Asfandyar Yahya

Who really decided what time is? From ancient sundials in Egypt to the ticking precision of your smartwatch, this week&#39;s &lsquo;Tell ME&rsquo; Why uncovers how humans invented time and then built the modern world around it. Discover how empires, industry, and even colonialism shaped the very seconds we live by, from Greenwich to Karachi.&nbsp; Why does your day start at midnight? Why is Pakistan on GMT+5? And how did &ldquo;time is money&rdquo; become a global truth?&nbsp; This video takes you through the fascinating story of how time went from shadows on stone to atomic precision and how every tick of your clock still carries history.&nbsp;

Tell Me Why

This episode of ‘Tell Me Why’ explores humanity’s invention of time, from ancient sundials to atomic clocks revealing how empires, industry, and colonialism shaped the global systems that govern every second today.

Tell Me Why: How Time Began

SYDNEY:&nbsp;Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese meets with President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday, touting his country&#39;s abundant critical minerals as a way to loosen China&#39;s grip over global supplies. At the same time, Albanese is hoping to secure Trump&#39;s backing for a 2021 pact to arm Australia with silent, nuclear-powered attack submarines. Australians have a mostly unfavourable view of the Trump administration, polling shows, though the country relies on the United States to balance China&#39;s expanding military clout in the Pacific region. In the run-up to the White House talks, Australia is selling itself to Washington as a future source of critical minerals including rare earths -- of which China is by far the world&#39;s largest supplier. Australia sits on deposits of lithium, cobalt and manganese as well as rare earth metals used in technologies from semiconductors to defence hardware, electric cars and wind turbines. Albanese, who said he looked forward to a &quot;positive and constructive&quot; meeting with Trump, announced plans in April for a strategic reserve of critical minerals to provide to &quot;key partners&quot; such as the United States. The reserve is designed to help relax China&#39;s chokehold on global critical minerals production, which it has been accused of leveraging to pressure trade partners. Trump this month threatened 100-percent tariffs on China in response to its latest rare earths export curbs, though he later eased his stance with a social media post saying: &quot;It will all be fine.&quot; China the &#39;focal point&#39;Australia&#39;s economy minister, Treasurer Jim Chalmers, said his country had &quot;a lot to offer the world&quot; in critical minerals. &quot;We will engage with our partners to make sure that we can be a very reliable supplier to meet the critical minerals needs of this country, here in the US, and other markets around the world,&quot; Chalmers told a news conference in Washington on Friday. But the treasurer has also taken a swipe at impediments to global trade, raising concerns over the economic impact of US tariffs, including a 10-percent levy on Australian goods, and the US-China trade spat. On defence, Australia&#39;s government will be hoping for Trump&#39;s blessing of the 2021 agreement to equip its navy with at least three US Virginia-class submarines within 15 years, and the technology to build its own vessels in the future. The AUKUS submarine deal between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States could cost Australia up to US$235 billion over the next 30 years, according to Canberra. The nuclear-powered vessels lie at the heart of Australia&#39;s strategy of improving its long-range strike capabilities in the Pacific. But the Trump administration said in June it had put AUKUS under review to ensure it aligned with his &quot;America First agenda&quot;, with some critics saying the United States did not produce enough Virginia-class submarines to supply Australia as well as its own navy. Australia&#39;s government says it has received no indications that Washington will withdraw support for AUKUS, which is expected to be raised in the White House talks. &quot;AUKUS should be given the green light and once again confirmed as the foundation of Australia&#39;s security and vital to the United States&#39; interest in competing with a rising Beijing-led authoritarian axis,&quot; predicted Justin Bassi, executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, a think tank partly funded by Australia&#39;s Department of Defence. &quot;China will likely be the focal point of discussions even if it is rarely mentioned publicly: AUKUS, critical minerals, cyber and critical technologies are frontline agenda topics, and all are about China.&quot;

Americas

Australasia

China

Australian PM Anthony Albanese meets President Trump in Washington to promote Australia’s critical minerals and seek reaffirmation of the AUKUS submarine pact, amid tensions over China’s dominance in global supply chains and Pacific security

