After Setbacks During Operation Sindoor, Jaish-e-Mohammad Terror Outfit Plans Rs 3.91 Billion Fundraising Drive
New Age Islam News Bureau
22 August 2025
A file photo of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar.
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· After Setbacks During Operation Sindoor, Jaish-e-Mohammad Terror OutfitPlans Rs 3.91 Billion Fundraising Drive
· Funding Terror: How West Africa’s Deadly Jihadists Get The Money They Need To Survive
· Govt Officials: Bangladesh, Pakistan Okay Visa-Free Travel
· CAIR Calls on Congress to ‘Recognize Gaza Genocide’ After Secret Israeli Data Shows 83 Percent of Those Slaughtered Were Civilians
· 27 Nations Call For ‘Immediate’ Access To Gaza For Foreign Media
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India
· Muslim Band Owners In UP Told Not To Name Wedding Bands After Hindu Deities
· Supreme Court Orders Status Quo In Sambhal Mosque Row; Issues Notice
· Bihar: Rahul Gandhi Visits Mosque; Minority Community Urges AIMIM’s Owaisi Inclusion In INDIA Alliance
· Bihar CM Nitish sparks controversy after declining to wear traditional ‘topi’ at madrasa event
· ISF MLA Naushad Siddiqui, 94 others granted bail by Bankshall Court day after protest against SIR, Waqf Bill
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Africa
· Libya’s Dar al-Ifta: All Meat Imported From Non-Islamic States Is Not Deemed ‘‘Halal’’
· Security forces in Somalia confront Islamic State militants
· Al Qaeda-linked group claims to kill 21 soldiers in Mali
· Over 7,000 Christians killed in Nigeria in 2025, says Intersociety
· Terrorists Now Using Gold To Fund Operations – CDS
· CDS Gen Musa Urges Every Nigerian To Learn Combat Skills For Self-defence
· Four Security Personnel Killed In Boko Haram Attack Near Maiduguri
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South Asia
· In Kabul Talks, Pakistan Urges Action Against TTP
· Jamaat, NCP deny involvement in Sylhet stone looting
· Pakistani and British Envoys Discuss Afghanistan
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North America
· Appeals court throws out Trump's $500m civil fraud penalty
· Hundreds of thousands of Grok chats exposed in Google results
· Police respond to active shooter alert at US university
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Mideast
· Lebanese troops collect first weapons surrendered in Palestinian camps
· Gaza civilian death toll could be as high as 83%: Israeli data
· Netanyahu approves Gaza City attack, orders hostage negotiations
· Egypt reveals 2,000-year-old ruins discovered in Alexandria waters
· Palestinian camps in Lebanon to start disarming
· Israel army calls on hospitals, aid groups in north Gaza to prepare for evacuations
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Arab World
· Saudi Foreign Ministry Accuses Israel Of ‘Genocide’ In Gaza
· Saudi Arabia condemns attack on aid convoy in Sudan
· How Gulf states can develop data centres without straining scarce water resources
· Saudi crown prince discusses situation in Palestine with Egyptian president
· Brain-dead donor in Abu Dhabi saves Saudi child’s life
· Checkmate to barriers: Alkhobar hosts chess training for visually impaired
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Europe
· Sacred Islamic ArtefactsDating Back 700 Years, Go On Display At School
· Greenock Teen Inspired By Hitler To Attack Mosque Jailed For 10 Years
· Record 111,000 UK asylum applications in past year, figures show
· Proposed Ukraine land concessions are Putin's trap, EU's top diplomat tells BBC
· German opposition slams EU ‘hypocrisy’ on Ukraine
· Ukraine kills civilians with US-made rockets – governor
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Southeast Asia
· Islamic Community Centres Should Be Inclusive Spaces, Says MohdNa’im
· Raja MudaOf Perlis Urges Mosque Officials To Uphold Morals, Courtesy And Unity
· Ninety-eight Islamic studies teachers deployed for Sekolah Rakyat
· Islamic community centres key to promoting national unity says minister
· Mosques to hold special prayers for Gaza after Friday prayers
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/operation-sindoor-jaish-e-mohammad/d/136571
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After Setbacks During Operation Sindoor, Jaish-e-Mohammad Terror OutfitPlans Rs 3.91 Billion Fundraising Drive
Aug 22, 2025
A file photo of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar.
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NEW DELHI: After suffering severe setbacks during Operation Sindoor, Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror outfit has launched a massive fundraising drive in that country under the garb of building over 300 mosques to replicate Lashkar-e-Taiba’s decentralization policy, security officials said.
The JeM has come out with a new mechanism with the support of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to collect funds.
It is using digital wallets like ‘EasyPaisa’ and ‘Sadapay’ controlled by its founder and most wanted terrorist Masood Azhar’s family members to bypass scrutiny by global agencies like the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the officials said citing inputs from across the border.
The Rs 3.91 billion fundraising drive would secure JeM’s operational and weapons financing for at least a decade, they said.
Indian armed forces carried out missile strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the early hours of May 7 in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack.
Pakistan retaliated and the intense border skirmishes continued till May 10 before the two countries reached an understanding to end the hostilities.
The officials said the JeM’s headquarters ‘Markaz Subhanallah’, along with four other training camps -- Markaz Bilal, Markaz Abbas, MahmonaJoya, and the Sargal training camp – were destroyed during the Operation Sindoor.
While Pakistan’s government has announced funding to rebuild these destroyed facilities, the JeM has launched an online fundraising campaign through digital wallets to collect Rs 3.91 billion for constructing 313 new markaz buildings under the garb of constructing mosques across Pakistan, the officials said.
On social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp, JeM-linked proxy accounts and those used by JeM commanders have posted posters, videos, and a letter from Masood Azhar, urging supporters to donate wholeheartedly as each mosque requires Rs 12.5 million (Rs 1.25 crore) for construction and smooth running, they said.
According to the officials, several of the digital wallet accounts were found linked to the mobile number of Azhar’s brother Talha Al Saif (Talha Gulzar) and JeM Haripur district commander Aftab Ahmad based in Khala Batt Township.
They said another fundraising channel was linked to a mobile number run by Azhar’s son Abdullah Azhar (Abdullah Khan) while in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, JeM commander Syed Safdar Shah is collecting donations for the organization’s markaz via a number registered near Melwarah post office, Oghi, Mansehra district. In addition to these three accounts, over 250 EasyPaisa wallets are reportedly being used to raise funds for the JeM’s fundraising campaign.
Alongside social media appeals, the terror outfit circulated an audio recording of Azhar’s brother, Al Saif, via its official propaganda channel, MSTD Official, urging supporters to contribute Rs 21,000 per person, the officials said. The speech was delivered at a gathering at Markaz Usman-o-Ali during a Friday congregation on August 15.
In the audio clip, Al Saif also instructed the establishment of 20 new markaz this year, as part of JeM’s overall target of 313 centres, the officials said citing JeM’s organizational posters and videos. To build these mosques, the officials said the JeM may have two key motives -- first, to replicate LeT’s vast markaz network, decentralising its training camps so that future Indian strikes would have minimal impact on its terror infrastructure in Pakistan.
Second, to establish secure, lavish safe houses for Azhar and his family to allow Pakistan to maintain plausible deniability about their whereabouts, the officials said. Under this plan, three-four large markaz centres would function as safe houses, medium-sized facilities would serve as training camps, and the remainder would handle logistics, allowing JeM to operate nationwide while Pakistan’s government continues to deny Azhar’s presence, they said.
While JeM claims each markaz will cost Rs 12.5 million, estimates suggest a Markaz Bilal-sized facility costs only Rs 4-5 million.
Larger markaz like Subhanallah or Usman-o-Ali may cost around Rs 100 million, but it is unlikely all 313 will be this large. If built, with three large markaz and 310 smaller ones, the total construction cost would be about Rs 1.23 billion (Rs 123 crore) leaving a large surplus for weapons purchases, the officials said.
Given JeM-Hamas-TTP (Tehreek-e-Taliban) connections and leadership meetings, the officials said the surplus could be used to acquire advanced weaponry and maybe attack drones or quadcopters used by TTP.
It is widely known that Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI helps JeM procure arms cheaply from the black market, the officials said. “Today, JeM’s arsenal already includes machine guns, rocket launchers, and mortars.
Thus this Rs 3.91 billion campaign could heavily bolster its arms stockpile,” an official said. In 2019, Pakistan was placed in grey list by the international watchdog working on blocking terror financing and accordingly, the Pakistani Government implemented the National Action Plan and presented to FATF that it had curbed JeM by taking its markaz under government control and placing JeM chief and his brother’s bank accounts under official watch, the officials said.
It also banned cash transactions, animal hide donations, and other forms of fundraising which resulted in Pakistan getting formally removed from FATF’s grey list in 2022. Now, instead of donations going into bank accounts, the money is being transferred to the digital wallets used by Azhar’s family members and this way, Pakistan could falsely claim to FATF by showing only bank account details that JeM’s funding had been cut off, the officials said.
Source: indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/srinagar/operation-sindoor-fallout-masood-azhars-jaish-e-mohammad-plots-comeback-with-313-mosques-doubling-as-terror-hubs-plans-rs-3-91-billion-fundraising-drive/articleshow/123444397.cms
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Funding terror: how west Africa’s deadly jihadists get the money they need to survive
21st August 2025
JNIM militants in central Mali.
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The west Africa–Sahel region has seen a proliferation of militant Islamist groups since the 1990s.
One of the most vicious groups operating in the region is Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (Support Group for Islam and Muslims). The militant group emerged in 2017 in Algeria and Mali, and has targeted civilian populations.
The UN listed the group as an al-Qaeda affiliate in 2018. Al-Qaeda is an Islamist organisation founded by Osama bin Laden in the 1980s.
The 2024 global terrorism index listed Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin as one of the world’s most dangerous terrorist organisations. Its influence has expanded in most parts of the Sahel. The group emerged to strengthen the jihadist insurgency under al-Qaeda. It combines violence with diplomacy to expand its influence and challenge state authorities.
Despite growing pressure from counter militancy campaigns spearheaded by local, regional and international militaries, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin continues to survive and adapt by regrouping and reorganising. This was demonstrated in its latest operation in Burkina Faso in 2024. The group exerted significant control by closing schools, setting up taxation checkpoints and abducting locals.
Its engagement in illicit economies has been key to the group’s successful expansion. This revenue is used to carry out devastating attacks.
We research jihadi-based insurgencies, and have found that this is a common tactic among terrorist groups in the west Africa-Sahel axis, including Boko Haram militants.
From our research, we find that Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin funds its activities by relying on artisanal mining, kidnapping, livestock theft, and money laundering.
Dismantling the group’s illicit economies and blocking its financial flows are key to countering its activities.
Financial resources
The group needs money for fighting, and to sustain political and social influence in its areas of operation.
Artisanal gold mining has proven to be a major factor in its expansion and resilience. In areas where the group exerts influence, illicit gold mining generates over US$30 billion annually. According to a report by Swissaid, a development group based in Switzerland, the main destinations for this gold are the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Switzerland.
The jihadists gain access to gold by controlling mining sites and transport routes to and from mines. They sometimes allow trusted allies, who include local armed groups, bandits and other criminal networks, to mine in exchange for a payout. The extent of gold mining funds is not exactly known, but the artisanal sites in areas controlled by the group have the capacity to produce 725 kilograms of gold per year, valued at US$34 million.
Another source of income – and political influence – is kidnapping for ransom. Kidnap victims include cattle owners, businessmen, state officials and foreigners. The group received a ₤30 million ransom in 2020 to release one French and two Italian hostages. Between 2017 and 2023, the group and its affiliated units were responsible for 845 out of approximately 1,100 recorded kidnappings in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. Burkina Faso and Mali remain the epicentre of the group’s violent activities. In the first quarter of 2023, over 180 cases of kidnapping were recorded in these countries’ war-torn areas.
Livestock theft has also been a critical source of funds. The practice of livestock theft as economic warfare and a means to generate funds has led to livestock being forcibly taken from herders who fail to pay zakat (a religious fee among Muslims) or subscribe to the group’s ideology. The stolen livestock are sold in Mali, Mauritania or Senegal. The ability to monetise stolen livestock makes their theft a cornerstone of the Sahelian war economy and a source of cash for weapons and vehicles.
Money laundering is another illicit economy central to the militant group’s financing. It lends money to merchants, invests with banks and funds small shops with the aim of getting profits. This helps ensure a constant flow of money and provisions to support the group’s terrorist acts. It has attached much importance to this illicit economy, to the extent of assassinating those who interfere with its investments.
Way out
To cut down Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin’s financial base – and thereby weaken its capacity for militancy – counterinsurgency efforts need to take the following actions.
Government security actors should collaborate with local self-defence militias to regulate artisanal mining and thwart kidnappings.
Financial intelligence units need to identify merchants who receive money from the militant group to block the flow of illicit funds.
Specialised courts that deal with money laundering and terrorism financing cases should be established and made operational in Burkina Faso and Mali, the epicentres of the group’s activities.
Burkina Faso and Mali should increase security around civilians to minimise civilian casualties from terror operations.
Since finance is the basis of the militant group’s strength, regional security co-operation should be strengthened. This would help with systematically tracking illicit flows and stopping them.
Written by EgodiUchendu, Professor (of History and International Studies), University of Nigeria, and Muhammed Sani Dangusau
Lecturer 1, Federal University Lokoja.
Republished with permission from The Conversation. The original article can be found here.
