Uttarakhand CM Vows To Preserve Spiritual And Cultural Heritage, Defends ‘Land Jihad’ And ‘Love Jihad’ Legislative Measures

New Age Islam News Bureau

15 July 2025

·         Uttarakhand CM Vows To Preserve Spiritual And Cultural Heritage, Defends ‘Land Jihad’ And ‘Love Jihad’ Legislative Measures

·         Zohran Mamdani Campaign Intern, Hadeeqa Arzoo Malik, Declares Activism Is ‘All Jihad’ In Latest Sign Of Radicalism In His Movement

·         ‘No Tantra, No Magic Mushrooms’: eHati Founders Deny Un-Islamic Practice Claims

·         Islamic State Of Africa To Appeal Decision To Reject Its Political Party Application

·         Israeli Ultra-Orthodox Party Leaves Government Over Conscription Bill

------

India

·         Pahalgam Terror Attack Was ISI-LeT Plot Directed By Pakistan’s Top Brass: Report

·         Amid Bihar Row, Assam Wants NRC Considered In EC’s Voter Roll Revision

·         Jalabhishek Yatra Held Peacefully In Nuh Amid Internet Ban, Security Measures

·         Omar Abdullah Scales LG Manoj Sinha's Fence, Visits Martyrs' Graveyard

·         Top Court Junks Plea Challenging Order Extending Ban On Students Islamic Movement

·         SC Issues Notice To UP Government On Plea Against State's QR Code Directive For Eateries Along 'Kanwar' Yatra Route

·         Maharashtra To Bring Law To Stop Beef Smuggling: Minister

·         E-Mail Threatens To ‘Blow Up’ Golden Temple; Authorities Beef Up Security

·         7 Accused In Bengaluru Prison Terror Conspiracy Case, Including LeT-Linked T Naseer, Seek To Plead Guilty

·         Supreme Court agrees to hear ‘Udaipur Files’ producer’s plea against Delhi HC order on film’s stay

----

North America

·         The Road to the Fired Four: Repression against Pro-Palestine Activism at CUNY

·         CAIR-Pittsburgh Say Police Department’s Islamophobic Public Alert Promotes Discrimination

·         CAIR-Kentucky Extends Condolences to Victims of Shooting Rampage

·         Join CAIR in Urging Congress to Censure Anti-Muslim Extremist Rep. Randy Fine

·         Ex-NATO general questions Trump’s Ukraine military aid plan

----

Southeast Asia

·         Police To Summon All Attendees Of ‘Immoral’ eHati Marriage Programme Amid Probe

·         ‘Extraordinary Appreciation’ Coming Soon, PM Anwar Teases Major Announcement For Malaysians

·         Anwar’s position unshaken, PKR Youth says rally won’t dent support in Parliament

·         Singapore unveils upgraded Stars package to fast-track Timor-Leste’s Asean membership

·         Malaysia strengthens education tourism sector with MITDA-UIS partnership

------

Africa

·         Paramilitary Attack Kills 48 In Central Sudan Village: War Monitor

·         More than 100 migrants freed in Libya after being held captive by gang, officials say

·         Awujale buried at his private residence according to Islamic rites

·         Police Crack Murder Case Of Chinese National In Ogun, Arrest Two Fleeing Lovers

·         People Called Me A Traitor For Running On A Muslim Ticket – Tunde Bakare

----

Mideast

·         Palestinian President Says Hamas Must Hand Over Weapons In Gaza

·         Iran does not trust ceasefire, ready for any new adventurism

·         Iraqis Face Difficult Return From Syria Camp For Daesh Families

·         Leaders of Holy Land churches condemn Israeli settler violence during a West Bank visit

·         Gaza ‘Humanitarian City’ Would Be ‘Concentration Camp’: Ex-Israeli PM

·         Israeli regime seeks to underline Islamic world: Pezeshkian

----

South Asia

·         Islamic Emirate, Indonesia Highlight Shared Islamic Values in Legal Talks

·         Amnesty International: Afghan Refugees in U.S. Should Not Be Forced to Return

·         Afghan Migrants Can Claim Rental Deposits Through Embassy, Say Iranian Officials

·         Ambassador of Islamic Emirate in Qatar Holds Talks with German Chargé d’Affaires

·         Islamic Emirate Celebrates Reading with Inaugural Kabul Book Festival

·         Eight indicted in Chankharpul crimes against humanity case

·         UNAMA Chief Warns of Crisis, Calls for Urgent Aid for Afghan Returnees from Iran

·         Nearly 12,000 Afghan Migrants Face Possible Deportation from the US

-------

Arab World

·         From ‘What If?’ To ‘Wow!’ At Ithra Children’s Festival

·         OIC Chief, Palestinian Envoy Discuss Crisis In Gaza, West Bank

·         MWL Chief Welcomes Uzbek Official, Hails Center’s Efforts In Promoting Islamic Values

·         From Nigeria to Makkah, sereh finds a home on Saudi tables

·         Open call for 12th Red Sea International Conference in Jeddah

·         Saudi royal institute opens registration for traditional arts programs in Riyadh

-----

Europe

·         Inverclyde's Muslim Community Is Continuing To Thrive

·         Diamond Road Mosque gets green light for new car park and classrooms

·         UK to start processing Syrian asylum claims again

·         Ukraine needs people not weapons – MP

·         Germany becoming dangerous again – Kremlin

·         German defense minister wants to arm Ukraine ‘quickly and quietly’

Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau

URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/uttarakhand-cm-spiritual-love-jihad-cultural/d/136185

----

Uttarakhand CM Vows To Preserve Spiritual And Cultural Heritage, Defends ‘Land Jihad’ And ‘Love Jihad’ Legislative Measures

Jul 14, 2025

NEW DELHI: Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami in an interview with TOI firmly defended a series of controversial legislative measures implemented by his government, including the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), anti-conversion laws, and legislation targeting what he refers to as ‘land jihad’ and ‘love jihad’. Speaking in a wide-ranging interview, Dhami dismissed criticism that his state is turning into a “Hindutva laboratory”, insisting that the actions taken are rooted in the democratic mandate given to him by the people.

“Some people say Uttarakhand is becoming a laboratory of Hindutva. I say the people have given us a mandate. We promised UCC and we delivered. The UCC is part of Article 44 of the Constitution,” Dhami said.

The chief minister reiterated that the measures introduced by his government are not arbitrary but the fulfilment of clear promises made during the election campaign. “We went to the people with these commitments—UCC, anti-riot, anti-conversion, action on land jihad and love jihad—and they supported us. We are implementing laws that align with the sentiments and expectations of the people,” he said.

“If someone says this is a Hindutva lab, we accept it. We are doing what the people asked us to do. We brought laws against riots, conversions, land jihad, and love jihad,” Dhami added.

On Kedarnath, pilgrimage conduct, and viral controversies

Responding to recent social media controversies about pilgrims allegedly misbehaving or disrespecting the sanctity of Kedarnath and Badrinath shrines—especially with the surge in reels and viral content—Dhami said the state has moved to regulate such behaviour.

“We’ve made provisions to restrict unnecessary reels and photos near sacred sites,” he said. “27 lakh pilgrims have already visited in just 1.5 months. Our ancestors laid down certain norms for this holy yatra, and we are only adding new elements like plastic-free travel.”

The state has introduced guidelines around conduct near temple premises, including designated areas for photography and increased awareness around maintaining the spiritual and environmental sanctity of the Char Dham route. "People across the world want the original character of Devbhoomi to be preserved. We are doing this within the framework of law and order," Dhami stated.

Strong words on terrorism, national security

In reference to the recent terrorist attack on Hindu pilgrims in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, Dhami condemned the incident in the strongest terms and praised the swift response by Indian armed forces under the Modi government.

“It was a cowardly attack. But unlike earlier governments, our response was swift. India, under PM Modi, retaliated with full force and gave a clear message,” he said. “Whoever dares to touch the sindoor of our women will be crushed.”

He further added that in earlier eras, such attacks were met with condemnation but no concrete retaliation. That has changed, Dhami said, noting the repeal of the Sindhu Water Treaty, the destruction of over 100 terrorists, and targeted airstrikes that followed.

“The world saw the strength of India—our defence systems intercepted drones and missiles, our forces struck at the heart of terrorist camps. Today, India's indigenous weapons and our commitment to Atmanirbhar Bharat are setting new standards.”

Vision for a developed Uttarakhand

Looking to the future, Dhami outlined his government’s 10-year vision to transform Uttarakhand into a developed, self-reliant state. He said every department has been tasked with drawing up a decade-long plan, and that the state is on track to meet key economic milestones.

“We were aiming to double our GSDP. I’m happy to say we’ve already reached 1.5 times growth, and we still have about 20 months left to hit our full target,” Dhami said.

He also highlighted the growing involvement of the global Uttarakhand diaspora in the state’s development journey, saying many are now reconnecting with their roots and investing in their ancestral regions.

“Our goal is clear: we want our youth to not just look for jobs but to become job providers. And with better governance, policies and connectivity, they are now returning to their villages.”

'The third decade belongs to Uttarakhand'

Dhami closed his remarks by recalling a statement made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a visit to Kedarnath in 2021.

“When the Prime Minister said the third decade of the 21st century would be Uttarakhand’s decade, he wasn’t making an ordinary statement. He meant every word—and we are working to make that vision a reality.”

Calling upon citizens across India and the world to support Uttarakhand’s development, Dhami said, “Together, we will make this state a model for the entire country. That is our dream and our determination.”

Source: indiatimes.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/mandate-of-people-cm-dhami-defends-ucc-vows-to-preserve-spiritual-and-cultural-heritage/articleshow/122437567.cms

-------
Zohran Mamdani Campaign Intern, Hadeeqa Arzoo Malik, Declares Activism Is ‘All Jihad’ In Latest Sign Of Radicalism In His Movement

By Rikki Schlott

July 14, 2025

Democratic nominee for New York City mayor, Zohran Mamdani.

----------

A former Zohran Mamdani intern proudly declared activism is “all jihad” and encouraged protesters to get suspended or arrested in defiance of the West’s “settler colonialism.”

“The true believer knows that none of this is in vain, that this is all Jihad,” said Hadeeqa Malik in the recently resurfaced video, using the controversial Muslim term for holy war.

“So, the conversation of doxing, the conversation of getting arrested and suspended, I think it’s time for Muslims to start to say alright, alright so what?”

According to Malik’s LinkedIn, she served as a Communications, Outreach, Policy, and Constituent Services Intern at the State Assembly Office of Zohran Mamdani for the summer of 2024. A photo shows the pair smiling for a selfie.

Malik, who is a student at City College of New York (CCNY), made her statement on a CUNY4Palestine webinar entitled “Islamic Political Activism,” which she shared to her

It’s frightening proof that a radical faction of pro-Palestine youth activists appear to be motivated less by humanitarian concern for civilians in Gaza than by extremist fervor.

In the video, Malik refers to “genocide and colonization and settler colonialism,” and calls out other Muslims who haven’t taken an activist stand.

“If you’re not seeing this as your issue to deal with, then something is wrong, there is an illness, there is a disease, something messing up the system inside that’s telling you this isn’t your business,” she said.

In response to concerns about getting doxed, suspended, and arrested, she asked, “How gangster are you?… And I know everybody has their own families and has an education and everything, it’s just a question.”

She continued, “If you get suspended, if you get doxed, because it’s bound to happen… when you’re doing something for the sake of Allah here in the West it will never, ever be in vain, and the true believer does not fear that.”

While the original YouTube video of the webinar has been made private, it was reposted in its entirety by another user.

While only a college student, Malik has already managed to embed herself in influential hubs of activism — from Columbia Palestine protests and Students for Justice in Palestine, to the Council on American–Islamic Relations (CAIR) and Zohran Mamdani’s circle.

Mailk, who was present at pro-Palestine protests at Columbia University, lists herself as the president of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at the City College of New York from June 2024 to June 2025, where she is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in international relations with a minor in human rights.

Malik also purports to be an Outreach Coordinator for CAIR and a Racial Justice Fellow at the Colin Powell School for Civil and Global Leadership.

Neither Mamdani’s nor CAIR’s spokespeople responded to The Post for comment about Malik’s purported affiliation. Malik also did not respond to a request.

This isn’t even the first scandal she’s found herself embroiled in.

Another recently resurfaced video shows Malik berating a Muslim NYPD officer at a pro-Palestine rally. The video, originally posted in February, depicts her leading a chant as fellow protesters follow along.

“Let’s read the badges of the pigs,” she says, as she faces down a police line and reads cops’ names aloud.

She singled out a visibly uncomfortable officer, seeming to imply he was bringing shame to his traditionally Muslim name: “To the pigs who can call themselves by the name of Islam — put some respect on their names!”

The cop, standing stoically but clearly disturbed, was ultimately relieved by a fellow officer and was mocked as he stepped back.

Mailk displays an incredibly disturbing pattern of behavior — especially for someone so entrenched in influential activist spheres. Of course, Mamdani is not responsible for the actions of all his interns. And surely she does not speak for every pro-Palestine protester, let alone for the Muslim community.

But Malik’s rhetoric reveals that not all pro-Palestine activists are simply taking to the streets out of concern for Gaza. Some are acting on a deeper, more fanatic fire burning inside of them.

What she’s demonstrated is a hostility towards fellow Muslims, like the NYPD officer, who stand with law and order, coupled with a passion for advocating animosity, agitation, and literal “jihad” in her community.

It’s frightening to hear such extremism from the mouth of a young college student in America — and something that genuine pro-Palestine activists urgently ought to distance themselves from, for the sake of their cause.

Source:nypost.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://nypost.com/2025/07/14/us-news/zohran-mamdani-intern-exposed-for-advocating-activist-jihad/

-----
‘No Tantra, no magic mushrooms’: eHati founders deny un-Islamic practice claims

By Malay Mail

15 Jul 2025

In a media statement, eHati founders Diyana Tahir and Rahim Shukor said the accusations against them were based on viral social media posts that they claimed were misleading and unverified. — Picture via eHati website

-----------

KUALA LUMPUR, July 15 — The founders of eHati International Sdn Bhd have denied allegations that their programmes promote teachings that deviate from Islamic principles.

In a media statement, Diyana Tahir and Rahim Shukor said the accusations against them were based on viral social media posts that they claimed were misleading and unverified.

They said several posts made by a Facebook account identified as Masyitah Ashari had triggered public criticism against eHati since July 2.

“We wish to clarify that we have never received any complaints from any participant regarding the content or implementation of our programmes,” the founders said.

According to the statement, eHati denied claims that it incorporated elements from other religious rituals, such as Tantra, stating that its therapy modules were based on hypnotherapy, breathwork, and Neuro-Linguistic Programming.

They said the modules were designed to support women in managing emotional and psychological challenges and did not conflict with Islamic teachings or social values.

“In or around November 2022, we attended a session with Jais to explain a programme we had conducted. After we gave a detailed explanation, Jais accepted it and informed us that the programme could continue,” the statement said.

The founders added that they accepted Jais’ advice to include a disclaimer to ensure participants clearly understood the programme’s objectives.

They further said that eHati’s programmes do not undermine the role of marriage or the family institution and are intended to help women improve their relationships.

The statement also addressed concerns about a drink promoted by the group, stating it was a blend of raw cocoa, honey, and natural spices, and did not contain any banned substances or “magic mushrooms”.

They urged the authorities to verify the accuracy of information from social media before issuing any statements or taking action.

Source: malaymail.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/07/15/no-tantra-no-magic-mushrooms-ehati-founders-deny-un-islamic-practice-claims/183967

--------
Islamic State Of Africa To Appeal Decision To Reject Its Political Party Application

Thabiso Goba

14 July 2025

Farhad Hoomer. Picture: TikTok/Farhadhoomer8

----------

JOHANNESBURG - An organisation that believes Sharia, the Islamic legal system, is the only way to save South Africa will be appealing a decision to reject its application to register as a political party.

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) rejected the application, saying the Islamic State of Africa (ISA) did not meet the required threshold for signatures to register as a political party.

In addition, the IEC said it received over 200 objections to the application, with many objectors highlighting that Sharia is inconsistent with the secular values of the country’s Constitution.

Leader of ISA, Farhad Hoomer, maintained that his organisation was no different to the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), whose constitution is also grounded in religious values.

“We need change to free our people, to create jobs again. Just this year alone, in the first quarter, there was over 300,000 jobs lost in SA, so the Islamic State of Africa, calling for Sharia Law, is a solution to all of mankind’s problems. We are losing 27,000 lives every year, and it’s increasing just because of alcohol, drugs and casinos.”

Source: ewn.co.za

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.ewn.co.za/2025/07/14/islamic-state-of-africa-to-appeal-decision-to-reject-its-political-party-application

------
Israeli ultra-Orthodox party leaves government over conscription bill

July 15, 2025

Lawmakers attend a session of the Knesset, Israel's parliament, in Jerusalem, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP)

----------

JERUSALEM: One of Israel's ultra-Orthodox parties, United Torah Judaism, said it was quitting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling coalition due to a long-running dispute over failure to draft a bill to exempt yeshiva students from military service.

Six of the remaining seven members of UTJ, which is comprised of the Degel Hatorah and Agudat Yisrael factions, wrote letters of resignation. Yitzhak Goldknopf, chairman of UTJ, had resigned a month ago.

That would leave Netanyahu with a razor thin majority of 61 seats in the 120 seat Knesset, or parliament.

It was not clear whether Shas, another ultra-Orthodox party, would follow suit.

Degel Hatorah said in a statement that after conferring with its head rabbis, "and following repeated violations by the government to its commitments to ensure the status of holy yeshiva students who diligently engage in their studies ... (its MKs) have announced their resignation from the coalition and the government."

Ultra-Orthodox parties have argued that a bill to exempt yeshiva students was a key promise in their agreement to join the coalition in late 2022.