Aussie PM meets Trump with critical minerals on offer

PALM BEACH, The United States will slash assistance to Colombia because its leader, Gustavo Petro, &ldquo;does nothing to stop&rdquo; drug production, President Donald Trump said Sunday, escalating the friction between Washington and one of its closest allies in Latin America. In a social media post, Trump referred to Petro as &ldquo;an illegal drug leader&rdquo; who is &ldquo;low rated and very unpopular.&rdquo; The Republican president warned that Petro &ldquo;better close up&rdquo; drug operations &ldquo;or the United States will close them up for him, and it won&rsquo;t be done nicely.&rdquo; Hours later, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the latest U.S. strike on a vessel that was allegedly carrying &ldquo;substantial amounts of narcotics.&rdquo; He said the vessel was associated with a Colombian rebel group &mdash; the National Liberation Army, or ELN &mdash; that has been in conflict with Petro&rsquo;s government. He did not provide any evidence for his assertions, but he shared a brief video clip of a boat engulfed in flames after an explosion on Friday. Petro, who can be as vocal on social media as his American counterpart, rejected Trump&rsquo;s accusations and defended his work to fight narcotics in Colombia, the world&rsquo;s largest exporter of cocaine. &ldquo;Trying to promote peace in Colombia is not being a drug trafficker,&rdquo; Petro wrote. He suggested that Trump was being deceived by his advisers, described himself as &ldquo;the main enemy&rdquo; of drugs in his country and said Trump was being &ldquo;rude and ignorant toward Colombia.&rdquo; The Colombian Foreign Ministry described Trump&rsquo;s statement as a &ldquo;direct threat to national sovereignty by proposing an illegal intervention in Colombian territory.&rdquo; Defense Minister Pedro S&aacute;nchez told reporters that the country &ldquo;has used all its capability and also lost men and women fighting drug trafficking.&rdquo; Trump&rsquo;s latest broadside against Petro raises the possibility of an expanding clash in Latin America, where the U.S. has already increased pressure on neighboring Venezuela and its leader, Nicol&aacute;s Maduro. American naval ships, fighter jets and drones are deployed in the region for what the administration has described as an &ldquo;armed conflict&rdquo; with drug cartels. Trump also authorized covert operations inside Venezuela. Unlike Venezuela, Colombia is a longtime U.S. ally and the top recipient of American assistance in the region. But coca cultivation reached an all-time high last year, according to the United Nations, and there has been fresh violence in rural areas where the government spent years battling insurgents before reaching a peace deal a decade ago. In September, the Trump administration accused Colombia of failing to cooperate in the drug war, although at the time Washington issued a waiver of sanctions that would have triggered aid cuts. Colombia received an estimated $230 million in the U.S. budget year that ended Sept. 30, a drop from recent years that exceeded $700 million, according to U.S. figures. Petro, Colombia&rsquo;s first leftist president, has repeatedly feuded with Trump this year. Petro initially rejected U.S. military flights of deported migrants, leading Trump to threaten tariffs. The State Department said it would revoke Petro&rsquo;s visa when he attended the U.N. General Assembly in New York because he told American soldiers to disobey Trump&rsquo;s orders. Petro and Trump have also been at odds over American strikes on boats in the Caribbean. On Sunday, Petro accused the U.S. government of assassination, pointing to a Sept. 16 strike that he said killed a Colombian man named Alejandro Carranza. Petro said Carranza was a fisherman with no ties to drug trafficking, and his boat was malfunctioning when it was hit. &ldquo;The United States has invaded our national territory, fired a missile to kill a humble fisherman, and destroyed his family, his children. This is Bol&iacute;var&rsquo;s homeland, and they are murdering his children with bombs,&rdquo; Petro wrote on social media. He said that he asked his country&rsquo;s attorney general&rsquo;s office to initiate legal proceedings internationally and in U.S. courts. The White House and the Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Petro&rsquo;s accusations. Despite Petro&rsquo;s criticism, his government plans to prosecute the Colombian survivor of a more recent U.S. strike on a submersible that was allegedly carrying drugs. Another survivor was repatriated to Ecuador, where the Ministry of the Interior said he would not face charges after prosecutors met with him and determined that he had not committed any crimes within the country&rsquo;s borders. The ELN, which Hegseth said was the target of Friday&rsquo;s strike, has long denied any role in drug trafficking and offered to submit to the scrutiny of an international commission. It did not respond to Hegseth&#39;s announcement. Colombian authorities regularly report the dismantling of cocaine laboratories and the seizure of drugs believed to belong to the guerrillas. There have been seven U.S. strikes in the region since early September that the administration says are targeting alleged drug traffickers. At least 32 people have been killed. Trump said Sunday that Petro had &ldquo;a fresh mouth toward America.&rdquo; He complained that drug smuggling continues &ldquo;despite large scale payments and subsidies from the USA that are nothing more than a long term rip off of America.&rdquo; &ldquo;AS OF TODAY, THESE PAYMENTS, OR ANY OTHER FORM OF PAYMENT, OR SUBSIDIES, WILL NO LONGER BE MADE TO COLOMBIA,&rdquo; he added. Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst for the Andes region at International Crisis Group, said &ldquo;it is befuddling and profoundly unwise of the United States to alienate its strongest military partner in Latin America at a moment when tension between Washington and Venezuela are at its highest point in recent years.&rdquo; She said Washington and Bogota have long treated their relationship as foundational, but &ldquo;that wisdom is being thrown out the window, with really catastrophic effects.&rdquo; Colombia lost significant U.S. funding when Trump slashed the U.S. Agency for International Development earlier this year. More cuts could affect military cooperation and undermine efforts to fight rebel groups. &ldquo;If that is cut, we will see a strategic loss of capability for the Colombian military and police at precisely the moment when they&rsquo;re confronting the greatest security crisis in Colombia for over a decade,&rdquo; she said.

