'Discuss Atrocities Against Muslim Minorities In India': Jamia Millia Islamia Exam Question Triggers Row; Professor Suspended
New Age Islam News Bureau
24 December 2025
Image Credit: X
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· 'Discuss atrocities against Muslim minorities in India': Jamia Millia Islamia exam question triggers row; professor suspended
· What to know about aid entering Gaza, the other battle between Israel and Hamas
· Saudi Arabia welcomes prisoners exchange deal between Houthis and Yemeni government
· Bondi Beach gunmen's phone pinged near Philippine region known for Islamic extremism: police
· Built to impress, not to survive: What’s wrong with America’s ‘Golden Fleet’?
· Libya's military chief killed in plane crash after take off from Ankara
· On Christmas Eve, Sabah leaders urge love, unity and compassion across the state
· India Promises Support for Afghanistan’s Health Sector, Minister
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India
· ‘Dropped because I am a Hindu’: Humayun Kabir removes influencer Nisha Chatterjee from candidate list, cites ‘inappropriate social media posts’
· 13 sentenced to life over lynching of father, son during anti-Waqf Act protests in West Bengal
· Court dismisses UP government plea to drop charges in Mohammad Akhlaq lynching case
· UP government bulldozes Bareilly wedding hall linked to Samajwadi Party leader
· Why a nativist group is targeting Muslims in Arunachal Pradesh
· Unmapping low in Muslim areas: Research debunks BJP’s intruder voter claim
· KGMU doctor suspended for forcing colleague to convert to Islam for marriage
· Jihadi mentality: BJP leader alleges harassment by IndiGo employee, slams airline
· Andhra govt to probe ‘racket promoting circumcision among non-Muslims’ after letter from ex-CBI chief
· Kin of detained Gujarat fishermen in Pakistan protest, seek PM’s help
· NIA court orders attachment of separatist Ghulam Nabi Fai land in Kashmir
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Mideast
· Palestinian Authority says Israel tightening control over West Bank with new settlements
· Israel’s hostage forum releases AI-generated video of last Gaza captive
· Israeli settlers forcibly enter Palestinian home in latest West Bank attack
· Palestinian succumbs to injuries inflicted by Israeli gunfire near Jerusalem
· “Islamic Jihad”: Israeli enemy unwilling to proceed with second phase of Gaza ceasefire agreement
· Israeli settlers raid Al-Aqsa Mosque under police protection
· Hajjah: Gathering of scholars, preachers, & educators in Tihama rejecting insult to Holy Qur’an
· Jordanian FM and Palestinian VP discuss Trump’s Gaza plan
· Lebanese PM urges swift approval of law aimed at paying back depositors
· Netanyahu ‘sought plan to evade responsibility for Oct. 7 attack
· Palestinian president affirms efforts to release Marwan Barghouti from Israeli prison
· Israeli defense minister says no plan to resettle Gaza after hinting at one
· Houthis, Yemen government agree to exchange nearly 3,000 prisoners: officials
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Arab World
· Striking light pillars phenomenon captivates Northern Borders residents
· Love in the air as 282 people to marry in Riyadh
· Crown prince sponsors launch of world-class Arabic calligraphy center in Madinah
· 2025 Year in Review: A defining time for Saudi Arabia on the international stage
· Outdoor festival brings new energy to Ithra
· Royal institute showcases student traditional art in Riyadh
· Riyadh governor receives Singapore ambassador
· Roads authority, NHC drive recycling initiative at Al‑Fursan
· Traditional rababah music draws crowds at camel festival
· Saudi ministry and KAUST launch new initiative to promote local industry
· KSU medical team adopts pioneering tumor surgery
· Saudi king chairs weekly cabinet meeting
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Europe
· Head of counter terror policing says investigation thwarted what could have been the worst terror attack in UK history
· French Securitas training module asked security agents to respect Sharia Law when administering first aid
· Two traffic cops killed by blast in Moscow
· New Madinah College given deadline after principal's comments about Zionism
· Muslim youth volunteers help to spread festive cheer in Doncaster this Christmas
· Basildon Islamic Centre granted council extension approval
· Russia condemns seizure of Venezuelan tankers
· Who are the deluded ‘experts’ trying to send Germans to war with Russia?
· Putin not interested in war with NATO – German defense chief
· Ukrainian draft dodgers fled to EU through pipeline – officials
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North America
· 'Wrongfully targeted': Zohran Mamdani meets Mustapha Kharbouch falsely accused of Brown University shooting; vows to combat Islamophobia
· "My dad had to shave his beard": Zohran Mamdani's wife Rama Duwaji recalls how 9/11 changed her childhood
· CAIR-NY Condemns Racist, Anti-Immigrant Incident in Croton
· CAIR-FL Welcomes Arrest of Neo-Nazi Suspect Allegedly Planning ‘Significant Act of Violence’
· Video: CAIR-NJ and Paterson City Officials Condemn Tulsi Gabbard’s Anti-Muslim Smear of City’s Muslim Residents
· CAIR-Texas OP-ED: Gov. Abbott’s Anti-Muslim Tactics Mirror Racist Governors of the 1960s. He, Too, Must Fail – Dallas Observer
· Chris Cuomo Says Dave Chappelle ‘Should Tell You That He Converted To Islam’ Before Making Jokes About Israel
· American Muslims for Palestine announce new chapter in DMV area
· US economy grows at fastest pace in two years
· Trump tells Colombian president to ‘watch his a**’
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Africa
· Several Lives Were Lost During #EndSARS Protest – Lai Mohammed
· Sunday Jackson, Farmer Sentenced To Death For Killing Herder Pardoned By Adamawa Governor
· Tinubu Govt Announces Move To Delete Social Media Accounts Of Bandits, Kidnappers
· FIRS Clarifies Tax Identification Number For Nigerians
· Gunmen abduct 28 travellers heading to Islamic event in central Nigeria
· US Offers Illegal Immigrants Free Flight Tickets, $3,000 Christmas Bonus To Self-deport
· Twitter’s Agreement With Buhari Government Shows We Did The Right Thing – Lai Mohammed
· I Rejected Tinubu’s Appeal To Help Organise APC – Makinde
· Why I Will Not Introduce New Taxes – Seyi Makinde
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Southeast Asia
· Petronas and MACC strengthen partnership to combat corruption
· BTN Completes Sharia Unit Spin-Off to Bank Syariah Nasional
· Jakim to summon Muslim individual over alleged involvement in interfaith water ceremony
· After viral brawl in JB mall and police station, Singaporean part-time actor and family of three charged
· Malaysia’s investments surge 13.2% to RM285.2 billion in first nine months of 2025
· King and UAE president reinforce bilateral ties
· No electoral alliance before polls, says Warisan
· Perak KPDN launches response-reward programme for consumer rights
· Halal Russian turkey enters Malaysian market with JAKIM certification
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South Asia
· Over 115 Million Afghanis in Cash Aid Distributed to Needy Families
· Impunity at the core of mob violence against media: UN expert
· Newborn’s body recovered from alley in Dhaka's Chawkbazar
· Shaikh Nadim Inaugurates Medical Lab at Islamic International University
· Tourism Sector Key Driver of Economic Growth, Introducing Afghanistan’s True Image Internationally, Mawlavi Jamal
· Kazakhstan Pledges Support for Herat-Torghundi Railway to Boost Trade Ties
· Afghan Refugees in U.S. Face Christmas ICE Reporting Orders, Raising Legal and Humanitarian Concerns
· Hunter Biden, Son of Former U.S. President, Calls Afghanistan Withdrawal Execution a ‘Clear Failure’
· Attack on culture: Solidarity through music at Chhayanaut
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/muslim-india-jamia-millia-islamia/d/138144
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'Discuss atrocities against Muslim minorities in India': Jamia Millia Islamia exam question triggers row; professor suspended
Dec 24, 2025
Image Credit: X
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NEW DELHI: Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) University has suspended a faculty member from its Department of Social Work following complaints about the content of an end-semester examination paper.
The order, dated 23 December, said the university received several complaints regarding the paper titled "Social Problems in India" for the B.A. (Hons) Social Work programme, Semester I, for the 2025–26 academic session. The paper was set by Prof. Virendra Balaji Shahare.
The question asked students to "discuss the atrocities against Muslim minorities in India, giving suitable examples."
Taking note of the complaints, a JMI official said it found negligence and carelessness on the part of the faculty member. "The professor has been put under suspension and an inquiry committee has been set up," said Saima Saeed, Chief Public Relations Officer, JMI.
According to the suspension letter seen by PTI, the vice-chancellor, acting under Statute 37(1) of the Statutes of the University, ordered that Prof. Shahare be placed under suspension with immediate effect pending an inquiry.
The office order added that the professor’s headquarters will remain in New Delhi during the suspension period, and he has been directed not to leave without prior permission from the competent authority.
The question paper drew criticism on social media.
A student-run platform associated with Jawaharlal Nehru University shared images of the paper, questioning the appropriateness of the question and alleging ideological bias.
The post objected to the framing of the question and linked it to alleged violence against Hindus in neighbouring Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, the Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) also circulated the question paper, describing it as a matter of "serious concern".
DUTA alleged that the question promoted a "one-sided" narrative in a centrally funded university and called for an immediate review of the question paper and the syllabus. The association urged the education ministry and the University Grants Commission to take note of the issue.
Source: indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/discuss-atrocities-against-muslim-minorities-in-india-jamia-millia-islamia-question-paper-triggers-row-professor-suspended/articleshow/126152148.cms
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What to know about aid entering Gaza, the other battle between Israel and Hamas
December 23, 2025
Displaced Palestinians who have not received humanitarian aid gather as they survive on leftover food, amid a hunger crisis, in Gaza, July 28, 2025. (REUTERS)
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JERUSALEM: Two and a half months have passed since Gaza‘s latest ceasefire took effect, and the supplies being delivered to war-battered Palestinians are again the subject of fierce debate.
The underlying question is whether Israel is upholding a key commitment under the US-backed ceasefire by allowing enough humanitarian aid into the territory. Israel says it is, but that claim is disputed by data from humanitarian organizations and Hamas-linked Gaza authorities.
The debate plays out in numbers of trucks said to be entering Gaza. But that tells only part of the story. Most trucks are operated by the private sector and carry commercial goods that are unaffordable to many Palestinians.
Here’s what to know about the dispute.
Israel’s claims about trucks
The ceasefire calls for a minimum of 600 trucks a day, though it’s not clear whether that figure refers specifically to aid trucks. Israel says it has met that stipulation since the ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10. Its closest ally, the United States, which coordinates aid deliveries from a hub in southern Israel, says Israel has met it for the last five weeks.
But about 80 percent of those trucks are private-sector vehicles, according to the Israeli military agency in charge of coordinating aid to Gaza, known as COGAT.
The effects are mixed. Markets in Gaza are now better stocked, and high prices for essentials such as flour and meat have begun to ease, but most people cannot afford the goods after two years of war. And many commercial items like cigarettes, cellphones and snacks don’t address widespread malnutrition.
Commercial supplies “are often prioritized ahead of aid deliveries yet do not address humanitarian needs,” the nonprofit Refugees International said in a statement last week.
COGAT says about 70 percent of the trucks are carrying food, and “the remainder carry medical equipment, shelter supplies, tents, clothing and other essential humanitarian assistance.”
The agency would not give a breakdown of raw data, saying that sharing such details would benefit Hamas. A COGAT-run data dashboard on Gaza aid stopped updating after the ceasefire began.
Other measures of trucks
Rights groups and others point out that Israel controls the crossings into Gaza and has sole access to track how much aid and how many commercial goods are entering.
“There is little transparency about how much and what exactly is getting in,” said Shaina Low, communications adviser for the Norwegian Refugee Council.
Global food security experts last week said all of Gaza is in danger of starvation, but that the spread of famine beyond Gaza City, where it was declared in August, had been averted. Israel disputed the report, calling it “distorted” and “biased.”
Last week’s report undercut Israel’s claims. The authors, citing data they said was provided by Israel, said an average of 540 trucks — both aid and commercial ones — entered Gaza daily in October since the ceasefire and that the November average was 581. Both numbers fall below the 600-truck requirement.
Meanwhile, entities inside Gaza assert that the number of trucks is even smaller.
A report issued this week by the World Food Program said an average of 256 trucks carrying both aid and commercial goods entered daily in the first two weeks of December. The report cited the Gaza Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Hamas-affiliated Palestinian Ministry of State for Relief Affairs.
It was not clear why those numbers differ so much from Israel’s.
The WFP report also noted that even the entry of commercial goods often faces “a complex system of approvals” and “exorbitant fees” reaching several thousand dollars per truck entering through the Rafah crossing with Egypt and from the occupied West Bank. That drives up prices of essential items such as eggs and vegetables.
Beyond the private sector
The noncommercial trucks entering Gaza, or about 20 percent of the traffic, carry out deliveries for the United Nations and aid groups, or for various countries. Israel’s government does not provide aid to Gaza.
The UN’s data dashboard tracks how much aid from its agencies and partners is unloaded at Gaza border crossings and how much reaches intended destinations. No independent entity tracks aid donated by international governments.
From Oct. 10, when the ceasefire began, through Dec. 21, 9,379 trucks reached intended destinations in Gaza, and food made up over 80 percent of that aid by weight.
That means about 130 trucks a day on average reached their destinations during that period. The dashboard shows that 156 other trucks during that time were intercepted by hungry crowds or armed gangs.
But the amounts inside the trucks can vary sharply because of Israeli restrictions, which include the denial of items Israel believes could be used for military purposes, such as tents with aluminum frames.
Such inconsistencies led to reduced food rations earlier this month, with some households in Gaza receiving rations covering 75 percent of minimum caloric needs to “reach as many people as possible,” according to the World Food Program.
The effect on hunger
Last week’s report by the world’s leading authority on food crises said there have been “notable improvements” in food security in Gaza since the ceasefire. But the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, or IPC, said the situation remains “highly fragile.”
The report said Gaza’s needs remain immense and unhindered aid is required.
Palestinians have told The Associated Press that even though Gaza’s markets have more products these days, most people can’t afford them.
Access is “deeply unequal,” the International Rescue Committee’s vice president for emergencies, Bob Kitchen, said after the IPC report. He added: “Much of the food entering Gaza is also low in nutritional value, such as sweets and sugary drinks, which does little to support recovery from malnutrition.”
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2627275/middle-east
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Saudi Arabia welcomes prisoners exchange deal between Houthis and Yemeni government
December 23, 2025
The Saudi national flag flutters in the capital Riyadh, Sept. 22, 2020. (AFP)
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RIYADH: The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed on Tuesday the agreement between Yemen’s Houthi group and its internationally recognized government to exchange nearly 3,000 prisoners.
The ministry highlighted the agreement as a crucial humanitarian measure that helps alleviate human suffering in Yemen and fosters opportunities for confidence-building.
“The Kingdom appreciates the sincere and generous efforts made by the Sultanate of Oman in hosting and sponsoring the talks, and supporting negotiation efforts during the period from 9 to 23 December 2025,” the ministry stated.
It commended the efforts of UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and all negotiating parties to reach the agreement. The ministry added that Saudi Arabia supports all efforts aimed at achieving peace, security and stability that meet the aspirations of the Yemeni people, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The deal would involve the release of 1,700 prisoners from the Houthi group in exchange for 1,200 prisoners named by the internationally recognized government in Yemen, including seven Saudis and 23 Sudanese.
Grundberg, in a statement, welcomed the agreement and said that its “effective implementation will require the continued engagement and cooperation of the parties, coordinated regional support and sustained efforts to build on this progress toward further releases.”
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2627250/saudi-arabia
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Bondi Beach gunmen's phone pinged near Philippine region known for Islamic extremism: police
24 Dec 2025
Naveed and Sajid Akram travelled to the Philippines from November 1 to November 28. (Supplied)
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Mobile phone data suggests the Bondi Beach gunmen may have travelled near a region in the Philippines where Islamic State-aligned militants are believed to be operating, a police source has told the ABC.
It was believed that Sajid and Naveed Akram spent the majority of November in Davao, a city on the island of Mindanao that encompasses areas that have long been plagued by Islamic extremism.
But a senior Philippines police investigator, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to publicly comment, said the pair may have travelled beyond the city.
"We have also received information they [used a] cell phone in other areas of Mindanao. I think they were twice detected in other areas," they told the ABC.
The police source said the phone was detected in M'lang in North Cotabato, a province that borders areas where Islamic extremists are still believed to be operating.
Shooters visited gun shop and beach resort, police say
While in Davao City, the gunmen visited locations including a gun shop, a beach resort and an ATM, the police source said.
One of the places they are believed to have visited was a local outlet of Shooters Guns & Ammo Corp, the largest gun retail franchise in the Philippines.
"They went to the gun store … the father was just looking around inside the store. They only visited there," they said.
The gunmen also paid a visit to the Seagull White Sand Beach Resort — about 7.5 kilometres away from their hotel — as well as an RCBC bank ATM.
They also visited an Islamic centre called the Mercy Islamic Foundation, located about a 20-minute walk from the hotel they stayed at, the police source said.
"We are still trying to find out their activities … things that they are doing here in Davao City," the source said.
"We're checking the other areas that our sources said they went."
Gunmen may have been 'waiting to meet someone'
Police in the Philippines are continuing to investigate the movements of Sajid and Naveed Akram, who visited the country for 28 days just weeks before the attack at Bondi Beach.
The pair entered the country on November 1 and departed on November 28, spending most of their time in Davao, the largest city on the island of Mindanao.
Staff at a budget hotel in Davao previously told the ABC the two gunmen stayed there for the whole trip and barely left their rooms, extending their stay for one week at a time.
The ABC also last week obtained CCTV vision showing Naveed Akram walking down the street away from the hotel at roughly 5am.
Early in the investigation, an Australian counterterrorism source told the ABC they suspected the pair had received "military-style training" while in the Philippines.
The region of Mindanao, which encompasses Davao, has long struggled with Islamic extremism.
It is believed remnants of some groups that had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group still remain in the regions of Maguindanao del Sur and Lanao del Sur, both several hours' drive from Davao City.
The province of North Cotabato, where police said the gunmen's mobile phone was detected, sits between Davao and these regions.
Philippine authorities have denied that the region is still an "ISIS training ground".
Police were still investigating why the Akrams visited the Philippines and how they spent their time there, the source said.
"Our initial assessment suggests they may have been visiting on holiday or waiting to meet someone," they said.
"At this stage, these remain working theories that we are examining one by one.
"So far, these hypotheses require more information before we can make a sound assessment of their real purpose, including why they repeatedly extended their stay."
Source: abc.net.au
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https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-24/bondi-beach-shooter-pinged-near-philippines-extremist-region/106176954
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Built to impress, not to survive: What’s wrong with America’s ‘Golden Fleet’?
23 Dec, 2025
By Dmitry Kornev
RT composite. © Rebecca Noble / Getty Images; Wikipedia
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By the standards of modern naval history, President Donald Trump’s unveiled plan to build battleships for the US Navy was a genuinely extraordinary announcement. Battleships have not been built since World War II. The new American ships, Trump said, will feature record-breaking displacement and the most advanced weapons ever put to sea.
So here they are: Trump-class battleships for the US Navy, courtesy of President Trump. This is, of course, about more than simply immortalizing his name. The plan envisions the construction of 20 to 25 massive warships, each displacing roughly 30,000 to 40,000 tons. One suspects that the prestige of Russia’s heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Admiral Nakhimov – Project 11442M – may have been keeping Trump awake at night. His answer is a ship even larger than the nuclear flagship of the Russian Navy.
Trump declared that the battleships will be “the fastest, the biggest, and by far 100 times more powerful than any battleship ever built.”
“Each one of these will be the largest battleship in the history of our country, the largest battleship in the history of the world ever built,” he said
“We make the greatest equipment in the world, by far, nobody’s even close. But we don’t produce them fast enough,” President added.
The current plan is as follows: construction will begin with a lead ship named USS Defiant. A second ship will follow shortly thereafter. After an initial operational testing phase, an eight-ship production series is expected. Ultimately, the Navy hopes to bring the total number to 25 ships – or possibly even more.
Beyond their sheer size and numbers, these vessels are expected to set records for weapons density. Laser combat systems, railguns, multiple vertical launch systems loaded with hypersonic missiles, Standard Missile (SM) interceptors, and the newest generation of cruise missiles in both nuclear and conventional configurations – all of it, Trump wants aboard these ships. Many of these systems are still undergoing testing or remain in experimental stages.
That naturally raises an obvious question: how effective would such massive ships be in a modern war? A handful of hypersonic anti-ship missiles – extremely difficult to intercept – and the “pride of the nation” could be sent to the bottom. Billions of dollars would go up in smoke. In an era of space-based surveillance and advanced anti-ship weapons, the combat lifespan of such vessels could approach zero. In that case, these enormously expensive ships would be useful for little more than parades.
Trump, however, disagrees. He appears to believe that his “Golden Fleet” will be protected by a “Golden Shield” – a layered missile defense system with a space-based component capable of shielding these ships from hypersonic threats anywhere in the world’s oceans. Whether that will work remains unclear. But Trump seems willing to gamble. After all, if no war breaks out, the investment resembles a luxury Cadillac parked in the countryside: undeniably beautiful, unmistakably expensive – and possibly useless. Time will tell.
