Did Hindu Man Beaten To Death By Bangladesh Mob Make Anti-Islam Remarks?
New Age Islam News Bureau
21 December 2025
Visuals showing Dipu Chandra Das (R), who was beaten to death, tied to a tree, and burnt by a Bangladeshi mob on Thursday | X
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• Did Hindu man beaten to death by Bangladesh mob make anti-Islam remarks?
• Dhurandhar wasn’t shot in India or Pakistan; here’s the Asian country where the town of Lyari was recreated
• Islamic State is back Jungle jihadis threaten Southeast Asia
• U.S. strikes more than 70 Islamic State targets in Syria
• Terror down under: Why terrorists pick Jewish holidays for antisemitic attacks
• Afghanistan Makes Its Choices Clear, Kabul Reveals It Has Strong Relationship With India, ‘With Pakistan…’
• Nine killed in mass shooting near Johannesburg in second such attack this month
• Over 17,800 residency, labor violations recorded across Saudi Arabia
• Gunmen kill 9, wound 10 in South Africa bar attack
India
• BJP accuses Mamata Banerjee of communal politics, alleges bid to incite riots in Bengal
• PFI greatest threat to unity, had plans to capture South India in the event of Pak war: NIA tells court
• Lies must stop: Congress after PM Modi's big Assam handover to Pak charge
• IUML to urge DMK to field Muslim candidates in 16 seats as part of alliance
• A Neighborhood in India Fears Being Blamed for a Distant Atrocity
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Pakistan
•The Current Situation in Balochistan From the Jaffer Express Attack to the State Crisis The Attack on Jaffer Express — A Symbolic Message
• Pakistan's infrastructure fails as winter rain paralyzes Balochistan, two killed
• An India-Pakistan Passport Sounds ‘Impossible’ Today, But DYK It Was A Real Deal In…
• German Couple Detained Over Alleged Illegal Religious Conversions Near India–Pakistan Border
• Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan Calls for Nationwide Protests After Toshakhana 2 Conviction
• Mohsin Naqvi Drama Likely, Pakistan Minister Set To Attend U19 Asia Cup Final: Report
• 'No embargo' on Imran Khan's sons meeting him in jail, says Pakistan
• World Bank approves $700M in financing for Pakistan's economic stability, service delivery
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Europe
• ‘Oxford at risk from Islamic extremism’ says protest march
• Russian missiles attack port near Ukraine’s Odesa, kill seven, officials say
• Iyad Ag Ghaly’s shadow strategists
• Analysis of the 2024 Hajj heat event and future temperature extremes in Mecca
• Man, 55, dies after being shot in London street as police launch murder probe
• US, Russian officials meet in Florida for more Ukraine talks
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North America
• Islamism incompatible with American freedom: Tulsi Gabbard warns of ideology threat
• US, Israel promoters of war and violence in the world
• 'Where's the humanity?' Bondi attack leaves suspects' neighborhood stunned
• At least 16 Epstein files disappear from US government website, including Trump's photo
• Watch: Video shows moment US forces 'apprehend' oil tanker; Venezuela calls seizure 'theft and kidnapping'
• US, Qatar, Egypt, Turkey call for restraint in Gaza after Miami talks
• Trump endorses Bruce Blakeman for New York governor after Stefanik exit
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Mideast
• Abu Dhabi Astronomy: Rajab crescent sighted, marks start of Ramadan countdown
• Islamic University of Gaza resumes classes on site amid Israeli destruction
• Greece weighs sending engineers to Gaza under Phase II of Trump's ceasefire plan - N12
• Witkoff: US working with Qatar, Turkey, Egypt to establish Gaza Board of Peace soon
• Hamas chief, Turkey's intelligence head discuss Gaza ceasefire's second phase in Istanbul
• Human solidarity: What it really means to stand together
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South Asia
• No Evidence of Blasphemy in Mymensingh Lynching, Says Bangladesh RAB
• "Generation After Generation...": Yunus's Vow At Anti-India Leader's Funeral
• Law, Control, Fear – and some Defiance: Citizens and enforcers talk about the ‘promotion of virtue and prevention of vice’
• Dozens of Afghanistan migrants die from freezing cold at Iran border
• UN releases report on security situation in Afghanistan under Taliban
• The U.S. spent billions to rebuild Afghanistan. Was it successful?
• Bangladesh at a critical juncture
• ‘Tied to tree and set on fire’: Father of Hindu man lynched by mob in Bangladesh
• Bangladesh holds state mourning, funeral for slain uprising activist
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Southeast Asia
• ‘Most handsome tomb in Penang’: Sheikh Omar’s mausoleum, a hidden gem in Air Itam’s historic Malay village
• No penalties in first year of self-assessment stamp duty system, says LHDN
• ‘Once loyal, always loyal’: Zahid says BN unwavering ally to Anwar’s unity govt
• Six witness statements recorded in Kampung Pandan religious school assault probe, say police
• Sabah by-elections: GRS might sit out Lamag and Kinabatangan in show of cooperation with BN
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Arab world
• Iraq's Political Future in Limbo as Factions Vie for Power
• Baghdad’s top court moves to prevent post-election deadlock
• Yarim Local Water Corporation holds protest condemning insult to Holy Qur’an
• Sana'a: Student rallies & marches denounce American insult to Holy Qur’an
• Iraqi Judiciary hails state command over armed factions
• King Abdulaziz Foundation reveals rare images from king’s 1916 Basra visit
• Muslim World League secretary-general meets UN trade chief in Riyadh
• Healthcare must be ‘proactive’ says Hevolution exec
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Africa
• Stakeholders Brainstorm On New Tax Reforms In Kano
• Primate Ayodele’s 1,000 trumpets fail to blow N150m
• Tinubu renames Fed Varsity Azare after late Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi
• Banditry, extremism and family culpability
• PMOI Resistance Units in Zahedan defy regime and reject both Shah and Mullahs amid record executions
• Tinubu renames Bauchi varsity after late Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi
• Stakeholders sensitise Nigerians on new tax reforms in Kano
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/hindu-man-bangladesh-mob-anti-islam/d/138093
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Did Hindu man beaten to death by Bangladesh mob make anti-Islam remarks?
December 21, 2025
Visuals showing Dipu Chandra Das (R), who was beaten to death, tied to a tree, and burnt by a Bangladeshi mob on Thursday | X
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Dipu Chandra Das, a 27-year-old Hindu man, was the recent victim of a shocking mob lynching at the Bhaluka area of Bangladesh's Mymensingh over his alleged comments against Islam.
The deceased, who worked at a local garment factory, had been beaten to death by a crowd on Thursday night over allegedly making questionable remarks against Prophet Muhammad. He was then tied to a tree and burnt.
On one hand, in India, we are forced into absurd political debates questioning the existence of God. On the other hand, just across the border in Bangladesh, a Hindu man, Dipu Chandra Das, was lynched by a mob simply because he was a religious minority.
However, Bangladesh's Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has now said that there was no evidence to prove Das had actually said anything provocative against Islam—neither on social media, nor in public.
"Even after talking to local people and workers, nothing like that was found," Mohammad Shamsuzzaman, commander of the Mymensingh RAB-14 Company, told The Daily Star.
Shamsuzzaman also pointed out that most of the eyewitnesses and locals that the RAB had questioned did not even know what Das's provocative remarks were, or if he had even said them—they claimed they had heard about it from others.
Videos of the incident went viral on social media after many in the crowd were seen filming the grotesque murder on their mobile phones. Reports say many people were also seen celebrating the kill.
"No one from the government has given any assurance. No one said anything," said Ravilal Das, the victim's father, to NDTV when he first got the news of his son's death, despite the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government condemning the brutal lynching death and ordering legal action.