Donald Trump said the U.S. will cut aid to Colombia, calling President Gustavo Petro a “drug leader” who fails to curb cocaine production. Petro condemned Trump’s remarks as a threat to Colombian sovereignty and “rude ignorance.”

Trump calls Petro ‘illegal drug leader’ terminating US aid to Colombia

SANAA, Yemen: The UN&#39;s office in Yemen said Sunday that Houthi rebels were still holding 20 of their staff following their raid on their building in Sanaa a day earlier. On Saturday, the UN office said Houthi security forces had made an &quot;unauthorised entry&quot; into their compound, adding that the staff there were &quot;safe and accounted for&quot;. &quot;Five national staff and fifteen international staff remain detained within the compound,&quot; Jean Alam, spokesman for the UN resident coordinator, said on Sunday. The UN was in touch with the authorities in Sanaa, with the relevant member states and the government of Yemen &quot;to resolve this serious situation as swiftly as possible, end the detention of all personnel, and restore full control over its facilities in Sanaa&quot;, it added. Late on Sunday, a UN official, requesting anonymity, told AFP that UNICEF&#39;s representative in Yemen was among those detained. &quot;Peter Hawkins is among the 15 international employees detained in the complex&quot; the Houthis raided the previous day, the official said. Spying accusationsThe rebels had already stormed UN offices in Sanaa on August 31, detaining more than 11 employees, according to the UN. Those employees were suspected of spying for the United States and Israel, a senior Houthi official told AFP at the time on condition of anonymity. In a statement on Saturday, UN Secretary-General Stephane Dujarric&#39;s spokesperson said: &quot;We will continue to call for an end to the arbitrary detention of 53 of our colleagues.&quot; He was responding to a televised address on Thursday by rebel leader Abdelmalek al-Huthi. He claimed his forces had dismantled &quot;one of the most dangerous spy cells&quot;, which he said was &quot;linked to humanitarian organisations such as the World Food Program and UNICEF&quot;. Dujarric described the accusations as &quot;dangerous and unacceptable&quot;. Saturday&#39;s raid came with dozens of UN personnel already arrested in recent months in areas controlled by the Iranian-backed group. In mid-September, the UN humanitarian coordinator in Yemen was officially transferred from Sanaa -- the capital held by the Houthi rebels -- to Aden, the interim capital of the internationally recognised government. Since August 31, 2025, 21 UN personnel have been arrested, adding to the 23 current and former members of international NGOs already detained, according to the UN. Ten years of civil war have plunged Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Arabian Peninsula, into one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, says the UN.

Middle East

The UN says Houthi rebels in Yemen are holding 20 staff, including UNICEF’s representative, after raiding its Sanaa compound. The UN condemned the detentions and dismissed rebel accusations of espionage as “dangerous and unacceptable.”

UN says Yemen's Houthis holding 20 of its staff

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: England held their nerve to beat India by four runs and secure a place in the semifinals of the ICC Women&rsquo;s Cricket World Cup 2025 on Sunday. Chasing 289, India looked set for victory for much of their innings. Smriti Mandhana scored 88, while captain Harmanpreet Kaur added 70 runs off 70 balls. England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt took 2-47 in eight overs, and left-arm spinner Linsey Smith bowled tightly, taking Mandhana&rsquo;s key wicket and helping England restrict India to 284-6 in 50 overs. India finished with 284-6 in 50 overs, its third straight loss in the tournament in front of a home crowd at Holkar Stadium. Earlier, England batted first and scored 288-8, thanks to Heather Knight&rsquo;s brilliant 109 off 91 balls. The win gives England four victories in five games, keeping them unbeaten and sending them to the semifinals alongside defending champions Australia and South Africa.&nbsp; England will face Australia on Wednesday at Holkar Stadium. India must bounce back against New Zealand on Thursday and Bangladesh on Sunday in Navi Mumbai to keep their semifinal hopes alive.