Source: defenceweb.co.za
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https://www.defenceweb.co.za/african-news/funding-terror-how-west-africas-deadly-jihadists-get-the-money-they-need-to-survive/
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Govt officials: Bangladesh, Pakistan okay visa-free travel
Aug 22, 2025
Diplomatic and official passport holders of Bangladesh and Pakistan will be able to travel to each other's countries without visas.
A draft agreement to this effect was approved yesterday at the weekly meeting of the advisory council, chaired by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, at his office, according to a press release from the cabinet division.
This agreement with Pakistan will be valid for five years, said Shafiqul Alam, the chief adviser's press secretary, in a press briefing yesterday.
At present, Bangladesh has similar agreements with 31 other countries.
Also at the briefing, Alam said the government has planned three international conferences with the aim of bringing the Rohingya crisis to the forefront of international discussions.
The interim government is working with utmost importance on the Rohingya issue, he said.
The first of the three conferences is scheduled to take place in Cox's Bazar from August 24 to 26.
Representatives from the United Nations and around 40 countries are expected to attend the conference, with attendance from Yunus expected on the second day.
The conference is being held in Cox's Bazar so that the victims of mass atrocities can directly share their experiences with global representatives, he said.
"It is difficult for the voices of the Rohingya community to be heard in the international arena."
On the opening day, several Rohingya survivors will recount their experiences of persecution at the conference.
The second session of the first day of the conference will focus on the sharp decline in humanitarian assistance for the Rohingyas, with a view to increasing the volume of aid.
The third session will address justice for the atrocities committed against the Rohingyas, while the fourth session will discuss a roadmap for an acceptable solution to the Rohingya crisis.
However, the largest conference on the Rohingya crisis will take place at the United Nations on September 30, with participation from 170 countries.
Another conference is being planned in Doha, Qatar.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/bangladesh-pakistan-approve-visa-free-entry-each-others-diplomats-3967631
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CAIR Calls on Congress to ‘Recognize Gaza Genocide’ After Secret Israeli Data Shows 83 Percent of Those Slaughtered Were Civilians
August 21, 2025
Classified Israeli data shows Palestinian civilians being slaughtered ‘at a rate with few parallels in modern warfare’
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on members of Congress to recognize Israel’s obvious and documented genocide in Gaza after data from an secret Israeli intelligence database shows that least 83 percent of Palestinians slaughtered in Gaza were civilians – not combatants.
According to an Israeli media outlet +972 Magazine:
“Figures obtained from the classified database — which records the deaths of militants from Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) — contradict by a huge margin the public statements of Israeli army and government officials throughout the war, which have generally claimed a 1:1 or 2:1 ratio of civilian to militant casualties. Instead, the classified data backs up the findings of severalstudiessuggesting Israel’s bombardment of Gaza has killed civilians at a rate with few parallels in modern warfare.”
The Guardian reports: “That apparent ratio of civilians to combatants among the dead is extremely high for modern warfare, even compared with conflicts notorious for indiscriminate killing, including the Syrian and Sudanese civil wars.”
“This newly-revealed secret Israeli data confirms what human rights organizations, journalists, and survivors have been saying all along: the Israeli government has been carrying out a mass slaughter of civilians in Gaza with impunity and with U.S. complicity,” said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. “This is not collateral damage — it is calculated, industrial-scale slaughter. Congress can no longer hide behind Israeli propaganda. The time to recognize this genocide is now. Silence is complicity.”
CAIR is calling on all members of Congress to:
Publicly acknowledge the mass killing of Palestinian civilians as genocide.
Demand an immediate and permanent ceasefire.
Halt all U.S. military aid and arms transfers to the Israeli government.
Support international investigations into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Earlier today, CAIR condemned the “Israel First” firing of ShahedGhoreishi, the State Department’s top press officer for Israeli-Palestinian affairs. over how to characterize Trump administration policies, including a controversial plan for ethnic cleansing of Gaza.
Source: cair.com
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27 nations call for ‘immediate’ access to Gaza for foreign media
August 21, 2025
Media Freedom Coalition members said journalists play an essential role in putting the spotlight on Israel's war on Gaza. (AFP/File)
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RIYADH: The Media Freedom Coalition, which promotes press freedoms worldwide, called Thursday for Israel to allow independent, foreign news organizations access to the besieged Palestinian territory of Gaza.
“Journalists and media workers play an essential role in putting the spotlight on the devastating reality of war,” said a joint statement signed by members of the coalition from 27 countries, including Britain, France and Germany.
The statement also condemned the violence directed against journalists and media workers, and called on Israeli authorities and all other parties “to make every effort to ensure that media workers in the conflict area can conduct their work freely and safely.”
“Deliberate targeting of journalists is unacceptable. International humanitarian law offers protection to civilian journalists during armed conflict,” the statement said, adding that every attack against media workers must be investigated and those responsible prosecuted.
The other signatories were Australia, Austria, Belgium, Chile, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, the Netherlands, and Canada.
Aside from rare guided tours, Israel has barred international media during the war, in which at least 242 Palestinian journalists and media workers have been killed.
A post on the United Nation's website on August 12, 2025, cited a UNESCO report saying that since October 2023, at least 62 journalists and media workers had been killed in the line of duty in Palestine, excluding deaths in circumstances unrelated to their work. It also cited a report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, or OHCHR, saying that at least 242 Palestinian journalists have been killed in the same time frame.
Since the Israeli invasion of Gaza in October 2023, at least 62,192 Palestinians have been killed according to a Gaza Health Ministry report on Thursday. Another two people have died from malnutrition-related causes, bringing the total number of such deaths to 271, including 112 children, the ministry said.
Hamas-led militants started the war when they attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. Most of the hostages have been released in ceasefires or other deals. Hamas says it will only free the rest in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2612578/middle-east
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India
Muslim Band Owners In UP Told Not To Name Wedding Bands After Hindu Deities
Namita Bajpai
21 Aug 2025
LUCKNOW: After state government's move to push Muslim restaurateurs to put their names on their establishments in order to stop them from using Hindu names, a new controversy has erupted, especially in western UP, over the wedding bands run by Muslims but named after Hindu Gods and Goddesses in Moradabad district.
As per sources, Shaby Sharma, a lawyer, registered a complaint on the chief minister's portal on July 9 claiming that around 15 to 20 Muslim band operators in the district were running their businesses under the names of Hindu deities. Taking note of the complaint, the district police swung into action and Moradabad SP (City) Kumar Ranvijay Singh summoned several band operators, most of them Muslims, and instructed them to not name their bands after Hindu deities. The band owners agreed, said the police sources.
According to police, the complainant argued that this practice was hurting religious sentiments. "On Tuesday, they were summoned and directed to remove such names. All of them agreed to comply," Singh said. However, there is nothing illegal in a Muslim band owner naming his band after a Hindu God.
Meanwhile, the complainant said that the band industry in Moradabad was largely dominated by Muslims, yet many of these establishments operate under Hindu names, including those of gods and goddesses. "This is an attempt to distort identity. The CM himself has called for action against such practices," he claimed. "I had submitted a formal complaint on the CM portal, and now the police have taken action. This is not discrimination, it is legal action."
Moradabad has over 500 wedding bands in operation. No band operator immediately objected to the complaint and the police order. However, local sources claimed that many Muslim wedding band operators run under a Hindu name for various reasons, like naming it after their mentors who had been Hindus to carry their legacy forward.
However, many band owners have sought time from the district administration for compliance with the latest order as they have advance bookings in the old name. Earlier, a similar controversy had erupted during the Kanwar Yatra, when several dhabas and restaurants run by Muslims were found to be using Hindu names.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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Supreme Court orders status quo in Sambhal mosque row; issues notice
August 22, 2025
The Supreme Court of India on Friday (August 22, 2025) ordered status quo till August 25, 2025 in the Sambhal mosque row and issued notice to the Hindu petitioners. A Bench of Justices P.S. Narasimha and A.S. Chandurkar passed the orders.
The top court was hearing an appeal filed by Masjid committee challenging an order of the Allahabad High Court which dismissed its plea against the survey ordered by a Sambhal court in the Shahi Jama Masjid and Harihar Temple dispute, upholding the civil court's direction for the survey. The High Court said the order to appoint a Court Commissioner and the suit were maintainable.
The mosque committee had moved the High Court against the November 19 last year order of the civil judge directing the Mughal-era mosque' survey which took place on the same day. A second survey carried out on November 24 last year, the committee claimed, was illegal as the civil court never ordered it.
Source: thehindu.com
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https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/supreme-court-orders-status-quo-in-sambhal-mosque-row-issues-notice/article69963738.ece
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Bihar: Rahul Gandhi visits mosque; minority community urges AIMIM’s Owaisi inclusion in INDIA alliance
August 22, 2025
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited the Khankaah Rahmani Masjid in Munger, drawing a large crowd from the minority community.
Prominent local figures, including Md. Shahwaz Aalam, Md. Raish Aalam, Khalid Sultan Rahmani, and Md. Islam Rahmani was present during the visit.
Minority community voters in attendance voiced strong support for including All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi in the INDIA alliance. They warned that failure to include Owaisi could lead to significant electoral losses for the alliance.
A substantial number of Owaisi’s supporters were present in the crowd, emphasising that if AIMIM is excluded from the alliance, the minority community’s support would shift decisively to Owaisi.
The gathered crowd expressed frustration, stating that the minority community, which constitutes 20% of the population, is not being given due respect or representation within the INDIA alliance.
They criticised the alliance for prioritising leaders like Mukesh Sahni, representing a smaller 2% voter base, while sidelining the concerns of the minority community.
Earlier today, Congress MP and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi arrived in Jamalpur on the sixth day of the ‘Voter Adhikaar Yatra,’ aimed at addressing concerns over alleged voter fraud.
The 16-day yatra is aimed at raising awareness about alleged irregularities in the voter list and what opposition leaders are calling a case of ‘vote chori’ (vote theft). Covering over 1,300 km across 20 districts, the yatra is scheduled to conclude in Patna on September 1.
The Yatra, continuing for the sixth day, reached Jamalpur earlier today. Leaders of the party, along with leaders of alliance partners Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist).
Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday participated in the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ in Bihar’s Lakhisarai, protesting against the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls ahead of the upcoming state elections.
The Voter Adhikar Yatra is the latest effort by the opposition to highlight concerns over voter disenfranchisement and electoral transparency in the lead-up to the 2025 Bihar Legislative Assembly elections. (ANI)
Source: thestatesman.com
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https://www.thestatesman.com/india/bihar-rahul-gandhi-visits-mosque-minority-community-urges-aimims-owaisi-inclusion-in-india-alliance-1503475052.html
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Bihar CM Nitish sparks controversy after declining to wear traditional ‘topi’ at madrasa event
Ramashankar
22 Aug 2025
PATNA: Bihar chief minister and JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar on Thursday courted controversy after he declined to wear a 'topi' (a cap associated with Muslims) at a function in Patna marking the centenary of the Bihar Madarsa Education Board.
When state minority welfare minister Mohammad Zama Khan tried to place the cap on Nitish’s head, the chief minister took it from him and put it on Khan instead.
A video of the exchange, showing Nitish diverting the cap and placing it back on his colleague’s head, went viral on social media. Nitish and other dignitaries were present at the centenary function. In the video, widely shared online, Nitish’s gesture appeared to surprise participants.
The chief minister, who has long cultivated a secular image, has ruled Bihar for two decades in alliance with the BJP, except for two stints when he partnered with the RJD and other allies as part of the grand alliance.
Despite his BJP ties, Nitish has launched several welfare schemes for the minority community, including building boundary walls around graveyards, which helped him secure support from sections of Muslims.
During his speech, Nitish drew a contrast with the earlier RJD regime, saying: “No work was done for Muslim community before 2005.”
This is not the first time Nitish has drawn attention with such gestures.
On earlier occasions, he has avoided someone garlanding him by taking the garland and putting it back on the person.
In 2013, he said: “To govern a country like India, you have to take everyone along; sometimes you will have to wear ‘topi’ and sometimes ‘tilak’ (kabhitopibhipehennipadhegi, kabhitilakbhilaganapadega).”
Earlier in the day, a group of madarsa teachers protested outside the venue, alleging they had not received salaries for months. They accused the state government of ignoring the poor condition of madarsas across the state. Tension escalated after Nitish’s address, as teachers waved pamphlets and demanded action on salaries and pending commitments.
“We have always been promised to fulfil the demands. But nothing has happened on this front so far,” said one visibly agitated teacher.
He added: “In 2011, Nitish Kumar promised to provide salaries to 2,459 madarsa. Only 1,659 madarsa remain, and for so many years we have been on the verge of starvation. We were told an announcement would be made today, but nothing happened.”
Other teachers at the event backed his claims.
Nitish has previously worn traditional caps at minority community events but has lately avoided doing so. In March, at an Iftar party hosted at his residence, he was seen without the skull cap he usually wore at such occasions. Instead, he draped a scarf, or kafiya, around his shoulders.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Aug/21/bihar-cm-nitish-sparks-controversy-after-declining-to-wear-traditional-topi-at-madrasa-event
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ISF MLA Naushad Siddiqui, 94 others granted bail by Bankshall Court day after protest against SIR, Waqf Bill
Tanusree Bose
August 21, 2025
Indian Secular Front (ISF) MLA Naushad Siddiqui and 94 others were granted bail by the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Bankshall Court on Thursday.