"We can't say for sure whether they were from Chhatra Shibir or not. Nobody can be certain; it's what people are saying," he added.
On Saturday, Yunus declared in an X post that law enforcement agencies had arrested ten people in connection with the murder of Dipu Chandra Das, whom he describes as "a young man of traditional religion".
In the meantime, the Yunus-led government is also facing a 24-hour ultimatum from the Inquilab Mancha since Saturday to take major steps in the investigation into the death of its leader, Sharif Osman Hadi, in Singapore.
The youth leader was laid to rest beside Dhaka's national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Saturday, at his family's request, the radical party said.
Source: www.theweek.in
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Dhurandhar wasn’t shot in India or Pakistan; here’s the Asian country where the town of Lyari was recreated
By Akanksha Agnihotri
Dec 21, 2025
Skipping India and Pakistan, Dhurandhar recreated the bustling streets of Lyari in a surprising Asian country for its shooting.
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Dhurandhar is receiving widespread acclaim and performing strongly at the box office. While Aditya Dhar’s film is set in Pakistan, contrary to popular belief, it was neither shot in India nor Pakistan. The makers went the extra mile to recreate the iconic town of Lyari in an unexpected country, capturing its streets, culture, and local vibe with remarkable attention to detail. Here’s a closer look at how the Lyari town seen in the movie was brought to life in this Asian country. (Also read: Inside Tara Sutaria’s early Christmas bash with stunning décor, lavish festive feast and glamorous party looks. See pics )
The Lyari town depicted in the movie isn’t an actual location, it was a sprawling six-acre movie set, masterfully designed by production designer Saini S Johray. In a December 16 Instagram post, Johray shared a video by YouTuber The Fact Boii, explaining how the sets were created and the movie was shot.
The set was built in Bangkok, Thailand, with the support of over 500 Indian and Thai artists, many of whom had previously worked on acclaimed projects like The Family Man and The Night Manager. Initially, the team had planned to construct the set in Mumbai, but unpredictable weather made Thailand the ideal location for this large-scale production.
To recreate an authentic Pakistani look, the team meticulously studied newspaper clippings, headlines, old Pakistani films, and YouTube archives. This ensured that every detail, from wall textures to window grills, faithfully reflected Lyari’s character. Since most of the artists were Thai, the production team was extra careful to avoid any element that might give away the set’s actual location. Their painstaking efforts paid off, resulting in a stunningly realistic and immersive Lyari for the big screen.
In a July 15 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Johray explained that shooting in Mumbai was impossible due to the monsoon season and the scale of the project. “We needed a six-acre set, which a studio couldn’t accommodate, and July rains made Mumbai unfeasible. After scouting various countries, we finally chose Thailand, which was perfect for a larger-than-life set,” he said.
He added, “Building the set in just 20 days was challenging, especially since we couldn’t bring 500 people from India. We collaborated with nearly 300–400 Thai artists, totalling around 500 people working day and night to complete the six-acre set.”
Source: www.hindustantimes.com
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Islamic State is back Jungle jihadis threaten Southeast Asia
Alex Alfirraz Scheers
20 Dec 2025
In early November, Sajid Akram, 50, and his bricklayer son Naveed, 24, travelled from Australia to the Philippines. Their destination was Davao, a city in Mindanao, the second-largest of the Philippines’ many thousands of islands — and a region in which the notorious terror organisation Islamic State is regrouping. Here, the Akrams spent four weeks receiving military-style training.
When they returned to Australia, the pair perpetrated the worst terrorist massacre in the nation’s history — murdering 15 people at a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach, turning what should have been a day of bright, joyful warmth into a day of horror. If it weren’t for the bravery of citizens in thwarting the attack, the death count would have been far higher.
Islamic State has not claimed responsibility for the atrocity — though it has of course delighted in the deaths of so many Jewish people as a “source of pride”. But the attack on Bondi Beach came right out of the Islamic State playbook, grimly familiar from the attack on music fans at the Bataclan, Paris in 2015 — or indeed two massacres at churches in the Philippines in recent years. This is a decentralised operation with no discernible command structure but a coordinated typology of violence. The sadism, the fact that the victims were celebrating, worshipping — all of this is intentional.
And Islamic State is an organisation that exports its hateful ideology abroad, making significant inroads in Southeast Asia in recent years. If most Westerners think of this region at all, it is a holiday destination, a region of white sand beaches, chaotic cities, and vibrant food cultures. The Philippines’ majority-Muslim neighbours, Indonesia and Malaysia, are both often cited as examples of moderate Islam.
However, the attack signals some uncomfortable truths: militant Islamism is rising in a region that is home to more than 240 million Muslims — and Islamic State is exploiting the changing conditions in order to make a global comeback after years of languishing in relative obscurity. What Bondi Beach shows is that its instructions are not falling on deaf ears. Unless we make an effort to understand why and how this is happening, and the breadth and scope of the threat, then Bali, Bangkok or Bintan Island could be the next to suffer a deadly attack.
While the Philippines is a predominantly Christian country, it has long had a significant Muslim minority as well as a history of Islamist movements dating back to the early 20th century. The Muslim population is historically concentrated on Mindanao, a mountainous island straddled between three bodies of water — the Sulu Sea, the Celebes Sea and the Philippine Sea — meaning it is both geographically and culturally distinct from the rest of the Philippines.
When the Philippines achieved formal independence in 1946, a deluge of government-sponsored Christian migration swept Mindanao — causing resentment among many of the region’s Muslim farmers who now found themselves outnumbered by Christian settlers. By the early Seventies, Muslim separatists had formed a rebel group under the banner of the Moro National Liberation Front, or MNLF, which received financial support and military training from Malaysia and Libya. In 1972, a deadly conflict broke out between Muslim separatists and government forces under the command of President Marcos. It was one of the nastiest “small wars” of the era. For four years, the 30,000 strong MNLF forces succeeded in tying down four-fifths of the Philippine military, inflicting an average of 100 casualties each month.
In the decades since, at least 10 violent conflicts have flared in Mindanao. The MNLF has transmogrified into the awkwardly named Moro Islamic Liberation Front — MILF, for short — and several splinter groups have emerged, vying for ideological and military domination. These groups have often looked to the Middle East for inspiration and ideology. The Abu Sayyaf network founded in the late Eighties, took its cues from Al Qaeda. Dawlah Islamiyah, a coalition of different Islamist groups, tethered itself to the Islamic State in its era of prominence, between 2014 and 2015.
The long-term objectives of these groups are the same. They want to form a global Islamic caliphate. However, their methods differ. Al Qaeda and its offshoots adopt what’s known as a “far enemy” strategy, which means they like to strike enemy targets in far-flung parts of the world. Islamic State adopts a “near enemy” approach. The idea is to start locally, gaining control of territory and steadily consolidating and expanding its position until it can create a government operating under Islamic law.
The international nature of the threat makes it extremely hard to eradicate. But in 2017, it looked as though the struggle against Islamic State in the Philippines would finally reach its denouement — as President Rodrigo Duterte deployed his military to take on Islamic State-affiliated forces in Marawi, the capital city of the Lana Del Sur province in Mindanao. The urban war lasted five months — making it the longest urban warfare campaign in the Philippines since the Second World War.
Duterte’s forces prevailed, inflicting massive casualties on Islamic State. In 2019, the region became the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and with Islamic State seemingly out of the way, it appeared for a brief period that the bitter and bloody struggle was coming to an end. A peace process was established. MILF (a rival with Islamic State for regional control) described the settlement as an “antidote to extremism”.