Cricket

England held their nerve to defeat India by four runs at Holkar Stadium, with Heather Knight’s 109 and key wickets from Nat Sciver-Brunt and Linsey Smith helping secure a semifinal spot in the tournament

England edges India by four runs, secures Women’s World Cup semifinal

ISLAMABAD: Under the soft autumn sky of Beijing, the ancient stones of the Great Wall turned into a living canvas of color, culture, and creativity as Pakistan and China came together for a historic celebration of fashion and friendship. The maiden Pakistan-China Fashion Show, organized by the Pakistan Embassy Beijing in collaboration with the China International Cultural Communication Center (CICCC), transformed the iconic Badaling section of the Great Wall into a glittering open-air runway, where centuries-old heritage met contemporary design in a symphony of silk, embroidery, and imagination. The show marked the first-ever collaboration of its kind between designers of both nations. A cultural milestone that stitched together the past and the present through the universal language of style. According to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, renowned Pakistani designers Maheen Khan, Moazzam Abbasi, Ayesha Tariq, Rizwaullah, and Zain Hashmi unveiled collections that celebrated the deep cultural resonance between Pakistan and China. Their creations, flowing silhouettes in rich hues, intricate handwork inspired by Mughal motifs, and subtle nods to Chinese calligraphy and texture, embodied a shared artistic spirit that transcended borders. China-based Pakistani designer Aqeel Chaudhary brought sparkle to the evening with his dazzling jewelry collection, while celebrated Chinese designer Liang Suyun showcased her own signature couture, blending Chinese elegance with global sophistication. Each piece on the runway spoke of connection, silk weaving into silk, motif meeting motif, echoing the ancient Silk Road that once linked the two civilizations through trade, textiles, and trust. Curated by Adnan Ansari of Riwayat, the fashion show carried the precision and flair of a modern fashion week while maintaining the warmth of a cultural celebration.<figure class="fr-media"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/e659ba64-39af-44f0-9524-6316c20de666-e167e44c-522b-4e7d-9f99-804447b03167.jpg" alt="e167e44c-522b-4e7d-9f99-804447b03167.jpg" class="fr-fil fr-dib"><figcaption class="caption-cover-image text-sm text-gray-600 italic">(Photo courtesy: Pakistan Embassy)</figcaption></figure> The audience, a distinguished gathering of Chinese officials, media personalities, business leaders, and diplomats, witnessed the Great Wall shimmer under the spotlight, its historic grandeur now adorned with the colors of creative collaboration. For Pakistan&rsquo;s Ambassador to China, Khalil Hashmi, the setting was more than symbolic. Standing before the illuminated arches of Badaling, he described the Great Wall as a &ldquo;befitting venue to celebrate the living spirit of the Silk Road connection, now manifested as a modern bridge of fabric, art, and friendship.&rdquo; Highlighting the historical significance of the moment, he recalled that the event coincided with the 60th anniversary of the first Pakistani dignitary&rsquo;s visit to the Great Wall. A milestone that underscored six decades of unwavering friendship between the two nations.<figure class="fr-media"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/75a86e2d-e20c-4049-a8d5-9e4172f4fdfc-379e25c0-cd58-4336-97f5-4d88e956a163.jpg" alt="379e25c0-cd58-4336-97f5-4d88e956a163.jpg" class="fr-fil fr-dib"><figcaption class="caption-cover-image text-sm text-gray-600 italic">(Photo courtesy: Pakistan Embassy)</figcaption></figure><figure class="fr-media"> </figure> &ldquo;This showcase is driven by fusion, commercial sense, and the strength of Pakistani fashion,&rdquo; Ambassador Hashmi said. &ldquo;It reflects the natural synergy between Pakistani creativity and the Chinese market, a partnership that builds new commercial bridges and celebrates our shared future.&rdquo; His remarks captured the essence of the evening, that fashion, beyond its aesthetic appeal, is a dialogue. It tells stories of culture and continuity, of two nations whose threads have long intertwined in trade and trust. Long Yuxiang, chairman of the China International Cultural Communication Center, called the show &ldquo;a vivid reflection of the China-Pakistan All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership in cultural and people-to-people exchanges.&rdquo; <figure class="fr-media"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/2ec4bd88-cb34-4ad2-9411-f2df14574b16-80d58e39-174d-44cf-9b04-abb03521bcd8.jpg" alt="80d58e39-174d-44cf-9b04-abb03521bcd8.jpg" class="fr-fil fr-dib"><figcaption class="caption-cover-image text-sm text-gray-600 italic">(Photo courtesy: Pakistan Embassy)</figcaption></figure>He emphasized that both countries share a &ldquo;profound historical heritage and a common pursuit for better lives through fashion aesthetics.&rdquo; In his view, the collaboration goes far beyond couture. It is a cultural statement that strengthens diplomatic and human bonds alike. &ldquo;We are committed to exploring the modern value of traditional aesthetics with our Pakistani partners,&rdquo; Yuxiang said. &ldquo;Together, we aim to create distinctive fashion works and inject new vitality into Pakistan-China fashion collaboration.&rdquo; As models took their final walk beneath the glowing sky, the Great Wall stood silent yet alive, centuries of history bearing witness to a new form of dialogue between two creative nations. The fabrics, flowing chiffons, sculpted silks, and embroidered velvets, mirrored the terrain around them: enduring, textured, and timeless. The applause that followed was not just for fashion, but for the spirit of partnership that continues to define the Pakistan-China relationship. The show&rsquo;s success signaled more than a cultural event. It marked the beginning of a new era of creative diplomacy, where art, commerce, and connection walk hand in hand. From the ancient stones of Badaling to the bright lights of Beijing, the maiden Pakistan-China Fashion Show stitched together a narrative of shared heritage, creative confidence, and enduring friendship &mdash; a modern Silk Road woven in fabric, faith, and friendship.