On Wednesday, tensions rose when thousands of ISF supporters gathered at Esplanade over issues of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, SIR (special intensive revision), Bengali migrants allegedly being manhandled in other states for speaking Bengali, and the non-declaration of joint examination results.
Since Thursday morning, ISF supporters had been holding protests outside the court demanding their release, while a heavy police deployment was in place both inside and outside the compound to prevent any untoward incident. The police were seen making announcements asking protesters to maintain peace and not take the law into their hands.
Ninety-four protesters were brought in five prison vans to the court, while Siddiqui was brought in a police car. Before entering court, Siddiqui told mediapersons, “Fight will go on, SIR has to be stopped, harassment of common man has to be stopped. The people of Bengal will give a befitting reply, the police cannot stop Naushad Siddiqui.”
Police had sought judicial custody for all. During the hearing, Chief Public Prosecutor Abhijit Chatterjee opposed bail, saying, “There are non-bailable sections thus opposing the bail, we are seeking jail custody for all the accused.”
Meanwhile, Siddiqui’s counsel Firdous Shamim argued, “They had just gone to voice their thoughts on the OBC issue. The MLA gets Central security. Throughout the state, due to OBC students being unable to join colleges, advocates, teachers, all were there in the protest, they wanted to talk about the situation. Police attacked the protesters, the MLA’s clothes were torn and (he was) manhandled. We want bail, and will cooperate with the investigation.”
The court granted bail on a personal bond of Rs 500.
A scuffle broke out between police and supporters. Using “minimum force,” police detained Siddiqui along with 94 others under three police sections. Kolkata Police DC (Central) Indira Mukherjee told mediapersons, “We had to use minimum force to lift the blockade by the ISF to facilitate movement of traffic in the busy thoroughfare.” She claimed there was no report of injury to anyone.
Congress leader Amitabh Chakraborty and local councillor Santosh Pathak met the ISF MLA at the court. Chakraborty said, “He is not a member of our party but he is protesting against the new Waqf (Amendment) Bill. The CM has already said that the protest has to go to Delhi. The police probably got encouraged by the instructions of the Chief Minister and attacked them.”
Source: indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/kolkata/isf-mla-naushad-siddiqui-bail-protest-sir-waqf-10202852/
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Africa
Libya’s Dar al-Ifta: All Meat Imported From Non-Islamic States Is Not Deemed ‘‘Halal’’
August 21, 2025
Dar al-Iftaa, western Libya’s highest religious authority, announced today that following a visit by its inspection committee to Brazil, it stated that meat imported from non-Muslim countries is not deemed halal and therefore not permissible to eat.
It stated that in its view the use of the phrase “halal, slaughtered according to the Islamic method” is merely a marketing ploy.
Source: libyaherald.com
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https://libyaherald.com/2025/08/dar-al-ifta-pronounces-that-all-meat-imported-from-non-islamic-states-is-not-deemed-halal/
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Security forces in Somalia confront Islamic State militants
August 21, 2025
Islamic State is expanding its operation in northern Somalia, a Sky News report said, despite efforts from Somali forces to tackle the rising threat.
The fighting is being mostly carried out by forces in the semi-autonomous Puntland region and it has been substantial, as soldiers in this remote area have faced obstacles including harsh terrain, ambush attempts, and hidden explosive devices.
They have made gains, Sky reported, uncovering a network of caves and bunkers including a bomb factory making bombs to be attached to drones, rockets and suicide vests.
Soldiers recovered large stashes of unused rockets and homemade bombs, and found evidence that IS is working with other extremist groups like the Houthis in Yemen, Sky reported.
"I am confident that there is, to an extent, a cooperation between the two," Colonel Ali Dirane, a Battalion Commander told Sky.
"We have found letters that indicate there is correspondence between IS and the Houthis."
Somali soldiers also recovered other goods such as sophisticated medical equipment.
In their raids through local villages where IS had set up base, soldiers found IS flags and boards outlining the group's strict set of Sharia law rules.
Sky reported that thousands of villagers had fled their homes and had been too afraid to come back even after Somali forces drove them out of the area.
Puntland's army chief Brigadier General Adan Abdi Hasa has raised the alarm, warning international forces needed to get involved.
He also stressed that the issue isn't a localised problem.
In February, the US military conducted airstrikes against Islamic State operatives in Somalia, the first attacks in the African nation during President Donald Trump’s second term.
Growing threat
The IS affiliate in Somalia emerged in 2015 as a breakaway faction from al-Shabab, al-Qaida’s East African link, and is most active in Puntland, particularly in the Galgala Mountains, where it has established hideouts and training camps and is led by AbdulkadirMumin.
While its influence is relatively limited compared to Al-Shabaab, IS in Somalia has been involved in attacks in southern and central Somalia.
The group funds its activities through extortion, smuggling, and illicit taxation, particularly in some coastal areas where it has attempted to control local businesses.
Despite facing counterterrorism pressure from Somali security forces, US airstrikes and al-Shabab rivalries, it continues to operate in remote and urban areas, seeking to expand its influence through recruitment and propaganda.
The number of IS militants in the country are estimated to be in the hundreds, mostly scattered in the Cal Miskaat mountains in Puntland’s Bari region, according to the International Crisis Group.
The threat from Islamic State and al-Qaida extremists and their affiliates is most intense in parts of Africa, and risks are growing in Syria, which both groups view as a “a strategic base for external operations,” UN experts said in report released last month.
Their report to the UN Security Council said West Africa's al-Qaida-linked Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslim in group, known as JNIM, and East Africa's al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab have continued to increase the territory under their control.
The experts monitoring sanctions against the two groups said “the organization’s pivot towards parts of Africa continued" partly because of Islamic State losses in the Middle East due to counterterrorism pressures.
Source: africanews.com
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https://www.africanews.com/2025/08/21/security-forces-in-somalia-confront-islamic-state-militants/
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Al Qaeda-linked group claims to kill 21 soldiers in Mali
21st August 2025
Jihadist group, Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) said it killed 21 soldiers and captured two others in a wide-scale attack in Mali on Tuesday, a U.S intelligence NGO reports.
JNIM said they had taken control of military barracks and militia positions in Farabougou, Southwestern Mali, according to SITE Intelligence Group, which tracks communications by Islamist militants.
The Al Qaeda-affiliated group seized 15 military vehicles and more than 50 weapons during the onslaught.
Mali’s army confirmed its outposts in Farabougou and Biriki-Wèrè came under ”simultaneous attacks” early Tuesday but declined to release a casualty toll.
Mali has seen a surge in jihadist insurgency since May, with major attacks claimed by JNIM and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) targeting various locations across the Sahel.
In July, the Malian army killed 80 JNIM militants after the group launched a coordinated attack on army posts in seven towns in Western Mali.
The head of the US Africa Command, General Michael Langley, said that Islamist groups are looking to extend their reach to West Africa’s coastline, allowing them to significantly boost their revenue through human trafficking, smuggling, and arms trading.
This resurgence of terrorist violence underscores JNIM and ISGS' "adaptive capabilities and questions the efficacy of counter-terrorism strategies” implemented by Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, the African Institute for Security Studies stated.
Source: africanews.com
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https://www.africanews.com/2025/08/21/al-qaeda-linked-group-claims-to-kill-21-soldiers-in-mali/
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Over 7,000 Christians killed in Nigeria in 2025, says Intersociety
OladipupoMojeed
August 21, 2025
More than 7,000 Christians have been killed in Nigeria in the first 220 days of 2025, according to a report by the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety).
The rights group said this amounts to an average of 35 killings per day. It added that 7,800 Christians were abducted in the same period.
Intersociety identified Benue State in the Middle Belt as one of the hardest hit areas, with at least 1,100 deaths, including the Yelewata massacre in June, when 280 Christians were killed.
“Nigeria is headquartering and providing safe haven for no fewer than 22 embryonic and full grown Islamic terror groups in Africa with links or potential links to ISIS, ISIL and World Jihad Fund,” the report said.
Since the Boko Haram insurgency began in 2009, Intersociety estimates that at least 189,000 civilians have been killed, including 125,000 Christians and 60,000 liberal Muslims. It also says the violence has displaced no fewer than 12 million Christians in the past 16 years.
The report noted that militant groups such as Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and armed Fulani extremists continue to carry out mass killings, kidnappings and church burnings across Nigeria’s Middle Belt and northern states.
Human rights group Open Doors, which tracks global Christian persecution, says more Christians are killed for their faith in Nigeria than in the rest of the world combined.
In a recent statement, Father Dominic Asor, rector of St. James Minor Seminary, said: “We must not flee from our vocation because of trials, insecurity or the lure of worldly comfort. God who called us will sustain us, but we must remain faithful and focused.
“The seminary has not become an endangered species. Apart from the seminaries, where else can you have complete safety? There is no place.”
Jeff King, president of International Christian Concern, told Newsweek that “the persecution of Christians isn’t merely a religious issue, it’s a human rights crisis affecting millions.”
The Intersociety report urged international actors to intervene and consider placing Nigeria on watchlists that could trigger diplomatic or sanctions responses.
The U.S. Department of State, in its 2023 report on terrorism in Nigeria, said that ISIS-West Africa, Boko Haram and Ansaru remain active, carrying out attacks against civilians and security forces in the north and central regions.
Source: politicsnigeria.com
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https://politicsnigeria.com/over-7000-christians-killed-in-nigeria-in-2025-says-intersociety/
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Terrorists Now Using Gold To Fund Operations – CDS
August 22, 2025
By EnioluwaAdeniyi
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has raised alarm over the growing use of gold as a significant source of financing for terrorist activities in Nigeria.
Naija News reports that Musa disclosed this while speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Thursday, where he explained that terror financiers exploit complex international networks, making it difficult to expose or prosecute them swiftly.
When asked about the primary source of funding for terror groups, the Defence Chief responded, “Gold. They try to circulate this money, and that is why it is important for us to be able to track these things.
“The process is on. It has to do with a lot of legal issues, and because it has to do with international connections, some of them have funds coming from outside, we cannot do anything from within.”
General Musa also revealed that terrorist groups rely on local collaborators who perform small tasks and remit funds to designated accounts daily.
“The local ones, what they do normally is that they try to employ a few individuals, provide motorcycles to them, something to do, and those are remitting funds daily into some account,” he said.
According to the CDS, the fight against terror financing is ongoing but complicated by legal hurdles and the involvement of cross-border networks.
“The process is on. It has to do with a lot of legal issues, and because it has to do with international connections, some of them have funds coming from outside, we cannot do anything from within,” Musa stressed.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/08/22/terrorists-now-using-gold-to-fund-operations-cds/
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CDS Gen Musa Urges Every Nigerian To Learn Combat Skills For Self-defence
August 21, 2025
By Rachel OkporuFadoju
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has likened the acquisition of combat skills to learning to drive, swim, and other essential survival skills.
Naija News reports that General Musa made this known on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme.
When asked whether he would advise Nigerians to learn combat skills to protect themselves in the face of danger, General Musa said, “That one should be taken as learning driving, learning how to swim. Whether we have war or not, it is a survival instinct.
“In Europe, swimming is compulsory; [so is] Learning and teaching about security because you have to learn what security is.”
Speaking further, the CDS stated that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) should train Nigerian graduates in unarmed combat skills for day-to-day survival against individuals with malicious intentions.
He added that security is the responsibility of all Nigerians, urging citizens to remain situationally aware of their surroundings to identify individuals who appear strange or suspicious.
Meanwhile, General Christopher Musa, has warned citizens against providing any form of help or support to bandits operating in the country.
The CDS stated that those providing any form of help or assistance to the bandits, either directly or indirectly, are also terrorists and enemies of the state.
He warned that those supplying bandits with fuel, food, or other resources are equally culpable.
Naija News reports General Musa, who made the declaration on Tuesday during an interactive session on government-citizen engagement organised by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation (SABMF) in Kaduna, vowed that the military would always secure the north and the entire country.
“If we find out that you are part of the criminal network by supplying them, you are also a bandit, you are also a terrorist,” Musa said.
The CDS warned that the military would deal squarely with those plotting the downfall of Nigeria and ensure peace prevails in troubled areas.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/08/21/cds-gen-musa-urges-every-nigerian-to-learn-combat-skills-for-self-defence/
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Four Security Personnel Killed In Boko Haram Attack Near Maiduguri
August 21, 2025
By EnioluwaAdeniyi
Four security personnel, including a soldier, a mobile police officer and two members of the Civilian Joint Task Force, have been killed in a Boko Haram attack on farmers at DaloriGari community, about 12 kilometres from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
Naija News reports that the incident occurred on Monday morning while troops were providing cover for farmers heading to their farmlands.
According to community and security sources, the attackers, suspected to be Boko Haram terrorists, stormed the area on motorcycles before trekking some distance to intercept the farmers.
“They opened fire immediately after encountering the farmers escorted by the security personnel, killing four of them on the spot,” one of the sources told Channels TV.
Sources further revealed that the insurgents abducted an unconfirmed number of farmers, including women and young girls, during the attack.
Although there has been no official statement on the number of casualties, it was gathered that some farmers sustained injuries while fleeing, which led to their capture by the terrorists.
Confirming the development, the Borno State Police Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Daso, said the slain mobile police officer and the soldier were attached to the Northeast Joint Taskforce, Operation Hadin Kai.
