Five of Bangladesh's most striking mosques, from the Sultanate era to today
From the 15th-century Sixty Dome Mosque to the 201-Dome Mosque and its 451-foot minaret: the history, design and character of five mosques in Bangladesh.
English edition
International Desk
3,095 reports translated from the Bengali original, most recent first. বাংলা সংস্করণ
A third US strike could push Iran toward the bomb
An analysis argues a third major US attack on Iran, meant to restore American credibility, could instead strengthen those in Tehran who want nuclear weapons.
Yemen casualties top 9,000 as 276,000 are displaced: WHO
WHO says 1,677 people have been killed and 7,395 hurt in Yemen's latest fighting, with 276,301 displaced and Taiz short of medicine, fuel and water.
Ghalibaf: no progress in US talks without Iran's seven terms
Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf says talks with the US to end the war cannot advance unless Washington accepts Iran's seven conditions.
Hormuz mines set four oil tankers ablaze, Iran says
Iran says four oil tankers caught fire after hitting sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz, a day after the US military said it had cleared the main shipping lanes.
Jumu'ah: four acts of worship for the Muslim Friday
Friday prayers, reciting Surah Al-Kahf, seeking the hour when prayers are answered and sending blessings on the Prophet: four acts of worship for Friday.
Why Islam forbids harbouring suspicion of others
Islam declares it forbidden to think ill of others. The Quran and hadith warn against suspicion, prying into faults and backbiting, which destroy good deeds.
Israel election results: who can form the next government?
Israel's official election results leave no party with the 61 seats needed to govern. Here are the coalitions Netanyahu and Eisenkot could try, and the risks.
Cyclone Arnab rain worries paddy farmers in India's Hooghly
Farmers in Hooghly, West Bengal, fear rain from Cyclone Arnab will flatten paddy in their fields and delay potato planting, after floods earlier this season.
DV lottery stays shut as US appeals court blocks order
A US appeals court has temporarily blocked a lower court order to open applications for the FY2027 Diversity Visa lottery by 1 November, keeping it on hold.
Dockworkers call strike at 113 ports over arms shipments
Dockworkers in 22 countries have called a strike against arms shipments through their ports, which could disrupt 40 percent of Mediterranean cargo traffic.
Netanyahu rules out a government with Arab-led parties
Israel's prime minister says governing with Arab-led parties is forbidden, while his Likud party accuses them of stealing the election, without offering proof.
Indonesia wildfire smoke linked to 3,560 deaths in September
Air pollution from Indonesia's wildfires caused an estimated 3,560 deaths in September, double August's toll, a study by the Helsinki-based CREA finds.
Helicopter with six aboard crashes in India's Uttarakhand
A helicopter carrying six people, including the pilot, crashed near Joshimath in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district while flying from Badrinath to Dehradun.
Ethiopia drone strikes on displaced camp kill 14
Drone strikes on a camp for displaced people in Ethiopia's Amhara region killed at least 14, including children, witnesses told AFP. Several more were wounded.
Muslim buffalo traders beaten in India, then charged
A mob beat two Muslim buffalo traders and a driver in Madhya Pradesh's Damoh district. Police arrested two attackers but also filed a case against the victims.
Iran's IRGC says it seized two oil tankers near Hormuz
Iran's Revolutionary Guards say their navy seized two oil tankers in the southern Strait of Hormuz for switching off tracking and using an unauthorised route.
US midterms: Trump faces political collapse, polls suggest
With approval near 37% and fuel prices up over the Iran war, polls point to Democratic gains on 3 November, a test for Trump-style populism worldwide.
Purdah in Islam applies to men as well as women
Talk of purdah usually turns on what women wear. Yet the Quran speaks to men first, telling them to lower their gaze, the writer argues in this column.
Dua in hardship: what a believer should do first
Some grief cannot be told to anyone. Islam teaches the believer to turn first to Allah, the piece argues, in five steps drawn from the Quran and the hadith.
Could Netanyahu be arrested if he loses power?
Losing office would not cancel the ICC warrant or end the ICJ case, and Netanyahu would lose the personal immunity some states cited to avoid arresting him.
Imran Khan's son says Pakistan is trying to kill his father
Sulaiman Khan says no one has seen or heard from jailed former Pakistan PM Imran Khan since August and blames army chief Asim Munir; the government denies it.
Vance writes to Iran as Trump warns Gulf of post-poll strike
US Vice President JD Vance has written to Iran's security chief to revive talks, while Trump has told Gulf allies to prepare for a short, intense campaign.
Israeli strikes kill six in Gaza in 24 hours
Israeli attacks across Gaza killed six people and injured 38 in 24 hours, the health ministry said, as deaths since last October's ceasefire reach 1,574.
DV lottery 2027: Bangladesh eligibility to be known today
The US is restarting the diversity visa lottery after a court order. A State Department notice on October 29 will show whether Bangladeshis can apply.
Ben-Gvir demands arrest of Israel's Arab party leaders
Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir wants Arab party leaders arrested over alleged Qatari funding, with no evidence offered, after an election with no majority.
Worship without sincere intention falls short: Sarsina Pir
The Pir of Sarsina told a gathering in Narayanganj's Bandar that the value of worship depends on a pure intention to please Allah alone.
BJP reportedly loses Varanasi; Congress takes Nagpur seat
India's council polls in four states: BJP reportedly lost both seats in Modi's Varanasi, Congress won in Nagpur but lost all four in Karnataka.
World Bank warns of rising food insecurity worldwide
The World Bank says rising energy and food prices, driven by the Iran war, other conflicts and El Nino, could push commodity prices up 23% by the end of 2026.
Rahul Gandhi urges students to join rally against India CEC
Rahul Gandhi urged student groups to join the INDIA bloc's rally in Delhi on Sunday demanding Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar's resignation.
Ten deeds for barakah in life, from the Quran and hadith
Barakah means more than wealth: contentment, time well used and lasting peace. Ten practices from the Quran and hadith that Islam links to a blessed life.
Tarique Rahman's flight home from Japan delayed by a fault
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's Biman flight from Tokyo to Dhaka was taken back to the tarmac after a mechanical fault, delaying his return from Japan.
Quran reciters' rank in Paradise, as the hadith describe it
What the hadith say about people who recite the Quran: a crown of honour on the Day of Judgement, a rise in rank for each verse, and why it must be kept up.
Netanyahu set to stay on as caretaker PM after Israel vote
With no bloc winning a majority in Israel's election, Benjamin Netanyahu is likely to remain caretaker prime minister while talks on a new government go on.
Opposition leader Shafiqur Rahman mourns Spain train crash
Opposition leader and Jamaat ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman expressed deep grief over the deadly train crash in Spain and solidarity with the Spanish people.
Khalilur Rahman halts UN session as US and Cuba clash
General Assembly president Khalilur Rahman briefly suspended a UN session after a heated exchange between US envoy Mike Waltz and Cuba's foreign minister.
Arab parties win record 19 seats in Israel's election
Arab and Muslim-majority parties are set to win a record 19 seats in Israel's Knesset election, nearly double their 2022 tally, making them possible kingmakers.
Betel leaf selling at a third of last year's price in Raipur
Betel leaf farmers in Raipur, Lakshmipur, face losses as a bundle that sold for Tk 120 last year now fetches only Tk 40 despite a bigger harvest.
Putin and Zelensky to meet very soon, says Trump
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that a meeting between Russia's Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky will be arranged very soon.
Qatar sends Iran a peace proposal; Trump keeps strikes open
Qatar has delivered a peace proposal to Tehran to avert a new war, while Trump would not rule out strikes on Iran and Netanyahu spoke of a historic chance.
Spain high-speed train collision: death toll rises to 30
The death toll from the collision of two high-speed trains in Spain has risen to 30, the Castilla-La Mancha regional government said, and may rise.