Entertainment

Maheen Khan, Moazzam Abbasi, Ayesha Tariq, Rizwaullah, Zain Hashmi, and Liang Suyun showcased stunning Pakistan-China fusion designs at the Great Wall, celebrating shared heritage, creativity, and six decades of enduring friendship between the two nations.

Maiden Pakistan-China Fashion Show celebrates vibrant cultural fusion at Great Wall

Maham Khan

It&rsquo;s happened. Again. Predictably. Inevitable.&nbsp;Perhaps it was bound to happen. In an era of unverified media and echo chambers amplifying right-wing Indian nationalist narratives, another seemingly innocent historical site has become collateral damage. This time, the 14th-century architectural marvel Adina Mosque in West Bengal has become the latest casualty of this aggressive Hindu nationalist revisionism. An innocuous post by Yusuf Pathan, brother of famed cricketer Irfan Pathan, documenting his visit to the historic Adina Mosque, was all it took.&nbsp; Pathan wrote on X (formerly Twitter): &quot;The Adina Mosque in Malda, West Bengal, is a historic mosque built in the 14th century by Sultan Sikandar Shah, the second ruler of the Ilyas Shahi dynasty. Constructed in 1373&ndash;1375 CE, it was the largest mosque in the Indian subcontinent during its time, showcasing the region&#39;s architectural grandeur.&quot; <figure class="fr-media"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/206772c2-98f7-433f-8c89-d7d47dbc6c7e-1.png" alt="Yusuf Pathan's post on X (Twitter) regarding Adina Mosque" class="fr-fil fr-dib"><figcaption class="caption-cover-image text-sm text-gray-600 italic">Yusuf Pathan&#39;s post on X (Twitter) regarding Adina Mosque</figcaption></figure> Historical fact, you might think. Not in today&rsquo;s India. No sooner had the post gone live than a digital avalanche of faux outrage, conspiracy theories, and archaeological fiction followed&mdash;largely driven by Hindu nationalist accounts hell-bent on turning every brick and dome into a misplaced remnant of a Hindu temple. Enter Grok&mdash;Elon Musk&rsquo;s latest toy and a large language model (LLM). For context, an LLM is a sophisticated system that processes and generates text by analyzing massive datasets, unlike a sentient intelligence But that didn&rsquo;t stop users from weaponizing it. An Indian X user, 𝐕𝐑 (@0xVeepul), asked Grok under Yusuf&rsquo;s post: &ldquo;Is the above information correct?&rdquo; To which Grok replied&mdash;calmly and factually: &ldquo;Yes, the information about the Adina Mosque is accurate based on historical records. It was built by Sultan Sikandar Shah in 1373&ndash;1375 CE and was the largest in the subcontinent at the time.&rdquo; <figure class="fr-media"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/7f765913-3caf-42fa-b5e2-cb16e2482cd1-2.png" alt="Screengrab from X" class="fr-fil fr-dib"><figcaption class="caption-cover-image text-sm text-gray-600 italic">Screengrab from X</figcaption></figure> Cue outrage. Unwilling to let facts spoil a good myth, other users doubled down. PlanH (@planH_In) declared with full nationalist indignation: &ldquo;Dear Yusuf Pathan, you are standing in the campus of one of the largest Hindu Temples, Adinath Temple, which was desecrated and occupied by Islamic invaders [&hellip;] It is time to undo the injustice and barbarity, and reestablish the temple.&rdquo; <figure class="fr-media"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/c63e9860-5048-49b7-958d-c0d2a1ba844c-4.png" alt="An Indian X user argues that the historic 14th-century Adina Mosque in West Bengal, India was originally a Hindu temple. (X)" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><figcaption class="caption-cover-image text-sm text-gray-600 italic">An Indian X user argues that the historic 14th-century Adina Mosque in West Bengal, India was originally a Hindu temple. (X)</figcaption></figure> Once that claim didn&rsquo;t quite hold up to scrutiny&mdash;or reality&mdash;goalposts were shifted. Another user, now armed with poorly cropped images of carvings, asked Grok: &ldquo;@grok Can you verify this image belongs to the same place?&rdquo; Again, Grok tried to inject sanity: &ldquo;The images you shared appear to be close-ups of carvings at the Adina Mosque in Malda, West Bengal. Sources like OpIndia, and India Today indicate the mosque incorporates Hindu and Jain motifs from reused temple materials, matching the terracotta figures and designs shown. They align with the site&#39;s documented architecture.