It is also worth noting that the Trump battleship program is only one piece of a much broader naval buildup. The United States is already building new ballistic missile submarines to replace the 14 Ohio-class nuclear submarines armed with Trident II missiles. Two Columbia-class submarines are currently under construction, with a total requirement of 12 boats. This program is a core – and high-priority – element of the US nuclear triad.
These submarines are designed to be exceptionally quiet and advanced. Each will carry 16 Trident II missiles of a new production batch, fewer than the Ohio class. Their deployment may eventually lead to a modest reduction in the sea-based nuclear arsenal, but after 2040, the US is likely to begin building an even more advanced generation of missile submarines.
At the same time, the Navy continues to build nuclear-powered aircraft carriers – the largest and most expensive warships on the planet. Two new frigates are under construction, with plans for a large series of even more advanced frigates. Attack submarines are being built as well. Naval aviation is being modernized with fifth-generation F-35 carrier aircraft and loyal-wingman drones designed to handle much of the “dirty work” in future maritime combat. Several missile programs are also underway.
Taken together, these efforts represent colossal capital investment and account for a substantial share of the overall US defense budget. It increasingly appears that Trump is deliberately pushing toward a record, with future Pentagon budgets confidently crossing the trillion-dollar threshold. For the current administration, this does not seem particularly alarming – and for now, the United States can afford it.
Will the world react to Trump’s “Golden Fleet” initiative? Almost certainly. Military ambition is contagious. Turkey is building an aircraft carrier. France is constructing its first nuclear-powered carrier. The real question, however, is how Russia and China will respond.
Rash, emotional decisions in military procurement are not our path. Russia’s strength lies in hypersonic anti-ship systems, and that asymmetric advantage should continue to be developed. China, for its part, may pursue its own course, leveraging the fastest-growing shipbuilding industry in the world. But it is unlikely that Beijing will respond symmetrically to the American program. A response will come – but of a different kind. One designed to neutralize US naval dominance at sea, and at an acceptable cost.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/629928-built-to-impress-not-to-survive/
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Libya's military chief killed in plane crash after take off from Ankara
Dec 24, 2025
A private jet carrying Libya’s military chief and four other officers and staff crashed on Tuesday after takeoff from Turkey's capital, Ankara, killing everyone on board.
Libyan officials said the cause of the crash was a technical malfunction on the plane.
The Libyan delegation was in Ankara for high-level defence talks aimed at boosting military cooperation between the two countries, Turkish officials said.
It was not immediately clear how many crew members were on board the plane when it crashed.
Libyan Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah confirmed the death of Gen. Muhammad Ali Ahmad al-Haddad and the others, saying in a statement on Facebook that the “tragic accident" took place as the delegation was returning home. The prime minister called it a "great loss” for Libya.
Al-Hadad was the top military commander in western Libya and played a crucial role in the ongoing, UN-brokered efforts to unify Libya’s military, which has split, much like Libya’s institutions.
The four others who died in the crash were Gen. Al-Fitouri Ghraibil, the head of Libya’s ground forces, Brig. Gen. Mahmoud Al-Qatawi, who led the military manufacturing authority, Mohammed Al-Asawi Diab, advisor to the chief of staff and Mohammed Omar Ahmed Mahjoub, a military photographer with the chief of staff’s office.
Emergency landing signal
Turkey did not immediately confirm the deaths, only that wreckage of the Falcon 50 type business jet had been found near the village of Kesikkavak, in Haymana, a district some 70 kilometers south of Ankara.
Earlier on Tuesday evening, Turkey’s air traffic controllers said they lost contact with the plane, which was en route back to Libya, after takeoff from Ankara's Esenboga airport.
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, said in a social media post that the plane took off at 8:30 p.m. and that contact was lost 40 minutes later. The plane issued an emergency landing signal near Haymana before all communication ceased, Yerlikaya said.
Security camera footage aired on local television stations showed the night sky over Haymana suddenly lit up by what appeared to be an explosion.
Defence talks
While in Ankara, al-Haddad had met with Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler and other officials.
The airport in Ankara was temporarily closed and several flights were diverted to other locations. Turkey’s Justice Ministry said four prosecutors have been assigned to investigate the crash, as is common in such incidents.
Turkish television NTV and other media reports said the aircraft issued the emergency signal due to an electrical fault and attempted to return to Esenboga. The airport was immediately closed to all flights to make sure the jet could land safely, the reports said, but communication with the plane was lost before it could return.
According to a government statement on Facebook, Libya will send a team to Ankara to work with Turkish authorities on investigating the crash.
Source: africanews.com
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https://www.africanews.com/2025/12/24/libyas-military-chief-killed-in-plane-crash-after-take-off-from-ankara/
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On Christmas Eve, Sabah leaders urge love, unity and compassion across the state
24 Dec 2025
KOTA KINABALU, Dec 24 — Sabah leaders have called on the people to uphold the values of love, unity and harmony in conjunction with Christmas celebrations, stressing that the state’s cultural and religious diversity is a strength that must be safeguarded.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said that in a state marked by diverse faiths, ethnicities and cultural backgrounds, Christmas provides a vital platform to reinforce unity and foster harmonious relations among communities.
He urged all quarters to embrace the spirit of compassion and generosity associated with Christmas, while remaining committed to tolerance, mutual respect and solidarity.
“Strong unity among the people, coupled with political stability, forms the foundation of Sabah’s economic progress and investment growth.
“May this celebration bring joy, peace and harmony to our homes and communities,” he said in a statement today.
Meanwhile, Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup said Christmas reflects universal humanitarian values that are vital in building a more harmonious Malaysia Madani.
“Christmas is not merely a religious celebration, but a reminder of humanity, love, hope and unity, values that underpin the Malaysia Madani vision.
“In these challenging times, this spirit will continue to strengthen our bonds as one Malaysian family,” he said, adding that mutual respect and togetherness across religions, races and cultures are key to a united and resilient nation.
Sabah Deputy Chief Minister III and Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Transport Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick said Christmas is an important occasion that promotes togetherness and strengthens community ties throughout the state.
He said the values of love and care should continue to guide efforts to enhance inter-community relations and support the development of a stable and prosperous Sabah.
“I pray that this celebration will further strengthen our bonds as Sabahans, reinforcing unity, harmony, cooperation and togetherness as we advance our beloved state,” he said. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/12/24/on-christmas-eve-sabah-leaders-urge-love-unity-and-compassion-across-the-state/203076
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India Promises Support for Afghanistan’s Health Sector, Minister
December 24, 2025
KABUL: After returning from an official trip to India, Mawlavi Noor Jalal Jalali, the country’s Minister of Public Health, held a press conference to share the objectives and results of his visit, the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
He described the trip as a significant step in strengthening health cooperation between the countries, Mawlavi Jalali said that the Indian government pledged $9.8 million in health aid to Afghanistan.
“The Indian government and related institutions have made several commitments during the visit, including the provision of vaccines worth $5 million, a radiotherapy machine for cancer treatment valued at $3 million, five tons of cancer medications worth $1 million, and a CT scan machine valued at $300,000,” the statement quoted him as saying.
Additionally, plans were made for the construction of a hospital and a specialized Thalassemia treatment center valued at $500,000, he said, announcing the establishment of a research center and a Traditional Medicine Institute in Kabul, the import of high-quality medicines to meet domestic demand, and support for investments in Afghanistan’s health sector.
He emphasised that these initiatives would strengthen healthcare services, improve patient care, and enhance the professional skills of Afghan medical staff.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://thekabultimes.com/india-promises-support-for-afghanistans-health-sector-minister/
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India
‘Dropped because I am a Hindu’: Humayun Kabir removes influencer Nisha Chatterjee from candidate list, cites ‘inappropriate social media posts’
Dec 24, 2025
KOLKATA/BEHRAMPORE: In less than 24 hours after Humayun Kabir announced the name of social media influencer Nisha Chatterjee as his Janata Unnayan Party's Ballygunge candidate, the Bharatpur MLA dropped her, citing her "inappropriate social media posts".
Chatterjee has threatened to drag Kabir to court, alleging he defamed her "public image". She also said that Kabir's "new secular party promise" is a sham. Kabir said he would name a Muslim candidate for Ballygunge.
With Chatterjee by his side, Kabir had named the influencer his party's Ballygunge candidate from a rally on Monday. On Tuesday, Kabir told reporters, "Her social media posts and mannerisms are inappropriate. They are completely unfit for her to step into a holy place like the Bengal assembly. I will announce the name of a Muslim candidate for Ballygunge within a week." Kabir also said he is scheduled to meet two Ballygunge representatives and decide on the issue.
Reacting to this, Chatterjee told reporters: "I have been in touch with him (Kabir) since he opened my cafe in Picnic Garden in June. He told me that he would form a secular party where people from any religious background could join. I used to do a lot of social work, and I felt this would be the right platform for me to serve people. He invited me to the Dec 22 programme, stating that I would be made a party state committee member. I was completely unaware that he was going to declare my name as a candidate. I'm shocked as to how, within 24 hours, he felt my social media posts were vulgar. He will have to explain why he publicly maligned me." She added that she might consider contesting the assembly polls as an Independent.
"I have been dropped because I am a Hindu. If his party was secular, would this have happened? I stood by his Babri Masjid plan. Then why did he do this to me?" she said to news agency PTI.
After doing her graduation from Jogamaya Devi College in 2018, Chatterjee gained a follower base with TikTok videos. She said, "I have more social media followers than him (Kabir). He needed to promote his party, which is why he took me along. In the morning, he has no problem with my posts, and in the evening, he feels the same posts are vulgar. I am an influencer. I earn my living from it. No one can just walk away damaging my reputation."
Chatterjee said that while she had earlier thought that the new party had been formed to unite people, she now felt that Kabir had other intentions. "He said he would announce a Muslim candidate for this seat, which means his party is not secular. He is trying to create a divide between Hindus and Muslims. I am from a Hindu family. How could he say such a thing against me? My parents were not happy after hearing my name as a candidate, but these things are more embarrassing for them and for me as well," she said, adding she had already begun consulting lawyers to file a defamation case.
Source: indiatimes.com
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13 sentenced to life over lynching of father, son during anti-Waqf Act protests in West Bengal
24 Dec 2025
KOLKATA: 13 persons were sentenced to life imprisonment for the lynching of a man and his son during the protests over the Waqf (Amendment) Act by a court in West Bengal's Murshidabad district on Tuesday. The court also directed the state to give Rs 15 lakh compensation to the family of the victims.
Special public prosecutor Bivas Chatterjee said this is the country's second conviction in a mob lynching case and first in West Bengal.
Haragobinda Das (72) and his son Chandan Das (42) were killed by a mob at their house in Jafrabad in the Samserganj police station area on April 12.
The court had convicted 13 accused on Monday: Dildar Nadab, Asmaul Nadab, Injamul Haque, Ziaul Haque, Fekarul Sheikh, Azfarul Sheikh, Manirul Sheikh, Ekbal Sheikh, Nurul Islam, Saba karim, Hazrat Sheikh, Akbar Ali and Usuf Sheikh. The accused were arrested from West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand.
Each of the 13 convicts was also sentenced to 10 years in prison for dacoity, 10 years of imprisonment for house trespass and a five-year term for rioting. All the sentences will run concurrently, the court said.
While speaking to reporters, Additional Director General of Police Supratim Sarkar said, police had framed a chargesheet in connection with the case within 56 days following prompt investigations.
The Das family has expressed their discontentment with the court verdict. Haragobinda's wife, Parul Das, said, "We want the death penalty for three of the convicts, whom we have already identified. We are not happy with the court order."
Leader of Opposition in the state legislative assembly Suvendu Adhikari said, the BJP will assist the family move the high court seeking death penalty for three of the 13 convicts.
"We are not happy with this judgment," he claimed.
Adhikari alleged that the charges against the three main accused were watered down by the SIT formed to probe the case.
"The SIT could not live up to the expectation of ensuring exemplary punishment to the main culprits," he said.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Dec/23/13-sentenced-to-life-over-lynching-of-father-son-during-anti-waqf-act-protests-in-west-bengal
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Court dismisses UP government plea to drop charges in Mohammad Akhlaq lynching case
Namita Bajpai
23 Dec 2025
LUCKNOW: In a setback to the Uttar Pradesh government’s attempt to withdraw charges against the accused in the Mohammad Akhlaq lynching case, a local court in Surajpur has rejected the state’s application and directed that the trial be fast-tracked through daily hearings.
While passing the order on Tuesday, Additional District Judge Saurabh Dwivedi said that a letter should be sent to the concerned police authorities, including the Police Commissioner of Gautam Buddha Nagar and the Deputy Commissioner of Greater Noida, to ensure all kinds of protection to evidence crucial to the case.
The court also directed that the matter be categorised as “most important” and heard on a daily basis. The prosecution was further ordered to record evidence at the earliest. The case has been posted for the next hearing on January 6, 2026.
Akhlaq, 50, was lynched by a mob in Dadri’s Bisada village in Gautam Buddha Nagar district over rumours of cow slaughter and allegations that meat had been stored at his home.
The Uttar Pradesh government had moved an application on October 15 seeking to withdraw the charges against the accused, citing "inconsistent statements" by the victim’s relatives in naming the accused, the recovery of no firearm or sharp weapon from the accused, and the alleged absence of any prior enmity or hostility between the accused and the victim.
On September 18, 2015, a mob gathered outside Akhlaq's home in the Bisada village in Dadri after an announcement from the local temple alleged that he had slaughtered a cow and stored its meat in the fridge. The mob --led by Vishal Rana, son of a local BJP leader, and cousin Shivam-- dragged Akhlaq and his son Danish out of their home and assaulted them until they fell unconscious.
While Akhlaq died at a Noida hospital, Danish survived after suffering severe head injuries and undergoing major surgery.
Police had registered an FIR at Jarcha police station under 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), of IPC.
Police filed the chargesheet on December 23, 2015, before a magistrate court in Surajpur, naming 15 people, including a minor, in connection with the lynching. All the accused are currently out on bail. However, the chargesheet did not specifically mention cow meat, as the final forensic report was not available at the time it was submitted.
The lynching led to nationwide protests involving slogans "Not in my name," to denounce the spike in Hindutva mob violence targeting Muslims.
However, despite nationwide outrage, all 15 accused were released on bail by September 2017.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Dec/23/court-dismisses-up-government-plea-to-drop-charges-in-mohammad-akhlaq-lynching-case
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UP government bulldozes Bareilly wedding hall linked to Samajwadi Party leader
Piyush Srivastava
24.12.25
The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday bulldozed a wedding hall belonging to Wazid Beg, a Samajwadi Party leader and an associate of jailed Sunni leader
Maulana Tauqeer Raza, in Bareilly.
Raza, the head of the socio-political organisation Ittehad-e-Millat Council, was arrested on September 27 on the charge of instigating a mob to violence a day before.
The Bareilly Development Authority (BDA) and the police have claimed that the wedding hall at the Faridpur Chaudhary locality under Izzatnagar police station was built on a 1,200sqm plot without a sanctioned plan.
Deepak Kumar, joint secretary of the BDA, said: “The owner of the plot didn’t apply for building approval or land use. We followed the court order and served a 15-day notice to its owner before taking legal action.”
An associate of Beg said: “He had submitted all documents, but the authorities ignored them. They came with three bulldozers on Tuesday and demolished his structure.”
Bareilly superintendent of police Manush Pareek said the building was sealed on October 6 following the BDA notice. “We came to know during our investigation of the September 26 incident that the rioters had held a meeting in the same building a few days before the violence. The BDA bulldozed the property and we provided security to the team,” he said.
Holding placards with slogans of “I love Mohammad” written on them, Raza’s followers had taken out a procession in Bareilly after Friday prayer. A clash ensued after the police tried to stop the marchers. Raza, who was kept under house arrest at that time, had claimed that 20 people were injured in lathicharge by the police.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/up-authorities-demolish-bareilly-wedding-hall-linked-to-samajwadi-party-leader-prnt/cid/2139311
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Why a nativist group is targeting Muslims in Arunachal Pradesh
Rokibuz Zaman
Dec 24, 2025
On November 22, members of a little-known nativist group arrived at one of the oldest mosques in Arunachal Pradesh, a modest two-storied structure in Itanagar.
The men, belonging to the Arunachal Pradesh Indigenous Youth Organization, demanded to see documentary proof that the Itanagar Jama Masjid, built in 1979 on land donated by a tribal resident, was a legal construction. They were led by their president Taro Sonam Liyak.
A mosque official, who is from Assam, told Scroll that he did not give in to their demands. “I did not show them any documents despite the threats and intimidation,” he said. “Why should I? Who are they?”
But the refusal led to violence. “They called me Bangladeshi and kicked the caretaker of the masjid.” The mosque officials have filed written complaints with the police, asking for the registration of a first information report.
The Itanagar Jama Masjid was not the sole target.
A member of the staff of another Naharlagun mosque, Capital Jama Masjid, told Scroll that the group turned up at their premises on November 15. “They intimidated us for over an hour,” he told Scroll, asking that he not be identified. “The police were there but they didn’t stop them,” he said.
A senior official of the masjid committee told Scroll that the mob damaged and vandalised the wazookhana, where ablutions are carried out before prayers, and broke taps. The mosque was built in 2009 at the initiative of Bengali Muslims, but is administered by a group of tribal Muslims.
Prayers are held in a makeshift tin shed, while the main mosque building is under construction. But APIYO vigilantes accused the mosque officials of building the structure without permission.
Five days later, Naharlagun authorities sealed the mosque, arguing that it was built without a legal permit from Itanagar Planning Authority or the town planning department.
Since October, the Arunachal Pradesh Indigenous Youth Organization has carried out a series of raids on mosques in the Itanagar Capital Region, comprising the two cities of Naharlagun and Itanagar.
Led by the outfit’s head Liyak, they have visited mosques, demanded to see documents, called the mosque officials Bangladeshis, demanded that they say “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and threatened to shut down the places of worship. All of this has been streamed on social media. On December 9, a bandh called by APIYO against “illegal mosques” led to Itanagar and Naharlagun shutting down.
Since the organisation began its raids, two of the eight mosques in the Itanagar Capital Region have been sealed.
The Masjid Welfare Committee of the region has written to the Bharatiya Janata Party led-state government, asking for action against the group and objecting to their harassment.
A senior member of the committee, who is a tribal Muslim, refuted that the mosques were illegal. “In some cases, documents like the construction permit might be missing,” he said. “But the land on which the mosques were built was given by the local people and they have given the permission.”
He added: “There are numerous unauthorised temples and churches in the state built without permission. But mosques are being specifically targeted.”
Police officials and mosque leaders Scroll said the anti-Muslim campaign was triggered by eviction drives against Bengali-origin Muslims in Assam, and the growing fear that the displaced “illegal immigrants” were taking over economic activity in the state.
‘We do not want mosques’
Arunachal Pradesh has a minuscule Muslim population. According to the 2011 Census, only 27,045 residents or 1.95 % of the state’s population follow Islam.
Several mosques in Arunachal Pradesh were built on the initiative of Bengali Muslims from Assam, who work here as businessmen or labourers.
Many Muslims from Bihar and Assam’s Lakhimpur district, which shares a border with Arunachal Pradesh, have been trading in the state for decades. “Muslims have been doing business here since Independence,” said a 53-year-old Muslim shopkeeper, who set up business in Itanagar in 2004.
Many construction workers for Arunachal’s infrastructure projects come from Lakhimpur as well. “Over the years, the number of migrants have increased with the construction of roads, dams and buildings increasing,” the shopkeeper said.
Observers said the nativist group has been successful in feeding the anxiety about the growing presence of Muslim migrants in the state.
The outfit’s president Liyak told Scroll: “The migrants dominate in every sector, from construction to market and business. And then we see the mushrooming of mosques in the capital. So, we were alarmed.”
He said the organisation decided to raid the mosques to see if they had permissions. “We found that they were violating the government norms,” he said. “The mosques give shelter to both legal and illegal migrants.”
Senior police officials put the number of migrant Bengali Muslims, mostly workers and businessmen, at around 13,000 – an estimate that the APIYO agrees on.
Tapor Maying, the general secretary of APIYO, said they “do not want” any mosques in the Itanagar Capital Region. “At the most, we are okay if the authorities give permission to two mosques only,” he said.
Both Maying and Liyak claimed that the Muslim community was involved in the narcotics trade. “Because of them, the crime rate is increasing,” Liyak alleged.
Assam eviction fallout?
The APIYO has also been successful in drumming up fears by linking the presence of Bengali Muslims to evictions in Assam, police officials and observers said.
Since June, Assam has demolished homes of over 60,000 Bengali Muslim families, who were living on government land. “The local Arunachali people have genuine fears that those being chased away by evictions and demolitions in Assam may enter the state,” said T Amo, Itanagar deputy inspector general of police.
A leading Muslim representative from Itanagar, who does not want to be named because of fear of repercussions, told Scroll, “There has been no clarification from the Assam government that those who are being evicted during demolition drives are genuine Indians, not Bangladeshis.”
A large number of tribal people, he said, believe that the evicted “illegal immigrants” are moving to Arunachal.
Tapor Maying, the general secretary of APIYO, told Scroll: “Himanta Biswa Sarma is chasing illegal immigrants while our chief minister (Pema Khandu) is letting them come here.”
However, Amo, the senior police official, no illegal migrants or Bangladeshis have been detected in the state this year.