A spokesperson for Goldknopf confirmed that in all, seven UTJ Knesset members are leaving the government.

Ultra-Orthodox lawmakers have long threatened to leave the coalition over the conscription bill.

Some religious parties in Netanyahu's coalition are seeking exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jewish seminary students from military service that is mandatory in Israel, while other lawmakers want to scrap any such exemptions altogether.

The ultra-Orthodox have long been exempt from military service, which applies to most other young Israelis, but last year the Supreme Court ordered the defence ministry to end that practice and start conscripting seminary students.

Netanyahu had been pushing hard to resolve a deadlock in his coalition over a new military conscription bill, which has led to the present crisis.

The exemption, in place for decades and which over the years has spared an increasingly large number of people, has become a heated topic in Israel with the military still embroiled in a war in Gaza.

Source: arabnews.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2608105/middle-east

------

India

 

Pahalgam Terror Attack Was ISI-LeT Plot Directed By Pakistan’s Top Brass: Report

15 Jul 2025

The April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, that claimed 26 lives was a “closely guarded conspiracy” hatched by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror group under instructions from the highest levels of Pakistan’s political and military leadership, according to security sources cited by Times of India.

Sources said the ISI had tasked Lashkar commander Sajid Jutt with executing the plan, instructing him to involve only foreign terrorists to maintain secrecy. “No Kashmiri terrorist was taken on board,” an official said, adding that the operation was carried out strictly on a “need-to-know” basis to avoid leaks.

Foreign LeT operatives already active in J&K were roped in for the massacre, while local support was limited to shelter and logistics, according to investigators. “No local terrorist had participated in the gruesome killing or was in the loop on exact details of the terror plot,” the official added.

The Resistance Front (TRF), widely seen as a front for LeT, had claimed responsibility for the attack. Indian intelligence agencies maintain that TRF is used by Pakistan to obscure LeT’s role and deflect international pressure.

The attackers have been identified as Pakistani nationals Hashim Musa (alias Suleiman) and Ali Bhai (alias Talha Bhai), and a local operative, Adil Hussain Thokker. Two other locals — Parvaiz Ahmad Jothar and Bashir Ahmad Jothar — have been arrested for allegedly harbouring the trio.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is probing the attack, said Parvaiz and Bashir were aware of the terrorists’ affiliations but still provided shelter, food, and logistical support in the days leading up to the strike.

India responded with Operation Sindoor on May 7, launching pre-dawn airstrikes on nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). At least 100 terrorists were reportedly killed in the precision strikes.

The operation triggered four days of intense cross-border exchanges involving drones, missiles, and long-range artillery before both sides agreed to halt military action on May 10.

Source: newindianexpress.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Jul/15/pahalgam-terror-attack-was-isi-let-plot-directed-by-pakistans-top-brass-report

--------
Amid Bihar row, Assam wants NRC considered in EC’s voter roll revision

RITIKA CHOPRA

Jul 15, 2025

Officials from Assam have told the Election Commission (EC) that since it is the only state to have already carried out the exercise of preparing the National Register of Citizens (NRC), this should be factored in whenever the poll panel frames its timelines and decides the list of eligibility documents for the state’s special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, The Indian Express has learned.

Sources in the Assam government said that since the EC is also looking at the citizenship aspect to determine eligibility for inclusion in the electoral roll — and given that Assam has already undertaken a citizenship verification exercise — the NRC, once published, can serve as one of the admissible documents for the SIR. Hence the state’s request.

This comes even as Opposition parties have alleged that the Bihar SIR has become a de facto citizenship-verifying exercise – “NRC through the backdoor” – and that’s not within the purview of the poll panel.

Assam’s request, learned to have been made after the Commission’s announcement last month of a nationwide intensive revision of electoral rolls starting with Bihar, if accepted, could effectively mean a delay in the state’s SIR.

This is because the Assam NRC — a Supreme Court-monitored exercise meant to resolve decades of demographic anxieties in the state — remains stuck in limbo.

Since the publication of the draft NRC in 2019, which excluded 19.6 lakh individuals from 3.3 crore applicants, the Registrar General of India is yet to notify it and both the BJP-led state governments since then have maintained that they do not find it acceptable in its current form.

The objective of the NRC in Assam was to identify Indian citizens and distinguish them from illegal migrants in a state that has witnessed years of protests and political churn over undocumented migration.

However, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is among its critics. The Assam government has maintained that the inclusions and exclusions in it are erroneous, and that excludes “indigenous people” while including large numbers of “foreigners” and that the number of people who had entered the state illegally after March 24, 1974 – the cut-off date for the NRC – is far higher than 19 lakh.

The question of reverification had been raised by the Central and state government even before the 2019 NRC was finalised but had been denied by the Supreme Court.

On July 23, 2019, the Supreme Court bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman had observed that NRC coordinator Prateek Hajela had submitted that 27% reverification had already been done during the course of consideration and adjudication of the claims and that the court did not find it necessary for further sample reverification.

In a special Assembly session held last month, CM Sarma said that the state government is still in the process of seeking 20% reverification of the list in districts bordering Bangladesh and 10% in the rest of the districts.

“The NRC is about to be released. It will be out in a month or two, most likely by October,” a source said, adding: “We feel the NRC data, as it has been prepared after verification — and with reverification also in process — will be a perfect document for proving citizenship. It can be one of the documents (to be considered for the intensive revision).”

A query sent to the Commission on whether it has considered Assam’s request or taken a decision on the matter did not elicit a response. When contacted, Sarma told this newspaper that there has been no “correspondence” with the EC on this issue.

The Election Commission’s decision to begin an intensive revision of the electoral roll from Bihar has sparked political opposition in the state, with some parties even moving the Supreme Court against the exercise.

The trigger: the list of documents the Commission has asked voters — those registered in Bihar after 2003 — to furnish to prove their eligibility, specifically age and citizenship, to remain on the rolls.

Source: indianexpress.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/assam-to-commission-wait-for-our-nrc-before-intensive-roll-revision-10126615/

-------
Jalabhishek Yatra held peacefully in Nuh amid internet ban, security measures

by Abhimanyu Hazarika

July 15, 2025

Chants of ‘Bum Bum Bholenath’ and ‘Har Har Mahadev’ were interspersed with the usual greetings of ‘Radhe Radhe’ and ‘Ram Ram’ among devotees as the Braj Mandal Jalabhishek Yatra began from the Nalhar Shiv Temple in Haryana’s Nuh on Monday.

Vishram Kumar Meena, Deputy Commissioner (DC), Nuh, who was present at the site to oversee welfare and security measures for devotees, told The Indian Express that by noon, some 9,000 devotees had thronged Nuh, including some who were still on their way to the temple. “By the end of the night, we expect the number to cross 30,000.”

Additional arrangements were in place as violence had broken out during the yatra two years ago, in which six people were killed. On Sunday night too, a small Muslim shrine in Tauru was partially vandalised. “I went to the site with a sub-divisional magistrate and a deputy superintendent of police at 6 am and we spoke to the shrine’s caretaker, who is a Hindu, and he filed a complaint. It was an attempt by miscreants to disturb the peace here, but we spoke with the people living there and the situation did not escalate,” DC Meena said.

The Jalabhishek Yatra, held on the first day of Sawan (a holy month for Lord Shiva devotees) began at around 12.30 pm and passed three Shiva temples, located in Nalhar, Ferozepur Jhirka and Singar, in Nuh.

However, amid grey clouds and occasional spells of rain post 2 pm, the devotees were largely seen to be returning home after their visit to the first temple. School kids handed out booklets about the yatra and the temples to passersby, while filming the drones overhead with their phones.

“We are very happy with all the arrangements and to be here to pray to our Lord,” said a woman devotee who had reached Nalhar temple with her infant and friends.

Late on Monday afternoon, the temple at Jhirka was teeming with devotees as shower spells brought some respite from the heat.

Even as a 24-hour mobile internet ban was in place in the region from 9 pm on Sunday evening, internet was still partially accessible, courtesy signals from towers in the bordering state of Rajasthan. Meat and liquor shops along the route were kept closed to ensure that no sentiments were hurt, Meena added.

“We have been here and ready since 4 am when the first devotees came,” said a member of the Nalhar temple committee while handing out steel jugs to a flood of devotees who then poured over the water from it onto the Shivling as part of the prayers.

Violence during Jalabhishek Yatra in 2023

The Jalabhishek Yatra was started by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) three years ago to “revive holy Hindu sites” in the district where Muslims constitute 79.2% of the population as per the 2011 Census.

In 2023, violence had broken out during the yatra, during which six people, including Bajrang Dal members and a cleric at a mosque in Gurgaon, were killed after bullets were fired from the hills behind the Nalhar temple. This time, one of the accused in the case, Faridabad resident and cow vigilante Bittu Bajrangi, was directed by the police to stay at home and not leave.

“We did not detain or arrest him. Only told him to stay home and he complied. The request was in view of possible law and order issues,” said a spokesperson for the Faridabad police. The move, along with coordination with peace committees, seems to have ensured peaceful congregations.

Bajrangi could not be reached for a comment. Meanwhile, his Instagram account was suspended on Monday following a request from the Haryana Police. The account remains inaccessible in the country as of now.

“All communities and sects came together harmoniously and provided all help to devotees, including water, and welcomed them with petals. All devotees said they were very happy and this was a showcase of the religious harmony here, notwithstanding what happened two years ago,” said Aazad Mohammad, former Haryana cabinet minister and Ferozepur Jhirka peace committee president. He ran at least eight of the 41 welcome points in Nuh, kiosks of sorts providing water and soft beverages to devotees.

Mohammed added that after discussion and consultation with peace committees and the district administration, most shops and businesses along the route voluntarily kept their shutters closed for the day to ensure that the yatra faced no hassles.

Source: indianexpress.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/jalabhishek-yatra-held-peacefully-in-nuh-amid-internet-ban-security-measures-10127154/

-------
Omar Abdullah scales LG Manoj Sinha's fence, visits martyrs' graveyard

Muzaffar Raina

15.07.25

Omar Abdullah’s stature as Jammu and Kashmir chief minister offered him no shield against the security establishment led by lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha, which treated him just like another street protester to prevent him from visiting the martyrs’ graveyard in Srinagar.

The LG’s administration on Sunday thwarted attempts by Kashmiri politicians to revive the commemoration of the July 13 Martyrs’ Day by placing them under house arrest and imposing restrictions to prevent a gathering at the Mazar-e-Shohada, the graveyard in the old city.

The elected government led by Omar and his National Conference made a determined bid to commemorate the martyrs a day later, but not before overcoming a determined police bid to stop them.

The police action triggered outrage, with Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee calling it shocking and shameful.

“What is wrong in visiting the graveyard of martyrs? This is not only unfortunate, it also snatches the democratic right of a citizen. What happened this morning to an elected Chief Minister @OmarAbdullah is unacceptable,” wrote Mamata, who met Omar earlier this week at state secretariat Nabanna.

Omar, along with others, faced police barricades. Still, they appeared determined to reach the venue on Monday, forcing the chief minister to walk a distance through the congested old city and later scaled the graveyard’s fence after the police had locked

its gate.

While Omar brazened it out under the glare of cameras, his octogenarian father and three-time chief minister, Farooq Abdullah, education minister Sakina Itoo and some others reached the venue surreptitiously. Farooq reportedly hitched a ride in a three-wheeler, and Sakina on a passerby’s two-wheeler.

The face-off marked a new low for the office of the chief minister, with Omar making a determined maiden attempt to salvage his image in the eyes of the public.

Omar had faced criticism from the Opposition on Sunday for allegedly staying in Delhi to avoid a confrontation with the LG. Sources said he had returned the same afternoon from Delhi, but his cavalcade was escorted to his Gupkar home to prevent him from reaching the graveyard. Late in the evening, he posted pictures of strong police deployment outside his home.

“To borrow from the late Arun Jaitley Sb — Democracy in J&K is a tyranny of the unelected. To put it in terms you will all understand today the unelected nominees of New Delhi locked up the elected representatives of the people of J&K,” he said.

Omar uploaded a video offering a glimpse of how policemen shoved him and his associates inside the graveyard complex, which is also the home to the revered Naqshband Sahab shrine. Before that, he had climbed the fence to enter the venue.

“This is the physical grappling I was subjected to but I am made of sterner stuff & was not to be stopped. I was doing nothing unlawful or illegal. In fact, these ‘protectors of the law’ need to explain under what law they were trying to stop us from offering Fatiha,” he said.

Omar’s resistance finally led him into the graveyard of 22 men who were killed by Dogra rulers in 1931.

Omar said he wanted to visit the graveyard on Sunday, but “within minutes, a bunker was set up outside my gate and it was not removed until midnight”.

He gave no advance information to the security establishment on Monday, a move that helped him get close to the graveyard.

Source: telegraphindia.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/jammu-and-kashmir-cm-omar-abdullah-scales-lieutenant-governor-manoj-sinhas-fence-visits-martyrs-graveyard-prnt/cid/2113167

--------
Top court junks plea challenging order extending ban on Students Islamic Movement

Jul 14, 2025

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a plea challenging an order confirming the five-year extension of the ban imposed on the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta refused to hear the plea against the July 24, 2024 order of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) tribunal.

The tribunal was constituted under the UAPA after the Centre on January 29, 2024 decided to extend the ban on SIMI for five years.

It was set up to adjudicate whether there was sufficient cause for declaring SIMI an outlawed organisation.

SIMI was first declared outlawed in 2001 during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government and, since then, the ban has been extended periodically.

SIMI was established on April 25, 1977 in Aligarh Muslim University as a front organisation of youth and students, having faith in Jamait-e-Islami-Hind (JEIH). However, the organisation declared itself independent in 1993 through a resolution.

On Monday, the counsel appearing for the petitioner said the tribunal confirmed the Centre's order of January 29, 2024 extending the ban on SIMI for the ninth time.

He said since September 2001, the ban was continuing and there were other pending matters in the top court challenging the ban on SIMI.

The counsel requested the bench to issue notice on the plea and tag it with the pending matters. When he said the petitioner was a former member of SIMI, the bench said, "Then why are you here? Let the organisation come." After the counsel said the organisation did not exist, the bench asked, "How does it affect you then?"

The counsel said there were legal issues that remained in the matter. He said the government did not recognise the fact that SIMI was defunct now. The bench, however, refused to entertain the plea.

The tribunal confirmed the five-year extension of the ban imposed on SIMI, saying the outfit had not abandoned its objective of "Jehaad" for the cause of Islam and continued to work for the establishment of Islamic rule in India.

While extending the ban on SIMI, the government said the group was involved in fomenting terrorism and disturbing peace and communal harmony in the country.

Source: indiatoday.in

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/law-news/story/supreme-court-extends-simi-ban-2755560-2025-07-14

-------

SC issues notice to UP government on plea against state's QR code directive for eateries along 'kanwar' yatra route

15 Jul 2025

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought response from the Uttar Pradesh government on a plea challenging the state's directive mandating the display of QR codes on all eateries along the 'kanwar' yatra route, which reveal the names and identities of the owners.

A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh issued notice to the state government and posted the plea filed by academician Apoorvanand Jha and others on July 22.

The top court had last year stayed similar directives issued by BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Madhya Pradesh, asking eateries along the kanwar yatra routes to display the names of their owners, staff and other details.

Referring to a press release issued by the UP administration on June 25, Jha, said, "The new measures mandate the display of QR codes on all eateries along the kanwar route, which reveal the names and identities of the owners, thereby achieving the same discriminatory profiling that was previously stayed by this court."

The petition said the state government's directive asking stall owners to reveal religious and caste identities under "lawful license requirements" breaches the right to privacy of the shop, dhaba, and restaurant owners.

A large number of devotees travel from various places with 'kanwars' carrying holy water from the Ganga to perform 'jalabhishek' of Shivlings during the Hindu calendar month of 'Shravan'.

Many believers shun consumption of meat during the month. Many don't even consume meals containing onions and garlic.

Source: newindianexpress.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Jul/15/sc-issues-notice-to-up-government-on-plea-against-states-qr-code-directive-for-eateries-along-kanwar-yatra-route

--------

Maharashtra to bring law to stop beef smuggling: Minister

by Alok Deshpande

July 14, 2025

The Maharashtra government will bring a new law against the smuggling of beef in the state and withdraw the cases against “gau rakshaks” who have been “taking the lead” in exposing the transport of beef in the state, Minister of State, Home (Rural) Pankaj Bhoyar, said in the legislative council on Monday.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLC Shrikant Bharatiya raised Calling Attention Motion in the legislative council in a case of seizure of 57,000 kilograms of beef in two containers at Lonavala in March 2025, while they were being transported to Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) for import. He said that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) should be appointed as the company involved in the case belongs to Hyderabad.

“There is need to bring a special law in the winter session to stop beef smuggling. The Maharashtra government has brought a law to tackle the specific issue of ‘urban Naxals’. I want to request, instead of existing schemes and laws, can an independent act be brought to tackle the issue of beef smuggling,” asked Bharatiya, adding whether the Maharashtra Control of Organsied Crime Act (MCOCA) can be invoked against beef smugglers. He also sought action against illegal cow slaughter houses in the state.

“It is a serious issue. We will invoke MCOCA if the repeat offenders are found. We are also soon bringing an act against the beef smuggling,” said Bhoyar. He said that the government will set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident at Lonavala.

“We will reach to the root of it and even the local police will also be probed to check whether they are involved,” he said, adding that the government will not tolerate smuggling of beef.

Bharatiya said that activists who work to prevent such cases (of beef smuggling) face problems and even cases at some times. “Such gau rakshaks should not face injustice. There should be inquiry as to why cases are slapped against them,” he said.

Bhoyar said, “If cases have been filed against the gau rakshaks who do social work of this sort, those will be studied, and action will be initiated to withdraw those cases.”

Opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Anil Parab said, “If the police are seizing 57 tonnes of beef, it throws light on the magnitude of this illegal activity in the state. It needs to be probed whether the police authorities are also involved in the racket.”

The minister informed that the state has banned cow slaughter, sale and transport of beef under Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Bill, 1995. From June 2022 to 2025, the state has registered 2,849 cases and arrested 4,678 accused. “The total beef seized is around 1724 tonnes,” said the minister.

Source: indianexpress.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/maharashtra-beef-smugling-minister-10126337/

------
E-Mail Threatens To ‘Blow Up’ Golden Temple; Authorities Beef Up Security

July 15, 2025

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee Monday received an email threatening to “blow up” the Golden Temple in Amritsar, prompting authorities to beef up police deployment around the shrine, officials said.

SGPC member Kulwant Singh Manan said the email stated that the Golden Temple will be blown up with RDX (royal demolition explosives) and mentioned “a specific time”. “It seemed like an attempt to create an atmosphere of fear,” he said.

Reacting to the threat, SGPC’s internal task force has been placed on high alert, along with Punjab Police personnel deployed around the shrine.

“Security at the Darbar Sahib has been tightened. The task force has been given special instructions to screen suspicious individuals, to prevent any untoward incident,” Manan said, confirming that a complaint has been lodged with the Police Commissioner and the E-Division police station in Amritsar. The origin of the email is being investigated.

Asserting “precautionary measures” are in place, Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said: “We are investigating the case. The cyber crime probe has begun, and we will crack this case soon.”

More than one lakh devotees visit the Golden Temple every day, an SGPC official said.

Meanwhile, Amritsar MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla sought immediate action in the matter. “This is not just a threat to a religious site. It is an attack on peace, faith & humanity…I urge CM Bhagwant Mann and DGP Gaurav Yadav to take immediate and strong action. This is a sacred place of worship visited by lakhs of devotees and tourists daily. Security must not be compromised. All departments must remain on high alert. We cannot afford any lapse in intelligence or protection. We stand united to protect our heritage,” Aujla said.

Source: indianexpress.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/e-mail-threatens-to-blow-up-golden-temple-authorities-beef-up-security-10126956/

--------

7 accused in Bengaluru prison terror conspiracy case, including LeT-linked T Naseer, seek to plead guilty

July 15, 2025

Seven accused in the 2023 Bengaluru Central Prison terror conspiracy case, including the Lashkar-e-Taiba-linked prime accused Thadiyantavide Naseer, 47, last week moved a court pleading guilty.

The special court for terrorism cases in Bengaluru took on record the application filed by the seven accused to plead guilty in the case. The court noted the statement of the accused that the application was being filed “voluntarily without any coercion or any influence from anyone”.

Besides Naseer, the other six accused who pleaded guilty are Syed Suhail, 24; Mohammed Umar, 30; Zahid Tabrez, 27; Syed Mudassir Pasha, 29; Mohammed Faisal, 29; and Salman Khan, 29.

The seven are among 12 people currently accused in the prison conspiracy case registered in 2023, which is being investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). They moved the application last week under Section 229 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The application allows the court to expedite the trial by convicting the accused based on their plea without a full trial.

The seven are accused of being involved in a terrorism plot where the LeT-linked Naseer, who is an undertrial prisoner in the 2008 Bengaluru serial blasts case and a convict in a Kerala terrorism case, allegedly radicalised youths lodged in the prison in the 2017 to 2023 period to take up ‘jihad’ when they are released from prison.

On July 8, a day after the seven accused moved the application to plead guilty, the NIA arrested three more people in the case: Anees Fathima, the mother of the absconding accused Junaid Ahmed; Dr Nagaraj S, a psychiatrist employed at the Bengaluru Central Prison; and Chan Pasha, an Assistant Sub-Inspector with the City Armed Reserve (CAR) in North Bengaluru.

Fathima is accused of playing a role in facilitating financial transactions between various accused in the conspiracy case. ASI Pasha is accused of providing police escort details of Naseer to other accused on payment of bribes, and the psychiatrist Dr Nagaraj is accused of smuggling mobile phones to Naseer inside the prison facility.

The NIA filed an initial chargesheet in the prison terrorism case in February 2024 against six people and later charges were framed against eight arrested accused in May 2025, after one suspect, Salman Khan, was extradited from Rwanda in November 2024, and another suspect, Vikram Kumar alias Chota Usman, who was arrested by the Delhi Special Cell in March 2021, was linked to the case.

The NIA took over the investigation of the case in October 2023 after the Bengaluru police conducted the initial investigations. The probe agencies alleged that the accused procured arms, ammunition and digital devices for terrorist activities after they were radicalised in prison by Naseer.

“Naseer had orchestrated the radicalisation and subsequent criminal activities, including plans to facilitate his own escape en route to the court from the prison and a conspiracy to further the operations of the proscribed terrorist organisation LeT,” the NIA said last year.

Naseer was arrested in 2009 by the Bengaluru police for the 2008 serial blasts in the city, which killed one person. He is among 18 members of the banned Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) who were sentenced to seven years in 2018 by an NIA court in Kerala for being part of a terror training camp at Vagamon in Kerala in 2007.

On July 18, 2023, shortly after receiving information from a central agency, the Bengaluru Central Crime Branch (CCB) police arrested five youths with a history of crime for alleged possession of seven country-made pistols, 45 live bullets, and for allegedly planning some form of terror attack in the future after being influenced by Naseer.

Investigations of the communication and electronic devices seized from the accused revealed the transfer of funds from foreign shores to members of the arrested group in Bengaluru, said the police.

The initial Bengaluru probe indicated that Naseer, who had been in prison for over 13 years, radicalised a few members of a group of 20 youths who were lodged in the Bengaluru Central Prison between 2017 and 2019 for the murder of a businessman in Bengaluru in October 2017.

The police alleged that Naseer inspired Junaid Ahmed, 29, one of the 20 youths who were arrested in 2017 in the businessman murder case, to take up the cause of his religion and facilitated the creation of a terror module. Junaid Ahmed left the country for Dubai around 2021 and has not been traced yet.

Several people who are accused in terror cases in Karnataka and lodged in prisons for prolonged periods before a trial have resorted to the strategy of pleading guilty to secure an early conviction and release from prison in the event of their having been in prison for periods that are close to the maximum imprisonment for offences.

In a 2012 terror conspiracy case in which 13 Karnataka youths were arrested, the accused pleaded guilty during the trial process by moving an application under Section 229 of the CrPC.

On September 15, 2016, a special court convicted the 13 of all the charges against them and sentenced them to five years in prison on the basis of the guilty plea. They were released in 2017 on completion of five years in prison.

Source: indianexpress.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/bangalore/accused-prison-terror-conspiracy-case-let-linked-naseer-seek-plead-guilty-10125417/

-------

Supreme Court agrees to hear ‘Udaipur Files’ producer’s plea against Delhi HC order on film’s stay

July 15, 2025

The Supreme Court Monday agreed to hear “in a day or two,” an appeal challenging the Delhi High Court order staying the release of the movie Udaipur Files: Kanhaiya Lal Tailor Murder based on the crime carried out by alleged Islamic fundamentalists in the city in Rajasthan.

Senior Advocate Gaurav Bhatia, who appeared for the producers of the movie, mentioned the appeal against the Delhi High Court order before a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, seeking an urgent listing. The HC order came on July 10, a day ahead of its scheduled release on July 11.

Bhatia said the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) had cleared Udaipur Files for release, and theatres were booked. “I had the certificate. All theatres were booked…”.

He pointed out that the SC had refused to give an urgent hearing to a plea by an accused in the case seeking a stay on the film’s release. “I must say with some responsibility that it’s a case of violation of fundamental rights. SC refused to give a hearing, but Delhi HC interfered and stayed the release,” he said.

Bhatia added that advance ticket bookings were accepted, and all arrangements were in place for the film’s release, when the Delhi High Court issued the stay.

The Delhi High Court order came on a plea by Maulana Arshad Madani, the principal of the Darul Uloom Deoband, and others. They contended that the movie, purportedly based on the murder of tailor Kanhaiya Lal by alleged Islamic fundamentalists in 2022, is “replete with dialogues and instances that had led to communal disharmony in the very recent past and thus carry every potential to again stoke the same communal sentiments”.

The Division Bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Anish Dayal relegated the petitioner to the Central government to seek a review of CBFC’s decision to grant a certificate green-lighting the release of the film.

The HC-directed stay shall be operational until the Centre decides on the application for interim relief that Madani may request, including suspension from the exhibition of the film. As per the court-directed timelines, the HC-directed stay can then range from July 14 until a maximum of July 21.

CBFC informed the high court that the film had already undergone 55 cuts that it directed the makers to incorporate. The Centre, too, argued that the film is not community-specific but rather “crime-specific”.

Kanhaiya Lal was allegedly hacked to death by Mohammad Riyaz and Ghouse Mohammad at his shop in Udaipur on June 28, 2022, over a post shared by him on social media in support of suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, who made some comments about the Prophet during a live television debate.

Source: indianexpress.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/udaipur-files-producer-plea-delhi-hc-sc-order-10125273/

--------

North America

 

The Road to the Fired Four: Repression against Pro-Palestine Activism at CUNY

Olivia Wood

July 14, 2025

At least four faculty members have been fired and at least one student has been suspended at the City University of New York (CUNY) in what has “all appearances of an ideological purge,” according to PSC-CUNY, the faculty, staff, and graduate assistant union. The four faculty are adjuncts at Brooklyn College (as well as at other CUNY colleges, where they also lost their jobs), and all of them have participated in pro-Palestine activism. The student, Hadeeqa Arzoo Malik, is the president of the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter at the City College of New York, the site of the CUNY-wide Gaza Solidarity Encampment in 2024. Malik is banned from all CUNY campuses for one year. When she returns, she will be banned from student clubs.

CUNY activists believe the firings and suspension are linked to an upcoming hearing in which CUNY chancellor Félix Matos Rodríguez will testify before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce at a hearing called “Antisemitism in Higher Education: Examining the Role of Faculty, Funding, and Ideology.” There, he will appear alongside administrators from Georgetown University and the University of California, Berkeley. Past hearings on similar topics with administrators from other universities have highlighted that many workers and students have been disciplined for their involvement in pro-Palestine activism. The hearing is scheduled for the morning of Tuesday, July 15.

But this is only the most recent escalation in the repression of the pro-Palestine movement at CUNY. The road to this mass firing has been long. Let’s take a look at some of that history, beginning in 2011, when another adjunct faculty member at Brooklyn College was fired for his pro-Palestine viewpoints and an undercover NYPD officer infiltrated the Brooklyn College Islamic Society.

This is not a comprehensive account of all instances of repression during this time period but an attempt to map some of the major events that led to this latest escalation. It is also a warning: the attack on these five people will not stop here; if they can come for these five people, they can come for anyone. That is why it’s essential to stand up now and stop these attacks.

2011: NYPD Surveillance of Muslim Students and the Case of Kristofer Petersen-Overton

In January 2011, CUNY doctoral student and adjunct lecturer Kristofer Petersen-Overton was fired from Brooklyn College—only two days after he officially signed his contract—after State Assembly member Dov Hikind complained to the president of Brooklyn College about Petersen-Overton’s past publications and some of the contents of his syllabus, which was believed to have been leaked by an anonymous student.

The university claimed the firing was unrelated to the complaint and was undertaken because Petersen-Overton lacked a PhD, but the chair of the Brooklyn College Political Science Department pointed out that in the past many people without PhDs have been hired to teach master’s-level courses at Brooklyn College.

Petersen-Overton was reinstated a few days later, after a “massive letter-writing campaign and the united stance of the department,” according to an article in the union newspaper. Classmates at the CUNY Graduate Center had also organized a rally in his defense, but he was reinstated before the rally could take place.

Later that same year, an undercover NYPD officer using the pseudonym “Melike Ser” or “Mel” began attending meetings of the Brooklyn College Islamic Society, despite not being a student. She expressed a desire to convert to Islam and learn more about the faith, attending many meetings organized by the society and other events with the Muslim students she was getting to know.

In interviews with Gothamist, some of the women who knew her said they found some of her behavior suspicious, such as her asking questions about “jihad” and suicide bombings, her seeming lack of seriousness about her conversion, and her constant availability to attend events, even though she claimed to work full time. But they had no way of confirming their suspicions.

The NYPD claimed the officer’s activities at Brooklyn College ended in 2012, but Brooklyn College alumni who knew her confirmed that she continued attending meetings of campus student groups at least as late as 2014. She was even a bridesmaid at the wedding of a Brooklyn College Islamic Society member.

The true identity of “Mel” was revealed in 2015 when she was involved, using the same false identity, in exposing an alleged plan to build a bomb. A short documentary film, Watched, describes the psychological impact on Brooklyn College’s Muslim student community, including fear of political expression, paranoia about new club members, and shame regarding their own feelings of distrust and how it prevents them from connecting with fellow students. While current Brooklyn College president Michelle Anderson (who was not president when the surveillance took place) said in an email that undercover surveillance runs contrary to the college’s mission, the students never received an official apology from the college, and Anderson did not stay for the question-and-answer session after the film was screened on campus.

2014: Brooklyn College Charges SJP “Security Fees”

In February 2014, Brooklyn College announced a new policy of charging student clubs fees for security at after-hours events, assessed according to each case. The next month, the college told SJP that it would need to pay $400 for security at a book talk event. According to Palestine Legal, SJP seemed to be the only student club charged a security fee all year, until the college rescinded the policy in early October.

2016: Attempt to Suspend All SJPs, BDS Blacklist

Two years later, in February 2016, the Zionist Organization of America wrote a letter to the CUNY chancellor and the Board of Trustees alleging widespread antisemitism at CUNY, primarily from the SJP clubs and faculty. The letter demanded that all SJPs be suspended.

The chancellor ordered an investigation of the claims, which found that while some antisemitic remarks were made at SJP-organized events, there was no evidence that these comments were made by SJP members or, in the case of public events like the 2015 Million Student March, by any CUNY students at all. The report recommended against suspending the SJP chapters but noted that it would not violate students’ First Amendment rights for college administrators to condemn speech they found offensive. NYC-SJP, a coalition of student clubs that was the predecessor to Within Our Lifetime, condemned antisemitism, distinguished it from anti-Zionism, and pointed out CUNY’s failure to condemn recent instances of Islamophobia on campus (including at the march) and an instance of antisemitism directed at a Jewish member of Hunter SJP during the march, when pro-Israel counterprotesters demeaned the student’s Jewish identity.

That same year, the New York State legislature considered (and ultimately rejected) several pieces of anti-BDS (boycott, divestment, sanctions) legislation. Then-governor Andrew Cuomo, who is currently running for mayor of New York City, created a BDS blacklist by executive order, directing the state not to provide any funding to organizations found to be boycotting Israel. The blacklist exists to this day and includes 11 organizations, last updated on June 3, 2025.

2020–22: Attacks on CUNY Law Students and the Faculty, Staff, and Graduate Assistant Union

Nerdeen Kiswani, cofounder of NYC-SJP while a student at Hunter College, later enrolled at CUNY School of Law, where she continued organizing for Palestine. In September 2020, she became the target of an organized harassment campaign coordinated through an anti-BDS app, the founders of which worked closely with the Israeli government to achieve pro-Israel propaganda objectives using the app. In 2022, when Kiswani was elected as the class graduation speaker, CUNY School of Law responded to external opposition to Kiswani’s speech by removing it from the website and condemning it. The same occurred in 2023 for elected graduation speaker Fatima Mousa Mohammed, also a pro-Palestine activist and member of Within Our Lifetime. They have both continued to face coordinated harassment and threats from Zionist organizations, individuals, and elected officials.

In 2021, a fresh wave of Israeli attacks in Gaza began, killing some 260 Palestinians, about half of whom were civilians and about 60 of whom were children, according to Human Rights Watch. In response, members of the Professional Staff Congress (PSC–CUNY), the faculty, staff, and graduate assistant union at CUNY, proposed a resolution condemning “the massacre of Palestinians by the Israeli state” and pledging that the union would support the BDS movement. This resolution did not pass the union’s delegate assembly, but an alternate version did, retaining the condemnation while refraining from supporting BDS and instead calling for chapters to facilitate discussions about BDS at the chapter level. Supporters of the resolution were later added to the anti-Palestine surveillance website Canary Mission, which has since been used by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to identify international students and revoke their visas.

After the PSC–CUNY resolution was passed, five faculty members resigned from the union and collaborated with anti-union organizations to file a lawsuit challenging the union’s right to exclusively represent a bargaining unit in the state of New York. Essentially, these faculty asserted that not only did they not want to be PSC members, but they also didn’t want the PSC contract to apply to them, despite the protections it offers for pay, benefits, job security, and working conditions. If the lawsuit had been successful, it would have seriously undermined public sector unions’ ability to advocate for the workers they represent; fortunately, the Supreme Court declined to hear the case.

2023 to Present: Doxing, Violence, Arrests, and Firings

The start of the genocide in Gaza marked the revitalization of the pro-Palestine movement in the United States and around the world. At CUNY, students and faculty organized and attended many events, including teach-ins, marches, and rallies.

At one such rally, on October 13, 2023, City Council member Inna Vernikov attended a Zionist counterprotest while carrying a visible gun. It is against state law to carry weapons at protests, and it is particularly threatening for CUNY students to have an elected official, who presumably represents a portion of the student body, show up to oppose their protest while armed. Her charges were dropped on the grounds that her firearm, which she presented to the court after she was allowed to take it home rather than having it seized as evidence by the police, was found to be nonfunctional. Since then, Vernikov has played a central role in encouraging attacks on CUNY community members involved in the Palestine movement, including calling for the firing of one of the Fired Four and cosigning a letter with other City Council members demanding punishment for faculty who participated in the May 8, 2025, protest at Brooklyn College.

