice."
Does Harris face enhanced risks?
Sources familiar with the current situation have told CBS, the BBC's US news partner, that a recent threat assessment did not uncover anything alarming to warrant extending Harris' security arrangements.
But some in Harris' team reportedly worried that as the first woman and person of colour to serve as vice-president and as a candidate in a contentious, emotionally charged election, she faced additional threats.
A number of threats against Harris were made public during her time in office and as a presidential candidate in 2024.
Several men were arrested and charged with making online threats against her in 2024, for example, and in 2021, a Florida woman pleaded guilty to making threats against Harris and admitted she sent videos to her imprisoned husband in which she displayed firearms and said that a "hit" could be carried out within 50 days.
In March, after Harris left office, a Florida man also was arrested after allegedly threatening to kill her with a sniper rifle.
Mr Kessler, however, said that compared to other politicians Harris "hasn't stirred up that much as far as I can tell."
"I think it's a sound judgement on the part of the Secret Service," he added.
The removal of Harris' detail comes just weeks before she is scheduled to begin a multi-city tour to promote her book, 107 Days, focused on her short-lived, unsuccessful presidential bid.
According to Mr Kessler, such an operation would further stretch an already overburdened and undermanned Secret Service. In September, the agency also is responsible for international dignitaries and VIPs at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
"That would require maybe a dozen Secret Service vehicles all over the country to follow on her big tour," he added. "That's a big drain on the service."
What elements of security are being taken away?
Secret Service protection extends far beyond the agents that drive a protectee, and protect them and their immediate family.
Additionally, the Secret Service is tasked with securing homes, such as Harris' Los Angeles residence, including installation of security systems and alarms. Agents pre-emptively identify and monitor potential threats, including those sent electronically or via social media.
It is unclear how much those protections cost, and the Secret Service has not published that figure.
Private security for well-known celebrities, VIPs and business leaders can easily reach millions of dollars per year, depending on the level of threats and protection required.
Meta, for example, reportedly paid over $23m (£17m) for Mark Zuckerberg's personal security in 2023, including $9.4m in direct security costs.
Is this political retribution from Trump?
After the removal of Harris' detail was announced, some of her allies and Trump's political detractors immediately characterised the move as politically motivated by the president.
Trump already removed Secret Service protection for former allies and foes alike, including Hunter and Ashley Biden, children of the former president; and Anthony Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Several former Trump officials and allies also had their protections revoked, including ex-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and John Bolton, a former national security adviser who had become a vocal critic.
"The safety of our public officials should never be subject to erratic, vindictive political impulses," Bob Salladay, spokesman for California Governor Gavin Newsom, told CNN.
Mr Kessler said that the "severely undermanned" Secret Service likely is refocusing its efforts on more immediate threats, such as those faced by Trump and members of his administration.
"President Trump may have been gleeful to do this," he said. "But there are real sound practical reasons".
Only one other former vice-president, Dick Cheney, is believed to have Secret Service protections extended after leaving office, by then-President Barack Obama.
Are the rules different for former presidents?
Unlike past vice-presidents, those who served as president have security for life, unless they choose not to.
In 1994 - to save costs - Congress moved to limit protection for ex-presidents and their spouses to 10 years after they left office.
But in 2013, President Obama signed a law again mandating lifetime protection. Today, this applies to George W Bush, Bill Clinton, Obama and Biden.
Only one president, Richard Nixon, is known to have chosen to forego the security offered, in 1985.
At the time, members of his staff told the New York Times he did so to save the agency money.
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ceqy3jnl39do
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Rubio hands USAID over for final termination
29 Aug, 2025
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Friday he was handing USAID over to the Office of Management and Budget to “oversee the closeout” of the agency.
Shortly after returning to office in January, US President Donald Trump launched the process of dismantling the agency, which has long served as Washington’s primary funding channel for political projects abroad. He accused the organization – often criticized by conservatives as promoting liberal causes – of being run by “radical lunatics” and enabling corruption “at levels rarely seen before.”
Since then, thousands of USAID employees have been dismissed or placed on leave, while billions of dollars in contracts have been frozen or canceled under Trump’s broader federal waste-cutting initiative. The administration has been battling lawsuits from dismissed employees and NGOs opposing the shutdown.
“Since January, we’ve saved the taxpayers tens of billions of dollars,” Rubio wrote in a post on X. “And with a small set of core programs moved over to the State Department, USAID is officially in close out mode.”
In the same X post, Rubio said he was now handing the agency’s final shutdown over to Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought to oversee the termination of a body he said had “long ago went off the rails.”
Vought has led Trump’s efforts to claw back funds that clash with the president’s agenda, including allocations to USAID.
USAID’s activities have long drawn criticism from some foreign leaders. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico voiced concerns over what he described as potential “gross interference” in his country’s politics. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban urged eliminating “these foreign networks” that interfere in domestic politics.
This week, former USAID chief Samantha Power admitted in a call with Russian pranksters that the agency had invested tens of millions of dollars in Moldova to support pro-EU President Maia Sandu. The money, she said, was drawn from USAID’s Ukraine funds, of which a share was earmarked for Moldova.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/623692-usaid-agency-shutdown-rubio/
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Africa
The Hard Life of a Kenyan Christian Teacher at a Muslim School
AUGUST 29, 2025
At Bil el Burbur Primary School in Wajir County, Kenya, 35-year-old SweenAmbeyi sits on the bare ground in the hot sun and points to a small blackboard hanging on the acacia tree behind her. The 16 Muslim seventh graders—6 girls and 10 boys—sit separately. Though a hijab covers her, Ambeyi is a Christian, as are four out of five Kenyans, according to the 2019 census.
Although Kenya guarantees freedom of religion, Ambeyi cannot worship openly in Wajir due to community pressure. Muslim community leaders force her to wear a hijab. “It is either you obey or be sacked,” Ambeyi said. “When you cover your face like them, they will regard you as one of their daughters. Otherwise, they will beat you up for wearing skirts and other dresses.”
She also has to hide her Bible reading. “I can open my phone and read the Bible, then pray silently,” she told CT. “That’s the only option.”
She also faces bullying and harassment. Community leaders do not allow Ambeyi or other non-Muslims to touch a Quran. Female students and fellow teachers mock her for not having experienced female genital mutilation, a common practice in the area.
Ambeyi said she can’t punish or argue with male students. “Even if a male student is in the wrong, you have to keep quiet, because they will rush home and come with their mothers.” In this culture, mothers fiercely protect their sons. Ambeyi added that the mothers start conflicts with the teachers.
But for Ambeyi, quitting is not an option. Ambeyi said unemployment would be worse, and going back to college to start another career would take years.
When she graduated as a teacher in 2019, Ambeyi worried she wouldn’t find work. She took a friend’s suggestion to search for a job in the majority-Muslim counties of northeastern Kenya. Schools there struggle to hire teachers due to instability caused by the terrorist group Al-Shabaab. (The group killed five people in April 2025 and has targeted teachers in the past.) That’s how she ended up in Wajir a year later.
“You see, life rotates around finance,” Ambeyi said.
Ambeyi first took a temporary position at Machesa Primary School for a monthly salary of 10,000 Kenyan shillings ($77 USD) and started applying for permanent public school jobs. She hoped to gain enough experience at Machesa to qualify for a job with a steady salary and opportunities for promotion. Four years later, the government posted her at the better-paying (about 34,000 shillings or $264 USD) but even-more-remote Bil el Burbur, a school with 300 students and only 4 teachers . Until she can qualify for transfer closer to her home in Western Kenya, Ambeyi has to blend in with the Islamic community in Wajir.
Kenya’s teachers face a high unemployment rate, a factor that pressures Christian teachers like Ambeyi to work in schools hostile to their faith. Around half of qualified Kenyan teachers are unemployed despite severe understaffing at many schools, especially near the Somalian border. Many teachers avoid Muslim-majority counties due to threats from terrorists, which increases competition for more-desired positions. Julius Ogamba, Kenya’s education cabinet secretary, blamed the unemployment crisis partly on uneven teacher distribution across counties. Inadequate salaries, slow government hiring processes, and a mismatch between popular high school teacher specialties (like humanities) and in-demand subjects (like science) may worsen unemployment and burnout.
Media outlets have blamed bureaucracy and corruption for teachers’ underemployment. Politicians allegedly circumvent the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and give appointment letters to their relatives or sell them to the highest bidders.
Despite having completed college degrees and one-year internships, new teachers must seek temporary positions or private-school jobs before qualifying for permanent roles in public schools. But even then, their spots aren’t guaranteed. The TSC stirred controversy in 2024 for failing to guarantee probationary teachers permanent positions, forcing them to reapply for their jobs.
Some teachers say their peers resort to bribing TSC officials to get a position. For those who don’t offer bribes, such as Ambeyi, financial need can drive them to take jobs from equally desperate schools.
Ambeyi hopes to get a transfer to a school in a majority-Christian area, but Burton Wanjala—a teacher who has worked in a Muslim-majority area for five years—said getting a transfer is not that easy. Wanjala tried and failed several times. He explained that head teachers can only approve transfers under one of three conditions: medical reasons, replacement, or security reasons. A doctor must recommend a medical transfer. Replacement requires swapping positions with a willing teacher from another school. Security reasons require a clear threat, such as when the killing of nonlocal teachers by Al-Shabaab led to a mass exodus of teachers in 2014 or when the government withdrew all nonlocal teachers in 2020.
Wanjala said head teachers who allow transfers rarely receive replacements due to the shortage of teachers in the region, so they may not want to approve these switches. But, Wanjala said, “you can bribe bosses at the Teachers Service Commission, and you will receive a transfer letter directly without passing through the head teacher.”