Arunachal Pradesh regulates the entry of “outsiders” to the state through the colonial-era Inner Line Permit system. An inner line permit is an official document issued by the government without which Indian citizens cannot visit or travel the state.
“Some ILP violators were caught and sent back,” Amo said.
Chukhu Apa, Inspector-General of Police, told reporters recently that since January, 8,936 ILP violators have been detected, “out of which 7,351 have been externed”.
The inner line permit is meant to protect the state from extensive migration, which could endanger the identity and heritage of the state’s 26 major tribes and over 100 sub-tribes. It denies voting and land rights to migrants, whether Muslims or Hindus.
Observers pointed out that the group has been able to tap into the widespread anxiety about the growing presence of migrants. “People rely on migrants but when workers or businessmen move in with their families even if they have individual permits, it triggers a deep resentment,” said journalist Tongam Rina of Arunachal Times.
An Itanagar-based political scientist, who teaches at Rajiv Gandhi University, said the APIYO is taking “advantage of the sentiment of the indigenous people”, who believe “that there are too many illegal migrants in the state but the government is not doing anything”.
The RSS’s old project
Others blamed the surge in anti-Muslim rhetoric and sentiment to an old Hindutva project in Arunachal Pradesh. Ebo Mili, a human rights lawyer based in Itanagar, said the people of state are being “influenced by the anti-Muslim hate orchestrated by the RSS-BJP”.
The APIYO’s drive has the support of the Indigenous Faiths and Cultural Society of Arunachal Pradesh or IFCSAP, an influential group backed by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
Pai Dawe, vice president of the society, told Scroll that the “threat” posed by Muslim migrants is the “most pertinent” issue of the state. He alleged that Muslim workers, by agreeing to low wages, now dominate construction jobs and corner all economic opportunities. He accused them of “capturing” markets by opening shops and businesses.
“It threatens the very existence of the indigenous people,” Dawe said.
Bengia Ajum, a senior journalist in Itanagar, explained that the “RSS has been active in the state for a very long time, and has made deep inroads into the everyday lives of tribal people”.
The “targeting of Muslims and mosques” is a fallout of the spread of their ideology and shows that “their project has now moved to the next stage.”
Source: scroll.in
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https://scroll.in/article/1089437/why-a-nativist-group-is-targeting-muslims-in-arunachal-pradesh
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Unmapping low in Muslim areas: Research debunks BJP’s intruder voter claim
Snehamoy Chakraborty
24.12.25
A study revealing lower unmapping rates in Muslim-dominated Assembly constituencies along the Bangladesh border, compared to those where Hindus are in the majority, has raised serious questions over the BJP’s narrative that Bengal’s electoral rolls are flooded with the names of lakhs of Rohingya and Bangladeshi infiltrators.
The Sabar Institute, a Calcutta-based research foundation, which conducted a study on unmapping rates in Assembly constituencies bordering Bangladesh, has revealed a clear pattern: areas known to be Muslim-dominated have reported a significantly lower rate of unmapping, meaning that most voters could link themselves to the 2002 electoral roll.
“Since the political narrative of lakhs of Rohingya and Bangladeshi infiltrators’ names in the electoral rolls was pitched, we had planned to conduct an exercise to find out the reality once the draft rolls were published. However, when our researchers,
Ashin Chakraborty and Souptik Halder, compiled and analysed Election Commission data, they found the reality to be completely different from that narrative,” said Sabir Ahamed, a prominent social researcher, who is also associated with the Sabar Institute.
“While the unmapping percentage is below one per cent in multiple minority-dominated Assembly constituencies, the same rate is much higher — often crossing 10 per cent — in constituencies dominated by Hindu refugees along the Bangladesh border,” Ahamed added.
According to data released by the Sabar Institute, among Bangladesh-bordering Assembly constituencies, the lowest unmapping rate was reported from Malda’s Sujapur at just 0.54 per cent, followed by Murshidabad’s Suti and Raghunathganj at 0.56 per cent and 0.67 per cent, respectively. Muslims constitute around 90 per cent of Sujapur’s population and are the majority in both Suti and Raghunathganj.
In contrast, in bordering Assembly constituencies such as Dabgram–Fulbari in Jalpaiguri, where Hindus are in the majority (though Muslims form a significant part of the population), the unmapping rate stands at 9.98 per cent. This is followed by Hindu-dominated Malda constituencies like Habibpur and Maldaha, where the unmapping is 4.17 per cent and 4.12 per cent, respectively.
According to the study, the average unmapping rate across Bengal is 3.99 per cent.
The unmapping rate shoots up sharply in Bangladesh-bordering constituencies where Hindu refugees and members of the Matua community form the majority.
The study found that the highest unmapping rate was recorded in the Gaighata Assembly segment at 14.51 per cent, followed by Bagda and Kalyani at 12.69 per cent and 11.92 per cent, respectively. All the three constituencies are known Matua-dominated pockets.
The Trinamool Congress accused the BJP of spreading a false political narrative and claiming that the unmapping data had exposed its attempt to portray Bengal as a hub of Bangladeshi Muslim infiltrators and Rohingyas.
“Since the SIR was announced, the BJP has been desperately claiming that Bengal’s electoral rolls are flooded with lakhs of Rohingya and Bangladeshi infiltrators’ names. However, we did not find any such category once the draft electoral rolls were published,” said Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh.
“Now that the draft roll data has been analysed, the BJP’s false narrative stands exposed before the people of Bengal,” he added.
The BJP has, however, claimed that the 58 lakh voters — including absentee, shifted, deceased and duplicate entries — identified so far are just the tip of the iceberg, asserting that the Election Commission has found over 1.5 crore doubtful entries. These voters would be summoned for verification during the hearing process.
“Let the final electoral rolls be published, and everyone will see the data. There are over 1.5 crore doubtful voters who will have to face hearings. People do not trust what Mamata Banerjee or her party says about Rohingya or Bangladeshi infiltrators. The people of Bengal know the reality,” said BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya.
CPM leader Dipsita Dhar said the analysis of the draft electoral rolls corroborated what the party had witnessed during the SIR process, when voters — mostly Hindu refugees — were queuing up at assistance camps run by the party.
“I had posted on social media when the SIR was announced that Hindu refugees would be the worst affected. Finally, that has been proven. The reason is simple: Muslims in Bengal are not infiltrators; they have been living here for generations. That is why the BJP’s falsehood about Rohingyas and Bangladeshi infiltrators has been exposed,” Dhar said.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/unmapping-low-in-muslim-areas-research-debunks-bjps-intruder-voter-claim-prnt/cid/2139330#goog_rewarded
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KGMU doctor suspended for forcing colleague to convert to Islam for marriage
December 23, 2025
Adoctor accused of forcing his female colleague at Lucknow’s King George’s Medical University (KGMU) to convert to Islam for marriage has been suspended here on Tuesday.
The accused has been barred from entering the university campus after an FIR was registered against him. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath Yogi Adityanath called the female doctor late on Monday evening and assured her, “There will be an impartial investigation. No culprit will be spared.” The victim told him that the accused, Dr. Ramizuddin Nayak, was forming a gang at KGMU to carry out religious conversions.
The Yogi government has requested for a report from KGMU on the entire matter. Sources said here on Tuesday that a police officer has been deployed 24 hours a day to protect the female doctor. The Vishakha Committee, formed under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, submitted its report to the KGMU administration. Based on this report, the accused doctor was suspended.
The victim, a resident doctor, is pursuing her MD in Pathology from KGMU while the accused is a senior doctor pursuing his third-year MD in Pathology. He is from Uttarakhand while the victim is from West Bengal. Initial investigations have revealed evidence against the accused.
The victim attempted suicide by taking an overdose of medicine in her hostel room on December 17 and was admitted to the ICU of the KGMU. The incident came to light on December 19 when her family arrived in Lucknow. The family alleged that the accused had secretly married another Hindu woman in February of this year after converting her religion.
On Monday, the victim arrived at the Women’s Commission office in Lucknow with her doctor father. She met with Vice President Aparna Yadav. During the meeting, the victim said, “I was tortured a lot. I am scared.”
The accused doctor appeared before the investigation committee on Monday. Initially, he was reluctant to appear. When asked to appear, he requested leave citing illness, but the committee refused. He pleaded not guilty and said he was not married. He was asked to submit an affidavit.
Source: thestatesman.com
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Jihadi mentality: BJP leader alleges harassment by IndiGo employee, slams airline
Dec 23, 2025
BJP Minority leader Nazia Elahi Khan triggered a major controversy after posting a series of remarks on social media platform X on December 22, 2025, alleging harassment by the IndiGo airline staff at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.
In her post, Khan claimed that during an emergency trip she was compelled to buy an IndiGo ticket and alleged that she faced what she described as “mini jihad” at multiple stages, including the airline counter, security stretch counter, and runway coach. She named three airline employees and accused them of deliberately harassing her due to what she termed her “patriotism.”
She said, “Whenever the Ummah employees of Indigo show me their Jihadi mentality! That's when I'll take off their hijab!”
Khan further alleged that IndiGo’s hiring practices could pose a threat to national security and questioned whether the airline’s employment policies reflected a “well-thought-out conspiracy.” She also criticised the airline owner, accusing him of promoting what she described as “liberal Hindu” values by employing a large number of Muslim staff.
Following widespread criticism and trolling online, Khan posted another message doubling down on her remarks. In the subsequent post, she challenged the airline owner to “blacklist” her and stated that she would not remain silent. She made further controversial comments targeting Muslim employees, which drew sharp reactions on social media.
The remarks have sparked outrage, with several users on social media accusing Khan of spreading communal hatred and making inflammatory statements against a particular religious community
Source: indiatoday.in
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Andhra govt to probe ‘racket promoting circumcision among non-Muslims’ after letter from ex-CBI chief
PRASAD NICHENAMETLA
23 December, 2025
Hyderabad: In a lengthy letter to Andhra Pradesh Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav, posted in its entirety on X, former CBI director M. Nageswara Rao flagged an alleged racket promoting circumcision among non-Muslim boys in the state.
Within less than 30 minutes, Yadav, who is Andhra Pradesh’s lone BJP minister, responded to the X post saying his department would look into the allegations.
In his post, former IPS officer Rao wrote that circumcision procedures among boys, including those from non-Muslim communities, were being conducted in hospitals in the NDA-ruled state.
He claimed to have credible information of many medical practitioners “being taught or influenced to believe that circumcision is a beneficial medical procedure”.
“As a result, they have been advising and performing circumcisions on non-Muslim boys,” Rao’s letter said.
The practice had continued for a considerable period in Andhra Pradesh, the ex-IPS officer further wrote, adding that he suspected it was an organised effort to promote a communal agenda. “This practice is deeply concerning, as it appears to stem from misinformation being disseminated in medical education or training, possibly with an organised effort behind it to promote a particular religious or communal agenda under the guise of scientific medical practice.”
Speaking to ThePrint, M. Nageswara Rao said his letter was based on credible information he gathered from several medical practitioners as well as “some affected youth” in Andhra Pradesh.
The former IPS officer has called for an inquiry committee to conduct a thorough and impartial probe into the charges of circumcision on non-Muslim boys in government and private hospitals in Andhra Pradesh.
“There seems to be an organised racket, which can come to light with a thorough probe,” the 1986-batch IPS officer of the Odisha cadre told ThePrint. “This sensitive issue should be addressed with the seriousness and urgency it deserves, in the interests of public health, medical ethics, and communal harmony.”
He has also sought a review of medical records from the last 10 years or more to ascertain medical indications and justifications for circumcision procedures in each case.
“Examine the syllabi, teaching materials, and training modules of all medical colleges and institutions in Andhra Pradesh to ascertain whether such information is being imparted as part of the curriculum. Investigate the prevalence of such practices among medical practitioners in the state,” he wrote in his letter to Satya Kumar Yadav, seeking immediate corrective measures.
The measures that M. Nageswara Rao has listed in the letter include necessary amendments to medical education guidelines, if required. Launching a public awareness campaign to clarify the scientific and medical positions on circumcision in non-medical contexts has also been suggested.
In his response, Yadav, thanking Rao for bringing the matter to his notice, wrote, “The GoAP is committed to evidence-based medical practice, ethical standards, and communal harmony. I have taken note of your concerns, and the health department will examine the issue in accordance with established medical guidelines and legal provisions. Appropriate action, if required, will be taken after due review.”
Source: theprint.in
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https://theprint.in/india/governance/andhra-govt-to-probe-racket-promoting-circumcision-among-non-muslims-after-letter-from-ex-cbi-chief/2810810/
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Kin of detained Gujarat fishermen in Pakistan protest, seek PM’s help
Dilip Singh Kshatriya
24 Dec 2025
AHMEDABAD : Families of 197 Gujarat fishermen, allegedly detained in Pakistan jails for six years, held a protest at the secretariat in Gandhinagar, demanding immediate government intervention, diplomatic push, and a timeline for their return.
Coming from coastal belts of Somnath, Junagadh, Una, Kodinar, Diu and vicinity, the families travelled over 1,000km on Monday to submit a memorandum to authorities, seeking Prime Minister’s intervention.
They said the fishermen were apprehended after their boats allegedly lost direction at sea due to rough weather, unknowingly crossing the international maritime boundary during routine fishing operations. They were detained by Pakistan’s maritime security agencies and put in jails.
“In several instances, fishermen inadvertently cross maritime boundaries due to weather disturbances or navigational issues. Once detained by Pakistan authorities, the matter shifts to diplomatic channels, which often delays repatriation,” a coastal police officer said on condition of anonymity.
Leelaben of Paldi village summed up their despair bluntly. “Poor people like us are heard only during elections,” she said.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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NIA court orders attachment of separatist Ghulam Nabi Fai land in Kashmir
Muzaffar Raina
24.12.25
A special NIA court in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday ordered the attachment of land belonging to US-based Kashmiri separatist ideologue Ghulam Nabi Fai, seen as part of a crackdown to tighten the noose on separatists in and outside the country.
Fai, 76, from Wadwan village in Budgam, is a Kashmiri lobbyist active in the US for decades.
NIA special judge Yahaya Firdous authorised the seizure of over 1.5 kanals (one kanal is 5,440sqft) of land across two villages in Wadwan and Chattabugh.
The court directed the Budgam district collector to take possession of the property “forthwith” with the assistance of revenue and police authorities.
In May, the NIA court in Budgam declared Fai a proclaimed offender. The case against him was registered in 2020 under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
Budgam police had said he was evading arrest despite warrants, obstructing the legal process and avoiding accountability under the law.
The court had directed Fai to surrender before the Jammu and Kashmir police within 30 days from the date of the proclamation. A seven-page order said the court was satisfied that Fai had “deliberately and intentionally concealed himself”.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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Mideast
Palestinian Authority says Israel tightening control over West Bank with new settlements
December 23, 2025
RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories: The Palestinian Authority condemned on Tuesday Israel’s recent approval of 19 settlements in the occupied West Bank, accusing it of tightening its control over Palestinian land.
On Sunday, Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced the authorities had greenlit the settlements, saying the move was aimed at preventing the establishment of a Palestinian state.
The Ramallah-based Palestinian foreign ministry decried the approval as a “dangerous step aimed at tightening colonial control over the entirety of Palestinian land,” calling it a continuation of “apartheid, settlement, and annexation policies that undermine the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.”
“The decision provides political cover for accelerating the plunder of Palestinian lands, expanding settlement infrastructure... alongside an escalating pace of settler terrorism against members of our people and their properties,” it said in a statement.
The latest move brings the total number of settlements approved over the past three years to 69, Smotrich’s office said.
Excluding east Jerusalem, which was occupied and annexed by Israel in 1967, more than 500,000 Israelis live in the West Bank, along with about three million Palestinian residents.
Smotrich’s office said the 19 newly approved settlements were located in what it described as “highly strategic” areas, adding that two of them — Ganim and Kadim in the northern West Bank — would be re-established after being dismantled two decades ago.
Five of the 19 settlements already existed but had not previously been granted legal status under Israeli law, the statement said.
Israel’s decision came days after the United Nations said the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank — all of which are illegal under international law — had reached its highest level since at least 2017.
US President Donald Trump recently warned that Israel “would lose all of its support from the United States” if it annexed the West Bank.
Israel has occupied the territory since 1967, and violence there has surged following the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023 with Hamas’s attack on Israel.
Israeli troops or settlers have killed at least 1,028 Palestinians in the West Bank — both militants and civilians — since the start of the fighting in Gaza, according to an AFP tally based on Palestinian health ministry figures.
At least 44 Israelis have been killed in the West Bank in Palestinian attacks or Israeli military operations during the same period, according to Israeli data.
Source: arabnews.com
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Israel’s hostage forum releases AI-generated video of last Gaza captive
December 23, 2025
JERUSALEM: An Israeli group representing the families of Gaza hostages released on Tuesday an AI-generated video of Ran Gvili, the last captive whose body is still being held in the Palestinian territory.
The one-minute clip, created whole cloth using artificial intelligence, purports to depict Gvili as he sits in a Gaza tunnel and appeals to US President Donald Trump to help bring his body back to Israel.
“Mr President, I’m asking you to see this through: Please bring me home. My family deserves this. I deserve the right to be buried with honor in the land I fought for,” says the AI-generated image of Gvili.
Gvili was 24 at the time of Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
He was an officer in Israel’s Yasam elite police unit and was on medical leave when he learnt of the attack.
He decided to leave his home and brought his gun to counter the Hamas militants.
He was shot in the fighting at the Alumim kibbutz before he was taken to Gaza.
Israeli authorities told Gvili’s parents in January 2024 that he had not survived his injuries.
The AI clip was released by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, the main group representing those taken captive to Gaza.
The Forum said it was published with the approval of Gvili’s family.
“Seeing and hearing Rani speak in his own voice is both moving and heartbreaking. I would give anything to hear, see and hold him again,” Gvili’s mother Talik said, quoted by the Forum.
“But all I can do now is plead that they don’t move to the next phase of the agreement before bringing Rani home — because we don’t leave heroes behind.”
The Gaza ceasefire, which came into effect in October, remains fragile with both sides alleging violations, and mediators fearing that Israel and Hamas alike are stalling.
In the first stage, Palestinian militants were expected to return all of the remaining 48 living and dead hostages held in Gaza.
Since the ceasefire came into effect on October 10, militants have released 47 hostages.
In the next stages of the truce, Israel is supposed to withdraw from its positions in Gaza, an interim authority is to govern the Palestinian territory instead of Hamas, and an international stabilization force is to be deployed.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet Trump in Florida later this month to discuss the second phase of the deal.
Source: arabnews.com
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Israeli settlers forcibly enter Palestinian home in latest West Bank attack
December 23, 2025
JERUSALEM: Israeli settlers attacked a Palestinian home in the south of the Israeli-occupied West Bank overnight, breaking in and killing sheep, a Palestinian official said Tuesday. It was the latest in a surge of attacks by settlers against Palestinians in the territory in recent months.
Israeli police said they arrested five settlers.
The settlers killed three sheep and injured four more, smashed a door and a window of the home, and fired tear gas inside, sending three Palestinian children under the age of 4 to the hospital, said Amir Dawood, who directs an office documenting such attacks within a Palestinian governmental body called the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission.
Police said they arrested the five settlers on suspicion of trespassing onto Palestinian land, damaging property and dispensing pepper spray, not tear gas. They said they are investigating.
CCTV video from the attack in the town of As Samu’, shared by the commission, showed five masked settlers in dark clothing, some with batons, approaching the home and appearing to enter. Sounds of smashing are heard, as well as animal noises. Another video from inside shows masked figures appearing to strike sheep in the stable.
Photos of the aftermath, also shared by the commission, show smashed car windows and a shattered front door. Bloodied sheep lie dead as others stand with blood staining their wool. Inside the home, photos show broken glass and the furniture ransacked.
Dawood said it was the second settler attack on the family in less than two months. He called it “part of a systematic and ongoing pattern of settler violence targeting Palestinian civilians, their property and their means of livelihood, carried out with impunity under the protection of the Israeli occupation.”
During October’s olive harvest, settlers across the territory launched an average of eight attacks daily, the most since the United Nations humanitarian office began collecting data in 2006. The attacks continued in November, with the UN recording at least 136 by Nov. 24.
Israel occupied the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza — areas claimed by the Palestinians for a future state — in the 1967 war. It has settled over 500,000 Jews in the West Bank, in addition to over 200,000 in contested East Jerusalem.
Israel’s government is dominated by far-right proponents of the settler movement, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Cabinet Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who oversees the nation’s police force. Earlier this week, Smotrich said the Israeli cabinet had approved a proposal for 19 new Jewish settlements, another blow to the possibility of a Palestinian state.
Source: arabnews.com
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Palestinian succumbs to injuries inflicted by Israeli gunfire near Jerusalem
December 23, 2025
LONDON: A Palestinian man died on Tuesday from injuries sustained in Al-Ram town, north of East Jerusalem, after being shot by Israeli forces.
Yousef Omar Aql, 33, from the town of Bidya, which is west of Salfit in the northern occupied West Bank, died from a gunshot wound inflicted by Israeli forces. He was injured a week earlier in Al-Ram while trying to enter his workplace in Israel.
Aql was transferred to the Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah after being shot. He was admitted to intensive care but was declared dead on Tuesday after suffering critical injuries.