On November 14, a billboard truck sponsored by the right-wing organization Accuracy in Media began circling the campus, displaying the names and pictures of several students and faculty, labeling them “Hunter College’s leading antisemites.” The organization also creates websites for targeted individuals to further publicize their names and information.

In early 2024, the Palestine Solidarity Alliance (PSA) at Hunter College filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education regarding the college’s failure to acknowledge Palestinian deaths and injuries in addition to its statements about Israeli loss of life on October 7, its failure to protect PSA members from harassment and defamation, and its failure to take action against the billboard truck. Hunter College also canceled a student-organized screening of the documentary Israelism and canceled planned and previously approved searches for faculty specializing in Palestinian studies.

Also in 2024, two CUNY adjunct faculty were fired from John Jay College and Hunter College, respectively, after the colleges received complaints about their pro-Palestine social media posts. There followed a campaign to fire another adjunct faculty member from Queens College for teaching about the genocide in Gaza in her class. This faculty member ultimately kept her job, even though her name and email address were publicized by Congressman Ritchie Torres, which subjected her to additional publicity and harassment.

Most famously, over 170 people were arrested, and several were injured by police, at the Gaza Solidarity Encampment at City College on April 30, 2024. Immediately after the encampment was dismantled by the NYPD, the college hired a team of private security officers to secure the campus. Multiple guards were stationed at every entrance to check IDs. In the 14 months since that day, City College has remained fenced off from the surrounding neighborhood, serving as an ominous reminder of the repression and the college’s ability to remilitarize the campus whenever it deems necessary. Eight of the people arrested that night, known as the CUNY 8, are still facing trial on felony burglary charges.

Not long after the start of the genocide, Governor Kathy Hochul commissioned an investigation into allegations of antisemitism at CUNY. The results, known as the Lippman Report, were published in October 2024. Lippman found that antisemitism (which in the context of his report includes criticism of Israel) is prevalent at CUNY and made 13 recommendations for addressing it. These recommendations include that the university place greater emphasis on “the relationship between Israel and the Jewish People when adjudicating whether conduct constitutes antisemitism,” become more willing to call the police on campus protests, and impose harsher disciplinary measures against members of the CUNY community.

Student leaders in the Doctoral and Graduate Students Council (DGSC) at the CUNY Graduate Center were also subjected to investigations over their support for BDS regarding the allocation of student club funding, which the council oversees. The administration also seized control of the DGSC email list and imposed additional restrictions on student event planning and funding. A number of CUNY international students had their student visas revoked as part of the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigrants. While there has been no reported connection between the revocations at CUNY and any pro-Palestine activism by the students, an ongoing lawsuit on behalf of other international students detained by ICE has revealed that a significant portion of students investigated by DHS for possible visa revocation were targeted over their activism.

On April 24, 2025, students at City College briefly occupied the quad, the former site of the Gaza Solidarity Encampment one year earlier, before being ushered first into a designated “free speech zone” in front of a building and then off campus entirely. Soon after they crossed through the gates, at least one campus security officer began pepper spraying students.

On May 8, 2025, police entered the Brooklyn College campus during a pro-Palestine protest organized by students and joined by faculty to arrest, brutalize, and tase students. Each of the Brooklyn College Fired Four was fired after this protest, creating the appearance that the student-faculty solidarity on May 8 may have contributed to Brooklyn College becoming a target for faculty firings. After the protest, nine City Council members cosigned a letter demanding investigations into the faculty and staff who were alleged to have been involved.

The Urgency of Protecting the Fired Four and Student Activists

As this brief history shows, attacks on pro-Palestine students and faculty at CUNY, particularly at Brooklyn College, are not new, but they have escalated considerably over time. While Kristofer Petersen-Overton was reinstated quickly after his firing in 2011, the Fired Four in 2025 are still fighting for their jobs in a very different political context, one marked by considerable pressure from the highest levels of government for universities to crack down hard. The worldwide student movement in support of Palestine and the shifts in public opinion toward sympathy with the Palestinians, especially the base of the Democrats, present an ideological challenge for the bipartisan pro-Israel consensus in federal, state, and city government. Support for Israel was once a given, but the impassioned movement against the genocide heightens the stakes, such as creating the impetus for these Congressional hearings.

Attacks on federal research funding, student loan availability, student visas and undocumented immigrants, the Palestine movement, unions, cuts to federal funding for the states (which in turn fund public universities), freedom of speech, and more issues are all closely interconnected, especially at universities. It is absolutely critical that CUNY workers, students, the entire higher education sector, and the organized Left stand together and fight these firings tooth and nail. If we allow our colleagues to be fired en masse, seemingly for their political views, and allow our students to be suspended for the same reason, we leave the door open for even more attacks in the future. The Palestine movement is now facing the worst of the attacks at CUNY, but the threat posed by these firings extends beyond that particular topic.

The Trump administration is also targeting climate science, LGBTQ+ studies, women’s studies, Black studies, and every other area of study involving race and racism, as well as leftist organizations, such as the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) and Unión del Barrio. The trickle-down effects of the so-called Big Beautiful Bill on state funding could also imperil public universities. Our ability and willingness to mobilize in defense of the Fired Four will also have an impact on these future battles.

The Rapp-Coudert Committee hearings of the early 1940s, when a state legislative committee interrogated over 500 faculty members about their political activities, are a particularly dark time in CUNY’s history. Dozens of education workers, about half of whom worked at City College, lost their jobs over their alleged Communist Party ties or their refusal to cooperate with the committee. CUNY workers are not (yet) facing that type of repression, but we must keep this history in mind as we defend the Fired Four. The strength of our fight now, to reinstate the Four as well as the suspended student, will help protect all of us from further escalations.

This fight belongs to every student and worker at CUNY, not just the Fired Four, the suspended student, and their allies in the movement for Palestine. The first step is to spread the word, to make everyone in our community aware of what is going on and to discuss in our worker and student organizations potential next steps. Our union has a critical role to play in organizing press conferences like the one today, but also organizing at the level of the rank and file. Every union chapter should be having summer emergency meetings and organizing committees for the reinstatement of the fired 4, building up the power to reinstate all students and workers attacked for speaking up against a genocide. As CUNY alumna Assata Shakur famously said,

It is our duty to fight for our freedom

It is our duty to win

We must love and support one another

We have nothing to lose but our chains.

Source: leftvoice.org

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.leftvoice.org/the-road-to-the-fired-four-repression-against-pro-palestine-activism-at-cuny/

------

CAIR-Pittsburgh Say Police Department’s Islamophobic Public Alert Promotes Discrimination

July 14, 2025

The Pittsburgh chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Pittsburgh), a chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today said a Hopewell Township Police Department community alert that described individuals as “Middle Eastern-looking with pronounced beards” – despite acknowledging that no crime had occurred – may promote discrimination targeting Muslims, Arabs and those perceived to be Middle Eastern.

The alert, sent to local residents, reported two men walking near churches and included vague, appearance-based descriptions. CAIR-Pittsburgh is concerned that the alert reinforced harmful stereotypes and needlessly stoked fear in the community. Community members who raised objections on the department’s Facebook page were met with dismissive responses rather than genuine engagement.

“It’s troubling to see a public alert focus on appearance and perceived ethnicity, especially when no crime occurred. Descriptions like ‘Middle Eastern-looking with pronounced beards’ reinforce harmful stereotypes and promotes discrimination. Law enforcement should investigate before issuing warnings that may unfairly target innocent people. Public trust depends on thoughtful, responsible communication.”

CAIR-Pittsburgh urges the Hopewell Township Police Department and law enforcement agencies statewide to refrain from using vague or racially charged descriptors in public alerts unless they are directly relevant to a specific investigation. Effective public safety communication must be rooted in facts, not fear.

Washington, D.C., based CAIR’s 2025 Civil Rights Report, “Unconstitutional Crackdowns,” reveals that Islamophobia continues to be at an all-time high across the country. CAIR said viewpoint discrimination against those speaking out against genocide and apartheid was a key factor in many cases.

The civil rights organization offers a booklet, “A Law Enforcement Official’s Guide to The Muslim Community,” designed to assist law enforcement officials in forming and implementing policies to create a culturally aware environment and cooperative relationship between American Muslims and law enforcement agencies.

CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.

La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.

Source: cair.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-pittsburgh-say-police-departments-islamophobic-public-alert-promotes-discrimination/

-------

CAIR-Kentucky Extends Condolences to Victims of Shooting Rampage

July 14, 2025

The Kentucky chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Kentucky) today extended its condolences to the victims of a mass shooting that took place on Sunday at the Richmond Road Baptist Church and airport in Lexington, Kentucky.

The perpetrator killed two women at the church after shooting a state trooper near the city’s airport, officials said. Two men were also injured in the church shooting.

In a statement, CAIR-Kentucky said:

“The Kentucky Muslim community extends our condolences to the victims of yesterday’s mass shooting, and we pray that God grants a full recovery to those injured. Mass shootings, including at houses of worship, happen far too often in our society and must stop. We hope that law enforcement will swiftly publish the findings of its investigation and that state leaders will take steps to ensure that all houses of worship remain safe across Kentucky.”

CAIR-Kentucky urged faith community leaders to use advice offered in CAIR’s “Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety” booklet to help keep religious facilities safe. The advice in the booklet is applicable to houses of worship of all faiths.

Source: cair.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-kentucky-extends-condolences-to-victims-of-shooting-rampage/

-------

Join CAIR in Urging Congress to Censure Anti-Muslim Extremist Rep. Randy Fine

July 14, 2025

Join CAIR and CAIR Action in calling on your member of Congress to support censuring Randy Fine and stripping him of all committee assignments due to his incitement of hatred and violence against Muslims and Palestinians, including fellow members of Congress.

On July 9, Rep. Fine launched another public attack—this time smearing a Muslim member of Congress who criticized Benjamin Netanyahu’s war crimes against Palestinian civilians in Gaza: “I’m sure it is difficult to see us welcome the killer of so many of your fellow Muslim terrorists. The only shame is that you serve in Congress.”

This is part of a long pattern of threatening, racist, and bigoted rhetoric. In May, Fine responded to warnings of famine in Gaza with “#StarveAway.” In April, he told Reps. Tlaib and Omar to “consider leaving [Congress] before I get there. #BombsAway.” On Fox News, he said, “We nuked the Japanese twice. That needs to be the same here.” He even celebrated the image of a dead Palestinian baby.

Fine’s rhetoric is part of a larger wave of open Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism in Congress over the past two years, which includes but is not limited to:

Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) reportedly making anti-Muslim comments about American faith leaders in a closed-door caucus meeting.

Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX) mocking a Muslim state lawmaker’s cultural eating practices, writing, “Civilized people in America don’t eat like this… Go back to the Third World.”

Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) claiming that “There are very few innocent Palestinian civilians,” likening them to Nazis.

Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) recently saying that people from blue states were not welcome in Alabama if they brought a “communist, Islamic atmosphere.”

This is more than hateful speech—it is dangerous incitement. It threatens the safety of entire communities, erodes democratic norms, and has gone largely unpunished.

House Democratic Leader Jeffries, Whip Clark, and Chair Aguilar did issue a statement condemning Fine’s latest slur. That was a necessary first step—but it must be followed by real accountability.

Tell your U.S. Representative to publicly call on Speaker Johnson and Leader Jeffries to:

✅ Support a formal resolution censuring Rep. Randy Fine for his repeated racist, Islamophobic, and threatening behavior;

✅ Strip Rep. Fine of all committee assignments and condemn any use of congressional privilege to incite hate or violence;

✅ Defend Muslim members of Congress and their right to serve without fear of harassment or attack;

✅ Reject anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian bigotry across both parties, including from Reps. Mast, Gill, and Gottheimer;

✅ Implement institutional reforms to address Islamophobia in Congress, including mandatory anti-bias training and stronger ethics enforcement.

Source: cair.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.cair.com/action_alerts/join-cair-in-urging-congress-to-censure-anti-muslim-extremist-rep-randy-fine/

-------
Ex-NATO general questions Trump’s Ukraine military aid plan

14 Jul, 2025

Washington’s plans to funnel more military aid to Ukraine through NATO may run up against a lack of funds and hardware, retired French Brigadier General Francois Chauvancy has warned.

Chauvancy made the remarks to Le Figaro over the weekend, raising questions about US President Donald Trump’s plans.

”I don’t see how NATO can purchase weapons for a third country. It doesn’t have the financial means and can’t empty its stockpiles in the areas it controls, as they are few in number. Finally, it can’t deliver weapons overnight without approval from NATO structures,” Chauvancy stated.

The US president has been “primarily aiming for publicity,” the ex-general suggested, adding that Trump’s actions with regard to the Ukraine conflict had been primarily aimed at the US public. “As always, domestic politics govern his foreign policy,” Chauvancy suggested.

The scheme was officially unveiled by Trump on Monday while he was hosting NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House. The military aid for Ukraine will be bankrolled by European NATO members and coordinated by Washington’s envoy to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, according to the US president.

“We’ve made a deal today where we are going to be sending them weapons, and they’re going to be paying for them,” Trump stated.

It is not immediately known what weaponry will be supplied to Kiev under the new scheme, but the aid is expected to be worth billions of dollars. According to Trump, several nations were ready to supply 17 US-made Patriot anti-aircraft systems from their arsenals. It was not clear whether the US president was referring to individual launchers or full Patriot batteries, which include multiple vehicles, including command and control, as well as radar systems.

The announced plan constitutes a significant shift in Trump’s approach to the Ukraine conflict. The US president previously criticized his predecessor, Joe Biden, for dragging Washington into the conflict and sending Kiev some $350 billion worth of military aid.

Moscow has repeatedly condemned the West for pumping Ukraine up with assorted weaponry, warning that this only leads to more death and destruction and prolongs the conflict, while having no impact on the ultimate outcome.

Source: rt.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.rt.com/news/621487-nato-ukraine-weapons-funds/

-------

Southeast Asia

Police to summon all attendees of ‘immoral’ eHati marriage programme amid probe

By Malay Mail

14 Jul 2025

SHAH ALAM, July 14 — Police will summon all participants of a controversial eHati marriage programme, alleged to have involved immoral activities, to record their statements as part of an ongoing investigation.

Selangor police chief, Datuk Hussein Omar Khan, said that the action falls under Section 122 of the Criminal Procedure Code, following the opening of a police inquiry into the matter.

“Further investigations have led to the case being classified under Sections 294 and 509 of the Penal Code, as well as Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act,” he said, in a statement, today.

“A thorough investigation will be carried out to determine the presence of any obscene elements or teachings, which deviate from societal norms, as alleged.

Hussein added that the probe would be conducted comprehensively, to ensure all aspects and allegations are assessed fairly and objectively.

He also advised the public to be more cautious and discerning before participating in any programme, activity, or workshop, especially those with unclear objectives, or organisers with questionable backgrounds.

“The public is encouraged to verify and seek clarification beforehand, to avoid being involved in activities which may contravene the law or societal moral values,” he said.

Two days ago, Selangor Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, reportedly urged the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) to investigate allegations of immoral activities at a family motivation programme, held at a convention centre in the state.

Amirudin stressed that the matter should be taken seriously, and that firm action must be taken if the allegations are found to be true, following a thorough investigation. — Bernama

Source: malaymail.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/07/14/police-to-summon-all-attendees-of-immoral-ehati-marriage-programme-amid-probe/183944

-------
‘Extraordinary appreciation’ coming soon, PM Anwar teases major announcement for Malaysians

By Malay Mail

15 Jul 2025

KUALA LUMPUR, July 14 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has hinted at an upcoming announcement involving what he described as an “extraordinary appreciation” for Malaysian citizens.

Although details were not provided, Anwar posted a poster on his X account bearing the words “Akan datang” (coming soon) and “Suatu penghargaan luar biasa untuk rakyat Malaysia” (an extraordinary appreciation for the people of Malaysia).

The poster also included the slogan “Bersama Malaysiaku” (with my Malaysia).

Anwar accompanied the image with the caption: “Nantikan” (stay tuned).

Several ministries and leaders, including the Ministry of Finance and Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa, shared the same message on their official platforms.

Source: malaymail.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/07/15/extraordinary-appreciation-coming-soon-pm-anwar-teases-major-announcement-for-malaysians/183958

--------

Anwar’s position unshaken, PKR Youth says rally won’t dent support in Parliament

15 Jul 2025

IPOH, July 15 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s position as Prime Minister is strong and will not be affected by any efforts to undermine him, including through ‘Himpunan Turun Anwar’ rally scheduled to be held in the federal capital on July 26.

Angkatan Muda Keadilan (AMK) chief Muhammad Kamil Abdul Munim said the Prime Minister continues to command the support of the majority of Members of Parliament in the Unity Government.

“Attempts to challenge the prime minister’s position through rallies have no impact on the current political stability and lack clear direction.

“It is merely an effort to stir unrest, causing public anxiety without offering any constructive solutions,” he told a press conference after opening the Tambun Parliamentary Constituency Islamic Arts Carnival and Mahabbah MADANI Night at the Al-Amin Mosque compound here, last night.

Muhammad Kamil, who is also the Political Secretary to the Minister of Finance, said he remains confident the people are now more discerning in their judgment and will not be easily swayed by rallies orchestrated by opposition leaders.

“However, we continue to uphold the principles of democracy and do not obstruct their right to assemble as guaranteed by the Constitution,” he said.

He said the government is now focused on efforts to stabilise the cost of living, boost investor confidence and ensure more effective policy delivery for the benefit of the people.

Regarding the carnival, Muhammad Kamil said that the two-day event, which began last Saturday, attracted over 10,000 visitors.