The TSC requires newly employed teachers to work at their assigned schools for a minimum of five years before seeking a transfer. Ambeyi has served for less than two. She said she knows of teachers who have managed to get transfers approved before the five-year mark. But as a Christian, Ambeyi won’t pay a bribe or fake an illness. As she waits, Ambeyi prays Al-Shabaab won’t attack her.
“I know one day God will open a door for me and get a transfer to my home area,” she said. “As for now, I have to continue complying to these conditions, as long as I don’t fall in trouble with the Somali Muslim community.”
Source: christianitytoday.com
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https://www.christianitytoday.com/2025/08/christian-teachers-in-muslim-schools-kenya/
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It’s unfair to Muslims for Friday to be working day – Reno Omokri
29th August 2025
Former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, has called for a review of Nigeria’s work schedule to enable Muslims observe their Friday prayers without disruption, describing the current arrangement as unfair.
In a video shared on his Facebook handle on Friday, Omokri argued that before colonial rule, Fridays were traditionally recognised as a day of rest for Muslims.
He said it was inequitable for Sunday to remain a non-working day for Christians while Muslims are required to work on Fridays, despite its significance to their faith.
“I don’t think it is fair for the Muslim Ummah for us to have Friday as a working day in Nigeria. Originally, before colonialism, it was not like that,” Omokri said.
He proposed an adjustment to Nigeria’s work hours that would allow offices to close earlier on Fridays. According to him, daily schedules could be modified so that work begins earlier from Monday to Thursday, creating room for Friday work to end by midday.
“Now we have Sunday as a non-working day and Friday as a working day. I think that we can achieve a compromise.
“What we can do is that instead of work beginning on Mondays all the way to Friday at 9am or 8am, we can start work at 7:30am on Mondays to Fridays and then on Friday we close at 12 o’clock,” he stated.
Omokri stressed that the adjustment would not harm the country’s productivity or economic output, noting that lost hours on Friday could be made up during the week.
“So the time we are going to lose on Friday we are going to gain it back from Monday to Thursday.
“So it is not going to affect our productivity as a country and our GDP.
“And then the Muslim Ummah can close at 12 noon and go for SolatJumaat,” he said.
According to Omokri, the proposal would help strike a balance between religious obligations and Nigeria’s workday system, ensuring fairness for both Christians and Muslims.
Source: punchng.com
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https://punchng.com/its-unfair-to-muslims-for-friday-to-be-working-day-reno-omokri/
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Official campaigns launch for Guinea referendum amidst new media coverage guidelines
August 29, 2025
This weekend marks the start of the campaign for the constitutional referendum in Guinea. The High Authority of Communication (HAC), which oversees media regulations, has unveiled new guidelines for coverage.
They require that audiovisual media provide equal airtime for both supporters and opponents of the referendum.
However, the HAC has drawn criticism for its stipulation that only recognized entities, those without conflicts with the state, can have a voice in the media. This decision has faced backlash from the Guinean Professional Press Union, with President BoubacarYacine Diallo stating that while no one is banned from media access, journalists must steer clear of unrecognized entities or those in legal conflict.
Compounding the issue, private media outlets are prohibited from engaging in interactive programs that discuss the referendum, a move condemned as an infringement on freedom of expression.
Sékou Jamal Pendessa from the press union expressed concern, saying, "You cannot defend freedom of expression for all Guineans while simultaneously barring interactive discussions on campaign issues. The referendum affects everyone."
The campaign period will run from August 31 to September 18, with voting scheduled for September 21, coinciding with the fourth anniversary of the military coup led by the CNRD in 2021.
The proposed constitutional changes include an extension of presidential terms from five to seven years, with a cap of two terms. Notably, a clause that would limit any individual to two presidential terms over their lifetime has been removed.
Additionally, the draft introduces the establishment of a Senate, with one-third of its members to be directly appointed by the head of state.
Since the 2021 military coup that ousted President Alpha Condé, a transitional government has been in place. However, concerns about the country's democratic future persist, especially following the government's dissolution of numerous political parties and the failure to meet prior election deadlines.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.africanews.com/2025/08/30/official-campaigns-launch-for-guinea-referendum-amidst-new-media-coverage-guidelines/
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Arab World
Saudi minister meets US industry experts
August 29, 2025
RIYADH: As part of an official four-day visit to the US, Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Al-Khorayef dedicated a full day to exploring cutting-edge research facilities at North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park, meeting with industry experts.
The program included a meeting with North Carolina’s Secretary of Commerce Lee Lilley and a tour of North Carolina State University’s Energy X Lab and Center for Additive Manufacturing and Logistics, alongside a visit to the nearby Statistical Analysis System Institute, the SPA reported on Thursday.
Together, these engagements reflect Saudi Arabia’s commitment to adopting advanced manufacturing technologies and strengthening international partnerships to accelerate its ambitious industrial sector transformation.
Discussions at the SAS Institute focused on how digital twins, advanced analytics, and machine learning can simulate factory operations, optimize processes before implementation, and extend the lifecycle of industrial equipment.
Alkhorayef’s tour explored opportunities to collaborate on 3D-printing materials and hybrid manufacturing solutions that can be applied to the Kingdom’s own Advanced Manufacturing and Production Center, while learning more about the North Carolina university center’s expertise in supporting small and medium enterprises through additive manufacturing research.
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi Culture Ministry to hold photography expo in Venice
August 29, 2025
RIYADH: The Ministry of Culture is preparing to organize the exhibition “In a New Light,” showcasing contemporary photography from Saudi Arabia as part of cultural events at the Abbazia building in Venice, Italy.
The exhibition will run from Sept. 12 to Oct. 10, and will feature works shortlisted for the 2025 Kingdom Photography Award.
The award, launched in 2022, is an annual initiative designed to empower professional photographers and support emerging talent in the field of photography.
Visual Arts Commission CEO Dina Amin said that holding the exhibition in Venice marks a significant step that reflects the continuous development and vibrant creativity of the photography sector in the Kingdom.
She added that the exhibition highlights the innovative contributions of Saudi photographers, whose works express national identity through fresh perspectives that engage international audiences.
Through the Kingdom Photography Award, the Visual Arts Commission aims to support creatives in photography, enhance the sustainability of the local photographic scene by fostering cultural exchange, enrich visual knowledge and build a photographic archive that documents the Kingdom’s features, heritage and landscapes through artistic lenses, embodying the national visual identity.
The award also aims to foster a culture of innovation in photography, encouraging participants to explore new approaches that transcend traditional practices while providing a platform for emerging talents to showcase their works to a global audience.
The 2025 edition of the award has attracted numerous submissions from Saudi and international photographers.
Source: arabnews.com
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Ministry of Culture, Korea Heritage Service sign agreement to enhance cooperation
August 29, 2025
RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Culture and the Korea Heritage Service signed an executive program for cooperation at National Palace Museum, Seoul, South Korea, further strengthening collaboration in the field of intangible cultural heritage.
The agreement builds upon the memorandum of understanding signed in Seoul in June 2019 between the Saudi Ministry of Culture and the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, which established a framework for cultural cooperation between the two countries, said the MoC.
The executive program represents a concrete step forward in putting the MoU into practice, with a focus on knowledge exchange, institutional development, and the safeguarding of intangible heritage.
The program was signed by Dr. Maha Abdullah Alsenan, deputy minister of research and cultural heritage, on behalf of the Ministry of Culture, and Yun Soon-ho, director general of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Bureau, representing the Korea Heritage Service.
Under the program, areas of cooperation include capacity building in the digitization of records, development of training programs in digital archiving, and collaborative research on intangible heritage.
In addition to joint research and conferences, the program includes mechanisms for implementation such as the formation of a joint working team, knowledge exchange, and the hosting of professional workshops for heritage practitioners in both countries.
The signing of this executive program reaffirms the Kingdom’s broader commitment to fostering mutual learning and advancing the preservation of intangible cultural heritage through collaboration.
The Ministry of Culture is developing Saudi Arabia’s cultural economy and enriching the daily lives of citizens, residents, and visitors. Overseeing 11 sector-specific commissions, the ministry works toward the support and preservation of a vibrant culture within the Kingdom.
The Korea Heritage Service is an independent agency under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudis, expatriates throng Jeddah fish auction for a bargain
SALEH FAREED
August 29, 2025
JEDDAH: Fishing plays a significant role in the history and culture of Jeddah. Today, there are many fishing markets throughout Jeddah, but perhaps the most popular and active of them all is the Jeddah Fish Market.
One of the most exciting features of the market is the live seafood auction held daily in the afternoon.
Arab News visited the fish market located by the Jeddah Islamic Port and spoke to Faisal Al-Jadaani, the market auctioneer, just minutes before the auction started. “It is a fair competition based on market conditions, paying equal attention to various different aspects (quality, freshness, refrigeration and careful handling), all of which ultimately pays off for the fishermen,” he said.
“The fish are sold off in an exciting public auction that takes place daily from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. As soon as fishermen bring in their catch, the auction begins.
“The auction features high-quality seafood, including Hamour, Bayadh, Shaour, Harid and Najel.”
The auction is open all week and the process typically involves the sorting of fish by species, size and quality.
Saudis and expatriates throng daily to the auction for fresh fish, a choice of bargain and fairness in the transaction process.
It is a great atmosphere that draws in professional buyers, chefs, restaurant owners and curious enthusiasts.
An auctioneer chants as bids fly in for the freshest catches, creating a dynamic atmosphere that feels both traditional and thrilling.