More than 1,000 Palestinians, including militants, have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli forces or settlers since the start of the Gaza war in late 2023, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. During the same period, 43 Israelis, including soldiers, have been killed in Palestinian attacks in the West Bank, according to official Israeli figures.
Source: arabnews.com
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“Islamic Jihad”: Israeli enemy unwilling to proceed with second phase of Gaza ceasefire agreement
23 Dec 2025
The Deputy Secretary-General of the Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine, Mohammed Al-Hindi, stated that “Israel” is delaying and does not want to move forward with the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
Al-Hindi added in remarks to Al Jazeera Mubasher that “Israel” has not settled any front—neither in Gaza, Lebanon, Iran, Syria, nor Yemen—despite repeated statements by Netanyahu about reshaping the Middle East.
He emphasized that the weapons belong to the Palestinian people, not to the factions, and cannot be handed over to any party, a matter that has been firmly settled. He added that flexibility has been shown with mediators regarding a truce with the occupation, freezing weapons, or limiting visible armed presence.
Al-Hindi pointed out that handing over weapons does not guarantee that “Israel” will comply with anything. It has not fulfilled its obligations in the first phase—neither opening the Rafah crossing nor delivering aid as required by the agreement, nor bringing caravans to save people whose tents were destroyed due to weather conditions.
He noted that several countries refused to participate in the international force in Gaza to avoid carrying out “dirty work” on behalf of the enemy, calling on mediators to pressure “Israel” to fulfill its commitments under the Gaza agreement.
Source: saba.ye
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Israeli settlers raid Al-Aqsa Mosque under police protection
23 Dec 2025
121 Israeli settlers raided on Tuesday Al-Aqsa Mosque under heavy Israeli police protection, performing Talmudic prayers in its courtyards.
The Islamic Awqaf Department said the raid occurred in two sessions: 59 in the morning and 62 after noon prayer, entering via the Moroccan Gate in successive groups with police escort.
The raids continue repeated violations of the mosque’s sanctity. In November, 4,266 settlers and 15,220 foreign tourists entered Al-Aqsa, according to Al-Quds Governorate data.
Source: saba.ye
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Hajjah: Gathering of scholars, preachers, & educators in Tihama rejecting insult to Holy Qur’an
23 Dec 2025
The Office of Endowments , Guidance , the Scholars and Learners Unit of the General Mobilization in Hajjah Governorate organized on Tuesdsy a large gathering of scholars, preachers, and educators from the Tihama districts under the title “The Responsibility of Scholars, Preachers, and Teachers.”
The meeting aimed to uphold the Book of God and Islamic sanctities, mobilize the nation against the United States and Israel in anger for the Book of God, reject the American-Zionist insult to it, and mark the advent of the Month of Faith Identity.
At the meeting, attended by Deputy Governor Abdulkarim Al-Khamosi, the Head of Abs Court Judge Hashem Al-Mu’ayyad, Abs Public Prosecutor Judge Ali Al-Habashi, and the head of the Scholars and Learners Unit in the governorate Adel Al-Husseini, Sheikh Ali Adabi, a member of the Scholars and Learners Unit and Mufti of the Western Coast, pointed to the conspiracies being plotted against the Islamic nation and the repeated insults to Islamic sanctities.
He stressed the importance of confronting Zionist conspiracies aimed at subjugating the nation and plundering its wealth, noting the role of everyone in rallying around the wise revolutionary leadership in confronting the allies of tyranny.
Adabi also addressed the greatness of the Qur’anic project and the importance of strengthening attachment to the Holy Qur’an, faith identity, and Qur’anic culture, as well as the factors of resilience and steadfastness in the face of aggression and in thwarting its plans. He emphasized mobilization to defend the Holy Qur’an and Islamic sanctities, protect land, honor, and national sovereignty, and support the causes of the nation, foremost among them the Palestinian cause.
Meanwhile, the Director of the Office of Endowments and Guidance in the governorate, scholar Mohammed Aishan, reviewed the role of Yemenis in supporting Islam and venerating the Messenger—peace , blessings be upon him and his family—from their entry into Islam to the present day.
He noted the special status accorded by the Chosen One—peace and blessings be upon him and his family—to the people of wisdom and faith, who carry the banner of Islam on behalf of two billion Muslims and today stand for the Book of God and for the oppressed and downtrodden in Gaza.
Aishan attributed the Yemeni stance in supporting the oppressed in Gaza and breaking American arrogance on land, sea, and air under the leadership of the Leader of the Revolution to adherence to the Qur’an and sincere allegiance to the Greatest Messenger—peace and blessings be upon him and his family—Imam Ali—peace be upon him— his Household and the beacons of guidance.
He affirmed that the practical response to the American-Zionist insult to the Holy Qur’an lies in returning to the Book of God, preparing without fatigue, training and raising readiness in preparation for any developments or options adopted by the revolutionary leadership in confronting the forces of global arrogance , their tools and mercenaries.
For his part, Sheikh Ali Al-Salawi, a member of the Scholars Unit, spoke about the greatness of the Holy Qur’an as an everlasting miracle through the ages, its virtue, and the importance of holding fast to it, reciting it, and reflecting upon it, as the path to success in the Hereafter , to dignity, honor, freedom, and independent decision-making in this world.
The scholars and preachers called on the scholars of the Arab and Islamic nation to sense their religious responsibility before God Almighty, take firm stances in response to these insults, and put an end to their recurrence in the future.
A statement issued by the meeting—attended by the head of the Guidance Sector in the governorate, scholar Hussein Jahhaf, a group of scholars, a number of district directors, executive office heads, and mobilization officials—condemned the American insult to the Holy Qur’an.
The statement considered the insult a crime, a blatant act of aggression, and a declared war that falls within the ongoing Zionist-American targeting of Islam and its sanctities.
It explained that the crime reflects the moral degradation and value bankruptcy reached by the forces of global arrogance, and is a direct result of continuous Zionist incitement against Islam and Muslims.
The statement called on the nation’s scholars and peoples to break the silence , take serious and honorable action to defend their sanctities, declare “disavowal” of the forces of arrogance—America and Israel—and pressure client regimes to sever relations with anyone who insults Islamic sanctities.
It deemed silence in the face of such crimes a form of negligence that serves the enemies’ agendas to dilute the nation’s faith identity, called on the international community and human rights organizations to criminalize insults to Islamic sanctities under the guise of “freedom of expression,” stressing that a freedom that violates the rights of two billion Muslims , fuels discord is moral chaos rejected by reason and religion alike.
The statement renewed the call on all Muslims and free people of the world to activate the weapon of comprehensive boycott of American and Israeli products as a real and effective response , a religious and moral duty, asserting that every dirham paid to them is a bullet in the chests of Muslims.
It also affirmed that the crimes committed by the Zionist enemy in Gaza, with direct American military and political support, are the other face of the crime of insulting the Qur’an; whoever kills the bearers of the Qur’an in Palestine is the same entity that insults the Holy Qur’an in America, considering the enemy and the project to be one.
The statement declared full support for the option of Palestinian resistance and called on all popular components to raise maximum readiness and engage in the “promised conquest and sacred jihad” against the trio of evil: America, Israel, and Britain.
It urged the people of Hajjah in particular, and Yemenis at large, to continue enrolling in military courses and developing combat skills to remain fully prepared for any options or upcoming rounds of conflict.
Source: saba.ye
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Jordanian FM and Palestinian VP discuss Trump’s Gaza plan
December 23, 2025
LONDON: Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and Palestinian Authority Vice President Hussein Sheikh have discussed efforts to solidify the ceasefire in Gaza and stop Israeli escalation in the occupied West Bank.
In a meeting in Amman on Tuesday, the two officials stressed the need to uphold the Gaza ceasefire and advance to the second phase of the agreement based on the plan by US President Donald Trump.
They agreed that achieving stability must be linked to a clear political path leading to a just and comprehensive peace based on a two-state solution, according to the Petra news agency.
They said Gaza was an integral part of the Occupied Palestinian Territories, where Palestinians seek to establish an independent Palestinian state.
Safadi and Sheikh addressed the worsening situation in the occupied West Bank, stressing the urgent need for coordinated regional and international efforts to stop illegal Israeli actions that could escalate violence and hinder peace.
They urged Israel to honor the historical and legal status quo of Islamic and Christian holy sites in occupied Jerusalem and to remove restrictions on freedom of worship.
Source: arabnews.com
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Lebanese PM urges swift approval of law aimed at paying back depositors
December 23, 2025
BEIRUT: Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam urged the Cabinet to swiftly approve a draft law allowing depositors to gradually recover funds frozen in the banking system since a financial collapse in 2019, a move critical to reviving the economy.
The collapse — the result of decades of unsustainable financial policies, waste and corruption — led the state to default on its sovereign debt and sank the Lebanese pound.
The draft law marks the first time Beirut has put forward legislation aimed at addressing a vast funding shortfall — estimated at $70 billion in 2022 but now believed to be higher.
The Cabinet approved several articles on Monday. Discussions would continue on Tuesday, Information Minister Paul Morcos said. Lebanon’s divided parliament must pass the law after cabinet approval.
Salam said the law is realistic and its goal is to do “justice to depositors,” also spurring recovery in the banking sector.
Finance Minister Yassine Jaber said implementation of the law would boost the economy, pumping deposits of $3-$4 billion annually into the system.
The draft, published on Friday, foresees repayments to small depositors – those with deposits valued at less than $100,000 – in monthly or quarterly instalments over four years.
Deposits larger than $100,000 will be repaid via tradable, asset-backed securities to be issued by the central bank or Banque du Liban, with no less than 2 percent of the value paid annually.
The maturity period will be set at 10 years for deposits valued at up to $1 million, at 15 years for deposits valued from $1 million to $5 million, and at 20 years for deposits valued at more than $5 million.
The securities will be backed by the income, revenues and returns of BdL-owned assets and any proceeds from the sale of assets, if any occur. The draft mentions precious metals, which have soared in value this year, as one possible source of income.
It says commercial banks will bear 20 percent of the responsibility for payments for the asset-backed securities. It says BdL and commercial banks will jointly finance the payments of the small deposits, with BdL’s share not exceeding 60 percent.
Debt owed by the state to BdL will be converted into a bond whose maturity and interest rate would be agreed between the Finance Ministry and BdL.
The Association of Banks in Lebanon has objected to the draft, saying on Sunday that the proposals do not reflect banks’ ability to meet “their obligations towards depositors” and that the state was not “fulfilling its outstanding debts to BdL.”
Mike Azar, an expert on the financial system, said the law appeared to be intentionally vague on politically sensitive but critical questions.
“For example, what happens if the BdL or the banks can’t pay what they owe to depositors?” he said.
Swapping deposits for asset-backed securities issued by BdL could imply a big “contingent state debt,” he said. The government has yet to provide quantitative analysis underpinning the plan, including deposit repayment amounts, sources of funding, and bank recapitalization needs, he added.
Jaber noted that the value of BdL’s gold assets had risen with the price of gold since 2020, which would help provide confidence in the asset-backed securities.
The law requires an international auditing firm to evaluate BdL’s assets within one month to determine the size of the funding shortfall. Banks must also conduct an asset quality review and recapitalize.
The law would write off some dollar deposits.
These would include deposits that resulted from funds being converted into dollars from pounds at the official exchange rate long after it had collapsed as well as deposits containing illicit funds, in accordance with a law to counter money-laundering and financing for terrorism.
Source: arabnews.com
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Netanyahu ‘sought plan to evade responsibility for Oct. 7 attack
December 23, 2025
JERUSALEM: A former close aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that immediately following the October 2023 Hamas attack that triggered Israel’s two-year war in Gaza, the Israeli leader instructed him to figure out how the premier could evade responsibility for the security breach.
Former Netanyahu spokesperson Eli Feldstein, who faces trial for allegedly leaking classified information to the press, made the explosive accusation during an extensive interview with Israel’s Kan news channel Monday night.
Critics have repeatedly accused Netanyahu of refusing to accept blame for the deadliest attack in Israel’s history. But little is known about Netanyahu’s behavior in the days immediately following the attack, while the premier has consistently resisted an independent state inquiry.
Speaking to Kan, Feldstein said “the first task” he received from Netanyahu after Oct. 7, 2023, was to stifle calls for accountability.
“He asked me, ‘What are they talking about in the news? Are they still talking about responsibility?’” Feldstein said. “He wanted me to think of something that could be said that would offset the media storm surrounding the question of whether the prime minister had taken responsibility or not.”
He added that Netanyahu looked “panicked” when he made the request. Feldstein said he was later told by people in Netanyahu’s close circle to omit the word “responsibility” from all statements.
Netanyahu’s office called the interview a “long series of mendacious and recycled allegations made by a man with clear personal interests who is trying to deflect responsibility from himself,” Hebrew media reported.
Source: arabnews.com
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Palestinian president affirms efforts to release Marwan Barghouti from Israeli prison
December 23, 2025
LONDON: President Mahmoud Abbas emphasized the Palestinian Authority’s efforts to support calls for the release of senior Fatah leader and Central Committee member Marwan Barghouti from an Israeli prison.
On Tuesday, Abbas received Fadwa Barghouti, his wife, at the presidential headquarters in Ramallah, affirming that his release has always been a top priority for both the presidency and the Fatah movement.
Abbas praised Barghouti, who has been in Israeli prisons since April 2002 after receiving five life sentences plus 40 years for his conviction of carrying out deadly attacks on Israelis during the peak of the Second Intifada of 2000.
Hamas proposed Barghouti’s name on the list of prisoners to be exchanged for Israeli captives, but Israel declined to release him in October. The 66-year-old national figure also served over four years in prison in 1978 for political activism. Analysts have long seen him as a potential presidential candidate if and when he is released from prison.
His family accused Israel Prison Service officers of having beaten him unconscious. In August, the Israeli far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted video footage showing him visiting Barghouti in prison and making threatening remarks to him.
Source: arabnews.com
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Israeli defense minister says no plan to resettle Gaza after hinting at one
December 23, 2025
JERUSALEM: Israel’s defense minister denied any intention to resettle the Gaza Strip on Tuesday after earlier remarks that suggested Israel would one day want to do so, comments at odds with US President Donald Trump’s plan for the Palestinian enclave.
Defense Minister Israel Katz, speaking at a settlement in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, said the military would never leave all of Gaza and planned to station a type of unit — Nahal — that has historically played a role in establishing Israeli communities, including settlements.
After some Israeli media reported the comment as a plan to resettle Gaza, where Israel dismantled settlements in 2005, Katz issued a statement saying, “The government has no intention of establishing settlements in the Gaza Strip.”
According to the US-backed Gaza plan signed by Israel and Hamas in October, the Israeli military will gradually withdraw completely from the coastal enclave and Israel will not re-establish civilian settlements there.
The plan nevertheless provides for an Israeli “security perimeter presence that will remain until Gaza is properly secure from any resurgent terror threat.”
Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said Katz’s announcement was “a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement” and “completely goes against” Trump’s plan.
A US official said, “The United States remains fully committed to President Trump’s 20-Point Peace Plan and expects all parties to adhere to their commitments.”
WEST BANK SETTLEMENTS
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly ruled out the possibility of re-establishing settlements in Gaza throughout the two-year Gaza war, although some ultra-nationalist members of his coalition seek to reoccupy Gaza.
Katz made his initial comments in the West Bank settlement of Beit El — near the Palestinian Authority’s administrative headquarters of Ramallah — where he announced 1,200 housing units would be built.
“When the time comes, in northern Gaza ... we will establish Nahal (military) units instead of the (Israeli) communities that were displaced. We will do so in the right way at the right time,” he said.
In his statement clarifying the remark, Katz said, “The reference to the integration of Nahal ... in the northern Gaza Strip was made in a security context only.”
NETANYAHU, TRUMP PLAN TO MEET NEXT WEEK
The comments point to complications facing Trump’s Gaza plan, ahead of his meeting next week with Netanyahu at the White House.
Trump’s plan secured a ceasefire in October and the release of the remaining living hostages seized in the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led raids into southern Israel.
But there has been little sign of progress toward the other goals. Hamas has refused to disarm, as required by the plan, which also foresees the establishment of a transitional authority and the deployment of a multinational force.
Katz, in his comments at Beit El, said: “We are located deep inside Gaza and we will never leave all of Gaza. There will never be such a thing. We are there to protect, to prevent what happened.”
“We don’t trust anybody else to protect our citizens,” he said, pointing to what he said was also a need to be in Lebanon and Syria.
Israeli settlement building in the West Bank — part of the territory where Palestinians aim to establish a state — has accelerated under Netanyahu.
Palestinians and the international community for the most part consider the settlements to be illegal. Israel disputes this, citing historical and biblical ties to the land.
Speaking about the West Bank, Katz said: “Netanyahu’s government is a settlements government... it strives for action. If we can get sovereignty, we will bring about sovereignty... We are in the practical sovereignty era,” Katz said. “There are opportunities here that haven’t been here for a long time.”
Israel is heading into an election year in 2026 and settlers make up part of Katz and Netanyahu’s Likud party voter base.
A Palestinian official condemned Katz’s initial comments, calling them a dangerous escalation.
Source: arabnews.com
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Houthis, Yemen government agree to exchange nearly 3,000 prisoners: officials
December 23, 2025
MUSCAT: Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia and its internationally-recognized government have agreed to a prisoner swap that includes nearly 3,000 people in total, officials from both sides said Tuesday.
The deal came after nearly a fortnight of discussions between Yemeni officials from both sides in Muscat, the capital of neighboring Oman, a key mediator in the conflict that has lasted for over a decade.
Majed Fadhail, a member of the government delegation for the prisoner swap talks, said they had agreed with the Houthis on a new exchange that would see “thousands” of war prisoners released.
Abdulqader Al-Mortada, an official with the Houthi delegation, said in a statement on X that “we signed an agreement today with the other party to implement a large-scale prisoner exchange deal involving 1,700 of our prisoners in exchange for 1,200 of theirs, including seven Saudis and 23 Sudanese.”
United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg in a statement welcomed the agreement as “a positive and meaningful step that will hopefully ease the suffering of detainees and their families across Yemen.”
He added that its “effective implementation will require the continued engagement and cooperation of the parties, coordinated regional support and sustained efforts to build on this progress toward further releases.”
Source: arabnews.com
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Arab World
Head of counter terror policing says investigation thwarted what could have been the worst terror attack in UK history
John Scheerhout
23 Dec 2025
Walid Saadaoui’s plan to murder as many Jews as he could in the summer of 2024 could have been ‘the deadliest terror attack’ in UK history had his operation not been thwarted, according to one of the country’s most senior counter terrorism officers.
Assistant Chief Constable Rob Potts, the head of Counter Terrorism Policing in the North West, spoke out after Saadaoui and his co-defendant Amar Hussein were convicted of plotting the mass murder of Jews.
They were planning to target a pro-Israel march and then shoot dead people in Jewish communities of north Manchester before turning their guns on the police.
Prosecutor Harpreet Sabdhu KC told the jury at Preston Crown Court Walid Saadaoui ‘hero-worshipped’ the mastermind of the 2015 terror attacks in Paris, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, a marauding gun massacre which left 130 dead and hundreds wounded.
The trial heard Tunisia-born holiday camp entertainer turned restaurateur Walid Saadaoui was an Islamic State fanatic, but his plot was thwarted thanks to an undercover operative posing as a fellow IS enthusiast - named only ‘Farouk’ during the trial.
Two assault rifles, a semi-automatic pistol and almost 200 rounds of ammunition were in the boot of Farouk’s car for what the prosecution said was to be a handover. Walid was also awaiting delivery of a further two assault rifles, another pistol and another 700 rounds of ammunition, according to the Crown.
After were found guilty of terror charges, ACC Potts admitted the plot could have resulted in ‘the deadliest terror attack in UK history.
The 7.7 bombings in London in 2005 remains the most deadly terror attack, resulted in the deaths of 52 people.
ACC Potts told reporters: “Ultimately the plans that Walid Saadaoui and Amar Hussein were making had they come to fruition would have resulted in my view what’s highly likely to be if not the deadliest terror attack in UK history. I hasten to add that the control around this operation and investigation was such that they were never ever going to get anywhere near being able to achieve that.”
Asked by the Manchester Evening News how dangerous he believed Walid Saadaoi to be, ACC Potts said: “I think he’s a hugely dangerous individual particularly organised, planned and meticulous in his approach to the planning that he carried out, the reconnaissance work that took place that he was involved in indicated a real desire to be, in effect, professional in what he was doing.
“That level of relative professionalism didn’t exist with Amar Hussein who was his co-planner in relation to the attack but he’s a very, very dangerous man who’s clearly inspired by Islamic State.
“The level of ambition with his plans would have given him and Amar the potential to commit the deadliest terrorist attack in UK history. So I think he’s an extremely dangerous man. It’s the recognition of the risk that he posed led us to run such a significant operation in order to build the strongest evidence case against him and any associates and Amar Hussein is obviously the one that was charged.”
Source: manchestereveningnews.co.uk
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https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/head-counter-terror-policing-says-33111958
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French Securitas training module asked security agents to respect Sharia Law when administering first aid
23 December 2025
A training module used in France by the security firm Securitas for its personnel indicates the company’s employees should attempt to follow Sharia law when administering first aid.
“In accordance with Sharia law, as far as possible, first aid should only be administered by a person of the same gender as the victim,” the training material indicates.