&rdquo; <figure class="fr-media"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/ddc6e295-1651-47d7-8ff0-b9aa103f10fd-6.png" alt="Grok fact-checks an Indian X user's claim that images from inside the Adina Mosque prove it was once a Hindu temple. (X)" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><figcaption class="caption-cover-image text-sm text-gray-600 italic">Grok fact-checks an Indian X user&#39;s claim that images from inside the Adina Mosque prove it was once a Hindu temple. (X)</figcaption></figure> In other words: yes, some recycled materials were used. That&rsquo;s not the same as &ldquo;Hindu temple desecrated by Islamic invaders.&rdquo; But nuance, it seems, is not welcome in this arena. The storm continues, echoing the now infamous Babri Masjid debacle&mdash;and, more ludicrously, the attempts to &quot;reclaim&quot; even the Taj Mahal as a Hindu site. Babri Masjid: The blueprint of manufactured outrage The Babri Masjid dispute remains the cautionary tale that refuses to fade. Constructed in the 16th century by Mir Baqi, a general under Mughal emperor Babur, the mosque stood in Ayodhya until it was demolished by a Hindu mob in 1992. The justification? The belief that it was built atop the birthplace of Lord Ram&mdash;a claim without conclusive historical proof. As Reuters have reported, the mosque&rsquo;s destruction triggered nationwide communal riots, leaving over 2,000 dead. The Supreme Court of India later ruled in 2019 that the demolition was unlawful&mdash;while paradoxically awarding the land for a Hindu temple, citing archaeological surveys. These very Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) surveys, ordered in 2003, claimed the presence of a pre-existing structure with &quot;non-Islamic&quot; architectural features. Yet these findings were hotly contested. Archaeologists Supriya Varma and Jaya Menon, court-appointed observers of the dig, later accused the ASI of methodological flaws and ideological bias (Huffington Post, December 2018). In their 2010 article in the Economic and Political Weekly, they argued the excavation &quot;did not find anything that supported ASI&rsquo;s conclusion.&quot; Historian and professor Arshad Islam, in his academic paper Babri Mosque: A Historic Bone of Contention (International Islamic University Malaysia), went further&mdash;arguing that the narrative of Ram&rsquo;s birthplace was a colonial invention.&nbsp; According to Islam, the British used such stories to divide Hindus and Muslims and consolidate imperial control&mdash;a legacy still haunting the subcontinent today. The Taj Mahal: From mausoleum to mythical mandir Not even India&rsquo;s most iconic monument is safe. In 2018, BJP Member of Parliament Vinay Katiyar claimed the Taj Mahal was originally a Hindu temple, named &ldquo;Tejo Mahalaya,&rdquo; and suggested it would be &ldquo;converted&rdquo; into a temple soon (Al Jazeera, Feb 6, 2018). This was not satire&mdash;it was a genuine policy statement. Let&rsquo;s be clear, historical records, including the Padshahnama from the Mughal period, confirm the land for the Taj was legally purchased from Raja Jai Singh. Archaeological evidence, according to the ASI, has found no indication of a temple beneath the structure. And the locked rooms, long a source of conspiracy theories, have been periodically opened for maintenance, and photos are public. Still, the myth persists&mdash;thanks largely to one man: P.N. Oak. A self-styled revisionist, Oak founded the &ldquo;Institute for Rewriting Indian History&rdquo; in 1964 and proposed, among other things, that virtually every major monument in India&mdash;Muslim, Christian, or otherwise&mdash;was originally a Hindu temple. His claims were so fantastical that India&rsquo;s Supreme Court dismissed a case based on his theories as &quot;frivolous&quot; and labeled it a &quot;publicity interest litigation.&quot; His &lsquo;ideas&rsquo; still inspire popular media. In October 2025, The Taj Story&mdash;a film starring Paresh Rawal&mdash;reignited this theory with a tour guide character demanding a &quot;DNA test&quot; for the Taj Mahal. According to The Print&mdash;an Indian digital platform&mdash;the film resurrects long-debunked conspiracy theories under the guise of entertainment. A pattern of appropriation This is no longer about academic disagreement. This is ideological repurposing masquerading as historical correction. From the Babri Masjid to the Adina Mosque, and even the Taj Mahal, the pattern is clear: 1. &nbsp; &nbsp;Identify an Islamic monument. 2. &nbsp; &nbsp;Launch a campaign of pseudohistorical claims. 3. &nbsp; &nbsp;Demand &ldquo;reclamation.&rdquo; 4. &nbsp; &nbsp;Ignore evidence, facts, and historians. 5. &nbsp; &nbsp;Repeat. This systematic targeting of Muslim heritage is not accidental&mdash;it&rsquo;s a calculated cultural war waged via hashtags, LLM prompts, and WhatsApp forwards.

