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Islamic World News ( 12 Dec 2025, NewAgeIslam.Com)

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Bengal's 'Babri Mosque' Gears Up for Inaugural Friday Namaz, Thousands To Attend

New Age Islam News Bureau

12 December2025

· Bengal's 'Babri Mosque' Gears Up for Inaugural Friday Namaz, Thousands To Attend

· Russia could attack Nato within five years, says alliance chief in stark new warning

· Israeli Officials and Anti-Muslim Hate Groups

· Sharia Not For Christians, Shouldn’t Be Imposed On Non-Muslims – Sultan

· US lawmakers press Israel to probe strike on reporters in Lebanon

· Soundstorm expands Saudi Arabia’s music scene with talent programs, global collaborations

· Malaysia achieves top tier in global fight against financial crime after 1MDB reforms

· BNP, Jamaat, NCP welcome announcement of national election schedule

…….

India

· BMC polls: How Vande Mataram helped Shiv Sena win power in Mumbai against odds

· Vande Mataram ‘one-day matter’ for BJP: Thackeray says party should not lecture him on Hindutva

· SIMI to ISIS: Why this little village near Mumbai keeps getting raided by intelligence agencies

· Red Fort hosts UNESCO meeting amid maximum vigil by police, paramilitary forces after November car blast

· Rs 10,000 or Rs 1 lakh, a Muslim voter will never choose me: Himanta Sarma

· BJP leader’s gaffe over Matangini Hazra gives Trinamool a fresh handle

· 'Bengal ethos to stay'; Mamata slams attack on Muslim vendors, no room for 'gaddari'

· 'Fight to protect religion': Suvendu felicitates men held for assaulting chicken-patty vendors at Gita event

· NCERT Class VII textbook highlights Mahmud of Ghazni’s brutality; celebrates southern, eastern dynasties

· Akhlaq lynching case: Court to now hear UP govt’s petition to drop charges against accused on Dec 18

· Union Home Minister during 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, Shivraj Patil had a turbulent run in govt, was sidelined thereafter

· Umar Khalid gets two-week bail for sister’s wedding under strict court-imposed conditions

· 'Terror victims will get jobs, and terrorists will get bullets': Manoj Sinha announces shift in J&K’s policy

· Coast Guard seizes Pakistani boat, detains 11 for illegal entry into Indian waters

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Europe

· Anti-Muslim former soldier stabbed his neighbour to death

· Man (38) remanded in custody charged in connection with mosque burning plot

· EU backers of Russian asset theft are ‘psychologically at war’ – Belgian PM

· UK can no longer hide its troops’ role in Ukraine – Lavrov

· Comments about Weston mosque plans published by council

· Mosque in former church set for expansion after plans approved

· Everyone in Ukraine except Zelensky ‘loved’ my plan – Trump

· Ukrainian drone strikes apartment block in western Russia

· Inquiry into role of Budget watchdog launched by MPs

· US wants 'special economic zone' in Ukraine's frontline region, Zelensky says

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North America

· ‘25k people died last month’: Trump hints at third world war as Russia-Ukraine talks falter - watch

· Mosque cafes brew community for younger, less religious generations of Muslims

· CAIR-CA Strongly Condemns ‘Unconstitutional and Defamatory Attack’ by Gov. DeSantis, Abbott on CAIR Chapters

· BREAKING: CAIR, CAIR-FL File Public Records Request for Gov. DeSantis’ Communications with US announces new sanctions on Venezuela

· Fyodor Lukyanov: Washington no longer sees Russia as Mordor

· 'South African immigrant annoyed at...': Mehdi Hasan slams Elon Musk for speaking against Ilhan Omar, Zohran Mamdani

· Trump lines up new $686 million military aid package for Pakistan

· Indiana Republicans defy Trump to reject new voting map

· Obamacare costs look set to spike for millions of Americans as Senate votes fail

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Africa

· Genocide: I’ve Never Seen Anything Like It’ – Moore Speaks On Terrorist Attack On Christians After Visit To Nigeria

· Troops Repel Boko Haram Attack, Neutralise Terrorists In Borno

· Why Attack An IDP Camp Screaming ‘Allahu Akbar’ – US Congress Team Speaks After Nigeria Tour, Reveals Next Step

· Despite peace deal: death toll rises after escalation in eastern DR Congo

· Mousa Al-Sadr’s family accuses Libyan authorities of stalling in his disappearance case

· Cotonou Returns To Normalcy After Foiled Coup Attempt

· Why We Requested For Support From Nigeria – Benin Republic Foreign Minister

· Reps Back Bill To Ban Dollar Use In Local Transactions, Amend CBN Act

· Owo Church Attack: DSS Opens Case, Priest Recounts Bomb Explosions, Gunfire

· Army Moves To Secure Taraba Communities After Deadly Attacks

· Shiites Are A Power To Reckon With, We Don’t Fear Guns – El-Zakzaky

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Mideast

· Maaloula…Cradle of Aramaic and Example of Coexistence between Christians and Muslims

· Year after Assad’s downfall, Syrians shows strong support for Al-Sharaa

· Could Israel’s Palestinians-only death penalty entrench impunity in the West Bank?

· UN peacekeepers say Israeli forces fired on them in southern Lebanon

· Rain has flooded Gaza tents and a baby died of exposure, medics say

· Israel says Hamas ‘will be disarmed’ after group proposes weapons freeze

· Baghdad airport reopens after weather disruption

· Exclusive: Erbil talks to pick Iraq’s new leadership

· Ayatollah Khamenei: Spread of resistance concept from Iran to other countries become reality

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Arab World

· Agreement to boost Saudi music sector

· MWL secretary-general stresses promotion of coexistence and cooperation

· UN chief visits KSrelief HQ in Riyadh

· Beyond IKEA: How Sweden’s culture of innovation affects daily life in Saudi Arabia

· Tabadulat secures full FSRA license to launch UAE’s first free halal trading platform

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Southeast Asia

· MOHE coordinates RM500 aid for Indonesian students in Malaysia, Malaysians students in Aceh

· PAS endorses Karambunai assemblyman’s support for Sabah CM Hajiji

· ‘I leave it to the courts’: Syed Saddiq puts faith in judiciary after apex court tells prosecution to rethink case

· Bung Moktar’s son Mohd Naim rules himself out of Lamag by‑election candidacy

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South Asia

· Kurigram bank, treasury raided to fund war

· Afghan Dual Nationals Can Enter Afghanistan Without Visa, Ministry Confirms

· Germany Cancels Resettlement Plans for 640 Afghan Refugees in Pakistan

· Kabul Releases ISIS-K Confessions on Khalil-ur-Rahman Haqqani Killing

· Islamabad Says Kabul Clerics’ Gathering Not Enough, Seeks Formal Assurance from Mullah Hibatullah

· BNP, Jamaat, NCP hail end to polls uncertainty

· Journalist Shaukat Mahmood placed on 5-day remand in anti-terrorism case

· Pakistan and China’s Envoys Discuss Afghanistan as Security Concerns Grow

Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau

URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/bengal-babri-mosque-friday-namaz/d/137987

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Bengal's 'Babri Mosque' Gears Up for Inaugural Friday Namaz, Thousands To Attend

Dec 12, 2025

The site for the proposed 'Babri' mosque in West Bengal's Murshidabad will host its inaugural Friday prayers today, in what is being seen as a new dawn in minority politics ahead of next year's state elections.

Massive preparations are underway in Beldanga, where the foundation stone for the mosque was laid last Saturday by Humayun Kabir, a rebel MLA suspended by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's party.

Friday prayers, or Jumu'ah namaz, are crucial in Islam and often see a larger turnout than on other days. Hundreds of Muslim believers have already gathered at the mosque site since morning.

Arrangements have also been made to feed a thousand people after the prayers. Khichdi is being prepared at the site, with a group seen peeling vegetables nearby. Behind them are stacks of bricks donated for the mosque's construction.

"A thousand people will eat here for free. We have brought 1.5 quintals of rice and other ingredients," says a member of the cooking team. "By feeding them, we will incur a good deed," adds another, anticipating that the turnout could even be in lakhs.

The 'Babri' mosque is expected to be a replica of the 16th-century Babri Masjid torn down in Ayodhya in 1992, an episode that changed the political landscape in India forever.

Kabir proposed building a mosque by the same name on December 6, the day of the Ayodhya episode, with a wider plan to capture the state's minority votes.

The MLA has already announced he would "finish" the Muslim vote bank of Banerjee, vowing to field candidates in 135 out of 294 seats in the 2026 elections. Trying to be a "kingmaker" in Bengal, he has already announced a new party. He has pitched for an alliance with Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM party, though the AIMIM has thus far ruled out any such arrangement.

The Trinamool had suspended Kabir, stating that they believe in a "secular theory," while the BJP called his mosque-building efforts an attempt to incite communal tensions.

Muslims comprise a major vote bank for the Trinamool that had been trying to block the BJP's efforts at making deeper inroads in the state, where the 2021 elections saw it emerge as a stronger force than ever.

Despite the odds, Trinamool swept the 2021 elections with a two-thirds majority.

Source: ndtv.com

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

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/bengals-babri-mosque-gears-up-for-inaugural-friday-namaz-thousands-to-attend-9796537

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Russia could attack Nato within five years, says alliance chief in stark new warning

Frank Gardner

12 Dec, 2025

Many were complacent, but conflict was next door, the Nato chief warned

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Russia could attack a Nato country within the next five years, the Western military alliance's chief has said in a stark new warning.

"Russia is already escalating its covert campaign against our societies," Mark Rutte said in a speech in Germany. "We must be prepared for the scale of war our grandparents or great-grandparents endured."

He echoed similar statements about Russia's intentions made by Western intelligence agencies, which Moscow dismisses as hysteria.

Rutte's warning comes as US President Donald Trump tries to bring an end to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, launched in February 2022.

Earlier this month, Russia's President Vladimir Putin said his country was not planning to go to war with Europe, but it was ready "right now" if Europe wanted to - or started a war.

But similar reassurances were given by Moscow in 2022, just before 200,000 Russian troops crossed the border and invaded Ukraine.

Putin has accused European countries of hindering US efforts to bring peace in Ukraine - a reference to the role Ukraine's European allies have recently played in trying to change a US peace plan to end the war, whose initial draft was seen as favouring Russia.

But Putin was not sincere, Nato's secretary-general said in the German capital, Berlin.

Supporting Ukraine, he added, was a guarantee for European security.

"Just imagine if Putin got his way; Ukraine under the boot of Russian occupation, his forces pressing against a longer border with Nato, and the significantly increased risk of an armed attack against us."

Russia's economy has been on a war footing for more than three years now - its factories churn out ever more supplies of drones, missiles and artillery shells.

According to a recent report by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, Russia has been producing each month around 150 tanks, 550 infantry fighting vehicles, 120 Lancet drones and more than 50 artillery pieces.

The UK, and most of its Western allies, are simply not anywhere near this point.

Analysts say it would take years for Western Europe's factories to come close to matching Russia's mass-production of weapons.

France and Germany have both recently moved to revive a system of voluntary military service for 18-year-olds.

So-called "hybrid" or "grey-zone" warfare, which includes events that are often deniable, such as cyber-attacks, disinformation and the alleged launching of drones close to airports and military bases in Nato countries, have been ramping up this year.

But worrying as these are, they pale compared to the crisis that would be triggered by a Russian military attack on a Nato country, especially if it involved seizing territory and people being killed.

Nato includes 30 European countries - as well as Canada and the US, the alliance's most-powerful military member.

Under pressure from Trump, its members have pledged to increase military spending.

"Nato's own defences can hold for now," Rutte warned in Berlin, but conflict was "next door" to Europe and he feared "too many are quietly complacent, and too many don't feel the urgency, too many believe that time is on our side.

"Allied defence spending and production must rise rapidly, our armed forces must have what they need to keep us safe," the Nato chief said.

Source: bbc.com

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

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn81x8py3j5o

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Israeli Officials and Anti-Muslim Hate Groups

December 11, 2025

The Florida chapter and national office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today announced that they have filed a public records request with the State of Florida seeking all communications between the office of Governor Ron DeSantis, Israeli government officials, and anti-Muslim hate groups, as well as any communications related to his “lawless and defamatory” attack on CAIR-Florida and the Florida Muslim community.

[NOTE TO MEDIA: Members of the press may request a copy of CAIR’s public records filing by contacting CAIR Communications Manager Ismail Allison at iallison@cair.com.]

In a statement, CAIR Director of Government Affairs Department Robert S. McCaw said:

“Ron DeSantis has a long history of close collaboration with anti-Muslim hate groups and Israeli government officials who have spent years trying to silence American Muslims who support Palestinian human rights. The people of Florida and the broader public have a right to know whether Governor DeSantis collaborated with a foreign government or hate groups to launch his unconstitutional and defamatory attack on CAIR-Florida and the broader Florida Muslim community.”

Scope of CAIR’s Public Records Request

CAIR’s request, submitted under Article I, Section 24 of the Florida Constitution and Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, seeks all emails, text messages, encrypted messages, memoranda, call logs, calendar entries, meeting notes, drafts, and attachments from DeSantis and the Office of the Governor, Attorney General, and Secretary of State, from January 1, 2025, to the present relating to:

Executive Order 25-244

References to CAIR or CAIR-Florida

References to Islam, Muslims, Sharia, or “Sharia law”

The Governor’s claim of designating a “foreign terrorist organization”

The request requires searches of the Governor and senior members of his administration responsible for drafting, reviewing, or communicating about the executive order.

Communications With Outside Groups and Officials

CAIR is also seeking any communications between the DeSantis Administration and:

A specific list of anti-Muslim advocates and hate groups

A specific list of Israel First advocacy groups involved in campaigns against Muslim or Palestinian rights organizations

Representatives or officials of the Government of Israel

Upon receipt of responsive records, CAIR plans to review the materials and release its findings to the public to ensure transparency around the motivations and influences behind Executive Order 25-244.

Source: cair.com

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

https://www.cair.com/press_releases/breaking-cair-cair-fl-file-public-records-request-for-gov-desantis-communications-with-israeli-officials-and-anti-muslim-hate-groups/

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Sharia Not For Christians, Shouldn’t Be Imposed On Non-Muslims – Sultan

December 11, 2025

By Enioluwa Adeniyi

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, has said it is wrong to subject Christians to Sharia law, emphasising that Islamic law is strictly meant for Muslims.

He made the statement on Wednesday at the opening of the 2025 triennial meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) in Abuja, themed, “Collaboration of Inter-Religious Council with Government to Promote Peace in Nigeria.”

The Sultan stated that Nigeria is a multi-religious, not secular, nation and that the government has not adopted Islam or Christianity as a state religion. Instead, he said, the government supports both major religions equally.

The Sultan said that Sharia law will never be implemented for any non-Muslim, advising that Christians should not be made to dress or pray like Muslims.

While emphasising that the Sharia is purely 100 per cent for Muslims, Abubakar explained that Nigeria is more of a multi-religious country than a secular state.

Responding to recent calls for Sharia’s abolition, the Sultan noted that Nigeria allows the practice of all religions without interference and warned against mischaracterising religious freedom in the country.

NIREC-Govt Partnership Key To Peace — Speaker Abbas

In his remarks, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, called for stronger collaboration between NIREC and the Federal Government to strengthen peace-building efforts and address rising insecurity.

He noted that extremists continue to exploit religious sentiments to threaten national unity.

Abbas said, “This gathering is symbolic and comes at a time when violent extremists are sowing discord. It signifies the need for synergy between NIREC and the government.

“We must challenge stereotypes and show that the negative narrative on inter-religious relations, especially the story of genocide against members of a particular religion, is false and misleading.”

He assured the council of legislative support to implement the actionable peace strategies proposed during the meeting.

Nigeria’s Unity Non-Negotiable — SGF Akume

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, said Nigeria continues to face serious internal security challenges, worsened by political rhetoric and eroded mutual trust.

Akume warned against external pressure and false narratives about Nigeria’s security situation.

“Our independence and sovereignty are non-negotiable. We cannot allow terror or division to sink the ship of state,” he said.

He called on religious leaders, traditional rulers, and community figures to unite and promote peace through strategic collaboration.

President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Daniel Okoh, said Nigeria was at a critical moment in its history, with insecurity threatening national cohesion.

He said faith-based organisations remain among the most trusted institutions in the country and should be harnessed for peace-building.

“Faith institutions have immense potential for strengthening security and sustaining peace,” Okoh stated.

He called for closer collaboration between the government and religious bodies like NIREC to foster dialogue, mobilise communities, and nurture social harmony.

Religious Leaders Must Help Tackle Terrorism — NIREC Sec

Earlier, Executive Secretary of NIREC, Rev. Fr. Cornelius Omonokhua, stressed the need for religious leaders to partner with the government in defeating terrorism and banditry.

He reminded the gathering that “every human life is precious to God” and urged leaders to work together to secure the lives of all Nigerians.

Omonokhua prayed for divine wisdom for leaders, transformation for criminals, and a national shift towards positive values and mental re-engineering.

Source: naijanews.com

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

https://www.naijanews.com/2025/12/11/sharia-not-for-christians-shouldnt-be-imposed-on-non-muslims-sultan/

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US lawmakers press Israel to probe strike on reporters in Lebanon

December 11, 2025

US Senator Peter Welch (R), Democrat of Vermont, speaks alongside AFP video journalist Dylan Collins (L), who was wounded during an Israeli attack on a group of seven journalists in Southern Lebanon on Oct. 13, 2023, outside the US Capitol in Washington, Dec. 11, 2025. (AFP)

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WASHINGTON: Several Democratic lawmakers called Thursday for the Israeli and US governments to fully investigate a deadly 2023 attack by the Israeli military on journalists in southern Lebanon.

The October 13, 2023 airstrike killed Reuters videographer Issam Abdallah and wounded six other reporters, including two from AFP — video journalist Dylan Collins and photographer Christina Assi, who lost her leg.

“We expect the Israeli government to conduct an investigation that meets the international standards and to hold accountable those people who did this,” Senator Peter Welch told a news conference, with Collins by his side.

The lawmaker from Collins’s home state of Vermont said he had been pushing for answers for two years, first from the administration of Democratic president Joe Biden and now from the Republican White House of Donald Trump.

The Israeli government has “stonewalled at every single turn,” Welch added.

“With the Israeli government, we have been extremely patient, and we have done everything we reasonably can to obtain answers and accountability,” he said.

“The IDF has made no effort, none, to seriously investigate this incident,” Welch said, referring to the Israeli military, adding that it has told his office its investigation into the incident is closed.

Collins called for Washington to publicly acknowledge the attack in which an American citizen was injured.

“But I’d also like them to put pressure on their greatest ally in the Middle East, the Israeli government, to bring the perpetrators to account,” he said, echoing the lawmakers who called the attack a “war crime.”

“We’re not letting it go,” Vermont congresswoman Becca Balint said. “It doesn’t matter how long they stonewall us.”

AFP conducted an independent investigation which concluded that two Israeli 120mm tank shells were fired from the Jordeikh area in Israel.

The findings were corroborated by other international probes, including investigations conducted by Reuters, the Committee to Protect Journalists, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders.

Unlike Welch’s assertion Thursday that the Israeli probe was over, the IDF told AFP in October that “findings regarding the event have not yet been concluded.”

Source: arabnews.com

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

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2625915/middle-east

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Soundstorm expands Saudi Arabia’s music scene with talent programs, global collaborations

AFSHAN AZIZ

December 11, 2025

RIYADH: MDLBEAST is placing sustainability and the growth of Saudi Arabia’s creative economy at the center of Soundstorm 2025, its annual music festival which is taking place until Dec. 13.

In an exclusive interview with Arab News, Ramadan Alharatani, the CEO of MDLBEAST, said the festival was not just about entertainment, but about creating long-term economic and social value.

He said: “Soundstorm plays a major role in the creative economy by creating jobs, attracting international talent, and giving local artists real opportunities to perform on a large stage.

“We are also investing in long-term programs that support training, production, and creative development beyond the festival weekend.

“This year we are focusing more on accessibility and sustainability. We are improving transportation options, making the site easier to navigate, and introducing better systems for recycling and energy use. Inclusion is also a priority, so we are working on creating spaces and experiences that welcome all types of audiences.”

Looking at the festival’s role in nurturing emerging talent, Alharatani said: “We are continuing to build on programs that help new talent grow.

“Through XP Music Futures, our year-round initiatives under the MDLBEAST Foundation, and partnerships with regional and international labels, we are giving young artists more access to mentorship, training, and performance opportunities.

“We are also supporting new ideas in music tech, sound design, and creative production, so emerging talent can experiment with different forms of expression. These partnerships help us develop the next generation of artists and build a stronger presence in the region.”

This year’s edition of Soundstorm offers audiences more stages, a wider variety of genres, and increased international collaborations.

The festival layout has been redesigned to make it easier for fans to explore areas dedicated to live music, hip-hop, regional talent, and emerging artists, alongside the main stages featuring global performers.

These changes focus on the rapid growth of Saudi Arabia’s music scene, with local audiences embracing diverse genres, and international artists showing greater interest in performing in the Kingdom.

“Soundstorm has always been a place where these worlds meet, but this year that connection is stronger and more visible,” Alharatani said.

Regarding the future and MDLBEAST’S vision, he said: “Our main priority is growth that feels sustainable and meaningful.

“We want to build more cultural experiences, support more local talent, and expand our presence globally without losing our connection to the region. In the next few years we will continue developing our festivals, expanding our live event calendar, increasing our year-round venue offerings, and investing in talent development.

“The goal is to create long-term value for the music and entertainment scene in Saudi Arabia.”

Building on MDLBEAST’S efforts to expand the Kingdom’s creative ecosystem, Nada Alhelabi, general manager of the MDLBEAST Foundation and founder of XP Music Futures, said the foundation was creating professional pathways for emerging talent.

She said: “This year we are expanding XP’s educational and professional programs to give young people clearer pathways into the music industry. We are introducing more workshops, mentoring sessions, and hands-on training across areas such as sound engineering, event production, artist management, and creative business.

“The aim is to help young talent understand how the industry works and how they can build real careers in it. Alongside our XP Music Futures program we have nine initiatives that the MDLBEAST Foundation works on all year round to develop a sustainable music ecosystem in our region.”

She added that the landscape of creative careers in Saudi Arabia had transformed rapidly, with more venues, festivals, and studios creating a growing demand for skilled professionals.

Alhelabi added: “Young people now see music as a real industry with a variety of career paths beyond performing. XP Music Futures provides a space where talent, executives, startups, and educators can connect, giving young creatives access to industry leaders, hands-on learning, and opportunities to network and exchange ideas.”

On the impact of key programs, Alhelabi said: “This year we saw strong progress across all three programs. Hunna continues to support the development of female talent and leaders, and several participants have already stepped into new roles across production, performance, and creative management.

“XPERFORM (has) helped emerging artists grow their audiences and secure new performance opportunities, and a major milestone this year was our new partnership with Shahid.

“As the region’s leading streaming platform, Shahid is now broadcasting XPERFORM, giving our artists wider visibility and bringing their stories to a much larger audience.

“Sound Futures also supported a new wave of music-tech startups, many of which are now testing or launching their ideas in the market.

“Together, these stories show how year-round support can make a real difference and they highlight how XP is helping shape the next generation of creatives.”

Source: arabnews.com

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

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2625914/saudi-arabia

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Malaysia achieves top tier in global fight against financial crime after 1MDB reforms

11 Dec 2025

Malaysia climbs to FATF’s top tier in fighting money laundering and terrorism financing, strengthened by reforms following the 1MDB scandal.

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia has earned top recognition from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), moving up to the “regular follow-up” category — a major upgrade from its “enhanced follow-up” status in 2015.

The FATF, the international body that sets standards to combat money laundering, terrorism financing, and proliferation of weapons, acknowledged Malaysia’s strengthened financial safeguards, placing the country among an elite group recognized for high levels of effectiveness.

Only 11 countries achieved this distinction in the last evaluation cycle, New Straits Times reported.

According to the Mutual Evaluation Report (MER) 2025, Malaysia has made significant progress over the past decade through enhanced legislation, improved supervisory frameworks and better coordination among domestic agencies.

The report highlighted that Malaysia has a “sound understanding” of its money laundering and terrorism financing risks, supported by regular national risk assessments and data-driven analysis.

“A notable strength of Malaysia’s anti-money laundering (AML), counter financing of terrorism (CFT) and counter proliferation financing (CPF) framework is its strong domestic coordination and cooperation mechanisms,” the report said.

The MER 2025 also recognized improved effectiveness in areas such as financial intelligence, supervision of financial institutions, and the enforcement of targeted financial sanctions for terrorism and proliferation financing.

The reforms following the 1MDB scandal were noted as a key driver for stronger governance, enforcement and asset recovery.

However, the report identified areas that require further attention, including cross-border crime, third-party and trade-based money laundering, and risks linked to the Labuan International Business and Financial Centre.

It also noted gaps in prosecutions for high-risk money laundering offences, transparency of beneficial ownership, and the use of mutual legal assistance (MLA) in cross-border cases.

“Since the MER 2015, Malaysia has increased the use of MLA for matters relating to money laundering, terrorism financing, corruption and fraud, although further improvement is needed in utilising MLA for investigations and prosecutions,” the report said.

Authorities continue to rely on information-sharing through joint operations and regional platforms, particularly for terrorism financing and cross-border crimes such as drug trafficking and smuggling.

Yet, the report emphasized that these measures cannot replace the underutilized MLA mechanism.

Looking ahead, MER 2025 outlines recommendations for Malaysia to further strengthen its AML, CFT, and CPF framework, with progress to be reported to FATF in 2029.

Source: thesun.my

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https://thesun.my/news/malaysia-news/malaysia-achieves-top-tier-in-global-fight-against-financial-crime-after-1mdb-reforms/

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BNP, Jamaat, NCP welcome announcement of national election schedule

Dec 11, 2025

BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and National Citizen Party (NCP) have welcomed the announcement of the schedule of 13th national election.

Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, in a pre-recorded televised address this evening, announced that the 13th National Parliamentary Election and the July Charter referendum will be held on February 12, 2026.

"Today is a day of joy," BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said in an instant reaction while talking to reporters at the BNP chairperson's office in Dhaka's Gulshan this evening.