However, the optimism proved premature. As a Filipino army officer noted in the aftermath: “We have brought the number of insurgents to the lowest ever, but we never seem to quash the whole thing.” Any victory in the context of a battlefield will always remain temporary. Islamism’s ideological precepts never truly die — and despite suffering heavy losses to its most virulent adherents, a new coalition is emerging.
From 2019 until the beginning of 2024, Islamic State claimed credit for at least 18 attacks within Mindanao, which have claimed 162 lives — including 37 civilians. 13 of these attacks were conducted against military targets; two were against regional rivals, MILF; one was against critical national infrastructure — and two were on Christian worshippers. In January 2019, an Indonesian couple affiliated with Islamic State suicide-bombed a church on Jolo island in the Philippines. And in December 2023, Islamic State claimed responsibility for dropping an explosive device into a Catholic Mass in Marawi. Even in a state of retreat, Islamic State is capable of wreaking catastrophic levels of death and destruction.
The attacks on churchgoers are very much how Islamic State likes to operate. The terrorists chose deliberately soft targets; they targeted members of a different religious group; and they sought to optimise a sense of palpable horror in the broader population. The spectacular nature of the attack grabs attention. The desired effect is paralysis by fear.
If this sounds all too familiar, it’s because it’s precisely what played out on Bondi Beach earlier this month. “For twenty minutes, they were just shooting. I couldn’t hear anything, the shooting was just too loud,” said a survivor of the attack. “They were targeting everyone. Just anyone. Jews. They just shot. Doesn’t matter who. Just anyone.”
The attacks also have a lot in common with recent Islamist attacks on the West. Since Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel, there has been an exponential rise in attacks on Jewish civilians or institutions — as Islamic State has leveraged opposition to the conflict in Gaza to foment a virulent form of antisemitism, combined with an unequivocal call to violence. “The conflict with the Jews is not about patriotism, but ideology. The battlefield is therefore everywhere,” said an Islamic State infographic from late October 2023.
Peter Neumann, a terrorism scholar based at King’s College London, encapsulated Islamic State’s motivations: “Jews [are] to be terrorised because they are Jews” and not necessarily “because they fought against Palestinians in Israeli uniform”. Drawing on statements made by Islamic State, Neumann explained the rationale: “unprotected crowds are better than hard targets, and places of worship are also particularly suitable for attacks.”
Meanwhile, in the Southeast Asian context, Islamic State’s revival is rising amid a rising Islamism. In Malaysia, an Islamist political party known as Parti Islam Se Malaysia, or PAS, is growing in popularity, winning 146 of 245 seats in the 2023 elections — making it the single largest party in the Malaysian parliament. Their agenda includes harsh punitive measures such as the amputation of limbs for theft, stoning to death for crimes such as adultery, and the public flogging of individuals caught in homosexual activities.
In Indonesia, the Prosperous Justice Party, or PKS, seeks to impose a strict version of Sharia — and is deeply hostile to concepts like gender equality or gay rights. It currently hold 50 seats in the Indonesian House of Representatives. Like Malaysia’s PAS, it is inspired by the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood. Members have expressed support for Hamas, hold antisemitic views, and refer to adversaries as the “enemy” of Islam. This surely spells trouble for two countries that have often been touted as exemplars of moderate Islam.
If these trends go unchecked, a region known for verdant landscapes and pristine waters could rapidly turn into a global epicentre for Islamist terror. On a different day, what happened on the Australian coast could have happened on a beach overlooking the Andaman or the Java Seas. If Islamists have their way, it will.
Source: unherd.com
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https://unherd.com/2025/12/islamic-state-is-back/
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U.S. strikes more than 70 Islamic State targets in Syria
By Nathan Morley
21-12-2025
US carries out large-scale retaliatory strikes against ISIS in Syria (Public Domain)
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U.S. forces launched missiles after midnight from bases in the countryside of Deir al‑Zour toward Islamic State positions in desert areas of eastern and northern Syria, Syrian state media reported Saturday.
U.S. Central Command said fighter jets, attack helicopters and artillery struck more than 70 targets at multiple locations across central Syria, using more than 100 precision munitions against what it described as known Islamic State infrastructure and weapons sites.
President Donald Trump said the United States was “striking very strongly” at Islamic State strongholds following a Dec. 13 ambush near Palmyra that killed two U.S. soldiers and a U.S. civilian interpreter.
Jordan’s state-run Petra news agency said the Royal Jordanian Air Force took part in the operation to prevent extremist groups from threatening the security of Syria’s neighbors and the wider region.
U.S. troops have maintained a presence in Syria since 2015 as part of the campaign against Islamic State. Syria has recently joined an international coalition to combat the group and has pledged to cooperate with the United States.
Earlier, Syria’s Foreign Ministry said the government remains committed to preventing Islamic State from establishing safe havens and called on the United States and other coalition members to support its efforts.
Source: www.vaticannews.va
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https://www.vaticannews.va/en/world/news/2025-12/us-strikes-syria-islamic-state-jordan-palmyra.html
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Terror down under: Why terrorists pick Jewish holidays for antisemitic attacks - opinion
By STEWART WEISS
DECEMBER 21, 2025
A Hanukkah menorah.
(photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
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Sadly, this is not the first time we have experienced the horror of Jewish holidays tainted by tragedy. The Nazis often devilishly chose Jewish holy days to perpetrate an Aktion or launch a round-up of Jews. Their most infamous Aktion was the final liquidation of the Warsaw Ghetto on April 19, 1943, the first night of Passover.
Here in Israel, we were stunned by the Arabs’ sneak attack on Yom Kippur in 1973; the many revenge attacks on Purim following the mass-shooting in the Cave of the Patriarchs in 1994; and, of course, the Oct. 7 Gaza massacre on Simchat Torah two years ago.
Now we must add to the list the Hanukkah Bondi Beach massacre in Sydney, Australia. It will forever mar our celebrations of what is arguably Judaism’s most popular and upbeat holiday.
There are two aspects to the all-too frequent acts of terror we experience. On the one hand, they represent pure antisemitism, an outright, illogical hatred of Jews that wraps itself up in any number of reasons: Jews are too rich or are needy parasites living off the labor of others (as Pharaoh implied when he told the Egyptians: “The nation of Israel is great and mighty from us.”).
Jews are branded unwanted interlopers in someone else’s state, or are exporters of death sent from beyond the borders of our own state. Every possible justification is used to rationalize what is pure and simply an evil strain of humanity. When the prophets stated that God created both darkness and the propensity for evil – see Isaiah 45:7 – they were referring to perpetrators of evil such as the Sydney shooters.
But there is another wellspring of antisemitic accusations. It emanates from the knowledge that we Jews carry within us – or are meant to – a higher moral message; that we embody a divinely, baseline behavior that stands tall against the principle of “might makes right” and opposed to the concept that you can manufacture the definitions of good and evil to suit your own wanton desires or illicit ideas. This does not go down easily in many circles.
Hitler more than once remarked that the Jews stood in his way of defining right and wrong; they represented a code of conduct that precluded his own warped rationale for seizing world power, and so they had to be expunged.This, in essence, is the deeper significance of Hanukkah. Far beyond the spinning dreidels and the sizzling latkes, Hanukkah represents light – the illumination of goodness and hope in an all too dark universe.
The Seleucid Greeks, the Hellenistic rulers of Judea, were the paradigm of darkness, according to rabbinic sources. Their emphasis on the physical – as symbolized by their creation of the Olympics and tests of strength – went against the Jewish focus on the meta-physical and on exploring the nature of reality, the essence of the Almighty, and the purpose of humanity.