He said the main objective of the event was to strengthen the role of agencies in promoting Islamic and spiritual activities in the community, while fostering the spirit of “hijrah”. — Bernama

Source: malaymail.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/07/15/anwars-position-unshaken-amk-says-rally-wont-dent-support-in-parliament/183953

--------

Singapore unveils upgraded Stars package to fast-track Timor-Leste’s Asean membership

 14 Jul 2025

SINGAPORE, July 14 — Singapore on Monday launched the enhanced Singapore–Timor-Leste Asean Readiness Support (Stars) package to support the country’s integration into the regional bloc and its long-term development.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said the enhanced package will include tailored support to facilitate Timor-Leste’s accession to key Asean agreements, specialised training in areas aligned with the country’s national priorities, and leadership development programmes and scholarships for the next generation of leaders.

“Timor-Leste’s upcoming accession to Asean is a significant milestone, both for your country and for Asean.

“Singapore looks forward to welcoming you warmly to the Asean family, and we will continue to stand with you on this journey,” Wong said at the official lunch he hosted in honour of Timor-Leste’s Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao on Monday.

Wong said Singapore launched Stars in 2002, a specially customised package to empower Timorese officials with the knowledge and skills needed for Asean membership.

According to Singapore’s Foreign Ministry, over 1,100 Timorese officials have, to date, participated in courses under the Singapore Cooperation Programme and the Stars package.

Gusmao arrived in Singapore on Sunday for his second official visit to the city-state, which continues until Wednesday.

He is accompanied by Vice Prime Minister, Minister Coordinator for Economic Affairs, and Minister of Tourism and Environment Francisco Kalbuadi Lay, as well as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Bendito dos Santos Freitas.

Timor-Leste is expected to be officially admitted as the 11th member of Asean at the 47th Asean Summit in October in Kuala Lumpur.

In the Joint Communique issued following the 58th Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the ministers expressed their commitment to supporting Timor-Leste in expediting its early accession to key Asean economic agreements, in order to facilitate its full integration into the regional bloc. — Bernama

Source: malaymail.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.malaymail.com/news/singapore/2025/07/14/singapore-unveils-upgraded-stars-package-to-fast-track-timor-lestes-asean-membership/183932

--------
Malaysia strengthens education tourism sector with MITDA-UIS partnership

2025-07-15

IN a significant move to strengthen Malaysia’s position as a leading hub for education tourism, the Malaysia International Tourism Development Association (MITDA) and Universiti Islam Selangor (UIS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote Malaysia — particularly Selangor — as a premier destination for education-based tourism.

The MoU was officially signed during a ceremony held at Concorde Hotel Shah Alam, witnessed by key figures from the tourism and education sectors including industry players, tourism stakeholders, and academic leaders.

This partnership is set to enhance Malaysia’s appeal to students, scholars, and cultural tourists from around the world, especially in the ASEAN, Middle East, Central Asia, and South Thailand regions.

Under this MoU, MITDA and UIS will collaboratively develop a series of structured education tourism programmes that include:

- Short-term academic and cultural study tours for international students

- Islamic heritage trails and experiential learning opportunities

- Cultural immersion programmes for youth, educators, and scholars

- Joint seminars, academic exchanges, and tourism research initiatives

- Promotion of UIS as a regional hub for Islamic education and tourism training

“This partnership aligns perfectly with our mission to diversify Malaysia’s tourism offerings,” said Kapten Mahadzir Tan Sri Mansor, President of MITDA. “By positioning Islamic studies and cultural learning experiences as unique high-value attractions, we hope to attract longer-staying and more engaged international visitors. UIS brings strong academic credibility to this vision.”

UIS Vice Chancellor Datuk Professor Dr. Mohd Farid Ravi Bin Abdullah added that the collaboration supports the university’s globalisation efforts and reinforces its role in shaping intercultural understanding.

“Knowledge is a bridge between cultures. Through this MoU, we aim to welcome more students and scholars from abroad who are interested not only in academic pursuits but in experiencing Malaysia’s rich Islamic and multicultural heritage,” he said.

With Visit Malaysia Year 2026 approaching, this partnership is seen as timely and strategic. Education tourism has been identified as one of Malaysia’s high-potential sectors, offering long-term economic and cultural value through repeat visits and extended stays.

The MoU also opens the door to collaborations with local tourism operators, cultural centres, mosque communities, and homestay networks to co-develop authentic, inclusive itineraries that integrate academic learning with local experience.

This partnership marks an exciting chapter in Malaysia’s journey to become a global destination not only for leisure and business tourism, but also for education and cultural discovery.

Source: thesun.my

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://thesun.my/spotlight/malaysia-strengthens-education-tourism-sector-with-mitda-uis-partnership-IG14474369

--------

Africa

 

Paramilitary attack kills 48 in central Sudan village: war monitor

July 15, 2025

PORT SUDAN: Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) killed 48 civilians in an attack on a village in the center of the war-torn country, a monitoring group reported Monday.

The Emergency Lawyers, a group that has documented atrocities throughout the two-year conflict between the regular army and the RSF, reported civilians were killed en masse Sunday when paramilitary fighters stormed the village of Um Garfa in North Kordofan state, razing houses and looting property.

Source: arabnews.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2608103/middle-east

------

More than 100 migrants freed in Libya after being held captive by gang, officials say

July 15, 2025

BENGHAZI: More than 100 migrants, including five women, have been freed from captivity after being held for ransom by a gang in eastern Libya, the country’s attorney general said on Monday.

“A criminal group involved in organizing the smuggling of migrants, depriving them of their freedom, trafficking them, and torturing them to force their families to pay ransoms for their release,” a statement from the attorney general said.

Libya has become a transit route for migrants fleeing conflict and poverty to Europe via the dangerous route across the desert and over the Mediterranean following the toppling of Muammar Qaddafi in a NATO-backed uprising in 2011.

Many migrants desperate to make the crossing have fallen into the hands of traffickers. The freed migrants had been held in Ajdabiya, some 160 km (100 miles) from Libya’s second city Benghazi.

Five suspected traffickers from Libya, Sudan and Egypt, have been arrested, officials said.

The attorney general and Ajdabiya security directorate posted pictures of the migrants on their Facebook pages which they said had been retrieved from the suspects’ mobile phones.

They showed migrants with hands and legs cuffed with signs that they had been beaten.

In February, at least 28 bodies were recovered from a mass grave in the desert north of Kufra city. Officials said a gang had subjected the migrants to torture and inhumane treatment.

That followed another 19 bodies being found in a mass grave in the Jikharra area, also in southeastern Libya, a security directorate said, blaming a known smuggling network.

As of December 2024, around 825,000 migrants from 47 countries were recorded in Libya, according to UN data released in May.

Last week, the EU migration commissioner and ministers from Italy, Malta and Greece met with the internationally recognized prime minister of the national unity government, Abdulhamid Dbeibah, and discussed the migration crisis.

Source: arabnews.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2608108/middle-east

------

Awujale buried at his private residence according to Islamic rites

July 15, 2025

•Tinubu, Abiodun, Sanwo-Olu, Dangote, others in attendance

•As eminent Nigerians pay tributes

The remains of the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Dr Sikiru Kayode Adetona, were buried at his private residence, Igbeba, Ijebu-Ode, according to Islamic rites on Monday.

The late monarch reigned for 65 years and joined his ancestors on Sunday at the age of 91 years.

Ijebu-Ode town, the seat of Awujale, stood still as dignitaries from all walks of life, sons and daughters of Ijebuland, paid the revered monarch their last respect.

The Federal Government delegation was led by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy,  Adegboyega Oyetola and his counterpart in the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani.

Others in attendance were the governors of Ogun and Lagos states, Prince Dapo Abiodun and Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu; the President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; former governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba; deputy governor of Ogun State,  Noimot Salako-Oyedele; Senator Gbenga Daniel; Senator Salis Shuaib and Senator Solomon Adeola.

The wife Ogun State governor, Bamidele Abiodun; former First Lady of the state, Funso Amosun; the Ogbeni Oja of Ijebuland, Olorogun Sunny Kuku; Chairman of Odua Investment, Otunba Abimbola Ashiru; Olori Omooba of Ijebuland, Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, sons and daughters andothers graced the burial.

The Chief Imam of Ijebuland, Miftaudeen Gbadegesin Ayanbadejo, led the Janaza prayers for the deceased.

Osoba,  while speaking with newsmen, described the late Awujale as a monarch with sharp faculty and one who kept his reputation till the end.

“Baba lived a fulfilled life. He’s respected and loved. His reputation, not only in Ijebu, but in Ogun State, remains intact to the end.

“He has a sharp faculty and brain because he spoke with the governor a few hours before he died. Today is a day of celebration for a great monarch,” he said.

Daniel in his remarks, lauded the late monarch for his uprightness and forthright leadership displayed throughout his reign.

He described him as a fearless monarch who never shield from speaking the truth to power, adding that one of the best way to immortalise Awujale was to ensure the actualisation of the creation of a new state out of the old Ijebu Province.

He said this was one of the long-cherished dreams of the late monarch.

“I think it is common knowledge that Oba  Adetona, you have a personality who can speak the truth to power at any time and who can be described as fearless, who abhors people telling lies and who is straight forward to a fault,’’ he said.

The 2023 Governorship Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),  Ladi Adebutu, in an interview, noted that legacies of the late Awujale would be remembered for  a long time.

He described him as a forthright person, who speaks the truth always adding that he was a custostodian of culture.

 Also speaking, Dangote said Awujale was an influential personality in his lifetime and that he had come to pay his last respect because of his relationship with him.

Ijebuland Council of Otunbas extols Oba Adetona’s legacy

The Council of Otunbas of Ijebuland, has expressed sorrow over the passing of the revered Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebu-land, Oba (Dr) Sikiru Kayode Adetona, who joined his ancestors on Sunday, describing the late monarch as a symbol of royalty, dignity, courage and wisdom, whose reign redefined the modern traditional institution in Nigeria.

The Council of Otunbas, in a statement issued  by its Chairman,  Busura Alebiosu, said that the late monarch was not just a  monarch to the Ijebus, but was the soul of a people, the custodian of their heritage and a global icon of integrity.

The council noted that Oba Adetona’s long and impactful reign, marked by fearlessness, intellect and modernisation, would remain an inspiration to generations unborn.

 Alebiosu commiserated with Ijebu sons and daughters across the world, stating that the vacuum left by Oba Adetona’s transition was immense, but urged every Ijebu man and woman to honour the late monarch’s memory by living out the values he cherished.

He was a leader committed to naturing ethical leadership, good governance — NIPSS  boss

The Director-General, National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Professor Ayo Omotayo, has described the late Awujale, the paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Oba  Sikiru  Adetona,  as a true leader who was commitment to nurturing ethical leadership, fostering good governance and empowering future generations with values necessary for national development.

In his condolence message made available to Nigerian Tribune in Jos, Plateau State, Professor Omotayo stated that the late icon who joined his ancestors on Sunday, contributed immensely to the emancipation of Nigeria into a democratic country that citizens are all proud of today.

According to him, the late Awujale’s  enviable contributions to the development of good governance in Nigeria echoes around the world.

“ A manifestation of this uncommon commitment led to the endowment of the Oba (Dr) Sikiru  Kayode Adetona Professorial Chair on Good Governance and the eventual establishment of first of its kind in Nigeria, “School of Governance Studies” at Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye,’’ he said.

Awujale  was a  guiding light for Yoruba race —Gani Adams

 The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has mourned the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru  Adetona, who joined his ancestors on Sunday,  describing him as a revered figure and guiding light for the Yoruba race and the nation.

The Yoruba generalissimo said this in a condolence message, copy of which was made available to newsmen, noting that the passing of Oba Adetona, who ascended the throne in 1960 and was one of Nigeria’s longest-reigning monarchs, marked the end of an era in the annals of Yoruba history.

According to Iba Adams, Oba Adetona’s reign united all Ijebu people, saying that it was marked by immeasurable progress and development for Ijebuland, just as he further described the late Awujale as a symbol of unity, cultural preservation and development for the Ijebu people and the entire Yoruba race.

“The late Awujale was a symbol of unity, cultural preservation and development for Ijebu people and the entire Yoruba race. His love for the Ijebu people and the Yoruba was also remarkable,’’ he said.

He was a father figure —Gbenga Daniel

A former governor of Ogun State, Senator Gbenga Daniel,  has described the death of the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland as a personal loss

Gbenga Daniel representing Ogun East senatorial district in the National Assembly, said the revered monarch was not just a traditional ruler, but a father figure to him and many others.

He said the late Oba Adetona became a  symbol and identity of progress, resourcefulness and enterprise earning the sobriquet as “Orisa Ijebu”, an apotheosis of a god with spiritual authority and a dispenser of prosperity, in his 65 years on the throne.

The statement reads: “I received the news of the passing of our respected monarch, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, with sadness and profound sense of loss.

“His death was a personal loss to me because we shared a great deal of confidence and close relationships. Kabiyesi was not just our traditional ruler in Ijebu land, but a father figure to many of us. His life exemplified the true core values of what the whole of Ijebu people represent, he was the moral compass of integrity, courage and wisdom. He symbolises the full essence of our culture and traditional values.

Oba Adetona  was a reformer —MUSWEN

The Muslim Ummah of South-West Nigeria (MUSWEN) has described Oba Sikiru Adetona, who passed away on Sunday, as a reformer who balanced culture and tradition with Islamic values.

MUSWEN said this in a condolence message signed by its President, Alhaji Rasaki Oladejo and Executive Secretary/ Chief Executive Officer, Professor Muslih Tayo Yahya, saying that Oba Adetona was not only a revered traditional ruler, but also a tireless advocate for the rights of traditional rulers to be buried according to their religious beliefs.

According to the group, the late monarch’s efforts culminated in the enactment of the Obas and Chiefs’ Laws of Ogun State 2021, which respects the dignity and faith of traditional rulers in matters of burial rite, saying that this achievement ensured that traditional rulers, regardless of their faith, can be laid to rest in a manner that honours their personal convictions.

Awujale’s, Buhari’s death great loss to Nigeria —Former Accountant-General

The first female Accountant-General of the Federation, Dr (Mrs) Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein, has described the demise of former President Muhammad Buhari as a great loss to Nigeria.

 She said this in her condolences personally signed by her while mourning the passing of President Buhari.

President Buhari’s leadership and vision for Nigeria will be remembered and his impact on Nigeria’s political landscape will endure for long.

“I extend my condolences to his family, the people of Daura, Katsina State and the entire nation. My thoughts and prayers are with President Bola  Tinubu and all Nigerians during this time of national mourning,” he said.

In a related development, Madein has commiserated with the people of Ijebu-Ode over the passing of the Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Ọba Sikiru Adetona.

“I also wish to convey my condolences to the Adetona family, particularly to Olori Oluwakemi and Princess Adetoun Adetona, as well as Governor Dapo Abiodun and the people of the state on the loss of the respected traditional ruler who was a father-figure to many when alive,” he said.

Source: tribuneonlineng.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://tribuneonlineng.com/awujale-buried-at-his-private-residence-according-to-islamic-rites/

--------
Police Crack Murder Case Of Chinese National In Ogun, Arrest Two Fleeing Lovers

July 15, 2025

By George Oshogwe Ogbolu

The Nigeria Police Force has announced the successful arrest of suspects in connection with the murder of a Chinese national, Chen Wang, following a meticulously coordinated, intelligence-driven operation.

Naija News reports that this was made known in a statement on Tuesday by Force Spokesperson, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi.

Chen Wang was an employee of WH Great Resource Ltd., Ogere, Ogun State.

Recall that the incident, which occurred on January 12, 2025, drew immediate attention when the Ogun State Police Command received a distress call regarding the discovery of Wang’s lifeless body within his office premises. Preliminary findings revealed that the deceased had suffered fatal stab wounds to the chest.

The Nigeria Police Force Technical Intelligence Unit (TIU) was promptly mobilized to provide high-level operational and technological support to the Ogun State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Eleweran.

Naija News gathered that investigations uncovered that two factory workers suspected to be in a romantic relationship took advantage of reduced staffing on the day of the incident. While on overtime duty, they allegedly disabled the company’s security system, unlawfully accessed Wang’s office and committed the fatal attack. They subsequently stole the keys to his residence, which they later burgled before fleeing the state with stolen cash.

Following weeks of technical surveillance and tactical coordination, operatives of the Force Headquarters, working closely with SCID detectives, tracked and apprehended the suspects identified as Yunusa Abdullahi (male, 25, Borno State) and Peace Keno Danlami (female, 20, Taraba State) on July 14, 2025, in Jos, Plateau State, where they had been hiding under false identities. The swift deployment of digital forensics, biometric analysis, and human intelligence by the Nigeria Police played a decisive role in bringing the perpetrators to justice.

The statement added: “The Inspector General of Police commends the Ogun State Police Command, the Force Technical Intelligence Unit, and all officers involved in the operation for their diligence, professionalism, and relentless pursuit of justice.

“He further reiterates the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to safeguarding all residents, citizens and foreign nationals alike, through proactive policing and precision-led investigations.

“The suspects are currently in custody and will be arraigned in court upon the conclusion of ongoing investigations.”

Source: naijanews.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.naijanews.com/2025/07/15/police-crack-murder-case-of-chinese-national-in-ogun-arrest-two-fleeing-lovers/

-------
People Called Me A Traitor For Running On A Muslim Ticket – Tunde Bakare

July 15, 2025

By Justina Otio

Popular Nigerian pastor and politician, Tunde Bakare, has disclosed that he was accused of being a traitor for running on a Muslim ticket.

Speaking on his controversial decision to run alongside former president Muhammadu Buhari in the 2011 election, Bakare stated that it was not an act of betrayal but a deliberate move to demonstrate that Christians can and should take up leadership roles.

He stated this during an appearance on Channels Television. The clergyman urged Christians to participate in politics, maintaining that disengagement from public leadership has weakened the country’s moral and political structure.