“As such, I cannot comment further on the incident,” Daso stated.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/08/21/four-security-personnel-killed-in-boko-haram-attack-near-maiduguri/
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South Asia
In Kabul Talks, Pakistan Urges Action Against TTP
By Fidel Rahmati
August 21, 2025
During trilateral talks in Kabul, Pakistan urged stronger action against the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), citing rising cross-border attacks and stressing the need for verifiable steps.
Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has urged Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities to take “decisive and verifiable” action against banned militant groups, including Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).
His call came during the trilateral meeting in Kabul on Wednesday, where Pakistan, China, and the Taliban pledged to strengthen joint counterterrorism efforts. The gathering was also attended by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
On the sidelines, Dar and Wang held separate bilateral meetings with Taliban officials. Wang pressed Kabul to pay “special attention” to China’s security concerns, while Dar expressed alarm at the rise in terror attacks inside Pakistan that Islamabad says are being launched from Afghanistan soil.
Dar stressed that Pakistan expects Kabul to move beyond verbal assurances and take tangible steps against groups operating from Afghanistan, which Islamabad accuses of targeting Pakistani security forces and civilians.
This was Wang Yi’s second visit to Kabul since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, underscoring Beijing’s deepening interest in Afghanistan’s political and security landscape.
Analysts say Pakistan’s renewed pressure reflects growing frustration with cross-border militancy, which has continued despite repeated commitments from the Taliban. Without concrete action, they warn, regional security will remain fragile.
The trilateral engagement also highlights China’s balancing role, seeking a stable Afghanistan to safeguard its strategic and economic interests, while backing Pakistan’s call for stronger guarantees from Kabul.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/in-kabul-talks-pakistan-urges-action-against-ttp/
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Jamaat, NCP deny involvement in Sylhet stone looting
Aug 22, 2025
Jamaat-e-Islami and NCP yesterday denied allegations that their leaders were involved in Sylhet's stone looting incident.
In separate press conferences, both parties expressed anger over the Anti-Corruption Commission's report on the incident, naming administrative officials and 46 people, including political leaders.
Earlier, BNP had also rejected the allegations.
Terming all media reports attributing the ACC probe to be "deliberate attempts to mislead the public," Sylhet city Jamaat Ameer MdFakhrul Islam said, "Jamaat has always taken a firm stand against all forms of looting, and our position regarding Sada Pathor remains unchanged.
"The ACC report on the stone looting did not mention any Jamaat leaders or activists. Yet, certain newspapers have published false and motivated stories. We verified with the ACC and found no trace of the report implicating us."
At NCP's press conference, the party Chief Coordinator (Sylhet district) Nazim Uddin said, "Putting our names on the ACC report without any evidence is a one-sided, misinformed and politically motivated move. This report is a way to hide the main culprits behind the stone looting.
"The ACC and media, who cited the ACC report, must prove our involvement with evidence. Otherwise, we'll be forced to take legal action as per existing laws."
Sylhet city BNP's acting president Rezaul Hasan KoyelLudhi said, "We are challenging the authenticity of the report; [if the allegations are not proved], the newspaper [that cited it] should apologise. It's the Awami League who has been behind stone looting for the past 15 years. We're being accused so the real culprits can hide."
For over a year, stones in different areas across Sylhet have been looted. The situation escalated recently after stones worth hundreds of crores of taka were looted from popular tourist destination Sada Pathor in Companiganjupazila, sparking nationwide criticism.
Responding to the situation, the ACC on August 13 visited the Sada Pathor area and later submitted a preliminary report with names of offices, officers and others involved.
The ACC report included names of Rezaul Hasan KoyelLudhi, acting president of Sylhet city BNP, and its General Secretary Emdad Hossain Chowdhury; MdFakhrul Islam, Ameer of Sylhet city Jamaat, and its secretary Joynal Abedin; Nazim Uddin, chief coordinator of Sylhet district NCP; and Abu Sadek Mohammad Khairul Islam Chowdhury, chief coordinator of NCP's Sylhet city unit; and 36 others.
The Daily Star has seen a copy of the ACC's authentic report.
Meanwhile, newly appointed Deputy Commissioner for Sylhet Sarower Alam vowed stern action to stop illegal stone extraction.
Within a few hours of joining office yesterday, he visited the Sada Pathor area in the afternoon.
Briefing journalists there, he said, "I'll ensure that not a single stone can be removed from here and will restore Sada Pathor's beauty.
"Who was involved in the looting and how the stones were looted will be evaluated properly. I am not under any pressure as the people are my power and they stood against the stone looters."
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/politics/news/jamaat-ncp-deny-involvement-sylhet-stone-looting-3967991
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Pakistani and British Envoys Discuss Afghanistan
By Fidel Rahmati
August 21, 2025
Pakistan’s envoy Mohammad Sadiq Khan met his UK counterpart Andrew McCoubrey to discuss Afghanistan’s crises, emphasizing the need for international cooperation to achieve regional peace.
Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq Khan, announced a meeting with Andrew McCoubrey, the United Kingdom’s Special Representative for Afghanistan.
Khan stated on Thursday, August 21, via X that the two envoys discussed recent regional developments, Afghanistan’s current situation, and the importance of continued global engagement.
He emphasized that international cooperation remains essential for ensuring peace, stability, and prosperity in Afghanistan and the wider region.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan, under Taliban rule, continues to face severe political, economic, and human rights crises. Both regional neighbors and global powers are actively exploring strategies to help Afghanistan overcome these challenges and to prevent further instability.
The discussion highlights a shared recognition by Pakistan and the UK that constructive dialogue and sustained international involvement are necessary to address Afghanistan’s ongoing crises.
While no specific initiatives were announced, the meeting underscores the urgency of coordinated diplomatic efforts aimed at promoting peace and long-term stability in Afghanistan and the region.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/pakistani-and-british-envoys-discuss-afghanistan/
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North America
Appeals court throws out Trump's $500m civil fraud penalty
August 22, 2025
Madeline Halpert
An appeals court has thrown out a $500m (£372m) penalty that President Donald Trump was ordered to pay in a New York civil fraud trial last year.
Judge Arthur Engoron had ordered Trump to pay the fee for massively inflating the value of the Trump Organization's properties in order to secure favourable loans.
In the lengthy ruling released on Thursday, judges on the New York Supreme Court's Appellate Division stated that while Trump was liable for the fraud, the fine of nearly half a billion dollars was excessive and probably violated constitutional protections against severe punishment.
In the case Judge Engoron had ordered Trump to pay $355m, but with interest, that grew to more than $500m.
"While harm certainly occurred, it was not the cataclysmic harm that can justify a nearly half billion-dollar award to the state," wrote Judge Peter Moulton.
In a post on his social media site, Truth Social, Trump claimed the decision was a "total victory".
"I greatly respect the fact that the Court had the Courage to throw out this unlawful and disgraceful Decision that was hurting Business all throughout New York State," he said. "It was a Political Witch Hunt, in a business sense, the likes of which no one has ever seen before."
The New York Attorney General's Office, which brought the case against Trump, also framed the decision as a win, as it upheld Trump's fraud liability and the judges did not throw out other penalties that were not financial. The office plans to appeal against the decision on the fine to the state's highest court, the Court of Appeals.
In a statement, the attorney general's office said the judges "affirmed the well-supported finding of the trial court: Donald Trump, his company, and two of his children are liable for fraud".
"It should not be lost to history: yet another court has ruled that the president violated the law, and that our case has merit," it also said.
In the case against Trump, his two adult sons, and the Trump Organization, Judge Engoron also banned Trump from serving as a company director or taking out loans from banks in the state for three years.
Thursday's decision kept in place this and other nonmonetary penalties that Judge Engoron imposed.
The 323-page ruling, which included three lengthy opinions, revealed disagreement among the five judges on the panel.
They were primarily divided over the merits of the original lawsuit brought by Letitia James, who had accused Trump and his sons of "persistent and repeated fraud".
While several judges said she was "within her lawful power in bringing this action", one believed the case should have been dismissed and two said that there should be a new trial of a more limited scope.
Those two, though, joined the decision to throw out the fine "for the sole purpose of ensuring finality", wrote Judge Moulton.
American voters had "obviously rendered a verdict" on Trump's political career, Judge Moulton also wrote, and "this bench today unanimously derails the effort to destroy his business".
The ruling came almost a year after the panel heard oral arguments on the appeal, during which several judges appeared skeptical of the civil fraud case.
Trump's son, Eric Trump, who was involved in the case, celebrated the decision in a post on social media.
"After 5 years of hell, justice prevailed!" he wrote.
The ruling amounted to a "judicial version of kicking the can down the road", said Will Thomas, an assistant professor of business law at the University of Michigan.
"By its own admission, the Appellate Courts is punting the real legal decision up to the New York Court of Appeals, noting that its unusual decision was made 'for the sole purpose of ensuring finality,'" he said.
"It's hard to take any conclusions from this ... except that we'll have to continue to wait that much longer to find out the ultimate outcome in James v Trump."
In September 2023, Judge Engoron ruled Trump was liable for business fraud, finding he had misrepresented his wealth by hundreds of millions of dollars. Another trial was held in 2024 to determine the penalty.
In one instance, the judge found Mr Trump's financial statements had wrongly claimed that his Trump Tower penthouse was almost three times its actual size.
Trump had said that the case brought by James, a Democrat, was politically motivated.
Thursday's unusually lengthy ruling also reflected the historic predicament of how to handle a massive fraud case involving a sitting president, said Mark Zauderer, a longtime appellate attorney in New York.
"Would you have a 300-page opinion if this were Joe Smith the businessman, and not Donald Trump?" Mr Zauderer asked.
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y09q1zgg8o
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Hundreds of thousands of Grok chats exposed in Google results
August 22, 2025
Liv McMahon
Hundreds of thousands of user conversations with Elon Musk's artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot Grok have been exposed in search engine results - seemingly without users' knowledge.
Unique links are created when Grok users press a button to share a transcript of their conversation - but as well as sharing the chat with the intended recipient, the button also appears to have made the chats searchable online.
A Google search on Thursday revealed it had indexed nearly 300,000 Grok conversations.
It has led one expert to describe AI chatbots as a "privacy disaster in progress".
The BBC has approached X for comment.
The appearance of Grok chats in search engine results was first reported by tech industry publication Forbes, which counted more than 370,000 user conversations on Google.
Among chat transcripts seen by the BBC were examples of Musk's chatbot being asked to create a secure password, provide meal plans for weight loss and answer detailed questions about medical conditions.
Some indexed transcripts also showed users' attempts to test the limits on what Grok would say or do.
In one example seen by the BBC, the chatbot provided detailed instructions on how to make a Class A drug in a lab.
It is not the first time that peoples' conversations with AI chatbots have appeared more widely than they perhaps initially realised when using "share" functions.
OpenAI recently rowed back an "experiment" which saw ChatGPT conversations appear in search engine results when shared by users.
A spokesperson told BBC News at the time it had been "testing ways to make it easier to share helpful conversations, while keeping users in control".
They said user chats were private by default and users had to explicitly opt-in to sharing them.
Earlier this year, Meta faced criticism after shared users conversations with its chatbot Meta AI appeared in a public "discover" feed on its app.
'Privacy disaster'
While users' account details may be anonymised or obscured in shared chatbot transcripts, their prompts may still contain - and risk revealing - personal, sensitive information about someone.
Experts say this highlights mounting concerns over users' privacy.
“AI chatbots are a privacy disaster in progress,” Prof Luc Rocher, associate professor at the Oxford Internet Institute, told the BBC.
They said "leaked conversations" from chatbots have divulged user information ranging from full names and location, to sensitive details about their mental health, business operations or relationships.
"Once leaked online, these conversations will stay there forever," they added.
Meanwhile Carissa Veliz, associate professor in philosophy at Oxford University's Institute for Ethics in AI, said users not being told shared chats would appear in search results is "problematic".
"Our technology doesn't even tell us what it's doing with our data, and that's a problem," she said.
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdrkmk00jy0o
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Police respond to active shooter alert at US university
21 Aug, 2025
Police cleared buildings at Villanova University in Pennsylvania on Thursday after receiving a report of an active shooter.
SWAT teams arrived at Villanova, a private Catholic university in a suburb of Philadelphia, in the afternoon.
Students and nearby residents were instructed to shelter in place, while those on campus were told to lock or barricade doors.
Videos posted on social media showed people fleeing the area in panic, while multiple students said they had barricaded themselves inside rooms.
Villanova President Peter Donohue later called the report of a shooter a “cruel hoax.”
“There was no active shooter, no injuries, and no evidence of firearms on campus,” he said in an emailed statement to the media.
The incident appears to be the second case of a swatting prank against a US college this week. On Tuesday, a shooting was falsely reported at Doane University in Nebraska, prompting a lockdown and police response.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/623400-us-talks-ukraine-security-guarantees/
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Mideast
Lebanese troops collect first weapons surrendered in Palestinian camps
NAJIA HOUSSARI
August 21, 2025
BEIRUT: Lebanese troops entered the Burj Al-Barajneh refugee camp in Beirut’s southern suburbs late on Thursday and began collecting the first weapons surrendered as part of a government move to disarm Palestinian factions.
The weapons handover is part of a broader disarmament push that follows a Lebanese government decision, announced on Aug. 5, to limit possession of arms exclusively to the state. It also follows an earlier meeting between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, held on May 21 in Beirut.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam welcomed the start of the process, saying that the initial handover of Palestinian weapons to the Lebanese Army marked an important step.
Additional batches will be transferred in coming weeks from Burj Al-Barajneh and other camps, he added.
