The Madhya Pradesh High Court has ruled that the centuries-old Kamal Maula Mosque in Dhar district is a temple dedicated to a Hindu goddess, following a petition claiming the site originally housed a temple. The decision, announced on Friday, has barred Muslims from praying there and allowed Hindus to install an idol under police protection. The mosque, part of the Bhojshala complex, had long been a shared site under an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) agreement permitting both Hindu and Muslim worship on different days.

Muslim leaders and legal representatives have condemned the ruling as a violation of India’s Places of Worship Act of 1991, which preserves the religious character of sites as they existed in 1947. They plan to appeal to the Supreme Court. Critics, including historian Audrey Truschke, described the ASI survey as politically motivated and part of a broader pattern of Islamophobia linked to Hindu nationalism.

The case has revived memories of the Babri Mosque demolition and is seen as part of a wider campaign by Hindu nationalist groups to reclaim sites they allege were once temples, raising concerns about religious freedom and secularism in India.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the failure of the United States to fulfill its commitments, along with what he described as betrayal and excessive demands, led to the collapse of recent diplomatic discussions. He made the remarks during a telephone conversation with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Friday.

Araghchi further cited repeated U.S. betrayals of diplomacy, military aggression against Iran, contradictory positions, and recurring excessive demands as additional reasons for the breakdown. Despite deep mistrust toward Washington, he emphasized that Iran had reentered the diplomatic process with seriousness and responsibility, aiming for a fair and reasonable outcome.

In the same conversation, the UN Secretary-General reiterated his opposition to the use of force against any nation’s sovereignty or territorial integrity and stressed adherence to the UN Charter and diplomatic means to ensure peace and stability in the region.

U.S. President Donald Trump has confirmed that he will not attend his son’s wedding in the Bahamas, citing ongoing discussions about the Iran war and his official responsibilities in Washington. The wedding of Donald Trump Jr. and Bettina Anderson is scheduled for this weekend. Trump made the announcement on Friday, emphasizing that government duties require his presence in the capital.

When asked about the matter at the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump said his son wanted him to attend but described the event as small and private. He added that the timing was not favorable due to his busy schedule, which includes the Iran crisis and other pressing issues. On his social media platform Truth Social, Trump expressed regret, saying he wished to be with his son and future daughter-in-law but that his duty to the United States prevented it.

Trump concluded his message by congratulating Donald Jr. and Bettina, stating that remaining at the White House during this critical period was essential.

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced a new policy requiring foreign nationals currently residing in the US to return to their home countries to apply for permanent residency or green cards. The directive was issued in a policy memorandum released on Friday, according to the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees USCIS.

The department stated that the change aims to close loopholes in the immigration system and improve the agency’s capacity to process other applications more efficiently. It added that possible exemptions under special circumstances are still under consideration.

Human rights and refugee assistance organizations have criticized the decision. The nonprofit HIAS warned that the rule could force victims of human trafficking, abused women, and at-risk children to return to countries they fled to save their lives. The policy shift is viewed as part of President Donald Trump’s broader effort to tighten US immigration rules, following earlier steps to shorten visa durations and cancel over 100,000 visas since he took office.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has announced that the province will hold a referendum on October 19 to decide whether to remain part of Canada or move toward a second binding vote on separation. The announcement follows petitions signed by over 300,000 people supporting independence and more than 400,000 favoring continued union. The referendum will ask whether Alberta should stay within Canada or begin legal steps toward a binding vote on independence under the Canadian Constitution.

Smith stated she will vote to remain in Canada, aligning with her government’s position. The decision comes after a court ruling suspended verification of signatures on a pro-separation petition due to concerns raised by Indigenous First Nations groups about inadequate consultation. Smith criticized the ruling, saying Alberta’s future should be determined by its people, not the courts. Polls suggest most Albertans oppose separation.

Prime Minister Mark Carney emphasized that any separation attempt must comply with the federal Clarity Act, which requires a clear majority and question wording approved by the House of Commons. Federal and provincial leaders have expressed support for national unity while acknowledging Alberta’s long-standing grievances over resource policy and federal intervention.