"The election schedule announcement by the Election Commission has reassured us. Through this announcement today, it has been proven that the Election Commission, the government, and political parties want to hold the election. They want to implement the people's right to vote," he added.

"We are satisfied by and large with the election schedule. There may be a few minor differences in wording, but I don't think it's a big issue," he also said.

Fakhrul said, "The main point is that the election and the referendum will be held on the same day -- February 12, 2026, which I believe is undoubtedly a major and significant event in Bangladesh's political history."

"We expect that the Election Commission will conduct a fair, free, and acceptable election. All political parties and candidates should consciously make this election a celebration. As we know, for the past 15 years, elections have been a farce, and democracy has been destroyed.

"Now, we have a new opportunity. Through the mass uprising of students and people, we will be able to form a parliament that will represent people," the BNP leader said.

While talking to reporters, Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar said, "We welcome the election schedule."

"This is the first step in holding the election. We hope the Election Commission and the government will implement the other steps, including ensuring that voters can go to polling centres and cast their votes in a free and fair environment," he said.

BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and National Citizen Party (NCP) have welcomed the announcement of the schedule of 13th national election.

"Today is a day of joy," BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said in an instant reaction while talking to reporters at the BNP chairperson's office in Dhaka's Gulshan this evening.

"We are satisfied by and large with the election schedule. There may be a few minor differences in wording, but I don't think it's a big issue," he also said.

"Now, we have a new opportunity. Through the mass uprising of students and people, we will be able to form a parliament that will represent people," the BNP leader said.

While talking to reporters, Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar said, "We welcome the election schedule."

Reacting to the announcement at a briefing held at Jamaat's central office in Moghbazar at 6:30pm, party's Assistant Secretary General Ahsanul Mahbub Zubair said Jamaat expects the Election Commission to fulfil several major responsibilities to ensure a free, fair, and neutral election.

"We hope they (EC) will demonstrate utmost responsibility in ensuring a level playing field for all political parties -- recovering illegal arms, and carrying out all administrative and other duties necessary to make the national election meaningful," he said.

Zubair further said the election would fulfil the aspirations of the July mass uprising.

Meanwhile, leaders and activists of Jamaat brought out a procession in various parts of the country welcoming the election schedule, party sources said.

National Citizen Party (NCP) Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary also welcomed the announcement of the election schedule, but raised questions about the EC's ability to remain neutral amid political pressure.

He made the remark while speaking at a press conference at NCP's Banglamotor central office this evening.

"The Election Commission lacks both neutrality and operational capacity. At the same time, we do not see sufficient preparedness from law enforcement to ensure security during the upcoming national election. We are already witnessing signs of intimidation and the clatter of weapons," he added.

Source: thedailystar.net

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India

BMC polls: How Vande Mataram helped Shiv Sena win power in Mumbai against odds

by Zeeshan Shaikh

December 11, 2025

Few cultural symbols in India have been drawn into politics as often as Vande Mataram. Written as a hymn of anti-colonial resistance, the song has, over the decades, acquired meanings far beyond its literary origins. It has been promoted by governments, questioned by some communities, and repeatedly invoked by political parties during moments of electoral contest.

One of the earliest instances of its use in local electoral politics came in the early 1970s, when the Shiv Sena turned Vande Mataram into a central campaign theme in the Bombay Municipal Corporation elections.

The move helped the party take control of the civic body even though it did not finish first in terms of seats.

From ‘Jai Bhavani, Jai Shivaji’ to Vande Mataram

From its formation in 1966, the Shiv Sena relied heavily on slogans to shape its politics on the streets of Mumbai. In its early years, “Jai Bhavani, Jai Shivaji” became the party’s main rallying cry. But by the early 1970s, the Sena had begun to foreground Vande Mataram, turning the national song into a political marker during the run-up to the 1973 polls.

The shift had its roots in events within the corporation in 1968. A proposal that corporators stand and sing Vande Mataram met resistance from some Muslim members. Muslim groups have historically objected to the compulsory singing of the whole song, pointing to later stanzas that personify the nation as a goddess, a form of praise viewed as impermissible within Islamic theology.

The situation escalated when Amin Khandwani, a Congress councillor from Mahim, declined to join in singing Vande Mataram during a corporation meeting. His refusal set off a political storm that soon spilled into the public arena.

By the time the 1973 elections approached, the issue had become part of the city’s political conversation, and the Sena actively used it during the campaign.

Vande Mataram at the centre of Sena messaging

Looking to expand its influence beyond its traditional base, the Sena used all its might to consolidate its position as a political powerhouse in Bombay in the 70s. Apart from raising the Vande Mataram issue, the party tied up with both factions of the Republican Party of India (RPI), presenting itself as supportive of neo-Buddhist interests while criticising its rivals.

The Sena fielded 85 candidates and allotted 20 seats to the RPI factions. Its campaign also targeted the Indira Gandhi-led Congress (R), accusing it of protecting “smugglers, bootleggers and black-marketeers.” But it was the Vande Mataram issue that the party placed at the centre of its messaging.

The Muslim League’s stand against compulsory singing gave Bal Thackeray a clear point of attack. He urged Sena corporators to challenge the League on the matter, turning the debate into a question of national loyalty.

Although the Sena won only 40 seats, it moved quickly after the results were announced. Through negotiations with independents, Congress (O) members, RPI factions and even some hesitant Jana Sangh corporators, the party assembled enough support to get its candidate Sudhir Joshi elected as mayor on April 2, 1973, securing 76 votes well above its own strength and more than the Congress (R), which had actually won more seats.

This was the first time the Sena successfully used an emotive issue, such as Vande Mataram, to build influence beyond its numerical position in the House. Having campaigned for the compulsory singing of Vande Mataram, the new administration soon adopted a more conciliatory approach.

On April 14, 1971, the new Shiv Sena mayor Joshi announced that Muslim corporators could abstain from singing the song if they wished.

Source: indianexpress.com

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Vande Mataram ‘one-day matter’ for BJP: Thackeray says party should not lecture him on Hindutva

December 11, 2025

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the BJP, stating that a party for which Vande Mataram is just a ‘one-day matter’ had no right to lecture him on Hindutva.

Speaking to reporters in Nagpur at the premises of the Vidhan Sabha, Thackeray alleged that the BJP invokes Vande Mataram only for political benefits and not out of genuine respect for the motherland. “There was a debate on Vande Mataram in Parliament. How can one hold a debate on the ‘rashtra geet’ in one’s own country and why are they remembering Vande Mataram after so many years? Vande Mataram has completed 150 years, but the BJP’s love for Vande Mataram is only for a day,” he said.

Thackeray further claimed that some BJP ministers openly consume beef. “In your cabinet, there are ministers who say they eat beef and challenge anyone to stop them. If Amit Shah has the courage to question my Hindutva, he should first expel Rijiju from the cabinet,” he said.

Thackeray’s statement comes a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah targeted the the Opposition INDIA alliance, especially the Shiv Sena (UBT), for supporting a proposal in Parliament to impeach a Madras High Court judge. A Shiv Sena (UBT) MP

signed a letter demanding impeachment of Madras High Court Judge Justice G R Swaminathan who directed the authorities of the Subramaniya Swamy Temple at Thirupparankundram in Madurai to ensure that the Karthigai Deepam was lit at the deepathoon (a stone pillar) near a dargah on the top of a hill.

Thackeray defended his party’s stance, clarifying, “Our position is that a lamp of light should be lit in the temple premises. We brought an impeachment motion against the judge because his career has been controversial so far.”

Questioning the sudden debate over Vande Mataram in Parliament, Thackeray said, “The discussion on Vande Mataram exposed the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh as it was explained how its founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee had formed governments with Muslim League. These are the fathers of their political birth, and they want to teach us Hindutva?” he asked.

Taking a jibe at Shiv Sena chief and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Thackeray slammed Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis alleging that it was he who was sheltering the corrupt by forming governments with them.

The former Chief Minister also criticized the state and central governments for the delayed and inadequate support to farmers. “Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan last month said his ministry has not received any proposal from Maharashtra for providing aid to calamity-affected farmers. After this, the Mahayuti government suddenly sent a proposal for financial assistance to the Centre,” said Thackeray.

“We want to ask what proposal has the state government sent to the Centre, how much relief amount it has demanded and who will benefit from it. Details of the proposal should be tabled in the legislature. People should know whether the central government will help the state,” he said.

He also slammed the handling of crop insurance. “Even the crop insurance assistance should have been provided, but it has been ridiculed. Will the government take action against the companies that are mocking the farmers?” said Thackeray.

Source: indianexpress.com

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SIMI to ISIS: Why this little village near Mumbai keeps getting raided by intelligence agencies

by Zeeshan Shaikh

December 12, 2025

For the past decade, Borivali-Padgha, a village in Maharashtra’s Thane district, located 53 km north of Mumbai, has frequently figured in the news and public perception as a centre of subversive activities. It has also consistently remained on the radar of national security agencies. In the last two years alone, the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), and the Thane rural police have carried out multiple raids here, including large coordinated searches in 2024 and 2025.

In the most recent raid on Thursday, the ED conducted searches at 40 locations across multiple states and districts, including the Padgha-Borivali region, as part of a money-laundering probe linked to cases registered by the NIA and Maharashtra ATS against Pune-based individuals allegedly connected to ISIS activities in the state.

A look at why this village repeatedly draws such massive scrutiny, its political and social landscape, and the long shadow cast by one of its most prominent residents, the late Saquib Nachan.

The history of the settlement

Borivali-Padgha’s documented history dates back to the Shilahara Dynasty (7th-10th century), when the region formed part of the northern Konkan administrative belt. Arab traders arriving at Bhiwandi port in the 12th century established a settlement in neighbouring Borivali, which later merged, socially and economically, with Padgha.

The community that emerged from this mix—largely Muslim and economically self-sufficient—built sturdy homes, many of which still stand. Prominent families such as the Mullas, Nachans and Khots grew influential as landowners and timber traders. The area is home to 5,780 residents, of whom 83 per cent are Muslims, as per the 2011 Census.

Borivali-Padgha’s residents have a record of political participation. During the freedom movement, Muslim women from the village led a Swadeshi protest, burning British goods in Borivali’s square, an event attended by Sarojini Naidu.

This political consciousness saw the village transform into a base for a range of ideological currents, ranging from leftist activism to Islamist student mobilisation. Before its ban in 2001, the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) had a visible presence in the area, something that later became a reference point in intelligence assessments.

The 2002-03 blasts cases

Borivali-Padgha first drew significant security attention during the investigations into the 2002-03 Mumbai serial blasts, when five residents were named accused. The police alleged that Nachan, a former SIMI general secretary and the best-known figure from Padgha in security records, was the key conspirator.

Evidence cited by agencies included alleged procurement of weapons, facilitation of training, and involvement in planning blasts in Ghatkopar, Vile Parle, Mumbai Central and Mulund. Some of the accused were convicted under arms charges, while others were acquitted of terror offences.

The episode cemented Borivali-Padgha’s association with extremist activity in the public imagination, a label residents have struggled to challenge.

The Saquib Nachan factor

The late Saquib Nachan is a central name in extremist circles. He was born into a prominent Konkani Muslim family in Borivali-Padgha. The third of 12 children of community leader Abdul Hamid Nachan, he grew up on extensive family landholdings and graduated in Commerce before beginning his ideological journey with Jamaat-e-Islami Hind.

In the early 1980s, he joined its student wing, SIMI, rising rapidly to become its Maharashtra president and later national general secretary.

By the mid-1980s, intelligence agencies alleged Nachan had “gone rogue,” travelling to Pakistan and Afghanistan and cultivating links with militant groups. A 1992 CBI chargesheet accused him of facilitating explosives and guerrilla training for Indian Muslim and Sikh youths and aiding ISI-backed Operation K2, which sought joint Islamist–Khalistani operations.

Arrested the same year under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, Nachan was sentenced to life, later reduced to 10 years by the Supreme Court. After completing the term, he returned to Padgha in 2001.

Though acquitted in three murder cases soon after, Nachan again came under the scanner following the 2002-03 Mumbai serial blasts that killed 15 people. His attempted arrest in March 2003 led to a confrontation between Borivali-Padgha residents and the police. Days later, a police encounter linked three alleged terrorists to him through a recovered diary. Under pressure, Nachan surrendered and was arrested with 15 others.

Released in 2017, Nachan returned to a quiet life in Borivali-Padgha until his name resurfaced in 2023 during an NIA probe, for links with ISIS. He was in judicial custody in Tihar Jail after being arrested for alleged links with ISIS, and died in a Delhi hospital earlier this year.

Why raids have intensified in last 2 years

Nachan was arrested by the NIA in December 2023 for his alleged role in promoting terrorist activities linked to ISIS. According to the NIA, Nachan, along with his son Shamil Saquib Nachan and five other accused, was part of an ISIS-affiliated sleeper cell operating out of Kondhwa, Pune. The agency alleged the group was involved in the fabrication, training, and testing of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and had conducted bomb-making workshops.

Investigators further claimed the group had conspired to transform Borivali-Padgha into a “liberated zone” and had plans to carry out attacks aimed at disturbing communal harmony and waging war against the Indian state, in alignment with ISIS’s agenda.

Agencies believe that the ideological and organisational networks built during SIMI’s presence have not fully dissipated. With multiple residents named in separate cases over two decades, from the early SIMI years to the Mumbai blasts to the recent ISIS probe, the area remains a priority surveillance zone with constant police presence and pickets.

Source: indianexpress.com

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Red Fort hosts UNESCO meeting amid maximum vigil by police, paramilitary forces after November car blast

12.12.25

A delegate entering the Red Fort complex from the Chandni Chowk side in Delhi must navigate a maze of closely arranged security barricades before reaching the heavily guarded Lahori Gate to access the venue of a major UNESCO meeting being hosted in India for the first time.

Security teams from both the Delhi Police and paramilitary forces maintain strict surveillance of the perimeter and the inner sections of the Mughal-era monument, which is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

India is hosting the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage from December 8 to December 13 at the Red Fort.

The gathering is being held in the shadow of the November 10 Red Fort blast that claimed 15 lives and left more than two dozen people injured.

The 17th-century fort, overseen by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), has been closed to the general public since December 5 due to the event. An ASI official previously stated it would remain shut until December 14.

A cluster of barricades marked with 'Delhi Police' has been installed in a winding pattern near the exact location of the recent blast.

A police personnel deployed at the site pointed out a patch of soot still visible on the roadside near the Lal Quila Metro Station gate, where the barricades have been placed. “This is the same spot where the blast took place in November, and since this is a very big international event being held in Delhi, security is very tight, day or night,” the personnel told PTI.

Access to the Red Fort is restricted to delegates and accredited media, who are required to carry badges issued jointly by UNESCO and the host government.

Armed CISF personnel guard the Delhi Gate entrance of the complex, while inside, security forces maintain constant monitoring as delegates and guests move through the premises.

After sunset, police patrol teams on motorcycles monitor the stretch around the fort’s perimeter, from Lahori Gate to Delhi Gate.

The event formally opened on December 7, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar attending as chief guest. Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and India’s Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, Vishal V Sharma, were also present.

On Wednesday, Deepavali was added to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

In the evening, delegates and guests attended a cultural programme on the lawns facing the historic Diwan-i-Aam, followed by a gala dinner held under heightened security.

Abu Dhabi-based Walid Al Halani, a member of the UAE delegation, told PTI, “It is a pleasure to be in India for the first time, to know more about this land and its people.” Meanwhile, traders at Old Lajpat Rai Market continue to speak quietly about the blast, attempting to move past the traumatic incident. “We have to move on, but the scars are there,” said a trader who did not wish to be named.

The Red Fort remains one of India’s most visited tourist landmarks.

Commissioned by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as the palace complex of his capital, Shahjahanabad, the Red Fort is renowned for its imposing defensive walls. Construction took place between 1638 and 1648.

In 2023, the fort also hosted the inaugural India Art, Architecture and Design Biennale (IAADB).

Source: telegraphindia.com

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Rs 10,000 or Rs 1 lakh, a Muslim voter will never choose me: Himanta Sarma

Dec 12, 2025

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has asserted that ideology, rather than govescrnment schemes or financial incentives, drives voting patterns in the state. He noted that no matter how much money is offered, be it Rs 10,000 or Rs 1 lakh, a Muslim voter would never choose him as their candidate.

Sarma made the remarks at Agenda Aaj Tak 2025 when asked whether he had any scheme similar to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Mahila Rozgar Yojana, which transfers Rs 10,000 each to 21 lakh women to attract voters ahead of the 2026 Assam Assembly elections.

"Even if I give Rs 1 lakh, a large section of the community would not vote for me," the BJP leader said.

When asked to specify the community, the Chief Minister replied, “The ones we call the Miya Musalmans. I was once told that a voter from the Muslim community appreciated my work and was even willing to donate a kidney if I needed it. But he would never vote for me.”

He further said that votes are not determined solely by schemes or government aid, but by ideology and that people vote for an idea, not just benefits.

“I don’t blame anyone. It’s overly simplistic to assume that offering schemes will automatically secure votes. While implementing schemes for the public is essential when in government, believing that this alone will win votes is a miscalculation," he added.

DEMOGRAPHIC INVASION IN ASSAM

During the interaction, Himanta Sarma warned of what he described as a “demographic invasion” in Assam, claiming that other communities could be “wiped out” if the Muslim population exceeds 50 per cent.

He said the indigenous Assamese population is facing an existential crisis due to decades of unchecked migration.

Citing statistical projections, he noted that Assam’s Muslim population, estimated at around 38 per cent in 2021, could rise to 40 per cent by 2027, following a consistent decadal growth rate of 4–5 per cent since 1961.

Sarma warned that if the Muslim population crosses 50 percent, other communities would not survive, leaving only them.

Despite his strong statements, Sarma said he maintains “very good relations with Miya Muslims and women in the state.” He added that even if Muslim voters support the Congress, his government would still emerge victorious.

However, he asserted that those who are “not Assamese and not Indians” are “not his people.”

Source: indiatoday.in

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BJP leader’s gaffe over Matangini Hazra gives Trinamool a fresh handle

December 12, 2025

SHIV SAHAY SINGH

Even before the controversy over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks referring to Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay as Bankim da has died down, a fresh row has erupted over another Bharatiya Janata Party leader calling freedom fighter Matangini. Hazra, a Muslim.

Participating in a debate in the Parliament, BJP MP Dinesh Sharma had said that despite being a Muslim, Matangini Hazra has raised the slogan of Vande Mataram. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday (December 11, 2025) raised the issue and said that the BJP leaders know nothing about West Bengal.

“Yesterday, a BJP leader said that Matangini Hazra was a Muslim. Do you [BJP] even know Bengal?” Ms. Banerjee said. The Chief Minister claimed that from calling “Khudiram Bose a terrorist” the BJP leaders have called Raja Ram Mohan Roy is being called a ‘British agent.’

“Bankim Chandra Chattopadhay, who wrote Vande Mataram, is being called 'Bankim Da”. As if [BJP] shares tea with him. Master Da Surya Sen is being called Master,” the Trinamool Congress chairperson said, referring to the Prime Minister’s remark where he had called the writer of Vande Mataram “Bamkin da”.

Matangini Hazra, a 73- year-old woman from Purba Medinipur district of West Bengal, had become a symbol of defiance against British rule when she led thousands of protestors and died with the Indian flag in her hands during the Quit India movement in September 1942.

The Trinamool Congress also took to social media and said that @BJP4India has finally “confessed what Bengal always knew: they do not know our history, they do not respect our icons, and they certainly cannot pronounce our martyrs’ names”.

Criticising Dinesh Sharma, who was Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Trinamool Congress said, “demonstrates that political rank does not equate to knowledge”.

“Their MP, Dinesh Sharma, stood in Parliament and butchered the name of Matangini Hazra, exposing the BJP’s chronic, deep-seated disconnect from Bengal in a single, shameful moment. This is what happens when Bangla Birodhi Bohiragotos try to act like custodians of patriotism,” the Trinamool Congress said.

The development provided an opportunity to the Trinamool Congress to call BJP leaders “Bohiragotos (outsiders)”, a term which the Trinamool has been using against BJP since 2021. “Bohiragotos who cannot even pronounce our martyrs’ names have no right to lecture us on patriotism,” the Trinamool said.

Source: thehindu.com

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'Bengal ethos to stay'; Mamata slams attack on Muslim vendors, no room for 'gaddari'

Meghdeep Bhattacharyya , Snehamoy Chakraborty

12.12.25

The leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, on Thursday “felicitated” three “brave Hindu warriors” who had assaulted two Muslim vendors for selling chicken puff at the Gita recitation event in Brigade hereon Sunday.

The “felicitation” came several hours after chief minister Mamata Banerjee had condemned the attack on the vendors and asserted that Bengal’s ethos, unlike that of Uttar Pradesh, would put up with neither communal division nor interference with freedom of personal choices.

All the three men arrested on Thursday for the attack on the Muslim vendors were released on bail soon.

“I felicitated the three Hindu brave warriors Soumik bhai, Swarnendu bhai and Tarun bhai in Kolkata today in the presence of venerable saints. The honourable court granted them bail today,” Adhikari wrote on Facebook.

“I want to tell Mamata Banerjee that you cannot suppress the Sanatanis by unleashing your cronies, the police. The Sanatanis will continue to fight for the protection of religion, and I am with countless Hindutva activists by the side of every Hindu participating in this fight,” the BJP leader added in the Bengali post, replete with photos of him felicitating the trio. “Jai Bhavani.”

Addressing a public meeting in Krishnanagar, Mamata fiercely defended the hawkers, one of whom was 50-year-old Sheikh Riyazul.

The attackers threw away the foodstuff after asking the hawkers their names and accusing them of being “Bangladeshi infiltrators”.

“A poor hawker went to sell his goods. At every meeting, somebody or the other shows up to do so. Somebody sells tea, somebody sells shingara, another sells jhalmuri, or bhelpuri, or biscuits... he, too, went like that, to sell his stuff. ‘Should I be selling this or selling that’... this wasn’t playing in his head,”said Mamata.

“Dhorey mereychho (Got hold of him and thrashed him)! Had each and everyone arrested. Each and every one of them, whoever dared to beat him. This is Bengal, this is not UP (Uttar Pradesh)!” added the visibly furious Trinamool Congress chief, to thunderous applause from an audience of thousands. “Remember, here your gaddari (treachery) is unwelcome. Your huqum (order) doesn’t work here, nor does your aadesh (command).”

Reiterating her pledge to protect the freedom of personal choices, Mamata said: “Remember this, the BJP will not allow consumption of non-veg (in Bengal).”

“It is your choice, whatever it is you want to eat... non-veg or otherwise,” she added in an emotive warning to a state where — according to recent data from the likes of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) — 99.3 per cent of the population (comprising around 71 per cent Hindus) eats meat, fish, or poultry.

The Panch Lokkho Konthe Gitapath (Gita recitation in five lakh voices) was officially organised by the Sanatan Sanskriti Sansad, a cluster of monks and Hindutva outfits.

“I do not believe in divisions, communal or otherwise... I respect each and every religion,” Mamata said. “What need was there to conduct a public meeting for reciting the Gita? We all read, recite the Gita. Those who pray to the almighty do so in their hearts.... The BJP is trying to destroy Bengal aftercapturing it.”

Adhikari alleged that Riyazul was hiding his identity when he was sellingthe foodstuff.

Responding to Mamata, Riyazul said he and his family were grateful for thepolice action.

“I heard what the chief minister said.... I earn ₹200–300 a day by selling (puffs)... I want to thank our chief minister, who helped me with legal support and assisted me throughout,” he said.

In response to Adhikari, Riyazul said he never hid his identity to get to the event or sell the puffs. “Why would I hide my identity? Those accusing me of doing so should watch the viral video (which showed the assault on the vendors) again,” he said.

Source: telegraphindia.com

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'Fight to protect religion': Suvendu felicitates men held for assaulting chicken-patty vendors at Gita event

12 Dec 2025

KOLKATA: West Bengal's Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari has felicitated the three men arrested for allegedly assaulting two chicken patty vendors at the Gita recital event in Kolkata, after they were released on bail.

Adhikari said he stood by them "as a Hindu" performing his duty.

The three persons, arrested on Wednesday night for allegedly attacking two vendors at the 'Gita Paath' programme on December 7 at the Brigade Parade Ground, were granted bail by the Bankshall court on personal bonds of Rs 1,000 each.

Sharing a photo of the felicitation, Adhikari on Thursday said in a post on Facebook, "I want to tell Mamata Banerjee (West Bengal CM) that you cannot suppress 'sanatanis' by unleashing your loyalist police on them."

"The fight to protect religion will continue, and in this fight, I stand with every Hindu, along with countless supporters of Hindutva."

Speaking to reporters, Adhikari said the voice of justice still prevails silently in India. He claimed that Banerjee had arrogantly said she had them arrested, questioning, "Who is she to decide arrests?"

"I am a legislator, Leader of the Opposition, a BJP member... all that comes later. First, I am a Hindu. If my Hindu brothers and sisters are in trouble, my primary duty is to protect my 'dharma'. That is what the Gita has taught me," he asserted.

Adhikari said he had sent his legal team to the Maidan police station and coordinated with several lawyers, who worked together to help the trio secure bail.

Two vendors had complained that a group of youths assaulted them, objecting to the sale of non-vegetarian food at the religious event, and forced them to do sit-ups while holding their ears. Police acted after a purported video of the incident went viral on social media.

Source: newindianexpress.com

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NCERT Class VII textbook highlights Mahmud of Ghazni’s brutality; celebrates southern, eastern dynasties

11 Dec 2025

NEW DELHI: The regime of Mahmud of Ghazni has been highlighted extensively in the Class VII Social Science Studies textbook (Part-2) released recently by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).

The book also moves away from a North-centric narrative and showcasing the greatness of past dynasties in the Southern and Eastern parts of the country, said sources.

The textbook, titled Exploring Societies: India and Beyond, dwells on the period between the 6th and 12th centuries. It is in line with the National Education Policy 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023.

TNIE was given access to the book. Unlike the previous edition, where the Turkish ruler Mahmud of Ghazni was allotted just one paragraph, a whole chapter has been devoted to him in the revised edition.