Thus, the Greeks, unlike the Nazis, did not seek to harm our bodies but rather to influence and change our minds and souls. They forbade the performance of ritual circumcision because that was a sign that God’s decree supersedes even the perfection of our bodies; and they banned observance of Shabbat, which we refer to as a time of receiving an “additional soul,” sending the message that our religious observance is superior to our physical work.
They outlawed our observance of Rosh Hodesh, the monthly new moon, because that – and not a secularly-imposed calendar – is the guiding light that determines the days of our lives. And they placed a manmade idol in our Temple, as if that, rather than God, dictated human behavior.
In response to these dark decrees, we create light, igniting flames that rise upward toward the heavens. Preferably, we use pure olive oil because oil does not mix with other liquids and remains pristine. Indeed, the triumphant Maccabees who reclaimed the Holy Temple found numerous flasks of oil, but only one that remained untainted, with the seal of the high priest intact. That was the celebrated “miracle jar” that defied natural science by following divine providence and lasting eight days.
And that is why we not only bless the miracle of the oil but recall, in the song “Maoz Tzur,” all the many episodes in history when our survival was in jeopardy, and we nevertheless prevailed against the odds despite the rules of natural law.
To that ignominious list, we must add the Islamic-fueled terrorists and their hateful supporters, who will ultimately join all our other foes on the trash heap of history.
In the Torah, in Genesis, we read several times that night preceded day, ”and there was evening, and there was morning.” That is why our days, and our holidays, each of our 24 hours, begin the night before, as opposed to those of the other nations. Perhaps the message here is that before we can claim the day, we must banish the night.
Every Jew, along with every good and decent person who stands up for right and battles against wrong – such al Ahmed al-Ahmed, who grappled with one of the Australian terrorists and no doubt saved many lives – is a point of light and enlightenment; making the world shine brighter and giving us hope that evil will ultimately be vanquished and that the darkness will give way to a brighter future.
While most Jewish holidays fall in the middle of the month – Passover, Sukkot, Purim, Tu Bishvat, and Tu B’Av – when the moon’s light is at its fullest, Hanukkah comes at the end of the month, when barely a sliver of silver is visible in the winter sky. Why?
One thought is that a shrunken, protracted moon makes our Hanukkah lights even more visible and prominent, adding to their attraction and increasing their ability to publicize the miracle of our Maccabean victory over the Greeks.
Chronologically, Hanukkah is the last of the biblical or semi-biblical holidays. Historically, not long after this event, the Temple would be destroyed, and we would march off into the long, dark night of exile, winding our way through countless temporary and mostly hostile stops. Hanukkah is the “light” we take with us on that perilous journey, a spiritual beacon reminding us that there is always hope, a “light at the end of the tunnel,” and another miracle that will see our eventual redemption. This holiday’s golden flames will generate the energy we need to go on.
By tradition, a mezuza is placed on the right of the door as one enters, and the hanukkiah is at the left as one exits. We take that light into the dark unknown, until we return to our true home, Israel – whose symbol, of course, is the menorah.
The shape of the menorah – and of the hanukkiah – teaches us that while we all may be diverse branches, we derive from a common base, and are all guided by a light from above.
Every morning, we pray: “To the God of kindness, who created the luminaries, may You shine a light on Zion.” Amen to that.
Source: www.jpost.com
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https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-880578
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Afghanistan Makes Its Choices Clear, Kabul Reveals It Has Strong Relationship With India, ‘With Pakistan…’
December 20, 2025
Afghanistan’s Minister of Public Health, Mawlawi Noor Jalal Jalali, on Saturday said that India is emerging as a key alternative partner for Afghanistan’s pharmaceutical needs, as its relationship with Pakistan stands “deteriorated”.
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, Jalali said that earlier Pakistan accounted for 60-70 per cent of Afghanistan’s pharmaceutical market, but recent disruptions have forced Kabul to explore new options.
“Afghanistan’s pharmaceutical supply market was 60-70 per cent taken by Pakistan. But now, due to recent issues, we have looked for alternative solutions to supply that gap, and India is one of them,” he said. Emphasising a pragmatic approach to healthcare, Jalali said that political differences should not hinder medical cooperation. “As the Minister of Public Health, I have only one enemy, and that is disease. If I can hit my enemy with the help of any country, I will reach out for help and assistance,” he said, while noting that Afghanistan’s relationship with Pakistan has “deteriorated”.
Jalali said Afghanistan is looking to open a “new chapter” of cooperation with India, highlighting the long-standing ties between the two countries and India’s role as a reliable health partner.
“We have a strong relationship with India, and we are here to open a new chapter of cooperation and collaboration. When it comes to Pakistan, the relationship stands deteriorated…”
His remarks were made during his visit to India for the Second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine, held in New Delhi. On the sidelines of the summit, Jalali held detailed discussions with Prataprao Jadhav, Minister of State for AYUSH, on strengthening cooperation in traditional systems of medicine.
Earlier, Afghan Health Minister Jalali also met JP Nadda, where the focus was on humanitarian and healthcare assistance to Afghanistan.
During the meeting, India reaffirmed its commitment to continued humanitarian support for Afghanistan, with emphasis on the long-term supply of medicines and health assistance as a key pillar of bilateral engagement. As part of this engagement, a symbolic handover of cancer medicines and vaccines was carried out, reflecting India’s commitment to supporting the medical needs of the Afghan people.
Jalali’s visit followed the Ministry of External Affairs welcoming him on his first official visit to India, underlining New Delhi’s continued humanitarian outreach to Afghanistan despite changing regional dynamics.
Source: www.newsx.com
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Nine killed in mass shooting near Johannesburg in second such attack this month
21 Dec 2025
JOHANNESBURG, Dec 21 — Nine people were killed when unknown gunmen opened fire at a bar outside Johannesburg early today, police said, in the second such shooting in South Africa this month.
Ten more were wounded when around a dozen men attacked the tavern at Bekkersdal, in a gold mining area around 40 kilometres southwest of the city, just before 1am (2300 GMT).
The attackers in two vehicles “opened fire at tavern patrons and continued to shoot randomly as they fled the scene,” a police statement said.
The dead included a driver from an online car-hailing service who had been outside the bar, provincial police commissioner Major General Fred Kekana told SABC television.
South Africa, the continent’s most industrialised nation, is grappling with entrenched crime and corruption driven by organised networks.
Shootings are common and often fuelled by gang violence and competition between informal businesses, contributing to one of the highest murder rates in the world.
On December 6, gunmen stormed a hostel at Saulsville township near the capital Pretoria, killing a dozen people including a three‑year‑old child.
Many South Africans own licensed firearms for personal protection but there are many more illegal guns in circulation despite relatively strict ownership laws.
In one of the deadliest recent incidents, 18 relatives were shot dead at a rural homestead in the country’s Eastern Cape province in September 2024.
Source: www.malaymail.com
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Over 17,800 residency, labor violations recorded across Saudi Arabia
December 20, 2025
RIYADH: During inspection campaigns across Saudi Arabia between Dec. 11-17, the Saudi Ministry of Interior recorded 17,880 violations, including 11,190 related to residency, 3,801 to border security, and 2,889 to labor laws.
Border authorities apprehended 1,509 individuals attempting to cross into the Kingdom illegally, of whom 44 percent were Yemenis and 55 percent Ethiopians. They also arrested 40 people for attempting to leave the Kingdom illegally.
Meanwhile, 20,282 individuals were detained for violating the regulations and were instructed to contact their countries’ embassies or consulates to obtain proper travel documents.
Source: www.arabnews.com
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Gunmen kill 9, wound 10 in South Africa bar attack
21 December, 2025
Nine people were killed when gunmen opened fire at a bar outside Johannesburg early Sunday, police said, in the second such shooting in South Africa this month.