The market management oversees the auction. The auctioneer announces a price, which then goes up until it settles on a price considered suitable for the buyers, who are mostly fish traders, residents and owners of seafood restaurants.
The crowd listens to the auctioneer, who shouts loudly while members of the crowd take turns raising their hands. Sellers come and go up the aisles, collecting money from the crowd.
Speaking about the daily quantities of fish auctioned, Al-Jadaani said: “As much as it varies day to day, depending on the fish that come in by fishers, it is a very systematic operation with the sole goal of getting the fish out to the auction as quickly as possible to be sold to consumers.”
According to fishermen, there is no shortage of seafood in the market and the prices are also good as they are catching a sufficient amount of fish from the Red Sea every day.
Abbass Al-Ahmadi, a young fisherman who inherited his occupation from his father, told Arab News: “We try to get as much fresh fish as we can from the sea in Jeddah, and sometimes we go further to the city of Thuwal located on the Red Sea coast, which is known for fishing.
“The auction is the right place for us as small fishers because we need a place to sell our catch as soon as it lands at the right price,” he added.
For consumers, the auction is an ideal place to buy live and fresh fish for reasonable prices.
Ali Al-Shamrani, who owns a seafood restaurant, said: “The auction allows us to bid and thus compete for the fish on offer. So, our priority is the freshness of the fish, and that’s where we find it.”
For those who were unable to attend the auction, many fish shops are located in the market, offering a wide selection of fresh seafood.
Source: arabnews.com
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Europe
Inside The Abandoned St Thomas’ United Reformed Church Set To Become A Community Mosque
29TH AUGUST
By Fintan McGuinness
Graffiti litters the walls of an abandoned former church after 40 tonnes of waste was removed ahead of redevelopment as a mosque.
Following St Thomas’ United Reformed Church’s closure in 2015, the site was used by squatters, repeatedly broken into, and left derelict.
The Langley Road building was set to be demolished as it was judged to be “not fit for purpose” due to “serious structural defects” including a sloped roof that made leaks a major issue.
Two separate plans to replace it with a new church also never got off the ground and were eventually set aside — leaving the building in limbo.
Last week, the new owners allowed the Watford Observer inside to see the state of the building and discuss plans to bring it up to standard and create a mosque and community centre.
The structure is much larger inside than it looks from the road, because it extends so far back and is shielded from the street by a wall and foliage.
Waste including needles likely used for taking drugs were among “40 tonnes” of waste that has already been taken away since the site was reclaimed.
The interior is still in a state, however, with ashes on the ground where people had presumably started fires on the wooden floor while living on the site.
Despite this, the potential for an expansive community centre is still there. As well as the space for the church services, there is also a stage, an open hall, and a basketball court.
Many of the smaller rooms branching off the corridors, as well as the stairs, have been taped off but the only major overhaul needed is apparently the roof which will need replacing.
Once complete — a target of summer 2026 has been set — the new community centre will be completely open for people of all faiths to use.
A full planning application is expected to come forward in around a month, with details of exactly what will be on offer at the site.
The team, led by lifelong Watford residents, had previously suggested a gym, sports hall, study hubs, space for classes, a nursery, and a food bank could be provided.
Source: asianimage.co.uk
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Russia Ready To Assist Taliban Government In Afghanistan – Former Defence Minister
29 Aug, 2025
Russia is ready to assist the Taliban government in Afghanistan, particularly in combating terrorism and narcotics manufacturing amid Western efforts to destabilize the country, Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu has said.
In an op-ed on Friday for RossiyskayaGazeta, the former defence minister stated that Russia is interested in helping the Middle Eastern country reclaim the position of an “independent, sovereign state, free from terrorism, war, and narcotics.”
He criticized Western countries for what he described as the politicization of humanitarian aid and obstruction of Afghanistan’s recovery.
“The West is delaying Afghanistan’s development… linking the assistance exclusively to the realization of its selfish interests,” Shoigu wrote. He noted that around $9 billion in Afghan state assets are frozen abroad, adding that they could be used to address social and economic issues.
Shoigu went on to say that the Taliban has made progress against the production of narcotics and in fighting against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) terrorists, but warned of “documented transfers of fighters from other regions into Afghanistan,” which he alleged were apparently orchestrated by Western intelligence services seeking to create instability near Russia, China, and Iran.
Given the remaining Western sanctions and lingering problems with drugs and terrorists, Afghanistan has a lot of work to do to stabilize the situation in the country, Shoigu said.
[BQ] Russia is ready to provide assistance to the Taliban in this regard, including through the development of counterterrorism and counter-narcotics cooperation... We expect that this coordination, along with comprehensive support from Afghanistan’s neighboring countries, will contribute to its economic development and prosperity.
The Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in 2021 after US forces withdrew from the country. The chaotic evacuation from Kabul airport resulted in harsh criticism of the administration of former US President Joe Biden and was widely described as a geopolitical debacle for Washington.
In July, Russia became the first country to recognize the Taliban government, after Moscow excluded the Taliban from the list of terrorist organizations, citing its progress in combating regional extremist groups.
Source: rt.com
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'Disgraceful cowards' target South Essex Islamic Centre with graffiti as police issue wanted appeal
Ellis Whitehouse
29 AUG 2025
"Disagraceful" vandals who sprayed graffiti across an Essex Islamic centre have been branded "cowards" as police appeal to find two suspects. The South Essex Islamic Centre in Basildon suffered criminal damage overnight on Thursday (August 28).
Spray paint was used on the building in High Road, Vange, at around 11pm on Thursday, with the words "This Is England" featured along with the St George's Cross. The vandalism has been blasted by Basildon Council Leader Gavin Callaghan, who called the culprits "cowards".
He said: "The vandalism at the South Essex Islamic Centre is a disgrace. Don’t dress it up. Don’t excuse it. It’s scum behaviour, and it shames our town. The Council has been working with SEIT all week because we knew this kind of thing was coming. And we will make sure this is cleaned up quickly.
"The cowards who did this WILL be caught. There’s CCTV everywhere in the area, and once they’re identified, Essex Police must throw the book at them. Not a caution. Not a slap on the wrist. Real punishment. To do this right before Friday prayers is no coincidence. That’s targeted. That’s intimidation. And it’s criminal."
Police have released images of two people they want to speak to in connection with the vandalism. One is described as white, in his 30s, with a moustache, and of muscular build, wearing black trousers, and a grey sleeveless Lonsdale Jumper.
The second is described as white, around 6ft 3ins tall, slim, and wearing grey shorts, a grey hoodie, black socks and white trainers. A spokesman for Essex Police said: "We’re investigating the matter as a racially aggravated criminal damage.
"If you have any information, CCTV, dash cam or other footage in relation to this incident, then please get in contact with us. You can send information to the Basildon Neighbourhood Policing Team: BasildonNPT@essex.police.uk.
"Please quote the crime reference number 42/124460/25. You can let us know by submitting a report on our website or by using our online Live Chat service which is available 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week. Visit www.essex.police.uk/digital101 to find out more about our online reporting services.
"If you would like to make an anonymous report you can contact independent charity @Crimestoppers, by visiting their website or by calling 0800 555 111."
Source: essexlive.news
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BBC Proms performance interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters
August 30, 2025
Kathryn Armstrong
A performance by Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) at the BBC Proms in London has been interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters.
Friday night's recital had just begun when the orchestra was forced to stop playing for more than 10 minutes due to the demonstration. It later restarted its performance.
Jewish Artists for Palestine, which describes itself as a group of "anti-Zionist Jewish writers, visual and performance artists" has claimed responsibility.
It said in a statement that the interruption was in rejection to "Zionist funding, censorship and complicity in our cultural institutions" over the Gaza war, including the MSO and the BBC. The MSO has been approached for comment.
The BBC apologised for the disruption but said it was dealt with "swiftly" by the Royal Albert Hall.
In a video posted online by a pro-Palestinian group linked to the protesters, people can be seen standing in the upper gallery of the Royal Albert Hall holding black handwritten fabric signs reading "complicit in genocide" and "Jewish Artists for Palestine".
"The MSO has blood on its hands," a woman can be heard to shout.
The interruption was captured on BBC Radio 3, which was broadcasting the performance.
Announcer Ian Skelly could be heard narrating what was happening during the interruption, including that security was brought in to remove the protesters.
BBC Radio 3 then broke out of the broadcast for several minutes to play recorded pieces of classical music, during which time Sam Jackson, controller of BBC Radio 3 and BBC Proms, made a statement over the PA system.
Angela Tanner, who was in the stalls, told the BBC that it took quite a while for the protesters to be removed.
"The whole programme had to start again and has been put into a different order after the piano was put onto the stage and taken off again," she said.
"There was lots of booing from the audience then eventually they [the organisers] announced thanks for our patience."
Jewish Artists for Palestine said in a statement that it had targeted the MSO's concert after they cancelled a performance by acclaimed pianist Jayson Gillham last year.
Gillham's performance in Sydney was cancelled due to comments he made in support of Gazans. The MSO has since said the cancellation had been a mistake.
Shouts of "you silenced Jayson Gillham" and the "MSO is complicit in genocide" was also heard, followed by booing from the audience.
Jewish Artists for Palestine also cited the MSO's funding and previous performances that Friday night's principal artist, KhatiaBuniatishvili, had given with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.
Another audience member, who did not wish to be named, said two of the protest groups were promptly taken out of the building by security but it took more time to eject the third.
She said there was a second round of shouting after the performance resumed but that this was quickly stopped.
"Overall, the atmosphere seemed to be strongly against the protest, with many members of the audience annoyed and shouting obscenities with anger at the protesters."