Chapter 4, titled Turning Tides: 11th and 12th centuries, deals extensively with the ruler and speaks of the destruction, plunder, and slaughter of tens of thousands of Indian civilians. “Numerous prisoners were captured, including children, who were later sold in the slave markets of Central Asia,” it said.

His biographers depicted him as “a powerful but cruel and ruthless general, keen not only to slaughter or enslave ‘infidels’ (Hindus, Buddhists, or Jains) but also to kill believers from rival sects of Islam.”

Mahmud later went to Gujarat and Somnath (present-day Saurashtra), which was a bustling seaport. “Despite strong resistance from the locals, after a few days of fighting Mahmud gained the upper hand, destroyed the Somnath Shiva temple, and looted its enormous treasures,” it said.

A noteworthy addition is the inclusion of dynasties whose contributions hardly found a place in textbooks in the past.

The Kakatiyas of Telangana patronised Telugu literature and built the 1000-pillar temple at Hanamkonda, it said. They had a strong local administration along with an efficient revenue system. The Chalukyas of Kalyani, missing from school curricula earlier, are also included.

A discussion on the Pallavas followed by the Bhakti tradition of South India finds a place here. Cholas, Hoysalas, philosophers like Ramanujacharya, and social reformers like Basaveshvara are highlighted.

The great past of Eastern and North-East India has been highlighted through detailed coverage of the Palas in Bengal and Bihar, who founded major universities like Vikramashila and Somapura. The Senas and Eastern Gangas, builders of the Jagannath Puri temple and Sun Temple in Konark, are covered along with the Varmans dynasty.

The great philosopher Shankaracharya, who consolidated the Advaita Vedanta school of thought, is also highlighted. His visit to Kashmir in the 8th century is mentioned, where he engaged in philosophical debates and contributed to the region’s spiritual landscape.

Source: newindianexpress.com

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Akhlaq lynching case: Court to now hear UP govt’s petition to drop charges against accused on Dec 18

by Neetika Jha

December 12, 2025

A fast-track court in Surajpur will now hear on December 18 the Uttar Pradesh government’s application to withdraw charges against all 19 accused in the 2015 lynching of Mohammad Akhlaq after the prosecution’s lawyer sought to argue the case.

Nearly a decade ago, Akhlaq (50) was lynched by a mob over rumours of alleged cow slaughter and storing its meat at his home in Dadri’s Bisada village.

The court had reserved the case for December 12 after the government moved the application to withdraw prosecution against the accused.

On Friday, the prosecution’s lawyer, Yusuf Saifi, told the court that he wanted to file an objection to the UP government’s application for withdrawal.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Saifi said, “We submitted an application for more time and now the matter is listed for December 18.”

On September 28, 2015, a mob gathered outside Akhlaq’s house after an announcement from the village temple alleged that he had slaughtered a cow. Akhlaq and his son Danish, who tried to intervene, were dragged out of their home and assaulted until they fell unconscious. Akhlaq later died at a Noida hospital, while Danish survived after suffering severe head injuries and undergoing major surgery.

Police had registered an FIR at Jarcha police station under IPC sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder),147 (rioting), 148 (rioting with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 323 (assault), 504 (intentional insult to disturb peace), among others, based on a complaint by Akhlaq’s wife, Ikraman.

Police filed the chargesheet on December 23, 2015, before the magistrate court in Surajpur, naming 15 people, including a minor, in connection with the lynching. However, the chargesheet did not specifically mention beef, as the final forensic report was not available at the time.

The case was taken up by the sessions court on February 9, 2016, and subsequently transferred to the fast-track court in April 2016. The statement of Akhlaq’s daughter, Shaista, was recorded on August 3, 2016, during the evidence stage of the trial.

On October 15, this year, the UP government filed an application under Section 321 of the Criminal Procedure Code seeking to withdraw all charges against the accused, citing changes in witness statements and evidentiary issues.

The application by Brajesh Kumar Mishra, Joint Director Prosecution, Gautam Buddh Nagar, seeking to withdraw the case read: “Both the complainants and the accused are residents of the same village, Bisada… Despite that, the complainant (Akhlaq’s wife) and other witnesses (Akhlaq’s son and daughter) have changed the number of accused in their statements.”

Source: indianexpress.com

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https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/akhlaq-lynching-case-charges-against-accused-on-dec-18-10416561/

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Union Home Minister during 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, Shivraj Patil had a turbulent run in govt, was sidelined thereafter

ALOK DESHPANDE

December 12, 2025

A former Union Home Minister and Lok Sabha Speaker, Shivraj Patil, who passed away Friday at the age of 91, was one of the tallest leaders the Congress produced in Maharashtra.

Patil chose to remain active in national politics, while the late Vilasrao Deshmukh, another Congress heavyweight from Latur, handled state politics. However, in the end, Patil’s legacy may be defined to a large extent by his tenure in the Ministry of Home Affairs from May 22, 2004, till his resignation on November 30, 2008, days after the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai.

Patil’s tenure as Home Minister covered a turbulent period in internal security that included several high-profile terror incidents and sharp public scrutiny of the ministry’s preparedness and response. His time in the ministry was beset by controversies that damaged his public standing. In mid-September 2008, following the Delhi serial blasts of September 13, television cameras repeatedly showed him in different outfits during the same evening, an image his critics used to suggest a lack of gravitas while a national security crisis unfolded. Patil responded at the time by asking critics to “criticise my policies, not my clothes”.

Then, after the November 26–29, 2008, attacks in Mumbai that provoked nationwide outrage over security lapses, Patil resigned, accepting moral responsibility for the failure.

The fallout from 26/11 continued to shadow him: US diplomatic cables later published via WikiLeaks quoted the American ambassador describing Patil as “spectacularly inept” and saying his removal was inevitable, a characterisation that fed into the narrative of an embattled home ministry.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, and Congress’s Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra paid rich tributes to Patil.

“The news of the demise of former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Shivraj Patil ji is deeply saddening and an irreparable loss for the party. His dedication to public service and his contributions to the nation will always be remembered,” said Kharge.

Underlining his special bond with Patil, Kharge said, “He was an honoured senior colleague with whom I shared a close bond and many cherished memories. A statesman of great dignity, Shri Patil served the nation with distinction, holding key Constitutional and Parliamentary responsibilities and contributing significantly to India’s Democratic institutions. His demise is a profound loss for the Congress Party and for all who admired his integrity, composure and commitment to public service.”

Expressing grief at his demise, Priyanka Gandhi said, “Shri Patil ji held charge of several important ministries, including the Defence Ministry, and served the people for decades. His passing is an irreparable loss to the Congress family.”

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also condoled Patil’s death. “The news of the demise of senior leader Shivraj Patil Chakurkarji is extremely saddening. While working in various roles such as the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Union Minister for Home and Defence portfolios, and Governor, he made a mark with his personality. As the Lok Sabha Speaker, he initiated many innovative programs related to Parliament. He held a position of respect in the country’s politics as a principled, scholarly, and firmly articulating leader. With his passing, we have lost an eminent, guiding leader in politics and social life. He will always be remembered as a personality who upheld the reputation of Maharashtra’s political civility. I offer my heartfelt tributes to him. We share in the grief of his family.”

Latur to Delhi to getting sidelined

Born on October 12, 1935, in Latur’s Chakur, Shivraj Patil-Chakurkar began his political journey in 1967 by winning the Latur municipal council election. He went on to become the Latur City MLA twice in the 1970s.

In 1980, Patil, who was close to the Nehru-Gandhi family, won the Latur Lok Sabha constituency for the Congress and went on to win the seat for seven consecutive terms. In the early years of his national political career, Patil served in the defence ministry. He was the Minister of State for Defence in the Indira Gandhi government from 1980 to 1982, and later handled other related responsibilities in the Union Cabinet, reflecting his long experience across key ministries before his tenure as Home Minister.

Congress leaders in the state said his “dignified conduct” and “strictness” when it came to delegating responsibilities to elected representatives were his well-known traits. Valued in the party for his understanding of Constitutional matters, Patil was also known for maintaining decorum and not indulging in political attacks and counter-attacks, party leaders said.

In 2004, he lost the Lok Sabha polls from Latur to the BJP’s Rupali Patil-Nilangekar, the daughter-in-law of former Maharashtra CM Shivajirao Patil Nilangekar. Following his exit from the Union Cabinet, Patil was appointed Governor of Punjab and Administrator of Chandigarh, taking oath on January 22, 2010 and serving in that post until January 2015.

In later years, he remained a vocal Congress elder but continued to attract controversies. In October 2022, he drew sharp criticism from outfits such as the Hindu Sena over remarks in which he suggested parallels between the concept of “jihad” in Islam and episodes in the Mahabharata and Gita, comments political opponents and some public figures described as offensive and ill-judged, even as the party distanced itself. An FIR was also later registered over the comments.

His daughter-in-law Archana Patil Chakurkar joined the BJP a few years ago and even contested the Maharashtra Assembly elections last year against the Congress’s Amit Deshmukh, Vilasrao Deshmukh’s son, but lost.

Source: indianexpress.com

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https://indianexpress.com/article/political-pulse/union-home-minister-mumbai-terror-attack-shivraj-patil-turbulent-govt-sidelined-10416644/

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Umar Khalid gets two-week bail for sister’s wedding under strict court-imposed conditions

Amiya Kumar Kushwaha

12.12.25

A Delhi court on Thursday granted a two-week bail to rights activist Umar Khalid for attending his sister’s wedding, but asked him not to use social media during this period.

Khalid has been in jail for more than five years under terror charges in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots.

Khaild had been out on interim bail twice. He got interim relief for a week from December 28, 2024, to January 3, 2025, to attend his cousin’s wedding. In 2022, he was out on bail for a week to attend his elder sister’s wedding.

This time, additional sessions judge Sameer Bajpai allowed Khalid bail from December 16 to December 29.

“Considering the fact that the marriage is of the real sister of the applicant, the application is allowed, and the applicant is granted interim bail from 16.12.2025 to 29.12.2025 on furnishing of personal bond of ₹20,000 with two sureties of the like amount,” the court said.

The court also imposed conditions on Khalid, asking him not to contact any witness or person in connection with the case, to provide his mobile number to the investigating officer and keep the phone switched on until his return to jail.

“During the interim bail period, the applicant shall not use social media. During the interim bail period, the applicant shall only meet his family members, relatives and friends. Further, he shall remain at his home or at the places where the ceremonies of marriage, as mentioned by him, will take place,” the court said.

He was directed to surrender before the prison authorities on December 29.

Khalid is awaiting trial in the Delhi riots case and his regular bail petition is pending in the Supreme Court. Six accused in the larger conspiracy are out on bail.

While seeking interim bail for 15 days, Khalid’s lawyer and senior advocate Trideep Pais told the court that his client has been granted interim bail twice but he did not misuse the liberty.

“There is no chance that the applicant will tamper with evidence or influence

any witness,” the defence lawyer argued.

Khalid’s younger sister is scheduled to get married in Delhi on December 27 and

the rituals will begin on December 17.

Khalid’s lawyer told the court that his father is 71 years old and his mother is 62. During the bail term, Khalid will spend some time with his parents and sisters.

The Delhi police had opposed Khalid’s bail plea, saying he does not deserve

any relief considering his actions.

The police raised objections to the 15-day bail, saying that the actual marriage events would be held between December 25 and December 27. But the court was not convinced by the police’s submission and decided to give interim relief to Khalid, in jail since his arrest on September 13, 2020.

Source: telegraphindia.com

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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/delhi-court-grants-umar-khalid-two-week-interim-bail-with-strict-no-social-media-terms-prnt/cid/2137411

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'Terror victims will get jobs, and terrorists will get bullets': Manoj Sinha announces shift in J&K’s policy

11.12.25

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday outlined what he called a clear policy shift: government jobs and relief will now be reserved for families of terror victims, with no concessions for anyone linked with terrorism.

Speaking at an event where he handed over appointment letters to 41 next of kin of terror victims from the Jammu division, Sinha said, "Terror victims will get justice and jobs, and terrorists will get bullets."

Pointing to recent figures presented in Parliament, he added, "Since the emergence of terrorism till 2019, 41,949 civilians had been killed. Terrorism, separatism and their ecosystem were responsible for these deaths."

According to Sinha, the policy aims to bring justice to families who have waited for years. "Justice will now reach the right people. Now, the kin of terror victims get jobs. No power on earth can give jobs to the kin of terrorists. I want to tell those who still wear coloured glasses that the period of terrorism is gone."

At the event, the LG recalled the story of Naseeb Singh from Kotranka in Rajouri, whose father, Dharam Singh, and four others were killed by terrorists in 2005. Sharing the family’s long struggle, Sinha said, "For two decades, Naseeb Singh and his family were forced to live in misery, constant fear and insecurity. The dark days in their lives have ended. It is a new dawn of hope and dreams for the family."

He contrasted the current approach with earlier administrations. According to him, earlier governments made compromises for temporary calm. "Jobs were given to a large number of people connected with terrorism and separatism," he said. But the situation, he insisted, has shifted under the central leadership. "People ruling the region earlier used to compromise for temporary peace. Under PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, an attempt was made to change that arrangement."

Sinha also indicated that the push for justice extends beyond current cases. "Not only the current cases of terror victims, but even older cases will be reopened. Some have already been reopened. Whether terrorists are on this side of the border or the other side, they will face severe punishment for their heinous acts."

Along with the appointments for next of kin of terror victims, the administration handed over letters to 22 beneficiaries in age-relaxation cases and 19 wards of police martyrs under compassionate appointment rules and the rehabilitation assistance scheme.

This is the second such event in recent months. On July 28, the Lieutenant Governor handed over appointment letters to 94 next of kin of terror victims from the Jammu division.

Source: telegraphindia.com

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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/terror-victims-will-get-jobs-and-terrorists-will-get-bullets-manoj-sinha-announces-shift-in-jks-policy/cid/2137374

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Coast Guard seizes Pakistani boat, detains 11 for illegal entry into Indian waters

11.12.25

The Indian Coast Guard has seized a Pakistani fishing boat and apprehended 11 crew members found operating illegally inside Indian waters, officials said on Thursday.

The detainees have been handed over to Jakhau Marine Police in Gujarat for further investigation.

The Coast Guard executed the operation on Wednesday inside India's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

Gujarat Defence PRO Wing Commander Abhishek Kumar Tiwari said in a post on X that the Coast Guard "apprehended a Pakistani fishing boat with 11 crew inside India's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)."

He said the interdiction highlights sustained maritime operations and India's commitment to securing its frontiers while ensuring enforcement of international laws within the Maritime Zones of India.

"Continuous vigilance across India's maritime domain remains a cornerstone of our national maritime security strategy," he added.

The ICG separately confirmed the interception. "The Indian Coast Guard intercepted and apprehended a Pakistani fishing vessel along with 11 crew operating illegally inside Indian waters. This decisive action reflects the unwavering vigilance of the ICG and India's firm resolve to protect its maritime frontiers and uphold international maritime law within the MZI. Relentless surveillance and proactive operation remain the bedrock of our maritime security strategy," it said on X.

Last year, the Coast Guard rescued seven Indian fishermen who had been detained by a Pakistan Maritime Security Agency vessel near the India-Pakistan maritime boundary.

The ICG intercepted the Pakistani vessel Nusrat and chased it for nearly two hours before securing the release of the fishermen on 17 November.

Source: telegraphindia.com

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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/icg-seizes-pak-boat-detains-11-for-illegal-entry-into-indian-waters/cid/2137356

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Europe

Anti-Muslim former soldier stabbed his neighbour to death

11TH DECEMBER

By Simon Parkin

A former soldier who ranted about "bowing down to Muslims" has been found guilty of the murder of his neighbour.

Abdulkadar Chadli, 48, was found dead with a single stab wound to the chest at a property on Mousehold Street in Norwich.

Elvis Vickers - who spent three-and-a-half years in the army with tours of Northern Ireland in 1997 and 1998, which included the Omagh bombing - had been on trial over the killing.

A jury at Norwich Crown Court took just under 12 hours to unanimously find him guilty of murder.

Mr Chadli, who was originally from Hertfordshire, was found lying on the bathroom floor and died at the scene following the incident in November 2024.

The former soldier had told the trial that he had stabbed him following a row after mistakenly thinking his neighbour was coming at him with a tool in his hand.

During the trial the court heard how the two men - who lived in adjacent flats - had been drinking together at Vickers' home when they started to argue about current affairs.

Just after 10pm Vickers sent a text message to a friend which read "just to let you know, I just killed Abs".

Seven minutes later he called 999 and said, "I've got a dead body in my flat, mate" before telling the call handler "Yeah, I killed him".

On video footage of his arrest he can be heard saying it was "self-defence".

The jury of six men and six women had heard that he had been "very upset" as earlier that day he had found his brother dead at his flat.

After his arrest Vickers told police he was "ex-army" before ranting about "Muslims", and how he had "seen my brother all day dead".

Among a stream of racist mutterings as he waited to be taken into custody, he said: "Bow down to Muslims... F**k off."

He said they "treat you like s**t and expect you to fight a war for them".

"I think we're bowing down to the Muslims, that's what we're doing," he added.

Christopher Paxton KC, prosecuting, told the court Vickers "was a man consumed with anger and hatred".

But giving evidence he insisted to the court he did not intend to kill when he picked up the knife and denied the stabbing had been racially motivated.

Asked by Simon Spence KC, defending, if a factor in the stabbing was the victim being "Moroccan and a Muslim", he answered "no", adding Mr Chadli was "a true friend".

He said he felt "really gutted".

"It shouldn't have happened," he added.

Judge Anthony Bate adjourned his sentencing until February stating that “serious consideration was needed to the minimum sentence he will serve.

He said the sentencing would also hear personal impact statements from the family of Mr Chadli who described him as a "kind, caring and gentle guy".

Detective Inspector Sam Pontin said: “Our thoughts remain firmly with Abdul's family and friends and hope today’s conviction brings them some measure of justice.

"This was a senseless act of violence which should never have happened.

"We remain committed to tackling violent crime and ensuring those who commit such offences are held accountable.”

Source: edp24.co.uk

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https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/25690267.anti-muslim-former-solider-stabbed-neighbour-death/

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Man (38) remanded in custody charged in connection with mosque burning plot

11/12/2025

A man has been remanded into custody in Northern Ireland, charged with terror offences linked to a cross-border police investigation into a planned attack on a mosque.

Connor Pollock, 38, from Croob Park, in Ballynahinch in Co Down, appeared before a district judge in Downpatrick Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

No application for bail was made during the short hearing before Judge Peter Magill.

The charges relate to an alleged plot by a group styling itself as the Irish Defence Army to attack a mosque and also target accommodation facilities used to house migrants.

'The investigation into violent far-right extremism is being conducted by police on both sides of the Irish border.

Pollock is charged with three offences under the UK Terrorism Act.

He is accused of possessing documents or records likely to be of use to terrorists.

According to the charge sheet document, that count relates to a “claim of responsibility by the Irish Defence Army for the burning of a mosque and a threat of future violence against persons or places connected to the provision of facilities for migrants, and Warning Notices to persons connected to the provision of accommodation for migrants”.

Pollock is also charged with withholding information which might prevent an act of terrorism, specifically a “terrorist attack on a mosque by persons identifying themselves as the Irish Defence Army”.

Pollock is also charged with possession of an article for use in terrorism, namely a Galaxy Samsung phone.

During the short court hearing, Pollock answered yes when asked whether he understood the charges.

A Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) detective sergeant told the court he could connect the accused to the charges.

A solicitor for Pollock told the court that no bail application would be made on Thursday, due to a lack of a suitable bail address, but that an application would be made next week.

The judge remanded the accused in custody to appear before court again, via videolink, on Monday, December 15th.

Pollock was arrested on Tuesday in Ballynahinch. Two other people were detained on the same day in connection with the cross-border probe.

A 40-year-old woman arrested in Lurgan, Co Armagh, was released pending a report to prosecutors.

A 48-year-old man arrested in Kilkeel, Co Down, was released following questioning.

Source: breakingnews.ie

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https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/man-remanded-in-custody-charged-in-connection-with-mosque-burning-plot-1840729.html

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EU backers of Russian asset theft are ‘psychologically at war’ – Belgian PM

11 Dec, 2025

The EU states pushing hardest to tap Russia’s frozen assets are acting as if they are “psychologically at war” with Moscow, Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever has said.

Speaking after condemning the latest EU proposal to use the frozen Russian sovereign funds to help finance Ukraine, De Wever labeled the plan “very unwise and ill-considered.” He also warned that the plan backed by European Commission President Ursula von Der Leyen would amount to “stealing” and would open the bloc up to potential legal action.

Von der Leyen last week proposed providing Ukraine with €90 billion over the next two years, anchored by a so-called “reparations loan” backed by the frozen assets, or by debt financed by EU member states, deemed politically unworkable by most.

Belgium, which hosts the financial clearinghouse Euroclear, where the bulk of Russia’s immobilized central bank assets are held, has long resisted such efforts. Brussels argues that forcing Euroclear to make the funds available could carry severe legal, financial and geopolitical risks.

De Wever also argued that the strongest supporters of the proposal are EU states geographically closest to Russia, claiming they “mentally are almost in a state of war” with Moscow. He stressed that Belgium is “not at war” with Russia and doesn’t want to “have a war with Russia.”

The Baltic states (Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia) and Poland have become the EU’s most vocal advocates of a hard line toward Russia, warning of what they claim is an imminent threat.

Meanwhile, Politico has reported that EU leaders are considering politically sidelining De Wever if he continues to block the plan. Belgium could be treated like Hungary – frozen out of key talks, ignored in negotiations and given little influence over future EU decisions – unless it backs down, the outlet claimed, citing a source.

“The Belgian leader would be frozen out and ignored, just like Hungary’s Viktor Orban has been given the cold shoulder over… his refusal to play ball on sanctioning Russia,” one diplomat told the outlet, adding that Belgium’s views on EU proposals would no longer be sought and phone calls would go unanswered.

Source: rt.com

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https://www.rt.com/news/629333-eu-backers-russian-assets-war-belgium/

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UK can no longer hide its troops’ role in Ukraine – Lavrov

11 Dec, 2025

Russia will draw the necessary conclusions after London acknowledged that it has personnel involved in the Ukraine conflict, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said.

Earlier this week, London conceded that British paratroopers have been operating in Ukraine after confirming a British serviceman had died there.

Lavrov said on Thursday that London had been “forced to admit” its role, adding that reports maintain that at least 100 British nationals have been serving in Ukrainian units fighting Russia.

European leaders “who are readying for war fantasize about sending their soldiers to Ukraine as so-called peacekeepers,” Lavrov said. “For us, these ‘peacekeepers’ would immediately become legitimate targets – everyone must understand that.”

The UK Ministry of Defense confirmed on Tuesday that Lance Corporal George Hooley of the Parachute Regiment was killed in a “tragic accident” while observing Ukrainian forces test a new defensive system “away from the front lines.” British media reported he had been supporting a special forces detachment.

Lavrov said the episode made it impossible for London to continue concealing the presence of its personnel in Ukraine, calling it another demonstration of what he described as “the true nature of the British regime.”

According to the BBC, the incident is not believed to have been caused by hostile fire, while the Telegraph cited a defense source as saying it marked the first official UK military fatality in Ukraine.

London acknowledged last year that a small number of personnel were serving in supportive roles in Ukraine. A Russian Telegram channel that covers the conflict has claimed at least 99 British men and one woman are part of an “International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine.” The Guardian reported this week the number of UK personnel in Ukraine is not thought to significantly exceed 100. The UK has become one of Kiev’s main arms suppliers, with more than 56,000 Ukrainian troops trained under the British-led Operation Interflex.

Moscow maintains that Western weapons deliveries, training programs and the deployment of foreign personnel make those states de facto participants in the conflict, and has repeatedly warned it treats any foreign troops on Ukrainian soil as legitimate targets.

Source: rt.com

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https://www.rt.com/news/629315-uk-military-ukraine-lavrov/

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Comments about Weston mosque plans published by council

11 DECEMBER

By Molly Kirk

NORTH Somerset Council has republished comments left on a planning application to transform a former Weston charity shop into a mosque after removing them earlier this year.

The application (25/P/0530/FUL), submitted in March, proposes expanding the Weston Islamic Education Centre by connecting its current location at 66 Palmer St to vacant stores at 14 and 16 Waterloo Street.

The authority initially removed all comments made on the public application portal in response to the proposal after a high number were found to be inappropriate —it clarified that the council's planning officers could still read the comments.

Councillor Ciarán Cronnelly, leader of Weston-super-Mare Town Council, described some of the removed comments as “offensive” and “racist”.

Now, a document outlining the comments received up to October 28 that are not considered to be in breach of the Equality Act 2010 has been published on North Somerset Council's website.

Objections to the planning application

One resident in opposition wrote: "My main concern is the impact the alterations will make on the increase in footfall. As a consequence, more parking will be needed, and I believe that there isn't enough parking at the moment for the current amount of traffic, let alone the projected increase. Unless the council can come up with a plan to cater for that increase, then I must object to the proposed change.

Another said: "I wish to object to the proposed development on the grounds that it may compromise the unique identity and heritage of Weston-super-Mare."

The Weston-super-Mare Civic Society have also objected to the plans because the group feels there are “opportunities to enhance the street scene in Waterloo Street that the application is ignoring” in its current form.

A spokesperson said: “The Civic Society welcomes the Application for the continuing and expansive use of the religious premises for the benefit of the community.

“We do, however, consider that there are opportunities to enhance the street scene in Waterloo Street that the Application is ignoring and, therefore, register our objection to this Application in its current form."

They added that they feel the plan fails to mention any proposed conservation and potential upgrading to the Victorian buildings.

The spokesperson said: "The only references being made are ‘maintaining and preserving’. We would suggest that works are required to maintain and preserve the Victorian façade, and there is an excellent opportunity to enhance the street scene whilst respecting and educating the community of the religious aspects provided within the Mosque.

“It should be borne in mind that there are opportunities for the public image of the proposed Mosque to be reflected in both the rear and the front elevations, including the West elevation in Waterloo Street that appears to be omitted from the Application.

“With equality, diversity and inclusive being a progressive opportunity, the question arises as to whether the design complies with UK Legislation and Building Regulations. On this basis, we have to maintain our objection to the application as currently proposed.”