RamezDimashqieh, head of the government’s Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee, described the operation as “a handover based on lists prepared in advance by the Lebanese Army in coordination with the Palestinian forces inside the camp.”
He told Arab News: “The Lebanese Army has prepared lists of the weapons present in the camp, specifically heavy weapons, and the operation will take place in phases and will not be completed in one day.”
Dimashqieh said that “the weapons being handed over (to the military) are not new weapons brought into the camps, but have been present in the camp for a long time.”
At the time of the weapons handover, Hezbollah activists circulated claims on social media that the arms surrendered in Burj Al-Barajneh camp “belonged to a defector from the Fatah movement and had been brought into the camp two days earlier.”
The Lebanese Army’s Engineering Regiment examined the weapons before removing them. Ahead of the transfer, army personnel told journalists gathered at the camp entrance to leave the area.
Dimashqieh said that the weapons will be held by the Lebanese Army, with the crackdown eventually extending to other camps.
Lebanon hosts 12 Palestinian refugee camps, spread across Beirut and its southern suburbs, the Bekaa, the north, and the south. The largest is Ain Al-Hilweh, located in the Sidon region.
In the past, the Lebanese Army has avoided entering the Palestinian camps, instead dealing mainly with committees set up by Palestinian leaders.
A Palestinian official described “diverging views” among Palestinian forces in the camps regarding the surrender of weapons, with factions allied with Hezbollah opposing the handover.
Ghassan Ayoub, a member of the leadership of the Palestinian People’s Party in Lebanon, told Arab News: “This does not mean that all Palestinian factions are not interested in reaching an understanding with the Lebanese state. There is no barter process, but the Palestinians are committed to obtaining human rights.”
Thomas Barrack, US envoy to Lebanon and Syria, praised the Palestinian weapons handover on Thursday night, describing it as a “bold measure and a historic step toward unity and stability.”
The previous night, Lebanese Army Intelligence, in a targeted security operation inside the Phoenicia Intercontinental Hotel in Beirut, arrested Shadi Mahmoud Mustafa Al-Far, a former Fatah official in the Burj Al-Barajneh camp.
While it remains unclear if the operation was linked to the weapons surrender on Thursday, a Palestinian security source said Al-Far had been dismissed from Fatah more than two months ago for violating the movement’s organizational decisions.
A Lebanese security source confirmed that Al-Far is “pursued by several Lebanese judicial warrants.”
Another Palestinian political source, who declined to be named, described the weapons handover in Burj Al-Barajneh camp as a “step in the right direction.”
The source added: “There is a need to dismantle networks that have emerged over 50 years, intersecting arms and drug trafficking, and implicated in major corruption operations.”
The weapons handover in the camp comes two days after a delegation from the Palestinian Liaison Committee with the Lebanese side, including Yasser Abbas, held talks decision-makers in Lebanon, including political officials and officers in the Lebanese Army Command, the Palestinian source said.
“The delegation’s most prominent meeting was with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, an ally of Hezbollah, who is negotiating on behalf of the party with the US side regarding the implementation of the ceasefire agreement,” the source said.
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Gaza civilian death toll could be as high as 83%: Israeli data
August 21, 2025
LONDON: As many as 83 percent of Palestinian casualties in Gaza could be civilians, classified Israeli data suggests.
A joint investigation by The Guardian, Hebrew-language Local Call and the Israeli-Palestinian +972 Magazine found that Israeli officials had been able to name 8,900 people killed or “probably dead” in Gaza as members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad as of May this year.
At the time, the total death toll from the war was believed to be at least 53,000 people according to local authorities, meaning that just 17 percent of those identified were combatants.
The database used to assess combatant casualty figures is based on documents seized by the Israeli military in Gaza.
In total, 47,653 Palestinians are identified as being members of Hamas or Islamic Jihad, meaning that a little under 40,000 are believed to be still alive
The Israeli military also believes Gaza’s health authorities’ data on casualties to be reliable, Local Call reported, though these figures are likely to be an underestimate as thousands of people remain buried under rubble, and only bodies positively identified are counted.
Therese Pettersson of the Uppsala Conflict Data Program told The Guardian: “That proportion of civilians among those killed would be unusually high, particularly as it has been going on for such a long time.
“If you single out a particular city or battle in another conflict, you could find similar rates, but very rarely overall.”
She added that since 1989, UCDP had only identified the siege of Srebrenica, the Rwandan genocide and the 2022 siege of Mariupol as conflicts that saw civilian casualties outnumber combatants.
Previously, Israeli politicians have cited a far more balanced casualty rate, with some suggesting it could even be equal between combatants and civilians. Others have suggested in the past that 20,000 people killed in Gaza were militants.
This could be on account of collating members of the enclave’s civilian infrastructure or people with loose ties to fighters — such as police and politicians — with membership of militant groups, but it is also believed that civilians without ties to Islamic Jihad or Hamas are included in those tallies.
One source who spent time with the Israeli military in Gaza told The Guardian that “people are promoted to the rank of terrorist after their death,” adding: “If I had listened to the brigade, I would have come to the conclusion that we had killed 200 percent of Hamas operatives in the area.”
Retired Gen. Itzhak Brik, a former commander of Israel’s military colleges, told The Guardian that he had been told by former colleagues the numbers were inflated.
“There is absolutely no connection between the numbers that are announced and what is actually happening,” he said. “It is just one big bluff.”
Palestinian analyst Muhammad Shehada told the newspaper that by last December, the number of dead Hamas and Islamic Jihad members from their own data was around 6,500.
“Israel expands the boundaries so they can define every single person in Gaza as Hamas,” he said. “All of it is killing in the moment for tactical purposes that have nothing to do with extinguishing a threat.”
Moreover, the number of dead, and the disparity between civilian and combatant deaths, may have increased since May, with hunger now believed to be widespread due to a lack of food in Gaza, and an increase in the number of civilian deaths at aid distribution sites in the enclave.
The impending Israeli ground offensive in the north of Gaza will likely further widen this gap. So far, in excess of 62,000 people are believed to have been killed in the enclave.
Mary Kaldor, professor of global governance at the London School of Economics, said the nature of the Gaza conflict is also causing a disproportionate number of civilian casualties.
“In Gaza we are talking about a campaign of targeted assassinations, really, rather than battles, and they are carried out with no concern for civilians,” she added.
Comparing Gaza to recent conflicts in Syria, Yemen and Sudan, she said: “These are wars where the armed groups tend to avoid battle. They don’t want to fight each other, they want to control territory and they do that by killing civilians.
“Maybe that is the same with Israel, and this is a model of war (in Gaza) that is about dominating a population and controlling land. Maybe the objective always was forced displacement.”
Neta Crawford, professor of international relations at Oxford University, said tactics used by Israel mark a “worrisome” departure from previously established norms to protect civilians.
“They say they’re using the same kinds of procedures for civilian casualty estimation and mitigation as states like the United States. But if you look at these casualty rates, and their practices with the bombing and the destruction of civilian infrastructure, it is clear that they are not,” she said.
In a statement to The Guardian, the Israeli military said the figures published in the investigation “are incorrect.”
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Netanyahu approves Gaza City attack, orders hostage negotiations
August 21, 2025
JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday said he had ordered the beginning of immediate negotiations to release the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza.
The announcement comes a day after the defense ministry approved a plan authorizing the call-up of roughly 60,000 reservists to help capture Hamas’s last major strongholds in Gaza City.
“I have come to approve the IDF’s (military’s) plans to take control of Gaza City and defeat Hamas,” the prime minister said in a video statement during a visit with the Gaza division.
“At the same time, I have instructed to immediately begin negotiations for the release of all our hostages and the end of the war under conditions acceptable to Israel.”
Meditators have been waiting for days for an official Israeli response to their latest ceasefire proposal, after Hamas accepted the plan earlier this week.
“I greatly appreciate the commitment of the reserve soldiers, and of course the regular army, for this vital mission,” said Netanyahu.
“These two matters — defeating Hamas and releasing all our hostages — go hand in hand.”
Israel and Hamas have held indirect negotiations throughout the nearly two-year conflict, resulting in two short ceasefires during which Israeli hostages were freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Of the 251 hostages seized during Hamas’s October 2023 attack on southern Israel that triggered the war, 49 are still in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead.
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Egypt reveals 2,000-year-old ruins discovered in Alexandria waters
August 21, 2025
ALEXANDRIA: Egypt on Thursday unveiled parts of a sunken city submerged beneath waters off the coast of Alexandria, revealing buildings, artefacts and an ancient dock, all dating back over 2,000 years.
Egyptian authorities said the site, located in the waters of Abu Qir Bay, may be an extension of the ancient city of Canopus, a prominent center during the Ptolemaic dynasty, which ruled Egypt for nearly 300 years, and the Roman Empire, which governed for around 600 years.
Over time, a series of earthquakes and rising sea levels submerged the city and the nearby port of Heracleion, leaving behind a treasure trove of historical remains.
On Thursday, cranes slowly hoisted statues from the depths, while divers in wetsuits, who had helped retrieve them, cheered from the shore.
“There’s a lot underwater, but what we’re able to bring up is limited, it’s only specific material according to strict criteria,” Egyptian Tourism and Antiquities Minister SherifFathi said.
“The rest will remain part of our sunken heritage,” he added.
The underwater ruins revealed by the ministry on Thursday include limestone buildings that may have served as places of worship, residential spaces and commercial or industrial structures.
Reservoirs and rock-carved ponds for domestic water storage and fish cultivation were also uncovered.
Other notable finds were statues of royal figures and sphinxes from the pre-Roman era, including a partially preserved sphinx with the cartouche of Ramses II, one of the country’s most famous and longest-ruling ancient pharaohs.
Many of the statues are missing body parts, including a beheaded Ptolemaic figure made of granite, and the lower half of a Roman nobleman’s likeness carved from marble.
A merchant ship, stone anchors and a harbor crane dating back to the Ptolemaic and Roman eras were found at the site of a 125-meter dock, which the ministry said was used as a harbor for small boats until the Byzantine period.
Alexandria is home to countless ancient ruins and historic treasures, but Egypt’s second city is at risk of succumbing to the same waters that claimed Canopus and Heracleion.
The coastal city is especially vulnerable to climate change and rising sea levels, sinking by more than three millimeters every year.
Even in the United Nations’ best-case scenario, a third of Alexandria will be underwater or uninhabitable by 2050.
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Palestinian camps in Lebanon to start disarming
August 21, 2025
BEIRUT: Armed Palestinian groups in refugee camps in Lebanon will start handing over their weapons to the authorities on Thursday, a joint committee said, following a deal reached in May.
The announcement comes after the Lebanese government also tasked the army with formulating a plan to disarm the militant group Hezbollah by the end of the year.
“Today marks the beginning of the first phase of the process of handing over weapons from inside the Palestinian camps,” Lebanese-Palestinian Dialogue Committee chairman RamezDimashkieh said in a statement.
The process would begin with the Burj Al-Barajneh camp in Beirut, where an initial batch of weapons would be placed in the custody of the Lebanese army, Dimashkieh added.
An AFP photojournalist saw dozens of fighters in military fatigues holding Kalashnikov rifles as crowds gathered in front of the Beirut headquarters of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas’s Fatah movement.
A Palestinian security official told AFP on condition of anonymity that “Fatah will begin handing over its weapons in Burj Al-Barajneh camp within the framework of the coordination with the Lebanese army.”
Abbas visited Beirut in May and reached an agreement with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun that all arms in Palestinian camps would be surrendered to the state.
A Palestinian security source at Burj Al-Barajneh camp said “Fatah’s initiative in beginning to hand over weapons is symbolic, and came as a result of an agreement between Aoun and the Palestinian president’s son, Yasser Abbas, who is currently visiting Beirut.”
It aims to “encourage the remaining (Palestinian armed) factions to take the same step,” the source said, noting that the other influential factions in the camp “have not yet decided to hand over their weapons.”
The Palestinian Authority does not exercise power over the remaining factions in the camps, most notably Hamas.
Lebanon has come under heavy US pressure to disarm Hamas’s ally Hezbollah after the Iran-backed Lebanese movement was dealt a massive blow during its war with Israel last year.
That conflict was the culmination of a year of hostilities launched by Hezbollah in support of Hamas after the Palestinian group’s October 2023 attack on Israel that sparked the Gaza war.
Lebanon hosts about 222,000 Palestinian refugees, according to the United Nations agency UNRWA, with many living in overcrowded camps outside of the state’s control.
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Israel army calls on hospitals, aid groups in north Gaza to prepare for evacuations
August 21, 2025
JERUSALEM: The Israeli military on Thursday said it had informed medical personnel and aid groups in northern Gaza to start making evacuation plans ahead of a military offensive to seize the area.
Israeli military officials this week informed “medical officials and international organizations in the northern Gaza Strip... to prepare for the evacuation of the population to the southern Gaza Strip,” read the statement released by the military.
The announcement comes as the defense ministry this week approved an offensive to capture Gaza City and ordered the call-up of roughly 60,000 reservists, deepening fears the campaign will worsen the already catastrophic humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
According to the statement, the military had informed relevant parties in Gaza to begin making plans to relocate hospital equipment to the south.
“The officers emphasized to the medical officials that adjustments are being made to the hospital infrastructure in the south of the Strip to receive the sick and wounded, alongside an increased entry of necessary medical equipment,” said the statement.