In a statement, the BBC said: "We are sorry about the disruption to our coverage of the BBC Proms on Radio 3 tonight.
"There was a disturbance at tonight's Prom which meant the concert was paused for a few minutes and the live broadcast on BBC Radio 3 diverted to pre-recorded music.
"The incident was dealt with swiftly by the Royal Albert Hall.
"Our priority is always the safety and wellbeing of everyone who attends the BBC Proms, and we would like to thank our staff and the performers whose response helped keep disruption to a minimum."
It is not the first time that a BBC Proms performance has been interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters. The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra had to stop its 2011 recital twice due to a disturbance by demonstrators.
In 2023, two protesters from environmental campaign group Just Stop Oil interrupted the First Night of the Proms after targeting a number of other events.
The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
More than 63,000 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
Most of Gaza's population has also been repeatedly displaced; more than 90% of homes are estimated to be damaged or destroyed; and the healthcare, water, sanitation and hygiene systems have collapsed; and UN-backed global food security experts have confirmed that there is famine in the Gaza City area.
Source: bbc.com
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EU state pledges to outpace US in NATO military spending
29 Aug, 2025
Poland has announced plans to outpace the US in relative military spending, committing 4.8% of GDP to defense in 2026.
The announcement follows repeated demands by US President Donald Trump that European NATO members play a bigger role in their own security, contribute more to supplying Ukraine, and raise their military budgets to 5% of GDP. In July, the bloc’s members agreed to pursue the target by 2035, a shift from the previous 2% guideline.
On Thursday, Polish Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski said Warsaw will allocate a record 200 billion zloty ($55 billion) to its military under a new draft budget for 2026. The allocation would make Poland the bloc’s highest spender in relative terms, surpassing the US, which typically devotes around 3.2% of GDP to defense. Prime Minister Donald Tusk has stated that Poland must build “a modern, large army” regardless of the costs.
Other European NATO members have also stepped up military spending in recent years, committing billions to weapons purchases while arms factories across Western Europe have expanded at a “historic scale,” according to the Financial Times. The outlet reported that the pace of development has tripled since 2022, describing the expansion as Western Europe “building for war.”
Germany has reported a sharp rise in army recruitment and is considering conscription, while France’s latest defense review warned of a “major war” in Europe by 2030. EU governments have justified the military buildup by citing the alleged threat from Russia.
Moscow has denied harboring any hostile intentions and dismissed fears of a Russian attack on NATO as “nonsense.” Kremlin officials have described the Western accusations as fearmongering to inflate military budgets.
Last month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov cautioned that Western leaders are preparing for “a real war against Russia.” He accused the EU of plunging into a “Russophobic frenzy” and warned that its militarization has become “uncontrolled.” He added that Western European nations are “transforming into a Fourth Reich,” drawing parallels between their rearmament and dangerous historical precedents.
Source: rt.com
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Mideast
Ibb stages 290 pro-Gaza marches, vows continued support, Jihad
29 Aug 2025
Ibb governorate on Friday demonstrated its unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian people, as 290 massive public marches took place under the banner, "With Gaza: Jihad and Steadfastness—A Cry of Rage for Spilled Blood and Violated Sanctuaries."
In the central march in Ibb city, participants, including members of parliament, local officials, and the president of Ibb University, condemned the ongoing genocide, starvation, and blockade against Gaza's population.
The participants affirmed that recent cowardly Israeli enemy airstrikes on civilian sites in Yemen would not undermine the country's unity or its pro-Gaza stance.
Throughout the northern and western districts, thousands rallied to denounce the suffering of women and children in Gaza, who are facing starvation and a lack of basic necessities.
Marchers declared their readiness to confront any Zionist-American escalation and to continue supporting their Palestinian brethren until an independent state is established.
They warned Israel that Yemeni deterrence operations in the Red Sea and regional waters will continue and expand until the aggression is stopped and the siege on Gaza is lifted.
A statement issued by the marches praised the Yemeni armed forces' qualitative development in producing new fission warheads, which it said have driven the Zionists mad.
The statement also warned that the Yemeni people are closely monitoring public plans to target and demolish al-Aqsa Mosque. It called on Arab and Muslim nations to take serious steps to counter this plot, reaffirming Yemen's commitment to defending holy sites with all its might.
The statement also condemned the burning of a copy of the Holy Qur'an by a pro-Zionist American figure, viewing the act as a provocation against more than two billion Muslims.
It called on the world to recognize the Qur'an and the Prophet as the path to salvation from the tyranny represented by Zionism.
The statement concluded by asserting that any aggression or escalation against Yemen will not shake its religious identity, principles, or values, which have been practically demonstrated through its support for Gaza.
Source: saba.ye
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Million-Man Marches in Capital Sana’a, Across provinces in Defence of Holy Qur’an and Al-Aqsa Mosque
29 Aug 2025
Under the slogan “With Gaza: Jihad and Steadfastness… Anger for the Spilled Blood and the Desecrated Sanctities”, massive marches took place today in the capital Sana’a and across Yemeni governorates, denouncing the escalating Zionist crimes against the people of Gaza, standing in defense of the Glorious Book of God, and rejecting its desecration at the hands of an American Zionist sympathizer.
The Yemeni masses, carrying copies of the Qur’an, affirmed their readiness to defend the Holy Book and Al-Aqsa Mosque. They regarded the American-Zionist targeting of these sanctities as clear evidence of the deep hatred and enmity harbored against Islam and Muslims.
Participants condemned the silence of Arab and Islamic regimes in the face of such violations and insults to Islamic symbols and sanctities, stressing that whoever is unmoved by an affront to the Qur’an and the sanctities cannot possibly take any real stance against the Zionist expansionist scheme, even if it reaches their very doorstep.
By taking to the streets in such great numbers—just one day after a Zionist airstrike targeted civilian sites in Sana’a—Yemenis sent a message of defiance to the criminal Israeli enemy and its supporters, reaffirming that threats and conspiracies, no matter how severe, will not deter Yemen’s firm position of supporting the Palestinian people and their heroic resistance.
The “People of Faith and Wisdom” reiterated their deep and inseparable connection to God, His Messenger, and His Book, and their determination to continue along the path of jihad and resistance in defense of the causes and sanctities of the Ummah, confronting all schemes of its enemies.
The marches further condemned international failure to halt the man-made catastrophe and humanitarian tragedy inflicted on Gaza by the Zionist entity—described as the worst of its kind—given the dire humanitarian and health conditions resulting from the deliberate starvation of the population, the prevention of aid and medicine, and the concurrent bombing campaign destroying the entire Strip.
In Sana’a, a massive million-strong march was held in defiance of the Zionist enemy, in defense of the Qur’an, and in solidarity with the oppressed Palestinian people.
The crowds strongly condemned the burning of a copy of the Holy Qur’an in the United States by an American Zionist sympathizer, describing it as a blatant violation and provocation to the feelings of all Muslims worldwide. They warned against persisting in such repeated desecrations of Islamic sanctities, as they amount to nothing less than a declaration of war on Muslims.
They reaffirmed that the Zionist aggression, including attacks on service facilities and civilians in Sana’a, will only strengthen Yemeni resolve and reinforce their principled stance in support of Palestine until the aggression ends and the siege on Gaza is lifted.
The crowds raised Yemeni and Palestinian flags, as well as banners welcoming the approaching anniversary of the birth of the Prophet of Mercy and Humanity. They expressed their joy and loyalty as descendants of the Ansar, affirming their love and allegiance to the Prophet and their adherence to his path.
The masses also declared full readiness to confront the criminal Zionist enemy, pledging to continue supporting Gaza and the Palestinian resistance with determination, and to fight the “promised victory and sacred jihad” until triumph is achieved.
As Yemen prepares to commemorate the Prophet’s birth, the people stressed to the entire world their commitment to the Messenger of God, renewing their oath to follow his path of struggle against the enemies of Islam and to defend the oppressed in Gaza and Islamic sanctities.
The million-strong march called on all Arab and Muslim peoples to boycott American and Zionist goods as the least duty owed in the face of genocide and starvation in Gaza, and to take a strong stance against repeated violations of Islamic sanctities.
In Saada governorate, 41 marches were held in the provincial capital and districts, renewing vows of steadfastness with the Palestinian people.
Participants strongly condemned the Qur’an burning in America and demanded an Arab and Islamic response commensurate with the gravity of this provocation. They blessed the Yemeni Armed Forces’ qualitative operations deep inside the usurping Zionist entity, as well as their advances in missile capabilities.
In Dhale‘ governorate, demonstrations took place in Damt, Al-Hasha, Qa‘taba, and Juban districts, where crowds chanted slogans expressing pride in Yemen’s faithful and humanitarian stance in support of Gaza.
Protesters declared that enemy threats and conspiracies would not intimidate Yemenis or deter them from their religious, ethical, and humanitarian duty to support Gaza, warning submissive Arab regimes of dire consequences in this world and the next.
The marches continues across Sana’a governorate (50+ marches), Hodeidah (268 marches), Ibb (290 marches), Hajjah (308 marches), Raymah (82 marches), Mahwit (95 marches), Bayda, Marib (16 marches), Lahj, Dhamar (52 marches), Amran (116 marches), Taiz (87 marches), and Jawf, each echoing similar messages:
Condemnation of Zionist crimes and American complicity.
Outrage at the burning of the Qur’an in the U.S.
Pledges to support Gaza and the Palestinian resistance.
Calls for Arab and Muslim unity and boycotts of U.S./Israeli goods.