'Valuable community space'

In terms of support, a resident said: “I am writing to express my full support for the proposed development of the local mosque. I believe it will serve as a valuable community space, fostering inclusion, understanding and social cohesion.

Another said: “I agree with the Heritage Statement and the Design and Assessment Statement that this proposal will enhance the building from the Palmer Street side and improve the condition of the Waterloo Street side.

Another said: “Waterloo Street is currently very run-down with lots of empty shops. Hopefully, the change of use and upgrades will set an example to the owners of the empty shops to tidy up a bit. I love that this will be an education centre as well as a Mosque because, equally, there are plenty of residents in Weston that need to be educated about the Muslim way of life, and it's also a great way for Muslims to integrate into the Weston community. Everyone's a winner.”

A new review system for comments

Following backlash from the Reform Party and allegations of “censorship”, the council have also said they will now review comments as they are submitted and only remove comments that they consider to be in breach of the Equality Act 2010.

However, the council warns against residents submitting offensive comments or those that could 'give rise to legal proceedings'.

A spokesperson for North Somerset Council said: “North Somerset Council has always been, and will continue to be, a place that celebrates and welcomes ethnic and cultural diversity, and we stand against all forms of racism.

“Having received a significant number of comments which we consider to be offensive, and which could cause distress, we previously put in place measures to remove from our website all comments sent to us about this application so they can be reviewed and then published.

“We have now published a document setting out the comments which we consider are not in breach of the Equality Act 2010. This document includes comments sent to us up to October 28.

“Going forward, we will review comments as they are submitted and will only remove those comments which we consider are in breach of the Equality Act 2010, rather than removing all comments as we had previously.

“Comments removed from the website can still be viewed by our planning officers and our elected representatives. Please be assured that all relevant comments sent to us about this application will be carefully considered and taken into account.

“When submitting comments about any planning application, please remember that you must not submit any comments which are offensive or which might give rise to legal proceedings against you, for example, if they are racist, sexist, homophobic or defamatory. By sending us your comments, you are confirming that you agree to this and that you accept legal responsibility for them.”

Source: thewestonmercury.co.uk

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https://www.thewestonmercury.co.uk/news/25687718.comments-weston-mosque-plans-published-council/

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Mosque in former church set for expansion after plans approved

11 Dec 2025

Jon Macpherson

A mosque can add to two-storey side extension to its former church premises.

The Masjid e Bilaal in Cedar Street, Roe Lee, Blackburn has had its proposal approved. A Blackburn with Darwen Council planning officer’s report recommending the granting of permission with seven conditions.

It said: “The proposal affects an existing mosque, Masjid e Bilaal, located on the west side of Cedar Street, close to the junction with Holly Street. The mosque occupies a former church and is constructed with red brick and slate roofing, which harmonises with the traditional terrace properties that bounds the site to the north and on the opposing side of Cedar Street.

“The building has been previously extended to the south to provide a madrassah. Following the receipt of amended details, planning permission is sought for a two-storey side extension to the north side of the building.

“The amended scheme respects the existing build lines to the front and rear of the two-storey part of the host building (an existing single-storey outrigger with dual pitch roof projects forward of this). The proposal incorporates a mono-pitch roof that falls from south to north and will feed in to the existing roof slope, albeit with a shallower roof pitch.

“The proposal will provide additional ablution space at ground floor and a meeting room/admin space at first floor. Skylights will service the upper floor rooms. Public protection colleagues have requested a soundproofing scheme be installed prior to first use of the extension.

“The original scheme sought a flat roof addition that projected forward of the main build line, above the existing outrigger. The amended scheme introduces a two-storey addition that respects the existing two-storey build line and would have a mono-pitch roof design.

“The proposal would not be readily visible from the extended views along Cedar Street, due to it respecting the build line of the host building and adjacent terrace. As such, the amended scheme is considered to harmonise effectively with the host building and would not form an incongruous or discordant addition to the street scene.

“On receipt the proposal outlined the use of the side extension first floor as ‘classroom’. The amended details clarify that the extension will instead be used as an informal meeting room and admin space.

“No additional parking provision is provided, or capable of being provided. Nonetheless, given the ongoing use of the site, it is unlikely that the extension will generate parking need over and above the existing maximum parking needs, such as at Friday prayers.

“The building is also highlighted as being a community resource, most likely to serve those living in the immediate locality.”

Source: lancs.live

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Everyone in Ukraine except Zelensky ‘loved’ my plan – Trump

12 Dec, 2025

US President Donald Trump has claimed that the Ukrainian people supported his peace proposal, which was rejected by Vladimir Zelensky.

Trump previously said the Ukrainian leader was “losing” ground to Russia and urged him to hold elections, since his five-year presidential term expired in May 2024.

Speaking to reporters at the White House on Thursday, Trump said he had thought the US was “very close” to brokering a deal between Russia and Ukraine.

“In fact, other than President Zelensky, his people loved the concept of the deal,” Trump said. “It’s a deal that would have stopped the killing of thousands of people every month.”

Trump suggested that there is still no agreement on territory. “A little bit complicated because you’re cutting up land in a certain way. It’s not the easiest thing to settle,” he said. He declined to clarify if he was seeking “a Korea-like ceasefire.”

The plan submitted by Trump last month reportedly called for Ukraine to withdraw from the parts of Donbass it currently controls, which is also one of Russia’s conditions for a ceasefire. Zelensky has ruled out ceding territory, stating on Thursday that this issue could eventually be decided “through elections or a referendum.”

Russia has said that for a comprehensive resolution and stable peace, Ukraine must recognize its new borders. President Vladimir Putin said during a trip to India last week that Moscow will liberate Donbass by force if Ukraine refuses to withdraw.

Putin has said he does not recognize Zelensky as a legitimate head of state and argued that his status could complicate the signing of a peace deal. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Thursday that Ukraine must hold elections, as “the president’s constitutional term has expired.”

Source: rt.com

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Ukrainian drone strikes apartment block in western Russia

12 Dec, 2025

A Ukrainian drone struck an apartment block in Tver, a city northwest of Moscow, on Friday, injuring at least seven people, officials say.

A video from the scene shows fire and smoke coming from a nine-story building.

Acting Tver Region Governor Vitaly Korolyev said an evacuation is underway and that seven people, including a child, have been hospitalized.

Local media reported that the fire has been extinguished and that rescue crews remain at the scene.

Drones were also reported flying over other cities in western Russia, including Smolensk and Yaroslavl.

The drone attacks occurred after the Russian Defense Ministry announced the liberation of the Donbass city of Seversk on Thursday. Control of the city, which has seen intermittent fighting since 2022, opens a path to Slavyansk and Kramatorsk, currently held by Ukrainian forces.

Source: rt.com

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Inquiry into role of Budget watchdog launched by MPs

Rachel Clun

12 Dec, 2025

An inquiry into the role of the UK government's economic forecaster is being launched by a group of MPs, after the body came under intense scrutiny in the run-up to the Budget.

The Treasury Committee will examine the Office for Budget Responsibility's (OBR) first 15 years and consider potential reforms, including any improvements or changes to its remit.

The inquiry comes after questions over the OBR's influence were raised ahead of the Budget and after its head, Richard Hughes, resigned following an error which saw its key economic forecast published an hour before Rachel Reeves delivered her speech.

But committee chair Dame Meg Hillier said the inquiry "is not a stick to beat the OBR with".

The OBR's role is to produce forecasts, examine the cost of government policies and see whether the chancellor is on track to meet her self-imposed rules on managing the economy.

But in the lead up to the Budget, some experts questioned whether the institution was too powerful and had too much influence over government tax and spending decisions.

The OBR was in the spotlight before the Budget when it lowered its forecast for productivity, which Chancellor Rachel Reeves argued would make it harder to meet her spending rules.

However, it later emerged the productivity downgrade alone was offset by higher tax receipts and the economic picture was better than widely thought, prompting claims that Reeves had misled the public over the state of public finances, which the chancellor has denied.

A senior figure of the OBR, Professor David Miles, told the Treasury committee last week he believed the chancellor's comments were "not inconsistent" with the situation she faced.

Prof Miles said the watchdog was not "at war" with the Treasury and added the OBR raised concerns with Treasury officials about leaks to the media.

Reeves admitted to MPs this week there were too many unauthorised leaks ahead of the Budget.

Source: bbc.com

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US wants 'special economic zone' in Ukraine's frontline region, Zelensky says

Laura Gozzi

12 Dec, 2025

The US has proposed Ukraine withdraw from the eastern Donetsk region and create a "special economic zone" in the areas it currently controls, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

Zelensky said territory and control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant remained the two main unresolved issues in the peace plan proposal for Ukraine.

In a sobering briefing to reporters, Zelensky addressed the US desire for a quick end to the conflict, the complex nature of the ongoing negotiations, and his belief that Russia had no desire to stop the war.

Ukraine has sent the US an updated 20-point plan plus separate documents on security guarantees and provisions for Ukraine's reconstruction, Zelensky said.

It follows weeks of high-level diplomatic activity which has seen several peace plans drawn up, adjusted and revised by the US, Ukraine, Russia and European leaders.

"The final mile is the hardest. Everything could fall apart for many reasons," Zelensky said on Thursday.

Russia demands that Ukraine relinquish control of roughly 30% of the eastern Donetsk region it still holds - something Ukraine has refused to do, both on principle and because it fears it would allow Moscow a foothold for future invasions.

According to Zelensky, the US is now envisaging a solution that would see Ukrainian forces withdraw from parts of Donetsk, and Russian forces committing to not advancing into the territory. This area would become a "special economic zone" or a "demilitarised zone", Zelensky said.

However, he noted that it would not be fair for the Ukrainians to withdraw unilaterally, and that Russia should also pull back by the same distance.

"What will restrain [Russia] from advancing? Or from infiltrating disguised as civilians?" he asked.

Zelensky said these were "very serious concerns" and that Ukraine might not accept the proposal at all – although he opened the door to elections or a referendum to give the Ukrainian people a choice.

But he acknowledged that the fighting would continue and may yet shape the future of the negotiations: "Much depends on our military – what they can hold, where they can stop the enemy, what they can destroy. This affects the entire configuration."

The management of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant was another highly contentious point, Zelensky said.

The power plant – Europe's largest – sits on the front line and has been under Russian control since March 2022.

Zelensky said a possible solution would be for the Russians to withdraw and Kyiv to share control of the plant with the Americans – although he acknowledged that the details of such an arrangement were still unclear, and it is doubtful that Moscow would agree.

US President Donald Trump appears to have grown frustrated with the intricacies of the conflict, and Kyiv and its allies fear the Americans might eventually seek to impose a Russian-led solution on Ukraine.

Zelensky told reporters that although the Americans wanted a "quicker conclusion" to the war, there were no deadlines for an agreement.

Ukraine - which is targeted by widespread aerial attacks on a near-nightly basis - has been pushing for respite and would want an immediate ceasefire to be implemented ahead of a more laborious agreement being fleshed out.

But Russia stands to gain more from a ceasefire being delayed, as its troops continue to make small but incremental gains on the frontline and its attacks exhaust the Ukrainian population.

"After multiple rounds of talks with Russia" the Americans were now aligned on Moscow on this position, Zelensky said.

Kremlin officials have been more tight-lipped than their European, US and Ukrainian counterparts.

However, whenever possible, Russia has sought to cement the impression that Moscow and Washington are aligned on their hopes for the terms of a peace deal.

On Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov praised Trump for trying to broker a deal and said a recent meeting between President Vladimir Putin and US envoy Steve Witkoff at the Kremlin had "eliminated" the "misunderstandings" between the two sides.

The foreign minister also batted off suggestions that Kyiv could be given security guarantees in the form of foreign troops stationed in Ukraine.

"This is yet another return to the sad logic of Zelensky's so-called peace formula," Lavrov said, adding that Moscow had handed the US "additional" proposals on collective security and that Russia was ready to give legal guarantees not to attack Nato or EU countries.

But neither Ukraine nor Europe will be likely to take any promise by Moscow at face value, given Russia has previously violated ceasefires and truce deals.

European and Ukrainian officials want the US to be involved in giving security guarantees so that Kyiv doesn't become the target of renewed attacks.

Zelensky said he had received a draft proposal on American security guarantees but that the draft was a work in progress, suggesting that what has been offered by the US falls short of provisions that could assuage Kyiv's fears.

"The US does not want Ukraine in Nato. They say this openly... So I do not think they have difficulties discussing Nato with the Russians," Zelensky said.

Zelensky also said Ukraine had to be "cautious", adding: "We do not know what other agreements the US may have with Russia. We will learn in time."

Ukraine's president also acknowledged that US support for Kyiv may one day end, both in terms of the flow of weapons that the US is selling through other countries and in terms of intelligence sharing.

Reflecting the fraught nature of the talks and his scepticism that Russia was negotiating in good faith, Zelensky told reporters: "No one knows what may happen the day after tomorrow... We do not know how these negotiations will end."

Source: bbc.com

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North America

‘25k people died last month’: Trump hints at third world war as Russia-Ukraine talks falter - watch

Dec 12, 2025

US President Donald Trump on Thursday delivered one of his strongest warnings yet about the Russia-Ukraine conflict, cautioning that the war’s current trajectory could push the world towards a catastrophic global confrontation. “Things like this end up in third world wars,” he said, urging an immediate halt to the fighting as he revealed that 25,000 people — “mostly soldiers” — were killed in the past month alone.

Speaking at the White House after signing an Executive Order on artificial intelligence regulation, Trump said he was “working very hard” to stop the bloodshed and expressed deep frustration over the lack of progress in US-led negotiations. “I'd like to see the killing stop… I would love to see it stop,” he told reporters.

US frustration grows as peace talks stall

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the President was “extremely frustrated with both sides of this war” and “sick of meetings just for the sake of meeting.” She confirmed that Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and his team were holding discussions with Ukrainian and Russian officials “literally as we speak,” but added that it remained “up in the air” whether the US would send a representative to talks scheduled for this weekend.

Trump, who once claimed he could resolve the war “in a day,” has become increasingly vocal about his impatience. “He doesn’t want any more talk. He wants action. He wants this war to come to an end,” Leavitt said.

Ukraine has put forward a 20-point plan detailing settlement terms, including separate documents on security guarantees. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv was grateful for Washington’s engagement but warned that territorial questions — such as control of the Donetsk region and the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant — remain far from resolved. Any concessions, he insisted, would require approval by national referendum.

Ukrainian officials say the US has suggested a “free economic zone” in parts of the Donbas, while Russia frames the idea as a “demilitarised zone.” Kyiv is resisting any arrangement that would cement Russian influence. Zelenskyy said compromises under discussion included Ukrainian forces withdrawing from Donetsk on the condition Russian forces do not enter — but stressed that any pullback would require equal withdrawals by Russia.

Europe steps in as battlefield pressure rises

European leaders are scrambling to shape the negotiations amid concerns that Trump’s push for a rapid settlement could leave Ukraine at a disadvantage. Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer and France’s President Emmanuel Macron have proposed finalising peace proposals with the US over the weekend, warning that the talks are now at “a critical moment.”

Russia, meanwhile, is attempting to show it is responsive to Trump’s peace efforts, submitting new “collective security” proposals to Washington. On the battlefield, President Vladimir Putin claimed Russian forces were “fully holding the strategic initiative” and had captured the city of Siversk — a claim Ukraine denies.

Ukraine also struck back with long-range drones, hitting a Russian oil rig in the Caspian Sea and forcing Moscow’s airports to halt flights for several hours.

Source: indiatimes.com

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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/25k-people-died-last-month-trump-hints-at-third-world-war-as-russia-ukraine-talks-falter-watch/articleshow/125924431.cms

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Mosque cafes brew community for younger, less religious generations of Muslims

Ulaa Kuziez

December 11, 2025

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (RNS) — As Manahil Khan stood at the balloon-decorated entrance of Salsabeel Cafe, she took in the stream of students and elders sipping coffee drinks in what once was the prayer hall she’d run around in as a child.

The cafe’s opening at the Islamic Center of Johnson County in the Kansas City suburbs in early November marked a milestone for the small but “strong” Muslim community, Khan said. It’s among a growing number of United States mosques creating relaxed “third spaces” — social spaces outside home and work — for young Muslims to gather without the formality of religious events.

“I remember when they first laid down the carpet, (and) the huge discussion of if it would even be possible to open a new building,” Khan, 27, said. “It’s almost unbelievable that we are having a grand opening for a third space.”

Coffee shops opening in or close to places of worship aren’t a new concept. In recent years, some American churches have opened coffee shops to draw new members amid declining attendance. Salsabeel Cafe, steps away from ICJC’s purpose-built mosque, features a full coffee bar with professional machines, curated specialty drinks and spacious seating. Except for a few Islamic geometric artworks hanging on its walls, Salsabeel Cafe doesn’t appear to be an exclusively religious place, and that’s by design.

“These are places where you don’t have to be so devoutly religious and performing a certain kind of devout piety in order to be welcome,” said Zareena Grewal, an assistant professor of religious studies at Yale University who studies U.S. Muslim history. “You could just come and chill and have a cup of tea or coffee with your friends, and maybe the adhan (call to prayer) comes on and you go and pray. And even if you don’t, at least you’re there. And maybe next time, you will.”

Muslims in the U.S. are much younger on average than the general public, with a third of all Muslim adults now under the age of 30, according to data from Pew Research Center. And evidence suggests younger Muslims are less religiously engaged than older Muslims, said Besheer Mohamed, a senior researcher at Pew.

“How to engage with young people is certainly more pressing for the Muslim community than for other communities just on purely demographic reasons,” Mohamed said.

A 2020 survey by the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding also found that mosques “are not attracting a significant percentage of Generation Z and young Millennials.” It’s a troubling trend that mosque leaders at ICJC have noticed in recent years.

“We saw that high schoolers, college-aged youth and young professionals — that age group goes out in the world and they really don’t connect back to the masjid,” said Jawaria Khalid, a mosque board member.

Khalid said Salsabeel Cafe can be a place that invites young people back inside and offers them a sense of community.

“Expectations are always on us,” said 18-year-old Zaytoon Malik, with an iced matcha latte in hand. “Now we can just be a Muslim and everyone here is good with that. It’s a place where we can gather together, feel safe and like we belong somewhere.”

The trend away from worshipping in mosques for young Muslims was on Naeem Muhammad’s mind when he started Qahwa Cafe inside All Dulles Area Muslim Society, known as ADAMS Center, in Sterling, Virginia.

He said a survey conducted by youth in the community 10 years ago showed they wanted a space to do homework, hang out and listen to lectures, and a cafe fit the bill. Qahwa Cafe opened in 2021 and describes itself as “Part cafe. Part youth center.”

With years of experience in coffee shops and in youth mentorship, Muhammad helped create an aesthetic and professional space that serves high-quality drinks at affordable prices. The tab for a coffee and snack is about $5, below market rate.

“This was supposed to have some cool factor,” Muhammad said. “This is for American-born Muslim kids here that were looking for alternatives to Starbucks.”

Inspired by ADAMS, Amana Siddiqi sought to bring a similar concept to the Islamic Society of Orange County in Garden Grove, California. She sought to turn a seldom-used bookstore into a small cafe “just to see the potential.”

Siddiqi took advice from Muhammad and got to work building a coffee cart, sourcing vendors and training baristas. Since Barakah Cafe opened in 2023, it’s been a popular fixture in the mosque community, attracting teenagers and elders alike, she said.

“Everybody that’s been to the cafe is like, ‘We can’t imagine not having this,’” Siddiqi told Religion News Service.

The cafe is connected to the mosque’s school, offering a regular stream of customers before and after school drop-offs. “The dad scene in the morning at our coffee shop is pretty impressive,” Siddiqi said.

Occasionally, she said, visitors will come to the public cafe from a Google Maps or Yelp search, not realizing the shop is connected to a house of worship. At the visitors’ requests, that sometimes turns into mosque tours and organic exposure to the faith, she said.

The cafes also provide an additional revenue source for the mosques. But Siddiqi and Muhammad both said it’s most rewarding to see young people use the cafes to host events that are meaningful to them, including hip-hop and Islam discussions, poetry nights, singles gatherings and skin care workshops.

“The cafe affords us to be more creative than any other space inside the mosque,” Muhammad said.

The American mosque has long been about more than worship, where the heart of the experience is social gathering — with spaces such as cafeterias and bookstores helping foster that community. Grewal, the Yale researcher, explained that cafes and businesses were fixtures of traditionally Black storefront mosques in cities such as New York.

The historic Mosque of Islamic Brotherhood in Harlem, for example, established an herbal tea room “as more than an organizational business venture, but as a social gathering place for the exchange of ideas, discussions about Islam, and camaraderie,” reads the mosque’s archived website.

With an influx of Muslim immigrants from the Middle East, South Asia and parts of Africa after the Immigration Act of 1965, Muslim American demographics began to shift. With that came a suburbanization of mosque communities that sometimes left behind urban commerce spaces, Grewal said.

“These cafes are in some ways hearkening back to that earlier tradition of having business within the mosque space,” Grewal said.

Grewal added that mosque cafes may also help address another challenge facing young Muslims: finding someone to marry. As in many religious groups, she said, Muslim Americans often feel anxious about ensuring their children marry within the faith.

“Muslim youth need places where there can be socialization that is still considered within the contours of what is healthy or allowable within these Muslim communities,” Grewal said.

Siddiqi said she hopes her cafe can play exactly that role. “I am waiting for my first marriage, that they met at Barakah Cafe,” she said. “I can’t wait for that.”

Before offering a prayer at the opening of Salsabeel, the Kansas City-area mosque cafe, Imam Dahee Saeed thanked God and his community for creating an important place “to pray and play.”

“It’s a safe place,” said 13-year-old Adam Khatib as he sampled a mango drink with his friend, Suhaib Ahmad. “Parents sometimes don’t let their kids go to certain places. But I can come here to hang out with my friends after soccer practice or prayer.”

For Summaya Ahmed, Suhaib’s mother, Salsabeel Cafe is a place where her children can be themselves.

“We stand out as Muslims so much,” she said. “This is a place where my kids can feel like it’s OK to be who they are. I feel like it helps them hold on to their identity a little better.”

Source: religionnews.com

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https://religionnews.com/2025/12/11/4235371/

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CAIR-CA Strongly Condemns ‘Unconstitutional and Defamatory Attack’ by Gov. DeSantis, Abbott on CAIR Chapters

December 11, 2025

The California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA) today strongly condemned the recent proclamations by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Texas Governor Greg Abbott smearing CAIR as a “foreign terrorist organization,” calling it a “coordinated, unconstitutional, and defamatory attack.”

On Tuesday, Dec. 8, Gov. DeSantis issued an executive order baselessly and unlawfully declaring CAIR Florida as a terrorist organization; his proclamation follows a similar political move by Gov. Abbott late last month. Both actions are part of an Islamophobic smear campaign by Israel-first politicians and individuals in response to rising anti-genocide sentiment over the past two years and represent yet another attempt by elected officials to chill free speech and silence legitimate criticism of the state of Israel.

In response to the false claims, CAIR’s legal team announced it has filed a federal lawsuit against Gov. Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, and intends to file against Gov. DeSantis to block the enforcement of the proclamations.

CAIR also previously sent a letter to Gov. Abbott rebutting his false claims about CAIR and detailing the organization’s three-decade record of both defending civil rights in the U.S. and condemning all forms of unjust violence. The letter also cites numerous rulings and independent reports debunking efforts to smear CAIR.

In a statement, CAIR-CA CEO Hussam Ayloush said:

“These baseless proclamations by Governors DeSantis and Abbott are part of a coordinated, unconstitutional, and defamatory attack on not only CAIR as an organization, but on the entire American Muslim community. Under the Trump administration, we have seen a disturbing rise in politicians using their dangerous Israel-first ideology to silence legitimate criticism of a genocidal foreign government and trample on the constitutional rights of our communities. It sets a dangerous precedent for the government to use anti-Muslim bigotry to further an agenda that places foreign interests above the constitutional principles that American democracy is founded on.

“We stand firmly with CAIR Florida and CAIR Texas as they fight back against this baseless smear campaign and hold these governors accountable for their abuse of power, and we reaffirm our commitment to protecting the rights, freedom, and dignity of the American Muslim community.”

CAIR-CA emphasizes that CAIR and its local chapters are American nonprofit organizations that operate in full compliance with federal, state, and local laws and that Governors Abbott and DeSantis’ actions have no basis in law or fact.

CAIR-CA is a chapter of CAIR, America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims. 

Source: cair.com

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BREAKING: CAIR, CAIR-FL File Public Records Request for Gov. DeSantis’ Communications with

US announces new sanctions on Venezuela

12 Dec, 2025

The US has blacklisted six Venezuelan shipping companies and six vessels as part of a pressure campaign against President Nicolas Maduro.

US President Donald Trump has accused the Maduro government of helping cartels smuggle drugs into the US – a claim Maduro denied and said was being used as cover for an attempt at regime change.

The blacklisted ships and companies operate in Venezuela’s oil sector and are aiding the “corrupt narco-terrorist regime,” the US Treasury said in a statement on Thursday.

Sanctions were also imposed on Maduro’s three nephews, two of whom were sentenced in the US on drug-trafficking charges and later released in 2022 as part of a prisoner swap.

The new restrictions show that the US is “holding the regime and its circle of cronies and companies accountable for its continued crimes,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said.

The US has dispatched a naval armada to the Caribbean and since September has struck more than 20 alleged drug boats in international waters. Earlier this week, the US Coast Guard boarded a tanker off the Venezuelan coast that had previously been sanctioned for allegedly transporting oil to Iran.

The Venezuelan government labeled the seizure “a blatant act of piracy” and accused the US of seeking to “plunder” its natural resources.

Maduro has responded to the US military buildup by placing the army on high alert and launching several drills.

Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with Maduro over the phone on Thursday, expressing support for Venezuela’s resolve to “defend national interests and sovereignty against foreign pressure.”

Source: rt.com

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Fyodor Lukyanov: Washington no longer sees Russia as Mordor

11 Dec, 2025

By Fyodor Lukyanov

The new edition of the US National Security Strategy breaks sharply with past documents. It looks, at first glance, like a standard presidential framework, but it reads more like an ideological manifesto. One might be tempted to treat it as a political pamphlet from Trump’s circle, destined to fade once he leaves office.