A marriage between the daughter of a local Awami League leader and a Chhatra Dal leader in Kaliganj, Jhenaidah, has drawn widespread discussion and criticism. The event took place on Thursday in Bogergachi village, attended by political figures from various parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Maulana Abu Talib from Jhenaidah-4. Photos and videos showing Awami League leader Mohidul Islam Montu serving food to the Jamaat MP circulated on social media, intensifying public reaction.

According to the report, Mohidul Islam Montu, former chairman and general secretary of the Rakhalgachi Union Awami League, arranged the wedding of his daughter Mehejabin Islam Tuli with Maruf Billah, convener of the Upazila Chhatra Dal. The presence of Maulana Abu Talib, who stated he attended due to social ties, added to the controversy. He also mentioned that efforts would be made to ensure justice for a family involved in a past case.

The incident has become a focal point of political discussion in the area, highlighting the complex social interactions among rival political groups.

U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that revenue from Venezuelan oil has generated 25 times more money than the cost of the war against Iran. He made the remark while discussing U.S. actions involving Iran and Venezuela, saying the United States had taken so much oil from Venezuela that it covered the war expenses many times over.

Trump’s statement comes amid ongoing international debate about the U.S. military campaign against Iran. According to Pentagon data, by early this month the cost of the war had reached about 29 billion dollars, though analysts and observers suggest the actual figure could be higher. Trump also described Venezuela as a key part of the U.S. energy strategy, indicating that oil production and exports from the country had brought significant economic benefits to the United States.

The remarks highlight the administration’s emphasis on energy-linked economic gains while global scrutiny continues over the financial and humanitarian impacts of the Iran conflict.

Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Senior Nayeb-e-Ameer Maulana Yusuf Ashraf has condemned the Home Minister’s comment describing public execution of rapists as medieval, saying it insults religious sentiments and undermines public expectations for justice. He made the remarks on Friday afternoon while presiding over a meeting of the party’s Dhaka members of the central executive council at its Purana Paltan office.

Ashraf said the minister’s statement reflects a failure to understand reality, suggesting that his long stay abroad may have distanced him from the people’s frustration with injustice and state failures. He argued that public demand for strict punishment has grown due to the justice system’s inability to curb crime effectively. Referring to the Ramisa murder case, he said the victim family’s despair mirrors widespread public distrust in the judiciary.

He urged the Home Minister to withdraw his statement immediately. The meeting also strongly criticized the recent decision to abolish the Judicial Secretariat, with central executive council members attending under the direction of party Secretary General Maulana Jalaluddin Ahmad.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s central secretary general, Professor Mia Golam Porwar, issued a statement on Friday condemning an attack on former Khanmarich Union Jamaat secretary and teacher Zillur Rahman in Pabna’s Bhangura upazila. According to the statement, the incident occurred around 8 p.m. on Thursday, when Rahman was allegedly attacked with sharp weapons in a premeditated attempt to kill him.

Porwar described the assault as part of a pattern of violent attacks, terrorism, and assassination attempts targeting dissenting voices and leaders of Islamic movements across the country. He said the attack on Rahman, a respected teacher and social worker, was not an isolated event but a reflection of organized political violence.

He urged authorities to arrest those responsible and ensure exemplary punishment, while also wishing Zillur Rahman a speedy recovery. Porwar said such incidents demonstrate a deterioration of law and order and are contrary to humanity and civilization.

Tulsi Gabbard, the United States Director of National Intelligence, resigned from her post on Friday amid the ongoing Iran war. Her resignation came at a time of heightened tension over US military activity and the broader Middle East crisis. Reports from international media indicated that Gabbard had policy disagreements with the Trump administration regarding its approach to Iran.

In a post on social media platform X, Gabbard explained that she decided to step down after her husband, Abraham Williams, was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer. In her resignation letter, she expressed gratitude to President Donald Trump for allowing her to lead the intelligence office for the past one and a half years. Trump confirmed her resignation on his Truth Social account, praising her performance and saying she would be missed.

Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman from Hawaii, served in Congress from 2013 to 2021 before leaving the Democratic Party to support Trump and take the intelligence post. Her resignation had been rumored for some time, though she had previously denied it.

Police in Jhenaidah have filed a case over an attack on NCP leader Nasiruddin Patwari. The case was lodged on Friday night by local NCP leader Tarek Reza, naming eight individuals including Islami University Chhatra Dal convener Shahed Ahmed, district Chhatra Dal president Imran Hossain, former president S.M. Somenuzzaman Somen, and general secretary Shahriar Russell, along with 115 unidentified persons. The filing followed a seven-hour sit-in at Jhenaidah Sadar Police Station by NCP activists demanding registration of the case.