Ten more were wounded in the early morning attack at the tavern in the impoverished Bekkersdal township in a gold mining area around 40 kilometres (25 miles) southwest of the city.
Police initially said 10 people were killed when the Bekkersdal bar was attacked just before 1:00 am (2300 GMT), but later revised the toll downwards.
Most of the attackers were armed with pistols and one had an AK-47 rifle, deputy provincial police commissioner Major General Fred Kekana told SABC television from the scene.
Three people were killed inside the bar and others as they fled the scene, with the attackers continuing to shoot as they left, he said.
"It's also reported that after they shot the people, they searched them. They took their valuables, including cell phones," Kekana said.
South Africa, the continent's most industrialised nation, is grappling with a high crime rate, much of it driven by organised networks and gangs.
The country is awash with legal and illegal firearms and shootings are common, often fuelled by gang rivalry and competition between informal businesses.
The tavern hit in the Pretoria attack earlier this month was an unlicenced outlet in a hostel for migrant workers at Saulsville township.
The country was also shocked by the daylight assassination in central Johannesburg last week of a popular former radio presenter known as DJ Warras.
The 40-year-old, whose real name was Warris Stock, was gunned down on 16 December outside a building that he had visited as part of his work with a private security company.
In another high-profile killing, a witness in a corruption inquiry was shot dead in front of his family on 5 December, just weeks after testifying against a municipal police chief.
The murder of Marius Van der Merwe, 41, reignited a debate about the targeting of whistleblowers who provide information related to crime and corruption, including the public sector and cases implicating government officials.
South Africa has one of the highest murder rates in the world, with an average of 63 people killed each day between April and September, according to police data.
In one of the worst mass shootings in recent months, 18 relatives were shot dead at a rural homestead in the Eastern Cape province in September 2024.
The victims, who had gathered for a traditional ceremony, were aged 14 to 64 years old, and 15 were women. Several men have been arrested.
Source: www.newarab.com
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India
BJP accuses Mamata Banerjee of communal politics, alleges bid to incite riots in Bengal
20.12.25
The BJP on Saturday accused West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee of indulging in communal politics and attempting to incite riots between Hindu and Muslim communities, claiming she has sensed defeat for the ruling Trinamool Congress in the state assembly elections scheduled next year.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi, party national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia questioned Banerjee’s silence over alleged remarks made by TMC MLA Madan Mitra about Lord Ram and claimed that such statements were being made at her instructions.
"TMC MLA Madan Mitra said Prabhu Ram is Muslim, not a Hindu. Crores of Hindus have been hurt with his remarks, but Mamata Banerjee has kept mum over it," Bhatia said.
He asked whether any action had been taken against the legislator and added, "Did she expel Madan Mitra from her party? Was any FIR lodged against him?" Alleging that the chief minister was encouraging divisive politics, Bhatia said, "This shows how Mamata Banerjee is indulging communal politics. She wants to incite Hindu-Muslim riots".
The BJP spokesperson further alleged that Banerjee had been "instructing" her party leaders to make such "communal statements" to appease a particular community, asserting that she has realised her party is set to lose the state assembly polls next year.
Source: www.telegraphindia.com
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PFI greatest threat to unity, had plans to capture South India in the event of Pak war: NIA tells court
by Nirbhay Thakur
December 20, 2025
The Popular Front of India (PFI) was the greatest threat to the unity and integrity of the country, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) told a Delhi court Saturday while concluding the arguments on charges in the PFI leadership case.
Source: Indianexpress.Com
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Lies must stop: Congress after PM Modi's big Assam handover to Pak charge
Dec 21, 2025
By: Devika Bhattacharya
Congress on Sunday hit back after Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the party of conspiring before Independence to hand over Assam to Pakistan.
At a rally in Guwahati on Saturday, PM Modi lambasted Congress, alleging it had “committed a sin” by preparing to join hands with the Muslim League and the British to make Assam part of erstwhile East Pakistan.
“When the Muslim League and the British were together preparing the ground for Partition, a plan was made to make Assam a part of undivided Bengal or East Pakistan. Congress was going to become part of the conspiracy,” he said.
Senior Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Manickam Tagore countered the charge in a post on X, calling it historically false and politically motivated.
“There was NO proposal to hand over Assam to Pakistan,” Tagore wrote. “Assam was a Hindu-majority province and was never designated for Pakistan under the Partition plan. The only area in question was Sylhet district of Assam — a Muslim-majority region.”
PM Modi made the remarks after inaugurating India’s first nature-themed airport in Guwahati, named after Gopinath Bordoloi, Assam’s first post-Independence chief minister and a Congress leader, and unveiling an 80-foot statue of the statesman.
Source: www.indiatoday.in
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IUML to urge DMK to field Muslim candidates in 16 seats as part of alliance
December 21, 2025
The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) will urge the DMK leadership to allot 16 Assembly constituencies to Muslim candidates in the Secular Progressive Alliance in the forthcoming Assembly elections, IUML national president K.M. Kader Mohideen said here on Saturday. Of these, the party would seek five seats for itself, he added.
Speaking to media persons after a meeting of the IUML’s Tamil Nadu State Information Technology wing, Mr. Mohideen said the party would work intensively to ensure the victory of the alliance candidates.
Source: www.thehindu.com
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A Neighborhood in India Fears Being Blamed for a Distant Atrocity
By Pragati K.B.
Dec. 21, 2025
Hyderabad is a city in southern India whose residents have long gone abroad in search of greater wealth and opportunity. But it has come under scrutiny after one of its own was named in connection with an atrocity far away.
Sajid Akram, who died in attacking a Hanukkah celebration in Australia last Sunday, was born and grew up in a quiet Muslim neighborhood here. He left almost three decades ago and seldom came back.
Now, the mass shooting, which killed 15 people and led to the arrest of Mr. Akram’s son Naveed as the second gunman, has brought unwelcome attention on their relatives and other residents of the neighborhood, known as Toli Chowki. Many were wary of being held guilty by association, adding to the frustrations and pains of being part of a Muslim minority in a country that has grown more stridently Hindu. Others protested their innocence.
“This incident brought Toli Chowki fame through infamy,” said Mohammed Tajuddin, a neighbor of Sajid Akram’s brother. Anxious about the backlash that might come from connection to a terrorist attack, many in the neighborhood have stayed indoors this past week.
Mr. Akram, 50, was one of the roughly six million Muslims from India who have gone abroad in search of better lives. Though Muslims make up only about 15 percent of India’s population, they account for almost one-third of its emigrants, according to a study by Pew Research Center.
Source: www.nytimes.com
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Pakistan
The Current Situation in Balochistan From the Jaffer Express Attack to the State Crisis The Attack on Jaffer Express — A Symbolic Message
Baloch .S.A
December 18, 2025
The attack yesterday near Mushkaf on the Jaffer Express was not merely a military operation. Attacks on trains in Balochistan have always been a political symbol — a message pointing to the imbalance of power, state oppression, and the political deprivation of the Baloch nation. Railway lines are considered symbols of state presence on Baloch land, resource transportation, and military movement.
That is why attacks on them always convey that the crisis is not just about security but is deeply political and historical. The attack on the Jaffer Express is the latest link in this chain — a warning that the crisis in Balochistan is not only persisting but intensifying further.
Attacks on trains in Balochistan have been ongoing for decades. These attacks point to the reality that relations between the state and the local population are based not on trust, justice, and political partnership, but on force, militarism, and repression. Why are railways targeted?