The module is an annual refresher course on first aid and quality, health, safety, and environment (QHSE) protocols for security agents stationed at Amazon’s French facilities.
This disclosure, first reported by the French magazine Valeurs Actuelles, comes amid growing concerns over how religious practices are being integrated into professional environments in a country historically committed to laïcité, or state secularism.
Sources familiar with the matter told Valeurs Actuelles the directive was discovered in July by managers during the validation process.
At least three supervisors refused to approve the module, citing potential conflicts with France’s constitutional principles of secularism and gender equality.
The managers reportedly cited not only legal and ethical concerns but also their personal values, arguing that such a rule could undermine emergency response effectiveness and constitution discrimination based on gender, illegal in France.
One agent told Valeurs Actuelles, “You have to understand that, as those in charge of security on the ground, we are the ones who are on the front line, I cannot apply rules that would constitute non-assistance to anyone in danger.”
Securitas is a Swedish multinational security services provider with a significant presence worldwide, including major contracts in France.
The company allegedly responded by dismissing the managers who had expressed concerns.
The official reason given for those terminations was the individuals did not represent the “group’s values.”
Responding to a question from Brussels Signal, a spokesperson for Amazon said “Amazon complies with the applicable regulations in France and requires the same of its subcontractors, who are responsible for training their employees, including in first aid.”
She added that “The company concerned became aware of the error in the module several months ago and immediately made the necessary corrections.”
At the time of publication, Securitas had not replied to questions from Brussels Signal.
Source: brusselssignal.eu
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https://brusselssignal.eu/2025/12/french-securitas-training-module-asked-security-agents-to-respect-sharia-law-when-administering-first-aid/
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Two traffic cops killed by blast in Moscow
24 Dec, 2025
Two Russian traffic police officers and another person have been killed by an explosive device in Moscow, not far from where a general was assassinated earlier this week.
The incident occurred overnight in the south of the Russian capital. According to the Investigative Committee, two officers noticed a suspicious person near a police car and approached to investigate, after which an explosion occurred, killing all three. The case is being investigated as an attempted murder of an officer.
On Monday, Lt. Gen. Fanil Sarvarov was killed in the same neighborhood when a bomb planted under his car detonated. Investigators said Ukrainian special forces were potentially behind the attack, although no immediate connection with the latest incident was reported. Russian officials have previously warned that the Ukraine conflict is a source of dangerous armaments, including explosives, for the black market.
Russian media identified the killed officers, who were both in their mid-20s. One of them is reportedly survived by a wife and an infant daughter.
The third individual is suspected of having an improvised explosive device which was detonated either intentionally or accidentally after the patrol interrupted plans that may have involved planting the bomb under the police vehicle.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/russia/629950-police-officers-blast-moscow/
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New Madinah College given deadline after principal's comments about Zionism
By Rachel Holdsworth
24 Dec 2025
A school in regional New South Wales has been given 28 days to provide evidence that its principal meets fit and proper requirements, or its registration could be cancelled.
The deadline comes 11 months after a federal and state government investigation was launched into Principal under investigation over 'anti-Semitic' commentsmade over several years from an account bearing the name of Sheikh Abdulghani Albaf.
According to its website, the New Madinah College is an Islamic school where students learn about the Koran, the Arabic language and Islamic values and principles, as well as core curricular subjects from kindergarten to year 10.
The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) began monitoring the school's implementation of policies and procedures soon after the investigation was launched and inspected the school in the middle of the year.
In a statement to the ABC, a spokesperson for NESA said it had issued "a show cause notice to the Chair of New Madinah College's Board about the conduct of the school's principal".
"Our priority remains the safety and wellbeing of students."
NESA said New Madinah College had less than a month to provide evidence that Sheikh Albaf met fit and proper test requirements, or it would consider cancelling the school's registration.
According to the NSW government's education website, unregistered schools are not authorised to conduct or permit the conduct of education activities.
'Too long'
Chief executive officer of the Australian Jewish Association Robert Gregory said he was disappointed the 11-month investigation had "taken so long".
"We're talking about almost an entire year, where children have been learning in this school where clearly there are issues," he said.
"We've seen recently where incitement can lead in society, and it can end in tragic results.
In a statement to the ABC, the NSW Acting Education Minister Courtney Houssos said she had directed NESA to review the "fit and proper person" requirements for principals to ensure they were strengthened.
"This will ensure that unacceptable conduct does not go unchecked," she said.
"We will not hesitate to take action against anti-Semitism in all its forms."
The ABC has contacted Sheikh Albaf, New Madinah College and the Islamic Schools Association of Australia for comment.
Source: abc.net.au
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-24/sheikh-investigation-after-comments-bout-zionism/106173600
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Muslim youth volunteers help to spread festive cheer in Doncaster this Christmas
By Darren Burke
23 Dec 2025
Muslim youth volunteers have been helping to spread festive joy in Doncaster this Christmas through a range of intiatives.
During the festive season, volunteers from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association in Yorkshire have been giving back to their local communities and supporting those most in need through a wide range of charitable and community-focused initiatives.
Volunteers have prepared and distributed hundreds of homemade hot meals to vulnerable individuals at local soup kitchens, serving food directly to people experiencing hardship and food insecurity across the region in order to ensure no one goes hungry and with the aim of tackling the hunger crisis.
In addition, wellbeing parcels have been distributed to people who are homeless or sleeping rough.
These parcels included essential items such as thermal socks, gloves, hats and basic toiletries - items that every person should have access to, particularly during the cold winter months.
The volunteers have also been visiting residential care homes, spreading festive cheer by delivering gifts and hampers and spending quality time with elderly residents.
Many of those visited experience loneliness, especially during the festive period, and volunteers made time to listen, talk and provide companionship.
Alongside social action, the young volunteers have contributed to environmental and conservation efforts, planting over 1,000 trees across South and West Yorkshire to support sustainability and improve local green spaces for future generations.
Alongside social action, the young volunteers have contributed to environmental and conservation efforts, planting over 1,000 trees across South and West Yorkshire to support sustainability and improve local green spaces for future generations.
A spokesperson for the volunteer group said: “Our young people wanted to give back to the communities they are part of.
"This work is not new, rather we have been helping our local communities for decades. For us it is about compassion, service and standing alongside those who are often forgotten — values that are central to our faith and our shared humanity.”
The festive initiatives highlight the positive role young people continue to play in strengthening communities across Yorkshire, demonstrating kindness, unity and responsibility during a season focused on giving.
Source: doncasterfreepress.co.uk
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https://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/news/people/muslim-youth-volunteers-help-to-spread-festive-cheer-in-doncaster-this-christmas-5449743
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Basildon Islamic Centre granted council extension approval
23RD DECEMBER
By Mason Lewsey
An Islamic Centre in Basildon has been granted permission by Basildon Council to build an extension to its first floor.
The centre on High Road, Vange, run by the South Essex Islamic Trust (SEIT), will expand to include a youth hub after plans were submitted to the council on October 10, 2025.
It has operated for three years as a centre for worship, Islamic education, and community engagement, and has seen increasing demand from younger visitors and the wider community.
However, the building’s current design has limited its ability to host youth programmes, social events, and recreational activities.
To address this, SEIT will construct a multi-purpose room on the existing flat roof.
A spokesman for SEIT said: "This development responds directly to community demand, offering a space that bridges religious, educational, social, and recreational needs.
"In this time, SEIT has welcomed a growing number of young visitors who attend not only to learn about Islam, but also to form meaningful relationships and participate in positive social activities."
The new space will be used for educational sessions, recreational activities, community events, and gatherings.
It will also provide a safe environment for indoor sports, workshops, and events for young people.
Elderly members of the community will also benefit from a space to meet and take part in activities designed to reduce isolation and encourage cross-generational interaction.
SEIT said the extension will provide "greater flexibility for group learning and youth engagement" as well as "enhanced opportunities for social interaction, reducing isolation".
It will also offer "a supportive, faith-centred environment fostering identity and belonging".
The facility will also be available for interfaith events, cross-generational activities, and wider community gatherings.
The structure will include wooden flooring, soundproofing, and proper ventilation, and will be fully accessible to those with mobility needs.
SEIT has designed the operational schedule to avoid overlap with peak prayer times.
The space will primarily be used at weekends from 10am to 1pm and on two weekday evenings outside prayer hours.
Most users will be under 16 and will not be driving, while elderly members will attend during quieter daytime hours.
This arrangement is intended to reduce pressure on parking and traffic in the surrounding area.
Source: echo-news.co.uk
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/25719733.basildon-islamic-centre-granted-council-extension-approval/
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Russia condemns seizure of Venezuelan tankers
23 Dec, 2025
Russia has condemned the seizure of oil tankers off the coast of Venezuela by the US military, warning it could have “catastrophic consequences.” Earlier this week, the US Coast Guard conducted the second such operation.
“We strongly condemn the seizure of oil tankers by the US military and the de facto imposition of a naval blockade of Venezuela,” Moscow’s envoy to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, said on Tuesday, as quoted by RIA Novosti.
“Washington’s responsibility for the catastrophic consequences of such cowboy behavior for the residents of the blockaded country is also obvious. Unfortunately, there is every reason to believe that the US actions against Venezuela are not a one-off. This unfolding intervention could become a template for future military actions against Latin American states,” Nebenzia noted.
US President Donald Trump has justified the blockade by claiming that the Latin American country “stole” US energy assets, while warning that Caracas will face the might of “the largest armada ever assembled in the history of South America” unless it returns them.
The US also deployed a large number of special-operations aircraft and multiple cargo planes carrying troops and equipment to the Caribbean earlier this week, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The first two oil tankers seized were operating on the black market and providing oil to countries under sanctions, Kevin Hassett, director of the White House’s National Economic Council, has claimed.
Since September, the US military has also been conducting strikes on small boats alleged to be carrying drugs, which UN experts have condemned as unlawful extrajudicial executions.
When asked repeatedly during a press conference on Monday if Washington’s intention was to force Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro from power, Trump gave non-committal remarks alluding to that possibility. “He can do whatever he wants,” the president responded. “If he wants to do something, if he plays tough, it will be the last time he ever plays tough.” He also claimed it would be “smart” for Maduro to step down.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/russia/629946-russia-condemns-seizure-of-venezuela-oil/
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Who are the deluded ‘experts’ trying to send Germans to war with Russia?
23 Dec, 2025
By Tarik Cyril Amar
The governments and media elites of the West pride themselves on providing and promoting freedom of thought, opinion, and debate.
Together with a selective feminism that easily sacrifices the women of, say, Libya, Iraq, and Palestine, and a very odd understanding of “democracy” that includes the use of miscounts and lawfare to shape elections, their claim to a superior public sphere features among those “values” routinely invoked to justify Western regime change aggression.
But the Western claim to superior freedom of mind, information, and discussion doesn’t just serve as a pretext for subversion, interference, and violence elsewhere. It is also extremely weak (to put it very politely) on its own terms and at home.
Whoever has followed, for instance, the manner in which the BBC and other Western mainstream outlets have (not) been covering the Gaza genocide knows that Western establishment media are ruthless instruments of unaccountable and immoral power and geopolitics, and have no moral or intellectual inhibitions.
While a genocide is a particularly crass example of the West’s great capacity for Orwellian manipulation, it would be easy to enumerate further instances, including the mendacious justification of brutal and devastating wars against Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya, to name a few.
A key element in these campaigns of deliberate bias, omission, misinformation, and, in effect, disinformation is the use of credentialed experts, who lend their apparent authority to mainstream, that is, government and elite narratives. But, of course, not just any experts. Western expertise is now carefully cultivated and pruned to fit what the establishment wants its populations to hear and believe.
As a result, throughout the West and, in particular, the EU, we have been witnessing a severe narrowing of the opinion spectrum that citizens are permitted to even access, much less to have a debate about.
One side of this curbing operation is viciously repressive: Those experts daring to think differently and speak about it in public are personally targeted by a truly Kafkaesque system of life-spoiling punishment. Using the cover of “sanctions,” its originators in the EU and its national governments are proud of following no acceptable standards of evidence and of not granting their victims any hearing, legal process, or defense.
Once upon a time, in East Germany, a drab authoritarian-socialist place, the dreaded Stasi secret police called this method “Zersetzung,” literally “disintegration.” Instead of jailing dissidents, their social and professional lives – and livelihoods – were systematically disrupted and, in effect, destroyed. Between the dour authoritarian-socialists of the old Cold War and the high-handed EU radical-centrist extremists of the new ‘values’ crusade, les extrêmes se touchent, as they used to say.
The expectable psychological consequences of this repression – anxiety, stress, and trauma – are, of course, not a by-product of the procedure but its real core aim. Obviously, every independent voice silenced by arbitrary assault is meant to serve as a deterrent to terrorize many others into submission. All of it happens without legal due process and by an unaccountable bureaucracy hiding behind anonymity. Welcome to the EU, 2025 ‘values’ edition. Rule of law was yesterday (if ever).
The other side of the great curbing and shaping of the permitted spectrum of opinion, information, and debate consists of rewarding and promoting. As under Stalin (if less bloodily), cutting down and raising up are two prongs of the same authoritarian strategy of control. Those experts who say what the powers-that-be like to hear make (materially) gratifying careers. More importantly, the mainstream media, with television in the lead, draw on them, and almost exclusively on them, for interviews, quotes for articles, news appearances, and, crucially, to fill TV studio seats for influential primetime talk shows.
Even with the addition of the occasional fig leaf – a (moderately) odd man or woman put there basically for the others to beat up on – the result is absurdly monotonous, reminiscent of the dreary diet once on offer on, for instance, Cold War East Germany’s state TV.
Over the last decade, all of now-united Germany has developed into a stark example of this model, particularly with regard to Israel’s (unacknowledged) Gaza Genocide and the Ukraine War. With regard to the war, barely two handfuls of experts have rotated through the mainstream studios for years, with a stamina that would be admirable if their contributions, predictions, and recommendations were not so boringly repetitive and consistently wrong.
Their names are secondary and all too well-known. An almost complete sample of major figures would include Claudia Major, Florence Gaub, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Carlo Masala (currently a little preoccupied with fending off plagiarism accusations), Sönke Neitzel, Christian Mölling, and Marcus Keupp.
Imposed on the German public with relentless obtrusiveness, what all of them have in common is staunch support for fighting Russia in and via Ukraine (and Ukrainians), a foolish disinterest in and pompous dismissal of diplomatic alternatives to going on with (others) killing and dying, and, last but not least, what Brian McDonald has brilliantly diagnosed as Russophrenia: the simultaneous belief that Russia is about to march to the Pyrenees and that it is a decrepit country with a fragile regime eternally on the verge of defeat, if not outright collapse.
In addition, a little racist and embarrassingly silly stereotyping of Russians is also welcome. Florence Gaub’s highlights include holding forth on Russians as fundamentally different and, by implication, clearly inferior members of the human species who don’t value life. That’s a revoltingly callous take from a German, as their country’s insanity and aggression, less than a century ago, claimed the lives of 27 million Soviet citizens, who would have preferred to live and were mourned no less than elsewhere.
Reckless optimism – really, delusional fantasizing – also helps: In April 2023, Marcus Keupp confidently predicted that Russia would be out of tanks within less than half a year. A military economist by profession, Keupp is clearly incapable of understanding the Russian military-industrial complex and the country’s immense potential for mobilization. Again, after the experience of World War Two, it is almost Dada art to be so blinkered.
Also in April 2023, Carlo Masala, too, was certain that Russia had really already lost the war. Betraying total ignorance does no harm either. Masala has managed to display his bizarre belief that “Girkin” and “Strelkov” are two different people. Like, say, “Eric Blair” and “George Orwell.” Likewise, elementary lack of logic and prudence is no obstacle. Take, for instance, Christian Mölling, who has a history of fetishizing Germany’s Taurus missiles like a schoolboy mistaking slick video games for bloody reality. He has argued, with impeccable bureaucratic pedantry, that Moscow could not possibly retaliate against Germany if these German weapons were handed over to Ukraine and fired at Russia from there. Why? Because Germany would make it clear, so Mölling argues, that the missiles had been given away and had nothing to do with Berlin any longer. Apparently, it never crossed Mölling’s mind that Moscow need not follow such silly – and factually wrong – sophistries.
Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann has had substantial interests in both the arms industry and its lobbying organizations. That has never kept the masters of talk show spin from giving her an easy platform. If possible utilitarian bias is no problem, neither is biographical inconsistency: A history of military service is entirely unnecessary to be a German expert in love with war. Unlike the author of these lines, who actually has served in the then-West German military, Mölling is only one example of the many newly bellicose boomers who refused to join the army when younger: Late-bloomers on the warpath, so to speak. This is particularly striking when these former refuseniks are now adamant that today’s young must be made to march again.
Last but not least, spreading the Orwellian untruth that Germany is already not at peace and that a Russian attack is imminent is part of the basic repertoire of this sort of expertise. Military historian and Bundeswehr fanboy Neitzel hardly stood out with silly ramblings about “a last summer of peace.”
The above is only a very short sketch of how lopsided and unpersuasive the selection and presentation of security and military information by experts has become in the German mainstream media. It is not about information for citizens expected to make up their own mind, but about cognitive warfare on the home front. This is the “expertise” of mobilization. And that, in the final analysis, is no genuine expertise at all.
There are some scant signs of hope. Conservative mainstream newspaper Welt has now admitted that Ukraine will lose the war (wakey, wakey, but better late than never). NIUS, a right-of-center German news site with great reach, has finally at least broached the issue of selective, misleading expertise. NIUS has rightly called for a “reckoning” (“Aufarbeitung”) of the scandalous, lazy, and often incompetent one-sidedness that has taken root and for more access for alternative voices.
We will see if things will change. I would not bet on it. One thing, however, is sure: A country that systematically rewards conformism over professionalism and independence of mind does not only insult its citizens’ intelligence. It is also likely to pay a real price in bad decisions and political fiascos caused by them. Germany has started doing so already. Alas, Berlin’s elites seem determined to stay this pernicious course.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/629934-germany-experts-russia-war/
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Putin not interested in war with NATO – German defense chief
23 Dec, 2025
Russian President Vladimir Putin does not want to engage in a direct conflict with NATO, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has said.
NATO chief Mark Rutte claimed earlier this month that “we are Russia’s next target” once the Ukraine conflict ends. He suggested that Moscow “could be ready to use military force against NATO within five years,” urging member states to ramp up military spending as soon as possible.
When asked about Rutte’s comments during an interview with Die Zeit newspaper on Monday, Pistorius replied: “I don’t believe in such a scenario.”
“In my estimation, Putin is not interested in waging a full-scale world war against NATO. He wants to destroy NATO from within... by undermining its unity,” he claimed.
According to Pistorius, Moscow is also “strategically working to get the Americans to withdraw” from Europe.
During his end-of-year Q&A session last week, Putin said he knew Rutte as a “smart man” from his time as the Dutch prime minister, but added that “I sometimes want to ask him: What nonsense are you spouting about war with Russia?”
“They are preparing for a war with Russia. Can you read? Why don’t you read the new US national security strategy, what does it say?” Putin stressed.
The document, which was released by the administration of US President Donald Trump in early December, does not mention Russia as a threat to the West, explicitly states that NATO should not expand further, and criticizes the EU’s political and cultural direction.
On Monday, Russia Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov echoed Putin’s comments, saying that Moscow is ready to provide legal guarantees that it will not attack NATO and the EU as part of a Ukraine conflict settlement based on the principle of equal and indivisible security.
Moscow has repeatedly rejected claims that it harbors any aggressive plans against NATO, suggesting they are only being made by Western politicians to distract the public from domestic problems and justify the militarization of their countries.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/629927-nato-putin-germany-rutte/
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Ukrainian draft dodgers fled to EU through pipeline – officials
23 Dec, 2025
A number of draft evaders were able to escape to the European Union through a defunct gas pipeline, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has reported.
Ukrainian authorities announced the detention of eight individuals on suspicion of human trafficking across multiple regions, according to a press statement released on Tuesday. Among those arrested was a 62-year-old man in the western Transcarpathia Region, who allegedly facilitated the illegal border crossings. According to investigators, he transported military-aged men to an abandoned gas pipeline and guided them across the border in exchange for substantial payments.
On the other side, they were met by another Ukrainian national who resides in the EU, the SBU stated. The group is said to have advertised its services on TikTok.
In a separate scheme in Poltava Region, a former law enforcement officer is suspected of selling fake disability certificates to men seeking to evade service.
Another case in the city of Dnepr reportedly involved two men who guided camouflage-clad draft evaders to the EU via trails through the forest.
Earlier this year, Ukrainian border service spokesman Andrey Demchenko estimated that more than 13,000 people had been detained between January and August alone while trying to flee the country illegally. Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, dozens have lost their lives attempting to leave through forests, rivers, and mountainous terrain.
Amid mounting frontline losses, the Ukrainian authorities have stepped up their mobilization drive in recent months. Notoriously brutal press gangs have on multiple occasions used violence against reluctant recruits, snatching men off the streets and shoving them into unmarked minibuses, earning the practice the name ‘busification’.
Nevertheless, Ukrainian officials and military commanders have increasingly sounded the alarm over personnel shortages, compounded by a rising number of deserters.