But that would be a mistake. There are two reasons to take it seriously. First, the United States is an ideological power by definition. It’s a country founded on slogans and principles. Every American policy line, no matter how pragmatic in appearance, is infused with ideology. Second, even an unconventional president produces guidelines that outlive him. Trump’s 2017 strategy, for example, announced the era of great-power confrontation and shaped much of what followed. Biden softened the rhetoric in 2021, but the underlying framework remained. This new document will also endure.

What stands out is the tone toward Western Europe. The sharpest criticism is aimed not at Russia or China, but at the European Union. For the authors, the EU is an aberration of the liberal order. A structure that has led European nations astray. The US now identifies its true continental partners in Central, Eastern and Southern Europe, pointedly omitting the western and northern states that drove post-war integration.

The Strategy touches on the wider world, but Western Europe occupies symbolic ground. American identity was forged as a rejection of the Old World, the corrupt, tyrannical Europe from which settlers fled in search of religious and economic freedom. The “farmer’s republic” is long gone, but its founding myth remains potent. In today’s conservative revival, that myth has returned with force. Trump’s supporters hope not only to revive an idealized past, but to undo much of the 20th century. Most specifically the liberal internationalism launched when Woodrow Wilson took the US into the First World War.

War Secretary Pete Hegseth made this rejection explicit in a recent speech at the Reagan Forum. Down with utopian idealism; long live hard realism. Washington, in this vision, sees the world as a collection of spheres of influence controlled by the most powerful states, two of which are the US and China. The role of the others, presumably including Russia, will be clarified in the Pentagon’s upcoming military strategy.

Historically, these oscillations in American doctrine have always been tied to Europe. The City on a Hill emerged as a repudiation of Europe. The liberal order of the 20th century, by contrast, rested on an unbreakable Atlantic bond. That bond was never realized after 1918, but it became the organizing principle of the West after 1945.

Today, Washington blends both impulses. On one hand, it tells Western Europe to solve its own internal problems rather than “parasitize on America.” On the other, it encourages resistance within the bloc to what it sees as failed EU policies. This is not disengagement; it is an attempt at a political reformation of the half-continent. The goal is regime change. Not in the old Cold War sense, but in cultural and ideological terms: a shift from liberal-globalist to national-conservative values. Through this, Washington hopes to strengthen its grip on a “revitalized Europe” that will serve as a key ally in America’s broader goals: dominance in the Western Hemisphere, hence the explicit resurrection of the Monroe Doctrine, and a trade arrangement with China that favors US interests.

The most unexpected element is how Russia is treated. Unlike in previous strategies, Russia is not depicted as a threat or a rogue actor. Nor is it framed as a global challenger. Instead, Russia appears as part of the European landscape. As an essential component of the continental balance. Washington’s new goal is to engineer a European settlement in which Russia participates, but not as an equal global power. The logic is simple: Europeans themselves cannot calibrate this balance, so America must intervene on their behalf.

In essence, the authors are proposing a return, in a new form, to a 19th-century “concert of Europe.” With Russia included, but confined. The parallel with the post-Cold War liberal project is striking. Back then, the West also imagined Russia integrated into a stable European system, but under Western ideological leadership. The slogans have changed; the hierarchy remains.

It is at least encouraging that Washington has abandoned the cartoonish portrayal of Russia as a kind of Mordor, the fantasy imagery that dominated Western discourse in recent years. The new tone is calmer, pragmatic, almost clinical. But the place assigned to Russia is still not one the country can accept. A junior partner in a reconstructed European house is not a role befitting Russia’s strategic ambitions.

Moreover, even the premise feels dubious. The idea that Europe can rebuild itself into a coherent political entity, with or without Russia, is far from certain. The continent’s fragmentation is deep, its interests divergent, and its dependence on external powers entrenched. The US Strategy imagines a Europe reorganized along American preferences, integrated into an Atlantic framework that ultimately serves Washington’s goals. Whether such a Europe exists even as a theoretical possibility is another question entirely.

Russia, for its part, will study this American project closely. But its trajectory is already set. Moscow’s long-term strategic objectives – sovereignty, a multipolar order, and freedom of maneuver beyond the European theater – do not fit neatly into a US-designed continental balance. Even if a pan-European house could be rebuilt, Russia would not be content to serve as one of its decorative pillars.

The new American doctrine may be more measured than the rhetoric of recent years, but it still imagines Russia constrained within a Western-centered system. That vision belongs to the past. Russia will proceed along its own path, guided not by ideological proclamations from abroad, but by its own understanding of its future role in world politics.

Source: rt.com

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'South African immigrant annoyed at...': Mehdi Hasan slams Elon Musk for speaking against Ilhan Omar, Zohran Mamdani

Dec 11, 2025

British journalist Mehdi Hasan criticised Elon Musk for his comments on Somali immigrants in the United States, saying the Tesla CEO is annoyed that African-born communities can vote while he himself, a South African immigrant who votes in Texas, shares little in common with them.

Hasan made the comments after Musk weighed in on US politics, claiming that Congresswoman Ilhan Omar only won her seat because of her Somali vote bank, which he said consisted largely of immigrants not born in America. Musk also said that the recent New York City mayoral election, in which Zohran Mamdani emerged victorious, can be described as a similar case. He described the situation as a “Communist hell," in an interview with Katie Miller.

Elon Musk, a South African immigrant born in Africa who votes in Texas, is annoyed that Somali immigrants born in Africa get to vote in Minnesota.

There's only one thing he doesn't have in common with his fellow African immigrants in Minnesota. https://t.co/kWqCDf9Lnf

Musk has long been critical of Mamdani and even publicly supported former governor Andrew Cuomo. He even jokingly misspelled Mamdani’s name, which was perceived as racist by a lot of netizens.

Earlier this week, the billionaire also accused Democratic leaders, including Omar and Mamdani, of importing migrants to create voting blocs. Musk made the remarks on X in response to a user concerned that Western governments prioritise third-world immigrants. Musk said: “Once you understand the incentive, the reason for the behavior becomes obvious: they are importing a left-voting bloc that depends on government handouts.”

He added: “A prominent example of this in America is Ilhan Omar and her Somali voting bloc in Minnesota, an area which used to be primarily Nordic-German.” Musk claimed that similar tactics were being used in blue Democratic strongholds such as California and New York to build a “single-party supermajority” and warned: “We stand on the precipice of disaster, an end to America.”

Musk has also shared far-right talking points, reposting material from UK activist Tommy Robinson, Nigel Farage and others that portray Somali migration as a threat to public safety and American identity. He wrote: “If current trends continue, Whites will go from being a small minority of world population today to virtually extinct!”

Source: indiatimes.com

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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/south-african-immigrant-annoyed-at-mehdi-hasan-slams-elon-musk-for-speaking-against-ilhan-omar-zohran-mamdani/articleshow/125913292.cms

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Trump lines up new $686 million military aid package for Pakistan

Dec 11, 2025

Trump lines up new $686 million military aid package for PakistanTrump lines up new $686 million military aid package for Pakistan

The TOI correspondent from Washinton: Amid strained ties with New Delhi, the Trump administration has notified Congress of a $686 million sustainment and modernisation package for Pakistan's aging F-16 fighter jet fleet just weeks after Islamabad's high-profile lobbying blitz secured warmer ties with the White House.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) transmitted the proposal to US lawmakers earlier this week, kicking off a 30-day congressional review period. Of the total value, $649 million funds items such as avionics upgrades, cryptographic modules like AN/APX-126 Identification Friend or Foe systems, mission-planning software, spare parts, simulators, training, and logistical support from contractors such as Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth, Texas.

About $37 million covers defense equipment, including 92 Link-16 tactical data link systems for secure, real-time battlefield data sharing with US and NATO forces, plus six inert Mk-82 500-pound bomb bodies for integration testing.

DSCA justifies the sale as vital to US national security, enabling Pakistan—a Major Non-NATO Ally—to sustain interoperability in counterterrorism operations and joint exercises. The upgrades target Block 52 and Mid-Life Update F-16 variants, addressing "critical flight safety concerns" and extending their service life through 2040.

Officials stress the package adds no new offensive capabilities or US personnel on Pakistani soil, insisting it "will not alter the basic military balance in the region"—a pro-forma nod to Indian sensitivities.

This marks the latest in a string of F-16 deals dating to post-9/11 counter-insurgency efforts. In 2016, the US sold eight Block 52A/B jets for $665 million (later amended to $699 million), including radars and spares. Earlier, 2006's "Peace Drive I" delivered 18 F-16C/D aircraft with AIM-120C missiles for $890 million, while a 2010 sustainment package cost $78.6 million. The 2025 notification builds on February's $400 million upgrade and October's AMRAAM missile supply, signaling steady US commitment despite past frictions, including from Pakistan being a breeding ground for a scores of terrorists from Osama bin Laden to Khalid Shaikh Mohammed.

The timing amplifies Indian concerns, coming amid President Donald Trump's visible pivot toward Islamabad this year. Since his January inauguration, Trump has hosted Army Chief Gen. Asim Munir twice—at the White House in June and September—and met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif three times this year. Trump has lavished praise on Sharif as a "good guy" and is also in apparent awe of the title “Field Marshal” which he keeps repeating like a pet mantra.

Analysts say Pakistan's aggressive diplomacy, including hiring Trump's former business partners and bodyguard as lobbyists, cryptocurrency deals with his family and friends, and promises to supply rare earth ores, has flipped US policy. While this netted Pakistan favorable tariff treatment, the F-16 nod follows Trump's imposition of heavy tariffs on Indian goods, exacerbating bilateral strains. New Delhi has maintained official silence on the matter.

Trump’s $ 686 million package came even as the Republican majority US Congress, rendered supine and toothless in the face of White House assertion of executive authority, wheeled out familiar lines about U.S-India ties being the “defining relationship of the 21st century” which is important for a “free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific” at a hearing of the House Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday.

By most accounts, including testimony by three experts – Jeff Smith, Dhruva Jaishankar, and Sameer Lalwani – who spoke before the panel, the Trump administration has fallen short of nurturing US-India ties in its second term.

Source: indiatimes.com

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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/trump-lines-up-new-686-million-military-aid-package-for-pakistan/articleshow/125913853.cms

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Indiana Republicans defy Trump to reject new voting map

Dec 12, 2025

Brandon Drenon

Indiana Republicans have defied intense pressure from President Donald Trump by rejecting his demands that they pass a voting map meant to favour their party in next year's midterm elections.

In one of the most conservative states in the US, 21 Republicans in the Senate joined all 10 Democrats to torpedo the redistricting plan by a vote of 31-19. The new map passed the House last week.

If it had cleared the legislature, Republicans could have flipped the only two Democratic-held congressional seats in the state.

Trump's call for Republican state leaders to redraw maps and help the party keep its congressional majority in Washington next year has triggered gerrymandering battles nationwide.

Republican-led Texas and Democratic-led California, two of the country's largest states, have led the charge.

Other states where redistricting efforts have been initiated or passed include Utah, Ohio, New Hampshire, Missouri and Illinois.

Republican state Senator Spencer Deery said ahead of Thursday's vote: "My opposition to mid-cycle gerrymandering is not in contrast to my conservative principles, my opposition is driven by them.

"As long as I have breath, I will use my voice to resist a federal government that attempts to bully, direct, and control this state or any state. Giving the federal government more power is not conservative."

Indiana Governor Mike Braun, a Republican, said he was "very disappointed" in the outcome.

"I will be working with the President to challenge these people who do not represent the best interests of Hoosiers," he said on X, using a popular nickname for people from the Midwestern state.

The revolt of Indiana Republicans came after direct months of lobbying from the White House.

On Wednesday, Trump warned on his social media platform Truth Social that Republicans who did not support the initiative could risk losing their seats.

He directly addressed the Republican leader of the state Senate, Rodric Bray, calling him "the only person in the United States of America who is against Republicans picking up extra seats".

To liberals, it was a moment of celebration. Keith "Wildstyle" Paschall described the mood on Thursday as "jubilant".

"There's a lot of relief," the Indianapolis-based activist told the BBC. "People had thought that we would have to move on to a legal strategy and didn't believe we could defeat it directly at the statehouse."

The new map would have redistricted parts of Indianapolis and potentially led to the ouster of Indiana's lone black House representative, André Carson.

In the weeks before Thursday's vote, Trump hosted Indiana lawmakers at the White House to win over holdouts.

He also dispatched Vice-President JD Vance down to Indiana twice to shore up support.

Nearly a dozen Indiana Republican lawmakers have said they were targeted with death threats and swatting attacks over the planned vote.

Ultimately, this redistricting plan fell flat in another setback for Trump following a string of recent Democratic wins in off-year elections.

The defeat appears to have added to Republican concerns.

"We have a huge problem," said former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon during his podcast, The War Room.

"People have to realise that we only have a couple opportunities," he said.

"If we don't get a net 10 pickup in the redistricting wars, it's going to be enormously hard, if not impossible, to hold the House."

Texas was the first state to respond to Trump's redistricting request.

After a lower court blocked the maps for being drawn illegally based on race, the Supreme Court allowed Texas Republicans to go ahead.

The decision was a major win for Republicans, with the new maps expected to add five seats in their favour.

California's map is also expected to add five seats for Democrats.

Source: bbc.com

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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgqzzy03p59o

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Obamacare costs look set to spike for millions of Americans as Senate votes fail

Dec 12, 2025

Bernd Debusmann Jr

Healthcare subsidies for millions of Americans appear likely to expire after the Senate failed to pass competing bills, a politically fraught issue ahead of next year's midterm elections.

Both Democratic and Republican plans fell short of the 60 votes needed to advance, meaning insurance premiums through the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, are on course to more than double at the end of the year.

Opinion polls show a vast majority of Americans favour a subsidy extension, with cost of living a major concern for voters.

The issue has caused a rift among Republicans, with healthcare poised to emerge as a hot issue in next year's congressional elections.

More than 24 million people have health insurance through Obamacare.

The subsides set to expire on 1 January are additional tax credits that Democrats passed in 2021 during the Covid pandemic.

On Thursday, senators rejected both a Democratic bill to extend the subsidies for three years as well as a Republican proposal to create a new health savings account for Americans earning less than 700% of the federal poverty level.

The Republican-backed plan failed 51 votes to 48, and the Democrat one fell short by the same margin.

Four Republicans, Susan Collins of Maine, Josh Hawley of Missouri, and Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski, both of Alaska, voted for the Democratic bill.

Speaking ahead of the votes, Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, warned Republicans it was the last chance to act before the subsidies expire.

"Let's avert a disaster," he said. "The American people are watching."

A congressional standoff over the expiring subsidies provoked the longest ever US government shutdown, lasting 43 days, this autumn.

Republicans have long argued Obamacare is rife with fraudulent claims and that it failed to deliver the affordable coverage promised in the bill's title.

They say health savings accounts would benefit consumers directly rather than insurance companies.

While Trump did not publicly support that Republican plan, he said in an interview with Politico earlier this week that he wants "to give money to the people, not to the insurance companies".

Before senators voted on Thursday, Senate majority leader John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, again spoke out against the extension of those subsidies.

He described them as an "attempt to disguise the real impact of Obamacare's spiralling healthcare costs".

While some Republicans on Capitol Hill have called for compromise or to extend the subsidies until an agreement with Democrats can be reached, there has so far been no high-level negotiations on the topic.

Speaking at the White House on Thursday, press secretary Karoline Leavitt laid the blame on Democrats and said the Covid-era health insurance subsidies had "completely distorted the health insurance market".

She added that Trump and Republicans "are currently coming up with creative solutions and ideas" to lower healthcare costs, although she provided no details.

The issue is one that polls suggest has unified many voters, regardless of political affiliation.

One survey, released by KFF in November, found that 74% of Americans supported extending enhanced ACA credits.

Some Republicans have warned that a failure to fix the problem could cost them their legislative majorities in next November's vote.

"If we fumble this healthcare bill, nothing else is going to matter," Florida Republican congressman John Rutherford told Politico.

Source: bbc.com

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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq8ddxgw23jo

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Africa

Genocide: I’ve Never Seen Anything Like It’ – Moore Speaks On Terrorist Attack On Christians After Visit To Nigeria

December 12, 2025

By Rachel Okporu

Leader of the United States delegation on fact-finding of alleged Christian genocide in Nigeria, Riley Moore, has described the stories of killings in Nigeria as heartbreaking.

Recall that Moore, who led the US delegation on fact-finding about Christian genocide in Nigeria, arrived in the country on Sunday.

During the assignment, Moore led the delegation to Benue State, where he had a one-on-one with victims of the killings.

In a post via his handle on Thursday, Moore said they heard heartbreaking stories from survivors of the horrific genocidal campaign committed by the Fulani radicals, including a woman who was forced to watch as five of her children were killed.

Moore also expressed optimism that the US government will work with the Nigerian government in a coordinated and cooperative manner to end the slaughter of innocent Christians in the Middle Belt and stop the ongoing terrorist threat in the Northeast.

The US Congressman added that the sights and stories heard will stay with him for the rest of his life.

Moore said, “I just returned from a Congressional delegation to Nigeria with the House Appropriations Committee.

“While there, we visited Benue State. We met with Bishops Anagbe and Dugu and Tor Tiv. We met with suffering IDPs who are all Christians. They are forced to live in camps that are regularly attacked by Fulani Islamic radicals.

“We heard heartbreaking stories from survivors of this horrific genocidal campaign committed by the Fulani, including a woman who was forced to watch as five of her children were killed.

“I am working on a report to President Donald Trump that will outline a path forward to work with the Nigerian government in a coordinated and cooperative manner to end the slaughter of innocent Christians in the Middle Belt and stop the ongoing terrorist threat in the Northeast.

“I’ve never seen anything like it. It will stay with me the rest of my life. We will brief the President soon. More to come.”

Source: naijanews.com

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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/12/12/genocide-ive-never-seen-anything-like-it-moore-speaks-on-terrorist-attack-on-christians-after-visit-to-nigeria/

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Troops Repel Boko Haram Attack, Neutralise Terrorists In Borno

December 11, 2025

By George Oshogwe

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have repelled an attempted attack by Boko Haram terrorists on the newly resettled community of Delwa in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State.

According to Zagazola Makama, the terrorists launched the attack late Tuesday night from three different directions and also attempted to ambush motorists along the Molai–Delwa road.

The source said soldiers of the 7 Division Garrison responded swiftly with superior firepower, forcing the insurgents to withdraw.

According to the sources, one terrorist was neutralised during the encounter, while troops recovered a bandolier containing two 36mm hand grenades and three empty AK-47 magazines.

He added that follow-up exploitation conducted on Wednesday morning led to the recovery of 31 rounds of PKT ammunition and two machine-gun rounds.

“There were traces of blood along the withdrawal route used by the terrorists, indicating the likelihood of additional casualties on their side,” the source said.

The sources noted that no troop casualty was recorded in the incident.

Source: naijanews.com

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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/12/11/troops-repel-boko-haram-attack-neutralise-terrorists-in-borno/

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Why Attack An IDP Camp Screaming ‘Allahu Akbar’ – US Congress Team Speaks After Nigeria Tour, Reveals Next Step

December 12, 2025

By Justina Otio

United States Congressman Riley Moore has disclosed the next step for his delegation after concluding their fact-finding mission to Nigeria over alleged Christian genocide.

Naija News reports that delegation, made up of five members of Congress, arrived in the country on Sunday and visited Internally Displaced Persons, survivors of terrorist attacks, Christian communities, Christian leaders and traditional rulers, particularly in Benue State.

Featuring on a Fox News programme anchored by Harris Faulkner on Thursday, Moore said the delegation travelled across Benue State in armoured vehicles due to security risks, adding that they met Catholic and Protestant leaders, bishops and community heads to obtain what he called “ground truth”.

“This is a fact finding mission. Benue is one of the most dangerous states in Nigeria. This is where the majority of Christians are being murdered for their faith in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. But I felt we had to go,” he said.

According to him, IDP camps were not spared by attackers, raising questions about claims that the violence was driven by climate pressures or land disputes.

“For those who say this is about climate change or economics, why would you burn down a church? Why would you attack an IDP camp screaming ‘Allahu Akbar’? It is very clear what the answer is. They are trying to erase Christians in Benue State and across Nigeria from their ancestral homeland,” Moore said.

Moore confirmed that President Trump tasked him and House Appropriations Chairman, Tom Cole, to compile a full report on the situation.

“We will report back to the President and make recommendations. He has asked myself and Chairman Tom Cole to give him a report, and we are going to do that by the end of this month,” he added.

Trump had late October designated Nigeria a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ over alleged Christian genocide, a position the Federal Government has countered, insisting that Nigeria’s security crisis has no religious colouration.

Source: naijanews.com

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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/12/12/why-attack-an-idp-camp-screaming-allahu-akbar-us-congress-team-speaks-after-nigeria-tour-reveals-next-step/

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Despite peace deal: death toll rises after escalation in eastern DR Congo

December 12, 2025

More than 400 civilians have been killed since the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group escalated its offensive in the South Kivu province in eastern Congo, regional officials said late Wednesday, adding that Rwandan special forces were in the strategic city of Uvira.

M23’s latest offensive comes despite a US-mediated peace agreement signed last week by the Congolese and Rwandan presidents in Washington. The accord didn’t include the rebel group, which is negotiating separately with Congo and agreed earlier this year to a ceasefire that both sides accuse the other of violating. However, it obliges Rwanda to halt support for armed groups and work to end hostilities.

“More than 413 civilians (have been) killed by bullets, grenades, and bombs, including many women, children, and young people” in localities between Uvira and Bukavu, the regional capital, the South Kivu government spokesperson said in a statement late Wednesday.

“According to the information gathered, the forces present in the city are composed of Rwandan special forces and some of their foreign mercenaries, operating in clear violation of the ceasefire as well as the Washington and Doha agreements, in total disregard of the commitments made," the statement added.

Ripples from the conflict spread

M23 said it had taken control of the strategic city of Uvira in eastern Congo on Wednesday afternoon, following a rapid offensive since the start of the month. The announcement by M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka, posted on the social platform X, encouraged citizens who fled to return to their homes. Uvira is an important port city on the northern tip of Lake Tanganyika and is directly across from neighboring Burundi’s largest city, Bujumbura. Congo, the US and UN experts accuse Rwanda of backing M23, which had hundreds of members in 2021. Now, according to the UN, the group has around 6,500 fighters. While Rwanda denies that claim, it acknowledged last year that it has troops and missile systems in eastern Congo, allegedly to safeguard its security. UN experts estimate there are up to 4,000 Rwandan forces in Congo.

Burundian Foreign Minister Edouard Bizimana, in an interview with French state media RFI on Wednesday, urged the US to pressure Rwandan President Paul Kagame to ensure the implementation of the agreement signed in the US, saying, “M23 without Kagame, without Rwanda, is nothing.”

Bizimana said the capture of Uvira poses a threat to the economic capital, Bujumbura. “We have registered more than 30,000 refugees and asylum-seekers in the last three days … Uvira and Bujumbura are coastal cities. What threatens Uvira also threatens Bujumbura."

On Thursday, Kanyuka said on X that “some Burundian forces have returned to their national territory, while others have entrenched themselves in the highlands,” referring to the hills of Uvira and Mininebwe in South Kivu.

“Since early Thursday morning, Dec. 11, 2025, these elements entrenched in the highlands have resumed, with unacceptable brutality, their campaign of extermination against our Tutsi Banyamulenge compatriots in Minembwe, indiscriminately launching bombs and using heavy artillery that is killing innocent civilians, including women and children," he wrote.

Struggle for mineral-rich territory

In a statement Wednesday, the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa urged M23 and Rwandan troops to cease all offensive operations and for the Rwandan Defense Forces to withdraw to Rwanda. On Wednesday morning, the Rwandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs blamed the Congolese armed forces for the recent ceasefire violations in a statement on X.

“The DRC has openly stated that it would not observe any ceasefire, and was fighting to recapture territories lost to AFC/M23, even as the peace process unfolded,” it said. More than 100 armed groups are vying for a foothold in mineral-rich eastern Congo near the border with Rwanda, most prominently M23.

The conflict has created one of the world’s most significant humanitarian crises, with more than 7 million people displaced, officials say. Local UN partners report that more than 200,000 people have been displaced across the province since Dec. 2, with more than 70 killed.

Civilians also have crossed into Burundi, and there have been reports of shells falling in the town of Rugombo, on the Burundian side of the border, raising concerns about the conflict spilling over into Burundian territory.

Source: africanews.com

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https://www.africanews.com/2025/12/11/despite-peace-deal-death-toll-rises-after-escalation-in-eastern-dr-congo/

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Mousa Al-Sadr’s family accuses Libyan authorities of stalling in his disappearance case

11/12/2025

BY ABDULKADERASSAD

The official follow-up committee for the disappearance of Imam Mousa Al-Sadr accused successive Libyan authorities since 2011 of failing to cooperate in the case, holding them fully responsible for revealing the fate of the Imam and his two companions, who went missing in Libya in 1978, despite a memorandum of understanding signed between the two sides more than a decade ago.

During a joint press conference with the Imam Mousa Al-Sadr Research and Studies Center in Beirut, Sadr Al-Din, the son of Mousa Al-Sadr, stressed that cross-checked information and investigations confirm that his father was moved between different detention sites inside Libya “until at least 2011,” in a direct indication that current Libyan authorities continue to bear responsibility for the case.

Al-Sadr added that the release of Hannibal Gaddafi from Lebanon last year reflects a deep imbalance in the course of justice, describing his release as a suspicious political deal, while asserting that the case of Imam Al-Sadr “is above all bargains and deals.”

Judge Hassan Al-Shami, who is tasked with following up on the case, warned against any normalization or normal dealings with the Libyan authorities before full cooperation is provided, stressing that Libya has so far not delivered the required information on the fate of Al-Sadr and his companions.

It is worth noting that Lebanon released Hannibal Gaddafi last November, after detaining him in 2015 over information related to the disappearance of Imam Mousa Al-Sadr and his two companions during an official visit to Libya in 1978.

Source: libyaobserver.ly

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https://libyaobserver.ly/news/mousa-al-sadrs-family-accuses-libyan-authorities-stalling-his-disappearance-case

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Cotonou Returns To Normalcy After Foiled Coup Attempt

December 12, 2025

Five people stood in front of newsstand owner, Chantal Dagah’s kiosk, in Cotonou’s bustling economic district.