Celebration of the Prophet’s birthday as both a spiritual and mobilizing occasion.
Endorsement of Yemeni military operations against Israel, including the development of advanced missile systems.
Finally, a communiqué was issued from the million-man marches, affirming:
Yemen’s unwavering, principled stance with Gaza, no matter the challenges, and blessing the Yemeni Armed Forces’ development of new missile technologies.
Rejection of Zionist schemes targeting Al-Aqsa Mosque as part of the “Greater Israel” project, with a call on Arab and Muslim peoples to prepare for practical measures to confront this threat.
Strong condemnation of the burning of the Qur’an in the U.S., describing it as vile and cowardly, and a clear indicator of the enmity of Zionists and their backers to all that is sacred. The statement urged Muslims and free people worldwide to return to the Qur’an and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), whose message of guidance and light is feared by these oppressors.
The communiqué concluded with prayers for the swift victory of the Palestinian people, mercy for the martyrs, healing for the wounded, and freedom for the prisoners.
Source: saba.ye
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Palestinian Resistance Committees: Israeli Aggression on Yemen proves it targets All components of Ummah
29 Aug 2025
The Palestinian Resistance Committees on Thursday condemned the latest Israeli aggression against Yemen, describing it as further proof that the Zionist entity is a rogue, aggressive, and barbaric regime that targets all components of the Arab and Islamic nation without distinction, seeking to subjugate all its peoples.
In a statement received by the Yemeni News Agency (Saba), the Committees said the new brutal aggression on Yemen reflects the confusion, bankruptcy, and failure of the Zionist entity in confronting the determination, resilience, and strength of Yemen and its armed forces, which have exposed the entity’s weakness and fragility.
They added: “The Zionist aggression on Yemen, the criminal bombardment of Syrian land, and the ongoing genocide against our people in Gaza confirm that the Zionist entity is the central , only enemy of the Ummah, that the entire nation must unite , stand in solidarity to deter and confront this criminal entity.”
The Committees stressed that “the Zionist crimes against Yemen will not break the will and steadfastness of the Yemeni people, their courageous leadership, and their armed forces. Yemen will continue on the path of resistance, confrontation, and support for our people in Gaza, despite the heavy sacrifices and high costs it pays for its principled and unwavering stance.”
The Palestinian Resistance Committees also extended their “salute to the noble Yemeni people, known for their honor and courage, along with their leadership and army, for their authentic Arab and Islamic positions in supporting the Palestinian people and their resistance in confronting the Zionist holocaust aimed at erasing the Palestinian people, their cause, and their very existence.”
Source: saba.ye
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Islamic Jihad condemns new Israeli aggression on Yemen
29 Aug 2025
The Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine strongly condemned the latest Israeli aggression on Yemen carried out on Thursday evening.
In a statement received by the Yemeni News Agency (SABA), the movement said: “The new attack launched today by the Israeli army against Yemen reaffirms the grave danger posed by this entity to the peoples of our region.”
The statement added: “This aggression reflects the arrogance of power, as the government of war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu – wanted by the International Criminal Court – seeks to impose new maps in the region through force, air raids, and massacres in several countries, from Yemen to Syria and Lebanon, in addition to the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.”
Islamic Jihad stressed that Israel knows very well such strikes will not deter the brave Yemeni people and their armed forces from continuing their support for the Palestinian people and their resistance, asserting that the Israeli army, despite its military power and brutality, cannot stop Yemeni missiles and drones from targeting it.
The movement further affirmed that Israel’s actions are fully backed by the blatant American cover, providing complete political, military, and financial support to continue its massacres and violations of all international laws and humanitarian norms.
While condemning the new aggression against the Yemeni people, Islamic Jihad hailed the steadfastness of Yemen’s forces in confronting Israeli crimes.
It also called on all Arab peoples to recognize the consequences of the joint Israeli-American offensive against the region, stressing that those who remain silent or complacent will not be spared its crimes , repercussions, and that normalization agreements will not protect the thrones of the complicit and the submissive.
Source: saba.ye
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Jordanian foreign minister calls for global action over latest Israeli offensive in Gaza
August 30, 2025
AMMAN: Jordan’s foreign minister on Friday called on the international community to take stronger action against Israel in response to the nation’s latest military offensive in Gaza, warning that continued impunity will only fuel further regional instability.
In a message posted on social media platform X, Ayman Safadi praised his fellow foreign ministers from Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, Slovenia and Spain for their joint condemnation on Friday of the most recent military offensive in Gaza, as well as the announcement by Israeli authorities that they plan to establish a permanent presence in Gaza City.
He urged other countries committed to the principles of international law and human rights to follow suit.
“The impunity with which Israel is making a mockery of international law cannot continue,” Safadi said, stressing that decisive measures were needed to end the hunger crisis Palestinians in Gaza are faced with amid continuing restrictions on delivery of aid.
He accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is embroiled in a long-running court case on charges of corruption, of deliberately prolonging the conflict to ensure his own political survival.
“Netanyahu thrives on conflict,” Safadi said, describing the policies of the Israeli government as serving a “racist, inhumane ideology that the world should not tolerate.”
Safadi said Netanyahu was “destroying Gaza, destroying hopes for a just peace, and setting fire to the entire region” to save his own political career. More than 1.3 million Palestinians have lost their livelihoods as a result of the conflict in the territory, he added, and a million people in Gaza City face famine.
The minister said a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas was within reach but accused Netanyahu of blocking it.
“He prefers the war to continue,” Safadi said. “This is the horrific reality that the international community cannot ignore any more.
“We urge all countries to adopt the position of Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, Slovenia and Spain, and others who are standing on the side of peace and justice, and act now to stop more slaughtering of innocent Palestinians.”
Source: arabnews.com
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Lebanese army completes disarmament of 6 Palestinian refugee camps
NAJIA HOUSSARI
August 29, 2025
BEIRUT: The Lebanese army on Friday received a new batch of heavy weapons from Palestinian Liberation Organization factions in refugee camps in Lebanon.
These included the Shatila camp and Mar Elias camp in Beirut, as well as the Burj Al-Barajneh camp in Beirut’s southern suburb, in line with a Lebanese-Palestinian disarmament deal as part of the Cabinet’s decision to restrict weapons to the state.
While Lebanese army vehicles did not enter the Burj Al-Barajneh camp, the handover took place in the courtyard where the first batch was delivered last week.
Twenty-four hours earlier, the Lebanese army had received a batch of light and medium weapons, B7 rockets, and medium-range surface-to-surface missiles from the camps of Tyre, Rashidieh, Burj Al-Shemali and Al-Bass, all located south of the Litani River. The confiscated weapons were transported in eight trucks: six from Rashidieh, one from Al-Bass and another from Burj Al-Shemali.
The weapons handover did not include Hamas and Islamic Jihad weapons, as these two organizations are not subject to the authority of the PLO.
It included six of the 12 camps, the largest of which is Ain Al-Hilweh, the most densely populated, with the largest number of armed Palestinian factions.
The Cairo Agreement with the PLO at the end of the 1960s legalized the weapons of factions affiliated with the PLO in Lebanon. The agreement fell apart after the civil war in Lebanon, when President Amin Gemayel signed a law revoking it in 1987. The law abolishing the agreement was approved by the Lebanese Parliament.
The weapons of Palestinian organizations that were formed later, including those of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, were deemed illegal.
RamezDimashkieh, head of the Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee, told Arab News that negotiations over the weapons of Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other affiliated Palestinian forces are underway.
“We are talking about the weapons of the PLO factions, with whom we negotiated and reached an agreement. As for the weapons of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Palestinian forces orbiting around them, the matter requires negotiations with them,” said Dimashkieh.
He added: “A dialogue took place some time ago and it was positive, but after Hezbollah’s position declaring that it would not hand over its weapons, we do not know Hamas’ stance or that of the allied forces, and we must negotiate.”
The handover of weapons in Beirut has been completed, and the next stage will take place in the camps of northern Lebanon and the Bekaa, and later, north of the Litani River, said Dimashkieh.
In a statement in WAFA, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, the official spokesman for the Palestinian presidency, confirmed that the “relevant Palestinian authorities in Lebanon have handed over the third batch of weapons belonging to the PLO that were present in the Palestinian camps in Beirut, to be placed in the custody of the Lebanese army.”
Abu Rudeineh affirmed that this step was taken in line with the agreement between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Aoun on May 21 to establish a joint Lebanese-Palestinian committee to monitor the situation in the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon and to work toward improving the lives of refugees, while respecting Lebanese sovereignty and complying with Lebanese laws.
He noted that “both parties reaffirmed their commitment to safeguarding the humanitarian, social, and economic rights of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, in a manner that ensures them a dignified life without compromising their right of return or undermining their national identity.”
They also reiterated their commitment to keeping all weapons exclusively under the Lebanese state’s authority throughout its territory.
The Lebanese–Palestinian Dialogue Committee said this process reflects “a transition to a new phase of Lebanese–Palestinian relations, based on partnership and cooperation in safeguarding national stability and respecting Lebanese sovereignty.”
Meanwhile, an Israeli drone carried out a strike with a guided missile on a car at the entrance to the town of Sir El Gharbiyeh in the Nabatieh area, north of the Litani River, killing Hezbollah member Ahmed Naim Maatouk, who had previously been wounded in Israeli explosions targeting pagers supplied to Hezbollah members about a year ago.
On Friday, Lebanese army commander Gen. Rodolph Haykal took part in the funeral of 1st Lt. Mohammed Ismail and First Adjutant Rifaat Al-Taaimi at the Central Military Hospital. The two soldiers were killed on Thursday evening as a result of the explosion of an Israeli drone while inspecting it in the town of Naqoura.