Hindu devotees wait to enter the Hindu god Lord Ram temple after its inauguration in Ayodhya, India, January 23, 2024. (Reuters)

Blogs

This systematic targeting of Muslim heritage is not accidental—it’s a calculated cultural war.

Another historic mosque dragged into Hindu temple narrative storm

AUSTIN: Formula 1 on Sunday announced an eight-year extension with the Circuit of the Americas to continue hosting the United States Grand Prix through 2034.&nbsp;The central Texas track has been a key US footprint for the global motorsports series since it opened in 2012. The race has become one of the highest-attended events on the schedule every year, with officials claiming more than 400,000 fans in 2022 and 2023.&nbsp;&ldquo;We&rsquo;re glad Formula 1 has found a home in Texas, and are grateful to the fans, teams, and the entire F1 community who have consistently supported us and made the United States Grand Prix a favorite stop on the global calendar,&quot; track president Bobby Epstein said in a statement.&nbsp;The extension was announced just a few hours before Sunday&#39;s race. According to track officials, this year&#39;s race weekend included fans from all 50 states and 60 countries.&nbsp;The Circuit of the Americas is the only purpose-built F1 track in the country and hosted the only F1 race in the US from 2012-2021. The series has now expanded to include races in Miami and Las Vegas, and recently extended the Miami Grand Prix through 2041.&nbsp;The US Grand Prix also has a unique arrangement with the state of Texas that allows race officials to apply annually for tax revenue to help pay F1&#39;s license fee for staging the event. Since 2012, the state has paid more than $300 million.&nbsp;Formula 1 officials say the race has generated an economic impact of about $7 billion for Austin and Texas since it began.&nbsp;Stefano Domenicali, president and chief executive officer of Formula 1, noted the track&#39;s role in &ldquo;establishing the strong foundation we now enjoy in the US&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;As Formula 1 continues to grow and thrive in the United States, we are proud to extend our partnership with Bobby Epstein and his outstanding team in Austin, as well as with Governor (Greg) Abbott, whose leadership has been instrumental in supporting the sport&rsquo;s development in Texas and beyond,&quot; Domenicali said.&nbsp;The race contract comes three days after Formula 1 announced a five-year deal with Apple to be the series&#39;s US broadcast partner beginning next season.