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Arab World
Saudi Foreign Ministry accuses Israel of ‘genocide’ in Gaza
August 21, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry has accused Israel of acts amounting to “genocide” in Gaza, in a statement on X on Thursday.
The Kingdom “condemns in the strongest possible terms the Israeli occupation authorities’ persistence in their crimes against the Palestinian people and their occupied land.”
Tel Aviv was continuing to “displace” Palestinians on their land and preventing them from establishing an independent state.
“This includes their ongoing expansion of settlement construction around occupied Jerusalem, and the expansion of their operations and aggression, amounting to crimes of genocide against defenseless civilians in the Gaza Strip,” the ministry stated.
The ministry condemned what it called “serious violations of international law” and UN Security Council resolutions.
The “implementation of these dangerous Israeli plans … without deterrence” threatens regional “security and stability” and the “legitimacy of the international order,” the ministry stated.
Israel currently faces charges of war crimes and genocide at the International Court of Justice. In addition, the International Criminal Court has issued warrants of arrest for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Minister of DefenseYoav Gallant.
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Saudi Arabia condemns attack on aid convoy in Sudan
August 22, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia on Thursday condemned an attack the previous day on a World Food Program aid convoy in the North Darfur region of Sudan.
Three trucks caught fire when the 16-vehicle convoy was targeted on Wednesday as it attempted to deliver aid to a famine-hit area north of El-Fasher.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry said the Kingdom categorically rejected “anything that threatens the security and safety of civilians and relief and humanitarian workers.”
It added: “The Kingdom calls on all Sudanese parties to adhere to what was signed in the Jeddah Declaration on May 11, 2023, including the commitment to protect civilians and ensure the security of relief and humanitarian aid corridors.”
The declaration, brokered by the Kingdom and the US, was agreed by the two main sides in the civil war, the Sudanese Armed Forces and rival militia the Rapid Support Forces, in May 2023, shortly after the conflict began.
The declaration included assurances by both sides that they would allow the unimpeded movement and delivery of humanitarian assistance throughout Sudan.
The conflict, which began in April 2023 and continues to rage, sparked one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. North Darfur has been the scene of some of the worst fighting, and as a result more than a million people there are on the brink of starvation. Across the country, 25 million people face acute hunger.
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How Gulf states can develop data centers without straining scarce water resources
KHALED AL-KHAWALDEH
August 21, 2025
DUBAI: In a region long defined by oil wealth, a new resource rush is unfolding, not for petroleum, but for digital power. Across the Gulf, an explosion in artificial intelligence development and cloud infrastructure is placing a strain on another resource in even shorter supply — water.
“Data centres in the GCC strain scarce water resources, consuming 15 billion liters in Saudi Arabia alone in 2024,” Javier Alvarez, senior managing director of technology, media, and telecom at FTI Consulting, told Arab News.
“In a region reliant on desalination, this intensifies energy costs and marine ecosystem damage and without action, water competition could spark social tensions.”
Over the next five years, data center capacity in the Gulf Cooperation Council area is expected to triple — from just over 1 gigawatt today to 3.3 GW by 2030 — a pace that outstrips the global average, according to FTI.
These sprawling digital warehouses, often likened to the “brains” of AI and the internet, are energy-intensive. But less widely known is their voracious appetite for water, a resource already stretched thin across the arid Gulf.
In a region where summer temperatures regularly exceed 45 degrees centigrade, the job of cooling thousands of heat-belching servers requires vast amounts of water — often drawn from expensive, energy-intensive desalination plants.
Preliminary research indicates that in Saudi Arabia alone, data centers could account for 87.52 billion liters — roughly 35,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools, or four percent of the country’s current water output.
Industry leaders and regional policymakers are racing to balance digital ambitions with sustainability concerns. But the question looms large over whether the Gulf’s pursuit of AI supremacy could squeeze the peninsula dry.
“If unchecked, environmental harm risks undermining the GCC’s sustainability goals, but proactive innovation can balance digital growth with social equity,” said Alvarez.
There is hope, however, as some in the industry argue that the very tools driving the data boom — AI and smart systems — could also help solve the problems they have created.
“We don’t have to choose between AI and sustainability,” Walid Sheta, president of the Middle East and Africa region at Schneider Electric, one of the companies at the forefront of developing more efficient data centers across the globe, told Arab News.
Sheta said one of the most promising solutions is delivering a special coolant, similar to that used in car engines — usually a mix of water and glycerol or other hydrocarbon liquids — directly to the chips rather than relying on vast air-conditioning systems.
The result, Sheta says, is dramatically higher thermal efficiency and significantly lower energy and water consumption.
This sentiment was echoed by Alvarez, who said the technology was already proving its worth, pointing to projects by Khazna, Datavolt and Alfanar as regional examples where it was being put to work.
“Liquid cooling, championed by companies like Schneider Electric or Vertiv, slashes data center water use by up to 92 percent, vital for the GCC’s arid climate,” he said.
Nevertheless, Sheta admitted that cost, complexity, and speed of implementation remained major barriers. Liquid-cooling solutions require high initial capital expenditures for piping, advanced chips, and various other components.
Still, Schneider says that over time, the savings in energy, which can be anywhere between 20 and 40 percent, primarily from the removal of chillers and server fans, make the solution cost-effective, especially for larger data centers.
The firm’s own analysis found that both air and liquid solutions were roughly the same in terms of capital expenditure, with air-cooled data centers costing $7.02 per watt and the liquid-cooled solution $6.98 per watt.
“Many operators are still focused on short-term returns,” said Sheta. “But the long-term savings in water, energy, and operational resilience are substantial.”
Alvarez also cautioned against assuming liquid cooling is a silver bullet, especially considering the unsustainable nature of procuring the coolants, which still usually come from oil derivatives.
“High upfront costs and specialized maintenance challenge smaller firms, risking economic disparity. And environmental concerns over cooling fluids also loom,” he said.
For some, concerns over water scarcity are overstated, at least in Saudi Arabia, where large-scale desalination has become a core part of the national infrastructure.
“Water in Saudi Arabia is really just a cost factor,” Alexander Serac, a partner at global law firm Addleshaw Goddard based in Riyadh, who has consulted on major desalination projects in the region, told Arab News.
Desalination, the process of converting seawater into potable water, provides up to 90 percent of the region’s freshwater in some areas. Saudi Arabia leads the world in desalination capacity and has ambitious plans to expand further.
However, the process is energy-intensive and produces saline waste, also known as brine, which can raise sea temperatures and increase water salinity when discharged.
Google, which has announced plans to launch an AI and cloud hub in Dammam, eastern Saudi Arabia, told Arab News that it might consider using seawater, emphasizing that it takes local water scarcity into account before deciding whether to proceed with building its plants.
One study led by researchers at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi estimated that a 50-fold increase in desalination by 2050 could raise temperatures in the Arabian Gulf by 0.6 C, which could damage marine ecosystems.
Nevertheless, Serac believes Saudi Arabia is managing the risks through strong environmental protections and believes issues with brine waste could be resolved down the line with technology that would see the brine reused for mineral extraction and other uses.
“We take substantial effort to prepare ecological assessment reports for all of the projects we work on,” he said. “These are governed by strong environmental regulations.”
Serac added that the Kingdom’s renewable energy investments are helping offset the environmental footprint of desalination, with some projects like the proposed 1.5 GW Datacom data center in Saudi Arabia’s NEOM touted to run fully on renewables.
“The regulatory framework is very conducive,” he said. “Talking to friends in Europe, they’re jealous. There’s land, there’s capital, and there isn’t too much red tape.
“I would say what makes this region special is really its potential access to huge amounts of renewable energy at the lowest global prices. It really makes it a perfect place for energy-intensive industries.”
OpenAI, one of the central players in the global AI boom, is still finalizing details for its 1 GW Stargate project in Abu Dhabi. But the company insists it is taking sustainability seriously.
In a statement to Arab News, the firm pointed to an essay by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who argued that as data center production becomes more automated, the cost of intelligence — including its environmental cost — should decrease over time.
“People are often curious about how much energy a ChatGPT query uses; the average query uses about 0.34 watt-hours,” Altman wrote. “It also uses about 0.000085 gallons of water; roughly 1/15th of a teaspoon.”
Despite the exponential growth of AI queries and the mounting energy and water needs
behind them, Schneider Electric’s Sheta remains cautiously optimistic.
“Many facilities continue to rely on conventional cooling methods, and water efficiency is not yet a universal priority,” he said. “That needs to change. The environmental cost of inaction is too high, and the opportunity to lead is too great.
“The technologies to reduce water use in data centers are not futuristic. They’re here, they’re proven, and they’re ready to scale. What’s holding us back is not innovation, but adoption.”
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Saudi crown prince discusses situation in Palestine with Egyptian president
August 21, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed the situation in Palestine and other regional developments with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on Thursday.
During a meeting at NEOM Palace, the two leaders also discussed relations between their countries, Saudi Press Agency reported.
El-Sisi was visiting the Kingdom on a private visit and left NEOM later on in the day, SPA added.
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Brain-dead donor in Abu Dhabi saves Saudi child’s life
RASHID HASSAN
August 21, 2025
RIYADH: In a medical breakthrough, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh successfully transplanted a heart into a 7-year-old Saudi child using an organ airlifted from a brain-dead donor in Abu Dhabi.
“This marks another successful case of advanced regional cooperation in organ transplantation,” the hospital said in a statement.
“The life-saving procedure was completed following donor family consent and all regulatory approvals and after coordinating between the Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation and the UAE’s National Program for Donation and Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissue.”
The operation involved precise medical and logistical coordination, starting with the organ extraction, followed by air transportation to Riyadh, and concluding with the preparation of operating theaters in record time.
The transplant was performed within a critically time-sensitive window, ultimately saving the life of a child who had no other treatment options available, the hospital said.
The patient, named Faisal, was suffering from advanced heart failure, having been born with a complex congenital defect. After exhausting all available treatment options — including medications, respiratory support, and pacemaker implantation — without any significant improvement, the child was placed on the urgent transplant list.
Dr. Hani Al-Sergani, executive director of the Heart Centre of Excellence at KFSHRC told Arab News: “Behind every transplant are two families — one making a profound act of generosity, and another receiving a renewed chance at life. What makes this case remarkable is the seamless cross-border coordination that ensured a donated heart reached a child in critical need within hours.
“It reflects the maturity of Gulf healthcare collaboration and strengthens our confidence that regional partnerships will continue to expand the possibilities of saving lives,” added Al-Sergani.
Ahmad Jaafari, donor affairs and organ allocation director at the Saudi Center for Organ Transplantation, said: “The donor’s data was received and analyzed. The information was then shared with the KFSHRC as the patient, Faisal, was listed with high priority status. Once the case was accepted, coordination took place with the medical ethics center at the Ministry of Health to arrange for a specialized medical team and a private aircraft to travel to the UAE for the heart retrieval. The organ was transported as quickly as possible to perform the transplant at the KFSHRC.”
Dr. Felix Wang Tsai, pediatric cardiology surgery consultant at KFSHRC, said: “When the patient came to our hospital he was quite sick. His only chance for survival was (a) heart transplant and fortunately we were able to find a donor from Abu Dhabi, and brought the organ to perform (the) transplant successfully, very nicely and very quickly.
“We only do about 10-15 transplants a year, so it’s very important we get more donors here in Saudi Arabia so we can help patients like Faisal,” he added.
Time is a critical factor in heart transplant operations. According to medical standards, the period between removing the heart from the donor and transplanting it into the patient must not exceed five hours to ensure transplant success.
This time constraint creates significant logistical challenges in addition to the complex medical procedures, particularly when the brain-dead donor is located overseas, said the hospital in its statement, adding that, in such circumstances, every minute of delay becomes crucial to the operation’s success.
The heart transplant was more than just a medical procedure — it was the result of ongoing coordination between medical teams in the Kingdom and the UAE through humanitarian cooperation aimed at saving critical cases, the hospital added.
This achievement reflects KFSHRC’s ability to overcome complex challenges and leverage its capabilities in partnership with relevant authorities to deliver specialized care that brings hope back to patients and their families, it said.
The KFSHRC Heart Centre is recognized as one of the world’s leading cardiac centers, having achieved exceptional milestones including the world’s first fully robotic heart transplant and robotic artificial heart pump implantation without chest incision. These unprecedented medical breakthroughs demonstrate the Kingdom’s leadership in complex cardiac surgery.
KFSHRC has been ranked first in the Middle East and North Africa and 15th globally in the list of the world’s top 250 Academic Medical Centers for the second consecutive year, and included in the World’s Best Smart Hospitals list for 2025 by Newsweek magazine.
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Checkmate to barriers: Alkhobar hosts chess training for visually impaired
HIND ALKHUNAIZI
August 21, 2025
DHAHRAN: A first-of-its-kind initiative in the Kingdom has helped to introduce visually impaired players to the game of chess.
The Turning Point Association for the Rehabilitation and Empowerment of the Visually Impaired partnered with Gambit Chess Club to deliver a month-long training program in Alkhobar, which concluded on Aug. 19.
Held at the association’s headquarters, the program brought together six enthusiasts who completed 46 hours of training.
The trainees learned the fundamentals of chess, the rules of the game, and the movement of the pieces before taking part in practice matches against one another.
The closing ceremony celebrated their achievements, with certificates and medals given in the presence of representatives from the association and the club.
The popularity of chess has been steadily growing in the country, with the Saudi Chess Federation taking charge of local tournaments and training programs to encourage participation across different age groups.