Gen Z protests spread across Europe: 'If we burn, you burn'
From Paris suburbs to Belgrade, young Europeans are protesting over crumbling schools, living costs and corruption; in Serbia they toppled a leader.
Israel election: no majority in exit polls. What next?
Israel's exit polls leave both blocs below 61 seats, while Channel 14 gives Netanyahu 60. Turnout reaches 77.7%, the highest since 1999.
Israel election: Likud's share slips as count goes on
With more than 2.1 million votes counted in Israel's Knesset election, Netanyahu's Likud leads on 21.7 percent, down from 23.24, with Eisenkot's Yashar second.
Bangladesh opens Malaysia trade talks with export gap to close
Bangladesh and Malaysia opened free trade negotiations in Dhaka on Tuesday, October 27, targeting a deal by 2027. Malaysia sold Bangladesh nearly five dollars of goods for every dollar it bought back in 2025,…
Likud leads Israel's first exit polls as blocs fall short of majority
Israel's first exit polls on Tuesday put Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud ahead of Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar, while leaving both main blocs short of a majority. Kan, Channel 12 and Channel 13 projected 50 seats for…
French teachers press demands as Le Pen campaigns on security
French teachers said on Tuesday, October 27, that the government's education concessions would not meet protesters' demands.
Britain sanctions 15 Sudan commanders as drones strike the power grid
Britain has sanctioned 15 commanders from Sudan's rival forces as drone attacks cut electricity across parts of the country.
Japan and Bangladesh project private investment, with loan talks still open
Bangladesh and Japan have outlined a projection of up to one trillion yen in Japanese private investment over five years after their October 27 summit.
Surrogacy in Islam: what scholars say about carrying a child
Most contemporary Islamic jurists hold that surrogacy is not permitted, even with a married couple's own embryo, to protect lineage and clear motherhood.
Is marriage predestined in Islam, or shaped by deeds?
Islam calls marriage a sacred ordinance and a Sunnah. Scholars say whom a person marries is written in destiny, though supplication can change it.
Islam draws growing interest among young South Koreans
Personal ties with Muslims, mosque classes and social media are drawing some young South Koreans to Islam; about 45,000 locals are thought to have converted.
Lula wins fourth term as Reuters reports Bolsonaro left Brazil
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won a fourth term on Sunday. Reuters reported on Tuesday that defeated rival Flávio Bolsonaro had left Brazil for the United States after missing a court deadline to surrender…
Why read the sirah: five reasons from the Prophet's life
The life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) teaches grooming, good character, courtesy, moderation and a sense of duty. Five reasons every Muslim should read the sirah.
Ex-US soldier who plotted mosque bombing embraced Islam
Richard 'Mac' McKinney planned to bomb a mosque in Muncie, Indiana. The welcome he found there changed him, as the Oscar-nominated Stranger at the Gate tells.
Surah Al-Fil with meaning: Arabic text and translation
Surah Al-Fil, the 105th surah of the Quran, in Arabic with its meaning, and the story of Abraha's army of elephants that set out to destroy the Kaaba in Mecca.
Pro-Palestinian rally at Downing Street before Israel vote
Hundreds of supporters of Palestine rallied outside the British prime minister's office in London on Monday, on the eve of Israel's parliamentary election.
Chinese restaurant owner gives staff new BMW cars
Ma Yanli, who runs a beef hotpot restaurant chain in Jiaozuo, China, gave several employees new BMW cars after seeing them ride e-scooters to work in the cold.
Six shot dead at hotel in Guwahati, Assam
Gunmen killed at least six people, including the hotel's owner and her son, at Hotel Bilas Inn in Guwahati on Monday evening; police have arrested two suspects.
Ex-Miss Switzerland alleges Trump raped her in 1993
Former Miss Switzerland Beatrice Keul alleges Donald Trump raped her in 1993, in a House Democrats' report on Epstein; the White House denies the claims.