Racing

Formula 1 extended its deal with Austin’s Circuit of the Americas through 2034, ensuring the United States Grand Prix remains a major fixture, generating billions for Texas as F1 expands its growing footprint across the US.


F1 extends US Grand Prix at COTA with 8-year deal 

GAZA CITY:&nbsp;Gaza&#39;s civil defence agency and hospitals said a series of Israeli air strikes across the territory killed at least 45 people on Sunday, updating an earlier toll of 33. The Israeli military said it had struck dozens of Hamas targets across the Gaza Strip, as both Israel and Hamas accused each other of violating the nine-day-old ceasefire brokered by US President Donald Trump. &quot;At least 45 people were killed as a result of Israeli air strikes on various areas of the Gaza Strip,&quot; Mahmud Bassal, spokesman for the civil defence agency, which operates as a rescue service under Hamas authority, told AFP. Four hospitals in Gaza confirmed the death toll to AFP, saying they had received the dead and wounded. Al-Awda Hospital in Nuseirat reported 24 dead and 73 wounded from multiple strikes in central Gaza. Al-Aqsa Hospital said it received 12 dead from nearby bombings, while Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis reported five dead, and Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City confirmed four fatalities. Earlier, Bassal detailed several of the strikes. He said six people were killed when an Israeli strike targeted a &quot;group of civilians&quot; in Zuwaida town in central Gaza. Six other people, including children, were killed and 13 others injured in two separate strikes near Nuseirat in central Gaza, Bassal said. A woman and two children were killed when a drone strike hit a tent housing displaced people near Asdaa City, north of Khan Yunis. Two people, including a journalist, were killed and several others injured in an Israeli strike in the western part of Zuwaida town in central Gaza. In another attack, two people were killed and several injured when an Israeli strike hit a tent in the Al-Ahli Club area in Nuseirat, central Gaza, Bassal said. Two more people were killed in an Israeli air strike in eastern Jabalia, northern Gaza Strip, he added. One individual was killed in a strike on an apartment in a building in western Gaza City, the civil defence agency said. The others succumbed later on Sunday to injuries received in these strikes, Bassal said. The Israeli military told AFP it was checking reports of casualties. Later on Sunday, the Israeli military said it has resumed enforcing the ceasefire in Gaza.

Israeli air strikes kill at least 45 across Gaza Strip

**35-word summary:**
Gaza’s civil defence said Israeli air strikes on Sunday killed at least 15 people, including women and children, across central and northern Gaza, as both Israel and Hamas accused each other of violating the ceasefire.


At least 45 killed in Israeli air strikes on Gaza 

COMO: Rising star Nico Paz shone again for Como with a goal and assist in Sunday&#39;s landmark 2-0 win over Juventus, which lifted the traditionally tiny club up to sixth place in Serie A.&nbsp;Argentina international Paz set up Marc-Oliver Kempf to sweep home in the fourth minute at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, before making sure of Como&#39;s first win against Juve since 1952 with a wonderful individual goal with 12 minutes remaining.&nbsp;Paz scampered down the right flank before cutting inside Andrea Cambiaso and curling a superb finish past Michele Di Gregorio, a goal which pushed Como above Juve on goal difference.&nbsp;Owned by tobacco giant Djarum and coached by former Spain and Barcelona star Cesc Fabregas, ambitious Como are on 12 points from seven matches, only three behind the division&#39;s leading trio of Inter Milan, Napoli and Roma.&nbsp;That gap to the summit will be increased to four points if fourth-placed AC Milan beat Fiorentina in Sunday&#39;s late match and move into top spot, but regardless Como are flying and it&#39;s largely down to Paz.&nbsp;Paz, 21, was signed from Real Madrid in August last year and after an impressive debut season in Italy he has been a key part of Como&#39;s strong start to this campaign with four goals and as many assists.&nbsp;&quot;He&#39;s a great player, I&#39;m not worried about his future because I can tell when a player is hungry, whether they have the right mentality to become a top player or whether they&#39;re a flash in the pan,&quot; said Fabregas to DAZN.&nbsp;&quot;He can go wherever he wants to go, he just needs to stay humble and keep his work ethic, because the talent and physical presence are there.&quot;

Football

Nico Paz inspired Como’s historic 2-0 win over Juventus with a goal and assist, lifting Cesc Fabregas’ side to sixth in Serie A — their first victory over Juve since 1952 — continuing Paz’s standout season.