He said, “People called me a traitor for running on a Muslim-Muslim ticket. But that’s because they don’t understand the priesthood of Jesus Christ. We are made kings and priests, and kings operate in governance.”

He added that Jesus called believers the salt of the earth and light of the world, meaning they are meant to shape society and not remain idle in political matters.

“If we remain in our churches and fail to engage the world, how do we change anything? If we do not maintain contact without contamination, we will never influence what’s happening,” he added.

Bakare said his involvement in the 2011 election paved the way for greater Christian participation in politics, including the emergence of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. He stressed that Christians cannot expect transformation in society if they keep sitting on the sidelines.

Quoting political philosopher Edmund Burke, Bakare said, “Those who are too smart to engage in politics are punished by being governed by those who are dumber.”

Source: naijanews.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.naijanews.com/2025/07/15/people-called-me-a-traitor-for-running-on-a-muslim-ticket-tunde-bakare/

--------

Mideast

 

Palestinian president says Hamas must hand over weapons in Gaza

July 14, 2025

LONDON: The Palestinian Authority’s President Mahmoud Abbas reaffirmed that Hamas will not take part in governing the coastal enclave of the post-war Gaza Strip during a meeting with former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair in Amman.

Abbas said Hamas must surrender its weapons to the PA and participate in political actions aligned with the principles of the Palestine Liberation Organization. Neither Hamas nor Islamic Jihad is part of the PLO, and both groups have long rejected calls to join what Palestinians consider their sole political representative since the 1960s.

Abbas said that Hamas must recognize that in the Palestinian territories, there should be “one system, one law, and one legitimate weapon,” during his meeting on Sunday evening with Blair, who served as the special envoy of the Quartet on the Middle East from 2007 to 2015.

Hamas has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007 after armed clashes with PA forces, which resulted in the deaths of nearly 700 Palestinians, according to an official tally. Since then, it has engaged in several conflicts with Israel, the most recent being the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, which resulted in the deaths and abduction of several hundred people and prompted an ongoing Israeli war on Gaza, which has killed over 58,000 Palestinians.

Abbas called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, and the flow of humanitarian aid.

He stressed the need for a two-state solution and the importance of the French-Saudi-sponsored conference, scheduled for the end of July in New York, to gain support for establishing a Palestinian state.

Source: arabnews.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2608059/middle-east

--------
Iran does not trust ceasefire, ready for any new adventurism

Jul 14, 2025

Iran's defense minister made the comments in separate telephone conversations with his counterparts from Turkey and Malaysia on Monday.

"The Islamic Republic does not seek to spread war and insecurity to the region, but it is prepared to respond decisively and crushingly to any aggressors' acts of adventurism," said General Nasirzaden to Turkey's defense minister.

"The Islamic Republic does not trust the ceasefire. Therefore, it has predicted various scenarios for any new adventurism," he further told the Turkish counterprat.

The Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler, for his part, expressed his satisfaction and happiness with the ceasefire, saying, "We believe that the nuclear negotiations should be concluded in a reasonable agreement that benefits Iran and the region."

Nasirzadeh also thanked the Malaysian government for its strong stance in supporting the Islamic Republic of Iran during the unjust and imposed war against the United States and the Zionist regime in his phone call Malayasian counterpart Mohamed Khaled Nordin.

The Malaysian, for his part, stated that Iran is a friendly and reliable country to Malaysia, adding that "We blame Israel for the war, that's why we firmly condemned this attack from the very beginning."

The Malaysian defense minister further praised the performance of the Iranian armed forces and people for the unity and courage they showed in the 12-war imposed war, adding that "We are confident that Israel cannot achieve any of its goals in the Middle East, and Iran has shown that Israel's words and claims are nothing more than a fiction."

Source: mehrnews.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://en.mehrnews.com/news/234319/Iran-does-not-trust-ceasefire-ready-for-any-new-adventurism

------
Iraqis face difficult return from Syria camp for Daesh families

July 14, 2025

MOSUL: After years in a Syrian detention camp, Ibrahim Darwish was relieved to be allowed to return home to Iraq, but his joy was quickly punctured by the harsh reality that he had to disown his sons accused of being militants.

“All I wanted was to return to Iraq,” the 64-year-old said of his time in the Kurdish-controlled Al-Hol camp, where family members of suspected Daesh fighters are held in prison-like conditions alongside refugees and displaced people.

But back home in Iraq, “I had to disown my sons. My house is gone,” he said. “I am back to square one.”

Thousands of Iraqi returnees from the camp have faced major obstacles reintegrating into their communities, their perceived affiliation with Daesh casting a dark shadow over their prospects.

They described armed groups and local authorities in some areas pressuring returnees to cut ties with relatives suspected of Daesh links as a precondition for going home or obtaining essential documents.

A lawyer for many returnees equated the pledges of disownment to denunciations, “essentially complaints by one family member against another.”

He also warned of a widespread misconception among returnees that they must comply in order to obtain identity cards and other government papers.

But a senior Iraqi official insisted that the authorities supported reintegration, including when it came to the issuance of documents.

Requesting “disownment statements has become illegal, and anyone who asks for it should be reported,” the official said.

Darwish said he was allowed to leave Al-Hol after receiving Iraqi security clearance and support from his tribal leader.

Back in Iraq, he spent the first several months at Al-Jadaa camp, presented by the authorities as a “rehabilitation” center where returnees wait for further permission to return home.

There, “we felt the most welcome,” Darwish said.

But when it was time to go home to Salaheddin province, Darwish said local authorities told him he first had to disown his sons, who are locked away on suspicion of joining Daesh — a charge he denies.

Reluctantly, he complied.

Otherwise, “how was I going to farm my land and make ends meet?” he said.

In the northern city of Mosul, one woman in her thirties said she was afraid to return to her hometown in Salaheddin, where her father was arrested upon his arrival and later passed away in prison.

She is currently squatting with her sister and children in a dilapidated house, living in fear of eviction.

When the family first returned to Iraq, she said, people “looked at us differently, just because we came from Al-Hol.”

Now her concern is obtaining new identity cards, which are essential for accessing healthcare, education and employment, and she fears she will have to disown her husband to do so.

The authorities, she said, “did well” by bringing them back from Al-Hol, where many speak of increased violence, but they must now solve the issue of reintegration.

“We need them to support us so we can stand on our feet,” she added.

Thanassis Cambanis, director of New York-based Century International, said the returnees “face a murky future,” especially since some of those tarred as Daesh families are denied documentation.

“At a minimum, collective punishment of the Daesh families is an injustice and a moral error,” Cambanis warned.

“At a maximum, Iraq’s policy creates a ripe pool of potential recruits for violent sectarian extremists.”

While many countries refuse to repatriate their nationals from Al-Hol, Baghdad has so far brought back around 17,000 people, mostly women and children.

Local and international organizations facilitated reintegration. The Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund, a Geneva-registered organization that focuses on preventing extremism, supports several centers that have so far assisted around 6,000 returnees.

According to the fund’s Kevin Osborne, the centers provide services such as psychosocial support and vocational training.

But the growing number of returnees requires “expanded support to adequately prepare communities and enable smooth, sustainable reintegration,” Osborne said.

Noran Mahmood, of the GCREF-supported Iraqi Institution for Development, said many returnees fear “society’s refusal” to welcome them, as if having spent time in Al-Hol is a “disgrace.”

Her organization in Mosul provides counselling for the many returnees who suffer from depression, insomnia and anxiety.

Rahaf, 24, is one of the many women receiving help after years of accumulated trauma.

With the organization’s assistance, she achieved her long-held dream of furthering her education, enrolling in middle school.

“I feel successful,” she said. “I want to become a lawyer or a teacher.”

Source: arabnews.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2608096/middle-east

--------
Leaders of Holy Land churches condemn Israeli settler violence during a West Bank visit

July 14, 2025

TAYBEH, West Bank: Top church leaders in the Holy Land asserted Monday that Israeli authorities “facilitate and enable” the presence of Israeli settlers who have intensified attacks in recent weeks on the only entirely Christian Palestinian village remaining in the occupied West Bank.

Speaking in the village, Taybeh, on a rare solidarity visit, Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III and Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa denounced an incident last week when settlers set fires near the community’s church. They said that Israeli authorities failed to respond to emergency calls for help from the Palestinian community.

In a separate statement, the patriarchs and heads of churches in Jerusalem demanded an investigation into the incident and called for the settlers to be held accountable by the Israeli authorities, “who facilitate and enable their presence around Taybeh.”

The church leaders also said that settlers had brought their cattle to graze on Palestinian lands in the area, set fire to several homes last month and put up a sign reading “there is no future for you here.”

Israel’s military did not immediately respond to the allegations.

Pizzaballa, the top Catholic cleric in Jerusalem, said he believed the West Bank was becoming a lawless area.

“The only law (in the West Bank) is that of power, of those who have the force, not the law. We must work for the law to return to this part of the country, so anyone can appeal to the law to enforce their rights,” Pizzaballa told reporters.

He and Theophilos prayed together in the church of St. George, whose religious site dates back centuries, adjacent to the area where settlers ignited the fires.

The statement from the heads of churches comes as Palestinians report a surge of settler violence. On Sunday, hundreds descended on the village of Al-Mazraa a-Sharqiya, south of Taybeh, for the funeral of two young men killed during a settler attack on Friday.

The Christian community in Israel and the Palestinian territories has dwindled as a percentage of the overall population over the decades, with experts citing lower birthrates and emigration by people fleeing conflict or seeking better opportunities abroad. Christians now make up a tiny percentage of the population.

Source: arabnews.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2608070/middle-east

-------
Gaza ‘humanitarian city’ would be ‘concentration camp’: Ex-Israeli PM

July 14, 2025

London: Plans to build a “humanitarian city” for displaced Palestinians in Gaza would amount to creating a concentration camp, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said.

The plan, outlined by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz last week and backed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, proposes to relocate around 600,000 Palestinians — and eventually Gaza’s entire population of over 2 million — to the site in Rafah. Once there, they would only be allowed to leave if traveling abroad.

“It is a concentration camp. I am sorry,” Olmert told The Guardian. “If they (Palestinians) will be deported into the new ‘humanitarian city,’ then you can say that this is part of an ethnic cleansing.”

He added: “When they build a camp where they (say they plan to) ‘clean’ more than half of Gaza, then the inevitable understanding of the strategy of this (is that) it is not to save (Palestinians).

“It is to deport them, to push them and to throw them away. There is no other understanding that I have, at least.”

Israeli legal experts and journalists wrote to Katz last week warning that “under certain conditions it could amount to the crime of genocide.”

Olmert also condemned the uptick in violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, criticizing complicity by Israeli authorities and calling the deaths of two men recently, including a US citizen, war crimes.

“(It is) unforgivable. Unacceptable. There are continuous operations organised, orchestrated in the most brutal, criminal manner by a large group,” he said.

“There is no way that they can operate in such a consistent, massive and widespread manner without a framework of support and protection which is provided by the (Israeli) authorities in the (Occupied) Territories.”

Discussing extreme right-wing Israeli Cabinet ministers pushing the violence in the West Bank and using language such as “cleanse” in relation to Gaza, Olmert called them “the enemy from within,” warning that their rhetoric and actions would fuel anti-Israel sentiment.

“In the US there is more and more and more expanding expressions of hatred to Israel,” he said. “We make a discount to ourselves saying: ‘They are antisemites.’ I don’t think that they are only antisemites, I think many of them are anti-Israel because of what they watch on television, what they watch on social networks.

“This is a painful but normal reaction of people who say: ‘Hey, you guys have crossed every possible line.’”

Olmert said that although he backed the initial invasion of Gaza after the October 2023 Hamas attack, he is “ashamed and heartbroken” at how Israel’s government has prosecuted the war and abandoned peace negotiations.

“What can I do to change the attitude, except for number one, recognising these evils, and number two, to criticise them and to make sure the international public opinion knows there are (other) voices, many voices in Israel?” he asked.

Saying he believes the Israeli military’s actions have caused “the killing of a large number of non-involved people,” he added: “I cannot refrain from accusing this government of being responsible for war crimes committed.”

However, he voiced hope that peace and a two-state solution are still possible, telling The Guardian that he is working with former Palestinian Foreign Minister Nasser Al-Qidwa to lobby the international community to help make it happen.

Source: arabnews.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2608048/middle-east

-------
Israeli regime seeks to underline Islamic world: Pezeshkian

Jul 14, 2025

He made the remarks in a meeting with visiting Federal Minister for Interior of Pakistan Mohsin Naqvi on Monday and emphasized that politicians and decision-makers across the Islamic world must recognize this sinister strategy of the Zionist regime and counter it by strengthening unity and solidarity among Muslim nations.

Reiterating that the Zionist regime aims to undermine and fragment the Muslim community, the president stressed that leaders and policymakers in the Islamic world must remain vigilant against this wicked strategy and work to neutralize it by deepening cohesion and solidarity among Islamic nations.

Referring to the critical situation in the Islamic world, he described unity and synergy among Islamic countries as an undeniable necessity, adding that if Muslim governments and nations fully understand the importance of Islamic unity, they can stand as a united front against the Zionist regime, which survives by sowing discord and committing atrocities in Islamic societies.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Pezeshkian expressed satisfaction with the current level of bilateral relations between Iran and Pakistan, highlighting the importance of diplomatic exchanges and constructive dialogue to deepen and expand comprehensive cooperation between the two nations.

The president also expressed his appreciation for Pakistan’s sincere support during the Israeli-imposed war against Iran, stating that both countries possess vast potential for expanding cooperation, and Tehran is fully prepared to activate these capacities to enhance bilateral relations and implement mutual engagements.

In response, Pakistan’s interior minister conveyed the greetings and respect of his country’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to President Pezeshkian and congratulated the Iranian nation on its victory against the Zionist regime’s aggression.

Naqvi noted: “We believe that the wise leadership of Ayatollah Khamenei and your Excellency’s strategic management played a decisive role in this proud resistance, an achievement that is a source of pride for the Islamic Ummah.”

He also recalled Islamabad’s swift and unequivocal condemnation of the Zionist regime’s aggression, stating that Pakistan was among the first countries to denounce the regime’s aggression and affirm Iran’s legitimate right to self-defense.

He went on to describe Iran-Pakistan relations as unique and steadily expanding, emphasizing that the ambassadors of both countries are working diligently to deepen bilateral relations and strengthen cooperation across various fields.

Source: mehrnews.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://en.mehrnews.com/news/234315/Israeli-regime-seeks-to-underline-Islamic-world-Pezeshkian

--------

South Asia

 

Islamic Emirate, Indonesia Highlight Shared Islamic Values in Legal Talks

2025-07-14

KABUL(BNA): The Minister of Justice of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Sheikh Al-Hadith Mawlawi Abdul Hakim Shara’i, held a meeting today with Nanda Evalist, Chargé d’Affaires of the Indonesian Embassy in Kabul, and her accompanying delegation.

According to a statement from the Ministry, the discussion focused on strengthening bilateral relations, expanding cooperation, and highlighting Afghanistan’s recent progress in legislative and legal sectors.

Minister Shara’i emphasized that Afghanistan and Indonesia share deep Islamic and cultural commonalities, stating that cooperation between Islamic countries should be so strong that they appear as a single nation in unity.

He also shared updates on the Islamic Emirate’s legislative advancements, noting that since its return to power, dozens of laws have been derived from recognized sources of Islamic jurisprudence to guide governance and justice.

In response, Chargé d’Affaires Nanda Evalist welcomed Afghanistan’s legal progress and expressed her country’s readiness to expand collaboration with the Islamic Emirate. She affirmed her personal commitment to strengthening ties between Indonesia and Afghanistan during her diplomatic mission in Kabul.

Source: bakhtarnews.af

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/islamic-emirate-indonesia-highlight-shared-islamic-values-in-legal-talks/

-------
Amnesty International: Afghan Refugees in U.S. Should Not Be Forced to Return

By Fidel Rahmati

July 15, 2025

Amnesty International warns the U.S. against deporting Afghan refugees, saying no one should be forced to return to danger.

Amid the looming threat of deportation for thousands of Afghan refugees in the United States, Amnesty International has issued a strong warning, stating that no one should be forced to return to dangerous conditions.

In a post on X on Tuesday, July 15, Amnesty highlighted that the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for approximately 12,000 Afghan refugees in the U.S. has officially ended, placing them at imminent risk of arrest and removal.

The organization condemned the U.S. government’s move, calling it a betrayal of the promises made to Afghan refugees, many of whom fled Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover seeking safety and stability.

Amnesty stressed that deporting these individuals back to a country where human rights—particularly for women and minorities—are severely restricted, would be both reckless and inhumane.

The protection status expired officially this week, raising concerns among rights groups, legal advocates, and Afghan diaspora communities about the U.S.’s commitment to its humanitarian obligations.

Meanwhile, a U.S. federal appeals court has temporarily halted deportations for one additional week, allowing time for legal challenges and urgent advocacy efforts to proceed.

Human rights groups have called on the Trump administration and relevant authorities to extend protections, expedite asylum and visa processing, and uphold the U.S.’s moral responsibility toward Afghan allies and vulnerable refugees.

Source: khaama.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.khaama.com/amnesty-international-afghan-refugees-in-u-s-should-not-be-forced-to-return/

-------

Afghan Migrants Can Claim Rental Deposits Through Embassy, Say Iranian Officials

By Fidel Rahmati

July 15, 2025

Afghan migrants in Iran can now seek help through their embassy to reclaim rental deposits (rahni) amid widespread deportations.

Iranian authorities have announced measures to help Afghan migrants recover house deposits (rahni) that landlords have refused to return, especially in the wake of ongoing deportations.

Nader Yarahmadi, Director General of the Foreign Nationals and Immigrants Affairs Department at Iran’s Ministry of Interior, stated on Monday, July 14, that Afghan migrants who were evicted or deported without receiving their rental deposits can pursue the matter through Afghan embassies and consulates in Iran.