The Israeli army claimed in a statement that the drone “was targeting a Hezbollah vehicle, and we regret the injury of Lebanese army soldiers.”
It said it launched an investigation into the incident in which ammunition failed to explode and fell in Naqoura.
Source: arabnews.com
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Fired employees accuse Microsoft of complicity in Gaza genocide
RAY HANANIA
August 29, 2025
CHICAGO: More than 2,000 Microsoft employees have accused the US company in a signed petition of supporting Israel’s genocide in Gaza using technology it produces, and are demanding that it cut ties with the country’s military.
Microsoft has fired employees who have openly criticized it for providing the Israel Defense Forces and its infamous Unit 8200 with artificial intelligence technology that helps target Palestinians using data on the company’s Azure cloud storage system.
At a press conference attended by Arab News, the fired employees accused Microsoft of “complicity” in the genocide that has killed more than 65,000 Palestinians, including thousands of women and children.
They said they have organized “non-violent” protests at the company’s Redmond, Washington headquarters, including a sit-in on Tuesday at the offices of Microsoft President Brad Smith.
“I was fired the next day through a voicemail from Microsoft,” said RikiFameli, a Microsoft software engineer who participated in the sit-in dubbed “No Azure for Apartheid.”
He added: “I recognize the emergency that’s happening in regards to Microsoft’s complicity in this genocide, and I realized long ago that Microsoft won’t do anything to address it without unrelenting pressure from both the public and from its own workers.”
In a statement to Arab News, a Microsoft spokesman said it was made aware of “new allegations” about Israel’s use of Azure by 35 protesters on Aug. 19.
Company officials said they are pursuing “a thorough and independent review,” and will “uphold its human rights standards in the Middle East, while supporting and taking clear steps to address unlawful actions that damage property, disrupt business or that threaten and harm others.”
Microsoft claims that protesters returned on Aug. 20 “and engaged in vandalism and property damage. They also disrupted, harassed, and took tables and tents from local small businesses at a lunchtime farmer’s market for employees.” The company praised Redmond Police for arresting and charging the former employees.
In response, the fired employees called the Microsoft investigation into possible misuse of their technology to target and kill Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank “a sham.”
They vehemently denied engaging in vandalism or violence during the sit-ins. Seven employees, including Fameli, were arrested at Tuesday’s sit-in.
Microsoft engineer Anna Hattle, who was also fired this week, said she has tried to make the company aware of how their technology is being used to “kill people.”
She added: “When I joined this company as a software engineer five years ago, I never expected that my employer would have me literally dragged out of my own workplace for taking a stand for ethics and human rights.
“Microsoft is attempting to paint protesters in a negative light in order to distract from the fact that it is Microsoft itself, not the protesters, that is the perpetrator of mass violence and crimes against humanity.”
Hattle and Fameli were arrested and taken to South Correctional Entity in Des Moines, where they were charged with trespassing and obstructing law officers. They were released on bail along with the others who were arrested at the sit-in.
“I've sat through so many internal employee meetings in which questions about Israel’s deep connections to Microsoft have been blocked from being brought up, or given non-answers,” Fameli said.
“Microsoft has dragged its feet at every opportunity to hold the Israeli military accountable, but has acted with incredible haste in repressing worker sentiment about the issue of Palestine.
“It’s completely insane to me that the Israeli Intelligence Corps Unit 8200 has been able to continue operating on Azure without restriction.”
Fired employee NisreenJadarat said she and others tried to present Microsoft officials with the petition this week, but it was physically taken from them and torn apart.
“This violent response to a paper with the names of workers who are calling for an end to an abetment to genocide is a reflection of what Microsoft truly thinks of its workers’ opinions,” Jadarat said.
“While Microsoft insisted that we should follow the proper channels instead of protesting, last May Microsoft simultaneously banned the use of the words Palestine, Gaza, genocide and apartheid from all (internal) email communications in a brazen, self-described attempt to silence email-related protest, effectively preventing us from following those channels.”
Jadarat added: “Emails containing those words would either not be delivered, or they’d be delivered after hours of delay, after what was presumably a manual review with no transparency on who was reading emails besides the intended recipients.”
Fired employee Joe Lopez said: “They’ve attempted to silence myself and others by firing us, brutalizing us via police force, and spreading a false narrative about us in the media that we’re violent or aggressive.
“I was tackled and apprehended by four officers as I attempted to leave last week’s encampment.” He added that the protests will continue.
Fameli said: “Microsoft has dragged its feet at every opportunity to address the mass death that’s directly enabled through its technological infrastructure.
“Our drastic action is a direct response to its drastic inaction in cutting ties with customers that have continually violated international law and Microsoft’s own human rights standards.”
Source: arabnews.com
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Turkiye sets year-end goal for PKK peace framework
August 29, 2025
ISTANBUL: Turkiye has given a parliamentary commission until the end of the year to lay the groundwork for a peace process with the Kurdish militant group PKK, the speaker of parliament said Friday.
The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) announced an end in May to a decades-long insurgency that claimed more than 50,000 lives, saying it was taking up a democratic struggle to defend the rights of the Kurdish minority.
Two months later, its fighters began laying down their weapons at a symbolic ceremony in northern Iraq, after which the Turkish parliament set up the cross-party commission to manage the emerging peace process.
The move came after months of indirect contacts between the Turkish government and the PKK’s jailed founder, Abdullah Ocalan.
The commission, which is tasked with preparing the legal framework for the peace process, held its first session on August 5 under the chairmanship of parliamentary speaker NumanKurtulmus.
He said Friday it would continue working until year’s end.
“The decision we made upon the establishment of the commission was to conclude its work on December 31,” he told state news agency Anadolu, saying the deadline was extendible.
“If necessary, it can be extended by two-month periods.”
The 48-member commission is tasked with overseeing the political integration of the PKK and its fighters, as well as deciding the fate of its 76-year-old leader, who has been held in solitary confinement on Imrali prison island since 1999.
Among those participating are 25 lawmakers from the ruling bloc of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s AKP and its nationalist ally MHP, 10 from the main opposition CHP and four from the pro-Kurdish DEM.
DEM, Turkiye’s third-biggest party, has played a key role in facilitating an emerging peace deal, sending a specialized delegation to hold regular meetings with Ocalan on Imrali island — the latest of which took place on Thursday.
In a statement on Friday, the so-called Imrali delegation said they had held a three-hour meeting with Ocalan about the ongoing process.
“He said democratic society, peace and integration were the three key concepts of this process and that results could be achieved on this basis,” it said.
Source: arabnews.com
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Journalist Mariam Dagga’s final images show where she was killed by an Israeli strike in Gaza
August 29, 2025
GAZA CITY: The last photos taken by Mariam Dagga show the damaged stairwell outside a hospital in the Gaza Strip where she would be killed by an Israeli strike moments later.
Dagga, a visual journalist who freelanced for The Associated Press, was among 22 people, including five reporters, killed Monday when Israeli forces struck Nasser Hospital twice in quick succession, according to health officials.
The photos, retrieved from her camera on Wednesday, show people walking up the staircase after it was damaged in the first strike while others look out the windows of the main health facility in southern Gaza.
The Israeli military said it targeted what it believed was a Hamas surveillance camera, without providing evidence. Witnesses and health officials said the first strike killed a cameraman from the Reuters news agency doing a live television shot and a second person who was not named. A senior Hamas official denied that Hamas was operating a camera at the hospital.
Dagga, 33, and other reporters regularly based themselves at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis during the war. She documented the experiences of ordinary Palestinians who had been displaced from their homes, and doctors who treated wounded or malnourished children.
Algeria’s ambassador to the United Nations, his voice breaking and on the verge of tears, read a letter Wednesday to the UN Security Council that Dagga wrote days before she was killed.
It was addressed to her 13-year-old son, Ghaith, who left Gaza at the start of the war to live with his father in the United Arab Emirates.
Holding up a photo of Dagga, Amar Bendjama called her “a young and beautiful mother” whose only weapon was a camera.
“Ghaith. You are the heart and soul of your mother,” Bendjama quoted Dagga as writing. “When I die, I want you to pray for me, not to cry for me.”
“I want you never, never to forget me. I did everything to keep you happy and safe and when you grow, when you marry, and when you have a daughter, name her Mariam after me.”
Source: arabnews.com
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Lahj: Three rallies in Al-Qubaita under slogan “With Gaza, Jihad & Steadfastness… In Anger for Spilled Blood & Violated Sanctities”
29 Aug 2025
Residents of Al-Qubaita District in Lahj Governorate held three mass rallies on Friday under the slogan “With Gaza, Jihad and Steadfastness… In Anger for the Spilled Blood and the Violated Sanctities,” reaffirming Yemen’s firm stance in support of the oppressed Palestinian people.
The rallies were led by Ibrahim Al-Shahari, General Mobilization Official for the Southern Governorates, Jamil Al-Soufi of Lahj, Deputy Governor Faisal Al-Faqih, and the Director of Al-Qubaita District, Wahid Al-Khader. Participants condemned the genocidal crimes and starvation policies perpetrated by the Zionist enemy in Gaza before the eyes of the world.
The crowds chanted slogans celebrating the upcoming anniversary of the Prophet’s birth, affirming their adherence to the Messenger of Islam and their determination to follow his path in confronting global arrogance and hegemony.
Participants also expressed anger and condemnation over the burning of a copy of the Holy Qur’an in the United States, calling on Arab and Islamic peoples to rise in defense of their sanctities.
People of Al-Qubaita reaffirmed Yemen’s unwavering position in supporting Gaza and defending Islamic holy sites, denouncing the continued Arab and Islamic silence in the face of Zionist crimes and violations against Al-Aqsa Mosque.
A statement issued at the rallies emphasized steadfastness in the principled, faith-based stance of supporting Gaza with aid, escalation, and endurance until God grants victory and relief to Palestine and the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque. It stressed that no Zionist or American aggression can force the Yemeni people to abandon their faith, identity, and values, which they have embodied through their stance with Gaza.
The statement further warned of clear, ongoing schemes aimed at targeting and demolishing Al-Aqsa Mosque as part of the so-called project of “Greater Israel,” calling on the peoples of the Muslim nation to prepare and seriously consider confronting this crime.
It strongly condemned the act committed by Zionist and American enemies—through one of their American Zionist supporters—of burning a copy of the Holy Qur’an, describing it as an expression of the malice, baseness, and depravity of those who oppose all that is sacred, showing no reverence for God, His scriptures, or His prophets.
The statement urged Muslims, and all free people of the world, to return to the Holy Qur’an, draw from its guidance and light that can save humanity from the darkness of tyranny represented by Zionism, and to rediscover the true character of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him and his family.
It concluded that Zionist attacks against the Qur’an and the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) clearly indicate their fear of the divine light and guidance they embody.
Source: saba.ye
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50,000 Worshippers perform Friday prayers at al-Aqsa Mosque
29 Aug 2025
Tens of thousands of worshippers performed Friday prayers at al-Aqsa Mosque on Friday despite the Israeli occupation's restrictions on those entering al-Quds, the Old City, and the mosque for prayer.
The Islamic Endowments Department in al-Quds reported that 50,000 worshippers performed Friday prayers at al-Aqsa Mosque and offered funeral prayers in absentia for the souls of the martyrs of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
The Palestinian Safa News Agency reported that Israeli enemy forces set up checkpoints around the Old City and al-Aqsa Mosque, stopped worshippers entering al-Aqsa Mosque, and confiscated and inspected their ID cards.
In al-Aqsa Mosque, Israeli occupation forces deployed heavily among the worshippers during the Friday sermon and prayers, in a provocative move to monitor the worshippers.
Friday preacher Sheikh Muhammad Salim al-Arab said, "O Arabs, both general and specific, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is present among you, through his birth, his mission, and the religion he inherited from you. So why do you turn back after God has guided you?"
He asked, "Do you find your humiliation pleasing, other than Muhammad and his religion?" He added, "You were free with the birth of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), so why do you accept slavery to nations other than his law and guidance?"
He continued, "So why did the Arabs return to their crookedness, replacing the law of their Lord and becoming the followers of other nations? Standing where they stand and sleeping where they sleep. Was this what you were created for, O Arabs? God, through His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), made you leaders of mankind. So where are the Arabs who lead the caravan with the law that God Almighty revealed to His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)? They live by commemorating his noble birth. When will this Arab scum end and become a sea that dazzles the mind?"
He continued: "Isn't it time for you to stop the bleeding of your humiliation? Isn't it time for you to return, on the anniversary of the birth of the Messenger of God, to return to him and protect his message and be leaders of nations with goodness, justice, and peace?"
Regarding Al-Aqsa Mosque, Sheikh al-Arab said: "God bequeathed al-Aqsa Mosque to the Messenger Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, whose construction he ordered exclusively for Muslims, excluding other people. Our Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, is the one who performed the Night Journey to al-Quds. He is the one who faced the two Qiblahs: Al-Aqsa Mosque and Al-Masjid Al-Haram. Through his birth, he bequeathed all of this to us, and we are his family and companions."
He added, "The Messenger Muhammad is with you, in you, and among you in Al-Aqsa Mosque, which he bequeathed to you. Do not waste his legacy. He is with you in your journey to Jerusalem, urging you to do so and tempting you with the great reward for those who journey to Jerusalem and for those who preserve its sanctity and sanctity and do not violate it. So, journey to it."
Source: saba.ye
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South Asia
32 Sacks Of Cash, Gold, Foreign Currency Found In Bangladesh’s Pagla Mosque Donation Boxes
Aug 30, 2025
A total of 32 sacks of cash, along with gold ornaments and foreign currency, have been recovered from 13 donation boxes at the historic Pagla Mosque in Kishoreganj.
The donation boxes were opened this morning after four months and 18 days. Initially, the money was removed from the boxes and packed into sacks before being poured onto the floor for counting.
Earlier, on April 12, the mosque had recorded its highest-ever collection, with Tk 9,17,80,000 in cash, along with foreign currency, gold jewellery and even diamonds.
Besides cash donations, devotees from across the country regularly contribute various items such as ducks, chickens, cows and goats.
The counting began at 7:00am today in the presence of Kishoreganj Deputy Commissioner Fauzia Khan, Superintendent of Police Mohammad Hasan Chowdhury, and Additional District Magistrate Ershadul Ahmed, convener of the donation box opening committee.
Over 500 people are involved in the counting, including around 350 students from two madrasas under Pagla Mosque's orphanage, 100 employees from Rupali Bank, and members of the mosque committee, law enforcement agencies and the army.
DC Fauzia Khan said the donations are used to manage the mosque and Islamic complex, and the remaining funds are deposited in the bank. "Currently, Tk 91 crore is deposited in the bank, in addition to around Tk 5 lakh received online. The funds counted today will also be deposited," she added.
She further said the interest from these funds is used to support mosques, madrasas and orphanages across the district, as well as to help the underprivileged and those suffering from critical illnesses.
SP Mohammad Hasan said police are ensuring overall security from the opening of the boxes, packing the money in sacks, counting, and transporting it safely to the bank. He is personally overseeing the process. Security personnel also remain deployed on other days to safeguard the donation boxes.
Source: thedailystar.net
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UN Envoy Urges Pakistan to Halt Deportation of Afghan Refugees
By Fidel Rahmati
August 30, 2025
UN Special Rapporteur Richard Bennett urged Pakistan to stop deporting Afghan refugees, warning expulsions violate international commitments and could trigger a humanitarian crisis, stressing safer resettlement pathways are needed.
United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, has urged Pakistan to halt its ongoing deportations of Afghan refugees, warning that the move violates international obligations.
“Afghanistan is not safe for many of its citizens,” Bennett wrote on social media platform X on Friday, August 29. “Continuing deportations is inconsistent with Pakistan’s international commitments.”
The UN envoy called on the international community to do more, urging countries that support Afghan refugees to expand resettlement pathways. “Nations must increase assistance to Pakistan and other neighbors hosting millions of Afghans,” he stressed.
Pakistani officials recently announced that, beginning September 1, even refugees holding temporary registration cards would be included in the deportation process. The move has raised concerns among humanitarian organizations.
The UN refugee agency and other international bodies have previously warned that large-scale expulsions could spark a new humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, where conflict, poverty, and repression remain widespread.
Pakistan has long hosted one of the world’s largest refugee populations, but its government now cites growing economic hardship and security concerns as reasons for accelerating deportations.
Analysts warn that without international support and a halt to forced removals, both Pakistan and Afghanistan could face worsening instability, with ripple effects across the wider South Asian region.
Source: khaama.com
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US Court Blocks Trump’s Expanded Fast-Track Deportation Plan
By Fidel Rahmati
August 30, 2025
A U.S. federal judge halted Donald Trump’s plan to expand rapid deportations, ruling it unlawful and affirming long-term migrants’ legal rights, sparking major political and legal debate.
A U.S. federal judge has struck down President Donald Trump’s attempt to speed up the deportation of migrants, calling the policy unlawful and unconstitutional.
Judge Jia Cobb, appointed during Joe Biden’s presidency, ruled on Friday, August 29, in Washington, D.C., that detaining migrants who have lived in the country for years violates the law.
Unlike individuals apprehended at or near the border—who were already subject to fast-track removal—long-term residents cannot be deported without due process, Cobb explained. She emphasized that these migrants are entitled to legal protections and cannot simply be stripped of their rights.
The ruling sharply criticized the government’s approach, with Cobb arguing that expanding deportation to include people who have lived in the United States for extended periods undermines fundamental legal principles.
Previously, expedited deportations focused primarily on border detainees. However, Trump’s policy sought to widen the scope, targeting migrants long settled in U.S. communities, many of whom have built families and lives in the country.
The immigrant advocacy group Make the Road New York challenged Trump’s measure in court, warning that it allowed deportations without hearings and denied migrants the chance to defend their cases.
The decision marks a major setback for Trump’s hardline immigration agenda, which has faced growing legal and political opposition since his return to national politics. Analysts say the ruling could intensify battles between federal courts and Trump’s renewed policies.
Source: khaama.com
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Attack of Nur: GonoOdhikar Parishad to stage nationwide protests today
Aug 30, 2025
GonoOdhikar Parishad (GOP) will hold demonstrations across the country today protesting the attack of its president and former Ducsu VP Nurul Haque Nur.
General Secretary of GOP Rashed Khan came up with the announcement at a press briefing in front of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital last night.
Protest processions will be brought out simultaneously in all 64 districts at 12:00pm while a rally will be held in front of the party office in Dhaka at 3:00pm to demand justice for the attack.
A clash broke out between activists of his party and Jatiya Party in front of his party office last night.
As tensions escalated, police and other agencies charged batons to bring the situation under control, leaving Nur injured.
Rashed Khan said, "Even during the Awami League's rule, we were not attacked like this. The government must answer why Nurul Haque Nur is now at the ICU."