Ordinarily, traffic at Dagah’s newsstand near several government ministries is slow, but the day after an attempted coup, Cotonou residents were eager to read the latest developments.

On Sunday, a group of soldiers seized the national television station and announced that President Patrice Talon had been deposed. However, the effort was swiftly quashed by loyalist army forces, with support from the Nigerian Air Force.

“I don’t usually buy newspapers, but today I grabbed two, because something exceptional happened yesterday,” said customer Stephane Nelson as he browsed the headlines.

Despite the dramatic events, including air strikes and troop movements, calm had largely returned to the seaside city as life began to resume.

Headlines reflected the renewed sense of stability. Le Parakois declared, “Talon reassures the country after foiled coup,” while L’Independant echoed, “President Talon’s statement reassures and re‑enchants the Nation.”

Although life was settling back to normal, remnants of the crisis remained visible. Tanks were stationed along the Boulevard de la Marina, a key artery linking the presidential palace, airport, seaport, and ministries. Some roads around the presidential palace were still blocked.

Nelson told AFP, “It was important to know more. There’s still a lot in flux, but we know that the stakes are important, especially since a sovereign country had to intervene to support our democracy.”

He was referring to the air strikes and troop deployment by Nigeria, which responded to a request from Beninese authorities to help repel the would‑be junta leaders, who had labelled themselves the Military Committee for Refoundation (CMR).

Despite claims by the CMR that Talon had been “removed from office,” a source close to the president told AFP that Talon had always been safe and had fast mobilised loyalist forces against the small group controlling the television station.

The search for soldiers involved in the coup attempt continued, although all hostages, including senior officers, had been freed.

Talon, who is scheduled to complete his second term in April, appeared on national television declaring, “the situation is completely under control.”

Life In Cotonou Resumes With Caution

By Monday, Cotonou, a busy Atlantic coastal city, was largely back to business as usual. Street vendors hawked their goods, moto‑taxis roamed the roads, and schoolchildren crossed wide boulevards.

“It’s almost a normal Monday,” said an agriculture ministry employee, who declined to be named. “I hope there won’t be anything else like this. I’m happy everything seems to have gone back to normal,” he added, sipping lemon tea under a tree.

But not everyone was unaffected by the disruption.

“I had to close the shop yesterday,” said 19‑year‑old tailor Thor, who spoke to AFP. “Today, I’m here as if it’s a normal day. I hope that doesn’t happen again, because otherwise I’ll lose money.”

His workshop sits just down the street from a National Guard base that was struck by Nigerian air power on the day of the attempted coup.

Down the road in a noodle restaurant, amid the steam and aroma of cooking, customers debated why business was slow.

“It could be the coup attempt, or just the heavy rains that are lashing the city,” one patron said.

Source: naijanews.com

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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/12/12/cotonou-returns-to-normalcy-after-foiled-coup-attempt/

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Why We Requested For Support From Nigeria – Benin Republic Foreign Minister

December 12, 2025

By George Oshogwe

Benin Republic’s Foreign Minister, Olushegun Bakari, has affirmed that Nigeria’s swift and timely intervention, along with support from other West African nations, played a critical role in averting a potential bloodbath during a recent coup attempt in his country.

Addressing journalists in Abuja on Thursday during the ECOWAS Council of Ministers summit, Bakari confirmed that while the Benin military repelled the initial attack, external support was essential to neutralise the threat with minimal civilian casualties.

The Minister explained that the insurgents had fortified themselves within a military barracks situated near a densely populated civilian neighbourhood.

He stressed that a full-scale assault by Beninese loyalist forces could have resulted in high civilian casualties.

Bakari stated that Benin requested intervention from Nigeria and other ECOWAS members not because its army was incapable, but for strategic and humanitarian reasons.

“Why did we ask for support, especially from Nigeria? It was mainly because the area where they had established themselves in a military barracks was surrounded by civilians. We didn’t want to risk significant casualties. If we had let our military enter there, the casualties would have been very high,” he explained.

He confirmed that assistance was requested under the ECOWAS protocol from Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Sierra Leone.

“Their support was crucial to ensure that we could neutralise the threat with minimal loss of life. We did not want to engage in an all-out assault that could have led to many civilian deaths,” he added.

Bakari noted that the coup attempt, which began around 3 a.m. on Sunday with an attack on the presidential residence, was quickly put down by Benin’s Republican Guard.

He confirmed that despite a brief attempt by the rebels to seize the national television station, the military quickly regained control.

“Our defence forces – the Republican Guard – blocked them. They fought back and then withdrew into a military camp. So, when we started discussions for the intervention of Nigeria and others under the ECOWAS protocol, our military had already pushed them back. The coup had already failed,” Bakari affirmed.

He specially thanked President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria and other regional leaders for stepping in to prevent further escalation and ensuring the rebels could not seize key installations like the airport.

The Foreign Minister underscored the importance of the ECOWAS response, calling it a defence of democratic values in the region.

“It is important for all of us within our community, and especially for the two leaders of Benin and Nigeria, to clearly show that the ECOWAS region is still an area where democracy prevails,” Bakari asserted. “We show that in our region and environment, we cannot accept those who attack democracy.”

Source: naijanews.com

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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/12/12/why-we-requested-for-support-from-nigeria-benin-republic-foreign-minister/

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Reps Back Bill To Ban Dollar Use In Local Transactions, Amend CBN Act

December 11, 2025

By Richard Ogunsile

The House of Representatives on Thursday threw its weight behind a bill seeking to prohibit the use of foreign currency for domestic transactions and amend major sections of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act.

The bill, jointly sponsored by House Leader Julius Ihonvbere (APC, Edo) and Jesse Onuakalusi (APC, Lagos), aims to overhaul the operational framework of the apex bank, enhance transparency and reinforce institutional checks and balances.

During debate on the general principles of the bill, lawmakers cited Nigeria’s volatile economic climate, unstable exchange rate and concerns over monetary policy execution as justification for the proposed amendments.

They argued that the current Act no longer reflects the demands of a modern financial system.

Leading the debate, Onuakalusi said recent domestic and global economic pressures had revealed shortcomings in the existing legislation.

According to him, the CBN plays a profoundly central role in stabilising the financial system, managing the currency and maintaining confidence among investors and the public.

But he noted that governance lapses witnessed in recent years, ranging from inconsistent policy communication to controversies over foreign-exchange management, exposed structural weaknesses that must be addressed.

“In recent years, ranging from government-concerned foreign exchange destruction, moral policy inconsistency, weak oversight mechanisms, to challenge witnesses around currency redesign and policy communication has exposed a structural gap in the Principal Act,” he said.

Onuakalusi explained that the bill seeks a clear separation of roles between the CBN Governor and the board chairman to prevent an undue concentration of authority.

He added that the legislation introduces a single, non-renewable six-year tenure for the Governor and other key management officials to reduce political interference and promote stability.

“The proposed amendments seek to separate the role of Governor and the Board of Directors, Chairman, to avoid concentration of powers and ensure professional oversight.

“The second aspect this bill helps to ensure is to introduce a single six-year non-renewable 10-year contract, which is a very important part of the CBN Act,” he said.

The legislation also proposes a uniform exchange-rate framework and formally bans the use of foreign currency for local transactions except in regulated or authorised conditions.

Onuakalusi said this measure is intended to curb the widespread dollarisation of the economy and reinforce confidence in the naira.

The bill also strengthens financial-stability oversight by equipping the CBN with clearer prudential tools, better-defined responsibilities and improved mechanisms for responding to systemic risks.

Contributing to the debate, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, drew lessons from the controversial naira redesign carried out under former President Muhammadu Buhari.

He said the experience demonstrated the dangers of major monetary decisions taken without structured legislative involvement.

According to him, the redesign policy inflicted hardship nationwide and appeared to have been championed by policy actors rather than the president himself.

“I have not seen where the bill is targeting or intending to strengthen or empower an individual. It is, of course, an institutional bill,” he said.

“Suddenly, overnight, the policy makers… it was like a connivance. They suddenly came up with what they call the Naira redesign, pushing the government to take a policy that was apparently not a popular policy at a time when the nation was facing an election process.”

He insisted that any future redesign of the naira or major currency adjustments must be subject to legislative approval, adding that the proposed mandatory 90-day public-notice period would protect citizens.

“The intention to redesign the naira then was not a good one. It was in bad faith,” he said.

According to him, the new bill “returns power to the people” by ensuring the National Assembly fully participates in significant currency-related decisions.

After extensive debate, the bill was passed through second reading following an overwhelming voice vote.

Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the session, referred it to the House Committee on Banking Regulations for further legislative work.

The committee is expected to engage stakeholders, review the provisions and present its report to the House at the next stage.

Source: naijanews.com

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Owo Church Attack: DSS Opens Case, Priest Recounts Bomb Explosions, Gunfire

December 11, 2025

By George Oshogwe

The Department of State Services (DSS) on Thursday commenced its case against five men accused of perpetrating the deadly June 5, 2022, attack on St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, which claimed the lives of over 40 worshippers.

The suspecs – Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (25), Al-Qasim Idris (20), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26), Abdulhaleem Idris (25), and Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47) – were arraigned before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on terrorism charges.

The prosecution, led by Ayodeji Adedipe (SAN), called its first witness, a Catholic priest who was presiding over the Pentecost Sunday mass when the attack occurred. The court granted an application to withhold the priest’s identity for security reasons.

Led in evidence, the cleric gave a harrowing account of the incident, describing how the armed men struck as the service was concluding.

He recounted the chilling sequence of events: “As the service was ending and the recessional hymn began, I heard a loud sound. Then I saw commotion in the church. Soon after, two men from our congregation locked the main entrance and an elder told me, ‘Father, we are under attack.’”

The witness detailed the intensity of the assault, confirming that the attack began with a loud explosion followed by sporadic gunshots.

The priest told the court that at least three explosives were used by the attackers, noting that one landed alarmingly close to the safe room where he and several children had taken refuge.

He narrated the chaos, adding that he assisted in evacuating injured worshippers, including his choir master who had been shot in the chest.

Under cross-examination by the defence lawyer, Abdullahi Mohammad, the witness, however, maintained that he was unable to recognise or identify the assailants due to the confusion and his focus on saving lives.

He added that his priority was “rescuing children and moving casualties to the hospital.”

Asked if he knew the number of attackers, the witness responded, “The one struck by a vehicle doesn’t wait to take note of the vehicle’s number.”

Earlier in the proceedings, the prosecution informed the court that the charge sheet had been amended to correct minor errors, after which the five defendants pleaded not guilty to the revised charges.

Justice Nwite granted an application for an accelerated hearing and subsequently adjourned the case to January 13 and 14, 2026, for the continuation of the trial.

Source: naijanews.com

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Army Moves To Secure Taraba Communities After Deadly Attacks

December 11, 2025

By Enioluwa Adeniyi

The Commander of 6 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Brigadier General KC Uwa, on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, conducted an operational and confidence-building visit to Chanchanji in Takum Local Government Area of Taraba State.

Naija News reports that the operation was conducted following recent deadly attacks that claimed the lives of several farmers.

The visit comes amid intensified clearance operations in the Brigade’s Area of Responsibility, driven by intelligence reports indicating the presence of suspected armed herders in surrounding bushes.

During the visit, Brigadier General Uwa led troops on extensive patrols across Chanchanji and neighbouring areas, covering identified flashpoints and access routes to farmlands. The patrols were aimed at deterring criminal activity and restoring public confidence in the military’s ability to secure the area.

At Chanchanji Market Square, the Brigade Commander met with residents and displaced farmers from affected villages including Ayu, Dooshima, New Gboko, Adu Tyopaa, Peeki, and Tyojande.

Many of the farmers expressed fear of returning to their ancestral homes and farmlands, citing threats of renewed attacks and ongoing insecurity.

Brigadier General Uwa issued orders for the deployment of troops to provide security cover for farmers and directed sustained farm patrols throughout the harvest period.

He assured the community that the Nigerian Army would continue to pursue those behind the attacks until they are brought to justice.

“We are committed to ensuring your safety,” Uwa said, urging locals to provide credible intelligence on suspicious movements. He also warned against spreading unverified information capable of undermining security efforts.

Displaced farmers and community leaders commended the Commander’s direct engagement, describing it as timely and reassuring. Some residents indicated their willingness to begin returning to their farms under military protection.

The operation and community outreach were conducted without incident, with troops maintaining a visible security presence across all visited locations.

The 6 Brigade of the Nigerian Army reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives, livelihoods, and ensuring that law-abiding citizens in its area of operation can live and farm in peace.

Source: naijanews.com

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Shiites Are A Power To Reckon With, We Don’t Fear Guns – El-Zakzaky

December 11, 2025

By George Oshogwe Ogbolu

Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), also known as Shiites, has strongly condemned both past and present administrations for their failure to deliver justice regarding the 2015 Zaria massacre and for the worsening insecurity nationwide.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday ahead of the anniversary of the bloody clash, El-Zakzaky declared the IMN to be “a power to be reckoned with,” praising the resilience and commitment of its millions of members against state force.

The IMN leader praised his followers for their unwavering commitment in the face of violent state opposition, referencing the 2015 clash where many were killed.

“In terms of numbers, even if you hate us, you know that we are millions. In terms of commitment, we have shown that guns cannot frighten us, because we have faced them. Pictures show when people bare-handed approach those who are shooting them,” he said.

When asked if he had forgiven the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, whose administration oversaw the military operation, El-Zakzaky stated they would meet on the Day of Judgment.

He recounted a phone call he received from one of Buhari’s ministers while he was injured.

He said: “I told the minister that now I am waiting for my blood to drain so that I will pass, and I told him my greetings to General Buhari. I hope they will do the government well. We will meet on the day of judgement.”

The 2015 clash in Zaria occurred during a Maulud celebration when IMN members occupied a major highway and reportedly blocked the convoy of the then Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai.

What began as a standoff escalated into violence as soldiers opened fire, claiming the blockage threatened the army chief’s safety. The IMN disputed the military’s account, insisting its members were unarmed and that the army used unjustifiable force.

In the hours that followed, soldiers launched coordinated operations on IMN sites, including El-Zakzaky’s residence, with human rights groups later reporting that hundreds were killed, figures the military denied.

After years in detention and prolonged legal battles, El-Zakzaky and his wife, Zeenat, were released in July 2021 when a Kaduna State High Court discharged and acquitted them of all charges.

Source: naijanews.com

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Mideast

Maaloula…Cradle of Aramaic and Example of Coexistence between Christians and Muslims

11/12/2025

Maaloula, Dec 11 (SANA) Nestled in the Qalamoun mountains, about 56 kilometers northeast of Damascus, the historic Syrian town of Maaloula is one of the country’s most unique cultural and spiritual treasures. Its houses carved into rock, narrow streets, and ancient monasteries form part of a landscape that preserves a millennia-old heritage: Aramaic, the language spoken in the time of Jesus Christ, which here still remains alive in daily life and liturgy.

Maaloula is one of the few places in the world where this ancestral language continues to be spoken by its inhabitants, both Christians and Muslims. The town stands as a remarkable example of coexistence, where religious traditions have flourished in parallel and harmony for centuries.

The monastery of Mar Takla (Saint Thecla) is one of Maaloula’s most recognized landmarks. According to Eastern Christian tradition, Saint Thecla was a disciple of Saint Paul who fled to these mountains to escape persecution.

At the place where, according to tradition, the saint lived and died, the convent was built. Today it is home to Syrian Orthodox nuns, guardians of memory and custodians of her relics. The monastery is a pilgrimage destination for Christians of various denominations, as well as for Muslims who venerate Saint Thecla as a pious and protective figure. More than a religious center, Mar Takla is a cultural meeting point, its stone walls witnessing generations of pilgrims seeking blessing or solace.

Aramaic: A Language Resisting Time

In Maaloula and the neighboring villages of Jubbadin and Bakha, Aramaic remains alive in songs, stories, prayers, and daily conversations. For years, locals have worked to preserve this linguistic heritage, offering courses and recording educational materials to pass the language on to new generations.

Among these initiatives stands the work of Professor Joseph Zarour, one of the foremost contemporary defenders of Aramaic in Maaloula. He has dedicated decades to documenting local expressions, collecting traditional vocabulary, and teaching the language to children and adults, convinced that its preservation is key to maintaining the region’s cultural identity. His classes, blending history, grammar, and folk music, have become a reference point for those wishing to connect with the language of their ancestors.

Beyond his teaching, Zarour has participated in international projects for linguistic revitalization and has lectured on the importance of Western Aramaic as an endangered intangible heritage. His efforts have raised awareness inside and outside Syria about the need to protect a language that, though minority, represents a unique legacy of Syrian civilization.

During local festivities, such as the celebration of Saint Thecla in September, hymns and prayers in this ancestral language are commonly heard, many of them collected and reintroduced by scholars like Zarour.

A Historical Model of Coexistence

The harmonious coexistence between Christians and Muslims is one of Maaloula’s most distinctive features. Shared stories, family ties, and common celebrations have woven a social fabric that has endured beyond war or political circumstances.

For generations, neighbors have participated together in religious festivities. Muslims visit Saint Thecla’s sanctuary seeking healing or protection, while Christians join in local traditions celebrated by the Muslim community. Daily life, marked by respect and interwoven family relations, offers a powerful example of peaceful coexistence in a region known for its cultural and religious diversity.

Resilience and Renewal

In recent years, Maaloula faced difficult times, but its people have shown deep attachment to their land and heritage. Residents and local authorities have worked to restore churches, homes, and archaeological sites, returning identity and vitality to the town.

Today Maaloula reaffirms itself as a symbol of cultural resistance and unity. Its people continue to defend the Aramaic heritage, care for its historic monasteries, and cultivate the coexistence that has been its hallmark for centuries.

Maaloula is not just a tourist enclave or a relic of the past: it is a living testimony that multiple identities can coexist in harmony. Its ancient language, monasteries, and social fabric make it a beacon of hope for those who believe in cultural preservation and coexistence among peoples of different faiths.

In every word of Aramaic, in every candle lit before the image of Saint Thecla, and in every daily gesture of solidarity among neighbors, Maaloula continues to pronounce a universal message: diversity is wealth, and coexistence is a tradition worth preserving.

Source: sana.sy

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Year after Assad’s downfall, Syrians shows strong support for Al-Sharaa

December 11, 2025

LONDON: As Syrians this week marked one year since the downfall of Bashar Assad, a survey conducted inside the country has found overwhelming support for the new president and placed Saudi Arabia as the most popular international partner.

The former president fled the country on Dec. 8, 2024, after a lightning offensive by opposition forces reached Damascus, bringing an end to 14 years of civil war.

The campaign was spearheaded by Ahmad Al-Sharaa, who now serves as the country’s president and has pressed ahead with efforts to stabilize Syria and rebuild relations with international partners.

Those efforts were recognized in a recently published survey that found that 81 percent of those asked were confident in the president and 71 percent in the national government.

There was also strong backing for key institutions, with more than 70 percent supporting the army and 62 percent in favor of the courts and legal system.

It was carried out during October and November by Arab Barometer, a US-based nonprofit research network.

The survey questioned more than 1,200 randomly selected adults in person across the country, asking their thoughts on a range of issues, including the government’s performance, the economy and security.

The strong support shown for Al-Sharaa is at a level that would be the envy of most Western governments and comes as Syria faces many deep challenges.

The cost of rebuilding the country has been placed at more than $200 billion by the World Bank, the economy has been devastated and the country has faced outbreaks of sectarian violence.

Al-Sharaa has worked to end Syria’s international isolation, building support from countries in the region and successfully lobbying the US to lift sanctions.

A key backer has been Saudi Arabia, which has offered political and economic support. The survey placed the Kingdom as the most popular foreign country with 90 percent viewing Saudi Arabia favorably.

Qatar was also popular, with more than 80 percent viewing the emirate as favorable and 73 percent admiring Turkey.

Most of those asked — 66 percent — also viewed the US favorably, an appreciation of President Donald Trump’s decision to ease sanctions and the impact that will have on the daily lives of Syrians.

After meeting Al-Sharaa in Washington last month, Trump announced a partial suspension of sanctions after already easing many sections of the sanctions regime against the country.

The survey found 61 percent have a positive view of Trump, a figure higher than in much of the Middle East.

There was much less enthusiasm, however, for Washington’s efforts for Syria to normalize relations with Israel.

Only 14 percent supported such a move and just 4 percent had a favorable opinion of Israel.

During the tumult of Assad’s demise, Israel’s military occupied a further swathe of southern Syria and has regularly launched attacks on the country in the last year.

More than 90 percent of Syrians said they viewed Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories and strikes on Iran, Lebanon and Syria as critical threats to their security.

Writing jointly in Foreign Policy magazine, Salma Al-Shami and Michael Robbins from Arab Barometer said the survey results provided reasons to be optimistic about Syria’s future.

“We found that the country’s people are hopeful, supportive of democracy and open to foreign assistance,” they said. “They approve of and trust their current government.”

But the authors also said the results provided some reasons for concern, particularly over the state of the economy and internal security.

Support for the government also dropped off sharply in regions largely home to the Alawite ethno-religious group.

The Assad dynasty that ruled Syria for more than 50 years belonged to the Alawite minority and members of the group held many of the positions of power during that rule.

The survey showed that Syrians view the economy as a major concern, with just 17 percent happy with its performance and many worried about inflation, jobs and poverty.

Some 86 percent said their incomes did not cover their expenses and 65 percent said they had struggled to buy food in the previous month.

There was also concern about security, with 74 percent supportive of any government effort to collect weapons from armed groups and 63 percent viewing kidnapping as a critical threat.

Marking the anniversary of Assad’s downfall on Monday, Al-Sharaa said the government was working to build a strong Syria, consolidate its stability and safeguard its sovereignty.

Source: arabnews.com

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Could Israel’s Palestinians-only death penalty entrench impunity in the West Bank?

JONATHAN GORNALL

December 11, 2025

LONDON: The footage, secretly filmed by an onlooker and released by Reuters with a “graphic content” warning, is shocking.

On Nov. 27, Israeli border police raiding a building in the West Bank camp of Jenin summarily executed two men who had surrendered. The Palestinian health ministry later named the dead men as Montasir Abdullah, 26, and Yusuf Asasa, 37.

Summary executions of Palestinians by Israeli security forces are nothing new, as a spokesman for the UN Human Rights Office pointed out in a statement after the Jenin killings.

“We are appalled by the brazen killing by Israeli border police yesterday of two Palestinian men in Jenin in the occupied West Bank, in yet another apparent summary execution,” he said.

“Killings of Palestinians by Israeli security forces and settlers in the occupied West Bank have been surging without any accountability, even in the rare case when investigations are announced.”

Israel launched Operation Iron Fist in Jenin in January, later expanding it in February to include the Tulkarem and Nur Shams camps. The military says it is targeting Iran-backed armed groups that had grown stronger in the camps and were launching attacks against Israelis.

What began as a series of targeted raids to neutralize Palestinian armed groups and protect Israeli settlements has since become a sustained military campaign, in which the Israel Defense Forces have been accused of extreme violence.

Far from addressing this behavior, Israeli politicians are instead trying to push through a new law that would make execution mandatory for Palestinians — not for Jewish Israelis — convicted of terrorist killings.

The Penal Bill (Amendment No. 159) (Death Penalty for Terrorists) stipulates that “a person who caused the death of an Israeli citizen deliberately or through indifference, from a motive of racism or hostility against a population, and with the aim of harming the State of Israel and the national revival of the Jewish people in its land, shall be sentenced to death.”

The amendment adds that “in military courts in the Judea and Samaria region (the Israeli term for the West Bank) it will be possible to impose a death penalty by a regular majority of the judges in the panel, and a death penalty that was imposed cannot be commuted.”

The military courts have a conviction rate close to 99 percent.

Having passed its first reading in the Knesset on Nov. 11, the bill has now been returned to Israel’s National Security Committee for deliberation. It must then pass two more readings in the Knesset to become law.

Israel’s penal law already provides for the death penalty, but it has only been sought, and carried out, once since 1948.

In December 1961, Adolf Eichmann, the former head of Nazi Germany’s Department for Jewish Affairs, was found guilty in an Israeli court of having played “a central and decisive part” in the killing of 6 million European Jews.

On June 1, 1962, Eichmann, who had been captured in Argentina by Israeli agents, was hanged at Ramla Prison near Tel Aviv.

The amendment to the new law has been proposed by Israel’s far-right Jewish Power party, whose leader is Itamar Ben-Gvir, the national security minister. When the bill passed its first reading last month, Ben-Gvir celebrated by handing out sweets to members of the Knesset.

“After the law is finally passed,” he said, “terrorists will only be released to hell.”

During the debate on the vote, a scuffle broke out in the Knesset between Ben-Gvir and Ayman Odeh, chairman of Hadash-Ta’al.

In his speech, Odeh told Ben-Gvir: “You wanted to carry out a transfer, and you failed — therefore you are in an ideological crisis. You will be gone, and the Palestinian people will remain.”

In a statement after the vote, Odeh said: “The death penalty law for terrorists is the ultimate proof that this coalition has failed miserably and has failed to remove the Palestinian issue from the agenda. And it will never succeed. This law is the swan song of the occupation.”

Just over two weeks later, Ben-Gvir not only defended but celebrated the two summary executions carried out in Jenin. He gave his “full backing to border police members and IDF fighters who shot at wanted terrorists who came out of a building in Jenin.”

He added: “The fighters acted exactly as expected of them — terrorists must die.” Three days after the shootings, Ben-Gvir promoted the commander of the unit that had carried out the killings.

The proposed introduction of the death penalty has been condemned by human rights groups inside Israel and around the world, not least because of the undemocratic nature of the vote that saw the amendment pass its first reading.

There are 120 members of the Knesset, of whom just 39 voted in favor of the bill and 16 against.

“So the bill was passed when they didn’t even have 50 percent of the Knesset to vote for a bill actually asking to kill more Palestinians,” said Mutahir Ahmed, head of legal for the UK-based International Centre of Justice for Palestinians.

“That shows how tainted the system of democracy is in Israel.”

There was, said Amnesty International’s advocacy director, Erika Guevara Rosas, in a statement, “no sugarcoating this; a majority of 39 Israeli Knesset members approved in a first reading a bill that effectively mandates courts to impose the death penalty exclusively against Palestinians … and would include those who committed the punishable offences before the law is passed.”

Yair Dvir, spokesperson for B’Tselem, the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, told Arab News the proposed amendment was “a continuation of the deep demonization process that the Palestinians have undergone for years, and under this current government and in the past two years of genocide even more so.

“They are making a very clear distinction in this law, which is just intended for Palestinians. The death penalty would not be used in the case of any Jewish terrorism, because of course at the same time as they are about to create a death penalty for Palestinians, they are supporting Jewish terrorists, they are backing them politically, funding them, giving them weapons, and creating full immunity for settlers who kill Palestinians.”

The proposed amendment, he added, was “another step in Ben-Gvir’s war against Palestinian prisoners, which we have seen for a long time

“Prisoners have already been killed in Israeli prisons, so actually the killing of Palestinian prisoners has already started. But now they want to make it legal.”

In a report published last month, Israeli non-profit Physicians for Human Rights said the past two years of detention had already proved to be “a death sentence” for almost 100 Palestinians.

The report revealed that between the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel that triggered the Gaza war and August this year, at least 94 Palestinians had died in Israeli detention facilities.

The victims, killed by “the systemic denial of medical care and the torture of Palestinians in Israeli custody,” have included “the young and elderly, the healthy and the sick alike.”

The report added that “the fate of hundreds of Palestinians from Gaza detained by the Israeli military remains unknown to this day, suggesting that the true number of deaths is likely significantly higher than those documented here.”

As part of their campaign to introduce the death penalty, Ben-Gvir and his supporters have taken to wearing noose-shaped pins on their lapels.

Ben-Gvir, said Yair Dvir, “has been talking about this for years. But now, after the hostages have been released and he doesn’t have to think what Hamas might do, it’s an opportunity before elections to show the public just how far he wants to go in this fight against Palestinians in general, and specifically against prisoners.”

Ahmed said the proposed amendment was “a racist bill which violates international human rights law.”

It also violates European law. “Any country that wants to be part of the EU has to sign the European Convention on Human Rights, according to which the death penalty is against human rights and is not acceptable,” he said.

Israel is not in Europe. But controversially, it is in the Eurovision Song Contest, which is due to be held in Vienna next May. Several nations are now boycotting the competition, including Iceland, Spain, the Netherlands and Ireland, over Israel’s conduct in Gaza.

“This is a racist law that extends the apartheid legal system that Israel has been operating for many decades,” said Ahmed.

Palestinians are subject to trials in military courts, in which the conviction rate is about 99 percent, “and if this amendment becomes law, they will face the death penalty.”

He added: “What this amendment also intends is that there should be no provision for appeal or reduction of sentence. That means that if there is a miscarriage of justice, which is perfectly possible in any judicial system, it could not be rectified, even if new evidence comes to light.”

Even in the best justice systems in the world, mistakes are made, he said. “Our British judicial system is considered one of the best, but even here we have serious miscarriages of justice.”

It is not clear when the bill will undergo its second reading. But a leaked message between members of the National Security Committee reviewing the amendment revealed they were considering inserting a clause mandating that executions should be carried out by lethal injection within 90 days of conviction, to prevent “any possibility of avoiding carrying out the sentence.”

Source: arabnews.com

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UN peacekeepers say Israeli forces fired on them in southern Lebanon

December 11, 2025

BEIRUT: The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon said Wednesday that Israeli forces fired on its peacekeepers a day earlier in the country’s south, urging Israel’s army to “cease aggressive behavior.”

It is the latest such incident reported by the peacekeepers in southern Lebanon, where UNIFIL acts as a buffer between Israel and Lebanon and has been working with Lebanon’s army to support a year-old truce between Israel and militant group Hezbollah.

“Yesterday, peacekeepers in vehicles patrolling the Blue Line were fired upon by IDF (Israeli army) soldiers in a Merkava tank,” a UNIFIL statement said, referring to the de facto border.

“One ten-round burst of machine-gun fire was fired above the convoy, and four further ten-round bursts were fired nearby,” the statement said.

It said that both the peacekeepers and the Israeli tank were in Lebanese territory at the time of the incident and that the Israeli military had been informed of the location and timing of the peacekeeping patrol in advance.

“Peacekeepers asked the IDF to stop firing through UNIFIL’s liaison channels... Fortunately, no one was injured,” it said.

Last month UNIFIL said Israeli soldiers shot at its troops in the south, while Israel’s military said it mistook blue helmets for “suspects” and fired warning shots.

In October, UNIFIL said one of its members was wounded by an Israeli grenade dropped near a UN position in the country’s south, the third incident of its kind in just over a month.

“Attacks on or near peacekeepers are serious violations of (UN) Security Council Resolution 1701,” UNIFIL said on Wednesday, referring to the 2006 resolution that formed the basis of the November 2024 truce.

“We call on the IDF to cease aggressive behavior and attacks on or near peacekeepers working to rebuild stability along the Blue Line,” the peacekeepers said.

Israel carries out regular attacks on Lebanon despite the truce, usually saying it is targeting sites and operatives belonging to Hezbollah, which it accuses of rearming.

It has also kept troops in five south Lebanon areas it deems strategic.

On Saturday, a UN Security Council delegation visiting Lebanon urged all parties to uphold the ceasefire.

It emphasized that the “safety of peacekeepers must be respected and that they must never be targeted,” after gunmen on mopeds attacked UNIFIL personnel last week.

Source: arabnews.com

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Rain has flooded Gaza tents and a baby died of exposure, medics say

December 11, 2025

CAIRO/GAZA: Torrential rain swept across the Gaza Strip on Thursday, flooding hundreds of tents sheltering families displaced by two years of war, and leading to the death of a baby girl due to exposure, local health officials said.

Medics said eight-month-old Rahaf Abu Jazar died of exposure to cold after water inundated her family’s tent in Khan Younis, in the south of the enclave.

Weeping and holding Rahaf in her hands, her mother Hejar Abu Jazar said she had fed the girl before they went to sleep.

“When we woke up, we found the rain over her and the wind on her, and the girl died of cold suddenly,” she told Reuters.

“There was nothing wrong with her. Oh, the fire in my heart, the fire in my heart, oh my life,” she said in tears.

Gaza lacks equipment to cope with deluge due to the war

Municipal and civil defense officials said they were unable to cope with the storm because of fuel shortages and damage to equipment. They said Israel destroyed hundreds of vehicles, including bulldozers and others used to pump water, during the war, which displaced most of the over two million population and left much of Gaza in ruins.

The civil defense service said most of the tent encampments across the enclave were flooded, and it received more than 2,500 calls for help. Some of the belongings of displaced people were seen floating on top of pools of rainwater that filled the alleys of the tent encampments.

A UN report said 761 displacement sites hosting about 850,000 people are at high risk of flooding and thousands of people had moved in anticipation of heavy rain.

UN and Palestinian officials said at least 300,000 new tents are urgently needed for the roughly 1.5 million people still displaced. Most existing shelters are worn out or made of thin plastic and cloth sheeting.

Gazans have resorted to ripping out iron rods from the debris of bombed houses and using them to prop up tents or to sell for a few dollars.

A ceasefire has broadly held since October, but the war destroyed much of Gaza’s infrastructure, leaving grim living conditions.

Aid shortages

Hamas-led authorities say Israel is not allowing in as much aid as promised under the truce. Aid agencies say Israel is blocking essential items. Israel says it is meeting its obligations and accuses agencies of inefficiency and failing to prevent theft by Hamas, which the group denies.

“We hold the Israeli occupation fully responsible for exposing displaced families to climate hazards as it continues closing crossings and preventing the entry of relief items and shelter materials,” said Ismail Al-Thawabta, head of the Hamas-run Gaza government media office.

The UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA said flooded streets and soaked tents are worsening already dire conditions.

“Cold, overcrowded and unsanitary environments heighten the risk of illness and infection,” it said on X.

“This suffering could be prevented by unhindered humanitarian aid, including medical support and proper shelter,” it added.

In Gaza City, three houses collapsed as a result of the rainstorm in areas that had been devastated by Israeli bombardment, the civil emergency service said.

The October 10 ceasefire has enabled hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to return to Gaza City’s ruins. Israel has pulled troops back from city positions, and aid flows have increased.

But violence has not completely halted. Palestinian health authorities say Israeli forces have killed 383 people in strikes in Gaza since the truce. Israel says three of its soldiers have been killed since the ceasefire began, and it has attacked scores of fighters.

On Thursday, medics said two Palestinian women were killed, and some other people were wounded in Israeli tank shelling in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip. The Israeli military didn’t offer immediate comment.

Source: arabnews.com

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Israel says Hamas ‘will be disarmed’ after group proposes weapons freeze

December 11, 2025

DOHA: Israel said on Thursday that Hamas “will be disarmed” as part of the US-sponsored peace plan for Gaza, after a top leader from the Islamist movement suggested a weapons freeze.

“There will be no future for Hamas under the 20-point plan. The terror group will be disarmed and Gaza will be demilitarised,” the Israeli official told AFP.

Hamas’s Khaled Meshaal told Qatari news channel Al Jazeera on Wednesday that the militant group is open to a weapons “freeze,” but rejects the demand for disarmament put forward in US President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza.

A top Hamas leader told Qatari news channel Al Jazeera on Wednesday that the militant group is open to a weapons “freeze,” but rejects the demand for disarmament put forward in the US-sponsored peace plan for Gaza.

“The idea of total disarmament is unacceptable to the resistance (Hamas). What is being proposed is a freeze, or storage (of weapons)... to provide guarantees against any military escalation from Gaza with the Israeli occupation,” said Khaled Meshaal in an interview aired Wednesday.

“This is the idea we’re discussing with the mediators, and I believe that with pragmatic American thinking... such a vision could be agreed upon with the US administration,” he said.

The US-sponsored ceasefire deal, in effect since October 10, halted the war that began after Hamas’s deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. But it remains fragile as Israel and Hamas accuse each other almost daily of breaches.

The agreement is composed of three phases. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently indicated that it was about to enter the second phase.

Under that phase Israeli troops would further withdraw from their positions in Gaza and be replaced by an international stabilization force (ISF), while Hamas would lay down its weapons.

Netanyahu is expected to meet with US President Donald Trump in the US later this month to discuss the steps forward in the truce.

But the Palestinian militant group has indicated it would not agree to giving up its arsenal.

“Disarmament for a Palestinian means stripping away his very soul. Let’s achieve that goal another way,” Meshaal added.

In the first phase of the deal Palestinian militants committed to releasing the remaining 48 living and dead captives held in the territory. All of the hostages have so far been released except for one body.

In exchange, Israel has released nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in its custody and returned the bodies of hundreds of dead Palestinians.

As for the international peacekeeping force, Meshaal said the group was open to its deployment along Gaza’s border with Israel, but would not agree to it operating inside the Palestinian territory, calling such a plan an “occupation.”

“We have no objection to international forces or international stabilization forces being deployed along the border, like UNIFIL,” he said, referring to the UN peacekeeping force deployed in southern Lebanon near the Israeli border.

“They would separate Gaza from the occupation,” he added, referring to Israel.

“As for the presence of international forces inside Gaza, in Palestinian culture and consciousness that means an occupying force.”

Mediators as well as Arab and Islamic nations, he said, could act as “guarantors” that there would be no escalation originating from inside Gaza.

“The danger comes from the Zionist entity, not from Gaza,” he added, referring to Israel.

Source: arabnews.com

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Baghdad airport reopens after weather disruption

December 11, 2025

BAGHDAD: Baghdad International Airport reopened Thursday after a 12-hour halt due to bad weather, the transport ministry said.

Authorities announced at around 12:30 a.m. (2130 GMT) they had temporarily shut Baghdad airport to air traffic because of poor weather conditions and fog that drastically reduced visibility.

Other airports, Najaf in central Iraq and Sulaimaniyah in the northern Kurdistan region, were also closed.

The transport ministry said at midday Thursday the “airspace has been reopened” at Baghdad and Najaf airports, according to the official INA press agency.

Heavy rains over the past two days caused flooding in several areas in Iraq, particularly in the autonomous Kurdistan region.

Floods in the north killed at least three people, including a child, according to local authorities. A key bridge connecting the northern city of Kirkuk to Baghdad also collapsed.

Authorities hope the heavy rains will help alleviate water shortages in drought-stricken Iraq, after water reserves in artificial lakes hit their lowest levels in the country’s recent history following a dry season.

Iraq, heavily impacted by climate change, has been ravaged for years by drought and low rainfall.

Source: arabnews.com

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Exclusive: Erbil talks to pick Iraq’s new leadership

2025-12-11

Top Shiite, Sunni blocs and minority representatives in the Iraqi Parliament will meet in Erbil on Thursday to finalize nominees for Iraq’s three highest federal posts—the President, the Prime Minister, and the Speaker of Parliament—a senior official told Shafaq News.

Abdulrahman Al-Jazaeri, a State of Law Coalition (SLC) official, indicated that discussions over the next prime minister increasingly point toward a consensus, compromise candidate capable of managing the coming phase and addressing contentious files, including issues tied to the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), the Kurdistan Region’s salaries, and the Federal Budget Law.

He added that the proposed compromise nominee has not yet been publicly disclosed but may be announced at the Shiite Coordination Framework (CF)—Iraq’s largest bloc in parliament—during its next meeting.

Al-Jazaeri noted that if consensus efforts falter, SLC leader Nouri Al-Maliki, whose bloc won 30 seats in the recent parliamentary elections, remains a potential option. He said Al-Maliki could either run himself or nominate an alternative, adding that a vote may be held next week should political forces reach an agreement.

Under Iraq’s post-2003 power-sharing system, the premiership goes to a Shia nominee, the speakership to a Sunni figure, and the presidency to a Kurdish candidate.

The CF has shortlisted three candidates for the prime minister’s office—caretaker premier Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, former prime minister Haider Al-Abadi, and a third undisclosed contender—according to Al-Nasr Coalition spokesperson Salam Al-Zubaidi.

For the speakership of parliament, six prominent contenders have now emerged: former Speaker Mohammed Al-Halbousi, cleared of forgery charges in April 2025; Mahmoud Al-Samarrai, an ally of Khamis Al-Khanjar; former Education Minister Mohammed Tamim; caretaker Defense Minister Thabet Al-Abbasi; Sovereignty Alliance MP Salem Al-Issawi; and Al-Hasm Alliance MP Mahmoud Al-Qaisi.

The presidency, traditionally held by a Kurdish nominee, is expected to become the most contentious of the three posts. While the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) has occupied the office for most of the post-2003 era, the Kurdistan Democratic Party’s (KDP) strong gains in the 2025 elections have reinvigorated its claim.

Source: shafaq.com

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Ayatollah Khamenei: Spread of resistance concept from Iran to other countries become reality

11 Dec 2025

Leader of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei affirmed Thursday that the spread of the concept and literature of resistance from Iran to countries in the region and some other countries has become a reality.

During a celebration commemorating the birth anniversary of Fatima al-Zahra, Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out that his country is achieving progress despite facing numerous shortcomings, according to the Iranian news agency Tasnim.

He said: “Some of the measures taken by the enemy against Iran and the Iranian people, if taken against any other country, would have led to that country's demise.”

He added: “Through its national resistance, the Iranian people have thwarted the enemy's continuous efforts to alter the religious, historical, and cultural identity of this nation.

Today, at a time when there must be proper defensive and offensive preparedness to counter the enemy's propaganda and media activities targeting minds, hearts, and beliefs, Iran continues its progress despite the problems and shortcomings present throughout the country.”

He continued: “Sometimes the enemy’s pressure is military, as the people witnessed during the Sacred Defense and as teenagers and young adults have seen in recent months. At other times, the pressure is economic, media-related, cultural, or political.”

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution considered the media frenzy stirred up by Western media personnel, political officials, and military personnel as an indication of the enemy’s propaganda pressure, saying: “The aim of the various pressures exerted by the arrogant powers on nations, especially the Iranian people, is sometimes regional expansion, as the United States government is doing today in Latin America.”

He added: “Sometimes the aim is to control underground resources, and sometimes it is to change lifestyles. Most importantly, the primary objective of these arrogant pressures is to change identities.”

Sayyed Khamenei pointed out that the efforts of the arrogant world powers to change the "religious, historical and cultural" identity of the Iranian nation go back more than a hundred years, saying: "The Islamic Revolution made all those efforts futile, and in recent decades, by not surrendering, standing firm and remaining steadfast in the face of continued broad pressure from its enemies, the nation has thwarted them."

Source: saba.ye

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Arab World

Agreement to boost Saudi music sector

December 11, 2025

RIYADH: The Saudi Music Commission, one of 11 sector-specific commissions under the Ministry of Culture, has signed an agreement with Steinway & Sons, the piano manufacturer. The deal aims to empower and accelerate the development and professionalization of the Saudi music sector.

The agreement was formalized in Riyadh by Paul Pacifico, the CEO of the Saudi Music Commission, and Guido Zimmermann, president of Steinway & Sons EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa). Both entities are to collaborate to empower talent, enhance professional training, and expand access to world-class musical instruments.

The collaboration will advance artistic and educational plans and will serve as a foundation for enabling significant commercial partnerships and business investment in the Kingdom’s music sector. These efforts reflect the Music Commission’s continued participation in supporting and fostering sustainable growth.

The Saudi Music Commission and Steinway & Sons will explore joint initiatives to develop apprenticeship programs for piano technicians; enable joint participation in Music Commission initiatives and events; and facilitate connections with cultural, educational, and retail partners across Saudi Arabia.

Pacifico said: “This partnership with Steinway & Sons is a milestone in our mission to further empower musical talent across Saudi Arabia. By combining global expertise with local creativity, we are building a lasting framework for education, performance, and craftsmanship.

“Our work at the Saudi Music Commission is not only nurturing talent and creativity but is also actively shaping a music market that welcomes industry leaders, generates investment, and supports sustainable growth for businesses and practitioners alike. Together, we remain committed to nurturing music’s enduring role at the heart of Saudi life and culture, inspiring generations to come.”

Zimmermann said: “Saudi Arabia is entering an extraordinary chapter in its cultural journey, and we are honored to support this transformation. This partnership with the Saudi Music Commission reflects our long-term commitment to education, talent development, and the craft of music making.”

Source: arabnews.com

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MWL secretary-general stresses promotion of coexistence and cooperation

December 12, 2025

JAKARTA: The opening address at Indonesia’s Interfaith Harmony Conference, hosted by the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs in Jakarta, was delivered by Muslim World League Secretary-General Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa.

The speech highlighted the importance of holding such conferences and the focus on themes such as promoting coexistence and cooperation when confronting theories of religious conflict, as well as their impact on diverse societies and global peace.

Al-Issa said that throughout human history, many unjust wars appeared rooted in false narratives.

Indonesian Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar was among those attending the event, along with other religious and parliamentary leaders from various faiths.

The conference included presentations from religious representatives in Indonesia, each outlining their faith’s teachings related to social harmony.

Source: arabnews.com

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UN chief visits KSrelief HQ in Riyadh

December 11, 2025

RIYADH: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visited the Saudi aid agency KSrelief in Riyadh on Thursday, where he held talks on strengthening cooperation between the UN and the Kingdom’s leading humanitarian institution.

Guterres met Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah — adviser at the Royal Court and supervisor general of KSrelief — along with senior officials, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Abdulaziz bin Mohammed Al-Wasil, Saudi Arabia’s permanent representative to the UN in New York, was also present.

The two sides discussed humanitarian and relief priorities, as well as ways to expand collaboration between KSrelief and various UN agencies, the SPA added.

Officials also presented an overview of the center’s expanding global portfolio, which has now reached 3,881 projects across 109 countries, worth more than $8 billion.

Projects highlighted included the artificial limbs program; the Masam demining initiative in Yemen; the scheme to reintegrate Yemeni children formerly associated with armed conflict; voluntary medical missions; and KSrelief’s Conjoined Twins Program.

The center’s work on digital relief platforms, international documentation and registration, and other humanitarian initiatives was also showcased.

Guterres later toured KSrelief’s permanent exhibition, which featured an interactive map of beneficiary countries; multimedia human-interest stories; volunteer program displays; and a “messages of hope” corner at which he used a virtual-reality headset which attempted to simulate the experiences of refugees and displaced people.

The UN chief also met Saudi medical volunteers involved in KSrelief missions abroad, and heard their accounts of delivering assistance on the ground.

He then visited offices of partner organizations and international bodies housed within the center, receiving briefings on their joint programs with KSrelief.

Source: arabnews.com

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Beyond IKEA: How Sweden’s culture of innovation affects daily life in Saudi Arabia

ELLEN SKOLD HARRESTAM

December 11, 2025

RIYADH: Sweden: The land of build-it-yourself furniture and the Arctic Circle.

For many in Saudi Arabia, the European Kingdom of Sweden might be synonymous with IKEA, meatballs and the polar night.

But Swedish innovations quietly shape the world in ways most people never realize, from the moment they wake up until the moment they fall asleep, extending far beyond flat-pack furniture and Arctic landscapes.

Ever since Swedish scientist Alfred Nobel invented dynamite and established the legacy of the Nobel Prize, Sweden has positioned itself as a global leader in innovation and knowledge advancement.

And with Saudi scientist Omar Yaghi becoming the Kingdom’s first national to be awarded the prize by Sweden’s king on Wednesday, the ties between the two countries are in the spotlight now perhaps more than ever.

Ambassador of Sweden to Saudi Arabia Petra Menander told Arab News that her country’s leading role in innovation could be attributed to the country’s education system and culture of creativity.

She said: “All children grow up with the same chances in life, from preschool to free higher education, and this education system encourages critical thinking, creativity and problem solving.”

Consider a normal morning routine for someone living in Saudi Arabia: they wake up and check the temperature outside, which soars above 40 C in the summer months.

The degree Celsius is a Swedish invention named after its creator Anders Celsius. Saudi Arabians then get dressed, maybe in the Swedish brand H&M with clothes or accessories fastened with the Swedish invention, the zipper.

When they are dressed, they might head to the Swedish invention of the modern absorption refrigerator, which was developed as a master’s thesis by two students at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm and first produced in 1925.

When reaching for fresh milk or juice at breakfast, it is likely found in a carton made by the Swedish company Tetra Pak.

With breakfast completed, commuters head out to their car and put on their Swedish three-point seatbelt for safety.

This lifesaving device was so important that Volvo made the patent freely available to all car manufacturers, prioritizing safety over profits and saving countless lives.

To make the car ride more entertaining, drivers connect their phones to speakers with Swedish Bluetooth — developed by the telecommunication giant Ericsson and named after Viking King of Denmark and Norway Harald “Bluetooth” Gormsson.

Then they might open Spotify, the Swedish music streaming service founded in 2006.

While listening to music, there is a good chance that many of the songs in your playlist are exported from Sweden, which is one of the four countries in the world that exports more music than it consumes.

A simple morning routine reveals the depth of Swedish innovation and how Sweden has spread its knowledge and products far beyond its borders, with its influence continuing to grow across the region.

One major Swedish company with a presence in Saudi Arabia is Tetra Pak, which has been active in the Kingdom for 45 years.

According to Alia Gamil, head of communication at Tetra Pak Arabia, the company works with more than 80 percent of the food and beverage producers in the Middle East.

Gamil said: “Our mission is committing to make food safe and available everywhere. And we promise to protect what’s good: food, people and the planet.”

The Swedish Embassy in Riyadh works closely with entities in Saudi Arabia to help create platforms for innovation to grow, with a deep-rooted belief in education and research encouraging a culture of lifelong learning.

Menander said: “I see that the collaboration, the partnership is growing. There’s a new dimension now where more new actors are coming up from both sides looking at opportunities for collaboration.

“But then I also think that there are more things to learn that we can get from Saudi Arabia in terms of the very fast transformation that is happening here.”

Maybe it is the education system and free higher education, or maybe it is the legacy of Alfred Nobel and the drive for exploration that inspires Swedish innovation.

One new startup inspires another, and then the ball keeps on rolling. The Global Startup Ecosystem Index Report 2024 ranked Sweden as the leading startup ecosystem in the EU and the sixth best globally.

Nevertheless, Sweden’s climate of innovation is defined by safety, openness, collaboration and a willingness to explore new ideas, with cross-border cooperation culminating in ideas and designs that last.

Menander said that she hopes for the future relationship between Sweden and Saudi Arabia to flourish due to mutual interests.

On the question of how she hoped Saudis viewed Sweden, she said: “As a trusted and close friend; and partner, where we share experiences that help both of our kingdoms to thrive.”

Source: arabnews.com

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Tabadulat secures full FSRA license to launch UAE’s first free halal trading platform

December 11, 2025

Tabadulat Limited (Tabadulat), the UAE-based Shariah-compliant investing platform, announced today that it has been granted its full Financial Services Permission (FSP) as a Category 3A licensed entity by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), to be the UAE's first free Halal trading platform.

The full approval gives Tabadulat the green light to be the first to offer regulated global halal brokerage services, addressing long-standing challenges faced by Muslim investors who have been served by fragmented tools, partial compliance, or unregulated platforms.

“Obtaining our full FSRA license is a defining moment for Tabadulat and for Muslim investors globally. It gives us the regulatory foundation to build a trusted, world-class platform that finally brings institutional-grade halal investing to the mass market,” said Samy Mohamad, Co-founder of Tabadulat.

This follows Tabadulat’s In-Principle Approval (IPA) earlier in 2025 and marks the company’s transition into a fully regulated Islamic financial business within ADGM.

The company currently has a committed investment of $2.3 million, with an additional $1 million recently secured, strengthening its capital base and supporting its mission to deliver a world-class halal investment experience to Muslim investors globally.

With its full FSRA license, Tabadulat will now be able to introduce:

Regulated Halal Global Market Access

Direct investment access to compliant stocks and ETFs across the US, Europe, GCC, and Asia under a robust regulatory framework.

Enhanced Shariah Governance

Continuous monitoring of listed assets to ensure ongoing compliance with AAOIFI-aligned Islamic finance standards.

Real-Time Compliance Insights

Instant updates when an asset’s status changes, offering clarity and confidence for active investors.

Transparent US Stock Trading

Commission-free trading on U.S. stocks with no hidden fees and absolutely no Riba. Low fees apply only to non-US markets.