Source: Economictimes.indiatimes.com
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Pakistan's infrastructure fails as winter rain paralyzes Balochistan, two killed
Dec 21, 2025
Quetta [Pakistan], December 21 (ANI): Two women were killed and several others injured as the first winter rain of the season triggered widespread disruption across Balochistan, exposing weak infrastructure and poor emergency preparedness in Pakistan's largest province, Dawn reported.
The fatalities occurred in Noshki district, where a passenger waggon travelling from Quetta to Chagai skidded on a rain-soaked highway near the Sher Jan Agha area and collided with a truck coming from the opposite direction. At least five others were injured in the crash. While some victims were treated locally, two critically injured passengers were shifted to Quetta for advanced care. Hospital officials said at least eight people injured in rain-related incidents were brought to the Civil Hospital.
The rain, which began on Saturday, ended a prolonged dry spell in the Quetta valley and nearby regions, bringing temporary relief to drought-hit farmers. However, the showers quickly disrupted normal life across urban and rural areas, as per Dawn.
Source: www.tribuneindia.com
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An India-Pakistan Passport Sounds ‘Impossible’ Today, But DYK It Was A Real Deal In…
December 21, 2025
There was a time when arch rivals India and Pakistan shared a joint travel passport. After Partition, many people did not have passports but needed to cross the border to visit their family members.
To ease travel, a combined India-Pakistan passport was issued, allowing movement between the two countries. These documents remained in use until the late 1960s.
In a viral Instagram post, historian Dr. Noor Zaidi has explained how this arrangement reflected practical needs in the years after the deadly Partition.
“A joint India-Pakistan passport?? It seems impossible and inconceivable with the politics of today, with talk of war, attacks, Rafales and Sindoor everywhere. But it existed!" Zaidi’s video caption reads.
Source: www.news18.com
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German Couple Detained Over Alleged Illegal Religious Conversions Near India–Pakistan Border
Dec 21, 2025
Six people, including a German couple, were detained in Sriganganagar, Rajasthan, on Thursday night for alleged illegal religious conversions. The incident took place in a rented house in Srikaranpur town near the India–Pakistan border. Police said the German nationals had recently visited a restricted border area without prior authorisation, raising security concerns. A case has been registered under the religious conversion law based on a complaint.
Source: www.wionews.com
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Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan Calls for Nationwide Protests After Toshakhana 2 Conviction
December 21, 2025
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has urged his supporters to gear up for countrywide protests following a 17-year jail term handed to him and his wife Bushra Bibi in the Toshakhana 2 corruption case.
In a statement, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Party (PTI) said mobilisation orders have been issued across provinces ahead of synchronised protests. It said the agitation was launched on the direct instructions of Imran Khan. It added the workers have been instructed to remain on the streets as part of a long-term agitation strategy.
The Toshakhana 2 case involves alleged fraud in state gifts that the former first couple received from the Saudi government in 2021.
Source: www.newsonair.gov.in
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Mohsin Naqvi Drama Likely, Pakistan Minister Set To Attend U19 Asia Cup Final: Report
December 21, 2025
Mohsin Naqvi, the chairman of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), could find himself at the centre of another storm as India and Pakistan square off in the final of the Under-19 Asia Cup on Sunday. According to reports in Pakistani media, Naqvi is scheduled to travel to Dubai to witness the U19 Asia Cup final live at the venue and felicitate the tournament winners, just as he did in the Rising Stars Asia Cup final and was expected to do in the men's senior Asia Cup final.
According to Geo News, Naqvi will be a prominent figure at the stadium for the tournament's climax, which features a high-stakes clash between traditional rivals Pakistan and India. In addition to watching the match, the PCB chief will attend the closing ceremony of the continental tournament. As has been the case this year, Naqvi is expected to lead the presentation, which will see the winning team lifting the coveted silverware. But this is where another controversy could unfold.
In September 2025, Naqvi attended the senior men's final in Dubai, where the Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian team defeated Pakistan to clinch the title. The event was marked by significant geopolitical tension; although India emerged victorious, the team declined to participate in the formal trophy handover from Naqvi, leading to the silverware being held at the ACC headquarters. To date, the trophy hasn't been handed over to the Indian team.
Source: sports.ndtv.com
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'No embargo' on Imran Khan's sons meeting him in jail, says Pakistan
December 20, 2025
Pakistan government said on Saturday (December 20, 2025) that there is "no embargo" on former prime minister Imran Khan's sons meeting their incarcerated father if they travel to the country.
Pakistani authorities have reportedly imposed unannounced restrictions on meetings with Imran Khan on the grounds that the visitors use such meetings for political ends. Following the move, his family and party members have expressed concerns about the conditions in which he is being kept inside the prison.
Source: www.thehindu.com
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World Bank approves $700M in financing for Pakistan's economic stability, service delivery
Saadet Gokce
20.12.2025
The World Bank has approved $700 million in financing for Pakistan's macroeconomic stability and service delivery.
The money is for the financing of the Public Resources for Inclusive Development—Multiphase Programmatic Approach (PRID-MPA), which is a national program supporting federal and provincial reforms to mobilize domestic revenue, with up to $1.35 billion in total financing, according to a statement from the World Bank on Friday.
Of this amount, $600 million is reserved for federal programs and $100 million specifically for the Sindh provincial program.
"Pakistan’s path to inclusive, sustainable growth requires mobilizing more domestic resources and ensuring they are used efficiently and transparently to deliver results for people," said Bolormaa Amgaabazar, World Bank country director for Pakistan.
Source: www.thehindu.com
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Europe
‘Oxford at risk from Islamic extremism’ says protest march
20th December 2025
A 'patriots march' has taken place this afternoon (Saturday, December 20), starting in St Clements and heading towards St Giles via Bonn Square.
Harry Knipe-Gibbs of Oxford told this newspaper during the protest that the city is at risk from Islamic extremism and cited a local example of antisemitism.
“I want to form social cohesion, and it’s a peaceful protest; we’re not a discriminatory group, and we don’t hold animosity to any group.
“I think certain groups are oppressing other groups, and I was talking to my friend at the synagogue at the Shabbat meal, and he lost a friend at the attack in Manchester.
“There is a problem with Islamic extremism, and it is posing a threat and showing intimidation to the Jewish community, and it needs to be resolved.
Source: www.oxfordmail.co.uk
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Russian missiles attack port near Ukraine’s Odesa, kill seven, officials say
December 20, 2025
A Russian missile attack late on Friday on port infrastructure around Ukraine’s Black Sea port of Odesa killed seven people and injured 15, Ukrainian officials said.
“In the late evening, Russia attacked port infrastructure in Odesa region with ballistic missiles,” Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba wrote on Telegram.
Odesa, a focal point of Ukrainian grain and other exports, has been a frequent target of Russian attacks since Moscow invaded its smaller neighbour in February 2022.
A strike on Thursday damaged a bridge southwest of Odesa, cutting a major route between the city and the Danube River port of Reni and complicating border crossings to Moldova and Romania.
Source: www.timeslive.co.za
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Iyad Ag Ghaly’s shadow strategists
By Aly Asmane Ascofaré
21-12-2025
From Mali through Burkina Faso to Niger, Jama'at Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM) – the Sahelian affiliate of the Al-Qaeda terrorist network – has extended its operations as far as Benin and Togo, even striking Nigeria for the first time this year.
Often described as Iyad Ag Ghaly’s ‘right-hand man’, Sedane Ag Hita is not only the emir of Kidal but also one of JNIM’s most influential figures, serving as the organisation’s secretary-general.
He owes this position to long military experience across multiple armed groups. A deserter from the Malian army, he joined Azawad’s separatist rebels in 2006 before embracing jihad in 2010.