"We are giving the government a 24-hour ultimatum. If there is no response within the time and any untoward incident occurs later, the government will be held responsible," he said.
Source: thedailystar.net
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Jatiya Party office in Rajshahi vandalised over attack on Nur
Aug 30, 2025
The office of Jatiya Party in Rajshahi'sGonokpara area was vandalised around 12:00am today over the attack on GonoOdhikar Parishad President Nurul Haque Nur in Dhaka.
Earlier on Friday night, leaders and activists of GonoOdhikar Parishad, JuboOdhikar and Chhatra Odhikar Parishad in Rajshahi city brought out a protest procession from the city's Shaheb Bazar Zero Point around 9:30pm.
Later at 11:30pm, another demonstration was held at Shaheb Bazar Zero Point under the banner of the Anti-Fascism National Unity, demanding justice over the attack on Nur.
In Rajshahi University, activists of the Chhatra Odhikar Parishad brought out a procession around 11:00pm on the campus, rallying through different streets and chanting slogans protesting the incident.
Source: thedailystar.net
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Public Health Minister Emphasize Anti-Smuggling Measures for Food Products
2025-08-30
KABUL (BNA): Mawlavi Noor Jalal Jalali, the Minister of Public Health, stressed the urgent need for the effective implementation of the Law on Preventing the Smuggling of Medicines and Food Products during a recent meeting aimed at coordinating efforts among various ministries.
The gathering, organized by the Ministry of Public Health, focused on enforcing the law against the smuggling of essential medicines, food, and health products. Jalali highlighted the law’s significance, stating, “This legislation, ratified by the esteemed Amir al-Mu’minin, the Supreme Leader of IEA, is crucial. We urge the relevant authorities to take decisive and practical steps for its implementation.”
MawlaviHamdullahZahed, the Deputy Minister for Food and Medicine, announced that an implementation plan has been developed to delineate the responsibilities of each authority involved in enforcing the law. “We ask our partner institutions to fully cooperate with us in this important initiative,” Zahed said.
During the meeting, he also shared updates on the department’s achievements and actions taken since the law’s ratification. Participants contributed their insights and suggestions to enhance the law’s effectiveness in combating smuggling.
The meeting concluded with a commitment from all attendees to collaborate closely with the Ministry of Public Health in efforts to prevent the illegal trade of medicines, food, and health products.
Source: bakhtarnews.af
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Southeast Asia
Three To Face BatuPahatSyariah Court Over Viral ‘Djinn Ritual’ KudaKepangClip
By Malay Mail
30 Aug 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 — A viral video allegedly depicting a trance-like ‘djinn’ ritual at a KudaKepang performance in Parit Raja, Johor, has resulted in three men set to face charges at the BatuPahatSyariah Court today, the New Straits Times (NST) reported.
The clip, which spread rapidly on TikTok and Facebook, featured two men appearing to fall into a trance — footage that triggered swift intervention by Johor authorities.
Johor MenteriBesar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi was among the first to call for action, directing the Johor Islamic Religious Department (JAINJ) and police to investigate the matter.
“Islam calls for harmony, peace and mutual respect. Every Muslim has a responsibility to safeguard the faith. Johor will not compromise with any party that threatens the harmony and sovereignty of Islam,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Onn Hafiz added that both His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, and His Royal Highness Tunku Ismail, Regent of Johor, had urged religious institutions to strengthen enforcement and education against deviant practices.
The KudaKepang, rooted in Javanese tradition, is still performed in Johor — particularly BatuPahat — as a cultural showcase. But religious authorities have repeatedly warned it should not be tied to worship or mystical rituals.
Confirming the charges to NST, Johor Islamic Affairs Committee chairman Mohd Fared Mohd Khalid said the case would be heard in court today.
He also underlined the state’s unwavering position on protecting Islamic values.
“The state government takes a firm stance on upholding Islamic values,” he reportedly said.
He noted that the King and the Regent had consistently emphasised the need for Johor traditions to remain aligned with Islamic teachings.
Fared added that the Johor Islamic Religious Council and its agencies would continue working together to safeguard the sanctity of Islam.
Source: malaymail.com
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High Court jails man 16 years for promoting Islamic State and possessing terror-linked materials
29 Aug 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 29 — An unemployed man was sentenced to 16 years in prison by the High Court here today after pleading guilty to two charges of providing support and possessing material related to the Daesh terrorist group.
Judge NurulhudaNur’aini Mohamad Nor sentenced Hasbullah Hassan, 46, to 10 years in jail for the offence of providing support to the terrorist group and six years in prison for the second charge of possessing materials related to the group.
She ordered Hasbullah to serve the jail sentences consecutively from the date of arrest, which was May 30, 2024.
Hasbullah was charged with providing support to the Daesh terrorist group by promoting the group through the social media application Facebook at Section E8 Counter Terrorism Special Branch, Level 24, Tower Two, Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) Headquarters, Kuala Lumpur, at 9 am on March 23, 2023.
The charge, under Section 130J(1)(a) of the Penal Code, provides a maximum prison sentence of 40 years or a fine and forfeiture of the property used in committing the offence, upon conviction.
The second charge was for possessing 143 photographs and three videos linked to the Daesh group on two mobile phones, and a ring with the logo of the terrorist group at FeldaPalong Timur Tiga, Batu Anam, Segamat, Johor at 12.30 pm on May 30, 2024.
The offence is under Section 130JB (1)(a) of the Penal Code, which provides imprisonment for up to seven years or a fine and forfeiture of any such material, if convicted.
Based on the facts of the case, Hasbullah used nine Facebook accounts to promote the terrorist group by making posts, pictures and videos related to Daesh.
Two mobile phones belonging to Hasbullah were found to contain materials on violence, extremism and terrorism linked to the terrorist group.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Nur AinaaRidzwan appeared for the prosecution, while Hasbullah was represented by lawyer Wan Muhamad Yusuf W. Hussin. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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Hajiji teases Sabah state assembly dissolution, says media can ‘still take one- or two-week’ break
By Malay Mail
30 Aug 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 — Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has hinted that the state assembly may be dissolved in the near future, but stopped short of giving a date.
Speaking to SinarHarian, Hajiji joked that media personnel still have time for a short break before any announcement.
“Not dissolving just yet… you can still take a one- or two-week holiday,” he reportedly said after officiating the groundbreaking of the Sabah Malaysian Construction Academy (ABM) campus in KampungBeringgis, Papar today.
Asked if the dissolution would come after Malaysia Day, he said reporters would have to wait for his official word.
“Just wait… I’ll call you three,” he added, in reference to the reporters.
Earlier, Sabah State Assembly Speaker Datuk Seri Kadzim M Yahya said the assembly is set to automatically dissolve on November 11, in line with the state constitution.
Source: malaymail.com
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Anwar hails Madani government for dismantling entrenched market cartels, calls it true independence
By AnisZalani
30 Aug 2025
SERDANG, Aug 30 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today declared the Madani government has dismantled long-standing cartels dominating Malaysia’s markets, emphasising that true independence means freeing the nation from corruption and illicit practices.
Speaking at his National Day 2025 address, Anwar said overcoming entrenched market control had been a decades-long struggle, achievable only with political will.
“We know that prices are also rising in other countries, and we know that during previous governments, prices soared as well but what must be recognised is that the Madani government has broken down the walls of the cartels that have long controlled the market.
“We fight them, we fight the cartels, we fight the groups that use illegal and destructive means to damage this nation. For decades they held power, and now we have finally broken them,” he said.
He stressed that the victory against cartels was more than political — it reflected public resolve and strong institutional support, highlighting the role of enforcement agencies such as the Royal Malaysia Police.
Acknowledging that reforms were ongoing, Anwar noted that smuggling, corruption, and illegal activities had yet to be fully eradicated.
“Is everything perfect? No. Has smuggling been stopped completely? Not yet but the true spirit of independence means liberating this nation from all forms of corruption, smuggling, and unlawful activities,” he said.
On the economy, the prime minister said Malaysia remained resilient amid global instability, pointing to a 4.4 per cent growth in the second quarter of 2025 as proof of solid footing.
“Alhamdulillah, economic growth figures are encouraging. Despite global uncertainties and the US-China trade war, Malaysia still recorded 4.4 per cent growth in the second quarter of 2025,” he said.
Anwar said the performance reflected a government focused on national interests and the people’s wellbeing, rather than succumbing to extremist views on foreign conflicts.
Source: malaymail.com
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Kedah MB Sanusi declines PAS vice-president nomination again
By Malay Mail
30 Aug 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 — Datuk Seri Muhammad SanusiMd Nor has once again declined the nomination to contest the position of PAS vice-president at the party’s 71st Annual Muktamar in mid-September.
According to Utusan Malaysia, the Kedah menteribesar confirmed that he will only be defending his Central Working Committee seat for the 2025–2027 term.
“I am not contesting for vice-president, I will only contest for the Central Working Committee,” he told reporters at the Merdeka Boat Parade in conjunction with National Day 2025 at the State Museum in AlorSetar today.
This marks the third time Muhammad Sanusi, who is also the PAS election director, has refused the vice-president post, following his decisions in the 2023 and 2021 elections, despite being eligible after nominations from several PAS divisions.
In 2023, he secured the highest votes as a Central Working Committee member with 1,098 votes.
Earlier, Muhammad Sanusi had hinted that he would not contest the vice-president post.
“Those already accustomed to the role should continue. I will not compete with anyone — there is nothing hidden or implied,” he reportedly said.
He was previously among four candidates declared eligible for the vice-president post, alongside incumbents Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah and Datuk Idris Ahmad.
Source: malaymail.com
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