Last week, Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov reported that Kiev had lost almost 500,000 servicemen this year alone.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/russia/629929-sbu-draft-dodgers-fled-ukraine-gas-pipeline-eu/
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North America
'Wrongfully targeted': Zohran Mamdani meets Mustapha Kharbouch falsely accused of Brown University shooting; vows to combat Islamophobia
Dec 24, 2025
NEW DELHI: New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani on Wednesday met Mustapha Kharbouch, a Palestinian student at Brown University who was falsely accused online of carrying out a deadly campus shooting.
US authorities said that misinformation and doxxing seriously complicated the investigation and put an innocent student at risk.
In a post on X, Mamdani said conspiracy theories had wrongly targeted Kharbouch after a photograph of him wearing a keffiyeh circulated online following the early December shooting at Brown University.
“Last week, online conspiracy theorists wrongfully blamed Mustapha Kharbouch, a young Palestinian student at Brown University, for the horrific shooting in early December because of a photo of him wearing a Keffiyeh,” Mamdani wrote, adding that Kharbouch faced death threats and “unimaginable Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism”.
Mamdani said he spoke to Kharbouch about his academic interests and personal life, including plans to pursue a PhD and possibly return to New York City. “And I learned about his Palestinian heritage, the very heritage he was doxxed for,” he said.
Mamdani added, “I told Mustapha that we would love to have him back in New York City, where — as Mayor — I will make it my job to cherish, protect, and celebrate all New Yorkers and combat Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism at every corner.”
US authorities have since identified the gunman as Claudio Neves Valente, a 48-year-old Portuguese national who attended Brown University decades ago and acted alone. He was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a storage unit in New Hampshire, police said.
Rhode Island State Police said false claims circulating online hindered their investigation. “Criminal investigations are grounded in evidence, not speculation or online commentary,” Colonel Darnell Weaver said. “The endless barrage of misinformation, disinformation, rumors, leaks and clickbait were not helpful in this investigation. Distractions and unfounded criticisms do not support this work. They complicate it and threaten to undermine the justice we seek.”
The false narrative gained traction after anonymous and right-wing social media accounts claimed the shooter was a Palestinian student and shared images of Kharbouch alongside police footage of a person of interest. His image and contact details were widely circulated, prompting death and deportation threats.
“The past few days have been an unimaginable nightmare,” Kharbouch said in a statement shared by his legal team. “I woke up on Tuesday morning to unfounded, vile, Islamophobic, and anti-Palestinian accusations being directed toward me online.” He added, “I received non-stop death threats and hate speech.”
Kharbouch’s legal team said he cooperated fully with law enforcement and described the online campaign as “disturbing, racist, and hateful,” stressing that he was never a person of interest in the case.
Brown University condemned what it described as “harmful doxxing activity” and said it took steps to limit Kharbouch’s online presence as a safety measure. “It’s important to make clear that targeting individuals could do irrevocable harm,” the university said, calling the accusations and speculation “irresponsible, harmful, and in some cases dangerous”.
University president Christina Paxson said the shooting and its aftermath had been “devastating” for those targeted by online rumors. Following the identification of the actual gunman, she expressed hope that the development would bring an end to the harassment.
Source: indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/wrongfully-targeted-zohran-mamdani-meets-mustapha-kharbouch-falsely-accused-of-brown-university-shooting-vows-to-combat-islamophobia/articleshow/126154371.cms
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"My dad had to shave his beard": Zohran Mamdani's wife Rama Duwaji recalls how 9/11 changed her childhood
Dec 24, 2025
Zohran Mamdani and Rama Duwaji are the first couple of New York. In November 2025, Mamdani, a 34-year-old, made history as the first Africa-born, Muslim and Asian-American mayor of New York City, America's financial capital.
At 28, Duwaji is an illustrator and animator who has worked with prestigious names in the industry such as The New Yorker, Vogue and The Cut. But one would be a complete fool to think of her as just an artist, the Gen Z icon has had an impactful influence and role in her husband's win as the Mayor of New York. From his fashion cues to his ideologies, Mamdani seems to filter them all through his better half.
Sadly, no matter how intrigued the world might be with her, Duwaji has been notoriously private about herself, until now. The artist just gave her first interview as the first lady of New York to The Cut, revealing some interesting and inspirational aspects of her life.
The 9/11 affect
In one of the segments of the conversation with the outlet, Duwaji was talking about her childhood. Born in 1997 to parents of Syrian descent in Houston, Texas, she described herself as a third-culture kid. Her family moved to New York and then New Jersey and she lived on a cul-de-sac, rode bikes and had "beef" with the neighbourhood boys.
She shared that she was a kindergartner in New York in 2001, when the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Centre Towers took place. It was then she quickly discovered the depths of Islamophobic bigotry, like many Muslim Americans her age.
“I grew up hearing all about what my parents experienced,” she said to the outlet. “My mom is a hijabi. My dad had to shave his beard,” she added.
It was soon after, that her family moved to Dubai in 2007 when she was 9. Her mother, a paediatrician, accepted a job at the American Hospital there and her father worked as a software developer.
"I did romanticise America in my head because I had loved it when I was younger. I never fully felt like Dubai was home — because I had known New York and New Jersey when I was younger — but it was a very safe and quiet way to grow up, especially back in those days,” she added.
'Can be First Lady': Rama Duwaji's magazine cover has the internet ready to vote for 'President' Zohran Mamdani
"Everything is political": Rama Duwaji
Elsewhere in the interview, Duwaji talked about how she has been an active voice for Palestine through her fashion choices and keeps up to date with the events there and all around the world.
She shared how she always saw clothing as an extension of her art and politics. “It’s nice to have a little bit of analysis on the clothes because, for instance, during the general-election night, it was nice to send a message about Palestinians by wearing a Palestinian designer,” she explained. For the election result, Duwaji donned a black top with designer Zeid Hijazi and a skirt by New York designer Ulla Johnson.
“Speaking out about Palestine, Syria, Sudan — all these things are really important to me,” she added. “I’m always keeping up to date with what’s going on, not just here but elsewhere. It feels fake to talk about anything else when that’s all that’s on my mind, all I want to put down on paper,” explained the artist whose social media feed is a silent but bold expression of her feelings on the events.
“Everything is political; it’s the thing that I talk about with Z,” shared the illustrator.
Will her responsibilities as the first lady derail her artistic pursuits? Of that Duwaji is clear, they won't. “I have so much work that I have planned out, down to the dimensions and the colours that I’m going to use and materials,” she said. “Some of that has been slightly put on hold, but I’m absolutely going to be focused on being a working artist. I’m definitely not stopping that. Come January, it’s something that I want to continue to do.”
As a Muslim-American of Syrian descent living in New York and being the wife of the mayor of the financial hub, Duwaji has just the perfect spot to voice out all the concerns she thinks need to be heard. In fact, unlike her outspoken husband, she has done it all in the interview itself, elegantly and boldly, in her classic style.
Source: indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/my-dad-had-to-shave-his-beard-zohran-mamdanis-wife-rama-duwaji-recalls-how-9/11-changed-her-childhood/articleshow/126147861.cms
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CAIR-NY Condemns Racist, Anti-Immigrant Incident in Croton
December 23, 2025
The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY), a chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned the racist and anti-immigrant incident towards two young siblings in the Croton ShopRite that occurred on December 11.
In a statement, Afaf Nasher, Esq., CAIR-NY Executive Director, said:
“We strongly condemn the racist and anti-immigration slurs targeted towards two young children in Croton. Hateful acts like this run rampant within our community and are a stark reminder that bigotry is on the rise. All people, especially children, deserve to live a safe and dignified life within their neighborhoods. We stand in solidarity with the family and with the community that is honorably supporting the family during this time.”
CAIR-NY’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR-NY es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
Source: cair.com
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-ny-condemns-racist-anti-immigrant-incident-in-croton/
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CAIR-FL Welcomes Arrest of Neo-Nazi Suspect Allegedly Planning ‘Significant Act of Violence’
December 23, 2025
The Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-FL) today welcomed the arrest of a Sarasota man who was allegedly plotting a racially motivated attack and hoarding explosives.
The man is facing charges of possessing an unregistered firearm, possession of a firearm with a removed serial number, and receipt of child sexual abuse material. The charges stem from a raid authorities conducted at the man’s house, where they discovered pipe bombs, a pressure cooker, multiple firearms and ammunition, as well as neo-Nazi propaganda material and symbols related to a neo-Nazi terrorist organization.
“We thank law enforcement authorities for taking action and apprehending the suspect in this disturbing case before any real violence could be committed,” said CAIR-FL Interim Executive Director Hiba Rahim. “This kind of violent hatred must be taken seriously by law enforcement authorities.”
She said Washington, D.C., based CAIR and the American Muslim community stand in solidarity with all those challenging antisemitism, systemic anti-Black racism, xenophobia, anti-Muslim hate, white supremacy, and all other forms of bigotry.
Source: cair.com
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-fl-welcomes-arrest-of-neo-nazi-suspect-allegedly-planning-significant-act-of-violence/
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Video: CAIR-NJ and Paterson City Officials Condemn Tulsi Gabbard’s Anti-Muslim Smear of City’s Muslim Residents
December 23, 2025
This morning, the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NJ) held a press conference today at Paterson City Hall alongside Mayor Andre Sayegh and other community leaders to condemn Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard’s defamatory and dangerous smear of Paterson and its American Muslim residents.
Yesterday, CAIR’s national office condemned Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard’s rant against American Muslims and Islam during a Turning Point USA conference over the weekend as “delusional” and “disqualifying.”
Source: cair.com
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/video-cair-nj-and-paterson-city-officials-condemn-tulsi-gabbards-anti-muslim-smear-of-citys-muslim-residents/
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CAIR-Texas OP-ED: Gov. Abbott’s Anti-Muslim Tactics Mirror Racist Governors of the 1960s. He, Too, Must Fail – Dallas Observer
December 23, 2025
George Wallace and other southern governors eventually and ultimately failed. The NAACP survived. Schools were desegrated. Black Americans received the right to vote.
Greg Abbott wants to threaten, marginalize and drive away a vulnerable minority, even if that means shredding the Constitution. The rest of us must ensure that he, too, like the Civil Rights-era governors who came before him, ultimately fails.
Mustafaa Carroll is a civil rights activist who serves as executive director of the Dallas-Fort Worth chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
Source: cair.com
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-texas-op-ed-gov-abbotts-anti-muslim-tactics-mirror-racist-governors-of-the-1960s-he-too-must-fail-dallas-observer/
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Chris Cuomo Says Dave Chappelle ‘Should Tell You That He Converted To Islam’ Before Making Jokes About Israel
Charlie Nash
Dec 23 2025
NewsNation host Chris Cuomo criticized comedian Dave Chappelle for making a joke about Israel during a stand-up comedy special on Tuesday, arguing that Chappelle should inform viewers “he converted to Islam” before making such jokes.
Ranting about Chappelle’s recent Netflix comedy special – which ended with the comedian making a joke about Israel and dropping his microphone – Cuomo complained that many of the issues Chappelle joked about were “absolutely no laughing matter, and depending on your perspective, a lot of this special probably was not funny.”
Cuomo criticized Chappelle for making transgender jokes in Saudi Arabia, “a society that is notoriously repressive,” before targeting the comedian’s Muslim faith and accusing him of “spreading anti-Semitism.”
Reacting to Chappelle’s mic-drop joke about Israel, Cuomo said:
Cuomo and his brother, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, have both been accused of making Islamophobic comments over the years.
The NewsNation host received criticism in 2014 after he suggested that Muslims were “unusually violent” and “barbaric.”
“The Muslim world is responsible for a really big part of religious extremism right now, and they are unusually violent, they’re unusually barbaric in the places where it’s happening,” said Cuomo at the time. “And it’s happening there more than it is in other places. Do you therefore want to generalize? Of course not. But you do want to call a situation what it is.”
He continued, “It’s not a coincidence that ISIS begins with an ‘I’. I mean, that’s what’s going on in that part of the world.”
Source: mediaite.com
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https://www.mediaite.com/media/tv/chris-cuomo-says-dave-chappelle-should-tell-you-that-he-converted-to-islam-before-making-jokes-about-israel/
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American Muslims for Palestine announce new chapter in DMV area
by CHARLOTTE HAZARD
December 23, 2025
WASHINGTON (TNND) — American Muslims for Palestine announced over the weekend that they have set up a chapter in the Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia area.
The group is currently under investigation by Virginia GOP Attorney General Jason Miyares. They have also been sued over allegations regarding material support for terrorists, according to the Daily Caller.
American Muslims for Palestine has denied allegations that they support terrorists, but some of the group's leaders have reportedly worked for charities that were shut down for benefiting terrorist groups.
“As residents of a region deeply complicit in upholding and funding the Zionist occupation, we recognize our responsibility to advance principled action in supporting [boycott, divestment and sanctions] efforts locally and challenging the political structures that enable genocide,” AMP said in a statement, according to the Caller.
AMP also has chapters in the Bay Area, Chicago, Connecticut, Dallas, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey and North Carolina.
Source: cbsaustin.com
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https://cbsaustin.com/news/nation-world/american-muslims-for-palestine-announce-new-chapter-in-dmv-area-virginia-dc-maryland-jason-miyares-connecticut
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US economy grows at fastest pace in two years
December 23, 2025
Natalie Sherman
The US economy picked up speed over the three months to September, as consumer spending jumped and exports increased.
The world's largest economy expanded at an annual rate of 4.3%, up from 3.8% in the previous quarter. That was better than expected, and marked the strongest growth in two years.
The report, which had been delayed by the US government shutdown, sheds light on an economy that has been buffeted by dramatic changes to trade and immigration policies, as well as persistent inflation and cuts to government spending.
But while that has led to sharp swings in some areas, such as imports and exports, the underlying economy has maintained solid momentum, outperforming many forecasts.
"This is an economy that has defied doom and gloom expectations basically since the beginning of 2022", said Aditya Bhave, senior economist at Bank of America.
Speaking to the BBC's Business Today programme, Mr Bhave described the economy as "very very resilient".
"I don't see why that wouldn't continue going forward," he added.
The overall growth figure for the third quarter of the year was much stronger than expected, with most analysts expecting an annual pace of about 3.2%.
It was lifted by consumer spending that rose at an annual rate of 3.5%, compared with 2.5% in the previous quarter, despite a slowing job market, as households spent more on health care services.
Imports - which count against growth - continued to decline, reflecting the wave of taxes on shipments entering the US that President Donald Trump announced this spring.
Meanwhile exports, which had dropped sharply, bounced back, surging by 7.4%. Government spending also rebounded, driven by defence outlays.
Those gains helped to overcome a slowdown in business investment, including in intellectual property, and a housing market struggling under the weight of still-high interest rates, which have heightened affordability issues and supply constraints.
Michael Pearce, chief US economist at Oxford Economics, said the economy was well positioned as it headed into 2026, when it will start to feel the boost from tax cuts and the US central bank's recent moves to drop interest rates.
"Underlying measures are consistent with a solid expansion," he said.
In a post on social media, Trump celebrated the figures, saying his tariffs were responsible. He has been on the defensive amid souring consumer confidence and polls indicating dissatisfaction with his handling of the economy.
However, some analysts warned that rising prices faced by some households could make it difficult to sustain the unusually strong pace of growth seen in the most recent quarter.
Over the three months to September, the Fed's preferred inflation gauge, the personal consumption expenditures price index, ticked up 2.8%, compared with 2.1% in the previous quarter, according to the report.
Analysts have warned that those price increases are weighing on lower and middle income households, even as higher income households continue to spend freely.
Oliver Allen, senior US economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, noted that some more recent surveys and credit card data suggest that households are reining in their spending.
"The weak labour market, stagnant real incomes, and exhaustion of pandemic-era excess savings all seem finally to be catching up with households," he said.
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62n9ynzrdpo
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Trump tells Colombian president to ‘watch his a**’
24 Dec, 2025
US President Donald Trump has lashed out at his Colombian counterpart, Gustavo Petro, warning he could face consequences over cocaine trafficking that he claims is reaching America.
Trump’s remarks followed comments by Petro reacting to US seizures of Venezuelan oil ships, in which he claimed that “all of the southern US” was built on stolen land. He said Texas and California were “invaded” and demanded that the United States “give back what you stole.”
“He’s very bad, very bad guy, and he’s got to watch his ass because he makes cocaine and they send it into the United States,” Trump said Monday at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, responding to a reporter’s question about Petro’s remarks.
“We love the Colombian people ... but their new leader is a troublemaker, and he better watch it,” Trump added. He also claimed Colombia has at least three major cocaine factories and said “he better close them up fast.”
Colombia has long been a close US partner in Latin America, but ties have cooled since Petro, the country’s first left-wing president, took office in 2022.
US actions against Venezuela, including the seizure of oil tankers, have heightened tensions with Petro, who has criticized those moves and warned against US military intervention.
In September, the US State Department said it would revoke Petro’s visa, and the Trump administration later imposed sanctions under anti-drug trafficking authorities, steps Colombia has condemned as politically motivated.
A month later, Petro alleged that the Trump administration had bombed a Colombian boat carrying civilians during US operations targeting suspected drug smugglers near the Venezuelan coast.
Petro has pushed back against Trump’s rhetoric, disputing claims about drug production while pointing to Colombia’s efforts to curb illegal crops, although data show the country remains the main source of cocaine seized in the United States.
On Tuesday Colombia said it will deploy drones to destroy coca crops, a shift from manual eradication after aerial fumigation was banned in 2015 due to environmental concerns.
Washington has long criticized Bogota’s decision to halt aerial fumigation. In September, the US added Colombia to a list of nations it claimed were failing to cooperate in the drug war for the first time in nearly 30 years, accusing Petro’s government of not doing enough to curb cocaine production.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/629947-trump-tells-colombian-president-to-watch-out/
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Africa
On Christmas Eve, Sabah leaders urge love, unity and compassion across the state
Several Lives Were Lost During #EndSARS Protest – Lai Mohammed
December 24, 2025
By Justina Otio
Former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has once again stated that no deaths occurred at the Lekki Toll Gate on October 20, 2020, during the #EndSARS protest.
He stated that the government never denied that deaths occurred during the protest, but argued that no deaths were recorded at the Lekki Toll Gate specifically.
Mohammed made the remarks on Tuesday while speaking as a guest on Politics Today, a current affairs programme on Channels Television.
He said, “Five years later, my position has not changed. At no point did the government ever say that lives were not lost during #EndSARS. We lost several lives, including soldiers and policemen, but nobody was killed at the toll gate.”
Mohammed explained that he was in constant communication with senior military officials as events unfolded, even before soldiers were deployed to Lagos.
He further argued that the absence of verifiable casualty claims from families supports his position.
“Even before the soldiers were drafted, I was in touch with the Chief of Defence Staff. I was in touch with the hierarchy of the military because we were monitoring these developments.
“It’s a very simple logic. Five years after, nobody has come out today to say, ‘My ward went to the toll gate, and he didn’t come back.”
Mohammed also distanced himself from the conclusions reached by the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry, which investigated the Lekki Toll Gate incident and described it as a “massacre.”
“I am not part of the Lagos State Government. I did not know how the panel arrived at their conclusion. I was in the room when decisions were taken, and I knew that the soldiers went to the toll gates with blank bullets,” he said.
He maintained that the panel’s report contained “a lot of inconsistencies,” though he did not elaborate on specific aspects he disputed.
Asked whether the Federal Government regretted deploying troops to Lekki, an episode widely seen as a dark moment in the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, Mohammed defended the decision.
According to him, the decision to involve the military was justified under the circumstances.
“The #EndSARS started peacefully. At a point in time, it was hijacked by hoodlums. That was when the government said no, we have to send soldiers to stop this from getting out of hand.
“So the government took the right decision, because hoodlums had hijacked it at that time,” he said.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/12/24/several-lives-were-lost-during-endsars-protest-lai-mohammed/
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Sunday Jackson, Farmer Sentenced To Death For Killing Herder Pardoned By Adamawa Governor
December 23, 2025
By Enioluwa Adeniyi
Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, has granted a pardon to Sunday Jackson, a farmer who was sentenced to death by the Supreme Court for killing a herder in what was described as self-defence.
The pardon was signed on Monday under Section 212 of the Nigerian Constitution, following sustained appeals from community leaders and the victim’s family for clemency.
Jackson, a local farmer from Don village in Demsa Local Government Area, was attacked on his farm in 2015, an incident that resulted in a fatal altercation and his subsequent arrest.
He had spent over a decade in custody before the Supreme Court upheld a death sentence for the killing, a ruling that ignited national debate on the rights to self‑defense and justice.
Community leaders and the family of the deceased had appealed to Governor Fintiri to exercise his prerogative of mercy and pardon Jackson. The governor agreed and signed the clemency order on Monday.
According to a statement released on Tuesday in Yola by Governor Fintiri’s Chief Press Secretary, Humwashi Wonosikou, the pardon is in commemoration of Christmas and New Year celebrations,
“Others who had the remainder of their sentences remitted whole include Joshua James Audo, Adamu Ibrahim, Mohammed Abubakar, Ibrahim Usman and Saidu Abubakar serving at the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Numan and Medium Security Custodial Centre, Jada,” Humwashi stated.
He explained that Governor Fintiri extended his gesture to the inmates because the inmates had demonstrated significant improvement in their behaviour and conduct.
He quoted Fintiri as saying, “In the exercise of my prerogative of mercy as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and in line with the recommendations of the Adamawa State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy, I have granted pardon to three persons and directed the remission of the remainder of the sentences of five others who have served various jail terms and have significantly demonstrated good conduct over the years.”
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/12/23/adamawa-governor-grants-pardon-to-farmer-sentenced-to-death-for-killing-herder/
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Tinubu Govt Announces Move To Delete Social Media Accounts Of Bandits, Kidnappers
December 23, 2025
By Richard Ogunsile
The Federal Government has disclosed that Nigerian security agencies are working closely with major social media companies to identify and take down accounts operated by terrorists and criminal groups to promote violence, spread propaganda and raise funds.
Naija News reports that the move was confirmed by the Director-General of the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka, during an end-of-year briefing held in Abuja on Tuesday.
Laka said extremist groups had increasingly turned to popular platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and X to publicise their operations, communicate with supporters and even display looted items.
According to him, security agencies have engaged the companies behind these platforms on several occasions to address posts and accounts that pose serious threats to national security.
“The issue of social media platforms used by terrorist groups, if you knew how many accounts we took down. We have had several meetings with these social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and 𝕏,” Laka said.
He explained that while social media companies are businesses seeking to grow their user base, government engagement has helped them better understand the security implications of certain content.
“They are businesses looking to grow their subscribers, but we engage them, explain the effects of certain posts on national security, and we take them down,” he added.
The counter-terrorism chief recalled a period when bandits openly showcased stolen items on TikTok and even conducted live broadcasts, actions he said have now been curtailed.
“There was a time when bandits would go on TikTok showing their loot. We took those accounts down, you don’t see that again. At some point, they were even doing live streams and holding conversations, but we’ve been able to handle all that,” Laka said.
Laka noted that despite the progress made, terrorist groups continue to adapt by using aliases, unverified accounts and other digital tricks, stressing that security agencies are constantly updating their strategies to stay ahead.
Ransom Payments, POS Operators Under Watch
The Director-General further revealed that ransom payments remain a major source of terror financing, with kidnappers increasingly exploiting point-of-sale operators to move funds.
He explained that in many cases, ransom money is transferred into accounts owned by POS operators, making it harder to trace the funds.
“You see a transfer made by terrorists, and when you investigate the account, it belongs to a POS operator. The kidnappers give out the POS operator’s number, the money is transferred, and they go to collect it,” he said.
Laka said security agencies have intensified efforts to track ransom payments, arrest those involved and disrupt terror financing networks, though he noted that operational details could not be disclosed for security reasons.
He revealed that several arrests and prosecutions have already been carried out in connection with ransom payments and terrorism financing, adding that asset recoveries and seizures form part of Nigeria’s compliance with international anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing standards.
According to Laka, Nigeria’s recent progress in meeting the requirements of the Financial Action Task Force was achieved through coordinated investigations involving security agencies, financial intelligence units and the judiciary.
While acknowledging the challenges posed by porous borders and instability in the Sahel region, he assured Nigerians that security agencies would continue to strengthen both physical and digital counter-terrorism measures.
“Towards the end of 2023, the security situation in Nigeria was improving. But after the coups in some Sahel countries, the situation worsened because these terrorist groups have connections across the region,” he said.
“So Nigeria has to play a leadership role in West Africa and the Sahel to address these threats. As long as those countries continue to face these challenges, Nigeria will also face them. We are doing our best, and we will not relent. In 2026, we are going to up our game.”
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/12/23/tinubu-govt-announces-move-to-delete-social-media-accounts-of-bandits-kidnappers/
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FIRS Clarifies Tax Identification Number For Nigerians
December 23, 2025
By Rachel Okporu Fadoju
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has clarified that the National Identification Number (NIN) issued by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) automatically serves as the Tax Identification Number for individual Nigerians.
Naija News reports that the announcement comes amid public concerns over provisions in the new tax laws that require a Tax ID for certain transactions, including the ownership of bank accounts.
However, the FIRS, in a post via 𝕏, clarified the identification method.
According to the FIRS, registered businesses will no longer need a separate Tax ID; their Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) registration number will serve as their official tax identifier under the new tax system.
Explaining the policy, the FIRS said the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, which is scheduled to take effect from January 2026, mandates the use of a Tax ID for specific transactions.
The FIRS added that the new system is designed to simplify identification, reduce duplication, close loopholes for tax evasion, and promote fairness by ensuring that everyone who earns taxable income contributes appropriately.
The service said, “The Tax ID unifies all Tax Identification Numbers previously issued by the FIRS and State Internal Revenue Services into a single identifier.
“For individuals, your NIN automatically serves as your Tax ID, while for registered companies, your CAC RC number is used. You do not need a physical card, as the Tax ID is a unique number linked directly to your identity.”
FIRS further urged the public to disregard misinformation about the reform and assured Nigerians that the new tax framework is designed to improve efficiency and transparency in tax administration.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/12/23/firs-clarifies-tax-identification-number-for-nigerians/
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Gunmen abduct 28 travellers heading to Islamic event in central Nigeria
Dec 24, 2025
Armed men have abducted at least 28 people travelling to an annual Islamic gathering in Nigeria’s central Plateau state, according to local sources.
The victims, including women and children, were attacked on Sunday night while travelling by bus between rural communities. Witnesses say the gunmen stopped the vehicle and forced passengers away at gunpoint.
The authorities have not yet issued an official statement, and the identity of the attackers remains unclear.
Families receive ransom demands
A journalist based in Plateau state told the BBC that relatives of those abducted have already begun receiving ransom demands from the kidnappers.
The incident comes amid growing concern over the spread of mass abductions across parts of northern and central Nigeria. Criminal gangs, often referred to locally as “bandits”, regularly target travellers, villages and schools.
Although paying ransom is illegal under Nigerian law, security analysts say it is widely believed to be how many kidnappings end, making it a key source of income for armed groups.
Kidnapping follows recent schoolchildren release
The Plateau state abductions were reported just one day after Nigerian authorities confirmed the release of the remaining 130 schoolchildren and teachers kidnapped from a Catholic boarding school in Niger state last month.
Officials said all those taken in that earlier attack had been freed after weeks in captivity, raising hopes of improved security efforts. However, the latest incident highlights the continued risks faced by civilians.
The Plateau state kidnapping is not linked to the Islamist insurgency in north-eastern Nigeria, where jihadist groups have been fighting government forces for more than a decade.
Nigeria pushes back on claims of religious targeting
Nigeria’s security situation has drawn renewed international attention in recent months. In November, US President Donald Trump threatened to send troops to what he described as a “now disgraced country”, claiming Christians were being targeted.
Nigeria’s federal government has rejected those claims, saying insecurity affects communities of all religions.
On Monday, Information Minister Mohammed Idris said recent tensions with Washington over security concerns had been “largely resolved”, leading to stronger relations between the two countries.
He also announced plans to deploy trained forest guards to patrol remote areas and forests often used as hideouts by criminal gangs, alongside ongoing military operations.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.africanews.com/2025/12/23/gunmen-abduct-28-travellers-heading-to-islamic-event-in-central-nigeria/
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US Offers Illegal Immigrants Free Flight Tickets, $3,000 Christmas Bonus To Self-deport
December 23, 2025
By Richard Ogunsile
The United States (US) government has announced a Christmas incentive programme offering illegal immigrants up to $3,000 to voluntarily leave the country, warning that those who fail to take advantage of the offer risk arrest and permanent deportation.
In a statement released on Monday, December 22, by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the US said illegal immigrants who enrol in the programme before the end of the year would receive a cash stipend alongside free flight tickets to their home countries.
According to the DHS, the initiative is being implemented through the CBP Home mobile application, which allows undocumented immigrants to register for voluntary departure.
The department stated, “Illegal aliens who sign up to self-deport through the CBP Home app by the end of the year will receive a $3,000 stipend in addition to a free flight home.”
The statement added that participants would also enjoy additional benefits, including the forgiveness of civil fines or penalties for overstaying or failing to leave the country earlier.
“Using the CBP Home app also qualifies recipients for forgiveness of any civil fines or penalties for failing to depart the country,” the DHS said.
The US government revealed that voluntary departures had increased significantly since the beginning of the year.
“Since January 2025, 1.9 million illegal aliens have voluntarily self-deported, and tens of thousands have used the CBP Home programme,” the statement noted.
‘Take This Gift Or Face Arrest’
Homeland Security Secretary, Kristi Noem, described the initiative as a seasonal goodwill gesture, noting that the incentive had been tripled during the Christmas period.
“During the Christmas season, the US taxpayer is so generously tripling the incentive to leave voluntarily for those in this country illegally — offering a $3,000 exit bonus, but just until the end of the year,” Noem said.
She, however, issued a stern warning to those considering staying back.
“Illegal aliens should take advantage of this gift and self-deport because if they don’t, we will find them, we will arrest them, and they will never return,” she added.
Naija News reports that the DHS assured interested immigrants that the process would be seamless, urging them to download the app and submit their details.
“Self-deportation through the CBP Home app is the best gift that an illegal alien can give themselves and their families this holiday season,” the department said.
“It’s a fast, free, and easy process: Just download the app, fill out your information, and DHS will take care of the rest — including arranging and paying for your travel back home.”
The department reiterated that illegal immigrants who ignore the offer would face strict consequences.
“Those illegal aliens who don’t take advantage of this special offer today have only one alternative: They will be arrested, deported, and they will never be able to return to the United States,” the DHS warned.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/12/23/us-offers-illegal-immigrants-free-flight-tickets-3000-christmas-bonus-to-self-deport/
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Twitter’s Agreement With Buhari Government Shows We Did The Right Thing – Lai Mohammed
December 24, 2025
By Justina Otio
Former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has stated that the Muhammadu Buhari administration suspended Twitter (now 𝕏) because of the dangers posed by unregulated social media activity.
Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television, Lai Mohammed disclosed that prior to the suspension, 𝕏 was not registered in Nigeria to do business.
He stated that the agreement eventually reached with the social media platform justified the suspension.
Referring to his book, Headlines and Soundbites: Media Moments That Define an Administration, he said it documents the correspondence between Nigeria and Twitter before the ban was lifted.
He said, “When you go through this book, you’ll see all the correspondence between us and Twitter. The agreement that was signed showed that prior to that time, Twitter was not even registered in Nigeria to do business, talk less of paying taxes.
“You can find out from the NCC and other parastatals that the agreement they signed with us is contained in this book. It’s evident that, yes, we did the right thing.”
According to him, the government’s action was not driven by ego or political vendetta but by concerns over national cohesion and the dangers posed by unregulated social media activity.
“It’s because there is a country called Nigeria, that’s where there’s all kinds of freedom. You must not push that to the extent that you are going to set one part of the country against the other.
“It got to a stage that social media was becoming dangerous to everyone, unlike the television, radio or newspaper, where you have the gatekeepers,” he said.
Mohammed traced the government’s concerns as far back as 2017, when he began publicly campaigning against fake news, hate speech and disinformation.
He explained that several engagements were held with media stakeholders and social media companies, stressing that the government initially sought self-regulation rather than legislation.
“I think it was 2017 when I started the campaign against fake news and disinformation. I followed that up in my visit to media houses to assist us in combating the dangers of fake news, hate speeches and disinformation.
“We invited several of these microblogs to plead with them that there should be self-regulation. We were not even thinking of a law to stifle the media. But we were concerned that an unregulated social media was dangerous to society,” he said.
The ex-minister added that some platforms eventually became tools for individuals seeking to undermine Nigeria’s unity and stability, despite repeated warnings from the government.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/12/24/twitters-agreement-with-buhari-government-shows-we-did-the-right-thing-lai-mohammed/
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I Rejected Tinubu’s Appeal To Help Organise APC – Makinde
December 23, 2025
By Rachel Okporu Fadoju
The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has opened up about his conversation with President Bola Tinubu over his appeal to help organise the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State.
Naija News reports that Makinde made the claim on Tuesday during a media chat with selected journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Makinde opined that he previously warned Tinubu about selecting Bayo Adelabu to serve as Nigerian Minister of Power because he lacks the capacity and cannot help organise the APC.
He said, “If you have selected the Minister of Power because you want him to help you organize the APC in Oyo State, he doesn’t have the capacity, I told the president.
“But he said “no no it is you that will help me organize APC in Oyo State” and I said no Sir, I can’t help you organize APC because I’m in PDP.”
Meanwhile, Makinde has vowed not to support the re-election bid of Tinubu in the 2027 elections.
Speaking during a press conference on Tuesday in Ibadan, the state capital, Makinde took a swipe at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, stating that others should be allowed to freely choose who they’ll support politically.
He explained that Wike cannot dictate political choices to others.
According to Makinde, he was in a meeting with Wike, President Tinubu and a few others when the former Rivers State Governor declared that he would hold the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Tinubu in 2027.
The Oyo State Governor said Wike’s statement shocked him, and he (Makinde) won’t be part of such plans.
Makinde added that his resolve not to support Tinubu in 2027 hinges on the need to ensure democracy survives in Nigeria, the PDP remains a viable political party, and the country does not drift into a one-party state.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/12/23/i-rejected-tinubus-appeal-to-help-organise-apc-makinde/
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Why I Will Not Introduce New Taxes – Seyi Makinde
December 23, 2025
By Justina Otio
The Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, has promised that his administration will not introduce new taxes.
Speaking in a media chat with newsmen, Makinde asserted that the state has gone over six years without adding any tax.
He explained that his government is focused on bringing more people into the existing tax net.
He described the approach as a “chicken-and-egg” scenario, questioning whether it is better to impose taxes first or create a conducive environment for economic growth.
“When you create a living environment where people and businesses can expand production, you build a productive economy. Only then are you in a position to raise revenue effectively,” Makinde said.
The governor emphasized that the administration’s priority is fostering economic growth to ensure a sustainable and fair tax system for the state’s residents.
Meanwhile, Makinde has vowed not to support the re-election bid of President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections.
Speaking during a press conference on Tuesday in Ibadan, the state capital, Makinde took a swipe at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, stating that others should be allowed to freely choose who they’ll support politically.
He explained that Wike cannot dictate political choices to others.
According to Makinde, he was in a meeting with Wike, President Tinubu and a few others when the former Rivers State Governor declared that he would hold the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Tinubu in 2027.
The Oyo State Governor said Wike’s statement shocked him, and he (Makinde) won’t be part of such plans.
Makinde added that his resolve not to support Tinubu in 2027 hinges on the need to ensure democracy survives in Nigeria, the PDP remains a viable political party, and the country does not drift into a one-party state.
According to him, President Tinubu didn’t request Wike to hold the PDP for him, it was the FCT Minister who offered to hold the party for the president.
“I was in a meeting with President Tinubu, Nyesom Wike, and others when Wike volunteered to hold the PDP for Tinubu against 2027, and I was in shock,” the governor said.
“Wike can support the president in 2027, but I will not.”
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/12/23/why-i-will-not-introduce-new-taxes-seyi-makinde/
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Southeast Asia
Petronas and MACC strengthen partnership to combat corruption
23 Dec 2025
Petronas and MACC reinforce anti-corruption collaboration, focusing on prevention, whistleblower protection and ethical compliance for corporate integrity.
PUTRAJAYA: Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) has reinforced its commitment to integrity and anti-corruption through a strategic collaboration with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
A Petronas delegation met with MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki at the MACC headquarters to discuss the partnership.
Azam emphasised the importance of a comprehensive prevention approach, effective whistleblower protection and transparent handling of reports.
He encouraged collaboration on capacity-building programmes and the sharing of best practices for continuous improvement.
Azam also welcomed an invitation to attend a “Coffee With Integrity” session with Petronas’ top management next year.
Petronas reiterated its commitment to fostering a culture of integrity that goes beyond mere compliance.
The meeting sought MACC’s guidance in reinforcing ethical practices throughout the company’s operations and supply chain.
Petronas presented updates on various governance initiatives during the session.
These include improvements to the whistleblowing mechanism and strengthened public-private partnership collaboration.
Leadership-driven awareness programmes and a five-year integrity and anti-corruption plan were also discussed.
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/news/malaysia-news/people-issues/petronas-and-macc-strengthen-partnership-to-combat-corruption/
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BTN Completes Sharia Unit Spin-Off to Bank Syariah Nasional
December 24, 2025
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - PT BANK Tabungan Negara Tbk (BBTN) announced that the company has completed the separation of its Sharia Business Unit (USS) or spin-off to PT Bank Syariah Nasional on December 22, 2025. The separation was carried out by BTN by transferring rights and obligations to Bank Syariah Nasional and obtained the approval of the Financial Services Authority.
CEO of BTN, Nixon L.P. Napitupulu, stated that with the completion of this separation, the company holds 6.6 million shares of Bank Syariah Nasional, representing 99.99 percent of the total issued and fully paid-up capital stock. "And the company is the controlling shareholder of BSN," he said in the information disclosure at the Indonesia Stock Exchange, Tuesday, December 23, 2025.
Following this separation, Nixon added, USS business activities at BTN legally ceased and all rights and obligations were transferred to Bank Syariah Nasional.
In the RUPSLB on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, BTN shareholders agreed to spin-off the Sharia Business Unit (UUS) to PT Bank Syariah Nasional. Through this decision, all rights and obligations of the UUS BTN were transferred to Bank Syariah Nasional. The merger of UUS BTN and Bank Victoria Syariah will make Bank Syariah Nasional the second largest Sharia Bank (BUS) in Indonesia with total assets reaching Rp71.3 trillion.
Nixon stated that the total value of BTN Sharia Business Unit's assets had met the limits set out in Article 59 POJK 12/2023 since the fourth quarter of 2023, or precisely in December 2023.
Based on BTN's financial statements for the 2023 fiscal year (audited) published in the first quarter of 2024, the Sharia Business Unit of BTN had total assets of Rp54.3 trillion. "Therefore, as a conventional commercial bank, the company is required to separate or spin-off the Sharia Business Unit," said Nixon in BTN's RUPSLB in BTN Tower I, Jakarta, as quoted in a written statement.
BTN's Sharia Business Unit network currently includes 35 Sharia Branch Offices (KCS), 76 Sharia Sub-Branch Offices (KCPS), and 589 Sharia Service Offices spread across various regions. The majority of the technological infrastructure has been separated from the parent company, and the competent human resources make the Sharia Business Unit ready to operate independently.
"This consistent growth demonstrates the readiness of BTN's Sharia Business Unit to stand alone as a full-fledged Sharia commercial bank," said Nixon.
Source: tempo.co
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https://en.tempo.co/read/2075743/btn-completes-sharia-unit-spin-off-to-bank-syariah-nasional#google_vignette
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Jakim to summon Muslim individual over alleged involvement in interfaith water ceremony
24 Dec 2025
PUTRAJAYA, Dec 24 — The Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) will summon a Muslim individual suspected of being involved in the “Interfaith Water Ceremony” programme to obtain an explanation regarding his involvement.
Its director-general Datuk Dr Sirajuddin Suhaimee confirmed that the individual concerned is not a Jakim officer.
He said the department had also met with the owner of the Facebook account who disclosed that there were Muslims involved in the programme, to ensure a fair and comprehensive assessment.
“This matter is being examined seriously by Jakim,” he said in a statement today.
Sirajuddin said Jakim is working closely with state religious authorities and relevant agencies to ensure that the assessment is carried out comprehensively and in accordance with existing laws.
“Jakim remains committed to preserving the sanctity of the Islamic faith. Any party with information is urged to lodge an official report with the Royal Malaysia Police as well as the state Islamic religious authorities,” he said.
Earlier, the Facebook account owner, in a post, published an article titled “Muslim Terlibat Dalam Dakyah Sesat Interfaith Water Ceremony” (Muslims Involved in Deviant Interfaith Water Ceremony).
According to him, during the Loving Couple Festival held at a hotel hall, the church also conducted an “Interfaith Water Ceremony”, which involved a joint prayer ritual with leaders of other religions.
The Penang Islamic Religious Affairs Department (JHEAIPP) later clarified that the content cited in the article referred to a programme that took place seven years ago at a hotel in Seberang Jaya.
JHEAIPP informed that the programme had been officially reported and covered by local media in the same year, with news coverage focusing on the celebration and recognition of married couples from various ethnic backgrounds. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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After viral brawl in JB mall and police station, Singaporean part-time actor and family of three charged
24 Dec 2025
By Ben Tan
JOHOR BAHRU, Dec 24 — A part-time actor and a family of three were charged in the Magistrate’s Court here today on two charges of causing bodily harm at a shopping centre that later continued to an altercation at a police station last Sunday.
The accused, P. Suresh, 46, pleaded guilty after the charge was read out in Tamil before Magistrate A. Shaarmini.
Businessman Chua Chin Heng, 56, his wife, Loe Sou Peng, 55, and son Axl Chua Kai Jun, 27, claimed trial after the charge was read out in English.
According to the charge sheet, Suresh and Chua were jointly charged with disorderly conduct at the Larkin police station on December 21 at 6.15pm.
The charge was framed under Section 90 of the Police Act for disorderly conduct in a police facility and was read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code for joint criminal liability that carries a maximum jail sentence of six months or a fine not exceeding RM500 upon conviction.
At the same time, Chua, his wife and son were charged with injuring Suresh at a shopping centre in Jalan Serigala here on the same day at 5.17pm.
The three accused later pleaded not guilty for the offence.
The charge was made under Section 323 of the Penal Code for voluntary causing hurt that was read with Section 34 of the same Act of joint criminal liability which carries a maximum prison sentence of 12 months or a fine not exceeding RM2,000 or both.
The case was prosecuted by deputy public prosecutors Sarah Siti Aisyah Mustapha Kamal and Nor Deana Aqilah Aliman.
Suresh was represented by his counsel Mehnagha Luckhamana, while the Chua family was represented by lawyer Muadz Zulkarnain.
The court later imposed a fine of RM1,900 on Suresh.
The court also granted Chua, his wife and their son, bail for a total sum of RM19,000 with one Malaysian surety.
The court then set January 27 for mention and the submission of additional documents.
It was previously reported that a physical altercation between two Singaporeans at a shopping centre here escalated into another fight at Larkin police station last Sunday when the parties wanted to file reports.
Chua and Sureah were later taken to the Sultanah Aminah Hospital (HSA) and treated for minor injuries.
It was learnt that the brawl started from a verbal dispute over spilled beverage.
Following the incident, video footages of the scuffle was widely shared on social media.
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/12/24/after-viral-brawl-in-jb-mall-and-police-station-singaporean-part-time-actor-and-family-of-three-charged/203072
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Malaysia’s investments surge 13.2% to RM285.2 billion in first nine months of 2025
24 Dec 2025
Approved investments in Malaysia hit RM285.2 billion for Jan-Sept 2025, creating jobs and boosting income under the MADANI Government’s commitment.
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring all investments yield tangible returns for the people.
Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, stated that investments secured by the MADANI Government are catalysts for both economic growth and public welfare.
“They create quality job opportunities, increase income and well-being, and build a new economic force that is more competitive and inclusive,” he said in a Facebook post.
He shared infographics detailing the nation’s investment performance for the first nine months of 2025.
Malaysia recorded approved investments worth RM285.2 billion from January to September 2025.
This figure represents a significant 13.2% increase and surpasses all pre-pandemic records set between 2006 and 2020.
Seven investment missions conducted during the same period generated a potential RM24.5 billion.
High-value sectors were pivotal, contributing RM137.9 billion or 48.4% of the total investments and driving future economic prospects.
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/news/malaysia-news/malaysias-investments-surge-13-2-to-rm285-2-billion-in-first-nine-months-of-2025/
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King and UAE president reinforce bilateral ties
24 Dec 2025
Sultan Ibrahim and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed Zayed Al Nahyan meet in Abu Dhabi, focusing on economic, investment, and defence cooperation.
KUALA LUMPUR: King of Malaysia, His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, reinforced bilateral ties during a courtesy visit to United Arab Emirates president Sheikh Mohamed Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi.
The hour-long meeting at Qasr Al Bahr Palace, yesterday paved the way for a more strategic and forward-looking partnership between the two nations.
His Majesty stated that the one-on-one discussion covered cooperation in economic, investment, and food security matters.
“We also discussed various matters, including efforts to strengthen Malaysia-UAE defence cooperation,” the King said in a post on his official Facebook page.
Sultan Ibrahim’s visit to the Ruler of Abu Dhabi is part of a special visit to the UAE undertaken at the President’s personal invitation.
The visit began yesterday, underscoring the mutual respect and ongoing diplomatic engagement between Malaysia and the UAE.
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/news/malaysia-news/king-and-uae-president-reinforce-bilateral-ties/
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No electoral alliance before polls, says Warisan
24 Dec 2025
Warisan reiterates no pre-election pact with Peninsular parties, open only to post-poll cooperation at federal level.
PETALING JAYA: Warisan has reiterated that it will not enter into any electoral pact with parties from Peninsular Malaysia ahead of the next general election, while leaving the door open for post-election cooperation to form a federal government.
Warisan vice-president Datuk Junz Wong said the party’s position has remained consistent, stressing that Sabah should continue to be governed by local-based parties, with any collaboration at the federal level considered only after polling day.
Wong said reports suggesting Warisan had decided to work with Peninsula-based parties before the election were taken out of context.
He explained that the party’s long-standing stance is that Sabah’s political landscape should be led by Sabah-based parties, without external involvement during elections.
“Our position has never changed. We want Sabah to be governed by local parties. That is very clear,” he told theSun when contacted.
However, Wong stressed that Warisan remains pragmatic at the federal level and open to cooperation after the election.
“At the federal level, we can work together to form the government. But that does not mean we are working together now,” he added.
He said any form of collaboration with Peninsula-based parties would only take place after the election and would depend entirely on the outcome.
“Let us go through the election first. After that, we can discuss who forms the government. That is what we mean by cooperation,” Wong said.
According to him, the party respects the democratic process and the choices made by voters nationwide, including those in Peninsular Malaysia.
“Ultimately, we must accept the decision of the Malaysian people. We may have personal preferences, but when the people vote, we have to respect that decision,” he said, adding that it would be unreasonable for Sabah-based parties to attempt to influence voters in Peninsular Malaysia.
Wong stressed that Warisan’s role is to contest elections independently and to ensure its political space is not disrupted by external parties during the campaign period.
“Our role is to contest and to ask that others do not interfere with us. After that, when decisions are made, we will cooperate for the good of the country,” he said.
On a separate matter, Wong declined to comment on whether Warisan will contest the Lamag state and Kinabatangan parliamentary by-elections, saying the issue had only recently been raised.
Wong, who is also the Tanjung Aru assemblyman, said it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage as party leaders require more time to deliberate.
“We will take a couple more days to decide, after which the president will announce the party’s official stance,” he said, adding that an announcement is expected after Christmas.
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/news/malaysia-news/politics/no-electoral-alliance-before-polls-says-warisan/
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Perak KPDN launches response-reward programme for consumer rights
23 Dec 2025
Perak KPDN’s new programme rewards consumers for reporting price discrepancies, reducing complaints and promoting ethical retail practices.
BAGAN DATUK: The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) has introduced a Response and Reward Programme as a preventative enforcement measure.
State director Datuk Kamalludin Ismail said the programme ensures compliance with price tagging and protects consumer rights in the retail sector.
It began in September 2025 at Econsave Hypermarket Hutan Melintang near Bagan Datuk. Kamalludin said it has successfully reduced consumer complaints received by the KPDN Teluk Intan Branch.
“This initiative empowers consumers to check shelf prices and report discrepancies if the price at checkout is higher than the displayed one,” he explained.
Consumers are then entitled to receive the item at the same or lower advertised price and to be rewarded by the trader as a gesture of goodwill.
“The supermarket, in turn, is required to immediately correct the price tag,” he said during a press conference after an inspection.
The approach functions as a self-regulatory mechanism for traders, ensuring legal compliance and promoting high ethical standards in business.
This is particularly relevant for large-scale supermarkets that can carry up to 15,000 items.
Kamalludin added that the programme is a collaboration with two student consumer movements from Kolej Komuniti Bagan Datuk and Kolej Komuniti Teluk Intan.
The students manage the electronic complaint system and produce educational materials to promote consumer rights awareness.
A participant of the programme, 35-year-old Nabila Saadon, said she lodged a complaint after noticing a price discrepancy.
“As a consumer, I knew my rights and immediately filed a report with the Econsave management, who acknowledged my complaint for action,” she said.
Another participant, 24-year-old Mohamad Razman Jaafar, shared that he had previously overlooked pricing errors before learning about the programme.
“It was very straightforward – just fill in the relevant details online and submit. I did not expect to be recognised and rewarded,” he said.
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/news/malaysia-news/people-issues/perak-kpdn-launches-response-reward-programme-for-consumer-rights/
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Halal Russian turkey enters Malaysian market with JAKIM certification
23 Dec 2025
Malaysia introduces JAKIM-certified halal turkey from Russia, fulfilling a pledge to diversify protein sources and strengthen bilateral food trade.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has introduced JAKIM-certified halal turkey from Russia to the local market. This marks a milestone in strengthening food security and the national halal ecosystem.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said the move reflects Malaysia’s commitment to diversifying protein sources. It also ensures strict compliance with halal standards, food safety and quality.
“The import of turkey from Russia is carried out in full compliance with Malaysia’s import entry requirements,” he said. This includes recognising the Penza Region as a zone free from Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza.
He was speaking at the halal Russian turkey introduction event themed ‘From Russia With Love’. The initiative also signifies strong bilateral cooperation in food trade and supply chain resilience.
Mohamad said the move fulfils a pledge made during the Prime Minister’s visit to Russia in May. “Malaysians can now enjoy halal, safe and high-quality turkey,” he added.
The event was officiated by Mohamad and attended by Russian Ambassador Naiyl M. Latypov. It underscores the strategic cooperation between both countries in the food and halal sectors.
Malaysia-Russia trade is estimated to reach about USD 3 billion annually. Bilateral trade in the agro-food sector stood at RM2.5 billion as of September this year.
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/news/malaysia-news/people-issues/halal-russian-turkey-enters-malaysian-market-with-jakim-certification/
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South Asia
Over 115 Million Afghanis in Cash Aid Distributed to Needy Families
December 24, 2025
KABUL: The National Disaster Management Authority said in a statement on Tuesday that 115.5 million Afghanis in cash assistance were distributed to vulnerable families across Afghanistan during the last month of the current solar year.
According to the statement, 44,927 families received food aid, while 22,888 families benefited from cash assistance.
The program is part of ongoing efforts to support vulnerable households and ensure access to basic necessities throughout the country.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://thekabultimes.com/over-115-million-afghanis-in-cash-aid-distributed-to-needy-families/
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Impunity at the core of mob violence against media: UN expert
Dec 23, 2025
Mob attacks on leading media outlets and cultural centres in Bangladesh are deeply alarming and must be investigated promptly and effectively by the government, and the perpetrators brought to justice without delay, UN expert Irene Khan said in a statement issued today.
The arson and vandalisation of the offices of The Daily Star and Prothom Alo and Chhayanaut cultural centre as well as the attack on the editor of New Age occurred as mass protests broke out across the country after Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent youth leader of the July 2024 uprising, died from gunshot wounds inflicted by assailants in broad daylight.
"I strongly condemn the targeted killing of an inspiring leader as well as the orchestrated mob violence against independent journalists and artists which followed the announcement of his death," Irene Khan, special rapporteur on the freedom of expression and opinion, said.
"The weaponisation of public anger against journalists and artists is dangerous at any time, and especially now as the country prepares for elections. It could have a chilling effect on media freedom, minority voices and dissenting views with serious consequences for democracy," Khan said.
"The mob attacks did not emerge in a vacuum but are the consequences of the failure of the interim government to address impunity and uphold media and artistic freedom," she said.
"Over the past year, freedom of expression, especially media freedom, has come under significant pressure in Bangladesh from both state and non-state actors, online and offline," she added.
Since August 5, 2024, hundreds of journalists have been arrested on "politically motivated, dubious charges of murder, terrorism and other serious crimes", and many have been arbitrarily detained for prolonged periods, the statement said. The interim government has largely followed the previous patterns of impunity, normalising attacks and threats without consequences for the perpetrators, it added.
"When hate speech and smear campaigns endanger the safety and reputation of media outlets, editors, journalists, artists and civil society leaders, and no corrective action is taken by the government or social media platforms, then it is only a matter of time before the words translate into violence," the special rapporteur said.
"I call on the government to investigate the killing of Hadi and the attacks on media outlets promptly, impartially, transparently and hold perpetrators to account with full due process," she said.
The expert called on the government to act rapidly to put in place effective protection and prevention measures to safeguard civil society, including journalists in the lead up to elections.
"If the interim government is to live up to its promise to deliver safe and fair elections, it must uphold the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and ensure the that journalists, human rights defenders, civil society leaders, political candidates, women and minorities are able to exercise their fundamental rights without fear of reprisals," Khan said.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/impunity-the-core-mob-violence-against-media-un-expert-4064646
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Newborn’s body recovered from alley in Dhaka's Chawkbazar
Dec 23, 2025
Police today recovered the body of a day-old boy from a narrow alley in Dhaka's Chawkbazar.
Md Ashraful Alam, sub-inspector of Chawkbazar Police Station, said the body was found wrapped in a black polythene bag on KB Chandra Road in Chandnighat around 11:30am after locals informed police.
"The body has been sent to the morgue following legal procedures," he told The Daily Star.
Police said they are preparing to investigate the incident.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/newborns-body-recovered-alley-dhakas-chawkbazar-4064706
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Shaikh Nadim Inaugurates Medical Lab at Islamic International University
December 24, 2025
Sheikh Neda Mohammad Nadim, the country’s Minister of Higher Education, inaugurated a medical laboratory worth 35 million Afghanis at the Islamic International University of Afghanistan, the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
Shaikh Nadim stressed that the laboratory equipment must be used effectively and according to standards.
He added that the facility will promote technical and professional collaboration among the country’s specialists.
The lab features departments in Biology, Bacteriology, Parasitology, Mycology, and Immunology, and is equipped to perform advanced tests including PCR, DNA extraction, and ELISA.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://thekabultimes.com/shaikh-nadim-inaugurates-medical-lab-at-islamic-international-university/
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Tourism Sector Key Driver of Economic Growth, Introducing Afghanistan’s True Image Internationally, Mawlavi Jamal
December 24, 2025
KABUL: Mawlavi Qudratullah Jamal, Deputy Minister of Information and Culture for Tourism, Finance, and Administration, said that the tourism sector is a key driver of economic growth, creates employment opportunities, and promotes Afghanistan’s true image internationally, according to a statement from the ministry on Tuesday.
In a meeting with Haji Mohammad Faryabi, Head of the Herat Tourism Companies Union, Mawlavi Jamal assured that the ministry is committed to providing practical support, improving administrative systems, ensuring transparency, creating legal facilitation, and effectively assisting the private sector to foster sustainable tourism development.
The meeting focused on strengthening coordination and regulation of tourism companies, including classifying companies, streamlining and standardizing procedures, and accelerating the issuance, renewal, and extension of tourism licenses.
Both sides emphasized the need for sustainable coordination to resolve sector challenges effectively, support lawful activities, and take strict action against unauthorized operations.
The discussions highlighted tourism as a critical engine for economic development, capable of generating jobs, boosting local economies, and attracting international visitors and investors.
The two sides noted that coordinated government and private sector efforts are vital for achieving long-term stability and showcasing Afghanistan’s cultural heritage abroad.
Herat’s tourism officials emphasized that supporting legally operating tourism companies and facilitating administrative processes will play a key role in the province’s economic growth and the country’s broader development goals.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://thekabultimes.com/tourism-sector-key-driver-of-economic-growth-introducing-afghanistans-true-image-internationally-mawlavi-jamal/
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Kazakhstan Pledges Support for Herat-Torghundi Railway to Boost Trade Ties
December 24, 2025
HERAT: Yasin Tayef Arman, Head of the Kazakhstan Chamber of Commerce in Herat, met with Shaikh Islamijar, Governor of Herat, to discuss the expansion of economic and trade relations through the Herat-Torghundi railway.
During the meeting, Arman emphasized Kazakhstan’s goal to develop this transit route and create opportunities for Afghan goods to be exported from Herat to Kazakhstan, the provincial governor’s press office said in a statement on Tuesday.
He also highlighted the willingness of Kazakhstan to engage in practical cooperation for the construction and enhancement of the Herat-Torghundi railway, underlining the country’s commitment to strengthening trade ties with Afghanistan.
In response, Governor Sheikh Islamijar welcomed Kazakhstan’s efforts and stressed the importance of addressing existing challenges in transport and transit via the railway.
He noted that the development of railway lines is a key factor in promoting trade, generating employment, and strengthening Afghanistan’s economy.
The governor added that the local administration has consistently worked to remove obstacles along the railway and facilitate the smooth transfer of goods, reflecting the shared commitment to enhancing regional trade and economic collaboration.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://thekabultimes.com/kazakhstan-pledges-support-for-herat-torghundi-railway-to-boost-trade-ties/
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Afghan Refugees in U.S. Face Christmas ICE Reporting Orders, Raising Legal and Humanitarian Concerns
By Fidel Rahmati
December 24, 2025
Afghan refugees in the United States have received ICE notices to report on Christmas Day, sparking concerns over legal access, stress, and enforcement during the holidays.
Afghan refugees in the United States have been asked to report to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) offices on Christmas Day, Afghan Evacuee Organization (Afghan Evac) said on Tuesday.
The letters, dated December 25, instruct recipients to comply with a “scheduled reporting” requirement, prompting concern from advocates who note that federal courts and legal offices are closed during the holiday period.
Shawn Vandiver, head of Afghan Evac, described the notices as “deeply troubling,” warning that refugees may face enforcement actions without access to legal counsel or support.
This move is part of intensified immigration policies under the Trump administration targeting Afghan nationals who entered the U.S. legally under refugee or humanitarian programs. Legal analysts have expressed concern over the potential impact on vulnerable populations.
ICE operations continue across multiple states, including Ohio and Minnesota, with at least 400 Afghan refugees reportedly detained in Minnesota alone, according to local media reports.
Many Afghan refugees arrived in the U.S. following the Taliban takeover in 2021. They often rely on U.S.-based humanitarian organizations and legal aid to navigate complex immigration proceedings. Past policies have generated uncertainty over visa renewals, resettlement support, and access to services.
Critics argue that scheduling enforcement on major holidays imposes unnecessary stress on displaced populations and undermines procedural fairness.
Human rights organizations are urging U.S. authorities to reschedule reporting requirements, ensuring Afghan refugees can access legal representation and avoid additional hardships.
These developments have attracted attention from national media and refugee advocacy groups, highlighting the tension between U.S. immigration enforcement and the humanitarian obligations toward Afghan evacuees.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/afghan-refugees-in-u-s-face-christmas-ice-reporting-orders-raising-legal-and-humanitarian-concerns/
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Hunter Biden, Son of Former U.S. President, Calls Afghanistan Withdrawal Execution a ‘Clear Failure’
By Fidel Rahmati
December 24, 2025
Hunter Biden, son of former U.S. President Joe Biden, criticised the execution of the Afghanistan withdrawal, calling it a clear failure despite backing the decision to end the war.
Hunter Biden, the son of former U.S. President Joe Biden, has criticised the execution of the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan, calling it a “clear failure” despite supporting the decision to end the war.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Hunter Biden said the choice to withdraw U.S. forces after 20 years was justified, but said poor planning and coordination led to chaos during the final evacuation from Kabul in August 2021, when 13 U.S. Marines were killed.
The withdrawal followed an agreement negotiated under President Donald Trump with the Taliban in 2020, setting a deadline for U.S. forces to leave Afghanistan. The Biden administration later implemented the pullout, which culminated in the rapid collapse of the Afghanistan government and the Taliban’s return to power.
Images of disorder at Kabul airport and the deadly suicide bombing during evacuations sparked bipartisan criticism in Washington. Republican lawmakers have repeatedly blamed the Biden administration for the outcome, while Democrats have pointed to years of strategic failures across multiple administrations.
Hunter Biden said ultimate responsibility for the withdrawal rested with the president, but added that senior military leaders and other U.S. officials also shared responsibility for how the operation was carried out.
He also addressed U.S. immigration policy, saying the country needs migrants but warning that people who enter illegally should not strain public resources or be prioritised over veterans of America’s longest war.
His remarks come as immigration remains a key issue in U.S. politics, with Donald Trump focusing his campaign on tightening border controls and curbing illegal migration.
Political analysts say it is rare for a president’s close family member to publicly criticise policies linked to their own administration, especially on national security issues.
The comments are expected to revive debate over accountability for the Afghanistan withdrawal and add to political tensions ahead of a highly contested U.S. election cycle.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/hunter-biden-son-of-former-u-s-president-calls-afghanistan-withdrawal-execution-a-clear-failure/
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Attack on culture: Solidarity through music at Chhayanaut
Dec 24, 2025
When the gates of Chhayanaut opened yesterday afternoon, there was no usual chirping of children or the familiar strains of music drifting through its premises. Instead, a quiet resolve filled the space as a large crowd gathered for a peaceful cultural protest titled "Gaane Gaane Sanghati Samabesh", organised in response to recent attacks on cultural institutions and growing concerns over freedom of expression.
What unfolded was not a routine programme, but a collective assertion that culture, memory, and artistic expression would not be silenced by fear or violence.
Artistes of Chhayanaut, along with those gathered for the peaceful protest, raised their voices together to sing "O Amar Desher Mati", "Gramer Nawjowan Hindu Musolman", and "Amar Mukti Aloy Aloy".
Earlier in the day, near Abahani Club Field, cultural figures including singer Farzana Wahid Shayan, actress Azmeri Haque Badhan, Aanon Siddique, and filmmaker Akram Khan gathered under the banner of Drishsho Madhyam Shilpi Shomaj (Visual Artistes Collective), condemning the systematic targeting of cultural spaces and voices.
From there, the artistes moved together to Chhayanaut and joined the protest.
The programme ended with the national anthem, "Amar Shonar Bangla, Ami Tomay Bhalobashi".
Speakers at the event also said the significance of Chhayanaut cannot be separated from the story of the nation itself.
Founded in 1961, at a time when the Bangla language and cultural practices were under threat, Chhayanaut became a site of resistance long before independence. At Chhayanaut, Rabindra and Nazrul Sangeet, along with classical Bangla forms, were preserved, practised, and taught defiantly at a time when asserting cultural identity itself was an act of courage, they added.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/crime-justice/news/attack-culture-solidarity-through-music-chhayanaut-4065086
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