He further explained that special mediation and legal aid units have been established in several provinces to address financial disputes between migrants and landlords. These offices aim to resolve cases fairly and swiftly, especially where migrants are no longer present to follow up directly.

Previously, Yarahmadi emphasized that Afghan nationals also have the right to appoint legal representatives to claim unpaid rent deposits or financial dues under Iranian law.

This response follows mounting complaints from Afghan migrants who were recently deported from Iran and allege that property owners withheld their housing deposits. Many claim they had no legal avenue to pursue repayment before being forced to leave the country.

In response, Afghan community organizations and legal aid groups are urging stronger cooperation between Afghanistan diplomatic missions and Iranian authorities to ensure financial justice for returning migrants.

As the number of deportations continues to rise, human rights advocates stress the importance of protecting vulnerable migrants from financial exploitation and enabling access to legal remedies—even after repatriation.

Source: khaama.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.khaama.com/afghan-migrants-can-claim-rental-deposits-through-embassy-say-iranian-officials/

--------
Ambassador of Islamic Emirate in Qatar Holds Talks with German Chargé d’Affaires

2025-07-15

KABUL (BNA): Mohammad Suhail Shaheen, the ambassador of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in Doha, recently met with Rolf-Dieter Denehard, the chargé d’affaires of Germany for Afghanistan.

The meeting, announced by the Islamic Emirate’s embassy in Qatar, focused on enhancing bilateral relations between Afghanistan and Germany. Key topics included the provision of consular services for Afghan nationals residing in Germany, humanitarian aid for Afghan refugees returning from Iran and Pakistan, and support for the health sector.

Both sides expressed a commitment to addressing mutual interests and fostering cooperation in various areas, reflecting a desire to strengthen ties amidst ongoing challenges.

Source: bakhtarnews.af

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/ambassador-of-islamic-emirate-in-qatar-holds-talks-with-german-charge-daffaires/

-------

Islamic Emirate Celebrates Reading with Inaugural Kabul Book Festival

2025-07-14

KABUL (BNA): In a spirited celebration of knowledge and national identity, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Information and Culture launched the Kabul Book Festival on Monday, aiming to highlight the value of reading and revive a culture of learning across the country.

Organized by the General Directorate of Public Libraries under the ministry’s Deputy Ministry of Art and Culture, the festival drew writers, academics, diplomats, international delegates, and cultural figures to the capital.

In his opening remarks, Deputy Minister of Art and Culture, Mawlawi Atiqullah Azizi, described books as “essential to life, a faithful companion, and a bridge between civilizations.” Quoting him, “A nation that does not read must endure all of history,” he emphasized the vital role of books in rebuilding a resilient and intellectually empowered society.

Azizi noted that the Ministry does not merely view books as cultural assets but as strategic tools for national growth, intellectual development, and securing Afghanistan’s future. He outlined the ministry’s commitment to supporting book production, translation, printing, preservation, and modernization.

Referring to the decades of war and foreign interference that Afghanistan has endured, Azizi said, “Now that we breathe peace again, holding a book festival in such an environment is a mark of dignity and cultural revival for the Afghan people.”

He urged the international community to support Afghanistan’s cultural and academic reconstruction “beyond political optics.”

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister for Publications, Mohajir Farahi, praised the government’s active role in promoting reading. He revealed that taxes on domestically printed books have been waived, and import duties on foreign books have been cut by 50%, in a show of support from the Islamic Emirate’s leadership for publishers and authors.

“Books and reading elevate nations,” Farahi stated, calling on Afghan scholars and writers to produce literature that meets the needs of the youth and helps guide the next generation.

Speaking at the event, UN Special Representative Roza Otunbayeva lauded the festival, saying, “Today is not about minerals or geopolitics. Today is about books — a true pillar of national identity.” She affirmed the UN’s readiness to support efforts that promote reading in Afghan society through its field offices.

Other speakers, including the Head of Public Libraries Hafiz Nematullah Muntazir and Kabul’s Head of Cultural Affairs Qari Wali Gul Jawad, also stressed the unifying and transformative power of literature. They called on international organizations to engage in Afghanistan’s cultural sector “free from political agendas.”

During the event, attendees toured exhibitions showcasing books, handmade crafts, and artistic works from across the country. Presentations were also delivered on the current state of public libraries and the achievements of the Public Libraries Directorate.

The Kabul Book Festival is set to continue through tomorrow, Tuesday.

Source: bakhtarnews.af

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.bakhtarnews.af/en/islamic-emirate-celebrates-reading-with-inaugural-kabul-book-festival/

------

Eight indicted in Chankharpul crimes against humanity case

14 Jul 2025

DHAKA, July 14, 2025 (BSS) - The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 today framed charges against eight accused in a crimes against humanity case filed over the killings of six innocent people in the city's Chankharpul area on August 5, 2024.

The three-member panel of the ICT-1 led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder passed the order after holding a hearing on the matter.

The prosecution, led by Chief Prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam on July 3 had argued for framing charges against the accused, while the defence counsels moved their discharge petitions for their clients.

Advocate Saddam Hossain Ovy argued for accused Inspector Arshad, Barrister Sifat Mahmud for constable Md Sujon, Advocate Shibli Sadekin for constable Imaj Hossain Emon, Advocate Abul Hasan for constable Nasirul Islam and state-appointed counsel Advocate Md Kutubuddin defended four fugitive accused at the tribunal.

The ICT-1 on June 3 ordered authorities concerned to publish a notice in two national dailies, asking the four fugitive accused to appear before it. The four fugitive accused are former Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Habibur Rahman, former DMP Joint Commissioner Sudip Kumar Chakraborty, former Additional Deputy Commissioner Shah Alam Mohammad Akhtarul Islam and former Assistant Commissioner of Ramna Zone of DMP Mohammad Imrul.

The notice was published on the next day. The four fugitives, however, remained absent, prompting the tribunal to appoint Advocate Md Kutubuddin as the state's defence to defend the accused.

The prosecution on May 25 filed the formal charge against eight in the crimes against humanity case lodged over the killings of six innocent people in the city's Chankharpul area on August 5, 2024. It was the maiden formal charge filed at the ICT in the cases lodged over the July-August mass uprising.

Shahriar Khan Anas, Sheikh Mahdi Hasan Zunayed, Md Yakub, Md Rakib Hawlader, Md Ismamul Haque and Manik Miah were martyred in Chankharpul area on August 5.

The investigation agency of the tribunal filed the 90-page probe report on April 20.

"The investigation agency prepared the probe report in six months and 13 days. Testimonies of 79 witnesses have been recorded, 19 video footages, 11 newspaper reports, two audio files, 11 books or reports and six death certificates were attached with the report," Muhammad Tajul Islam said earlier.

Source: bssnews.net

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.bssnews.net/news/292018

-------

UNAMA Chief Warns of Crisis, Calls for Urgent Aid for Afghan Returnees from Iran

By Fidel Rahmati

July 15, 2025

UNAMA Chief Roza Otunbayeva urges immediate international assistance as Afghanistan faces worsening crisis from mass Afghan returnees deported from Iran.

In response to the mass deportation of Afghan migrants from Iran, Roza Otunbayeva, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and head of UNAMA, has called for immediate international assistance to address the escalating humanitarian crisis.

UNAMA reported on Tuesday, July 15, that Otunbayeva visited the Islam Qala border crossing in Herat, where she met with Afghan returnees facing dire conditions. Many had been deported without notice or proper assistance, straining already fragile border resources.

Otunbayeva warned that the scale of returns is overwhelming and far beyond the capacity of the Taliban or humanitarian agencies to manage. “This should sound the alarm for the global community,” she stated, “Afghanistan cannot absorb this shock alone.”

She stressed that more than 1.3 million returnees, arriving in a country where 70% of the population lives below the poverty line and drought continues, would only worsen Afghanistan’s chronic humanitarian crisis.

“The management of returnees exceeds the capacities of aid agencies,” she added. “This is a test of our collective conscience.”

In her message to the international community, Otunbayeva urged: “Do not turn away. Returnees must not be abandoned. What we are witnessing is a direct result of unmet global responsibilities.”

As of now, an estimated 30,000 Afghan migrants are being expelled daily from Iran, many arriving at the borders without food, shelter, or medical care. Humanitarian groups warn that without urgent funding and coordination, the crisis could rapidly spiral out of control.

The UN and its agencies continue to advocate for a coordinated international response, urging donor nations to step in with emergency relief and long-term reintegration support for the returnees.

Source: khaama.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.khaama.com/unama-chief-warns-of-crisis-calls-for-urgent-aid-for-afghan-returnees-from-iran/

-------

Nearly 12,000 Afghan Migrants Face Possible Deportation from the US

By Fidel Rahmati

July 14, 2025

Nearly 12,000 Afghan migrants face deportation from the U.S. after a federal judge ends their Temporary Protected Status program.

In a significant blow to Afghan migrants in the United States, a federal judge in Maryland has ruled to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nearly 12,000 Afghans, leaving them vulnerable to arrest and deportation. The decision, delivered by Judge Theodore Chuang, dismissed a motion to extend TPS protections, with enforcement beginning Monday, July 14.

According to U.S. media, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) argued in May that “improved security and economic conditions” in Afghanistan disqualified the country from continued TPS designation. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem supported the decision, triggering backlash from humanitarian organizations.

Human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, have sharply criticized the move, warning that forced returns to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan could endanger lives—especially for women and former U.S. allies. The concern is heightened by recent rulings from the International Criminal Court condemning gender-based oppression under the Taliban regime.

Immigration attorneys stress that many of the Afghans affected had arrived following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. While some are pursuing asylum claims, the expiration of TPS exposes them to imminent deportation, detainment, and the loss of work authorization.

Advocacy organizations have called for urgent legislative and executive action, citing the “legal limbo” faced by thousands who fled persecution and now risk being sent back to a country they can no longer safely call home.

This court ruling comes amid mounting concerns over the treatment of Afghan evacuees globally. The United Nations and refugee advocacy groups continue to report deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Afghanistan, including gender-based violence, food insecurity, and political repression.

With the Biden administration facing pressure to clarify its immigration stance, Afghanistan communities in the U.S. now await whether a political or legal reprieve can prevent what many fear could be a humanitarian misstep.

Source: khaama.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.khaama.com/nearly-12000-afghan-migrants-face-possible-deportation-from-the-us/

-------

Arab World

 

From ‘What If?’ to ‘Wow!’ at Ithra children’s festival

JASMINE BAGER

July 14, 2025

DHAHRAN: The inaugural Children’s Festival being held under the theme “What if?” at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture is designed to “inspire imagination, encourage connection, and make space for discovery,” an official told Arab News recently.

Nouf Al-Jama, the head of learning at Ithra, added: “The program invites children to express themselves, engage with their surroundings, and experience culture in new and exciting ways.”

The event, which began on July 7 and runs until July 26 between 4 p.m. and 11 p.m., blends creativity, learning, play and discovery.

The festival features 50 diverse activities including live performances, interactive stations, creative zones, workshops and a book fair, to encourage critical and creative thinking.

The artistic zones invite children and their families to explore color, motion, and self-expression.

One such experience combines rhythm and culinary arts, transforming everyday kitchen utensils into instruments of sound and joy.

“(The festival) gives children the freedom to express themselves and feel heard — whether through painting in the interactive art space, uncovering clues in the museum adventure, or stepping onto the open mic stage,” said Al-Jama.

The sessions have experts from local and regional institutions including the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language, Abu Dhabi Children’s Library, House of Wisdom in Sharjah, and King Abdulaziz Public Library.

Parents and guardians are invited to join workshops, engage in conversations with other parents and build memories.

“It is this sense of togetherness, where children and families learn and grow side by side, that makes the festival so special,” Al-Jama added.

With schools closed and summertime in full swing, local children are immersing themselves in the festival.

“The response so far has been incredibly encouraging. From the very first day, we have seen families arriving early and staying for hours, moving from one experience to the next.

“Children have embraced the festival with curiosity and confidence,” she said of the opening week.

Additionally, the five-day Children’s Book Fair at Ithra runs until July 19, and includes 20 local and international publishing houses specializing in literature for children and young adults.

South Korea is this year’s guest of honor, offering a window into its culture through stories and illustrations.

“It is part of Ithra’s ongoing efforts to support the next generation by using culture as a tool for exploration, growth, and shared experience,” Al-Jama said.

Source: arabnews.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2608092/saudi-arabia

-------
OIC chief, Palestinian envoy discuss crisis in Gaza, West Bank

July 14, 2025

Jeddah: The secretary-general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Hissein Brahim Taha, met Palestine’s permanent representative to the OIC, ambassador Hadi Shibli, at its headquarters in Jeddah.

The envoy updated Taha on the escalating situation in Palestine, detailing the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and ongoing violations and crimes by Israeli forces in the West Bank, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.

The two sides also discussed the provocative rhetoric and incitement by Israeli ministers and officials, plans for annexing the West Bank and claims of Israeli sovereignty over the territory.

Taha reaffirmed the OIC’s commitment to advocating for an immediate, lasting ceasefire, facilitating humanitarian aid to Gaza, ensuring international protection for Palestinians and supporting a two-state solution in line with UN resolutions.

Source: arabnews.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2608049/saudi-arabia

-------
MWL chief welcomes Uzbek official, hails Center’s efforts in promoting Islamic values

July 14, 2025

MAKKAH — Secretary-General of the Muslim World League (MWL) and Chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars, Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa, received Dr. Firdavs Firdonovich Abdukhalikov, Chairman of the Center for Islamic Civilization under the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan, at the League’s headquarters in Makkah.

Dr. Al-Issa underscored the significance of the Center’s role in promoting Islamic civilization, particularly in addressing misconceptions and countering negative stereotypes about Islam.

For his part, Dr. Abdukhalikov expressed, on behalf of the Uzbek government, his pride in the MWL’s global efforts and the esteem it holds in the Muslim world and beyond.

He praised Dr. Al-Issa’s international engagement, especially his address at the United Nations marking the first International Day to Combat Islamophobia, where he represented Muslim communities at the invitation of the UN General Assembly.

Source: saudigazette.com.sa

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/653412/SAUDI-ARABIA/MWL-Secretary-General-receives-Uzbek-official-praises-Islamic-civilization-efforts

--------
From Nigeria to Makkah, sereh finds a home on Saudi tables

RAHAF JAMBI

July 14, 2025

RIYADH: Sereh, a beloved African dish rooted in Nigerian tradition, has carved out a place for itself in the culinary landscape of Saudi Arabia.

Once popular as a street food in Makkah’s older neighborhoods such as Al-Mansour, Al-Hafayer, and Al-Barno, sereh has grown beyond its origins to reflect a story of migration, cultural exchange, and shared taste.

Traditionally, sereh — also known as tsire or suya — consists of skewered beef seasoned with a bold blend of African spices, then roasted over an open flame. This method creates not only a flavorful dish but an aromatic experience that draws people in.

“Tamiz, or Afghani bread, was also a street food, so they were often enjoyed together,” said Rodwan Fallatah, owner of the African restaurant AfriQ in Riyadh.

“You roast the sereh until it’s hot, and with tamiz nearby, you simply grab some hot bread to enjoy with it.”

The dish originates from the Hausa tribe, an ethnic group with a strong presence in northern Nigeria, southern Niger, and beyond.

“As a proud member of the Hausa tribe, I take great pride in seeing our traditional dish being enjoyed far beyond Hausa land, reaching communities across Africa and even here in Saudi Arabia,” said Zainab Hawsawi, a Saudi writer and businesswoman.

She noted that the typical Hausa kitchen is a treasure trove of rich and diverse flavors, featuring meat dishes like dambu nama, delicately shredded and seasoned dried beef; kilishi, thinly sliced, spiced, and sun-dried meat; and balangu, famous for its juicy, freshly grilled pieces.

“But nothing compares to the explosion of flavors you experience when eating suya, especially as you dip each piece into yaji, the signature blend of spicy suya dipping spices,” she added.

The introduction of sereh to Saudi Arabia is believed to be linked to the Hajj pilgrimage, when people from across the world brought with them their cultural traditions, including food.

Sereh gradually integrated into the local food scene, creating a fusion of flavors that captivated the taste buds of residents.

“I think the logical answer would be migration,” said Fallatah, emphasizing how pilgrims helped introduce the dish into Makkah’s multicultural food scene.

Makkah, long regarded as a cultural crossroads, provided fertile ground for this culinary exchange. As locals encountered new dishes, they began to experiment and adapt.

Originally from Madinah, Fallatah moved to Riyadh in 1997 and opened AfriQ, where he serves sereh among other dishes.

His passion for African cuisine has made his restaurant a popular spot for both locals and visitors.

“The spices are unique, and the preparation of sereh is different. Locals observe and learn, and soon they want to try it themselves,” he explained, noting that demand is especially strong in hotels catering to pilgrims and tourists.

Sereh’s journey from West African street stalls to Saudi dinner tables captures the essence of Makkah’s openness and the Kingdom’s growing embrace of cultural diversity through food.

As it continues to evolve, sereh stands as a flavorful reminder of how Saudi kitchens are becoming more globally inspired — one skewer at a time.

Source: arabnews.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2608091/saudi-arabia

-------
Open call for 12th Red Sea International Conference in Jeddah

ARAB NEWS

July 14, 2025

JEDDAH: Experts in the fields of archaeology, history, anthropology, environmental studies and museum curation are being invited to apply to take part in the 2026 edition of the Red Sea International Conference.

The event, which will run from April 9-12, will be held at the Bab Al-Bunt building, which sits within Jeddah’s UNESCO-listed Historic District and is the future home of the Red Sea Museum.