He entered the ranks of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), within the Al-Ansar katiba (unit/battalion) led by Abdelkrim al-Targui, where he adopted his nom de guerre, Abou Abdel Hakim al-Kidali – a reference to his birthplace, Kidal, where he was born in 1976.
In 2012, he took command of the Youssef Ibn Tachfin katiba. While he has acknowledged orchestrating the kidnapping of the RFI journalists Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon in Kidal in 2013, he insists he did not order their execution.
Source: www.theafricareport.com
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Analysis of the 2024 Hajj heat event and future temperature extremes in Mecca
20 December 2025
Extreme heat events in the Middle East have become increasingly frequent and intense due to human-driven climate change. During the Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in June 2024, temperatures soared to a record-breaking 51.8 °C, resulting in the tragic deaths of at least 1300 pilgrims and over 2700 non-fatal injuries. Our analysis of future projections, tailored for the region, indicates that in a warmer climate, such hazards may become a regular occurrence. Addressing these challenges through effective climate mitigation and adaptation is essential to building resilience against future extreme heat risks.
The Middle East is warming nearly two times faster than the global average rate1. At the same time, the region is emerging as one of the most prominent global emitters of greenhouse gases1. Another distinct feature of the Middle East is that warming trends are more robust during the already scorching summer season2, while extremely high temperatures are increasing particularly rapidly3. The Arabian Peninsula is a climate change hotspot where heat extremes are emerging as a new normal, and this trend is expected to continue for the coming decades4. Longer and more intense heatwaves will likely pose the greatest challenge imposed by climate change1,5. This implies significant impacts on ecosystems and various socio-economic activities6. Due to the extreme and often degraded environmental conditions7, human health risks have been the focus of many regional assessments8,9,10,11,12.
The Muslim pilgrimage of Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, takes place mostly outdoors in and around Mecca in Saudi Arabia13. It is performed over five to six days, specifically from the 8th to the 12th or 13th of Dhul Hijjah, the twelfth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. The series of rites requires good mental and physical health due to the nature of outdoor rituals such as Wuquf, an afternoon of prayer and contemplation at Mount Arafat, which for some pilgrims follows a 15-kilometer walk from Mina14. During this and other rites, pilgrims often encounter stressors due to prolonged walking amidst large crowds, traversing rough terrain, wearing specific outfits, and exposure to weather conditions. Nearly half of Hajj pilgrims are older than 56 years, and about half have preexisting health conditions15. Extreme hot conditions represent a health risk to elderly people, since sweating capacity and skin blood flow reduce with age, reducing the ability to dissipate heat16. Heat exhaustion and, heatstroke, along with infectious diseases, including respiratory viral infections, are health hazards often associated with the Hajj pilgrimage17,18,19,20.
Source: www.nature.com
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https://www.nature.com/articles/s44304-025-00159-3
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Man, 55, dies after being shot in London street as police launch murder probe
Georgia Diebelius
20 Dec 2025
A murder investigation has been launched after a man was shot in London, police said.
The 55-year-old victim died at the scene, despite the efforts of police and the London Ambulance service. His next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers, police added. No other injuries were reported and no arrests have been made.
Detective Chief Inspector Neil John from the Met's specialist crime team said: "There's no doubt this incident will cause concern in the local community and more widely, but we have increased patrols in the area.
Source: www.mirror.co.uk
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https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/man-55-dies-after-being-36434762
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US, Russian officials meet in Florida for more Ukraine talks
Dec. 21, 2025
PALM BEACH, Florida (Reuters) -- US negotiators met Russian officials in Florida Saturday for the latest talks aimed at ending Russia’s war in Ukraine, as US President Donald Trump’s administration tries to coax an agreement out of both sides to end the conflict.
The Miami meeting followed US talks Friday with Ukrainian and European officials, the latest discussions of a peace plan that has sparked some hope of a resolution to the conflict that began when Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev told reporters after meeting US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner that the talks were constructive and would continue. A White House official said the talks had concluded for the day.
"The discussions are proceeding constructively. They began earlier and will continue today, and will also continue tomorrow," Dmitriev said.
US, Ukrainian and European officials earlier reported progress on security guarantees for Kyiv as part of the talks to end the war, but it remains unclear if those terms will be acceptable to Moscow.
Source: www.koreaherald.com
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https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10640757
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North America
Islamism incompatible with American freedom: Tulsi Gabbard warns of ideology threat
By: Sonali Verma
Dec 21, 2025
US National Intelligence director Tulsi Gabbard has delivered a strong critique of what she described as “Islamist ideology”, warning that it poses a threat to individual liberty and democratic values in the United States.
Speaking during a public discussion that has since circulated widely on social media, Gabbard argued that Islamism, which she described as a political ideology distinct from the Islamic faith, is incompatible with the foundations of American freedom.
Referring to developments in parts of the country, Gabbard claimed that efforts were underway to implement Islamic principles through legal and political systems.
“Patterson, New Jersey is proud to call themselves the first Muslim city. They are working to implement these Islamic principles forced on people through laws or violence,” she said, adding that similar trends were visible elsewhere.
Source: www.indiatoday.in
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US, Israel promoters of war and violence in the world
By: Mohsen Pakaein
Dec 21, 2025
December 18, 2014 has been designated as the International Day against Violence and Extremism by the UN General Assembly resolution. In this regard, this year, the international conference "Peace and a World Free of Violence in Legal Principles and Shared Cultural Values" was held at Tehran University on Sunday, December 21, 2025, with the participation of a group of university professors, and prominent Iranian and foreign jurists.
The reality is that today, with the expansion of America's hostile and violent policies against independent and multilateral countries and its insistence on institutionalizing unilateralism in the Trump era, the world is witnessing the rapid growth of state terrorism and the preparation for war. The realities of the scene show that terrorism, violence and war-mongering are the products of the neoconservative policies of America and the Zionist regime, and it is not wrong to consider the rulers of Tel Aviv as the main accomplices of the White House in this area.
The ideological foundations of terrorist networks are rooted in the hegemonic tendencies of the United States, and the joint action of Washington and Tel Aviv to assassinate the main figures of the Resistance Axis, nuclear scientists, the genocide in Gaza, and the aggression against Iran is considered the result of the incitement of the United States and Israel.
In fact, the support of American officials, especially Trump, for Israel is the main source of war and state terrorism and its spread in the world. According to Paul Atwood, a professor of American studies at the University of Massachusetts, terrorism is a tool in the US foreign policy strategy.
Israel, which does not shy away from admitting to the killing of its opponents and terrorist operations in countries around the world, seeks to implement the strategy of expanding this regime "from the Nile to the Euphrates" or "Greater Israel" by increasing war and insecurity in West Asia. Tel Aviv, by ignoring international laws and regulations, the genocide in Gaza, the continuation of the occupation of Palestine, and the destabilization of Lebanon and Syria, also enjoys the support of the United States as a promoter of terrorism.