Source: gulfnews.com

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Southeast Asia

MOHE coordinates RM500 aid for Indonesian students in Malaysia, Malaysians students in Aceh

12 Dec 2025

The Higher Education Ministry will provide RM500 each to Indonesian students in Malaysia and Malaysian students in Aceh affected by recent flooding.

PUTRAJAYA: The Higher Education Ministry (MOHE) will coordinate the registration and disbursement of RM500 per student in aid to Indonesian students in Malaysia affected by the recent floods in Aceh and North Sumatra.

Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said the move aligns with today’s government announcement.

“MOHE will also ensure all processes are carried out in an orderly manner to ease the burden on those affected,” he said in a statement today.

Zambry welcomed and expressed appreciation to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for the government’s decision to provide immediate aid to Indonesian students in Malaysia affected by the disaster.

He added that as a neighbouring country with close familial and historical ties, MOHE fully supports the initiative to ensure student welfare is prioritised, especially for those facing hardships far from their families.

At the same time, Zambry said MOHE is also monitoring Malaysian students in Aceh, including those enrolled in several educational institutions in the region.

To safeguard their welfare, Zambry said MOHE will provide special assistance, including financial aid of RM500 per student, as well as additional support according to current needs.

He added that similar targeted aid will also be extended to Malaysian students affected by the floods.

“MOHE is in close contact with Education Malaysia (EM) in Indonesia, the Malaysian Embassy in Jakarta and Indonesian authorities to obtain a complete list of Malaysian students in Aceh and assess their level of need.

“Follow-up action will be taken immediately, including coordinating the RM500 financial aid per student and providing any additional assistance required,” he said.

Zambry also expressed prayers for the safety of all Malaysian stude

Source: thesun.my

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PAS endorses Karambunai assemblyman’s support for Sabah CM Hajiji

11 Dec 2025

PAS deputy president confirms party’s approval for its Karambunai assemblyman to back Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor, strengthening the state administration.

KUANTAN: PAS has approved its Karambunai assemblyman Datuk Dr Aliakbar Gulasan’s support for Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.

Deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said the decision followed discussions at the Perikatan Nasional (PN) Supreme Council meeting.

“Although we are not involved in the formation of the Sabah Cabinet, PAS’ stance is to support Hajiji as Sabah Chief Minister,” he told reporters.

Tuan Ibrahim expressed confidence that the Sabah state administration would be strengthened through Hajiji’s experience and PAS’ support.

He added that Aliakbar’s good rapport with Hajiji would help him carry out his duties as the elected representative.

When asked if this contradicted a statement by PN chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Tuan Ibrahim said the issue did not arise as the Karambunai assemblyman was from PAS.

“We have already informed this matter during the PN meeting,” he added.

Muhyiddin was reported yesterday as saying that PN had decided Aliakbar would remain in the opposition.

Aliakbar won the Karambunai seat for PAS with 7,054 votes in an 11-cornered contest during the 17th Sabah State Election.

Source: thesun.my

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‘I leave it to the courts’: Syed Saddiq puts faith in judiciary after apex court tells prosecution to rethink case

By R. Loheswar

12 Dec 2025

PUTRAJAYA, Dec 12 — Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman today said he is placing his fate entirely in the hands of the Federal Court and in the hands of Allah after the apex court instructed the prosecution to rethink their position in the government’s bid to reinstate four criminal charges against him.

Speaking to reporters after proceedings adjourned alongside lead counsel Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik and Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, Syed Saddiq said he respected the court’s decision to call for further submissions and emphasised that he had never once tried to delay proceedings throughout the nearly two-year legal battle.

“I want to thank my exceptional legal team, they’ve worked tirelessly day in and day out to fight for justice and pursue the truth,” he said.

“We’ve gone through this journey for more than 600 days, almost 700. We never postponed, never tried to prolong. In the end I believe that the truth — while it may take time — will win. If not today, tomorrow. If not tomorrow. next month. But the truth will win.”

The Federal Court this afternoon reserved judgment and gave the prosecution one week to send additional submissions upon when the defence will be given a week after that to study and respond to it.

Hisyam told reporters that the instruction was unexpected but showed the panel’s commitment to ensuring fairness.

“It was the voice of the Federal Court that both parties go back and rethink their respective cases,” said Hisyam, adding that the court had given the defence ample time to present its argument earlier in the day.

Asked whether the direction suggested the panel saw weaknesses in the prosecution’s case, Hisyam declined to speculate saying only that the defence would comply with the court’s instructions.

Syed Saddiq meanwhile stressed that he did not wish to place himself in the position of the judges or speculate on their reasoning.

“You may have noticed I truly respect the judiciary not just individual judges but the judiciary overall. Even when I went through hell after the High Court conviction, I never once spoke ill of the judge.

“Because in the end, it’s not just about the individual. This is the last bastion of defence for those who are voiceless and for citizens who need that final recourse.”

He said the comments in court today that touched on the Court of Appeal’s findings made him reflect on the importance of protecting judicial integrity.

When asked about his plans while waiting for the additional submissions process, he said he planned to return to Muar immediately.

“I look forward to going back to Muar tomorrow. I have a lot of work to do. I look forward to serving my constituency as always,” he said.

The prosecution is appealing the COA’s July decision that acquitted the Muar MP on charges of abetting criminal breach of trust involving RM1 million, misappropriating RM120,000 in political funds, and two more money-laundering charges.

The COA previously held that the trial judge had failed to consider key evidence and that the prosecution had not proven even a prima facie case.

The prosecution was given a week to file additional submissions and then another week will be granted to the defence to review those submissions.

No date has been fixed for the next hearing.

Source: malaymail.com

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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/12/12/i-leave-it-to-the-courts-syed-saddiq-puts-faith-in-judiciary-after-apex-court-tells-prosecution-to-rethink-case/201674

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Bung Moktar’s son Mohd Naim rules himself out of Lamag by‑election candidacy

11 Dec 2025

KOTA KINABALU, Dec 11 — Kinabatangan Umno Youth chief Mohd Naim Kurniawan Moktar says he has no interest in contesting the Lamag state by-election to fill the vacancy left by the demise of his father, Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin.

Mohd Naim, who has been touted as one of the candidates to replace his father, said the Lamag state constituency should go to someone born in that area to continue its struggle.

Mohd Naim, who was entrusted with helping to ensure Barisan Nasional (BN) wins the Lamag seat in the recent 17th Sabah State Election, said he realised that many wanted him to take over his late father’s place.

“I appreciate the support of those who want me to contest, but the selection of candidates is up to the party. As a loyal member, I fully respect whatever decision the party makes.

“The voice of the Lamag must continue to resonate,” he posted on Facebook today.

Mohd Naim also forwarded a few criteria that the candidate selected to contest in the Lamag by-election must meet: must hail from Lamag, be 50 years old and below, be educated and loyal to the party’s struggles.

Bung Moktar passed away at a private hospital in Kota Kinabalu at 1.46 am on December 5 — less than a week after being elected as the Lamag state assemblyman for a second term. He was 66.

In the 17th Sabah State Election on November 29, Bung Moktar, who was also the Sabah Barisan Nasional chairman, retained his Lamag state seat with a majority of 153 votes in a six-cornered fight.

In the national political arena, Bung Moktar began as the Kinabatangan Member of Parliament after winning the seat at the 10th General Election in November 1999, before continuing to serve for six consecutive terms.

On Tuesday (December 9), Election Commission (EC) secretary Datuk Khairul Shahril Idrus said it will hold a special meeting to determine the key dates for the Kinabatangan parliamentary and Lamag state by-elections on December 16. — Bernama

Source: malaymail.com

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South Asia

Kurigram bank, treasury raided to fund war

Dec 12, 2025

Fifty-three years after independence, many wartime operations remain buried in footnotes and family archives. Part 7 of this 12-part series tells how freedom fighters and civilians in Kurigram carried out two of the Liberation War's most daring missions: raiding a bank and a treasury to secure crores in cash and gold for the Mujibnagar government.

During the 1971 Liberation War, a series of daring operations unfolded across the country, with civilians and trained freedom fighters jointly conducting raids to secure funds for the resistance.

In the early months of the war, freedom fighters broke into government treasuries and bank vaults in various districts and sub divisions, with most of the recovered money deposited into the Mujibnagar government treasury to finance the war.

Two of the most significant missions took place on April 16 and 18, when freedom fighters raided the National Bank and the Kurigram Treasury, both in the Kurigram subdivision. Together, they recovered over Tk 3 crore and 15kgs of gold jewellery.

These operations are documented in multiple books.

The National Bank operation is described in Tajul Mohammad's "Muktijuddher Itihasher Khoje Kurigram" and Akhtaruzzaman Mondol's "1971: Uttar Ronangone Bijoy".

On the other hand, the Treasury operation is documented in Hamidul Haque's "Boibhobe Ekattor" and Akbar Ali Khan's memoir "Purono Shei Diner Kotha".

Akhtaruzzaman Mondol, a former Awami League politician and Liberation War organiser from Bhurungamari, Kurigram took part in the April 16 bank raid.

According to Purono Shei Diner Kotha, the Pakistan government imposed strict restrictions on cash withdrawals at the start of the war.

Faced with a growing need for resources, Captain Nawazesh Uddin, deputy commander of the EPR's Rangpur Wing, advised National Assembly member Riaz Uddin Ahmed, Provincial Assembly member Shamsul Haque Chowdhury and Sub-divisional Officer (SDO) Mamunur Rashid to consider organised raids on banks and treasuries to support the war effort.

A plan was soon made to break into the National Bank vault in Kurigram on April 16.

In a recent interview with The Daily Star, Akhtaruzzaman Mondol said that, following Captain Nawazesh's suggestion, SDO Mamunur met with members of the local Sangram Committee.

They later consulted EPR officers Subedar Arab Ali and Subedar Borhan Uddin and Bhurungamari Thana Magistrate Ziauddin Ahmed, who all agreed to participate.

After Juma prayers, freedom fighters broke into the bank while 20 EPR members stood guard. "We brought shovels and broke a hole in the wall, then threw a grenade inside," Akhtaruzzaman said.

"I entered and opened the door. When others came in, we broke the vault and began filling bundles of cash into wooden boxes and sacks."

The team recovered Tk 1,60,60,000."

He also said that two EPR trucks and a jeep transported the money, with EPR guards providing security. The freedom fighters had earlier informed the Indian authorities and the BSF that they might cross the border, but they had not disclosed the scale of the operation.

According to Muktijuddher Itihasher Khoje Kurigram, After crossing, they took the cash to the State Bank of India's Cooch Behar branch. Central approval for the deposit came within two days. Of the recovered amount, Tk 60,000 was kept at Bhurungamari for immediate wartime needs, and the rest was deposited in bank accounts.

The Kurigram Treasury was raided on April 18.

According to Boibhobe Ekattor, the operation was led by National Assembly member Shamsul Haque Chowdhury, Provincial Assembly members Abul Hossain and Sadakat Hossain Chowdhury, Abdullah Sarwardi and others. Hossain, general secretary of the Kurigram Mahkuma Awami League and convenor of the Lalmonirhat Thana Struggle Committee.

His son, Professor Hamidul Haque compiled his wartime documents and wrote "Boibhobe Ekattor".

According to Hamidul, SDO Mamunur asked Hossain to lead the raid. The fighters broke the small opening above the treasury door, allowing Haider Ali to squeeze through and unlock it from inside.

They then smashed open cupboards and safes using hammers, crowbars and shovels. The haul was enormous: 57 sacks of currency notes, 25 sacks of coins and 29 wooden boxes of gold.

Earlier, freedom fighters had derailed a freight train at Rajarhat Station, but on April 18 they learned Pakistani forces were repairing the tracks and could enter Kurigram at any moment.

The book also mentions that they pressed ahead, using 15 bullock carts to move the money and gold towards the border. Subedar Arab Ali, Subedar Borhan Uddin, Ansar Commander Mohiuddin Ahmed, and several EPR members joined the mission.

At the border, with help from local Congress leaders, they rented two trucks and transported the money to the Cooch Behar District Council office.

According to the letter with references, Lok Sabha member Binoy Krishna Chowdhury and the district magistrate rushed in and immediately sought permission from Delhi.

Once approved, the cash and gold were counted and weighed in their presence, totalling Tk 1,40,00,000 and 15kg of gold. Twenty-nine sacks of metal coins were handed to Shamsul Haque for wartime use.

The letter references also confirm that, in the presence of NA and PA members, the cash and gold were sealed and deposited in the Cooch Behar Treasury on April 20 under the joint signatures of Binoy and Hossain. Indian documents later confirmed the deposit of 57 boxes of cash and 29 boxes of gold.

The Kurigram leaders then met to arrange transfer of the funds to the Mujibnagar government. Hossain was selected to travel to Kolkata.

References from the book and the letter indicate that in May, Hossain met prime minister Tajuddin Ahmad, who explained that the government was facing a severe financial crisis and urgently needed the funds. They sought permission from the Indian authorities, which arrived at the end of July. After receiving clearance, Hossain met Tajuddin again

Since the money had been deposited under the joint signatures of Binoy and Hossain, Binoy's authorisation was required for withdrawal.

The letter confirmed that on August 3 in Delhi, Binoy Krishna Chowdhury formally approved it. Shortly after, Tajuddin held an emergency meeting with finance secretary KA Zaman and finance minister Captain M Mansur Ali. They arranged for a chartered aircraft to transport the money and gold.

On August 9, the recovered funds were handed over to the Mujibnagar government and later deposited in the war fund.

Hamidul said, "I had heard bits of the story since childhood. Around 2001–2002, I found the letters in one of my father's files… I also spoke to many who took part.

He said, "My father spent 28 months in jail for political reasons after the Bangabandhu assassination, and our home was set on fire several times. Despite this, He preserved these documents with great care."

Source: thedailystar.net

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Afghan Dual Nationals Can Enter Afghanistan Without Visa, Ministry Confirms

By Fidel Rahmati

December 12, 2025

Afghan dual nationals can now enter Afghanistan without a visa, the Foreign Ministry confirmed, clarifying travel rules for citizens holding multiple nationalities.

The Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has clarified that Afghan citizens holding dual nationality do not require a visa to enter the country. This announcement comes amid previous reports suggesting a change in travel regulations for dual nationals.

Hafiz Zia Ahmad, deputy spokesperson for the ministry, rejected claims that dual citizens would need visas. Speaking on Friday, December 12, he said Afghan nationals traveling with foreign passports can enter Afghanistan freely, provided they present valid Afghan identification.

“Afghans wishing to travel with foreign passports follow the usual procedures. They do not need a visa and can enter Afghanistan freely,” Ahmad added, aiming to dispel confusion among the Afghan diaspora regarding travel requirements.

Earlier reports had sparked concern among Afghans abroad, who feared restrictions could limit their ability to return to family, property, or employment in Afghanistan. The clarification is expected to ease immediate travel worries.

However, human rights organizations and UN experts have repeatedly raised concerns over the Taliban’s treatment of dual nationals and other vulnerable groups. The United Nations Security Council has highlighted issues including arbitrary detention, restrictions on freedom of movement, and discrimination against women and other groups.

Observers warn that while visa-free entry simplifies travel, underlying human rights risks remain. Dual nationals and other returnees may still face harassment, surveillance, or other restrictions under current administration.

The situation underscores ongoing challenges for Afghans seeking safe access to their homeland. International human rights groups continue to call for monitoring and protections to ensure the rights of all citizens are respected.

Source: khaama.com

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Germany Cancels Resettlement Plans for 640 Afghan Refugees in Pakistan

By Fidel Rahmati-

December 12, 2025

Germany has canceled plans to resettle 640 Afghan refugees waiting in Pakistan, leaving them in uncertainty and raising serious humanitarian concerns.

Germany has canceled plans to resettle 640 Afghan refugees who were awaiting transfer from Pakistan, according to The Guardian. The affected individuals were part of two programs designed to provide safe relocation for vulnerable Afghans.

The decision, announced by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, comes amid growing pressure from Germany’s far-right political factions. Officials say the government is adopting a stricter stance on migration, leaving those awaiting evacuation uncertain about their future. A spokesperson for the Interior Ministry confirmed that affected individuals will soon receive notices stating that Germany is no longer politically committed to accepting them.

Human rights groups have condemned the move, calling it a “betrayal” and a violation of multiple court rulings. They warn that returning these Afghans could expose them to “persecution, torture, or death” under Taliban rule.

Before the Merz administration took office, roughly 4,000 local staff and 15,000 of their family members had already been resettled in Germany. Around 1,800 Afghan refugees approved for transfer remain stranded in Pakistan, awaiting an uncertain future.

International organizations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and various religious groups, have called on Germany to evacuate all 1,800 refugees before the end-of-year deadline set by Pakistan for their departure.

Experts warn that Germany’s decision could undermine international protection efforts and worsen the humanitarian crisis facing Afghan refugees in Pakistan, leaving thousands vulnerable to Taliban reprisals.

The situation underscores the challenges European governments face in balancing domestic political pressures with humanitarian obligations, highlighting the urgent need for coordinated international action to protect at-risk populations.

Source: khaama.com

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Kabul Releases ISIS-K Confessions on Khalil-ur-Rahman Haqqani Killing

By Fidel Rahmati

December 12, 2025

On the first anniversary of Khalil-ur-Rahman Haqqani’s killing, the Taliban released videos of alleged ISIS-K confessions, intensifying tensions with Pakistan over militancy.

On the first anniversary of Khalil-ur-Rahman Haqqani’s assassination, Taliban-affiliated media released new footage claiming to show “confessions” from an Islamic State (ISIS-K) member allegedly involved in the attack. Haqqani, a senior figure in the Haqqani Network and former Taliban Minister for Refugees, was killed in a suicide bombing inside the ministry compound in Kabul. ISIS-K claimed responsibility for the high-profile assassination.

In the videos, a man identifying himself as Hamza asserts that he planned and oversaw the operation against Haqqani. He claims the attack was designed and directed from Pakistan’s Balochistan province, where ISIS-K operatives coordinated the operation. The Taliban media further allege that the direct perpetrator was a man named Usman, who received training “under the umbrella of the Pakistani regime” and carried out the mission on orders from Balochistan.

This is not the first time the Taliban have released videos purporting to show confessions from alleged ISIS-K members. Independent human rights groups have raised serious doubts about the credibility of such footage, warning that confessions may be obtained under coercion, torture, or extreme pressure, with no transparent legal oversight.

The release of the video comes amid rising tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan. Both sides accuse each other of harboring and supporting militants. The Taliban claim that Pakistan’s Balochistan province has become a “training and supply center” for ISIS-K, while Islamabad denies the allegation and counters that Afghanistan has become a safe haven for regional and international militant groups, including Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Analysts say these mutual accusations underscore a deepening rift between Kabul and Islamabad, complicating regional security and counterterrorism efforts. The dispute highlights ongoing mistrust, particularly over cross-border militancy and influence over armed groups operating in the region.

As tensions persist, international observers warn that the lack of cooperation between the Taliban and Pakistan could allow ISIS-K and other militant groups to expand operations, threatening both Afghanistan and Pakistan’s stability. Without transparent investigations and accountability, the cycle of violence and political blame is likely to continue.

Source: khaama.com

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Islamabad Says Kabul Clerics’ Gathering Not Enough, Seeks Formal Assurance from Mullah Hibatullah

By Fidel Rahmati

December 11, 2025

Islamabad says the Kabul clerics’ gathering is insufficient to address cross-border militancy, insisting on a formal written guarantee from Mullah Hibatullah to curb attacks from TTP.

Pakistan says it has not yet received the official resolution issued by Taliban-aligned clerics who gathered in Kabul this week, despite calling the meeting a potentially positive step for counterterrorism. Islamabad reiterated that it still expects written guarantees from the Taliban leadership and Hibatullah Akhundzada.

Nearly 1,000 pro-Taliban clerics from across Afghanistan convened in Kabul on Wednesday, declaring that no Afghan should fight outside the country and urging the Taliban to prevent individuals from joining any external conflicts.

Pakistan, however, maintains that TTP fighters continue to launch attacks against its police and military from Afghanistan soil. Islamabad has repeatedly pressed the Taliban to provide firm commitments and verifiable assurances that these cross-border attacks will stop.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Andarabi said Pakistan welcomes anti-terror statements from Kabul but will assess them only after receiving an official copy of the clerics’ resolution. He emphasized that long-term stability requires a formal written pledge from the Taliban leadership.

Tensions surfaced again after Taliban negotiator Rahmatullah Najeeb said Pakistan had sought a fatwa from Hibatullah against fighting in Pakistan. The Taliban delegation responded that Hibatullah does not issue fatwas on demand and that any request must go through the Darul Ifta.

Islamabad noted that similar demands during earlier talks in Istanbul and Doha also failed, as the Taliban refused to sign any formal commitments. Meanwhile, Pakistan said it cannot rule out the possibility of India supplying weapons to armed groups in Afghanistan, a claim Islamabad has made repeatedly while accusing New Delhi of backing the TTP.

Source: khaama.com

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BNP, Jamaat, NCP hail end to polls uncertainty

Dec 12, 2025

Welcoming the announcement of the schedule for the 13th national election, all major political parties yesterday said it has removed the uncertainty surrounding the polls.

However, the parties, including BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and the National Citizen Party (NCP), put the onus on the Election Commission to hold a free and fair polls.

Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin yesterday announced that the 13th national parliamentary election and the referendum would be held on February 12.

"Today is a day of joy," BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said while talking to reporters at the BNP Chairperson's office at Gulshan.

"The announcement has reassured us," he said, adding that it proves the government wants to protect the people's right to vote.

"We are satisfied by and large with the election schedule. There may be a few minor differences in wording, but I don't think it's a big issue," he added.

Fakhrul said the election and the referendum on the same day will be "undoubtedly a major and significant event in Bangladesh's political history."

Calling elections held in the last 15 years farcical, Fakhrul said the opportunity has arrived, through the mass uprising of students and people, to form a parliament that will truly represent the people.

"Our expectation is that the Election Commission will conduct a fair, free, and acceptable election," Fakhrul said.

While reacting to the announcement at a briefing held at Jamaat's central office in Moghbazar, the party's Assistant Secretary General Ahsanul Mahbub Zubair said, "There was some uncertainty about when the date and schedule for the national election would be announced. Today's announcement has removed that uncertainty."

"We hope the Election Commission will demonstrate utmost responsibility in ensuring a level playing field for all political parties, recovering illegal arms, and carrying out all administrative and other duties necessary to make the national election meaningful. We expect no weakness in this regard."

National Citizen Party (NCP) Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary also welcomed the announcement but raised questions about the EC's "ability to remain neutral amid political pressure."

Meanwhile, Islami Andolon Bangladesh and Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis, which have been waging a simultaneous movement alongside Jamaat, said in separate statements that the announcement has paved the way for a credible and meaningful election.

Source: thedailystar.net

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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/politics/news/bnp-jamaat-ncp-hail-end-polls-uncertainty-4056396

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Journalist Shaukat Mahmood placed on 5-day remand in anti-terrorism case

Dec 11, 2025

A Dhaka court today placed senior journalist and Janata Party Bangladesh Secretary General Shaukat Mahmood on a five-day remand in an anti-terrorism case.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Fahmida Khondaker Anna passed the order after the Detective Branch of police produced him before the court with a 10-day remand prayer, said a court staffer.

Shaukat, a former president of Jatiya Press Club, was arrested from his home on December 7 as a suspect, though he is not an FIR-named accused in the case.

On September 14, Sub-Inspector Azizul Hakim of Ramna Model Police Station filed the anti-terrorism case against 55-year-old Enayet Karim Chowdhury, a US citizen of Bangladeshi origin, a day after his arrest in Dhaka for suspicious movement and alleged conspiracy to overthrow the interim government.

Enayet was arrested on September 13 on Dhaka's Minto Road. He was later produced before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court of Dhaka and sent to jail.

According to the case statement, during primary interrogation, Enayet confessed that he came to Bangladesh as an agent of a foreign intelligence agency, with the objective of overthrowing the present interim government. This claim was initially supported by data found in the seized mobile phones from his possession.

Source: thedailystar.net

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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/crime-justice/news/journalist-shaukat-mahmood-placed-5-day-remand-anti-terrorism-case-4056101

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Pakistan and China’s Envoys Discuss Afghanistan as Security Concerns Grow

By Fidel Rahmati

December 12, 2025

Pakistan and China’s envoys have held talks in Kabul to address growing security concerns and rising cross-border tensions linked to militant threats in Afghanistan.

Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq, has intensified diplomatic engagements amid rising security concerns and growing tensions between Islamabad and the Taliban. On Thursday, December 11, Sadiq announced that he met China’s Special Envoy to Kabul, Yue Xiaoyong, to review what both countries describe as emerging regional threats originating from Afghanistan territory.

According to Sadiq’s post on X, the two envoys discussed the activities of armed groups allegedly operating from Afghanistan and posing cross-border risks. He said the meeting reflected a shared understanding between Pakistan and China on the need for stronger cooperation to confront terrorism and stabilize the region.

Sadiq added that Yue Xiaoyong’s visit is part of regular consultations between the two governments on counter-terrorism coordination. Both countries have repeatedly urged the Taliban authorities to prevent militant groups from using Afghanistan soil for attacks in neighboring states.

The renewed focus on diplomacy comes as tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan have escalated sharply in recent months. Islamabad accuses Afghanistan-based fighters of launching deadly attacks across the Durand Line, while the Taliban rejects the allegations and accuses Pakistan of violating Afghanistan territory through shelling and cross-border strikes.

Border clashes, rising casualties, and hardening rhetoric have added to the mistrust between the two sides. Pakistan has warned that it may take stronger measures if the security situation continues to deteriorate, while the Taliban insists that Islamabad must respect Afghanistan sovereignty.

Amid these growing frictions, regional players such as China and the EU are intensifying diplomatic efforts to prevent the crisis from widening. Analysts warn, however, that without meaningful dialogue between Islamabad and Kabul, the security standoff could deepen and further destabilize the region.

Source: khaama.com

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https://www.khaama.com/pakistan-and-chinas-envoys-discuss-afghanistan-as-security-concerns-grow/

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Bengal's 'Babri Mosque' Gears Up for Inaugural Friday Namaz, Thousands To Attend

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