The Kingdom has also hosted international chess events to bring together players from all over the world.
These efforts support cultural and recreational initiatives under Vision 2030, which aims to create opportunities and activities for people in the Kingdom.
Ali Al-Ayash, a founding member and vice president of Gambit Chess Club, said the project marked an important step for Saudi inclusivity.
“We believe that chess is not just a game, but a powerful educational and developmental tool,” he told Arab News.
He added that dedicating the program to the visually impaired was about opening doors.
Al-Ayash said: “This is a pioneering step toward integrating everyone into intellectual and cultural activities, and reflects our commitment to providing equal opportunities for all members of Saudi society.
“We’ve seen stories of individuals who have challenged disability and proved that intelligence is not measured by sight.”
He added that chess can be a platform for self-expression and empowerment, and said: “It gives participants the chance to showcase their abilities, strengthen their confidence, and compete in a fair environment. At its core this program was about breaking (down) barriers and redefining inclusivity in mind sports.”
Al-Ayash believes that chess fits naturally into the Kingdom’s goals to evolve and transform. He said: “Training in chess supports Vision 2030 by empowering individuals, especially youth, women, and people with disabilities.
“It enhances quality of life through cultural and recreational activities; strengthens education by improving logical thinking and patience; and fosters social innovation with technology and online tournaments.”
Following the achievements of the first group of trainees, Gambit Chess Club is now looking to further enhance its impact.
Al-Ayash said: “The next step is expanding the program in cooperation with local associations and schools.
“We have previously collaborated with the hearing impaired, and now we plan to involve other groups, alongside those (people) with hearing and visual disabilities.
“We want to train specialized coaches so that the program remains sustainable, and our goal is simple: to make chess accessible to everyone.”
The initiative is part of the association’s broader efforts to empower and develop skills for its beneficiaries while promoting new models of community engagement in the Kingdom.
The program represents more than just an achievement for Gambit Chess Club: The initiative is a symbol of how sports can evolve to embrace everyone, while proving that disability is no barrier to achievement.
“Chess is a universal language, and with the right support it’s a language that anyone can learn to speak,” Al-Ayash said.
Source: arabnews.com
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Europe
Sacred Islamic ArtefactsDating Back 700 Years, Go On Display At School
August 22, 2025
NajModak
Sacred Islamic artefacts dating back 700 years, including the 29ft-long (9m) cloth used to cover the Holy Kaaba in Mecca, were on display at a school in North Lincolnshire.
The Kiswat al-Kaaba Exhibition was held on Thursday at St Lawrence Academy in Scunthorpe and offered visitors an opportunity to witness rare and original pieces from some of the holiest sites in Islam.
Organised by the Kiswa Arts and Culture Gallery, the collection featured rare and original pieces including from the chambers of the Prophet Muhammed (Pbuh).
Visitor Farzana Khanum, 50, said: "I don't want to get emotional, but I feel that energy today and it took me back to pilgrimage [to Mecca] last year."
Described as a historical and spiritual journey through centuries of devotion, craftsmanship and reverence, the free event included the rare Kiswa, a cloth that covers the Kaaba, the sacred stone structure at the heart of the Great Mosque in Mecca, which is considered the spiritual centre of Islam.
Ms Khanum said: "It's good to see people from our community as well as other communities."
She described feeling "tingly" with emotion hearing about the history of the pieces in the exhibition.
Ms Khanum said, while Muslims learn a lot about Islam locally, bringing the sacred artefacts to her home town was "on a different level".
Francesca Washer, 64, said she felt "honoured" to be invited.
She said: 'It has surpassed my expectations. I've learned so much about the Prophet and Islam and the different sacred buildings that are special to people who follow the Islamic faith."
She said it was a privilege to be around the "beautiful woven artefacts" knowing the time, effort and dedication that people must have put in to create them.
Alison Barker, chief executive at North Lincolnshire Council, said the items on display were "beautiful" and "really impressive".
She said: "It's about recognising and sharing our cultural heritage about who we are and our experiences in the world, and how we grow and learn and contribute to our communities."
Sheikh Ilyas Malik, 57, said he was guardian of all of the artefacts after they were gifted to him through family.
He said he decided to create the exhibition to create an awareness about Islam.
"We've got items here with the oldest 746 years old and the locks and keys from the final resting place of the Great Muhammad Prophet (Pbuh) and a shroud."
He described the items as "the crown jewels" for Muslims.
Abid Khan, 49, chair of the Multi-Faith Partnership in Scunthorpe, arranged for the exhibition to come to his former school in the town and said it was for everyone in "our communities" to give them experience about Islam.
He said: "I'm overwhelmed, you know. This is very close to every believer and especially if you're Muslim.
"We always dream about it. It is emotional bringing all this unique history, culture and art [to Scunthorpe]".
Mr Khan said he wanted to thank everyone who supported the event including the "wonderful" school for hosting.
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c79ljwqyg9ro
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Greenock teen inspired by Hitler to attack mosque jailed for 10 years
21ST AUGUST
A TEENAGER inspired by Hitler who planned to carry out a terrorist attack at a mosque has been sentenced to 10 years in custody.
The 17-year-old had planned to set fire to a Muslim centre in Greenock after befriending the Imam and mapping out the building’s interior on his phone.
In January this year police officers apprehended the youth, who was carrying a camouflage military-style rucksack as he tried to gain entry to the building on Laird Street.
Inside the bag they found a German-manufactured Glock-type air pistol, ammunition, ball bearings, gas cartridges and aerosol cans, prosecutors said.
He was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on Thursday after pleading guilty to two charges of terrorism, the Crown Office said.
The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was sentenced to 10 years in custody and eight years of supervision on licence upon release.
Prosecutors said the teenager admitted being in possession of documents likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism and engaging in the preparation of committing acts of terrorism.
A search of the teenager’s home following his arrest found Adolf Hitler’s book Mein Kampf, a copy of the Quran, airsoft weapons, knives, masks and instructions and ingredients to manufacture explosives.
He also had a list on his mobile phone of individuals who had inspired his political beliefs including Hitler, Benito Mussolini and Norwegian mass murderer Anders Breivik, prosecutors said.
SineidinCorrins, deputy procurator fiscal for specialist casework at the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), said: “This heinous plan to attack those within his own local community was prepared and driven by racial and religiously motivated hatred, and showed that he not only held Neo-Nazi beliefs but was about to act on them to cause pain and suffering.
“Fortunately, he was apprehended and this was prevented.
“COPFS has a duty to keep the people of Scotland safe from harm and, working with police and other agencies, we are committed to ensuring that those involved in committing offences under terrorism legislation are brought to justice.”
'A fast-moving and complicated inquiry'
Assistant chief constable Stuart Houston, of Police Scotland, said: “I want to pay tribute to the local officers who took swift action to protect the public and apprehended the youth, as the potential consequences of his actions could have been extremely serious and had a profound effect on the local community.
“This was a fast-moving and complicated inquiry, and officers carried out a diligent and thorough investigation to gather the evidence and brought him to court, which will now see him face the consequences of his intentions.
“Keeping our communities safe from acts of terrorism remains a priority for Police Scotland and its officers. I also want to express my gratitude to the partners who worked with us during this inquiry to ensure the achievement of this objective is realised.
“Anyone who has concerns about potential terrorist activity is urged to contact Police Scotland and there is confidential advice available at the ACT Early Counter Terrorism Policing website.”
Source: thenational.scot
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Record 111,000 UK asylum applications in past year, figures show
Aug 21, 2025
A record 111,000 asylum applications were made to the UK during the year to June, but the government is processing cases faster, new Home Office figures show.
This is an increase of 14% from the previous year, and it is higher than the peak of 103,000 in 2002.
But officials are processing more cases than before the general election, meaning that over the long term there may be fewer people in the system needing housing support.
The latest data, which covers Labour's first year in office, comes as the government faces growing pressure over immigration.
The figures also showed 71,000 cases, relating to 91,000 people, were awaiting an initial decision. The number of cases is lower than the number of people since one case can also cover the main claimant's family.
That backlog is almost half the peak of 134,000 cases at the end of June 2023.
This means that there are 18,536 fewer people waiting for a decision today than there were in March.
The numbers of asylum seekers in hotels has risen slightly to 32,059 - a figure higher than when Labour came to power, but well below a peak of 56,000 in September 2023 under the Conservatives.
Labour has pledged to clear the backlog by 2029, pledging to cut Channel crossings and to open new government-run accommodation.
Ministers hope to end the use of hotels over the long term. However that depends on how quickly they can remove people who have no case to be in the UK.
Asylum seekers who cannot financially support themselves are placed in housing while their claims and appeals are considered.
In the year ending June 2025, the Home Office forcibly removed 9,100 people – up a quarter on the previous year.
More than half were foreign national offenders who were being deported at the end of sentences.
Meanwhile, the High Court on Tuesday ruled a hotel in Epping, Essex, should stop housing asylum seekers after a legal challenge by the local council.
Other councils across the country, including some run by Labour, are now considering legal action.
Most asylum claims were made by people from Pakistan, very few of whom arrived in the UK on small boats - rather, most arrived legally on work or study visas and only later claimed asylum.
Meanwhile, most people arriving by small boat were from Afghanistan.
'I feel left behind'
Among the backlog of asylum claims is Daastan's - who did not want to use his real name.
The 26-year-old fled Afghanistan in 2023, fearing for his life after his father and brother were targeted by the Taliban.
After arriving in the UK, he applied for asylum and the Home Office found him a hotel room in Yorkshire, where he has been ever since.
"You escape one problem and now you're in another problem," he told the BBC.
His claim was denied after around a year, and he is now awaiting the outcome of an appeal.
He is given three meals a day and is allowed to leave for a walk if he signs out with a guard. Otherwise, he spends most of his days in silence as his roommate does not speak English.
One day, through his window, he watched as guards and police surrounded the hotel and stopped protestors from getting any closer.
"All we asylum seekers wanted was a shelter so the government put us in a hotel. That wasn't our choice," he said. "We haven't done anything."
Elsewhere, Godgive - who also did not want to use her real name - told the BBC she felt "left behind" and "stuck" in the asylum system.
She has not seen her six-year-old son since she left Cameroon, fleeing violence, three years ago.
Waiting for the outcome of her claim, she lives in a shared house with other asylum seekers provided by the Home Office in the north-east of England.
A house manager comes regularly to sweep her bedroom and make sure she has no forbidden items, like a TV. There is little privacy.
Godgive said she considered ending her life at one stage: "I needed to stop living. It was too much."
Unable to work or study, she said she dreamt of volunteering or training herself in new skills – anything to give her purpose and a way to contribute.
"I don't know where to go and I don't know when it's going to change."
Government spending on asylum in the UK was down by 12%, the new figures show.
The total stood at £4.76bn in the year ending March 2025, down from £5.38bn the previous year.
It covers Home Office costs related to asylum, including direct cash support and accommodation, but not costs relating to intercepting migrants crossing the Channel.
Specific costs for hotels were not published in the latest data, but Home Office figures released in July showed £2.1bn was spent on hotel accommodation - down from £3bn the previous year.
The data for the year to June 2025 also showed that:
Small boat arrivals accounted for 88% of arrivals, at 43,000
This was 38% higher than the previous year, but slightly lower than the peak in 2022 of 46,000 people
More than half of those arriving came from Afghanistan, Eritrea, Iran, Sudan and Syria
Afghans were the most common nationality, accounting for 15% of small boat arrivals (6,400)
Since January 2018, three-quarters of small boat arrivals were men, while only 16% were children
5,011 children - those under the age of 18 - crossed by small boat to apply for asylum in the year to June
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said Labour has "strengthened Britain's visa and immigration controls, cut asylum costs and sharply increased enforcement and returns".
She blamed the "broken immigration and asylum system" and said the previous Conservative government had left it in "chaos".
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said the government is "failing" and has lost control of our borders".
Liberal Democrat spokesperson Lisa Smart MP said the asylum backlog has been "far too large for far too long".
"The Conservatives trashed our immigration system and let numbers spiral. Now this Labour government is failing to get a grip on the crisis," she said.
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwy1kxv8xewo
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Proposed Ukraine land concessions are Putin's trap, EU's top diplomat tells BBC
Tabby Wilson & Stuart Lau
Aug 21, 2025
The top diplomat of the European Union (EU) has warned against pushing Ukraine to give up territories to Russia as part of a future peace deal.
Speaking in her first UK interview since EU leaders joined Donald Trump's White House peace talks with Ukraine, KajaKallas told the BBC's Today programme that letting Russia keep Ukrainian territories was a "trap that Putin wants us to walk into".
The Donbas region in eastern Ukraine has long been contested by Russia, with military aggression forcing 1.5 million Ukrainians to flee over the past decade.
Ukraine has consistently rejected conceding Donbas to the Kremlin in exchange for peace, though Trump stressed the need for "swapping of territories".
Kallas - who has been placed on the Kremlin's "wanted list" - also spoke at length about "credible and robust" security guarantees for Ukraine.
She admitted that there were not many "concrete steps" for a deterring force at this stage in negotiations.
"The strongest security guarantee is a strong Ukraine army," she said, outlining the importance of establishing guarantees that were "not just on paper".
She said it was up to member states of the "coalition of the willing" to determine exactly what they could contribute, and that it was not yet clear in what capacity those forces would operate.
Leaders from key EU countries, including France, Germany, Italy and Finland, joined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for talks at the White House last week, days after Trump hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin in a military base in Alaska.
On the Alaska summit, Kallas said that Putin got "everything he wanted" and that would impact his interest in negotiating a peace deal.
"He got such a welcoming and he wanted sanctions not to be put in place, which he also achieved.
"Putin is just laughing, not stopping the killing but increasing the killing," Kallas said. "We are forgetting that Russia has not made one single concession."
She added that the EU had put together the 19th package of sanctions to pressure the Russian leader into further discussions.
Meanwhile, Trump on Thursday set a two-week time frame for evaluating peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.
"I would say within two weeks we're going to know one way or the other," he said in a telephone interview with Todd Starnes, a host for right-wing media outlet Newsmax.
"After that, we'll have to maybe take a different tack," Trump said.
But Zelensky cast doubt on Putin showing willingness for a meeting with him.
In comments released to reporters on Thursday, reported by the Agence France-Presse news agency, Zelensky accused Russia of avoiding the "necessity" of holding a meeting between the two countries' leaders.
"Current signals from Russia are, to be honest, indecent. They're trying to avoid the necessity to meet. They don't want to end this war."
He also put pressure on Western allies, saying Ukraine would like to "have an understanding of the security guarantees architecture within seven to 10 days".
"We need to understand which country will be ready to do what at each specific moment," he added.
Zelensky has criticised the significant air attack by Russia early on Thursday, saying it was behaving as if there were no global efforts to stop the war.
Eleven different locations in Ukraine were hit, killing at least one and injuring more than a dozen in the western city of Lviv close to the Polish border.
A number of European leaders earlier echoed EU and Ukrainian views about Putin's unwillingness to engage with a peace deal.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb said Putin was "rarely to be trusted", and that he was sceptical about Putin eventually agreeing to a bilateral meeting with Zelensky.
French President Emmanuel Macron called the Russian leader "a predator, and an ogre at our doorstep" and expressed "the greatest doubt" that he would be willing to work towards peace.
Both leaders were in attendance at White House peace talks on Monday.
Zelensky has said he is willing to meet Putin "in any format", but told reporters on Thursday that there was still no sign from Moscow that they "truly intend to engage in substantive negotiations".
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp8zdezm507o
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German opposition slams EU ‘hypocrisy’ on Ukraine
21 Aug, 2025
A German opposition leader has accused the EU of hypocrisy, pointing out that those who once rejected dialogue with Moscow are now praising US President Donald Trump’s diplomatic efforts to settle the Ukraine conflict.
Alice Weidel, the co-leader of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, made the remarks after a White House meeting earlier this week involving Trump, Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky, and key Western European leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The talks came two days after a summit in Alaska between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“The same people who for three and a half years denounced diplomacy as the devil’s work are now praising Trump for his diplomatic efforts,” Weidel wrote on X. “That is hypocrisy and an admission of their own failure at the same time.”
She added: “What Trump has set in motion, responsible European and especially German politicians should have undertaken long ago: namely, establishing lines of communication with Russia to explore possibilities for ending the war.”
Following the Washington talks, the White House said a peace deal had become more feasible, describing the outcome as progress and “a light at the end of the tunnel.”
Trump rejected calls by Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron for a ceasefire as a first step toward resolution, insisting on a permanent peace. Moscow has long opposed the idea of a temporary truce, arguing that Kiev would simply use the pause to regroup and rearm.
Merz, who has taken a hard line against Russia since taking office in May, previously declared that diplomatic options had been “exhausted” and doubled down on providing weapons to Kiev. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused him of abandoning diplomacy in favor of escalation.
Moscow has long accused the EU and the UK of hostility, citing Russophobia and militarization, and says Western support for Ukraine only prolongs the conflict.
The chancellor has not ruled out dispatching German soldiers to Ukraine under potential security guarantees. Russia has warned any NATO or Western presence on Ukrainian territory would be “unacceptable.”
Merz has faced a sharp drop in public support and his coalition is polling at its lowest levels since taking office. The right-wing AfD has overtaken conservatives as Germany’s most popular party, a survey showed this month.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/623385-germany-afd-eu-ukraine/
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Ukraine kills civilians with US-made rockets – governor
22 Aug, 2025
Two civilians have been killed and 21 others injured in a Ukrainian attack on the Russian city of Yenakievo on Thursday, the top regional official has said.
According to Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) head Denis Pushilin, US-made HIMARS rocket launchers and kamikaze drones were used in the attack. He added that nine houses in Yenakievo and nearby Gorlovka were damaged.
Yenakievo was close to the front line until Russian forces gradually pushed Ukrainian troops westward, liberating the city of Dzerzhinsk (known in Ukraine as Toretsk) in February.
The DPR declared independence from Ukraine in 2014 following a Western-backed coup in Kiev earlier that year. In September 2022, the region voted to join Russia.
Moscow has demanded that Ukraine withdraw its troops from the western parts of the DPR as one of the conditions for a ceasefire. Kiev, however, has ruled out any territorial concessions.
Last week, US President Donald Trump met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska to discuss possible ways to resolve the conflict. On Monday, Trump hosted Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky along with the leaders of Western Europe, the EU, and NATO.
Russia has proposed raising the level of its delegation in talks with Ukraine, while Trump has pushed for a Putin-Zelensky meeting.
Source: rt.com
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Southeast Asia
Islamic community centres should be inclusive spaces, says MohdNa’im
21 Aug 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 21 — Islamic community centres should serve as more than just places of worship, by being inclusive spaces that unite people from diverse backgrounds, says Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk MohdNa’im Mokhtar.
He said such centres have the potential to nurture interfaith relations, strengthen community ties and create opportunities for personal growth.
“Imagine Islamic community centre as a space that nurtures interfaith relations, promotes mutual understanding, and provides opportunities for learning, skill-building, and support.
“A place where hearts are connected, where people of diverse backgrounds feel welcomed, and where lasting bonds of friendship are built,” he said in his opening speech at the launch of TunRazak Exchange (TRX) Islamic Community Centre (TICC) here, today.
Also present were Federal Territories Mufti Ahmad FauwazFadzil and TRX City SdnBhd’s chief executive officer Datuk Azmar Talib.
MohdNa’im said that throughout history, mosque as a community centre, played a central role in governance, learning, and social development, highlighting that the same spirit should be reflected in modern Islamic community centres.
He added that community centres that offer educational programmes, skills training and welfare activities could enrich society and embody the values of compassion and service to humanity.
Meanwhile, MohdNa’im also urged relevant parties to expedite the approval for TICC to be recognised as a permanent Friday prayer venue.
Since last year, TICC that could withhold the capacity of more than 1,000 people only serves as a temporary site for Friday prayers. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/08/21/islamic-community-centres-should-be-inclusive-spaces-says-mohd-naim/188491
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Raja Muda of Perlis urges mosque officials to uphold morals, courtesy and unity
21 Aug 2025
KANGAR, Aug 21 — The Raja Muda of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail, today decreed that mosque officials and committee members must always observe good manners and morals in every aspect of administration and in interactions with the community.
He said that maintaining trustworthiness, sincerity, courtesy, and mutual respect among congregants and avoiding disputes that could tarnish the reputation of mosques or surau formed the foundation for blessings and effectiveness in their service.
“A mosque is a centre of worship, education, unity, and welfare. I call on the 101 mosques and 209 surau in the state, especially the four main mosques, Masjid Negeri Arau, Masjid AlwiKangar, Masjid Tuanku Syed Putra JamalullailKangar, and Masjid Al-Hussain Kuala Perlis, to be exemplary models.
“Let mosques serve as centres that radiate the light of knowledge, morals, and unity for the community,” he said when officiating the Perlis mosque officials and committee members conference at Dewan Warisan here today.
Tuanku Syed Faizuddin further stated that mosque management should explore approaches and initiatives beyond conventional practices that could offer added value to congregants, while the ultimate goal remained to further enliven the mosques with meaningful activities.
“The establishment of food banks or community kitchens to assist the asnaf (eligible tithe recipients) deserves attention. Mosques can also undertake agro-community projects such as small farms or hydroponic cultivation, which can serve as food sources and generate additional funds for management,” he said.
In terms of environmental sustainability, the Raja Muda of Perlis said efforts such as saving electricity and water, as well as green energy initiatives like solar panel installations, had great potential to reduce mosque operating costs.
Meanwhile, in a statement issued by Istana Arau today, Tuanku Syed Faizuddin advised the people to steer clear of bullying and to foster a culture of respect and empathy.
He stressed that one must never ridicule or mock another’s weaknesses but rather offer words of encouragement to nurture their self-confidence.
“By rejecting the culture of bullying and cultivating respect and empathy, we can create an atmosphere of harmony, safety, and well-being for all,” he said at the state banquet in conjunction with the 65th Malaysian Schools Sports Council (MSSM) Athletics Championships at Dewan 2020 here yesterday.
Tuanku Syed Faizuddin expressed hope that the championship would not only serve as a venue for competition but also as a platform to strengthen bonds, foster sportsmanship, and develop new talents capable of bringing glory to their respective states and Malaysia. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/08/21/raja-muda-of-perlis-urges-mosque-officials-to-uphold-morals-courtesy-and-unity/188485
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Ninety-eight Islamic studies teachers deployed for Sekolah Rakyat
August 21, 2025
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's Religious Affairs Ministry has deployed 98 Islamic education teachers to support the national rollout of Sekolah Rakyat (People's School), a key initiative under President PrabowoSubianto'sAstaCita development agenda.
The program, aligned with Prabowo's fourth AstaCita priority — human capital development — aims to expand access to education, science, health, sports, gender equality, and empowerment for women, youth, and people with disabilities.
"We worked with provincial religious offices to identify and recommend Islamic education teachers for the Sekolah Rakyat sites," said M. Munir, director of Islamic Education at the ministry, on Thursday.
The schools have been launched in 100 locations across the country since mid-July this year.
Teachers recommended by regional offices underwent a selection process led by a cross-agency panel including the ministries of religious affairs, social affairs, education, and the national civil service and counterterrorism bodies.
“A total of 98 teachers have passed the selection and are now placed in the schools,” Munir said.
Those teachers are participating in a national training program for teachers and principals at Jakarta’s JIEXPO Kemayoran on August 21–23.
An additional 59 teachers are currently being processed to support new schools, following the expansion of the program to 59 more locations.
The government aims to establish at least 165 people's schools by 2025, expected to provide free, quality formal, religious, and character education for 15,895 students across the elementary, junior high, and senior high school levels.
Source: antaranews.com
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https://en.antaranews.com/news/374673/ninety-eight-islamic-studies-teachers-deployed-for-sekolah-rakyat
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Islamic community centres key to promoting national unity says minister
theSun Local
2025-08-21
KUALA LUMPUR: Islamic community centres should function as inclusive spaces that unite people from diverse backgrounds rather than merely serving as places of worship.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr MohdNa’im Mokhtar emphasised their potential to nurture interfaith relations and strengthen community bonds.
He highlighted their role in creating opportunities for personal growth through various programmes and activities.
“Imagine Islamic community centre as a space that nurtures interfaith relations, promotes mutual understanding, and provides opportunities for learning, skill-building, and support.”
“A place where hearts are connected, where people of diverse backgrounds feel welcomed, and where lasting bonds of friendship are built.”
MohdNa’im delivered these remarks during the launch of the TunRazak Exchange Islamic Community Centre (TICC) in Kuala Lumpur.
He noted that mosques historically served as central hubs for governance, learning, and social development throughout Islamic history.
The minister stressed that modern Islamic community centres should embody this same multifaceted spirit.
Community centres offering educational programmes, skills training, and welfare activities can significantly enrich society according to his statement.
These initiatives embody the values of compassion and service to humanity that are central to Islamic teachings.
MohdNa’im also urged relevant authorities to expedite approval for TICC’s recognition as a permanent Friday prayer venue.
The centre currently serves as a temporary site for Friday prayers despite its capacity for over 1,000 worshippers.
Federal Territories Mufti Ahmad FauwazFadzil and TRX City SdnBhd’s chief executive officer Datuk Azmar Talib attended the launch event. – Bernama
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/malaysia-news/islamic-community-centres-key-to-promoting-national-unity-says-minister-IB14734815
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Mosques to hold special prayers for Gaza after Friday prayers
theSun Local
2025-08-22
PUTRAJAYA: All mosques and surau under Malaysia’s Islamic development departments will conduct special prayers for Gaza following Friday congregations today.
The Department of Islamic Development Malaysia and Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department have received instructions to perform solathajat and recite Qunut Nazilah.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk MohdNa’im Mokhtar stated this directive demonstrates Malaysian Muslims’ solidarity with Gaza residents suffering through severe humanitarian conditions.
He emphasised that the famine crisis continues to intensify while medical facilities remain incapacitated throughout the region.
“The number of victims keeps increasing daily with children and women forming the majority of casualties,“ he added.
MohdNa’im stressed that Malaysians cannot remain passive while innocent lives are being lost in the conflict.
“Prayer serves as the believer’s weapon but must accompany awareness and collective action,“ he explained in his official statement.
He urged congregations to unite in seeking divine protection and victory for Palestinian people facing ongoing oppression.
The minister called upon worshippers to ask Allah for safety and strength while hoping for an end to Zionist regime tyranny. – Bernama
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/malaysia-news/mosques-to-hold-special-prayers-for-gaza-after-friday-prayers-MB14737685
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/operation-sindoor-jaish-e-mohammad/d/136571