Launched in 2002, the conference is regarded as a key platform for interdisciplinary dialogue on the Red Sea’s historical significance. Previous editions have been held in partnership with the British Museum, University of Southampton, University of Warsaw and University of Crete, among others.

The open call for the 2026 event was issued by Saudi Arabia’s Museums Commission and Heritage Commission. Participants will explore a broad range of themes, from ancient maritime trade and the archaeology of coastal cities and ports, to environmental history, underwater heritage and the Red Sea’s legacy as a crossroads of cultures linking Africa, Arabia and the Indian Ocean.

Anyone interested in taking part should submit an abstract, limited to 300 words and written in English, to rsm.info@moc.gov.sa by Oct. 15. Poster proposals are also welcomed and will be reviewed by a scientific committee.

To support broad participation in the conference, the commissions will provide five grants to cover the cost of travel, accommodation and registration to researchers whose papers are accepted.

Priority will be given to applicants from the Red Sea region and developing countries.

By hosting the conference in Jeddah, the commissions aim to bolster Saudi Arabia’s academic and cultural standing, while reaffirming the Red Sea’s enduring significance as a living archive of human history, exchange and civilization.

Source: arabnews.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2608072/saudi-arabia

------
Saudi royal institute opens registration for traditional arts programs in Riyadh

July 14, 2025

RIYADH: The Royal Institute of Traditional Arts, or Wrth, has opened registration for six specialized academic programs in collaboration with leading international universities and academies, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.

The programs aim to preserve Saudi traditional arts, promote their global presence and support the Year of Handicrafts 2025, in line with the Kingdom’s cultural development goals.

Offerings include master’s degrees in traditional furniture design, costume design for performances, museum and exhibition curation, and digital heritage, as well as a higher diploma in traditional product development and an intermediate diploma in choreography.

Programs last one to two academic years and are held in person at Wrth’s Riyadh headquarters. There are no tuition fees, the SPA reported.

The programs combine theory and practice to prepare specialists to transform the traditional arts sector into a sustainable cultural and economic resource.

Wrth invites interested applicants to register and review program details at wrth.edu.sa/programs/construction-diploma-program, with studies beginning at the start of the academic year.

The institute works to promote national identity, enrich Saudi traditional arts, recognize talent in the field, and encourage the mastery and development of these crafts.

Meanwhile, Wrth is taking part in the Saudi Cultural Week at Expo 2025 Osaka in Japan, which runs until July 15. The initiative aims to promote Saudi traditional arts internationally, support entrepreneurs and offer interactive experiences to the public, in line with the Year of Handicrafts.

The event also marks 70 years of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Japan, reflecting the strong cultural ties between the two countries, and fostering new opportunities for collaboration and creativity.

Wrth’s program features activities blending Saudi and Japanese cultures in a contemporary style while preserving the authenticity of each tradition, the SPA reported.

A live demonstration by Saudi artisan Salman Al-Hamad and Japanese artisan Yuho Ohkota showcases Al-Ahsa Bisht embroidery applied to a Japanese kimono in a modern artistic form.

The participation also includes a workshop where visitors can craft a Japanese fan decorated with Saudi-inspired patterns using innovative stamps designed by Fidaa Al-Amri, a Wrth graduate with an advanced diploma in traditional product development.

Source: arabnews.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2608046/saudi-arabia

-------

Europe

Inverclyde's Muslim community is continuing to thrive

14TH JULY 2025

By Gordon McCracken

The Tele visited Inverclyde Muslim Centre as members marked the Eid ul-Adha festival by attending an early morning service at the Laird Street facility.

According to the latest census statistics, the number of Muslims in Inverclyde has soared since 2011, with 501 recorded as living in the area in 2022.

This bucks the trend seen in Christianity which, according to the same census figures, has seen a downturn in followers in recent years.

Mohammed Akhtar, of Inverclyde Muslim Centre, said the facility had given Muslims a place they can practise their faith locally.

“In Islam we must pray every day and to do that we need a place to go,” Mr Akhtar explained.

“Since we’ve opened this place the number of people in the Muslim community here has gone up.”

Mr Ahktar says that while many locals assume the Muslim centre is a recent addition to Inverclyde, the people behind it have been working to support the local Islamic community for decades.

He added: “I bought this place as a business in 2004 as a hardware shop.

“At that time there was not much of a Muslim community in Greenock. There were only a few businessmen who were coming from Glasgow.

“They were arranging Friday prayers on top of their own shop, and we were going there to do everything. At that time there were maybe only 10 people.

“Then they sold their shop and approached me and asked if I could arrange prayer facilities for those people.

“I made a space upstairs for those people to come and pray.”

While the numbers were few in those early years, more and more people started attending the prayer sessions as word spread.

Mr Ahktar said that following the crises in Syria and Afghanistan in the 2010s, the area also saw an influx of people from those countries who were looking for a place to worship.

It was against this background that Mr Ahktar and other prominent members of the local Muslim community decided to launch the centre.

He said: “The community was growing, and it wasn’t just the Pakistani community but people from all different backgrounds, from Syria, from Afghanistan, from everywhere.

“I said that this was the time where we needed to make a community together.

“We set up the community centre in 2018 and bought this place with the help of the local community.

“We started with one room. Today we have six with prayer facilities, and we have education classes for young children every day.

“We have had good support from the council as well, especially from [Provost] Drew McKenzie.”

When the Tele visited the centre, we met worshippers from a diverse range of backgrounds who had come together to share in worship and, following the service, a meal, with all the food brought in by worshippers.

Mr Ahktar estimates that around 150 to 200 people now visit the centre on a Friday, the Muslim day of prayer.

He said: “We have a playroom upstairs which we open up twice a week for the youngsters.

“Building this centre hasn’t happened overnight. We’ve been involved in this community for over 15 years. It’s been a long time.

"All the team members here are volunteers. We don’t take a penny for it, because we’re trying to build a community.

“This place is open to everyone of every faith, not just Muslims. Anyone can come.”

Source: greenocktelegraph.co.uk

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.greenocktelegraph.co.uk/news/25304647.inverclydes-muslim-community-continuing-thrive/

-------
Diamond Road Mosque gets green light for new car park and classrooms

14 July 2025

Slough’s Diamond Road Mosque has been given the go-ahead to build new classrooms and a split-level car park to help ease congestion during busy times.

The Slough Islamic Trust, which runs the mosque in Diamond Road, is set to build its new educational facility on an empty site at the neraby 79-83 Uxbridge Road, which had previously been used as a petrol station.

The teaching space will feature four classrooms and two larger communal areas which will be used throughout the week.

Vital new parking spaces are also planned to help reduce parking pressures on nearby roads while prayers are being held at the mosque.

In its application to Slough Borough Council, the Slough Islamic Trust said the new facility would make use of a site which has been empty for a number of years while offering a positive contribution to the area.

“The proposal will significantly improve the services that the mosque can offer to the local community which has grown considerably over the years,” the trust said in its design and access statement.

A total of 48 car parking spaces are planned for people using the new classrooms.

The parking, which will be located on two levels beneath the education centre, will also be available to use as an overflow facility during peak times at the mosque. Cars will access the site via Diamond Road and exit via Uxbridge Road.

Mohammed Afzal, one of the founding members of the Slough Islamic Trust, said the addition of new classrooms is needed to offer a separate space while the mosque is being used for events such as prayers and funerals.

He said: “Sometimes in one day there can be three funerals. Who can tell me in the future there will not be a lot more? In these circumstances, our teaching services are affected very badly.

“We want to live peacefully with the rest of the population. We want to use this for teaching purposes and social purposes.

“When we build this new place, this will solve the problem.”

Slough Borough Council’s planning department granted planning permission subject to a number of conditions including strict operating hours.

The use of the community space will be available from 8am to 10pm, Monday to Sunday.

Source: sloughexpress.co.uk

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.sloughexpress.co.uk/news/planning/202285/diamond-road-mosque-gets-green-light-for-new-car-park-and-classrooms.html

-------
UK to start processing Syrian asylum claims again

15 JUL 2025

Becky Morton

The UK is to start processing Syrian asylum claims again, more than seven months after decisions were paused following the fall of the Assad regime.

Asylum minister Dame Angela Eagle said the Home Office had "worked to lift the pause as soon as there was sufficient information to make accurate and well-evidenced determinations".

She said claims could now be processed, and returns to Syria conducted in line with this.

BBC News understands more than 20 asylum seekers who had been living in the UK have already voluntarily returned to Syria this year - and that thousands of others could now also be in scope for returns.

Ministers hope the first enforced returns to Syria could take place before the end of the year, with a senior Home Office source adding that they "wouldn't say it's a million miles away".

The government has published updated guidance for officials to make decisions on Syrian claims.

The UK paused decisions on Syrian claims for asylum and permanent settlement in December, after President Bashar al-Assad was overthrown by a rebel offensive led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), following years of civil war.

In a written statement, Dame Angela said the pause "was a necessary step while there was no stable, objective information available to make robust assessments of risk on return to Syria".

However, the move left more than 7,000 Syrians waiting for a decision on an asylum claim in limbo.

The majority of these are living in government-funded accommodation, such as hotels.

The pause also applied to Syrians who had already been granted refugee status and were initially given the right to stay in the UK for five years before being able to apply for permanent settlement.

Campaigners say being left with this temporary status makes it harder for people to secure a job or housing.

Welcoming the move, Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council charity, said: "We know the pause in decision making had left Syrian people trapped in further limbo, unable to work, move on with their lives and fearing for their future.

"However, the situation in Syria continues to be unstable, and we urge the government to ensure that every asylum application is assessed on a case-by-case basis, ensuring the safety and protection of Syrians who would face extreme risk if they are returned."

Figures affiliated with HTS - which is designated a terrorist group by the UK - now run the country, with HTS leader Ahmad al-Sharaa named as Syria's interim president earlier this year.

Under the United Nations Refugee Convention, an individual must have a "well-founded fear of persecution" to be granted asylum and refugee status.

The Home Office's updated guidance on Syria states that a "breakdown in law and order or uncertain security situations do not in themselves give rise to a well-founded fear of persecution".

"There are not substantial grounds for believing there is a real risk of serious harm in Syria because of a serious and individual threat to a civilian's life or person by reason of indiscriminate violence in a situation of international or internal armed conflict," it adds.

"All cases must be considered on their individual facts, with the onus on the person to demonstrate they face persecution or serious harm."

The UK has also been gradually lifting sanctions on Syria.

The government's updated guidance is based on a process similar to a risk assessment that examined whether Syria was deemed a safe country.

That process is usually carried out jointly by the Home Office and Foreign Office and can only be done if the UK has some sort of diplomatic relationship with the country in question.

Earlier this month, Foreign Secretary David Lammy met interim president al-Sharaa, as he became the first UK minister to visit Syria since the uprising that led to the country's civil war began 14 years ago.

At the time of Lammy's visit, figures inside the Foreign Office believed any move to begin processing Syrian asylum claims again was likely still some months away.

But some European countries have already started to process claims, with Austria becoming the first EU country to deport someone since the fall of Assad.

The BBC has been told that senior figures inside the Home Office believed there was a risk that the UK could be seen as a more attractive place for Syrian asylum seekers, if European countries began processing claims and returning people, but the UK did not.

Last week, French President Emmanuel Macron raised concerns about the "pull factors" attracting migrants to come to the UK on small boats, ahead of a 'one in, one out' deal signed by the UK and France.

Ministers have previously suggested that the majority of Syrians who arrived in the UK before the fall of Assad were fleeing the regime, and some may now wish to return.

On the issue of returns, the guidance notes that following the change in government, opponents of the former Assad regime are "unlikely to be at risk upon return to Syria solely on that basis".

On the situation for religious minorities, it states that Kurds, Christians, Druze and Shia Muslims are "are unlikely to face a real risk of persecution or serious harm from the state" and "the onus is on the person to demonstrate otherwise".

However, it adds that Kurds in areas under de facto control of the Syrian National Army - a coalition of Turkish-backed rebel groups - "are likely to face a real risk of persecution or serious harm" based on their ethnicity or perceived political opinion.

It also says that although the new government has sought to assure members of the Alawite minority they will not be subject to violent reprisals, Alawites "are likely to face a real risk of persecution or serious harm from the state due to their religion and/or an imputed political opinion".

Many of the former Assad regime's political and military elite belonged to the Alawite sect.

The guidance notes that in March members of the Alawite minority were subject to a series of attacks which killed an estimated 800 people, with HTS-affiliated groups reported to have been involved.

Source: bbc.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy4y2e8neywo

-------
Ukraine needs people not weapons – MP

15 Jul, 2025

Kiev’s greatest challenge in the conflict with Russia is not a lack of Western weapons, but a critical shortage of manpower, Ukrainian lawmaker Anna Skorokhod has said.

US President Donald Trump on Monday pledged to provide Ukraine with more weapons – funded by European NATO states – and threatened Moscow with “severe tariffs” if no peace deal is reached within 50 days.

“We’ve heard something like this before, and I say it’s a game,” Skorokhod said in an interview with the Ukrainian political YouTube channel Superposition.

“Our main problem is people. Nobody is giving us people,” she added. “We can expect Trump to decide on providing weapons, but I want to emphasize that war cannot last forever.”

Skorokhod dismissed Trump’s ultimatum to Moscow as political maneuvering, arguing that none of the key players can afford to lose what even US Secretary of State Marco Rubio once openly described as a “proxy war” with Russia.

In a separate video last week, the Ukrainian lawmaker criticized official casualty figures as misleading and urged citizens to examine cemeteries and Red Cross data on missing persons to grasp the true scale of the losses.

“Just look at the demographic situation... If we are heading toward erasing the nation to zero, we are very quickly and successfully succeeding in this,” she warned.

Ukraine’s population was just under 52 million when it declared independence in 1991 amid the collapse of the USSR. By the time of the last census in 2001, that number had dropped to 48.5 million. A 2024 government demographic report estimates the population in Kiev-controlled territories at 31.1 million.

Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky officially acknowledged fewer than 50,000 military casualties as of February, but third-party estimates and increasingly harsh forced mobilization measures suggest the actual number is much higher. At the same time, Kiev is bracing for continued labor shortages, as many Ukrainians who fled since the escalation of the conflict in 2022 show little intention of returning.

Moscow has accused Kiev of waging a war “to the last Ukrainian” on behalf of Western nations, with Russian President Vladimir Putin saying that Ukraine’s recruitment officers are grabbing people “like dogs on the street.”

Source: rt.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.rt.com/russia/621494-ukraine-people-weapons-problem/

-------
Germany becoming dangerous again – Kremlin

14 Jul, 2025

Germany is becoming “dangerous again,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday. He was responding to remarks by German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, who suggested that German troops are ready to kill Russian troops.

Speaking to RBK business daily, Peskov said it is hard to believe that Pistorius actually made the comments, “But, unfortunately, this is so.”

“Germany is becoming dangerous again,” he added.

Pistorius made the comments in an interview with the Financial Times published on Sunday, lauding the battle-readiness of German troops and their resolve to take lethal action against Russian troops if necessary.

“If deterrence doesn’t work and Russia attacks, is it going to happen? Yes,” Pistorius said. “But I would recommend that you simply go to Vilnius and talk to the representatives of the German brigade there. They know exactly what their job is.”

Any talk of peace can only be possible “on equal terms” and “from a position of strength,” Pistorius insisted. While Germany is not seeking to “intimidate anyone,” no one should “think that we’re weak or that we won’t defend ourselves,” he added.

The purported Russian threat has long been a key talking point for various officials from NATO countries. Moscow has dismissed speculation that Russia plans to attack the US-led bloc as “nonsense.”

Last month, Peskov suggested that the bloc needs a “monster” to justify its existence and growing defense costs. “They have made a monster out of Russia in order to justify the decision to increase NATO defense spending to 5% of GDP,” he said at the time. Source: rt.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.rt.com/russia/621488-kremlin-germany-dangerous-again/

-------

German defense minister wants to arm Ukraine ‘quickly and quietly’

15 Jul, 2025

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has pledged to finalize a deal to supply Ukraine with additional American-made Patriot missile defense systems “quickly and quietly,” following talks with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in Washington.

Pistorius and Hegseth met at the Pentagon on Monday, just hours after President Donald Trump promised more US weapons for Kiev – funded by European NATO states – and threatened Moscow with “severe tariffs” if no peace deal is reached within 50 days.

“We agreed to discuss [the details] very, very quickly – quietly and quickly – at the working level,” Pistorius told journalists after the meeting, noting that technical, logistical, and financial questions remained, but appeared solvable.

The decision to transfer at least two Patriot batteries to Ukraine could be finalized “within days or weeks,” although the actual delivery may take months, according to Pistorius.

While Berlin has indicated its readiness to cover the cost of the systems – estimated at approximately $1 billion each – it remains unclear where the launchers will come from. Pistorius previously told the Financial Times that Germany has only six Patriot systems remaining, having already supplied Kiev with three batteries since the escalation of the conflict in 2022.

Trump has stated that “several nations” are ready to supply missile systems from their arsenals, including one unnamed country that allegedly "has 17 Patriots getting ready to be shipped.” It was not clear whether he was referring to individual launchers or complete Patriot batteries, which include multiple vehicles, radar systems, and command-and-control components.

Moscow has stressed that no amount of Western military aid to Ukraine can change the course of the conflict but only serves to prolong the bloodshed and escalate the hostilities. The Russian military claims to have destroyed some of the Western-supplied missile systems during the course of the conflict.

The new plan to arm Kiev was officially announced on Monday while Trump was hosting NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the White House. “The European Union is paying for them. We are not paying anything for them… This will be a business for us,” Trump emphasized, without clarifying what other weaponry will be supplied.

Source: rt.com

Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story

https://www.rt.com/news/621493-germany-pistorius-patriots-ukraine/

--------

URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/uttarakhand-cm-spiritual-love-jihad-cultural/d/136185

New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism