'Never Discussed Religion In Class': Dreams Paused As MBBS Course Spiked At J&K's Vaishno Devi Medical College
New Age Islam News Bureau
12 January 2026
The first batch of MBBS students left the campus after the NMC withdrew its nod to the college
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· ‘Never discussed religion in class’: Dreams paused as MBBS course spiked at J&K’s Vaishno Devi medical college
· Jordanian air force joins US in striking Daesh targets in Syria
· Saudi deputy FM attends OIC ministers’ meeting on Somalia situation
· NATO members seeking to outmanoeuvre Trump on Greenland
· ‘We will hit them at levels …’: Trump reacts to Iran’s threat to target US military bases; over 500 killed in protests
· Katsina Govt Plans Release of 70 Terrorists, Classifies Them As ‘Repentant Bandits’
· Former NGO chairman pleads not guilty to misappropriating RM207,000 in humanitarian donations
· Palestine Solidarity Committee urges govt not to join Gaza Stabilization Force
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India
· Bengal SIR: Headmaster on BLO duty found hanging in school; family cite immense work pressure, eighth death since rollout
· ED may attach Al Falah University campus under anti-money laundering law
· ‘Where has its nationalism gone?’: Asaduddin Owaisi accuses Centre of double standards on China investments; targets silence on Donald Trump remarks
· RSS workers spend the night in Muslim-majority villages, plan for Hindu Conference
· Can Mumbai Have A Muslim Mayor? What Maharashtra Minister Told NDTV
· Two more arrested for violence at Turkman Gate
· ‘Hindutva asks 80 per cent Hindus to quiver in front of 14 per cent Muslims’: Mani Shankar Aiyar
· Exclusive: In Kashmir, police seek granular info on mosques – and who runs them
· Team Uddhav Leader On Hindutva, Marathi Manoos, Thackeray Reunion
· 'Slogans don't hide zero representation': Union minister Bandi Sanjay on Owaisi's 'burqa-clad PM' remark; hits back at AIMIM chief
· BMC 2026 polls: Muslim candidates 19 per cent of total candidates, nearly 80% of them contesting from Muslim-dominated wards
· Ayodhya man detained near Ram temple amid namaz attempt claim sparks fresh demands
· Suspected Pakistani drones spotted along IB and LoC in Jammu and Kashmir, search launched
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Mideast
· Israeli airstrikes destroy residential complex east of Sidon after residents received warnings
· 3 more Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes as tension rises
· Iran’s president says rioters must not disrupt society
· Palestinian shot dead in Hebron
· How Gaza’s winter became another front in an unfinished war
· Hamas says it will dissolve its Gaza government when new Palestinian body takes over
· Death toll in Iran protests rises to more than 500, rights group says
· Syrian authorities arrest member of elite army unit linked to Assad’s brother
· Another Palestinian detainee from Gaza dies in Israeli prison
· Rally in Al‑Jabal District of Al‑Mahwit condemns insult to Holy Qur’an & marks Martyred Leader anniversary
· Iraq's ruling bloc moves toward Al-Maliki nomination for next PM
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Arab World
· Taif festival celebrates Saudi Arabia’s literary icons
· Saudi hospitality boom sparks innovation beyond the plate
· New Pakistani Consulate in Jeddah highlights strong Saudi-Pakistani ties
· Artist in residence program revives Arabic calligraphy in Jeddah
· Jeddah Astronomical Society explores International Space Station’s legacy
· New route connects Grand Mosque to Hira Cultural District
· Kuwait restricts leave for imams, muezzins during Ramadan 2026
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Europe
· Imam thanks police after alleged roadside assault in Melbourne's south-east
· Police probe racist, threatening comments on Fife MP’s Facebook page after Islamic Centre visit
· Four killed and five injured in head-on crash
· EU member rejects funding for Ukraine
· Moonsighting project unites science and religion
· Revolutionary eye injection saved my sight, says first-ever patient
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North America
· CAIR Expresses Solidarity with Australian Muslims After Hate Attack on Imam, Wife
· ‘I love criminals, I love immigrants’: Swedish singer Zara Larsson slams ICE, explains why partner is barred from US
· Indian-American entrepreneur warns Hindu-hating Texas Republican for 'demonic gods' jibe: 'Votes will go to Dems'
· Trump won't take Greenland by force, Mandelson says
· 'Stand with them': Supporters of mosque plans campaign before city council vote
· CAIR Welcomes Arrest of Suspect in Mississippi Synagogue Arson
· Iranians rallying in Ottawa for freedom from Islamic Republic
· 'Radical person': Trump justifies Renee Good's fatal shooting by ICE agent; flags disrespect to law enforcement
· How ICE ratings changed after Minnesota shooting — in numbers
· Trump tells Cuba to 'make a deal, before it is too late'
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Africa
· Jihadist Violence Spreads to North-Central as Terrorists Hit Niger, Kwara
· Kampala decked in colours of Ugandan president's party ahead of polls
· ‘We Need To Pity Wike, He Is Living Politically By Desperate Lifeline From Tinubu’ – Laolu Akande
· Police Checkpoints Primary Reason For Traffick On Nigerian Roads – Peter Obi
· Malami’s Probe Not Political, We Investigate Across Party Lines — EFCC
· Rivers Crisis: Tinubu May Step In Again As Wike Returns To Abuja
· Rivers Assembly Exposes Plot To Stop Fubara Impeachment Process
· Lai Mohammed Reveals How Buhari Defended Him During Cabinet Meeting
· WATCH: Boko Haram Releases Video, Demands $150,000 For Borno Ex-LGA Chairman
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Southeast Asia
· Defence Ministry launches major anti-corruption shake-up to restore trust after gold bars, Rolexes seized in graft probe
· Court denies bail, orders psychiatric assessment for driver in UniSZA student’s fatal crash
· Indonesia's Nusantara State Mosque to operate fully in Ramadan 2026
· Expect congestion: Transport minister urges patience as Penang LRT construction starts
· Defence Minister thunders against camp immorality, says offenders will be cast out in disgrace
· Senior military officer back at MACC for second‑day graft probe questioning
· Anwar’s Türkiye visit signals strategic reset in bilateral ties
· NIOSH offers free safety courses for 10,000 tourism workers
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South Asia
· PhD Student from Afghanistan Found Dead in MS University Apartment in Gujarat, India
· Interim govt surrendered to bureaucracy, reforms largely missed: TIB chief
· King Salman Humanitarian Centre Distributes Food to 3,420 in Sheberghan, Afghanistan
· Afghan, Indonesian Officials Hold Talk on Bilateral Relations
· Kabul–Bagram Road to Be Reconstructed, Ministry
· MoFA Holds Five-Day Specialized Diplomacy Training Program
· Over 1,390 Acres of State Land Reclaimed in Khost, Ministry
· Government’s Strength Rooted in Public Support, Minister
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
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‘Never discussed religion in class’: Dreams paused as MBBS course spiked at J&K’s Vaishno Devi medical college
by Naveed Iqbal
January 11, 2026
The first batch of MBBS students left the campus after the NMC withdrew its nod to the college
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Bilkis Manzoor from central Kashmir’s Budgam neatly folded her white lab coat and packed it away along with her books, bedsheets and other belongings. She was set to become the first doctor in her family after joining the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME) in Katra. Now forced to return home, she says the hardest thing will be seeing her parents, who had sent her to college with much excitement and high hopes.
Under instructions from the staff at the institute to leave the campus by 2 pm on Friday, the first batch of MBBS students at the institute, including Bilkis, bid their tearful goodbyes as they began their journeys back home.
Earlier this week, the National Medical Commission withdrew the Letter of Permission (LoP) that it had granted to SMVDIME to run an MBBS course for the 2025-26 academic session, citing serious deficiencies in its infrastructure. The NMC had initially allowed the college to conduct the MBBS course, admitting 50 students, in September last year, after it issued an LoP based on a detailed inspection by its team of experts. Out of the 50 students, 44 selected on the basis of their NEET rankings were Muslim, prompting a protest by pro-RSS and pro-BJP groups.
Bilkis could not get a train ticket to Budgam, so she had to find another mode of transport. About her time at the institute, she says, “We joined in the first week of November. For the first 15 days, everyone was together for the foundational course. Towards the end, we started hearing of protests around admissions at the college.”
At that time, however, there was no concern inside the campus premises, she remembers, saying, “We thought that it was a genuine concern, and that if there were students who felt they should have been given seats, then they would be accommodated in the next admission cycle.” It was only after the protests reached the college gates that students started feeling the pressure.
Bilkis studied in a government school in her village and went to public libraries to prepare for medical entrance exams. It was after her second attempt at NEET in 2025 that she was offered a seat at SMVDIME.
“I had never left home before this. I really wanted to be a doctor, and my parents saw how hard I had worked, so they let me move to Jammu,” she says. Moving to a different city, even though it’s in J&K, was a “big deal” for her.
‘Craze about medicine’
Her classmate, Saqib Farooq, from Kulgam in South Kashmir, echoes the disappointment. Also a first-generation medical student, he says the day he cleared NEET was a day of “unmatched joy” at his household.
“There is a craze about medicine. The respect the profession brings to the whole family… I was very happy,” he says. While going to a government medical college would have been cheaper, his parents, like those of many in the institute, did everything they could to help their children achieve their dreams. He says his parents put together the Rs 4.5 lakh per annum fees, with some difficulty.
Another student, who did not want to be identified, says he cleared NEET in his fourth attempt and was finally able to “breathe properly” after years of studying. “Now, I am going back home in shock and uncertainty. I don’t know when I will find admission to another college.”
According to the government, the students, most of them from different parts of the Valley, will be accommodated in other government institutions within the Union Territory in supernumerary seats. However, many students say that the academic session at SMVDIME had already started two months late, and “if it takes another month or two to get admissions, we will be too far behind in the first year itself”.
J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Thursday that accommodating 50 students in other medical colleges is “not a problem for the government”, but demanded that someone be held accountable for the damage that will be caused to the careers of future students who may miss out on seats due to the closure of this medical college.
‘We were better off’
The only Muslim girl from Jammu in the batch, Misbah, also wore a look of disappointment while returning home on Friday. “It was hard to leave the college. The teachers took a real interest in our well-being, and they were perhaps more upset than us to see us leave,” she says.
She also points out that the deficiencies cited in cancelling admissions at the college came as a shock to students. “Some of my friends with whom I was preparing for NEET ended up in different colleges, and we used to compare the facilities. I felt like students here were better off than a lot of them (who got admission elsewhere).”
The executive director of the institute addressed students before they left. “He said the whole episode was unfortunate and wished us luck for our future,” Misbah says.
While protests about regional and religious divide reached campus gates, she says, “Inside our hostels and classrooms, there was no conversation on anything other than studies. Medicine is a rigorous course, and it deserves undivided attention from every student.”
“We were confident of our seats because we came here after qualifying for a national exam. We had never imagined that we would be returning home with cancelled admissions in less than six months,” she says.
Manit, a Hindu student from Udhampur in Jammu, calls the decision to cancel admissions at the college “reckless”. He says that even when social media was abuzz with discussions on the demography in the classroom, “no one within the premises discussed anyone’s religion”.
He says that while they are reassured by the CM’s statements regarding adjusting students in nearby colleges, “We are lagging and it will take us a while to cope.”
He says that any argument with regard to a lack of facilities or infrastructure at the college is “uninformed” since “we had every facility required to complete our course”.
Source: indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/india/never-discussed-religion-in-class-dreams-paused-as-mbbs-course-spiked-at-jks-vaishno-devi-medical-college-10466784/
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Jordanian air force joins US in striking Daesh targets in Syria
January 11, 2026
Jordan’s flag flutters during the Jarash Festival of Culture and Arts in the ancient Roman city of Jarash. (File / AFP)
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LONDON: The Royal Jordanian Air Force participated in striking targets of the Daesh terrorist group at multiple locations inside Syria, alongside the US and other partners.
The large-scale strikes occurred around 12:30 p.m. Eastern time on Sunday, according to US Central Command, and were retaliation for last month’s ambush that killed two US soldiers and one American civilian interpreter in Syria.
“Our message remains strong: If you harm our warfighters, we will find you and kill you anywhere in the world, no matter how hard you try to evade justice,” US Central Command said in a statement Saturday.
The army said on Sunday that Jordan’s involvement demonstrates a long-standing commitment to combating terrorism, ensuring national security, and promoting regional stability.
It was part of coordinated regional and international counterterrorism efforts, which included Syria, aimed at disrupting militant capabilities and preventing terrorist groups from re-establishing operational footholds to threaten neighboring countries and regional security, the Jordan News Agency reported.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2628985/middle-east
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Saudi deputy FM attends OIC ministers’ meeting on Somalia situation
January 11, 2026
Saudi Arabia Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Elkhereiji (SPA)
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JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Elkhereiji has reaffirmed the Kingdom’s full support for Somalia’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, while strongly rejecting any actions that undermine the country’s stability.
Speaking at an extraordinary meeting of foreign ministers from member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Elkhereiji condemned the declaration of mutual recognition between Israeli occupation authorities and the Somaliland region, describing it as a unilateral separatist move that violated international law, the UN Charter and the OIC Charter.
He stressed the Kingdom’s categorical rejection of any attempts to impose parallel entities that contradict Somalia’s unity and territorial integrity, or that seek to divide or diminish its sovereignty. Elkhereiji also reiterated Saudi Arabia’s support for Somalia’s legitimate state institutions and its commitment to preserving the country’s stability and the security of its people.
Elkhereiji called on the OIC and its member states to adopt a firm and unified Islamic position rejecting any recognition of, or engagement with, separatist entities in Somalia. He urged coordinated action in international forums to affirm Somalia’s unity and prevent what he described as dangerous precedents that could threaten the sovereignty of OIC member states.
He further called for holding the Israeli entity fully responsible for any political or security consequences resulting from such actions, and for rejecting any cooperation arising from the declaration of mutual recognition.
During the meeting, he also reiterated the Kingdom’s position on the Palestinian cause, emphasizing its centrality and Saudi Arabia’s support for efforts to secure a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. He said this would enable the Palestinian people to exercise their right to self-determination and establish an independent state along the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2628946/saudi-arabia
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NATO members seeking to outmanoeuvre Trump on Greenland
11 Jan, 2026
FILE PHOTO. © Global Look Press / Johan Nilsson
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The UK and Germany are drawing up plans aimed at preventing US President Donald Trump from seizing Greenland, Bloomberg and The Telegraph reported over the weekend.
Trump has long argued that the US should control the Danish self-governing island, citing its strategic position and the need to counter the influence of Russia and China in the Arctic. His stance has put him at loggerheads with several European NATO members, who have rallied behind Denmark.
Berlin and London are seeking to ramp up NATO’s presence in the region to undercut Trump’s security argument. A German proposal involves a joint NATO mission dubbed ‘Arctic Sentry’, Bloomberg reported, citing officials familiar with the discussions. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is expected to discuss the issue with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio this week.
“I want to discuss on my trip how we can best bear this responsibility in NATO,” Wadephul told journalists on Sunday.
According to The Telegraph, British officials have also met with their counterparts from Germany and France in recent days to draw up plans for a possible NATO mission in Greenland. The proposals were discussed at a NATO meeting on Thursday, the paper said.
Options suggested by London include military exercises, intelligence sharing, targeted defense spending, and a full-scale troop deployment to Greenland, The Telegraph added, noting that the planning remains at an early stage.
Trump stated on Saturday that the US would acquire Greenland “whether they like it or not,” warning that he would do this “the hard way” if necessary. While media outlets have said the US is considering purchasing the island and offering its residents financial incentives, the White House has not ruled out the use of force.
On Sunday, the Daily Mail reported that Trump ordered senior commanders to draw up plans for a potential invasion of Greenland. Several European officials, including Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, have warned that a military attack on a fellow NATO member would render the alliance obsolete.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/630821-nato-presence-greenland-calm-trump/
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‘We will hit them at levels …’: Trump reacts to Iran’s threat to target US military bases; over 500 killed in protests — key points
Jan 12, 2026
Image: IANS, AP
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US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Washington is closely monitoring the deadly protests in Iran and weighing potential military retaliation, adding that he has been briefed in recent days on a range of intervention options.
When asked how the United States would respond if Iran were to strike American military bases, Trump said, “we will hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before.”
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said Iran appeared to be approaching the red line he had set over the treatment of protesters, adding, “they’re starting to, it looks like.”
When asked if he thinks that Iran takes his threats seriously, a visually agitated Trump responded, "wouldn't you say that they probably do at this point, after going through it for years with me?... Soleimani, al-Baghdadi, the Iran nuclear threat wiped out... What a stupid question."
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had earlier accused the United States and Israel of attempting to destabilise Iran by fomenting unrest. While pledging that the government would hear public grievances, he warned against violent protesters, urging Iranians to stay away from “rioters and terrorists”. Israel, meanwhile, said it is closely monitoring tensions between the US and Iran, an official said, noting that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held overnight talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss the situation, as cited by AP.
Meanwhile, the UN’s Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Sunday urged Iran to restore internet and mobile communications immediately and to end the violent suppression of the protests.
Here are the top developments
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Iran’s leaders have reached out to seek negotiations, suggesting they were under pressure from the United States. "We may meet with them; a meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what is happening before the meeting. But a meeting is being set up," Trump said.
The US president also said that Washington is considering “very strong options” for retaliation. “There seem to be some people killed that aren’t supposed to be killed. These are violent, if you call them leaders. I don’t know if their leaders are just ruling through violence, but we’re looking at it very seriously,” Trump told reporters, as cited by CNN.
Trump also said he plans to speak with Elon Musk about restoring internet access in Iran, where authorities have imposed a four-day blackout amid ongoing anti-government protests. “He’s very good at that kind of thing, he’s got a very good company,” Trump told reporters in response to a question about engaging with Musk’s SpaceX-run Starlink satellite internet service, as cited by Reuters.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei shared a cartoon on X portraying Trump as a crumbling sarcophagus, accompanied by the message, “this one too will be overthrown.” The image depicts Trump as an ancient Egyptian-style coffin marked with the US flag and the Great Seal, cracking apart inside a tomb with the caption, “Like Pharaoh.”
The UN’s Independent International Fact-Finding Mission urged the Iranian authorities to restore internet and mobile communications with immediate effect and to put an end to the violent crackdown on the nationwide protests. In its report, the mission said that, based on “credible information,” Iran’s Supreme National Security Council had instructed security forces to carry out a “decisive” and “unrestrained” crackdown to suppress the demonstrations.
At least 544 people have been killed since the protests started, with the toll expected to rise, activists said on Sunday. More than 10,600 people have been detained over the past two weeks, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency. The group said 496 of those killed were protesters, while 48 were members of the security forces.
Hospitals across Iran are undergoing a massive strain as protests escalate, with medical workers reporting a surge of wounded and dead following the crackdown. Emergency services in several provinces, including Tehran, described “bodies piled on top of one another." Doctors described how overcrowded corridors, overwhelmed emergency rooms and full morgues have made even basic treatment difficult.
Source: indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/we-will-hit-them-at-levels-trump-reacts-to-irans-threat-to-target-us-military-bases-over-500-killed-in-protests-key-points/articleshow/126475596.cms
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Katsina Govt Plans Release Of 70 Terrorists, Classifies Them As ‘Repentant Bandits’
January 12, 2026
By Richard Ogunsile
The Katsina State Government has defended its controversial plan to facilitate the release of 70 persons facing trial for alleged involvement in banditry, insisting the move is aimed at consolidating peace agreements reached with armed groups terrorising communities across the state.
Naija News reports that the decision has sparked widespread outrage following the emergence of a leaked government letter seeking judicial intervention to secure the release of the suspects currently undergoing prosecution in various courts in the state.
Justifying the move, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Nasir Muazu, said the planned release was part of efforts to sustain peace accords reached between affected communities and what he described as ‘repentant bandits.’
Muazu disclosed this in an interview with DCL Hausa on Saturday, stressing that the peace agreements had yielded tangible results, including the release of about 1,000 abducted persons.
According to him, no fewer than 15 local government areas were involved in the peace arrangements, which he said significantly reduced attacks and led to the freedom of kidnapped residents.
He said, “The peace agreements have resulted in the release of about 1,000 abducted persons across several communities.”
Defending the decision further, Muazu likened the proposed release of the suspects to prisoner exchanges often carried out during and after wars.
“All over the world, after wars, prisoner exchanges usually take place. During Nigeria’s civil war, prisoners were exchanged, just as it happened in negotiations involving Boko Haram,” he said.
“The issue is not whether an offence was committed or not, but ensuring peace. Prisoners’ exchange is not a new thing in the history of war and peace.”
The commissioner maintained that neither the Ministry of Justice nor the courts had violated any law, adding that those dissatisfied with the decision were free to seek legal redress.
Naija News reports that the controversy followed the publication of a letter by Sahara Reporters, issued by the Katsina State Ministry of Justice and addressed to the Chief Judge of the state.
The letter requested the intervention of the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee to facilitate the release of the suspects.
Signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Abdur-Rahman Umar, the letter stated that a list of 48 suspects accused of various banditry-related offences had been forwarded to the Ministry of Justice by the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs.
According to the letter, the proposed release was to serve as “one of the conditions precedent for the continuance of the peace accord deal signed between the frontline local governments and the bandits.”
It further noted that while some of the suspects had been arraigned before the Federal High Court, many were still facing trial at various magistrates’ courts across the state.
Another list containing about 22 inmates standing trial before different high courts in Katsina State was also submitted for possible release under the same peace arrangement.
The ministry urged the Chief Judge to take “necessary action,” citing Section 371(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Katsina State, 2021, which outlines the powers of the Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee.
LGAs, Figures Of Released Abductees
Providing a breakdown of the impact of the peace deals, Muazu listed the number of abductees released from several local government areas as follows: Sabuwa (310), Bakori (125), Danmusa (60), Dutsinma (62) and Safana (36).
He insisted the government’s action was driven purely by the need to protect lives and restore stability in troubled communities.
A list obtained by Katsina Times, an online newspaper in the state, revealed that a female suspect is among the 70 bandits pencilled for release.
Some of the names on the list include Hadiza Dije Hauwa’u from Safana, Gambo Zubairu Faskari, Muntari Yusuf Safana, Yakubu Alhaji Ardo, Tukur Amadu (Liman), Idi Salisu Gaddi, Abdulhayatu Jabiru, Ya’u Buhari and Amadu Rufa’i Anare.
Victims’ Families Must Be Compensated – Rights group
However, the move has drawn sharp criticism from rights groups and security experts.
Speaking with Daily Trust, the head of Network for Justice, Abdullahi Hassan Kofar Sauri, called on the government to compensate families of victims affected by bandits’ attacks.
“It is unfortunate that the Katsina State Government and the Federal Government gave the impression that they were not involved in negotiating with bandits,” he said.
“The convicted bandits are in the custody of the government. They are in correctional centres. They have been tried and convicted and are meant to serve their sentences.”
He questioned the safety of victims and witnesses, adding, “If someone was convicted for murder or arson and is suddenly released under a so-called peace deal, how do you expect victims or witnesses to feel safe?”
He also queried the absence of compensation plans for victims’ families, saying, “What happens to the families of those killed? How do you compensate them appropriately?”
Also reacting, a security expert, Yahuza Getso, described the plan to release the bandits as dangerous to Katsina State and the country.
According to him, the move “lacks sincerity and cannot hold water.”
“I can reliably tell you that I know of a sitting governor from the North-West who recently distributed 25 motorcycles each to volunteers and bandits,” he said.
“Now, tell me where the sincerity is. This portrays weakness and insincerity in the fight against banditry.”
The development is coming amid a resurgence of bandits’ attacks in parts of Katsina State.
Last Monday, bandits invaded communities in Malumfashi Local Government Area, killing eight persons and kidnapping several others.
The affected villages include Unguwar Alhaji Barau, Gidan Dan Mai-gizo and Gidan Hazo.
As of November last year, 18 out of the 34 local government areas in the state had entered into peace deals with bandits.
While some areas recorded relative calm, others have continued to suffer attacks, raising fresh concerns over the effectiveness and sustainability of the peace agreements.
Under the deals, community leaders and traditional rulers pledged to uphold the terms, while bandits agreed to cease attacks and release captives, a promise critics say remains largely unfulfilled.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2026/01/12/katsina-govt-plans-release-of-70-terrorists-classifies-them-as-repentant-bandits/
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Former NGO chairman pleads not guilty to misappropriating RM207,000 in humanitarian donations
12 Jan 2026
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 12 — A former chairman of Pertubuhan Kebajikan Serantau Muslim pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here today to misappropriating RM207,000 in donations for humanitarian aid seven years ago.
Mohd Hakim Mohd Nor, 39, is charged in his capacity as the chairman of the organisation, with dishonestly misappropriating the fund belonging to the non-governmental organisation (NGO).
The money was donated for humanitarian aid missions carried out in collaboration with NGOs in Myanmar, Yemen, Syria and Palestine.
He was charged with committing the offence at a bank in Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin here on December 27, 2019.
The charge, under Section 403 of the Penal Code, provides a jail sentence of not less than six months and a maximum of five years with whipping or a fine, if convicted.
Deputy Public Prosecutor from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Asmaa’ Zamri, applied for bail of RM50,000 with additional conditions that the accused must report to the MACC office near his residence at the beginning of every month, surrender his passport to the court and not interfere with prosecution witnesses.
However, lawyer Azzizul Shariman Mat Yusoff, representing Mohd Hakim, requested bail of RM10,000 because his client has to support three children who are still in school, his parents, who have high blood pressure and diabetes, as well as his wife, who is self-employed with an income of RM1,500 a month.
“The accused was only told to appear in court last week, and today he appeared in court as early as 8am. He has also given full cooperation throughout the investigation since 2025. This shows that he is not a flight risk.
“Also, the accused can only pay bail of RM10,000 today because he needs to provide more bail money since he will be charged tomorrow and the day after in the courts in Melaka and Ipoh.
“We also do not object to the additional conditions requested by the prosecution, but request that the accused report to the Melaka MACC office,” said the lawyer.
Judge Azrul Darus then allowed Mohd Hakim bail of RM10,000 with one surety and also ordered him to comply with the additional conditions proposed by the prosecution.
The court set March 11 for mention for the submission of documents.
On June 25 last year, the media reported that the MACC had identified the chairman of a non-governmental organisation (NGO) in Melaka as the main suspect in a case of embezzlement of funds totalling RM26 million in public donations. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/01/12/former-ngo-chairman-pleads-not-guilty-to-misappropriating-rm207000-in-humanitarian-donations/205161
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Palestine Solidarity Committee urges govt not to join Gaza Stabilization Force
11 JANUARY 2026
Palestine Solidarity Committee, Bangladesh, today strongly condemned the interim government's interest, in principle, in joining the proposed International Stabilization Force for Gaza.
Expressing deep concerns, the organisation demanded an immediate withdrawal from this decision.
In a statement, Prof Md Harun-or-Rashid, member secretary of Palestine Solidarity Committee, Bangladesh, said the main responsibility of the Stabilization Force will be to disarm the freedom fighters in Gaza under the pretext of ensuring the security of Israel, and in turn, to completely eliminate the resistance movement of the Palestinian people.
“Unfortunately, the National Security Adviser of the interim government, Khalilur Rahman, who is currently visiting the US, has expressed Bangladesh's interest in participating in the International Stabilization Force for Gaza in a meeting with the US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Allison Hooker, and Assistant Secretary of State, Paul Kapur, in Washington,” it said, referring to a statement from the chief adviser’s press wing.
“It is important to remember that the people of Bangladesh have always stood firmly in favour of the rights and freedom of the Palestinian people,” it noted.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/palestine-solidarity-committee-urges-govt-not-join-gaza-stabilization-force-4078541
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India
Bengal SIR: Headmaster on BLO duty found hanging in school; family cite immense work pressure, eighth death since rollout
Jan 12, 2026
BEHRAMPORE: The headmaster of a govt school in Murshidabad, who was appointed as a booth-level officer for the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, was found hanging in the school’s office on Saturday night.
Family members and colleagues said the mounting SIR workload at the start of an academic session drove 48-year-old Hamimul Islam, who was also suffering from severe back pain, to end his life.
Police have started and investigation.
Islam’s death is the eighth reported death of a BLO since the SIR rollout in Bengal on Nov 4. The headmaster of ?Paikmari Char Krishnapur Boys’ School was the BLO for ?booth 282 in the Bhagwan-?gola assembly constituency in Murshidabad, which has? around 800 voters.
Brother Farmanul Kalam said Islam had left for his school around 10am on Saturday. Since the SIR started, ?he had been returning home around 1.30pm on most days.
As Islam was not returning on Saturday and his mobile phone was switched off, family members started a sea-rch for him. They went to the school around 7.30pm but Isl-am was nowhere to be found. They again went to the school around 11pm and searched the rooms. Islam was found hanging in the school’s office.
Kalam said his brother had been under immense mental stress because of his BLO duties.
Hamimul Islam’s wife Sima Bibi said her husband, the only earning member in their family, had been suffering from severe back pain. “Every day he had to work till 1 am. He had to take medicines for headache almost every day. He was very stressed and took this extreme step due to severe mental pressure. We have two children. Now that he is no more, how will I bring them up?” she said.
Assistant BLO Michhu Sheikh said, “As headmaster, he had to manage the entire school. The new session has just started. Admissions were going on. Along with running the school, he had to carry out his SIR duties. He had been stressed over the last few days. He was also worried over the introduction of new features in the BLO app.”
Islam’s mobile phone is yet to be found. Local Trinamool leaders organised a rally protesting the SIR workload, which they said was responsible for the death of so many BLOs.
Last month, a 53-year-old BLO in Bankura, who was the headmaster of a primary school, was found hanging in the school. A note found in the room read, “I cannot take this pressure any more, farewell.”
Source: indiatimes.com
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ED may attach Al Falah University campus under anti-money laundering law
11 Jan 2026
NEW DELHI: The Al Falah University campus in Haryana's Faridabad, which came under the scanner of investigating agencies after the Red Fort area blast, could be attached by the Enforcement Directorate under the anti-money laundering law, official sources said on Sunday.
The ED is investigating if funds for the construction of the varsity were sourced from alleged proceeds of crime, the sources told PTI.
Al Falah Group chairman Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui was arrested by the ED in November on money laundering charges linked to cheating with students of the educational institutions run by his Al Falah Trust.
The federal probe agency claimed that the educational institutes did not have the required valid accreditation for teaching.
According to the sources, a part of the "proceeds of crime" (illicit funds under the PMLA) identified in this case are suspected to have been pumped into the construction of various buildings of the university located in the Dhauj area of Faridabad.
The agency is undertaking a process to identify and value various movable and immovable assets of the Al Falah Trust which owns all its educational institutions and the university.
Once the probe ends, an order will be issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to provisionally attach the assets found to be derived or created from the proceeds of crime, the sources said.
It is understood that the students of the university may be allowed to study uninterrupted, even after the attachment, in the interest of their academics.
An attachment is done to ensure that the proceeds of crime are not dissipated, sold off or transacted.
A government appointed receiver can be restituted or vested with the administration of the Al Falah University campus after the provisional attachment attains finality.
This way the education of the students will not suffer even as the criminal action and prosecution may continue, the sources said.
The ED, while seeking the remand of Siddiqui in November from a court, had said that the university and its controlling trust, under the direction of Siddiqui, generated "proceeds of crime" of at least Rs 415.10 crore by "dishonestly" inducing students and parents to part with money on the basis of false accreditation and recognition claims.
The agency, as per the sources, is also investigating at least five instances where documents related to the General Power of Attorney (GPA) for acquiring some land parcels in Delhi are alleged to have been forged at the behest of the trust linked to Siddiqui.
The university's role emerged during the probe into a "white-collar" terror module in which more than 10 people, including three doctors, have been arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Jammu and Kashmir Police.
Umar-un-Nabi, a doctor at the Al Falah medical college, became the suicide bomber when he detonated an explosive-laden car on November 10 last year outside the Red Fort here, killing 15 people.
The ED has taken cognisance of two Delhi Police FIRs to register its case against Siddiqui and the Al Falah Group on November 14 under the PMLA.
The agency informed the court that the university and its controlling trust, under the direction of Siddiqui, generated "proceeds of crime" of at least Rs 415.10 crore by "dishonestly" inducing students and parents to part with money on the basis of false accreditation and recognition claims.
Siddiqui's lawyer told the court that his client was falsely implicated in the present matter and the two Delhi Police FIRs were "false and fabricated".
The ED has alleged that the Al Falah University falsely claimed that it is a UGC recognised university and misrepresented its NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council) accreditation status.
NAAC is an autonomous body funded by the University Grants Commission (UGC) that assesses and accredits higher education institutions in the country.
The ED had said the entire Al Falah Group has seen a "meteoric rise" since the 1990s, metamorphosing into a large educational body.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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‘Where has its nationalism gone?’: Asaduddin Owaisi accuses Centre of double standards on China investments; targets silence on Donald Trump remarks
Jan 11, 2026
NEW DELHI: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday questioned the BJP-led Centre’s nationalist credentials, accusing it of inviting Chinese companies to invest in India despite security concerns following Operation Sindoor, and of remaining silent over what he described as repeated insults by US President Donald Trump.
Addressing a rally for AIMIM candidates contesting the January 15 Jalna Municipal Corporation elections, Owaisi alleged that China had supplied arms to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, launched after the Pahalgam terror attack.
He claimed that nearly 80 per cent of Pakistan’s military equipment was sourced from China and said, “Despite this, the Indian government is inviting Chinese companies to invest in the country.”
He also accused the BJP leadership of failing to respond to Trump’s public remarks on India. “US President Trump has been repeatedly insulting and mocking India.
However, the BJP leadership has remained silent. Where has its nationalism gone?” Owaisi asked. There was no immediate response from the government or the BJP to his allegations.
Owaisi further criticised the Centre’s decision to grant asylum to former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after her ouster, questioning why Indian Muslims were often branded as Bangladeshis while Hasina was given refuge in India.
He also raised concerns over the prolonged incarceration of Muslim youth without trial, saying denial of bail violated Article 21 of the Constitution.
The AIMIM chief accused the Congress of enabling extended detention without bail through amendments to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, holding it responsible for the continued imprisonment of student activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam.
On Friday, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also criticised the Centre over reports of easing curbs on Chinese companies and over Trump’s comments on India’s ties with Russia.
Source: indiatimes.com
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RSS workers spend the night in Muslim-majority villages, plan for Hindu Conference
January 11, 2026
Following the conclusion of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) All India Executive Committee meeting, Sangh workers have become fully active at the grassroots level.
To ensure the success of upcoming programmes, volunteers have fanned out into rural areas. In this connection, on Saturday, Sangh workers spent the night in Muslim-majority villages and the surrounding areas of the Govardhan block, calling upon the Hindu community to unite.
According to the Sangh’s plan, workers stayed overnight in Devseras village of the Govardhan block. During this time, meetings were held with members of the Hindu community and prominent citizens of the village. The main objective of this visit was to finalise the plans for the upcoming ‘Hindu Awareness March’ on January 12 and the ‘Hindu Conference’ to be held on January 22, and to increase public outreach.
The workers interacted with the villagers, making them aware of their cultural heritage and the importance of unity. The volunteers appealed to the people of the Hindu community to participate in the Hindu Conference in large numbers.
Govardhan block Karyavah (organiser) Bhanu Parashar said here on Sunday that on January 12, a message of unity and awareness will be spread in society through the Hindu Awareness March.
The Hindu conference will be held on January 22 in Devseras village, where thousands of people from the area are expected to gather. Parashar appealed to everyone to participate in the Hindu conference. The RSS is organising Hindu conferences in villages across the region; one conference will be held in one location each day.
This overnight stay by volunteers in villages located amidst Muslim-majority areas is considered strategically important.
After the RSS All India Executive Committee meeting, it is clear that the Sangh now wants to further strengthen its hold at the rural level. Local citizens also showed enthusiasm in the meetings and assured their full cooperation in the upcoming programmes.
Source: thestatesman.com
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Can Mumbai Have A Muslim Mayor? What Maharashtra Minister Told NDTV
Jan 11, 2026
The next Mayor of Mumbai can only be a Hindu and a son of the soil, Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane said today at the NDTV Power Play. While there have been Muslim mayors in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation before, it is no longer possible, the minister said.
This, he said, is because Mumbai is a "sensitive city in its own way". "It is the financial capital. That's why the mayor here should be a Hindu and that too a Marathi".
"We have no problem with a Nationalist Muslim, the one who says Vande Mataram and respect our National Flag... but the one who are here to do Jihad we will not spare them," he said.
Asked if no one with a proper mindset can be given the post of mayor, he said, "It is not about being given the post". The safety and sensitivity of the city should be kept in mind, he said.
The long pending elections for the Brihanmumbai corporation will be held on January 15. The elections are politically crucial for the ruling Mahayuti and the opposition Shiv Sena UBT and its allies.
The undivided Shiv Sena has been controlling the city's civic body - the largest in Asia - for decades. Now, following the split in the party, the electoral battle has been dubbed a battle "for the soul of Mumbai."
Source: ndtv.com
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Two more arrested for violence at Turkman Gate
January 12, 2026
Two more people were arrested on Sunday for allegedly throwing stones at police personnel near Turkman Gate during an anti-encroachment drive around the Faiz-e-Ilahi Mosque on January 7.
The accused were identified as Fahim (30), a resident of Gali Gudiyan area and Mohd Sehzad (29), who lives in Chandni Mahal, police said.
“With the two latest arrests, the total number of arrested accused climbed to 18,” Delhi Police Additional CP Nidhin Valsan said.
Social media posts, allegedly falsely claiming that the mosque was being demolished, had prompted a mob to gather and later pelt stones and bottles at police personnel and MCD workers during the drive.
The accused were identified with the help of CCTV camera footage and body-worn cameras used by police personnel present at the site.
Sources said that 25 people allegedly involved in stone pelting have been identified so far.
A social media influencer was allegedly summoned for questioning after social media monitoring teams of the police flagged a video in which she purportedly claimed that the mosque had been razed, a senior police officer had said on Thursday.
Source: indianexpress.com
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‘Hindutva asks 80 per cent Hindus to quiver in front of 14 per cent Muslims’: Mani Shankar Aiyar
January 11, 2026
Veteran Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar, long known for courting controversy, has once again triggered a political row with his latest remarks on Hindutva.
Addressing The Debate 2026 event at the Calcutta Club, Aiyar said that “Hindutva is Hinduism in paranoia.”
“It (Hindutva) asks 80 per cent Hindus to quiver in front of 14 per cent Muslims. Hindutva is a BJP leader slapping a blind, hungry tribal girl because she attends a Christmas lunch in a church. Hindutva raids shopping malls to tear down Christmas decorations,” Aiyar was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
He also claimed that Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar viewed Buddhism as an “existential threat to all Hindus.”
“Savarkar described it as the ultimate negation of Hindutva, bearing the opiate of universalism and non-violence. He said it was disastrous to national virility and even to the existence of the Hindu race,” Aiyar added.
A day earlier, Aiyar had reportedly suggested that the government should end Operation Sindoor and initiate an “uninterrupted dialogue” with Pakistan.
The BJP strongly objected to his remarks, with party spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla slamming the Congress for allegedly “praising” Pakistan and “insulting” the Indian Army.
“Congress has always stood with Pakistan and with terrorists. The one identity of Congress is praising Pakistan and insulting the Indian Army. Mani Shankar Aiyar, considered one of the most trusted people of the Gandhi family, says that Operation Sindoor should be stopped and uninterrupted dialogue with Pakistan should be started,” Poonawalla said.
Source: thestatesman.com
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Exclusive: In Kashmir, police seek granular info on mosques – and who runs them
by Bashaarat Masood
January 12, 2026
The Jammu and Kashmir police have launched a large-scale exercise to collect information on mosques in the Valley, as well as their imams, muezzins, members of their management committees and their charity wings.
While the exercise seeks information on the sect, capacity, construction cost, monthly budget and funding source of these mosques, it also demands granular personal details of those associated with the mosques, including the model of their mobile phone, its IMEI number, and details of their social media, ATM cards, ration cards, and credit cards.
A four-page form — one page for information on mosques and three pages for their members — is being distributed across various parts of the Kashmir Valley, The Indian Express has learnt.
It is for the first time that police are seeking information at this scale on mosques and their members. Beyond identifying a mosque’s ideological sect — Barelvi, Hanafi, Deobandi or Ahle-Hadith — the form requires details about its physical structure, number of floors, approximate construction cost and source of funds for its construction. It also seeks details about the monthly budget of the mosques, their bank account details, and how they are managed, as well as about the nature of land — whether state, milkiyat or shamilaat — on which the mosques are constructed.
The form also seeks complete family details of members of a mosque’s management committee, as well as its imam (person who leads prayer), muezzin (person who gives the call for prayer), khateebs (those who deliver Friday sermons) and the Bait-ul-Maal (the mosque’s charity wing).
The exercise seeks personal details like date of birth, phone number, email address and educational qualifications of those associated with a mosque.
Such persons have also been asked to furnish passport details, including passport number, date of issue and expiry, as well the number of countries visited by these persons and the names of relatives living abroad.
They are also asked to provide their voter card number, Aadhaar details, driving licence number, ration card number, mobile phone number and bank account information.
Further, the form seeks specific details such as the IMEI numbers of their phones, information about their ATM and credit cards, as well as their PAN.
The detailed financial standing of those associated with the mosques is also sought, including information on their monthly earnings and expenditure, as well as property ownership with estimated values.
While the form seeks information about any past involvement of these persons in militancy or other criminal activities, it also requires details of their social media presence and the apps they use on their mobile phones. They have been asked to provide their WhatsApp number, email addresses and social media handles. Details of their family members, including parents, siblings, and children, are also sought.
The survey has triggered some unease in the Valley, with many viewing it as a “direct interference in religious affairs”.
“We are seeing this for the first time. People associated with religious places are being singled out and asked to put their private lives in the public domain,” said a member of a mosque management committee, adding, “If they want to verify our credentials, they can conduct background checks. But probing our religious beliefs, family details and our monthly expenditure and credit card details goes too far.”
While police have not officially acknowledged the exercise, sources said this has been in the works for some time. “We have been asked to fill these details and submit the forms,” said a police officer.
Source: indianexpress.com
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Team Uddhav Leader On Hindutva, Marathi Manoos, Thackeray Reunion
Jan 11, 2026
The Shiv Sena of the old days was very different from what a section of it is today, Arvind Sawant, senior leader of the Shiv Sena UBT, made it clear today, offering a more nuanced perspective of contentious terms like bhumiputra (sons of the soil) or Hindutva. Speaking to NDTV at the Power Play Conclave, he said a much broader definition was upheld by no less than the party founder Balasaheb Thackeray.
"He used to say, 'I don't want a Hindu who goes to the temple and rings the bell. We want a Hindu who attacks the country and rings the bell. This is our Hindutva," he said.
"Even in terms of running the party, there was space for Muslims, Christians, Hindus, he said.
"If you look at the elections of Shiv Sena in 1968, in 1972, in 1977, you will come to know that the supporters of Shiv Sena later became Parsiyat. They are Christians, Muslims. Shabirbhai Sheikh was a Muslim. He went to the district office," he said.
Even caste was not a deciding factor as in the north India. "It doesn't happen on the basis of caste. Whoever fights for his Maharashtra, for the country, when he took up the role of Hindutva, he said the same thing. Whatever the caste, creed, religion, whoever is ready to sacrifice his life for this soil - they are ours. That is our Hindutva," he said.
Asked about the current crop of leaders, some of whom give statements like "We will stop trains", he said, "See, we have brought the ideology from birth. I didn't come from any party. I was born in Shiv Sena. There was never such an ideology. That is why Balasaheb had so many friends".
The question of "Marathi first" also received a nuanced definition.
"In sons of soil, it doesn't mean all Marathi. The people who have lived here for generations, like Marwari, Gujarati, for how many years? More than 100 years. So, will we not call them sons of soil? Their right comes first or the rights of others?" he said.
Asked about the reunion of the Thackeray brothers after nearly two decades, he said the brothers had decided that Maharashtra was bigger than them. "My pride, my whatever it is, it is not bigger than Maharashtra. Maharashtra is bigger. My pride, my fight, it is not bigger than that," he quoted Raj Thackeray as saying.
"And on that day, Uddhav had come to Shivaji Temple. He was asked the same question there also. He gave the same response. Nothing is bigger than Maharashtra. I have to come together for Maharashtra. I have to take a step forward".
Source: ndtv.com
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'Slogans don't hide zero representation': Union minister Bandi Sanjay on Owaisi's 'burqa-clad PM' remark; hits back at AIMIM chief
Jan 11, 2026
NEW DELHI: Union minister and former Telangana BJP chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Sunday said no woman has ever held a decision-making post in the AIMIM, reacting to a statement by AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi that India would one day have a burqa-clad woman as its prime minister.
“How many Muslim women has the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen actually given tickets to as MLAs or MPs? How many Muslim women hold real decision-making posts in the Majlis? Slogans cannot hide zero representation,” Kumar posted on X.
He also recalled the 2018 Telangana assembly elections, in which the BJP fielded a Muslim woman, Syed Shahezadi, against Owaisi’s brother, Akbaruddin, who went on to win.
"She was threatened, targeted, and defeated. This is your true face. Today, she serves on the National Commission for Minorities," the BJP leader stated.
The minister added that the BJP has a minority wing and grooms women leaders, and asked Owaisi what the AIMIM has “beyond rhetoric.” The Karimnagar Lok Sabha MP also accused the Hyderabad MP and the AIMIM of “intimidating” women activists who raise their voices against the party.
"We understand your fear. Muslim women can see your hypocrisy clearly. Many view Hon’ble PM Shri @narendramodi ji as an elder brother who acted in their interests instead of confining them. BJP empowers women irrespective of religion. Asaduddin Owaisi, on the other hand, speaks of empowerment while imposing restrictions on women in party, public life, and even at home," Kumar posted.
Addressing an election rally on Friday in Maharashtra’s Solapur ahead of the January 15 civic polls, Owaisi said a hijab-clad woman would one day become India’s prime minister, as the country’s Constitution accords equal status to people from all communities, unlike in Pakistan, where members of only one faith can occupy top constitutional posts.
Source: indiatimes.com
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BMC 2026 polls: Muslim candidates 19 per cent of total candidates, nearly 80% of them contesting from Muslim-dominated wards
by Zeeshan Shaikh
January 11, 2026
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, usually centred on basic civic issues such as roads, water supply, housing and garbage management, have this time been marked by a communal pitch. While remarks by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on the possibility of a Muslim mayor have pushed religious identity into the heart of the campaign, drawing criticism from Opposition parties, a closer look at the data shows that while Muslim candidates account for 19 per cent of the total candidates in fray in BMC polls, almost 80 per cent of Muslim candidates are contesting from wards with a high Muslim population, often pitted against candidates from the same community.
Muslim voters are largely concentrated in pockets such as Nagpada, Byculla, Mazgaon, Mahim, Bharat Nagar, Behrampada, Jogeshwari, Millat Nagar, Kurla, Sonapur Bhandup, Govandi, Cheeta Camp and Kidwai Nagar in Wadala East. Together, these areas play a decisive role in nearly 50 wards.
The total number of Muslim candidates contesting the BMC polls has fallen by nearly 10 per cent from 360 in 2017 to 330 this time around, and the decline broadly mirrors a wider drop in candidates contesting the polls, with the overall number of candidates in Mumbai falling by over 25 per cent, from 2,275 in 2017 to around 1,700 this year.
The data also shows that while parties traditionally seen as secular have either retained or reduced their Muslim candidates, parties allied with the BJP including factions of the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) have fielded a significant number of Muslim candidates.
Muslims in civic politics
Muslims constitute Mumbai’s largest minority and remain an important political constituency. As per the 2011 Census, the city has over 25 lakh Muslims, accounting for 20.64 per cent of its population, roughly one in every five residents. Despite this demographic presence, their representation in the BMC has remained limited. In the previous House, there were 27 Muslim corporators, or about 11 per cent of the city’s elected representatives.
The 2017 BMC elections marked the strongest electoral showing for Muslim candidates in over two decades. The number of Muslim corporators rose from 21 in 2002 to 23 in both 2007 and 2012, before increasing further to 27 in 2017.
In this election, the Congress has maintained the status quo, fielding 37 Muslim candidates, unchanged from 2017. The NCP, which had nominated 39 Muslim candidates in the last elections, is now split, with the Ajit Pawar faction fielding 24 candidates and the Sharad Pawar faction just three. A similar split is visible in the Shiv Sena. While the undivided party had fielded five Muslim candidates in 2017, the Eknath Shinde faction has nominated 12 and the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction 10 this time. Among parties that traditionally draw Muslim support, the AIMIM has seen a sharp drop from 51 candidates in 2017 to 27, while the Samajwadi Party has largely held ground, reducing its tally slightly from 48 to 46. Smaller parties remain marginal, with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) cutting its Muslim candidates from four to two. Meanwhile, the BJP has fielded none in 2026 after nominating four in 2017.
Communal turn in the BMC campaign
The BMC election campaign took a sharp communal turn in the run-up to the January 15, 2026, polls, as the debate over Mumbai’s next mayor shifted from civic governance to questions of religion and identity. The controversy was triggered by Mumbai BJP president Ameet Satam, who, while referring to the election of a Muslim mayor in New York, warned voters against a similar outcome in Mumbai.
“We will not allow any Khan to become mayor of Mumbai,” Satam said, framing the issue as a fight against “appeasement politics” and “vote jihad”. He said such a stance was necessary to “protect Mumbai from forces that divide society” and claimed the BJP stood for the city’s unity and cultural identity. Opposition leaders viewed the remarks as an attempt to counter the Shiv Sena UBT-MNS alliance, which was seeking to consolidate Marathi and Muslim votes behind the Thackeray cousins.
The BJP continued to press the issue, with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stating that “the next Mumbai Mayor will be Marathi and Hindu”. The Congress and the Shiv Sena UBT criticised these remarks, accusing the BJP of deliberately polarising the civic elections.
Responding to the controversy, Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray said, “Show me one election speech of Narendra Modi or Devendra Fadnavis without Hindu-Muslim polarisation. During the Lok Sabha elections, it was mangalsutra chori. Now, for the Mumbai elections, it is Muslim mayor. Why don’t they talk about development? Municipal elections should be about civic facilities, not religion. I am a staunch Hindu, but that does not mean insulting other religions. They are polluting people’s minds.”
Voices from the community
Poor infrastructure remains a reality across large parts of Mumbai, but residents say the problem is more acute in Muslim-dominated areas, marked by overcrowding, poor sanitation and crumbling public facilities. Many young Muslims argue that, along with institutional neglect, the community’s own leadership has failed to consistently push for development or hold elected representatives accountable.
“These communal statements don’t affect us much. What is more frustrating is the lack of capable leaders who know how to get work done in their areas. The community has failed to question its own representatives. People are so caught up in daily survival that they stop caring whether their neighbourhoods are clean or developed,” said a young entrepreneur from central Mumbai.
Others point to long-standing patterns of uneven development. “If development were equal, areas like Govandi, Pathanwadi, Behrampada and Malwani would not look so different from the rest of the city. This has built up over the years. There is a sense of helplessness in taking on both the system and entrenched local leaders,” said Shahid Azmi, a resident of Govandi.
Number of Muslim candidates put up by political parties in the BMC elections-
Source: indianexpress.com
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Ayodhya man detained near Ram temple amid namaz attempt claim sparks fresh demands
Piyush Srivastava
12.01.26
Ayodhya police on Sunday arrested a 55-year-old Kashmiri dry-fruit seller for allegedly attempting to offer namaz in the Ram temple complex on Saturday night.
Asad Shaikh, a resident of Shopian district, travels across the country to sell dry fruits. His son, Imran Shaikh, was quoted as telling the media in Shopian that his father was mentally ill and was under medication.
“He leaves the house without informing us and sells dry fruits. But he is not fit to roam alone. There is no point blaming him for his act because he is not able to differentiate between a temple and a mosque,” Imran said.
The police sources said Asad had some packets of cashews and raisins, a diary with names and phone numbers in his bag and ₹2,700 in his pocket.
“He did not reach the inner security circle of the Ram temple and was not trying to approach the sanctum sanctorum. Some devotees saw him getting ready to offer namaz near the southern boundary wall of the shrine and informed the security forces,” said a police officer in Ayodhya who didn’t want to be identified.
“We have called Asad’s son and other family members. We have not found anything suspicious about him. Jammu and Kashmir police have informed us that Asad has been under treatment at Jammu Medical College since 2024. We may hand him over to his family after gathering more information about him,” the officer added.
On whether it was a security lapse, Uttar Pradesh director-general of police Rajeev Krishna said: “It was not a security lapse because he would have been frisked if he carried anything objectionable. He is in police custody and an inquiry is still in progress.”
The incident prompted the sadhus of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad to demand that non-Hindus be banned from going near the temple.
“We have been asking the government not to allow the entry of non-Hindus into the temple. It is high time the government listened to us,” said Raju Das, a sadhu from the Hanuman Garhi shrine located near the Ram temple.
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Suspected Pakistani drones spotted along IB and LoC in Jammu and Kashmir, search launched
11.01.26
Security forces picked up movement of suspected drones in several forward areas along the International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC) in Samba, Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday evening, officials said.
All the flying objects came from the Pakistan side, and returned after hovering over Indian territory for few minutes, they said.
According to officials, security forces have launched a search operation on the ground after noticing the suspected drone activity in the forward areas.
Army troops guarding the Nowshera sector along the LoC in Rajouri, fired from medium and light machine guns on observing drone movement over Gania-Kalsian village around 6.35 pm, they said.
Another drone was noticed at Khabbar village in Teryath in Rajouri district at 6.35 pm. The flying object, with blinking light, came from the direction of Dharmsal village in Kalakote and moved further towards Bharakh, officials said.
A drone-like object with blinking light was also seen hovering for several minutes over Chak Babral village in Ramgarh sector of Samba around 7.15 pm, they said.
Another drone-like object was seen moving from the direction of Tain towards Topa in Mankote sector, located along the LoC, in Poonch district at 6.25 pm.
On Friday night, security forces recovered an arms consignment, allegedly dropped by a drone that originated in Pakistan, in Paloora village of Ghagwal near the IB in Samba district. The recovery included two pistols, three magazines, 16 rounds and a grenade, they added.
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Mideast
Israeli airstrikes destroy residential complex east of Sidon after residents received warnings
NAJIA HOUSSARI
January 11, 2026
BEIRUT: Israeli warplanes on Sunday launched at least 43 airstrikes on valleys and mountains in southern Lebanon, north of the Litani River, an area that remains outside the Lebanese army’s current plan to consolidate weapons under state control.
Lebanon classified the attacks as violations of the ceasefire agreement.
Israeli army spokesman Avichai Adraee issued a warning to residents of a large residential complex in Kfar Hatta, instructing them to evacuate before its demolition.
Kfar Hatta is in the Sidon district, 8 km east of the coastal city of Sidon. To the south, it borders a large valley with numerous caves and the Siniq River.
In a post with a map of the compound, Adraee stated that the Israeli army “will attack, in the near future, Hezbollah’s military infrastructure in the village to counter its prohibited attempts to rebuild its activities there.”
Adraee addressed “the residents of the compound marked in red on the attached map and the buildings adjacent to it: You are located near a compound used by Hezbollah. For your safety, you are obliged to evacuate it immediately and move at least 300 meters away.”
The civilian residents of the compound and the town appealed to the Lebanese army command to inspect the site and ensure it was clear of any Hezbollah military structures.
Media reports indicated that the army contacted UNIFIL forces to request an inspection of the site to prevent it from being targeted. Meanwhile, Lebanese Civil Defense personnel blocked the road between Kfarhatta and Kfarmelki.
However, the Israeli army proceeded with its warnings and carried out a preliminary raid before launching a heavy bombardment of the compound (10 airstrikes), leaving dozens of families homeless.
The successive Israeli airstrikes (33 airstrikes), carried out in less than two hours, targeted the area between Wadi Barghaz, Mahmoudiya, and Al-Brij — the outskirts of Jbaa in the Iqlim Al-Tuffah region — as well as the Jabbour and Qatrani heights and the outskirts of Rihan.
These areas had already been targeted by Israeli airstrikes last week.
Israeli reconnaissance aircraft flew at low altitude over the entire Bekaa Valley, reaching as far as Hermel.
An Israeli source told media outlets that the Israeli army targeted six Hezbollah tunnels with 25 missiles.
Adraee claimed that the Israeli strikes were a response to Hezbollah’s violations of the ceasefire agreements, alleging that the army was attacking Hezbollah weapons depots in southern Lebanon.
He stated: “Over the past few months, Hezbollah activity has been observed at these sites. This activity at the targeted sites constitutes a violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon. The army will continue to work to eliminate any threat.”
The Israeli army stated that it “attacked tunnel entrances used to store weapons inside several Hezbollah military sites in southern Lebanon.”
On Friday, Israel escalated its aerial operations in Lebanon with a series of intense and simultaneous raids targeting various areas in the south and the Bekaa Valley, part of a broader effort to increase military pressure on Hezbollah, which refuses to relinquish its weapons north of the Litani River.
The escalation coincided with the Lebanese government’s announcement of the completion of the first phase of its plan to confine weapons south of the Litani River.
A subsequent plan to contain Hezbollah’s weapons north of this line is expected to be adopted as a preliminary step, given the vast area in which the Lebanese army is required to operate to complete the weapons confiscation plan.
The Israeli army expressed doubts about the Lebanese army’s ability to fulfill its mission.
The Ceasefire Monitoring Mechanism is scheduled to hold its next meeting in Ras Al-Naqoura on Jan. 17.
President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the “encouraging statements issued by the Lebanese authorities regarding the restoration of the state’s monopoly on weapons.”
He posted on X: “This process must be pursued resolutely. The second phase of the plan will be a crucial step. All parties must fully respect the cessation of hostilities agreement and restore Lebanon’s complete sovereignty.”
Macron affirmed that France, along with its partners, “remains fully committed to Lebanon and its army,” noting that “an international conference will be held soon in Paris to provide Lebanon and its army with the concrete means to guarantee this sovereignty.”
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3 more Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes as tension rises
January 11, 2026
CAIRO: Israeli fire killed at least three Palestinians in two separate raids across the enclave, local health authorities said, as tension rises over continued violence since an October ceasefire.
Medics said one Palestinian was killed in the Tuffah neighborhood in Gaza City, in an area under Palestinian control, while two others were killed in southern Gaza in the town of Bani Suhaila east of Khan Younis, an area Israel still occupies.
The Israeli military said forces fired at a “terrorist” who crossed into the area under their control in the northern Gaza Strip, posing an immediate threat. A hit was identified, it added.
There was no comment on the incident south of the enclave.
Fighting has largely abated since Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire in October, two years into the war, but it has not stopped entirely.
A Hamas official said on Sunday that the group urged mediators to intervene to stop “daily Israeli killings that aim to derail the ceasefire deal.”
More than 440 Palestinians, most of them civilians according to Gaza health officials, have been killed since the truce, as well as three Israeli soldiers.
Hamas said it will dissolve its existing government in Gaza once a Palestinian technocratic leadership committee takes over the territory, as mandated under the US-brokered peace plan.
Hamas and the rival Palestinian Authority, the Palestinians’ internationally recognized representative, have not announced the names of the technocrats, who are not supposed to be politically affiliated, and it remains unclear if they will be cleared by Israel and the US.
The “Board of Peace,” an international body, is supposed to oversee the government and other aspects of the ceasefire that took effect on Oct. 10, including disarming Hamas and deploying an international security force.
The ceasefire began with a halt in fighting and the release of hostages held in Gaza in exchange for thousands of Palestinians held by Israel.
The deal is still in its first phase as efforts continue to recover the remains of the final hostage left in Gaza.
An Egyptian official said Hamas was sending a delegation to talks with Egyptian, Qatari, and Turkish officials about moving to the second phase.
Hazem Kassem, a Hamas spokesperson, called for speeding up the establishment of the technocratic committee.
The Egyptian official said Hamas will meet with other Palestinian factions this week to finalize the committee’s formation. The Hamas delegation will be chaired by top negotiator Khalil Al-Hayya, the official said.
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Iran’s president says rioters must not disrupt society
January 11, 2026
TEHRAN: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Sunday said “rioters” should not be allowed to disrupt society, in his first remarks after three nights of intensified protests against the country’s authorities.
Pezeshkian, in an interview with state TV on Sunday, said “protesting is the people’s right,” but echoed authorities in drawing a line between outcry over Iran’s dire economy and “rioters” they allege are backed by the US and Israel.
“The people (of Iran) should not allow rioters to disrupt society. The people should believe that we (the government) want to establish justice,” he told state broadcaster IRIB.
Pezeshkian called on Iranians to “come together and not let these people riot” on the streets.
“If people have a concern, we will hear them. It is our duty to hear them and solve their problems. However, our highest duty is not to allow rioters to come and disrupt society,” he said.
Pezeshkian accused the US and Israel of “trying to escalate this unrest with regard to the economic discussion and solutions we are working on.”
“They have taken some people here inside and abroad and trained them. They brought terrorists in from abroad into the country,” he said, calling those who had set the mosque on fire “not human.”
State TV has aired images of buildings, including a mosque on fire, with authorities saying members of the security forces have been killed.
US President Donald Trump has said his country “stands ready to help” demonstrators and threatened new military action against Iranian authorities “if they start killing people.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that he hoped Iran would soon be freed from what he described as the “yoke of tyranny.”
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Palestinian shot dead in Hebron
January 11, 2026
RAMALLAH: Palestinian health officials said on Sunday that Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian man in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron, an incident the Israeli military said it was reviewing.
The Health Ministry in Ramallah said the Palestinian body that coordinates with Israeli authorities had informed it that Israeli fire had killed Shaker Falah Ahmad Al-Jaabari, 58, on Saturday evening.
The ministry said Israeli forces were still holding Al-Jaabari’s body.
Late on Saturday, the Israeli military said its troops had responded to a “threat and opened fire at the terrorist who attempted to run them over.
Hours later, however, the military said in a separate statement that investigators had found “no conclusive findings (to) indicate that the incident constituted an intentional terror attack,” adding the case remained under investigation.
Violence has surged across the West Bank since the war in Gaza broke out in October 2023 after an unprecedented attack by Hamas on Israel.
At least 1,029 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli forces or settlers since the war started, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
Some 500,000 Israelis have settled in the West Bank since Israel captured the territory, along with East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, in the 1967 Mideast war.
Their presence is viewed by most of the international community as illegal and a major obstacle to peace.
The Palestinians seek all three areas for a future state.
Over two dozen families from one of the few remaining Palestinian Bedouin villages in the central West Bank have packed up and fled their homes in recent days, saying harassment by Jewish settlers living in unauthorized outposts nearby has grown unbearable.
The village, Ras Ein El-Auja, was originally home to some 700 people from more than 100 families that have lived there for decades.
Twenty-six families already left on Thursday, scattering across the territory in search of safer ground, rights groups say. Several other families were packing up and leaving on Sunday.
“We have been suffering greatly from the settlers. Every day, they come on foot, or on tractors, or on horseback with their sheep into our homes. They enter people’s homes daily,” said Nayef Zayed, a resident, as neighbors took down sheep pens and tin structures.
Other residents pledged to stay put for the time being. That makes them some of the last Palestinians left in the area, said Sarit Michaeli, international director at B’Tselem, an Israeli rights group helping the residents.
She said that mounting settler violence has already emptied neighboring Palestinian hamlets in the dusty corridor of land stretching from Ramallah in the West to Jericho, along the Jordanian border, in the east.
The area is part of the 60 percent of the West Bank that has remained under full Israeli control under the interim peace accords signed in the 1990s.
Since October 2023, over 2,000 Palestinians — at least 44 entire communities — have been expelled by settler violence in the area, B’Tselem says.
The turning point for the village came in December, when settlers put up an outpost about 50 meters (yards) from Palestinian homes on the northwestern flank of the village, said Michaeli and Sam Stein, an activist who has been living in the village for a month.
Settlers strolled easily through the village at night. Sheep and laundry went missing. International activists had to begin escorting children to school to keep them safe.
“The settlers attack us day and night, they have displaced us, they harass us in every way,” said Eyad Isaac, another resident.
“They intimidate the children and women.”
Michaeli said she has witnessed settlers walk around the village at night, going into homes to film women and children and tampering with the village’s electricity.
The residents said they call the police frequently to ask for help — but it seldom arrives.
Settlement expansion has been promoted by successive Israeli governments over nearly six decades.
But Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government, which has placed settler leaders in senior positions, has made it a top priority.
That growth has been accompanied by a spike in settler violence, much of it carried out by residents of unauthorized outposts.
These outposts often begin with small farms or shepherding that are used to seize land, say Palestinians and anti-settlement activists.
UN officials warn the trend is changing the map of the West Bank, entrenching Israeli presence in the area.
For now, displaced families from the village have dispersed to other villages near the city of Jericho and Hebron, further south, residents said.
Some sold their sheep and are trying to move into the cities.
Others are just dismantling their structures without knowing where to go.
“Where will we go? There’s nowhere. We’re scattered,” said Zayed, the resident, “People’s situation is bad. Very bad.”
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How Gaza’s winter became another front in an unfinished war
ANAN TELLO
January 11, 2026
LONDON: Gaza’s winter nights have grown longer and deadlier as torrential rains, flooding and bitter cold batter hundreds of thousands of Palestinians already wearied by more than two years of Israeli bombardment. Many are so malnourished they lack even the body fat needed to withstand the cold.
Families across the enclave stay awake through the night gripping their tents to keep them from being torn away by strong winds or swept off by floodwaters, all while fearful of a sudden Israeli airstrike. Parents carry children for hours, and at times older children carry younger ones to protect them from drowning.
“When it rains, of course all the tents flood, and all their bedding is soaked,” said Maysa Yousef, a mother of four and artist based in central Gaza. “People spend the entire night fighting for their lives, crying and pleading.”
“Civil Defense rushes in, along with rescue crews, to save people,” Yousef told Arab News. “They secure the tents and take families to so-called safe places; but in reality, there are no safe places because all of Gaza is destroyed; they take them to schools or other locations.”
The same conditions afflict those trying to help. Yousef’s husband works as a mental health specialist at a field hospital in central Gaza, where nearly all staff live in tents and have been heavily affected by the winter storms.
“All night long they don’t sleep, each one holding a broom, pushing the water away, while he and his children and their bedding are soaked,” Yousef said. “In the morning, they put on their wet clothes and go to work.
“When my husband sees them at work, he is shocked by how they haven’t slept all night, how their clothes are still wet, and yet they come in the morning and work all day, treating people and easing their suffering, when they themselves need support.”
More than 90 percent of Gaza’s population have been displaced repeatedly by the Israeli onslaught on the enclave, which started on Oct. 7, 2023, following a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel.
Those not living in tents are sheltering in bombed-out schools and damaged residential buildings. The UN said in November that nearly 81 percent of all structures in the Gaza Strip have been damaged.
Strong winds and heavy rain since November have submerged or destroyed more than 90 percent of displacement tents, Gaza’s Civil Defense said. Storm Byron, which hit from Dec. 10 to 17, damaged more than 17 buildings, according to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, UNRWA.
The storm also damaged or destroyed more than 42,000 tents, affecting at least 235,000 people, according to Gaza’s Shelter Cluster, a coalition of UN agencies and NGOs.
Even before Byron, rainfall and flooding upended more than 13,000 tents in November alone, according to the Israeli rights group B’Tselem. At least 740,000 people were affected.
“Gaza is completely destroyed,” Yousef said. “With the rain, even houses that are still standing are at risk of collapsing over their residents.”
Some bombed houses, she added, have given way under the weight of heavy rain and strong gale. “Some people were living in damaged houses that collapsed while they were inside. About 20 people were killed; some fell and drowned.”
With the sewage system destroyed, floodwater has nowhere to drain. “With continuous rain, large, deep pools form to the point that a tent ends up completely submerged by water,” Yousef said.
She described surreal scenes of “donkey carts transporting people, completely covered by water; the water would be covering the donkey itself, with only its head visible as it carries people.”
After nights of relentless rain, mornings bring a grim routine.
“The next day, you see everyone around you spreading their mattresses and belongings out in the sun — if the sun even comes out,” Yousef said. “Sometimes the rain lasts three or four days, even a week, causing severe flooding in Gaza because there is no sewage system and water levels keep rising.”
Coastal flooding has made matters worse.
“The sea rises and begins to overflow toward us, pulling away all the tents, even those on higher ground,” she said. “Soil erosion follows, and the ground gives way, to the point that even tents placed above the waterline and sea level suddenly collapse, with children falling into the sea, and Civil Defense searching for them.”
The floods have not only swept away tents and debris but also lives. On Dec. 31, and after a desperate search, rescuers in Gaza City pulled the lifeless body of seven-year-old Ata Mai by the ankle to pry him out of muddy waters.
Mai, who drowned on Dec. 27 in an improvised displacement camp, was the sixth child to be killed by a lack of adequate shelter during the harsh winter conditions in December, according to the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF.
The organization’s regional director, Edouard Beigbeder, said that “teams visiting displacement camps reported appalling conditions that no child should endure, with many tents blown away or collapsing entirely.”
Children in Gaza lack proper winter clothing and are often barefoot or dressed in thin garments, huddling at night near improvised fires, which may be deadly. The risk was clear in early January, when a displaced grandmother and her four-year-old grandson burned to death after their tent caught fire.
But the cold has been even deadlier. At least eight newborns died of hypothermia within a month, and more than 74 children have died in 2025 amid the brutal winter conditions, UNRWA said on Jan. 9.
On Jan. 10, the extreme cold amid severe Israeli restrictions on aid entry killed another infant who was born only a week before, according to several media reports.
“We enter this New Year carrying the same horrors as the last,” said UNRWA Communication Officer Louise Wateridge. “There’s been no progress and no solace. Children are now freezing to death.”
Aid agencies say those deaths were preventable. The UN and international NGOs are calling on Israel to allow more aid into Gaza to help families survive the winter, saying Israeli restrictions continue to block deliveries.
While a fragile ceasefire since October has allowed some aid to re-enter Gaza after months of blockade, assistance still falls far short of the need, aid groups say.
Thousands of tents and hundreds of thousands of tarpaulins have been distributed since October, the UN says, but over one million people still urgently need shelter support.
Further compromising the humanitarian operation in Gaza, Israel announced in December it would suspend the permits of 37 aid agencies — a move described by UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk as “outrageous.”
“Such arbitrary suspensions make an already intolerable situation even worse for the people of Gaza,” Turk said on Dec. 31. “I remind the Israeli authorities of their obligation under international law to ensure the essential supplies of daily life in Gaza, including by allowing and facilitating humanitarian relief.”
Israel said that the targeted international NGOs, including Doctors Without Borders and the Norwegian Refugee Council, had not complied with a deadline to disclose information on their Palestinian staff.
Several of the targeted INGOs told news agencies that they would never knowingly employ people engaging in military activity.
Even those living in the bombed-out ruins of what were once their homes have not been spared the winter suffering.
Each time Yousef tries to secure windows in her bomb-damaged house, intense shelling along the “yellow line” in eastern Gaza blasts them loose again.
“The window flips outward because it no longer fits its frame,” she said. “Doors swing open with every strike and won’t stay shut.”
The anxiety caused by layers of hardship have robbed Yousef of much-needed sleep. “At night, we sleep in a state of anxiety,” she added. “The walls are pulling apart; they are at risk of collapse.”
Rain turns daily life into a constant struggle. “When it rains, you are left wondering where to put the dishes, constantly watching where the rain is coming from and where it is leaking,” she said.
“My house has three floors, and the floor beneath me has walls riddled with cracks. Rain pours through as if you are sitting in the street with rain falling directly over you.
“Water can reach five, six, seven, even 10 centimeters. We spent weeks wading through it.”
Personal hygiene has become another excruciating ordeal amid a lack of heat sources and toiletries.
“Water is extremely cold,” Yousef said. “We fetch it from far away and store it in containers.”
Even when firewood is available, wet conditions make it useless. “On rainy days, it’s impossible to light a fire or bathe in hot water,” she said. “So we’re forced to bathe in cold water.”
“Imagine the weather is extremely cold, and there is nothing to protect you — the windows are covered with ripped plastic sheets that melt in the sun and fly away with the wind. On top of that, you and your children bathe in icy water.”
The consequences have been severe. Yousef said she developed intense bone pain since the cold weather began.
“Every time I poured the cold water over myself and braced my body, the pain in my back worsened, especially with the cold wind,” she said. “Imagine what it is like for children.”
Bathing her children often made them ill. “Because of this, people greatly reduced bathing with cold water in winter. You would see children, and even adults, extremely dirty, their clothes filthy, their stench overwhelming, yet they did not bathe to avoid getting ill.”
Soap is also scarce. “We went nearly six months without even a single bar of soap,” Yousef said, adding that some people began to improvise and make soap from oil and other materials.
With infrastructure shattered and sanitation systems crippled, waste has piled up across Gaza, the UN said. Rainwater mixed with raw sewage has exposed residents to waterborne diseases, Save the Children warned.
The organization said that outbreaks of hepatitis, diarrhea and gastroenteritis have spread, made more lethal by widespread malnutrition.
Ahmad Alhendawi, the regional director, noted on Jan. 8 that “basic shelter items are stuck at the border.”
“The denial of humanitarian aid is a serious violation of humanitarian laws and a grave violation against children,” he said. “And yet it is still happening on our watch.”
For Yousef, the fear of illness is constant.
“During winter, one of the most exhausting realities we face is how quickly diseases spread,” she said. “All it takes is for your child to go out onto the street to buy something or mix with people for just fifteen minutes, and they may come back infected with a virus or an illness.”
As winter deepens, Gaza’s nights continue to stretch longer, with conditions increasingly deadly for those left exposed.
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Hamas says it will dissolve its Gaza government when new Palestinian body takes over
January 11, 2026
CAIRO: Hamas said Sunday it will dissolve its existing government in Gaza once a Palestinian technocratic leadership committee takes over the territory, as mandated under the US-brokered peace plan. But the group gave no specifics on when the change will occur.
Hamas and the rival Palestinian Authority, the Palestinians’ internationally recognized representative, have not announced the names of the technocrats, who are not supposed to be politically affiliated, and it remains unclear if they will be cleared by Israel and the US
The “Board of Peace,” an international body led by Trump, is supposed to oversee the government and other aspects of the ceasefire that took effect on Oct. 10, including disarming Hamas and deploying an international security force. The board’s members have not been announced.
Meanwhile, the post-ceasefire death toll continued to rise in Gaza, with Israeli gunfire killing three Palestinians, according to Palestinian hospital officials.
The ceasefire began with a halt in fighting and the release of hostages held in Gaza in exchange for thousands of Palestinians held by Israel. The deal is still in its first phase as efforts continue to recover the remains of the final hostage left in Gaza.
An Egyptian official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss closed-door information, said Hamas was sending a delegation to talks with Egyptian, Qatari and Turkish officials about moving to the second phase.
Future Gaza governance in flux
In comments posted on his Telegram channel Sunday, Hazem Kassem, a Hamas spokesperson, called for speeding up the establishment of the technocratic committee.
The Egyptian official said Hamas will meet with other Palestinian factions this week to finalize the committee’s formation. The Hamas delegation will be chaired by top negotiator Khalil Al-Hayya, the official said.
Trump has said the “Board of Peace ” will monitor the committee and handle the disarmament of Hamas, the deployment of an international security force, additional pullbacks of Israeli troops and Gaza’s reconstruction. The US has reported little progress on any of these fronts, though the members of the board are expected to be announced this week.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Bulgarian diplomat Nickolay Mladenov has been selected as the board’s director-general. Mladenov is a former Bulgarian defense and foreign minister who served as UN envoy to Iraq before being appointed as the UN Mideast peace envoy from 2015 to 2020. During that time, he had good working relations with Israel and frequently worked to ease Israel-Hamas tensions.
Also Sunday, Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar met in Jerusalem with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi. Saar said Israel was committed to enforcing Trump’s plan, while Motegi expressed Japan’s willingness to play an active role in the ceasefire.
According to Japan’s Foreign Ministry, Motegi visited the Civil-Military Coordination Center, where the ceasefire is being monitored. He was also set to meet Netanyahu and Palestinian officials in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
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Death toll in Iran protests rises to more than 500, rights group says
January 11, 2026
DUBAI/JERUSALEM: Unrest in Iran has killed more than 500 people, a rights group said on Sunday, as Tehran threatened to target US military bases if President Donald Trump carries out threats to intervene on behalf of protesters.
With the Islamic Republic’s clerical establishment facing the biggest demonstrations since 2022, Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene if force is used on protesters.
According to its latest spreadsheet — based on activists inside and outside Iran, US-based rights group HRANA said it had verified the deaths of 490 protesters and 48 security personnel, with more than 10,600 people arrested.
Reuters was unable to independently verify the tolls.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, speaking in parliament on Sunday, warned the United States against “a miscalculation.”
“Let us be clear: in the case of an attack on Iran, the occupied territories (Israel) as well as all US bases and ships will be our legitimate target,” said Qalibaf, a former commander in Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards.
Authorities intensify crackdown
The protests began on December 28 in response to soaring prices, before turning against the clerical rulers who have governed since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Authorities accuse the US and Israel of fomenting unrest. Iran’s police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said security forces had stepped up efforts to confront “rioters.”
The flow of information from Iran has been hampered by an Internet blackout since Thursday.
Footage posted on social media on Saturday from Tehran showed large crowds marching along a street at night, clapping and chanting. The crowd “has no end nor beginning,” a man is heard saying.
In footage from the northeastern city of Mashhad, smoke can be seen billowing into the night sky from fires in the street, masked protesters, and a road strewn with debris, another video posted on Saturday showed. Explosions could be heard.
Reuters verified the locations.
State TV aired footage of dozens of body bags on the ground at the Tehran coroner’s office on Sunday, saying the dead were victims of events caused by “armed terrorists.”
Three Israeli sources, who were present for Israeli security consultations over the weekend, said Israel was on a high-alert footing for the possibility of any US intervention.
An Israeli military official said the protests were an internal Iranian matter, but Israel’s military was monitoring developments and was ready to respond “with power if need be.” An Israeli government spokesperson declined to comment.
Israel and Iran fought a 12-day war in June last year, which the United States briefly joined by attacking key nuclear installations. Iran retaliated by firing missiles at Israel and an American air base in Qatar.
US ready to help, says Trump
Trump, posting on social media on Saturday, said: “Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!“
In a phone call on Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the possibility of US intervention in Iran, according to an Israeli source present for the conversation.
Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last shah and a prominent voice in the fragmented opposition, said Trump had observed Iranians’ “indescribable bravery.” “Do not abandon the streets,” Pahlavi, who is based in the US, wrote on X.
Maryam Rajavi, president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, a Paris-based Iranian opposition group, wrote on X that people in Iran had “asserted control of public spaces and reshaped Iran’s political landscape.”
Her group, also known as Mujahideen-e-Khalq (MEK), joined the 1979 revolution but later broke from the ruling clerics and fought them during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s.
Netanyahu, speaking during a cabinet meeting, said Israel was closely monitoring developments. “We all hope that the Persian nation will soon be freed from the yoke of tyranny,” he said.
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Syrian authorities arrest member of elite army unit linked to Assad’s brother
January 11, 2026
LONDON: Syrian authorities arrested Nidal Ali Suleiman, a former member of an elite military unit during the regime of Bashar Assad, the Interior Ministry announced on Sunday.
Internal security forces in the Al-Ghab area, in coordination with the Anti-Terror Branch in Hama, arrested Suleiman, who is suspected of involvement in fighting in the Hama region. He is also accused of smuggling weapons to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces and taking part in drug trafficking activities.
The 4th Armoured Division was an elite formation of the Syrian Arab Army established in the 1980s. From 2018 until the collapse of the Assad regime, the unit was commanded by Maher Assad, brother of the former president. The division has been accused of committing human rights violations, and was involved in drug manufacturing and smuggling during the civil war from 2011 to 2024.
Maher Assad is believed to have fled to Russia following the collapse of the regime.
Since December 2024, the new government in Damascus has arrested several Assad-era army officers for alleged crimes committed against Syrians during the conflict.
Last week, authorities in Hama detained three people accused of involvement in an armed group linked to remnants of the Assad regime.
Authorities said they remain committed to protecting citizens, maintaining civil peace, and enforcing the law against anyone who jeopardizes the security and stability of the country, the Syrian Arab News Agency reported.
Source: arabnews.com
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Another Palestinian detainee from Gaza dies in Israeli prison
January 11, 2026
LONDON: Palestinian detainee Hamza Abdullah Adwan, 67, has died in an Israeli prison, the Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoner's Society confirmed on Sunday.
Adwan, from the Gaza Strip, died on Sept. 9, 2025. No additional details were provided by the Israeli army in response to requests by the two rights groups regarding his fate.
Adwan was detained at the military checkpoint in Gaza on Nov. 12, 2024. He was married and the father of nine children, two of whom were killed before the war in Gaza in late 2023. He had serious health issues, including heart disease, requiring ongoing medical care.
Adwan is one of more than 100 prisoners and detainees who have died in Israeli prisons since the start of the Gaza war. The identities of just 87 have been officially announced, with 51 of them from Gaza. The total number of Palestinian prisoners who have died in Israeli custody since 1967 is now 324, added the groups.
In a separate incident, the Ministry of Health announced on Sunday the death of Shaker Falah Al-Jaabari, 58, who was shot in Hebron on Saturday night.
Israeli forces opened fire on a vehicle in the Khallet Hadour area, east of Hebron, on Saturday evening, seriously wounding Al-Jaabari. He was later detained by the forces, who prevented ambulances and civilians from reaching him, according to Wafa news agency.
Source: arabnews.com
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Rally in Al‑Jabal District of Al‑Mahwit condemns insult to Holy Qur’an & marks Martyred Leader anniversary
11 Jan 2026
Tribes from Al‑Hawasila, Tahama, and Al‑Qahtani areas in Al‑Jabal District of Al‑Mahwit Governorate held an armed rally on Sunday condemning the U.S. insult to the Holy Qur’an, affirming support for the sanctities of Islam and marking the annual anniversary of the martyred leader, Sayyed Hussein Badr al‑Din al‑Houthi.
Participants, including local officials, community figures, security and mobilization leaders, denounced what they described as a heinous act committed by a U.S. presidential candidate against the Holy Qur’an, calling it a blatant provocation to Muslims worldwide and a serious violation of the sacred values of the Islamic Ummah.
They reaffirmed their support for the revolutionary leadership in confronting global arrogance and voiced readiness to defend the homeland against any threats targeting its sovereignty, security, and stability, while emphasizing their firm stance in supporting Palestine and defending Islamic sanctities.
A statement issued during the rally condemned continued attacks on the Qur’an and the Islamic identity of the Ummah by what it described as the enemies of God, calling for a serious , decisive global position criminalizing insults to Islamic sanctities and holding perpetrators accountable.
The statement held the United States, Britain, and the Zionist entity fully responsible for repeated insults, which it said reflect their hostility toward Islam , Muslims , align with what it described as their long record of aggression, occupation, and violations.
It urged the Islamic Ummah and free people around the world to act decisively in defense of the Holy Qur’an and reject attempts to pass such offenses under misleading slogans such as freedom of expression, stressing that such claims collapse in the face of any criticism directed at the Zionist entity in the U.S. and Western countries.
The statement affirmed the continuation of public mobilization with greater momentum in preparation to confront the enemies of the Ummah — the U.S., Israel, and Britain — in defense of its causes and sanctities, foremost among them the Palestinian cause.
Source: saba.ye
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Iraq's ruling bloc moves toward Al-Maliki nomination for next PM
2026-01-11
The Shiite Coordination Framework (CF), Iraq's largest parliamentary bloc, is set to decide its candidate for the next Prime Minister after caretaker PM Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani withdrew from the race for a second term.
A source informed Shafaq News on Sunday that during the CF’s recent meeting, Al-Sudani outlined the reasons for his withdrawal, stressing that Iraq’s national interest outweighs personal or party ambitions. Following his departure, the Islamic Dawa Party pressed the Framework to support its leader and head of the State of Law Coalition, former PM Nouri Al-Maliki.
Most leaders within the Framework have rallied behind Al-Maliki, the source added, except Ammar Al-Hakim, leader of the National Wisdom (Al-Hikma) Movement, who sought guidance from Iraq’s top Shiite religious authority, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. The Najaf-based Marja’iya, however, chose not to intervene, leaving Al-Maliki as the frontrunner.
‘’The Framework plans another meeting tomorrow evening to finalize its candidate,’’ the source added, noting that if no objections arise, Al-Maliki’s nomination is expected to move forward.
Negotiations over the premiership have been ongoing since the November 2025 election results were ratified. Government formation has stalled for months, though Najaf’s Friday preacher Sadr Al-Din Al-Qubanji dismissed any claims of division within the Framework on the matter.
Under Iraq’s post-2003 power-sharing system, the presidency is reserved for a Kurd, the premiership for a Shiite, and the speakership for a Sunni Arab.
Source: shafaq.com
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https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq/Iraq-s-ruling-bloc-moves-toward-Al-Maliki-nomination-for-next-PM
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Arab World
Taif festival celebrates Saudi Arabia’s literary icons
January 11, 2026
TAIF: A special section highlighting key Saudi literary figures forms part of the Writers and Readers Festival in Taif.
The area explores the lives of distinguished writers, poets, and authors who have shaped the Kingdom’s creative landscape, influencing literature, journalism, theater and intellectual thought.
It introduces visitors to the contributions of literary pioneers through accessible visual and narrative content, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.
Organized by the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission, the festival runs until Jan. 15 and features 42 prominent publishing houses from Saudi Arabia and overseas, offering visitors the chance to explore the latest works in literature, philosophy and general knowledge.
Meanwhile, the festival’s interactive murals section engages visitors with openwork art panels, allowing them to contribute to the city’s features and identity.
The murals depict Taif’s natural and historical landmarks, including Al-Hada Mountain, the Taif rose gardens, and traditional Hijazi palaces. Others are inspired by Souq Okaz, a historic literary and commercial center linked to the region’s poetic heritage.
Designed by a visual artist, they blend folk-inspired elements with imaginative expression, creating a collaborative experience that celebrates the city’s beauty and brings art closer to the public.
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi hospitality boom sparks innovation beyond the plate
BASMAH ALBASRAWI
January 11, 2026
RIYADH: As restaurants and hotels in Saudi Arabia refine their culinary identities, beverages are increasingly being treated as crafted experiences in their own right, shaped by technique and intention.
At the Four Seasons Riyadh, Diageo hosted a private tasting at Tonic Bar followed by a 10-course dinner at Julien, offering a snapshot of how this evolution is beginning to take shape, as international players and local venues test new approaches to pairing and presentation.
Speaking to Arab News, Nick Rees, marketing director of Diageo MENA, pointed to the rapid growth of the nonalcoholic segment globally and in the region: “There’s a far faster growing percentage of it (the industry) is non-alcohol … There (are) trends globally … A lot of it will be pointed to wellness, mindful drinking.”
Rees said that Saudi Arabia’s fast-developing culinary and hospitality scene calls for beverages that match the level of excellence seen in kitchens across the Kingdom.
“It’s kind of the lack of choices and that’s where we want to be able to provide people the option, and people here absolutely have the same kind of talent and desire as their counterparts behind the kitchen,” he said.
“That’s where our role is to give people the kind of core ingredients for them to be able to work with … we have many more brands that we would love to introduce to the Kingdom.”
The dinner at Julien paired dishes with drinks made using Tanqueray 0.0, Captain Morgan 0.0, and Guinness 0.0, offering a glimpse into the range of styles Diageo is bringing to the market.
Flavor profiles ranged from light and refreshing combinations with cucumber and capers brine to richer, malt-forward blends, each designed to complement the accompanying dishes, from ravioli to black cod.
Rees emphasized that pairing food with thoughtfully crafted beverages is becoming an essential part of the hospitality experience.
“In the Kingdom, we’re looking at giving people the experience that currently is not available to them because I know for sure that the kind of quality and expertise and craftsmanship that can go into creating some of these drinks is absolutely as exciting as the work that the chefs would do with their food,” he said.
Anthony Abou Haider, head of Gulf at Diageo, said the company sees long-term potential in Saudi Arabia’s hospitality sector.
“It’s such an opportunity to be a part of this transformation journey,” he told Arab News. “We’re not looking for a short-term gain, we’re looking at a very long-term gain here because whatever we do now is building for the future.”
Source: arabnews.com
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New Pakistani Consulate in Jeddah highlights strong Saudi-Pakistani ties
January 11, 2026
JEDDAH: Director-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Makkah branch Fareed bin Saad Al-Shehri participated in the opening ceremony of the new Pakistani Consulate in Jeddah, alongside Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Mohammad Ishaq Dar.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to the Kingdom Ahmed Farooq and Consul General Syed Mustafa Rabbani were among the officials and diplomats in attendance, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The inauguration reflects the depth of the long-standing fraternal relations between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan and the commitment of both countries to strengthening cooperation.
It also underscores the Kingdom’s support for diplomatic missions in facilitating services for citizens and residents and advancing partnership and coordination between nations.
Source: arabnews.com
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Artist in residence program revives Arabic calligraphy in Jeddah
SALEH FAREED
January 11, 2026
JEDDAH: Al Falah, Jeddah’s oldest school, hosted the “Dar Al-Qalam Residency Program” exhibition over the weekend, presenting a modern take on Arabic calligraphy.
The program exhibited works by members of an artist-in-residency program run by the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Global Center for Arabic Calligraphy, an initiative of the Saudi Ministry of Culture.
The residency brought together Saudi and international artists in an intensive eight-week program dedicated to contemporary Arabic calligraphy.
It explored the art of Arabic calligraphy through four key themes: its traditional roots, the arts that accompany it, leading contemporary practices and questions surrounding the future of innovation in this art form.
The exhibition was curated by Abdelrahman El-Shahed, supported by assistant curator Layal Al-Gain.
The artists who took part in the second edition of the residency were: Om Kalthoom, Budor Alyafie Al-Alawi, Bushra Al-Kebsi, Rafiq Ullah Khan, Zainab Al-Sabba, Somaya Al-Sayed, Laya Al-Kaff, Mustafa Al-Arab, Hind Djafer and Yomna Ayman.
Assistant curator Layal Al-Gain told Arab News that artists who reside in the heart of Jeddah historical area are offered a transformative platform to sharpen their creative skills through expert mentorship, production support and curatorial guidance.
“The participating artists came from a wide range of multi-disciplinary backgrounds including art, photography, design, architecture and other fields, and what is beautiful about that (is that) they have joined together by their love and passion for the Arabic calligraphy as they approach it in a different way,” Al-Gain said.
The program offered an intensive framework of practical workshops, critique sessions, lectures, research activities and field visits.
These were complemented by meetings with experts and peers, fostering critical exchange within a historically and culturally resonant setting.
For Saudi artist Om Kalthoom, the experience was deeply introspective.
“I have been in residency programs (before) but this one is very impressive because the subject is related to Arabic calligraphy,” she said.
“Being immersed in the heart of this great historical area allowed me to see making as both an act of listening and an act of thinking.”
Speaking about her work, she explained: “It is called ‘Beyond the Light.’ it is a direct message with Arabic letters.
“I try in this project to give visitors a space where they can think, search and connect these letters.”
Saudi artist Laya Al-Kaff said: “We are here to celebrate the Arabic letter not simply as text but as a form of visual expression in itself.”
Al-Kaff said the Dar Al-Qalam Residency Programme was a great experience. “It is a great opportunity (for) us as artists to engage with the residents’ artistic processes, trace the evolving forms of Arabic calligraphy in contemporary practice.
“In this work, I rethought my own background as an artist. I graduated with a degree in dentistry, oral medicine, therefore decided to combine the anatomy I studied at university with the one-line art.”
Rafiqullah Khan, from Pakistan, said he was “thrilled to be part of the second Al‑Qalam Arabic Calligraphy Residency, an initiative of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Global Center for Arabic Calligraphy.”
“This program gives calligraphers and visual artists a nurturing space to experiment, share knowledge and celebrate Arab identity on both local and world stages.”
He said he was “immersed in the historic heart of Al‑Balad, Jeddah, wandering coral‑stone alleys, sketching timeless facades, and letting the city’s layered stories flow into my work.”
Zainab Al-Sabaa, a Bahraini artist, designer and architect told Arab News that she was inspired by Jeddah’s historical area.
Aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the National Culture Strategy, Dar Al-Qalam contributes to a wider effort to support creative practice, nurture artistic research and reposition traditional art forms within global contemporary discourse.
Source: arabnews.com
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Jeddah Astronomical Society explores International Space Station’s legacy
January 11, 2026
RIYADH: The International Space Station is nearing the end of its operational life, with NASA planning to conclude the station’s missions and deorbit it into the Pacific Ocean in early 2031.
Jeddah Astronomical Society president Majed Abu Zahra said a US deorbit vehicle, under development by SpaceX, is expected to guide the ISS toward a controlled reentry over the Pacific Ocean after operations conclude in 2030.
Since the launch of its first module in 1998, the ISS has been in continuous operation, a familiar sight in the night skies, and a landmark of human cooperation in space.
Abu Zahra said the effort will signal a carefully managed end to an era that has shaped spaceflight and microgravity research, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.
Over more than two decades, agencies from the US, Europe, Russia, Canada, and Japan have worked together, supporting crewed missions, maintaining systems, and conducting thousands of experiments in orbit.
More than 260 astronauts from around the world, including several from Saudi Arabia, have visited the station, contributing to a legacy of global collaboration in science and exploration.
Abu Zahra said that the ISS is now facing significant structural and financial pressures.
The station has remained operational far beyond initial expectations. It was originally designed to operate for about 15 years, but has now been in orbit for 27 years.
Mounting technical and maintenance challenges are affecting key systems on board, with some experiencing technical problems, while micrometeoroids have damaged outer surfaces and air leaks have appeared over time, he said.
Abu Zahra added that annual expenses have risen to more than $3 billion, a major factor behind NASA’s decision to redirect resources toward other priorities, including programs focused on exploring the Moon and Mars.
Abu Zahra said the farewell to the ISS should not be viewed solely as a scientific or technical milestone.
Rather, it represents the end of a period of global human cooperation on an unprecedented scale, as space agencies have worked together for decades despite political differences — one of the most enduring achievements of the space age.
Source: arabnews.com
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New route connects Grand Mosque to Hira Cultural District
January 11, 2026
Jeddah: The Makkah Bus project has launched a new route linking the Grand Mosque to the Hira Cultural District, aiming to improve connectivity between religious and cultural sites, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.
The route offers direct access to the cultural district, including the Revelation Exhibition, the Museum of the Holy Qur’an, various educational facilities, and the Cave of Hira.
This expansion is part of the growing Makkah Bus network, which now comprises 12 routes, 400 buses, and 431 stations covering 580 km, serving over 188 million passengers on more than 4 million trips.
The route is implemented under the Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites and managed by the General Transport Center, which plans, regulates, and operates Makkah’s transport network.
The Makkah Bus project is a key part of a strategy to modernize public transport in the holy city, providing safe, reliable, and efficient transportation for residents and visitors.
Routes cover main streets, secondary roads, and neighborhood connections, offering an alternative to private cars, reducing congestion, and lowering environmental pollution.
The project aims to provide a world-class public transport system for residents and pilgrims and is part of the Pilgrim Experience Program supporting Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objectives.
Source: arabnews.com
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Kuwait restricts leave for imams, muezzins during Ramadan 2026
January 12, 2026
Dubai: Kuwait’s Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs has issued new regulations restricting leave for imams, muezzins and preachers during the holy month of Ramadan, citing the heightened demand for their presence and services in mosques, local media reported.
In an administrative circular released by the Mosques Sector Department, the ministry instructed all religious personnel to suspend their leave throughout Ramadan and to adjust their work schedules accordingly to ensure the smooth and efficient running of mosque activities.
The circular stipulates that any leave requests must be signed exclusively by the substitute employee, with no one permitted to sign on behalf of another. Requests must also be formally submitted to the department at least one week in advance.
It further states that extensions of leave will only be granted in emergency situations and must be accompanied by a written request submitted to the department director, their representative, or the head of the relevant section.
To maintain continuity of religious services, the ministry has also ruled that substitute staff will not be permitted to take leave during this period.
The directive underlines the essential role of religious staff during Ramadan, a time marked by increased prayers, sermons and worship activities, and stresses the need for their consistent presence to meet the spiritual needs of worshippers.
Source: gulfnews.com
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https://gulfnews.com/world/gulf/kuwait/kuwait-restricts-leave-for-imams-muezzins-during-ramadan-2026-1.500405532
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Europe
Imam thanks police after alleged roadside assault in Melbourne's south-east
January 12, 2026
An imam who was allegedly the victim of racial abuse during a roadside assault has thanked the police who helped him and his wife.
Ismet Purdic, a respected Islamic community leader from Noble Park in Melbourne's south-east, was driving on the South Gippsland Highway near Dandenong South with his wife on Saturday night when the couple was allegedly assaulted.
Police said the couple encountered another vehicle, a hatchback, and were racially abused by its occupants.
The imam and his wife pulled off the highway and into a service station, where the abuse allegedly continued and the occupants of the other car damaged the couple's vehicle, police said.
Ismet Purdic said he had sought medical treatment following the alleged incident, but that he and his wife had been comforted by the community support.
"I'm better right now, but I don't know what to say because this is very terrible, and very, very bad experience for me and my wife," he said.
"I can't imagine … if my kids were with us."
He said he believed he and his wife had been targeted after the occupants of the other vehicle noticed his wife's hijab.
"My message for all of us in Australia is just to stay together to help each other to stay safe, and not to allow anyone, doesn't matter … his religion or beliefs, to break this peace, security and all [the] good values we believe in," he said.
The imam returned to the Noble Park Mosque today, where he met with other community leaders, Victorian Multicultural Affairs Minister Ingrid Stitt and senior police.
"I want to thank everyone who helped us and stayed with us," he said, adding he especially wanted to thank Victoria Police.
"We must, as Australians, fight against hate, Islamophobia, antisemitism … we must stay together, he said.
Earlier, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan condemned the alleged attack and voiced support for the couple.
"I want to say very clearly to the Muslim community, but particularly Muslim women, that I will support your right every single day to live freely in this state, free from hate and also fight for your right to move around our community safely and with dignity," she said.
In a statement, Victoria Police said there was "absolutely no place for prejudice-motivated, religious-based or hate-based behaviour in our society".
"Such activity will not be tolerated," it said.
A 23-year-old Cranbourne North man and 22-year-old Cranbourne East man have been charged with criminal damage and common law assault over the alleged incident.
An 18-year-old Dandenong South woman was released pending summons.
Source: abc.net.au
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https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01-12/imam-thanks-police-after-alleged-roadside-assault-in-melbourne/106221398
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Police probe racist, threatening comments on Fife MP’s Facebook page after Islamic Centre visit
January 12, 2026
11th Jan 2026
Police are probing racist, threatening comments posted on Kirkcaldy’s MP’s Facebook page after she visited the town’s Islamic Centre following a Boxing Day incident.
Melanie Ward said she was “disgusted” by the abusive comments, and blamed them on outsiders “seeking to stir up hatred and division.”
The Labour MP for Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy joined local politicians, police and a Church of Scotland minister on a visit to the Islamic Centre following the incident on December 26.
Police made two arrests after being called to the centre in the town’s St Mary’s Road area. Two men, both aged 46, were taken to hospital for assessment before being arrested and charged in connection with a number of offences. They appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court on December 29.
Police made two arrests after being called to the centre in the town’s St Mary’s Road area. Two men, both aged 46, were taken to hospital for assessment before being arrested and charged in connection with a number of offences. They appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court on December 29.
One man was charged with threatening or abusive behaviour, carrying an offensive weapon and obstructing police. The other faced allegations of careless driving, while unfit to do so, failing to identify himself as a driver after an accident, threatening or abusive behaviour and having an offensive weapon in a public place. Neither entered a plea, and both were remanded.
Ms Ward said police have contacted her office after complaints made by members of the public about racist and threatening comments posted by others on her official Facebook page
She said: “Our visit was to convey support and solidarity in the wake of the awful incident which left everyone at the mosque frightened, including women and children. I posted a picture of that visit on Facebook.
"The level of racism, hatred and vitriol written by people on that post was so appalling that I had to switch off the comment function, and delete some of the worst abuse. Police have been investigating whether some of those abusive posts meet a criminal threshold.
“I am disgusted that people - most of whom are not from Kirkcaldy or from Fife - would seek to stir up hatred and division this way. I know that most local people will join me in rejecting this” She said her visit was “not a controversial thing for a local MP to do - it was the right thing to do.”
Ms Ward added: “Our community solidarity is one of our area’s greatest strengths, and I will never stand y whilst outsiders seek to cause harm and sow division.”
Source: fifetoday.co.uk
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https://www.fifetoday.co.uk/news/politics/police-probe-racist-threatening-comments-on-fife-mps-facebook-page-after-islamic-centre-visit-5471099
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Four killed and five injured in head-on crash
January 12, 2026
Stewart Whittingham,Rumeana Jahangir
Three teenagers and a man in his 50s have been killed in a head-on collision between a car and a taxi, police say.
The drivers of both cars are among those who died, while five passengers were also injured in the crash, which happened at about 00:45 on Sunday on Wigan Road, Bolton.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said the taxi driver was in a dark Citroen, while the three teenagers - aged between 18 and 19 - were in a red Seat.
The three teenagers have been named in local funeral notices as Muhammad Danyaal Asghar Ali, Farhan Patel and Mohammed Jibrael Mukhtar, all from Bolton. The taxi driver was named as Masrob Ali, from Blackburn.
Police have yet to formally identify the victims but are continuing to investigate what happened.
The force is asking for eyewitnesses or anyone who may have dashcam footage of the moments before and afterwards to come forward.
Neelam Khan, who lives with her family nearby, told BBC North West Tonight she had seen the aftermath of the crash on the road, "which was quite disturbing".
Debris was "everywhere, which was quite scary", she said.
Firefighters used cutting equipment to remove people from the car with five passengers taken to hospital for treatment.
GMP's Ch Insp Helen McCormick described it as a "devastating incident".
"This was a particularly challenging scene for colleagues in the emergency services and I want to thank the first responders."
Mother-of-two Khan said other crashes had happened on the road, with drivers hitting cars parked on the sides.
"I don't understand how people don't learn from previous accidents and this is probably the worst one yet," she said.
"It's probably only going to get worse if nothing happens so maybe the police and council need to do something about it."
The number of crashes meant she and her husband were considering moving to a quieter area, she added.
"This is why we park at the back of the house now because we just know there's always going to be accidents on this road."
McCormick said the collision was "a tragic reminder of the importance of safety on our roads".
The number of serious and fatal collisions in Bolton had "massively reduced...but we've all got much more to do", she added.
"One incident is one too many and they'll do nothing to bring back the four lives lost here today."
Councillor Ayyub Patel, who represents the local ward of Rumworth, told BBC Radio Manchester that the victims' relatives were "devastated".
"The community was waking up to this very sad news, they are shocked - the mood is sombre.
"Any loss of life in any family is devastating news and to wake up to such tragic news is more so than expected.
"If it's expected, you know what's coming but if it's not expected, then obviously it's a shocking experience."
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0r45k245pvo
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EU member rejects funding for Ukraine
12 Jan, 2026
Senior officials in Slovakia have ruled out any military or financial involvement in the Ukraine conflict, according to a new policy agreement announced on Saturday.
The governance roadmap was presented at a press conference by President Peter Pellegrini, Parliamentary Chair Richard Rasi, and Prime Minister Robert Fico, the three highest-ranking officials in Slovakia, who are linked to the three parties forming the current government.
Bratislava will maintain its pledge not to provide military aid to Kiev against Russia, Pellegrini confirmed. Neither will it deploy troops to Ukraine or participate in a European Commission-proposed loan to cover Ukraine’s budget deficit, he added.
“I wouldn’t like to see Slovakia running around like a wounded deer in this crisis that the European Union is experiencing, and becoming a victim of the significant shifts that may occur in Europe,” said Fico, a vocal Euroskeptic, citing energy security as a major national risk. He urged unity within the ruling coalition amid geopolitical turbulence.
Last month, EU leaders agreed to borrow €90 billion ($105 billion) against the bloc’s common budget to support Kiev, but the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia opted out of the scheme. All three are led by politicians who question Brussels’ approach to the Ukraine conflict.
The funding plan was a fallback after the EU failed to agree on a proposal to use immobilized Russian sovereign assets to finance Ukraine – a move opponents viewed as legally dubious and highly risky.
The bloc’s leadership has instructed member states not to buy Russian energy as part of its pressure campaign against Moscow. High domestic energy prices have exacerbated the economic slowdown gripping leading EU economies.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/630829-slovakia-policy-agreement-ukraine/
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Moonsighting project unites science and religion
Jack Conlon
January 12, 2026
The University of Leeds has been part of a pioneering project teaching the Muslim practise of moonsighting.
Moonsighters Academy is the first course of its kind in the UK, and will help educate 38 Muslim community leaders from across the country.
Used for hundreds of years, moonsighting is a method of determining the Islamic calendar and marking significant events like Ramadan and Eid, but is not common practice in the UK.
Imad Ahmed, the Academy's project coordinator, said the course aims to "bring the moon back home and into our own eyesight".
The Islamic calendar is based on lunar cycles, with the start of each month marked by the sighting of the first crescent moon.
Moonsighting requires specific astronomical conditions and visibility, which is why most mosques in the UK rely on the sightings from other countries, such as Saudi Arabia or Morocco.
"When Muslims first came to the UK, they faced a problem that many people face in British astronomy - the cloudy weather," said Ahmed. "They settled on a solution to follow the moon of a different country."
The reliance on other countries has led to disputes, or so-called "moon wars", between mosques in the UK depending on which country they follow, as different countries see the crescent moon on different days.
It often means communities do not observe events like Ramadan or Eid at the same time.
Ahmed added: "Growing up, something I and all Muslims faced in the UK is every single Ramadan or Eid, we didn't seem to know when we should be celebrating, and this has caused a lot of hurt in the community.
"What we're trying to do here is train people in astronomy, not just because it's a contemporary problem, but because Muslims have a really strong history in astronomy.
"Moonsighting is a national sport and we all need to work together. I want to go from moon fighting to moonsighting and moon uniting."
The course, which started in December and will run for nine months, has been created alongside moonsighting organisation the New Crescent Society, of whom Ahmed is director, and the University of Cambridge.
In includes use of the University of Leeds' rooftop observatory and their state-of-the-art 35cm telescopes.
Dr Emma Alexander, an astronomer at the university and project co-lead, said: "One of my favourite aspects of working in astronomy is being able to share it with others, especially when I can help ignite sparks of curiosity about our universe and shake off stereotypes of who astronomers are.
"The course has opened up much more of an interest in the interlink between astronomy and culture in general - how people within different communities, different faiths, interact with our night sky."
The 38 participants include imams, school teachers, artists and business owners of varied ages.
Aliyah Khan, who works as a science teacher and forest therapy practitioner, said she applied for the course in the hope of "educating the next generation" of Muslims in the UK.
"Where I grew up, we have two major mosques and neither of them agree on the same date for Ramadan or Eid," she added.
"So in school I was the only one doing Eid on a different day to my friends. It's quite isolating and splits the community.
"We can see the moon from Britain, we don't need to have someone in another country looking at it for us. It's a way of bridging scientific knowledge and Islamic practise."
Source: bbc.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj6w7g97ng5o
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Revolutionary eye injection saved my sight, says first-ever patient
January 12, 2026
Doctors say they have achieved the previously impossible - restoring sight and preventing blindness in people with a rare but dangerous eye conditon called hypotony.
Moorfields hospital in London is the world's first dedicated clinic for the disorder and seven out of eight patients given the pioneering treatment have responded to the therapy, a pilot study shows.
One of them - the first-ever - is Nicki Guy, 47, who is sharing her story exclusively with the BBC.
She says the results are incredible: "It's life-changing. It's given me everything back. I can see my child grow up.
"I've gone from counting fingers and everything being really blurry to being able to see."
Currently, she can see and read most lines of letters on an eye test chart.
She is one line below what is legally required for driving - a massive change from being partially sighted, using a magnifying glass for anything close up and having to navigate around the house and outside largely using memory.
"If my vision stays like this for the rest of my life it would be absolutely brilliant.
"I may not ever be able to drive again but I'll take that!" she says.
With hypotony, pressure within the eyeball becomes dangerously low, leading it to cave in on itself.
It can happen if there is poor production of the natural jelly-like fluid inside the eye, following trauma or inflammation, for example.
Sometimes it's a side effect of eye surgery or certain medications. Without treatment people can go blind.
Before now, doctors have tried using steroids and silicone oil to plump up the eye. But this can be toxic over long periods and doesn't restore much vision.
Even when the cells at the back of the eye used for sight are working, the silicone oil is difficult to see through, causing blurry vision.
The experts from Moorfields decided to try a different approach with something they already had in their cupboard - a low-cost, transparent, water-based gel called hydroxypropyl methylcellulose or HPCM.
It's already used in some types of eye surgery.
But rather than using it as a one-off, the Moorfield's team decided to inject it into the main part of the eye as a new type of therapy.
When Nicki first had eyesight problems back in 2017, just after her son was born, she was initially given lots of silicone oil in her right eye, which was failing.
She says it had lost its normal shape and "sort of collapsed" or "crumpled like a paper bag" due to hypotony. The treatment did little to help.
And a few years later, her left eye started to fail in the same way.
"After I lost vision in my left eye, I thought, 'there has to be something else we can try'," she explains.
"Sheer determination. I was just like 'I'm not giving up'".
Her eye doctor Mr Harry Petrushkin said, together, they decided to do something entirely new - fill the eye with something that you can see through.
"The idea that we might be causing harm to somebody who has only really one eye with a treatment that may or may not work was nerve-wracking," he recalls.
"We came up with this as a solution and amazingly it worked.
"Really, we could not have dreamt of her having the outcome that she has had.
"Somebody, who by all rights should have lost her vision in both eyes... is now living normally. That's completely remarkable. We couldn't have hoped for better."
He says the same treatment could potentially help hundreds or even thousands of people each year in the UK. It comes down to whether they still have viable cells at the back of the eye that allow vision.
"We knew with Nicki there was vision to gain and she would get better if we could make her eye round and hard again."
They've treated 35 patients so far, thanks to funding from the Moorfields Eye Charity, and have now published the outcomes of the first eight in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.
The treatment is given once every three to four weeks for around 10 months in total.
The researchers hope that with time, they will get even better at working out who could benefit.
"It's been a fantastic story. The results are really promising but it's early days," says Petrushkin.
Source: bbc.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c89qyv98lzdo
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North America
CAIR Expresses Solidarity with Australian Muslims After Hate Attack on Imam, Wife
January 11, 2026
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today expressed solidarity with the Muslim community in Australia following a reported hate attack on an Imam (religious leader) and his wife.
According to media reports and community statements, the imam and his wife were allegedly assaulted in a roadside incident believed to be motivated by anti-Muslim hatred.
In a statement, Washington, D.C.-based CAIR said:
“We stand in full solidarity with the Australian Muslim community and with the imam and his wife who were reportedly targeted in this alleged Islamophobic hate attack. No one should fear for their safety because of their faith, appearance, or identity. This disturbing incident is a reminder that anti-Muslim bigotry is a global threat that must be confronted with unity, justice, and moral clarity.
“We urge Australian authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and hold those responsible fully accountable. Political leaders and institutions must also address the broader climate of hate that fuels such attacks by unequivocally condemning Islamophobia and protecting the rights and dignity of all faith communities.”
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
Do you like reading CAIR press releases and taking part in our action alerts? You can help contribute to CAIR’s work of defending civil rights and empowering American Muslims across the country by making a one-time contribution or becoming a monthly donor. Supporters like you make CAIR’s advocacy work possible and defeating Islamophobia an achievable goal. Click here to donate to CAIR.
You are receiving this email due to your interest selection from commercial media databases. If you would like to join CAIR’s media list, please sign up here:
Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-expresses-solidarity-with-australian-muslim-after-hate-attack-on-imam-wife/
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‘I love criminals, I love immigrants’: Swedish singer Zara Larsson slams ICE, explains why partner is barred from US
Jan 12, 2026
Swedish pop star Zara Larsson attacked US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), saying the agency is the reason her partner has been banned from entering the United States for years.
Larsson shared a series of Instagram stories on Saturday criticising ICE, which has been under intense scrutiny following the fatal shooting of a woman by a federal agent in Minneapolis last week. Her posts went viral.
“I love immigrants, I love criminals, I love trans people, I love abortions, I love queers, I love slutty women, I love contraception, I love welfare, I love socialism, I f***ing hate ICE,” she wrote.
After receiving messages questioning why she said she loved criminals, Larsson explained that her personal life was directly affected by US immigration rules. She said her long-time partner has been unable to visit the US because of a past criminal record, reports NME.
“The reason why my sweet, smart, generous, talented, thoughtful man can’t come to the US – AT ALL – to visit me ever since we got together 6 years ago is because he has a criminal record,” she wrote. “Guess for what? WEED! Hahahahaha like?? Who gives a f**ing f**k?!?”
Larsson is dating Swedish dancer Lamin Holmén. She clarified that he no longer has a criminal record, saying it had been so long since the incident that it had been officially cleared. Despite that, she said he is still barred from entering the US.
She went on to criticise the criminal justice system and argued that people are jailed for non-violent offences in US. She added that enforcement unfairly targets minorities.
“It ends up being black and brown people” who are arrested most often, she claimed.
Larsson’s posts became more confrontational as she compared ICE agents to criminals. “Idk about yall but I’d rather have someone smoking crack on my couch than a f**king ICE agent ewwwwwwwww,” she wrote. “They’re criminals too. Killing, kidnapping, violent, hateful ones.”
Zara Larsson defends her story saying she loves criminals while condemning ICE:
“People in my DM are like "aahhhh criminals?!?!?!?" Girl YES, heavy on that 😛😛 shit, the reason why my sweet, loving, kind, caring, compassionate, smart, generous, talented, thoughtful man can't… pic.twitter.com/XOcnROlmP9
Her comments came days after Renee Nicole Good was killed few days ago during an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis. Good was a prize-winning poet with a wife and three children. She was shot in her car by a federal agent named Jonathan Ross, who claimed he opened fire in self-defence. She had volunteered with neighbourhood patrols that monitor ICE activity in the city.
Other singers and actors also spoke up against the alleged violence by ICE, including Duran Duran, Dave Matthews, Neil Young, Joe Keery and Billie Eilish.
Source: indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/i-love-criminals-i-love-immigrants-swedish-singer-zara-larsson-slams-ice-explains-why-partner-is-barred-from-us/articleshow/126470867.cms
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Indian-American entrepreneur warns Hindu-hating Texas Republican for 'demonic gods' jibe: 'Votes will go to Dems'
Jan 11, 2026
Texas GOP leader Alexander Duncan once again triggered anti-Hindu hatred as he cast aspersions on a Hindu temple in Texas and said "this does not belong in Texas". Commenting on a video of the Sri Ashtalakshmi Temple in Sugar Land where the maker of the video exclaimed about the beautiful temple and how it made them feel they were in India, Duncan said such temples have no place in Texas.
"This does not belong in Texas! We do not need or want temples in our state that are used to worship false, demonic gods and idols. “You shall have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:3," Duncan wrote. This is not the first time that Duncan stirred anti-Hindu emotions with his provocative statements. Earlier, he came under fire for calling Hanuman 'false god' and condemning the 90-foot Hanuman statue in Texas.
Duncan's post went viral with social media users calling 'idol worship' evil and blaming Texas Governor George Abbott for this. Many opined that Ohio will now become like this if Indian-origin Vivek Ramaswamy, who is a Hindu, becomes the Governor.
An Indian-origin entrepreneur called Duncan's bigotry out and said if Republicans continue with such bigotry, more money and votes will go to Dems. Thankfully Gov Abbott is not a bigot & bible is not the United States Constitution. Hindu American population in Texas will touch a million in a few years. We vote in high numbers & have high median incomes. Such bigotry will only mean more money and votes will go to Dems. Go on," Ram Prasad posted.
Texas is one of the states with a huge Indian population. According to Pew Research, 960,000 out of the US's Indian population of 4.9 million, or 20%, live in California. Other states with large Indian populations are Texas (570,000), New Jersey (440,000), New York (390,000) and Illinois (270,000). Metropolitan areas with the largest Indian populations include the New York (710,000), Dallas (270,000) and San Francisco (260,000) metro areas.
Source: indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/indian-american-entrepreneur-warns-hindu-hating-texas-republican-for-demonic-gods-jibe-votes-will-go-to-dems/articleshowprint/126466595.cms
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Trump won't take Greenland by force, Mandelson says
12 Jan, 2026
Tom McArthur
US President Donald Trump would not "land on Greenland and take it by force", Lord Mandelson has said.
The former UK ambassador to the US told the BBC he admired Trump's "directness" in political talks but said he was not a "fool", and advisers would remind him that taking Greenland could spell "real danger" for the US national interest.
There has been growing focus during Trump's second term on how the semi-autonomous Danish territory is run, with Trump saying on Saturday the US needed to "own" Greenland to stop Russia and China from doing so.
Denmark and Greenland say the territory is not for sale, with Denmark warning military action would spell the end of the Nato military alliance.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will hold talks with Denmark about Greenland next week. The AFP news agency reports that a Danish poll suggests that 38% of Danes think the US will launch an invasion of Greenland under the Trump administration.
Speaking on BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, Lord Mandelson said: "He's not going to do that [use military action to take Greenland]. I don't know, but I'm offering my best judgement as somebody who's observed him at fairly close quarters."
Sparsely populated, Greenland's location between North America and the Arctic makes it ideally placed for missile early warning systems and for monitoring vessels in the region.
Trump has repeatedly maintained that Greenland is vital to US national security, claiming without evidence that it was "covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place". His focus on the territory returned after a commando raid on the Venezuelan capital Caracas last week seized president Nicolas Maduro and his wife and killed dozens of people.
Lord Mandelson, who only lasted a few months as ambassador, also said: "We are all going to have to wake up to the reality that the Arctic needs securing against China and Russia. And if you ask me who is going to lead in that effort to secure, we all know, don't we, that it's going to be the United States."
Meanwhile, the UK is working with Nato allies to bolster security in the Arctic, a senior minister told BBC One's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said discussions about securing the region against Russia and China were part of Nato's usual business rather than a response to the US military threat, and then said the UK agreed with Trump that the Arctic Circle is an increasingly contested part of the world.
"It is really important that we do everything that we can with all of our Nato allies to ensure that we have an effective deterrent in that part of the globe against Putin", she told the Kuenssberg programme.
But Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the situation in Greenland was a "second order" issue in comparison to what is currently happening in Iran, as protesters there defy a government crackdown.
Questions around sending troops to Greenland were "hypothetical" because "the US has not invaded Greenland," she said.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said the UK should agree to deploy troops to Greenland as part of a joint Nato operation, led by Denmark.
Trump's "outrageous threats" only play in to the hands of Russia's Vladimir Putin, he added.
The US already has significant influence over Greenland. Under existing agreements with Denmark, the US has the power to bring as many troops as it wants to the territory.
In recent years, interest has increased in Greenland's natural resources - including rare earth minerals, uranium and iron - which are becoming easier to access as its ice melts due to climate change. Scientists think it could also have significant oil and gas reserves.
But on Saturday, Trump told reporters in Washington that existing agreements were not good enough.
"I love the people of China. I love the people of Russia," Trump said. "But I don't want them as a neighbour in Greenland, not going to happen.
"And by the way, Nato's got to understand that."
Earlier this week Denmark's Nato allies - major European countries as well as Canada - have rallied to its support with statements reaffirming that "only Denmark and Greenland can decide on matters concerning their relations".
The government sacked Lord Mandelson as its ambassador to the US after emails showed he had been in contact with billionaire paedophile Jeffery Epstein after his first conviction, and offered him support.
Epstein died in a New York prison cell on 10 August 2019 as he awaited a trial on sex trafficking charges.
Number 10 sources said at the time that he had been "economical with the truth" before he was appointed and they were not aware of the "depth" of their relationship.
On Sunday, Lord Mandelson said the government "knew everything" when giving him the job, "but not the emails because they came as a surprise to me".
A key architect of New Labour, Lord Mandelson has been in and out of British politics for four decades.
He held a number of ministerial roles from the election of Tony Blair - and had to resign from post twice - until Labour lost power in 2010.
Source: bbc.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp9j1d3zgvgo
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'Stand with them': Supporters of mosque plans campaign before city council vote
Jan 12, 2026
BROKEN ARROW, Okla. — One day before an anticipated special meeting, the campaign to gather support for rezoning needed to build a mosque collected more than a thousand opinion forms to turn into Broken Arrow City Council, proponents said.
The planned Islamic community center would be a place of worship, recreation, and even health care for more than 10,000 Muslims in Green Country if the council approved it, according to Islamic Society of Tulsa.
Tulsa County Democratic Party chair Sarah Gray told 2 News on Jan. 11 that is worth generating support.
Gray said she spent the day coordinating volunteers to knock on doors in Broken Arrow to collect yellow supporting opinion forms for submission to the city council.
“I didn’t call anybody and say, ‘Hey, are you guys Democrats? Are there any Democrats who are affected by this?’ We just saw that they were neighbors who were in need of having neighbors come and stand with them,” Gray said.
Tulsa Metropolitan Ministry CEO Aliye Shimi - herself a Muslim resident of Broken Arrow – said she's collected more than 3,000 opinion forms from congregants of non-Muslim faith groups around the Tulsa metro area.
"This shows that we are a community," Shimi said. "This shows that unity that’s in the community.”
Last week Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced his office will investigate the construction's funding and whether its parent organization might have ties to terrorism.
Shimi said she doesn’t buy it.
“(It is) a waste of our taxpayer money," Shimi said. "Just feeding into the fear of these poor community members in Broken Arrow, right? I understand there's a lot of ignorance behind this. I understand there's a lot of fear. People are afraid of the unknown."
The Broken Arrow City Council special meeting will be at the NSU-Broken Arrow campus administration building at 6pm on Jan. 12.
Source: kjrh.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.kjrh.com/news/local-news/stand-with-them-supporters-of-mosque-plans-campaign-before-city-council-vote
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CAIR Welcomes Arrest of Suspect in Mississippi Synagogue Arson
January 11, 2026
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed the arrest of a suspect in an arson attack that heavily damaged Beth Israel Congregation synagogue in Jackson, Mississippi, which was previously bombed by the Ku Klux Klan in 1967.
According to media reports, a suspect was arrested Saturday night after a fire was reported at the synagogue. No injuries were reported as a result of the blaze.
In a statement, Washington, D.C., based CAIR said:
“We welcome the swift arrest of a suspect in this disturbing arson attack on a synagogue and commend law enforcement for taking decisive action. Houses of worship should always be places of peace and safety, never targets of hatred or violence. We call on elected officials, faith leaders and community leaders to work together to confront antisemitic hate and to protect the civil and religious rights of all communities.”
CAIR urged all religious institutions to utilize it “Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety” booklet, which offers advice on how to help keep religious facilities safe. The advice in the booklet is applicable to houses of worship of all faiths.
The Muslim civil rights organization added that it and the American Muslim community stand in solidarity with all those challenging antisemitism, systemic anti-Black racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, white supremacy, and all other forms of bigotry.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
Do you like reading CAIR press releases and taking part in our action alerts? You can help contribute to CAIR’s work of defending civil rights and empowering American Muslims across the country by making a one-time contribution or becoming a monthly donor. Supporters like you make CAIR’s advocacy work possible and defeating Islamophobia an achievable goal. Click here to donate to CAIR.
You are receiving this email due to your interest selection from commercial media databases. If you would like to join CAIR’s media list, please sign up here:
Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-welcomes-arrest-of-suspect-in-mississippi-synagogue-arson/
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Iranians rallying in Ottawa for freedom from Islamic Republic
By Camille Wilson
January 11, 2026
The Iranian-Canadian community is holding a peaceful rally on Parliament Hill Sunday in solidarity with the revolution in Iran.
Organized by the Ottawa Rise IRAN Community Team, the demonstration is voicing support for the people of Iran who are fighting for freedom from the Islamic Republic.
“Protesters in Ottawa will urge the Canadian government to move beyond words and take concrete steps to support the Iranian people’s fight for democracy,” organizers of Sunday’s rally said in a news release.
Rallies have been held across Canada this weekend, drawing hundreds in cities like Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver.
Protests in Iran began on Dec. 28 and have led to more than 500 deaths and thousands of people being detained, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency. The protests initially began over the country’s faltering economy but have grown to challenge the theocratic government as a whole.
Iranians living in Ottawa are demanding the Canadian government stand with the Iranian people to defeat the Islamic Republic, supress the regime, and open negotiation conversations with opposition leader, Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, about the people’s transition to democracy.
“We together with the Iranian people, inside Iran, we want our politicians to recognize Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi as a leader and provide supports by giving maximum pressure on the regime and maximum support to the people of Iran, to help them to get rid of this, regime, because people want to install a democratic and secular government, chosen by the votes of people. This is all they want,” said Soorena, an Iranian living in Canada.
“First of all, this is my human responsibility, and as an Iranian. This is my duty to support the Iranian people. Here I am, living in Canada, enjoying the freedom of speech, enjoying a democratic government and I think to myself, why shouldn’t my people inside Iran have the same type of government? They deserve this. People should be given this chance to reclaim their country, reclaim their identity and enjoy a life under a democratic and a secular government.”
Some people travelled from Montreal for the protest on Parliament Hill, like Sharif Naemi.
“This is four days that I haven’t talked to my parents and my family in Iran because everything is shut down,” Naemi said.
“They want to stay, they want to keep the regime because of their profit, not the profit out the country. That’s the reason that we are here.”
The communications blackout in Iran is particularly worrying for people who have family and friends in the country.
“It’s over four days that there is no internet. There is no phone line. Everything is shut down. Because we have a government who kills their own people,” said Leila, an Iranian living in Canada. “This government is an Islamic regime who doesn’t care about the basic human rights of the people. We are here just to be the voice of people who are taken hostage inside the country and they are demanding their own basic human rights.”
Source: ctvnews.ca
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https://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/article/iranians-rallying-in-ottawa-for-freedom-from-islamic-republic/
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'Radical person': Trump justifies Renee Good's fatal shooting by ICE agent; flags disrespect to law enforcement
Jan 12, 2026
US President Donald Trump on Sunday justified the killing of Renee Nicole Good by the ICE agent in Minneapolis last week, claiming that the woman was radical and violent.
While talking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump cited the clips just before an ICE agent shot Renee and said that no one should treat the law enforcement agents in a disrespectful manner.
"Everyone's seen it. And the woman was very violent. She's a very radical person. Very sad what happened. Her friend was very radical," Trump said.
"You can't be treating law enforcement that way, whether it's ICE or Border Patrol or our police and men and women. You can't do that," he added.
The US President also took a sharp jibe at his predecessor Joe Biden, accusing him of allowing people to pour through an open border.
"You know, the law enforcement our country is doing really well despite the fact that Sleepy Joe Biden allowed people to pour through an open border. Crime stats just came out. We have the best crime stats on record, despite all the criminals he allowed into our country. We've gotten a lot of them out," Trump said.
"We have to respect our law enforcement at a very minimum. That woman was very, very disrespectful to law enforcement. And you heard the same noises, you saw the same crunch that I saw. You can't do that with law enforcement, whether it's or ICE or Border Patrol or anybody else," he added.
This comes days after an ICE agent shot and killed Renee Nicole Good, a US citizen, during an encounter in south Minneapolis.
Renee was sitting in her car when she was shot. Videos of the incident, filmed from different angles, spread quickly online and triggered sharp and emotional reactions across the country.
Minnesota state leaders described the shooting as an unjustified use of lethal force against a civilian who was trying to leave the scene.
However, Donald Trump administration confirmed the shooting and said the woman was a rioter who in her vehicle attempted to run over law enforcement officers.
The administration branded Renee's attempt to mow ICE agents down with her vehicle as domestic terrorism.
Source: indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/radical-person-trump-justifies-renee-goods-fatal-shooting-by-ice-agent-flags-disrespect-to-law-enforcement/articleshow/126475221.cms
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How ICE ratings changed after Minnesota shooting — in numbers
Jan 11, 2026
Public opinion of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) went downhill after a fatal shooting in Minnesota, with new polling showing growing disapproval of the agency and rising support for protests against its aggresive tactics.
The shift came a day after a federal officer fatally shot a 37-year-old mother in Minneapolis, shooting her 3-4 times in the face in 'self-defence'.
A YouGov poll conducted that day among more than 2,600 American adults found that a majority now disapprove of how ICE is operating, as US President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown intensifies.
According to the poll, 52 per cent of respondents said they somewhat or strongly disapproved of ICE’s performance, compared with 39 per cent who approved. Only 27 per cent felt the agency’s tactics were “about right”, while 51 per cent described them as “too forceful”. Another 10 per cent said they were not forceful enough.
The survey also found that public sympathy has shifted towards demonstrators. About 44 per cent of adults said they approved of recent protests against ICE, while 42 per cent disapproved.
These findings were opposite to those of last year's. In February 2025, at the start of Trump’s second term, ICE held a net approval rating of plus 16, according to YouGov. Over the course of the year, that figure dropped by 30 points to minus 14, as tougher enforcement measures took hold. These included plans linked to top White House aide Stephen Miller to arrest as many as 3,000 people per day.
Moreover, nearly six in ten Americans, or 58 per cent, said they believe a war or conflict is taking place in US cities. Just 26 per cent disagreed. Older Americans were most likely to feel this way, with 74 per cent of those aged 65 and above saying they see a conflict unfolding.
At the same time, support for abolishing ICE has risen. Data from research firm Civiqs shows that in September 2024, only 19 per cent supported abolishing the agency, while 66 per cent opposed it. This month, support has climbed to 42 per cent, with opposition falling to 49.5 per cent. Among Democrats, abolishing ICE has become a majority view, backed by 69 per cent.
The backlash comes against a backdrop of already weakening approval for Trump’s immigration agenda. Multiple polls over the past year show his ratings on immigration falling to new lows, despite a sharp drop in illegal border crossings.
A Reuters Ipsos poll found that 54 per cent of Americans disagreed with the statement that workplace immigration arrests are good for the country. Another NPR PBS News Marist poll showed that 54 per cent of adults believed ICE had gone too far in enforcing immigration laws.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) continues to rank among Americans’ least popular federal agencies, according to Pew Research Center. Republicans have grown more favourable towards DHS, and Democratic support has dropped sharply.
Source: indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/how-ice-ratings-changed-after-minnesota-shooting-in-numbers/articleshowprint/126467364.cms
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Trump tells Cuba to 'make a deal, before it is too late'
George Wright
12 Jan, 2026
Donald Trump has urged Cuba to "make a deal" or face consequences, warning that the flow of Venezuelan oil and money would now stop.
The US president has been turning his attention to Cuba since US forces seized Venezuela's leader Nicolás Maduro in a 3 January raid on its capital, Caracas.
Venezuela, a long-standing ally of Cuba, is believed to send around 35,000 barrels of oil a day to the island.
Cuba's foreign minister responded by saying his nation retained the right to import fuel "without interference", while its president said: "No one dictates what we do."
The Trump administration's tactic of confiscating sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers has already begun to worsen a fuel and electricity crisis in Cuba.
On Friday, it seized a fifth oil tanker it said was carrying sanctioned oil from Venezuela.
"Cuba lived, for many years, on large amounts of OIL and MONEY from Venezuela. In return, Cuba provided 'Security Services' for the last two Venezuelan dictators, BUT NOT ANYMORE!" Trump posted on Truth Social on Sunday.
"THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA - ZERO! I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE."
Trump did not specify the terms of a deal or the consequences Cuba could face.
But Cuban foreign minister Bruno Rodriguez said the Caribbean island nation had "the absolute right to import fuel" from any willing exporter "without interference or subordination to the unilateral coercive measures of the United States".
He added that, unlike the US, Cuba does not lend itself to "blackmail or military coercion against other States".
Trump also referenced the raid to seize Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who are now facing drug trafficking and other charges in the US.
Cuba has for years supplied Maduro with his personal security detail. The Cuban government said 32 of its nationals were killed during the US operation in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.
Trump said: "Most of those Cubans are DEAD from last week's USA attack, and Venezuela doesn't need protection anymore from the thugs and extortionists who held them hostage for so many years.
"Venezuela now has the United States of America, the most powerful military in the World (by far!), to protect them, and protect them we will."
Rodriguez said Cuba had "never received monetary or material compensation for the security services it has provided to any country".
While the Trump administration has not stated clear plans for Cuba, the US president has previously said that a military intervention was unnecessary because the country was "ready to fall".
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated last week that Cuba's leaders should be worried, saying that he would be "concerned" if he were in the Cuban government and that "they're in a lot of trouble".
On Sunday, Trump also re-posted on social media a message suggesting that Rubio - a Cuban-American former Florida senator and the son of Cuban exiles - could become president of Cuba.
Trump shared that post with the comment: "Sounds good to me!"
Trump has increasingly framed US policy through the lens of a revived 1823 "Monroe Doctrine" that promises US supremacy in the western hemisphere - re-branding it the "Donroe Doctrine".
The last few months of US foreign policy have becoming increasingly focused on Latin America and the left-wing leaders with whom he has ideological differences, with US actions justified as combatting drug trafficking.
After the unprecedented raid on Caracas, Trump said a military operation targeting Colombia "sounds good" and has repeatedly told its President Gustavo Petro to "watch his ass". The US imposed sanctions on Petro - Colombia's first left-wing leader - in October, saying he was allowing drug cartels to "flourish".
Trump has also said that drugs were "pouring" through Mexico into the US, adding "we're gonna have to do something". The US president he has offered to send US troops to Mexico to combat cartels, but President Claudia Sheinbaum has publicly rejected any US military action on Mexican soil.
The US and Cuba have had a strained relationship since the communist Fidel Castro overthrew a US-backed government in 1959.
While steps were taken to improve diplomatic relations, particularly under former US President Barack Obama, the Trump administration has reversed many of these moves.
Shortly after being sworn in to a second term, Trump reinstated Cuba's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism, which had been lifted just days before by the then-President Joe Biden.
Cuba's President Miguel Diaz-Canel said on Sunday: "Those who turn everything into a business, even human lives, have no moral authority to point fingers at Cuba for anything, absolutely anything.
"Those who today hysterically rail against our nation do so out of rage over the sovereign decision of this people to choose their political model."
Source: bbc.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2kv2gn62vo
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Africa
Jihadist Violence Spreads To North-Central As Terrorists Hit Niger, Kwara
January 11, 2026
Fresh attacks by jihadist groups linked to Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS), Ansaru splinter factions and the Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) have heightened fears over the expansion of terrorist violence into Nigeria’s North-Central zone, with Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State emerging as a major flashpoint.
On January 9, 2026, terrorists operating along the Borgu axis attacked Damala village, a Kambari farming settlement, killing four residents and carting away foodstuffs and livestock before retreating into the Kainji National Park.
According to Zagazola Makama, the attack followed the same pattern as the January 3 massacre in Kasuwan Daji, where villagers were killed and others abducted during a coordinated night raid.
Intelligence findings indicate that Borgu and neighbouring Agwara Local Government Area have increasingly become operational zones for a Saddiku-led Boko Haram faction, working in collaboration with JNIM fighters infiltrating from the Sahel.
The groups are believed to be exploiting the Liptako–Gourma tri-border forest corridor, spanning parts of Mali, Niger Republic and Burkina Faso, before filtering through Benin Republic into the Kainji National Park ecosystem.
Zagagola noted that the vast forest cover of the park, combined with weak surveillance and limited state presence, has turned it into a strategic rear base for terrorist regrouping, logistics and cross-border movement.
On November 21, 2025, gunmen abducted students of St. Mary Catholic School, Papiri, in Borgu LGA. The students were later released in batches on December 8 and December 22, 2025. It remains unclear whether ransom was paid.
Intelligence sources linked the abduction to JAS handlers operating from the Ali Ngulde camp in Nigeria’s North-East.
The incident was followed by the January 3, 2026 Kasuwan Daji attack and an earlier January 5 assault on a Mobile Police (MOPOL) checkpoint at New Kali village, also in Borgu LGA.
The pattern points to a high probability of continued and possibly more daring attacks in Borgu and surrounding communities in the coming weeks.
There are growing concerns that the violence could spread into Kwara State, particularly Kaiama and Baruten LGAs, which border the Kainji National Park.
Counterterrorism experts warn that the groups have had sufficient time to regroup and reposition following recent security operations in parts of Niger State, increasing the likelihood of a renewed operational surge.
“The pattern suggests deliberate expansion rather than isolated criminality,” a security expert said.
“This is ideological jihadist violence fused with banditry and cross-border logistics. The Damala attack reinforces assessments that JAS, Ansaru factions and JNIM elements now maintain established bases within Kainji National Park.”
Analysts said the repeated looting of livestock and food supplies reflects the terrorists’ dependence on local communities for sustenance, while relying on the park’s dense ecosystem for concealment, mobility and survival.
Military strategists described Kainji National Park as both the terrorists’ operational centre of gravity and their key vulnerability.
Security experts have called for sustained, intelligence-driven air operations targeting known hideouts, logistics routes and assembly areas within the park.
According to Zagazola Makama, such an approach could disrupt supply chains, degrade combat capability and create favourable conditions for coordinated ground operations to reclaim the area and prevent further expansion into Kwara and deeper into the North-Central region.
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2026/01/11/jihadist-violence-spreads-to-north-central-as-terrorists-hit-niger-kwara/
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Kampala decked in colours of Ugandan president's party ahead of polls
12 Jan, 2026
With just days to go to Uganda’s general election, streets in the capital Kampala are decked out in campaign posters for incumbent President Yoweri Museveni.
The 81-year-old leader of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party, who has ruled the country since 1986, is seeking re-election.
Despite his age and growing concern about his government's suppression of political opponents, human rights abuses, and corruption scandals, Museveni's supporters remain steadfast.
Lydia Nansangwawo, who is vice-secretary of the NRM’s national mobile task force, says the opposition’s promise of “a new country” leaves a lot of unknowns.
"We don't know what kind of a new country they are talking about. But what we are sure of is this country, we enjoy our country, we enjoy what our president has done for us and we enjoy the security we have," she says.
One of Africa’s oldest leaders, Museveni’s government has changed the constitution twice to remove age and term limits to allow him to stand in the polls.
A former rebel, he has been credited with stabilising Uganda, promoting economic growth, and combating HIV/AIDS.
And people like shopkeeper, Flavia Atubera, love him for it.
"He got Uganda when we were backward, but during the time he has spent here, very many things he has done for us. We have peace, we ladies we were not known in the community but now we are free to do what we want,” she says.
Ahead of the 15 January polls, the authorities have detained hundreds of opposition supporters.
The election will again pit Museveni against the 43-year-old pop-star-turned politician known as Bobi Wine.
Rights group, Amnesty International earlier this week accused Ugandan security forces of launching a “brutal campaign of repression” against Wine’s supporters.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.africanews.com/2026/01/11/kampala-decked-in-colours-of-ugandan-presidents-party-ahead-of-polls/
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‘We Need To Pity Wike, He Is Living Politically By Desperate Lifeline From Tinubu’ – Laolu Akande
January 12, 2026
By Rachel Okporu Fadoju
Former special adviser to ex-Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, Laolu Akande, has stated that Nigerians need to pity the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, at this point in time.
Naija News reports that Akande made this known via his YouTube channel, while speaking on the subject, ‘Why Wike is troubled.’
According to him, Wike has surrounded himself with several political battles and enemies, stressing that the Minister will continue fighting to hold Rivers State under his grip.
Akande also stated that Wike is politically living on President Bola Tinubu‘s lifeline, stressing that his political career would decline if sacked as Minister.
He said, “The moment you hear Wike, the immediate past, governor of Rivers, say in his ongoing political tours in the state say that he doesn’t want to hear in the state anything about PDP or APC anymore, but only Renewed Hope Family, know that the man has started to realize his own limitations, after all.
“Now, Rivers State governor, Sim Fubara had given us a hint of the unending palaver between Wike and himself with that song, ‘If you follow Tinubu don’t do corner corner. Fubara dey tell you something’.
“So, we must pity Wike. His own choice of successor is undoubtedly giving him a fight of his political life. We hope Nigerian political gladiators are learning a lesson or two from Wike’s dilemma.
“Democracy is not dictatorship. So when you fail to carry the people along, sooner or later, you’ll discover the foolishness of such action somewhere down the road.
“But the day of reckoning is not here yet for Mr Wike…he still has the gunpowder to deploy in his effort to keep his political structures in River State intact. He has a lot of money to sustain the fight.
“So Wike is going to fight some more in his attempt to hold Rivers State under his grip. I hope Wike is not already biting more than he can chew. After all, not every politician can be a Jagaban.
“Wike has a series of puzzles with persons who helped lift him up politically but he hasn’t been able to retire them from politics or to permanently or significantly reduce their influence.
“Peter Odili is there, Goodluck Jonathan too, especially his wife, Dr. Patience Jonathan and Chibuike Amaechi. Currently, Wike is living politically by a desperate lifeline from Tinubu.
“Tinubu is the one now sustaining Wike. Imagine what will happen to Wike if Tinubu removes him as a minister. Only Tinubu is around the periphery of Wike’s good book for obvious reasons.
“As for the other he has either discarded them or the relationship has completely run out. So, it is tough for our FCT minister. It is not easy even for the strongest general to accumulate so many battles and enemies all at once. So, we need to pity Wike.”
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2026/01/12/we-need-to-pity-wike-he-is-living-politically-by-desperate-lifeline-from-tinubu-laolu-akande/
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Police Checkpoints Primary Reason For Traffick On Nigerian Roads – Peter Obi
January 12, 2026
By Justina Otio
Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has stated that the primary cause of gridlock on Nigerian roads is the poorly positioned security checkpoints across Nigeria.
Speaking via his 𝕏 account on Sunday, Obi lamented that he experienced appalling levels of traffic congestion during the festive season.
He noted that the gridlock was so extreme that travellers had to abandon their journeys in a bid to escape the chaos.
He wrote, “This festive season, I traversed several major roads across the country and encountered appalling levels of traffic congestion.
“At times, the gridlock was so extreme that travellers bound for distant destinations were forced to abandon their journeys, wasting hours trying to escape the chaos.”
According to him, a closer examination of the situation revealed that ill-positioned security checkpoints were the primary cause of the congestion.
“A closer inspection reveals that the primary contributor to this congestion is the ill-placed security checkpoints. Positioning these checkpoints at narrow points or near construction zones is nothing short of irresponsible, as it brings traffic to a complete standstill,” Obi stated.
He added that similar experiences were being reported on many roads across the country, suggesting that the problem was widespread.
Obi said issues often dismissed as minor deserve serious attention because of their direct impact on the everyday lives of Nigerians.
“Some may dismiss certain areas of my commentary as trivial, but I firmly assert that every detail has profound implications for our society; they significantly influence people’s daily lives,” he said.
While acknowledging the efforts and sacrifices of Nigeria’s security agencies, Obi stressed the need for better judgment and adaptability, particularly during peak travel periods.
“While I respect and recognise the sacrifices made by our security agencies, they must adopt greater discretion and flexibility during peak travel times.
“People are returning to work, facing long distances, and contending with poor road conditions,” he said.
He warned that prolonged delays caused by traffic bottlenecks leave drivers fatigued and increase the likelihood of road accidents.
“These unnecessary delays leave drivers exhausted, raising the risk of accidents as they struggle to stay alert behind the wheel.
“There is absolutely no justification for subjecting travellers to such avoidable setbacks,” Obi added.
Obi further argued that the current situation contradicts the core purpose of highway security operations.
“The purpose of security is to protect lives, not endanger them.
“Extended delays force those who set out early to find themselves on the road well after dark, putting them at even greater risk in a time marked by rising insecurity,” he warned.
Calling for urgent reforms, the former Anambra State governor urged security agencies to adopt a more strategic and coordinated approach to addressing the issue.
“A more strategic approach is not just advisable, it’s essential.
“Checkpoints must be strategically located away from narrow roads and construction zones, inspections need to be expedited during heavy traffic, and agencies must coordinate effectively to eliminate unnecessary bottlenecks,” Obi said.
He concluded that such measures would improve traffic flow without compromising security, making Nigerian roads safer and more humane.
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2026/01/12/police-checkpoints-primary-reason-for-traffick-on-nigerian-roads-peter-obi/
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Malami’s Probe Not Political, We Investigate Across Party Lines — EFCC
January 12, 2026
By Enioluwa Adeniyi
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has dismissed claims that its operations are targeted at opposition figures, insisting that its investigations are conducted without regard to political affiliation.
The EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, stated this in an interview on Sunday Politics on Channels Television, where he addressed allegations surrounding the commission’s investigation of a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.
Olukoyede said, “Let me tell you about that particular former attorney-general that you are talking about, there is nothing personal in this matter.
“If Nigeria is to move forward, all of us must agree that this fight must be fought without being partisan, and that’s what I want Nigerians to understand and to agree with us.”
The EFCC boss explained that the investigation into Malami did not begin under his leadership, noting that he merely inherited the case file.
“So now I want to tell Nigerians that the investigation of this man predated me in office, and a lot of people don’t know that. Yes, I edited the investigation file. What I did was to ensure that the investigation was carried out in a very professional and thorough manner,” he said.
According to Olukoyede, Malami had been under investigation for nearly two and a half years.
“He has been under investigation for almost two and a half years. The file was opened not even under me. I inherited it, and for the past over two years I’ve been in office, we’ve been painstakingly carrying out the investigation, trying to establish some of these offences and all of that,” he added.
He stressed that charges were only filed after the commission was satisfied with the strength of its case.
“Not until I was convinced that we had a watertight case, and Nigerians are witnesses, so there’s nothing personal about it. I don’t understand the issue of persecution and all of that,” Olukoyede said.
The EFCC recently arraigned the immediate past AGF, alongside his wife and son, on a 16-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering.
On January 7, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja granted the defendants bail in the sum of ₦500m each, with two sureties.
The court ruled that the sureties must own landed property in high-end areas of Abuja, including Asokoro, Maitama, and Gwarinpa, and must also submit their travel documents to the court.
ADC Alleges Witch-Hunt
Before the bail was granted, the African Democratic Congress in Kebbi State accused the EFCC of witch-hunt and political victimisation in the prosecution of Malami.
“In other words, as a law enforcement agency, the EFCC must not only enforce the law but must also be seen to enforce the law. But when a law enforcement agency is biased and selective, it presents a serious challenge to the country it is meant to serve,” it alleged.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2026/01/12/malamis-probe-not-political-we-investigate-across-party-lines-efcc/
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Rivers Crisis: Tinubu May Step In Again As Wike Returns To Abuja
January 12, 2026
By Enioluwa Adeniyi
Speculation over a fresh intervention by Bola Tinubu in the Rivers State political crisis intensified on Friday after 26 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly announced they would commence impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy.
Amid rising political tensions, sources close to the Presidency told Punch that the President was considering stepping in again and had reportedly invited the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and Governor Fubara to a meeting to address the worsening crisis.
Fueling the speculation, Wike departed the Port Harcourt International Airport for Abuja on Sunday evening, effectively dispelling rumours that he was travelling to Dubai for a private meeting with the President.
The minister arrived at the airport at about 4:30 pm and was ushered into the VIP lounge, accompanied by friends and loyalists, before boarding his flight to Abuja.
Efforts to confirm whether Wike was scheduled to meet the President were unsuccessful; calls to his media aide, Lere Olayinka, were not returned as of the time of filing this report.
However, a source close to the minister said Wike’s trip was part of his routine official duties, noting that the President is currently out of the country.
“He returned to Abuja today. He has to receive the President when he arrives, as usual,” the source said.
“Whether there will be a meeting, and specifically one on Rivers State, I cannot confirm at this time.
“Outside his official duties and meetings with the President as minister, I am not aware of any other meeting,” the source added.
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2026/01/12/rivers-crisis-tinubu-may-step-in-again-as-wike-returns-to-abuja/
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Rivers Assembly Exposes Plot To Stop Fubara Impeachment Process
January 11, 2026
The Rivers State House of Assembly has raised the alarm over what it described as clandestine efforts by unnamed individuals to frustrate the ongoing impeachment process against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu through the courts.
In a statement dated January 11, 2026, the Assembly said it had received credible intelligence that some persons were attempting to procure ex parte orders from Rivers State High Courts outside the Port Harcourt Judicial Division to illegally restrain lawmakers from carrying out their constitutional duties.
The statement, signed by the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Petitions and Complaints, Enemi Alabo George, warned that any such move would amount to a subversion of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The lawmakers cited Sections 272(3) and 188(10) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which limit the jurisdiction of courts in matters relating to the tenure of elected officials and expressly bar courts from entertaining proceedings connected with impeachment processes.
The House also referenced recent pronouncements of the Court of Appeal, which it said had nullified similar ex parte orders issued in the past in impeachment-related matters.
According to the statement, the affected office holders have already been duly served with notices of allegations of gross misconduct and are expected to respond in line with constitutional provisions.
The Assembly faulted what it described as “subterranean moves” aimed at frustrating due process instead of engaging the process lawfully.
With the approval of the Speaker, Martin Chike Amaewhule, the House called on all concerned parties to exercise restraint and uphold the rule of law.
It reaffirmed its commitment to constitutional democracy, stating that it would not be distracted or intimidated by attempts to malign the Assembly or undermine its authority.
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2026/01/11/just-in-rivers-assembly-exposes-plot-to-stop-fubara-impeachment-process/
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Lai Mohammed Reveals How Buhari Defended Him During Cabinet Meeting
January 11, 2026
By Enioluwa Adeniyi
Former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has revealed how a fellow cabinet member once criticised his performance behind his back during a Federal Executive Council meeting, only for late President Muhammadu Buhari to come to his defence.
Naija News reports that Mohammed disclosed this in his newly unveiled book, Headlines and Soundbites: Media Moments that Defined an Administration, which chronicles his experiences serving under the Buhari administration.
According to the former minister, the incident happened while he was away in Washington DC for routine biannual engagements with international media and think tanks.
“I was in Washington DC for the usual biannual engagements with the international media and think tanks,” he wrote.
Mohammed said he later learnt that a minister from the South-West had accused him of incompetence at the FEC meeting.
“As I later learnt, a minister from the South-West had complained that, while the administration was doing a great job, the minister of information was not doing enough to showcase its achievements,” he said.
Mohammed recalled that Buhari immediately shut down the criticism and defended him strongly.
“The President, I was told, would have none of it. According to those present, the President immediately interjected and defended me, stating that I had been doing a great job defending the administration from across the Atlantic,” he wrote.
He added that Buhari told the council he had just watched some of his television engagements where he was projecting the administration’s achievements.
“There could have been no stronger defence and presidential pat on the back,” Mohammed noted.
The former minister also recounted how Buhari handled a petition written against him during his time in office.
“One day when I went to see the President in his office, I noticed that his Aide-de-Camp seemed a little uneasy when he saw me,” Mohammed wrote.
According to him, the ADC later confessed that a petition alleging wrongdoing had been forwarded to the President.
“Then, the President looked at the petition and said, ‘Lai? I don’t believe it!’” Mohammed recalled.
Despite this, Buhari ordered an investigation. “When the report came back, you were found to be clean,” he said.
Mohammed stated that throughout his tenure, Buhari rarely rejected his requests, though one episode came close: the controversial 2018 open letter by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
In the letter, Obasanjo criticised the Buhari administration and urged him not to seek re-election.
Mohammed said Buhari initially directed that no one should respond to the letter out of respect for Obasanjo’s seniority in the military.
“I had discussed with Femi Adesina the need for us to respond, but he firmly told me that the President had instructed that no one should respond,” Mohammed wrote.
“I told him politely but firmly that this was about Nigeria and that we owed it a duty to respond,” he said.
Mohammed described the exchange as “almost a heated debate,” adding that Buhari eventually gave him reluctant approval.
“I went in to issue a lengthy statement, all along remembering his admonition that no one should insult the former president,” he wrote.
He said Buhari later commended the response, with several people reportedly telling the President that “Lai Mohammed has done a good job.”
The former minister also narrated how he nearly shelved a planned trip for local and international journalists to areas reclaimed from Boko Haram in 2015.
He said the then Minister of Defence insisted that Buhari’s approval was required since troops and military platforms would be involved.
“I quickly contacted the Chief of Staff to the President… The President gave his approval for the trip, even when I had not previously discussed with him,” Mohammed wrote.
Mohammed said Buhari consistently supported his ministry despite budgetary constraints.
“With paltry budget for the massive ministry I oversaw, it was almost impossible to implement our programmes,” he wrote, adding that special interventions approved by Buhari made key projects possible.
Reflecting on the late President’s leadership style, Mohammed said what stood out most was Buhari’s quiet trust in his appointees.
“When the late President entrusted someone with responsibility, he also granted them the freedom to act, believing that duty carried its own wisdom,” he added.
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2026/01/11/lai-mohammed-reveals-how-buhari-defended-him-during-cabinet-meeting/
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WATCH: Boko Haram Releases Video, Demands $150,000 For Borno Ex-LGA Chairman
January 11, 2026
By George Oshogwe Ogbolu
A fresh video has surfaced showing two men allegedly abducted by Boko Haram/Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists in Borno State, appealing for help and intervention.
One of the captives was identified as Hon. Hassan Biu Miringa, a former Chairman of Biu Local Government Area.
The two men were abducted on December 17, 2025, while travelling from Miringa to Maiduguri.
According to Zagagola Makama, in the video, the victims confirmed they were still alive but said their captors had demanded a ransom of $150,000 each, bringing the total to $300,000, for their release.
Speaking from captivity, Miringa said the abductors, whom he identified as soldiers of Khilafa, had demanded a ransom of 300,000 dollars for their release.
According to him: “My name is Hassan Biu Miringa, For Local government Chairman of Biu Local Government from 2020 to 2022, exactly four years after serving Biu. We were abducted by soldiers of Khilafa in December 2025 about 14 days ago and we are still held under their captivity. Alhamdulillah, we are still alive. But we needed help to save our lives and how you can rescue us.”
He said efforts at dialogue had been ongoing with the abductors, adding that some form of understanding had been reached.
He said: “We have spoken with them in four different faces and we have reached an agreement. We are calling on our leaders especially the Borno Deputy Governor, Alhaji Usman Umar Kadafur and Member Representing, Biu, Kwaya and Shani, at the National Assembly, Hon. Betera Aliyu, and our Leader Dr Sule Ali Rimi, our elder Brother Honorable Kimba, Alhaji Musa Dogo Biu, to temper justice with mercy to come to our aid, we are their children and we have been working together.”
Miringa disclosed the ransom demanded by the abductors and appealed for urgent assistance to save their lives.
He said: “Ransom was placed on us at 150,000 dollars both of us are expected to pay 300,000 dollars. We are hoping that you will hear our cries and come to our aid, so that we can be returned to be reunited with our families and other loved ones. May Allah helped us and grant us lasting peace.”
The incident is the latest in a series of abductions along highways and rural communities in Borno State, where armed groups continue to target travellers despite ongoing military operations.
As of the time of filing this report, there was no official statement from security agencies regarding the video or efforts to secure the victims’ release.
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2026/01/11/breaking-boko-haram-releases-video-demands-150000-for-borno-ex-lga-vice-chairman/
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Southeast Asia
Defence Ministry launches major anti-corruption shake-up to restore trust after gold bars, Rolexes seized in graft probe
12 Jan 2026
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 12 — The Defence Ministry (Mindef) will carry out a major overhaul of its Anti-Corruption Plan this year as part of efforts to restore public trust and strengthen integrity and governance in the national defence sector.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said all tender and procurement processes will also be reviewed and improved in line with best practices.
“Mindef and the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) must eradicate corruption and abuse of power that have taken root in the national defence system. There will be zero tolerance for any wrongdoing, and those responsible should be prepared to lose everything if they compromise our national security,” he said in his New Year 2026 Message at Wisma Perwira today.
Mohamed Khaled said corruption deprives Malaysia of quality defence assets and could endanger the safety of military personnel, and also lead to waste, inefficiency and weaken the effectiveness of the MAF as the country’s main defence institution.
“Corruption erodes the character of personnel trained in discipline and undermines our ability to compete as a middle-power nation. It causes leakages and ultimately prevents us from delivering the best for the country and our servicemen,” he said.
As such, the minister said that Mindef will continue to strictly strengthen enforcement of regulations and disciplinary measures to curb corruption and abuse of power.
On January 8, a former Army Chief was remanded for seven days, while his two wives were remanded for six and three days respectively, to assist investigations into corruption involving Malaysian Army procurement tenders.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission has also seized gold bars, high-performance sports utility vehicles, cash in various foreign currencies estimated at RM6.9 million, and 23 Rolex watches valued at about RM2 million, believed to be linked to the case. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/01/12/defence-ministry-launches-major-anti-corruption-shake-up-to-restore-trust-after-gold-bars-rolexes-seized-in-graft-probe/205160
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Court denies bail, orders psychiatric assessment for driver in UniSZA student’s fatal crash
12 Jan 2026
KUALA TERENGGANU, Jan 12 — A Honda Jazz driver, charged with dangerous driving causing the death of a Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) student, has been ordered by the Magistrates’ Court here today to undergo a psychiatric evaluation at Permai Hospital, Johor Bahru.
Magistrate Noor Mazrinie Mahmood granted an order for the accused, Mohd Izuddin Zakaria, 32, to be referred to the hospital under Section 342(3) of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Deputy public prosecutor Nur Anith Nabilah Rusli made the application for the evaluation after informing the court that the accused is currently on psychotropic medication.
The accused, who was represented by National Legal Aid Foundation lawyer Ummi Sharmimi Harun, did not enter a plea after the charge was read.
Mohd Izuddin is accused of driving a Honda Jazz dangerously on a public road, resulting in an accident that caused the death of Syakirah Hanan Mazli, 25, at the traffic lights on Jalan Kemajuan here at 1.55pm on January 5.
He was charged under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987, which carries a sentence of between five and 10 years, a fine of between RM20,000 and RM50,000, and disqualification from holding or obtaining a driving licence for at least five years from the date of conviction.
The court denied the accused bail and suspended all classes of his driving licence pending the disposal of the case. The next case mention was set for February 12.
In the incident, second-semester postgraduate Diploma in Education student Syakirah Hanan died at the scene after her Perodua Viva was struck head-on by the Honda Jazz. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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Indonesia's Nusantara State Mosque to operate fully in Ramadan 2026
January 11, 2026
Nusantara (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar said the State Mosque in the future capital Nusantara (IKN) is being readied for full operations during Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr in 2026, marking a key milestone in preparations for the new seat of government.
“We came here to assess the ongoing preparations for activities at this mosque ahead of the upcoming Ramadan,” Umar said in Nusantara, East Kalimantan, on Sunday, adding that he hoped President Prabowo Subianto would visit the landmark house of worship.
Umar made the remarks during an inspection of the mosque alongside Nusantara Capital Authority (OIKN) head Basuki Hadimuljono, as construction and operational readiness enter their final stages.
He stressed that the State Mosque, along with facilities for other faiths, is central to portraying Nusantara as an inclusive capital that reflects Indonesia’s religious and cultural diversity.
“This is an important symbol of harmony and coexistence in the new capital,” he said.
Umar also said the Ministry of Religious Affairs plans to begin operating from Nusantara in the near future, signaling continued momentum in the development of the city spanning parts of North Penajam Paser and Kutai Kartanegara Districts.
“The sooner we demonstrate this progress to the world, the better,” he said. “God willing, IKN will become a new national icon and a source of pride, in line with the President’s vision.”
Earlier on Sunday, the minister led the inaugural congregational dawn prayer and delivered a sermon at the six-story State Mosque, which includes two mezzanine floors and can currently accommodate 29,095 worshippers.
The mosque covers a total area of 76,647 square meters, and the government plans to expand its capacity to host up to around 60,000 worshippers to meet future demand as Nusantara develops.
During the same visit, Umar received a briefing on the construction of the IKN Basilica, which has entered its finishing stage.
The Catholic church is part of the Nusantara Worship Area, which will also feature facilities for Protestant, Hindu and Buddhist communities, reinforcing the government’s commitment to religious inclusivity in the new capital.
Source: antaranews.com
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Expect congestion: Transport minister urges patience as Penang LRT construction starts
By Opalyn Mok
12 Jan 2026
GEORGE TOWN, Jan 12 — Contractors involved in the Penang Mutiara Line Light Rail Transit (LRT) project have been instructed to implement continuous traffic mitigation measures to prevent severe congestion around construction sites as works intensify across the island.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said the directive comes amid rapid escalation of construction activities, including near the Penang International Airport, where heavy machinery movement is expected to slow the flow of traffic.
“The ministry has directed contractors to work closely with local authorities and the state government to minimise disruption to road users,” he told reporters after inspecting new diesel buses for Rapid Penang outside City Hall here today.
“These mitigation plans are already being implemented, and we expect contractors to keep improving them as construction progresses,” he added.
The Mutiara Line LRT is a 29.5km rail alignment linking 21 stations across the island, supported by park-and-ride facilities, feeder bus services and two main depots.
Once completed, the line will serve key locations including the Penang International Airport, Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone, George Town’s city centre and Penang Sentral, as well as police stations at Jalan Tengah, Bayan Baru, Sungai Nibong and Jelutong.
Loke noted that more construction sites are expected to open over the course of the year, which could further affect traffic, especially for commuters.
“For large-scale infrastructure projects like the LRT, traffic disruption is unavoidable.
“Roads may become narrower, vehicles will need to slow down, and congestion could worsen compared to current conditions,” he added.
He urged the public to remain patient, stressing that the short-term inconvenience is necessary to deliver a mass public transport system that will provide long-term benefits to Penang residents.
Source: malaymail.com
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Defence Minister thunders against camp immorality, says offenders will be cast out in disgrace
12 Jan 2026
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 12 — Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin today issued a stern warning against immoral and depraved hedonistic practices within military camps, stressing that such behaviour must be eradicated and those involved will be expelled from service.
According to Berita Harian (BH), Khaled today reminded personnel that women must never be treated as sexual objects or sources of entertainment.
“Call it whatever you like — ‘yeye’, ‘yaya’ or anything else. It is vile, immoral and wholly incompatible with Islamic values.
“The Defence Ministry (Mindef) and the Armed Forces (ATM) have long banned such indecent activities in all camps nationwide, and we have set out clear and firm rules and guidelines governing any social activities permitted within camps.
“Moreover, with the establishment of the Armed Forces Religious Corps (Kagat), such misconduct should have been curbed among our personnel. These unlawful and immoral activities should never again take place in any of our camps,” he was quoted as saying in his New Year’s Message today.
He stressed that no one should be subjected to rights violations, and women must not be reduced to sexual objects or entertainment in military facilities.
“To anyone involved in these moral transgressions, which tarnish the honourable image of the Armed Forces, we will ensure you are punished and disgracefully removed from service,” he stated.
Khaled emphasised that his warning was not empty and applied equally to those attempting to damage the reputation of Mindef and the Armed Forces, BH reported.
His remarks also extended to personnel who spend time playing golf outside permitted hours or idling in coffee shops during working hours, saying that military discipline would be strictly enforced.
Source: malaymail.com
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Senior military officer back at MACC for second‑day graft probe questioning
12 Jan 2026
PUTRAJAYA, Jan 12 — A senior Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) officer returned to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters here today, believed to give a statement in connection with a corruption case.
A vehicle carrying the officer entered the MACC building at about 10.10am.
It is understood that this is his second appearance at the MACC office, after being questioned for about 13 hours yesterday.
Media reports quoted MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki as confirming the matter, stating that his investigators still require the officer’s statement to assist in the investigation.
Azam said the officer was allowed to leave around midnight last night, but his questioning will continue today. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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Anwar’s Türkiye visit signals strategic reset in bilateral ties
12 Jan 2026
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s official visit to Türkiye marks a strategic recalibration, elevating ties to a structured, long-term partnership anchored in mutual interests.
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s recent official visit to Türkiye has marked a significant strategic recalibration in bilateral relations.
Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia chairman Datuk Prof Dr Mohd Faiz Abdullah said the visit elevated ties to a more structured, long-term partnership.
He said it underscored Malaysia’s intent to deepen cooperation in trade, defence, security, technology and governance.
“To be sure, it is not a shift away from Malaysia’s foreign policy of active non-alignment,” he said in a statement.
Mohd Faiz said this was clear from Anwar’s articulation of balanced relations with the United States and China while deepening ties with Türkiye.
A key outcome was establishing the Malaysia-Türkiye High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC).
This formalises engagement at the highest level, signalling a move from ad hoc cooperation to an institutionalised strategic partnership.
On trade, both nations set an ambitious target of USD 10 billion by 2026.
This is a major surge from the USD 4.92 billion recorded between January and November 2025.
Growth is expected from high-value sectors like semiconductors, artificial intelligence, data centres and energy.
Other drivers include advanced electrical and electronics, agri-commodities, halal food and rare earths from Malaysia.
Türkiye offers advanced defence manufacturing, automotive, construction, R&D, higher education and industrial design.
Mohd Faiz emphasised Anwar’s decades-long friendship with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
He is confident the HLSCC and defence procurements provide mechanisms to explore doubling trade volume.
“Although a formidable challenge to take on, the USD 10 billion target is not a pipe dream,” he said.
Defence cooperation is a key growth area, including technology transfer, joint production and procurement.
Türkiye’s expanding defence exports could further strengthen bilateral security ties.
Both nations share common positions on global issues like respect for sovereignty and justice under international law.
They also align on sustainable development, climate change and opposing the selective application of human rights.
On Track Two diplomacy, ISIS Malaysia and Türkiye’s SETA foundation signed a memorandum of understanding.
This will enhance collaboration in strategic research, policy dialogue and expert exchanges.
Anwar’s public lecture titled ‘Power Shift: Strategic Choices for Malaysia and Türkiye’ reflected this alignment.
It highlighted the need to uphold fairness, accountability and the rule of law in global affairs.
Overall, the visit represents a strategic reset in Malaysia-Türkiye relations.
It lays a strong foundation for sustained geopolitical and geo-economic cooperation benefiting both countries long-term.
Source: thesun.my
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NIOSH offers free safety courses for 10,000 tourism workers
12 Jan 2026
NIOSH to provide free basic OSH courses to 10,000 tourism industry players, with RM2.65 million allocation for the Safety Induction for Tourism Industry programme
BANGI: The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) will offer free basic occupational safety and health courses to 10,000 individuals in the tourism sector.
Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R. Ramanan said the programme involves an allocation of RM2.65 million from the Ministry of Human Resources.
The initiative, known as the Safety Induction for Tourism Industry (SITI), aims to equip workers with essential knowledge to prevent workplace incidents.
It is designed to help them manage risks and comply with the Occupational Safety and Health (Amendment) Act 2022.
“The target groups include tour guides, tour operators, workers or contractors, employees and accommodation providers,” Ramanan said.
He stated these groups will be invited by NIOSH to participate so they can carry out duties in accordance with OSH requirements.
“This initiative also supports the Visit Malaysia Year 2026 campaign,” he added at a press conference after visiting the NIOSH headquarters.
Online applications for the programme will open on Jan 25 via www.niosh.com.my.
The SITI programme has a duration of seven hours and will be conducted either online or in person at NIOSH facilities nationwide.
Participants who complete the course will receive a digital safety passport valid for two years.
“Similar to safety passports issued by NIOSH for other industries, SITI passport holders will also be covered by insurance both domestically and internationally,” Ramanan said.
NIOSH executive director Datuk Ayop Salleh said the programme focuses on five main components.
These include incident prevention, OSH laws and regulations, safety practices in tourism, and risk control.
“The tourism sector has its own specific hazards that need to be addressed with systematic training,” he said.
Ayop noted this covers various aspects such as transportation, accommodation and food preparation.
Source: thesun.my
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South Asia
PhD Student from Afghanistan Found Dead in MS University Apartment in Gujarat, India
By Fidel Rahmati-
January 12, 2026
Bainullah Ziya, a 34-year-old PhD student from Afghanistan, was found dead in his apartment at MS University in Gujarat, India; police suspect suicide.
The body of a 34-year-old student from Afghanistan, Bainullah Ziya, was found in his room late on Saturday night, Indian media reported.
Ziya, a PhD student in the architecture department at MS University in Gujarat, had been living in a rented apartment in the Fatehgunj area for the past two years. Police said his body was sent for a post-mortem examination, with preliminary findings suggesting suicide, though the exact cause of death remains under investigation.
Authorities said no suicide note or evidence of foul play was found at the scene. Police are interviewing Ziya’s friends, classmates, and family to explore possible reasons, including academic pressure, personal issues, or challenges related to his status as a student from Afghanistan living in India.
Friends told police that they knocked on his door on Saturday, and when he did not respond, they alerted the authorities. Officers discovered Ziya’s body lying in his room upon entering.
MS University officials and local police have emphasized that a full investigation is underway to determine the circumstances leading to Ziya’s death. Final post-mortem results are awaited to confirm the cause.
Suicides among international students have raised concerns about mental health and the challenges faced by migrants navigating academic, social, and cultural pressures in foreign countries.
Authorities have assured the public that investigations will be thorough and transparent. Meanwhile, the academic community and Ziya’s peers have expressed shock and grief over the tragic loss.
Source: khaama.com
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Interim govt surrendered to bureaucracy, reforms largely missed: TIB chief
12 Jan 2026
The interim government has effectively "surrendered" to the bureaucracy and has failed to meet most of its reform targets undertaken in the name of restructuring the state, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman said today.
“The critical question is why this surrender happened and where the real weakness lies,” he said, adding that he did not have a definitive answer as he is not part of the government’s internal decision-making process.
Based on his observations over the past one and a half years, Iftekharuzzaman said that although Bangladesh formally has an advisory council or cabinet, real authority does not lie there.
“There is a visible gap between formal authority and operational power,” he said at a press briefing titled “Reform Apathy in Framing the Objectives of the Interim Government”, held at TIB’s office in Dhanmondi 27.
According to him, decisions on which documents are signed, which clauses remain, and which timelines are accepted or dropped are not ultimately taken by the advisory council.
“These decisions are made by extremely powerful individuals or groups operating within the state machinery,” he said.
He alleged that such actors not only protect their own group interests but also safeguard certain political interests, including those of rival political forces.
“This explains why many reform-oriented provisions are either diluted or excluded altogether,” he said.
Referring to the Anti-Corruption Reform Commission, Iftekharuzzaman said the absence of a clear and strategic commitment to make the body effective reflected this broader pattern.
“If the ACC were allowed to function even minimally as intended, it would directly challenge entrenched political and institutional corruption,” he said.
He added that political leaders and bureaucratic actors who benefit from systemic corruption play a decisive role in obstructing reform initiatives.
“In many cases, subordinate actors become more powerful than their formal superiors,” he said.
Sharing his experience, Iftekharuzzaman said he had engaged with top authorities when reform commissions were first formed.
“I firmly believe that the entire nation wants reform, from ordinary citizens to movement participants and political parties,” he said.
However, he questioned whether resistance to reform was ever properly identified or addressed.
“Alongside those who support reform, there are also forces that oppose it. I did not see evidence that this resistance was systematically mapped or that strategies were adopted to counter it,” he said.
Whether due to deliberate avoidance or institutional incapacity, these issues were sidestepped, he added.
“What we are witnessing today is the consequence of that failure,” he said.
Source: thedailystar.net
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King Salman Humanitarian Center Distributes Food to 3,420 in Sheberghan, Afghanistan
By Fidel Rahmati
January 12, 2026
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Humanitarian Aid Center distributed food packages to 570 families in Sheberghan, Afghanistan, supporting returnees, displaced persons, and vulnerable communities.
The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief) distributed hundreds of food packages in Sheberghan, Afghanistan, benefiting 570 families, including returnees, displaced persons, and those in need. In total, 3,420 individuals received assistance.
The center said the initiative is part of its 2026 Food Security and Emergency Aid Project in Afghanistan, aiming to alleviate hunger and provide urgent support to vulnerable communities.
KSRelief emphasized that the food distribution is part of Saudi Arabia’s broader humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan, designed to reduce suffering and support the country’s most vulnerable populations.
The aid reached families across Sheberghan, providing essential staples and emergency relief supplies amid ongoing economic challenges and instability in northern Afghanistan.
KSRelief has a long history of humanitarian work in Afghanistan, including assistance to citizens in regions affected by natural disasters such as the 2022 earthquake in Kunar province.
The organization has coordinated with local authorities and community leaders to ensure aid reaches both urban and remote communities, prioritizing the most affected and underserved populations.
The latest distribution highlights Saudi Arabia’s ongoing commitment to humanitarian aid in Afghanistan, aiming to address food insecurity and support resilience among displaced and struggling families.
Source: khaama.com
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Afghan, Indonesian Officials Hold Talk on Bilateral Relations
January 12, 2026
DOHA: Mohammad Suhail Shaheen, Ambassador of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan to Qatar, in a meeting with Ali Hassan Bahr, Deputy Chairman of the Foreign Relations and International Cooperation Department of the Indonesian Scholars’ Council, discussed the strengthening of bilateral relations, the embassy said in a statement on Sunday.
The meeting focused on strengthening bilateral trade relations, and exploring investment opportunities in Afghanistan, the statement said.
Discussions covered key sectors including mining, agriculture, tourism, and other areas of mutual cooperation, the statement added.
The Indonesian delegation expressed strong interest in visiting Afghanistan in the near future to directly assess investment prospects and explore avenues for economic engagement.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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Kabul–Bagram Road to Be Reconstructed, Ministry
January 12, 2026
KABUL: A contract worth 455 million Afghanis for the reconstruction of 6.2 kilometers of the Kabul–Bagram road has been signed with a private company, the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing said in a statement on Sunday.
The total length of the road is 43 kilometers with a planned width of 100 meters, and due to cold weather conditions, only a 6.2-kilometer section with an approximate width of 50 meters will be reconstructed this year, with the remaining work scheduled for next year.
The ministry reaffirmed the government’s commitment to advancing major infrastructure projects and accelerating the development of New Kabul City.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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MoFA Holds Five-Day Specialized Diplomacy Training Program
January 12, 2026
KABUL: The Diplomacy Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan conducted a five-day specialized and academic training program titled “Diplomacy of Connectivity Networks.”
The program was organized with the cooperation and financial support of the State of Qatar, the ministry said in a statement on Sunday.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, the Afghan and Qatari Officials highlighted the importance of professional training for diplomatic cadres, the value of sharing experiences, and the necessity of continuing specialized and joint training programs to strengthen Afghanistan’s foreign policy.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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Over 1,390 Acres of State Land Reclaimed in Khost, Ministry
January 12, 2026
KABUL: The Ministry of Justice said in a statement on Sunday that 1,391 jeribs of land have been officially confirmed as state-owned in the Gharombi and Mata Chini areas of Khost province.
The Special Court for Addressing Usurped Land Cases reviewed legal documents and property records before confirming government ownership, the statement said.
Out of a total of 2,161 jeribs examined in the case, 1,391 jeribs have been identified as state land, the statement said.
The Ministry of Justice emphasized that the process of identifying and reclaiming usurped land continues nationwide.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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Government’s Strength Rooted in Public Support, Minister
January 12, 2026
KABUL: Mawlavi Abdul Kabir, the country’s Minister of Refugees and Repatriation, has emphasized that the strength and stability of the government are firmly rooted in the support of the people, stating that public trust and cooperation remain the cornerstone of effective governance.
Speaking during a meeting with tribal elders and religious scholars in Khost province, Mawlavi said that the government relies on close engagement with citizens to address challenges and ensure social stability.
He noted that public participation plays a vital role in maintaining order and advancing national interests, according to a statement from the ministry on Sunday.
The minister further underlined that cooperation between the government and the people is essential for long-term stability, adding that authorities remain committed to serving the public and responding to their needs.
Meanwhile, the scholars and tribal elders praised the efforts of the Islamic Emirate, noting that many long-standing issues have been resolved since the establishment of the current system.
They emphasized their commitment to supporting and protecting the Islamic system, stating that the people stand united with the Islamic Emirate.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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