After the case was recorded, Chhatra Dal and Jubo Dal activists surrounded the police station, throwing bricks when the main gate was closed. They later gathered in front of the station and allegedly attempted a second attack on Patwari, who was inside under police protection. Police blocked the entrance with vehicles, and Patwari left Jhenaidah under police escort. Later that night, activists held a sit-in at Payra Chattar, vowing to continue until the case was withdrawn.

District BNP leaders addressed the gathering, while police officials declined to comment on the incident.

Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Maulana Abu Talib, representing Jhenaidah-4 constituency, attended the wedding ceremony of the daughter of a listed accused in a Shibir activist murder case in Kaliganj upazila of Jhenaidah. The event, held on Thursday at Bogergachi village, drew leaders and activists from various political parties and sparked widespread discussion and criticism in the area after photos and videos circulated on social media.

According to the report, the bride is the daughter of former union chairman and Awami League general secretary of Rakhalgachi Union, Mohidul Islam Montu, who is an accused in the 2016 murder of Shibir activist Shamim. Shamim was allegedly abducted by plainclothes men on March 24, 2016, and his bullet-riddled body was found on April 13 that year in Jashore. His father filed a case in September 2024 naming 12 individuals, including Montu, and 15 unidentified others.

Maulana Abu Talib stated that he attended the event due to social ties in his home area and assured that the victim’s family would receive proper justice.

Tension has resurfaced in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh over the disputed Bhojshala complex after Muslim representatives filed an appeal in India’s Supreme Court. The petition, submitted by mosque caretaker Qazi Moinuddin, challenges the High Court’s May 15 ruling that overturned a long-standing arrangement allowing separate worship days for Hindus and Muslims at the site.

The Bhojshala complex, preserved by the Archaeological Survey of India, has historical and archaeological significance. Since 2003, Hindus were permitted to perform rituals on Tuesdays, while Muslims offered Friday prayers. The High Court recently nullified this arrangement and directed the government to consider allocating land elsewhere for a new mosque. As a result, Friday prayers will not be held at Bhojshala for the first time in 23 years, prompting heightened security measures across the city.

Hindu groups have welcomed the ruling and organized weeklong celebrations, while local authorities have convened peace meetings to prevent communal unrest. The state government has also announced plans to develop Bhojshala in the style of Ayodhya’s Ram Temple, sparking renewed political and religious debate.

Bus owners and workers in Gazipur Metropolitan held a human chain protest in Tongi on Friday afternoon, demanding an immediate halt to the alleged illegal operation of Victor Classic Transport buses. The demonstration took place on the BRT flyover near Tongi Bazar along the Dhaka–Mymensingh Highway, with participation from over a hundred transport owners, drivers, and labor leaders from various city routes.

Speakers at the event claimed that Victor Classic buses are only permitted to operate within Ashulia and Baimail areas of Dhaka district but are illegally running on Gazipur roads with the help of certain officials and influential individuals. They said this unauthorized operation is causing severe financial losses to legitimate local transport businesses and worsening traffic congestion on the highway, increasing passenger suffering.

The protesters urged the administration to take immediate action to stop the unlicensed buses and warned of tougher programs if their demands are ignored.

The Kolkata High Court has upheld a state government notification maintaining a ban on the slaughter of bulls, oxen, cows, calves, and buffaloes in West Bengal ahead of Eid al-Adha. The division bench of Chief Justice Joy Pal and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen ruled that the May 13, 2026 notification merely implemented a 2018 court directive and therefore did not warrant suspension or cancellation. The court also stated that cow sacrifice is not a mandatory religious practice in Islam.

According to the state notification, these animals cannot be slaughtered without certification declaring them unfit and may only be slaughtered in authorized abattoirs. Following the ruling, reports from India’s Aaj Tak media indicated that Hindu men and women in Bhangar, South 24 Parganas, protested the decision, rejecting the restriction on cow sacrifice and demanding permission to sell cattle.

The court’s decision reinforces earlier judicial restrictions on cattle slaughter in the state, while the protests highlight ongoing tensions surrounding religious and cultural practices linked to animal sacrifice.