Source: en.mehrnews.com
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https://en.mehrnews.com/news/240030/US-Israel-promoters-of-war-and-violence-in-the-world
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'Where's the humanity?' Bondi attack leaves suspects' neighborhood stunned
By Livia Albeck-Ripka
December 20, 2025
BONNYRIGG, Australia -- Bonnyrigg, a small, western suburb of Sydney, has fewer than 10,000 people, and dozens of cultures among them: There’s a mosque, four Buddhist temples and three churches all within a mile radius. More than 80% of households speak a language other than English. The neighborhood is among Australia’s most diverse. So residents were stunned when a father and son from the community were reported to have opened fire last Sunday at a Hanukkah celebration 30 miles away on Bondi Beach, killing 15 people in Australia’s worst mass shooting in three decades, and vaulting the nation into the center of a global conversation about antisemitic violence. “It’s shocking,” said Yücel Mirici, a Turkish immigrant who runs a kebab shop in Bonnyrigg Plaza, a mall in the center of town. “Where is the humanity? Where is the mercy?” Mirici, who is Muslim, said his daughter was frozen silent after learning the news. Of the gunmen, he added, “They make the religion dirty.” Authorities have said Naveed Akram, 24, and his father, Sajid Akram, 50, were motivated by Islamic State ideology. The elder Akram died in the attack. The son was shot by police but survived and was charged Wednesday with murder, terrorism and causing grievous bodily harm with intent to murder. In the days since the shooting, the international news media have rushed to sketch out the details of the suspects’ lives, but have been met here with a tense silence. At the suspects’ three-bedroom home on a leafy street, where they lived with their family, the only signs of life were muffled voices and footsteps inside. On Google Maps, a racial slur was added to the address description. The same slur was included on a note with a Christmas ham delivered to the house as an apparent religious insult. About a mile and a half south, at a residence where the younger Akram is reported to have taken Quran lessons, the blinds were shut and no one answered the door -- the tutor told Australian media that, fearing for the safety of his young family, they had vacated the house. Dozens of inquiries to community leaders, former co-workers, classmates and neighbors drew blanks. The scant details that have emerged draw a portrait of a family that kept to itself. Sajid Akram, an Indian citizen, moved to Australia in 1998 in search of a job, according to police in the southern Indian state of Telangana. They said he had traveled to India several times since then, with the last visit taking place in 2022, but had limited contact with his Indian family, whom they described as Muslim. In 2001, he married in Australia and had two children: a son, Naveed, and a daughter, the Telangana police said. Those who knew Naveed Akram described him as quiet, diligent and a devout Muslim. They said they were shocked to learn of the attack, not only because of their impressions of Akram, but because of his milieu. At his high school, 3 miles east of the family home, students were invited to dress in their native countries’ traditional clothing, and many spoke little English, said a former classmate, Loris Trimarchi. He and another former classmate described Naveed as a shy student who was part of a prayer group and liked sports. A teacher at a jujitsu club, also in Sydney’s west, recalled him briefly training at the school, though Naveed left because he was more interested in pursuing boxing, the teacher said. “He was quite the chipper kid. Always had a smile on his face, always laughing,” Trimarchi said. “Never showed any signs of concern.” Trimarchi said that in their final year of high school, Akram became more vocal about religion and attended fewer classes. “He was open to discussing his views,” Trimarchi said, adding that those views had not come across to him as extremist. The class graduated in 2019, though Trimarchi could not recall whether Akram graduated with them. After high school, Akram went quiet on social media and seemed to throw himself into boxing, Trimarchi said. In mid-2019, Akram became an apprentice at a bricklaying company where he worked on a government housing project on t
Source: www.thenewstribune.com
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At least 16 Epstein files disappear from US government website, including Trump's photo
21.12.25
At least 16 files disappeared from the Justice Department's public webpage for documents related to Jeffrey Epstein — including a photograph showing President Donald Trump — less than a day after they were posted, with no explanation from the government and no notice to the public.
The missing files, which were available Friday and no longer accessible by Saturday, included images of paintings depicting nude women, and one showing a series of photographs along a credenza and in drawers. In that image, inside a drawer among other photos, was a photograph of Trump, alongside Epstein, Melania Trump and Epstein's longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
The Justice Department did not say why the files were removed or whether their disappearance was intentional. A spokesperson for the department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Online, the unexplained missing files fuelled speculation about what was taken down and why the public was not notified, compounding long-standing intrigue about Epstein and the powerful figures who surrounded him. Democrats on the House Oversight Committee pointed to the missing image featuring a Trump photo in a post on X, writing: “What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public.”
The episode deepened concerns that had already emerged from the Justice Department's much-anticipated document release. The tens of thousands of pages made public offered little new insight into Epstein's crimes or the prosecutorial decisions that allowed him to avoid serious federal charges for years, while omitting some of the most closely watched materials, including FBI interviews with victims and internal Justice Department memos on charging decisions.
Some of the most consequential records expected about Epstein are nowhere to be found in the Justice Department's initial disclosures, which span tens of thousands of pages.
Source: www.telegraphindia.com
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Watch: Video shows moment US forces 'apprehend' oil tanker; Venezuela calls seizure 'theft and kidnapping'
Dec 21, 2025
The United States "apprehended" an oil tanker off Venezuela on Saturday, as the Trump administration ramps up pressure. Homeland security secretary Kristi Noem confirmed the seizure in a social media post, saying Department of Defense support had enabled the pre-dawn operation carried out by the Coast Guard. She added that the tanker had last made port in Venezuela.
"In a pre-dawn action early this morning on December 20, the US Coast Guard with the support of the Department of War apprehended an oil tanker that was last docked in Venezuela," Noem said.
She posted a seven-minute video of the operation, which shows US helicopters landing on the deck of a ship with the name Centuries written on the side.
" The United States will continue to pursue the illicit movement of sanctioned oil that is used to fund narco terrorism in the region. We will find you, and we will stop you. Thank you to our brave men and women of the @USCG and @DeptofWar," she added.
Source: www.telegraphindia.com
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US, Qatar, Egypt, Turkey call for restraint in Gaza after Miami talks
December 21, 2025
Gaza ceasefire mediators met in Miami, Florida, to review the first stage of the US-brokered truce and urged all parties to exercise restraint amid efforts to usher in the second phase, the chief US envoy said on Saturday.
Senior officials from Qatar, Egypt and Turkey met Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump's special envoy, on Friday for ceasefire discussions.
"We reaffirm our full commitment to the entirety of the President's 20-point peace plan and call on all parties to uphold their obligations, exercise restraint, and co-operate with monitoring arrangements," said a statement posted by Mr Witkoff on X.
The meeting came as the ceasefire is repeatedly broken. Israeli shelling on Friday killed at least six Palestinians who were seeking shelter east of Gaza city. Almost 400 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire came into effect in October.
The truce remains fragile, with Israel and Hamas accusing each other of violations and mediators warning that both sides are stalling.
Source: www.thenationalnews.com
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Trump endorses Bruce Blakeman for New York governor after Stefanik exit
December 20, 2025
President Donald Trump on Saturday night threw his support behind popular Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman for the GOP nomination for New York governor.
"Bruce is MAGA all the way, and has been with me from the very beginning," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. "As Nassau County Executive, he is working tirelessly with the Brave Heroes of ICE, Border Patrol, and Law Enforcement to Keep Our Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Safeguard our Community, and Ensure LAW AND ORDER.
Source: justthenews.com
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Mideast
Abu Dhabi Astronomy: Rajab crescent sighted, marks start of Ramadan countdown
December 20, 2025
Huda Ata
Abu Dhabi: The crescent moon of Rajab, the seventh month in the Hijri calendar and one of Islam’s four sacred months, has been successfully sighted in Abu Dhabi, confirming Sunday as the first day of the month.
Rajab holds particular significance for Muslims as it marks the beginning of the final spiritual approach toward Ramadan, which traditionally follows the completion of Rajab and the subsequent month of Sha’ban. With the start of Rajab now confirmed, the countdown to the fasting month formally begins.
If both Rajab and Sha’ban run their customary 29 to 30 days, Ramadan is expected to begin in approximately 60 to 61 days, subject to official moon sightings closer to the time.
Source: Gulfnews.com
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Islamic University of Gaza resumes classes on site amid Israeli destruction
By Al Jazeera Staff
20 Dec 2025
Students at the Islamic University of Gaza have returned to in-person classes for the first time in two years, navigating a campus transformed into a site of mass displacement and utter devastation as a result of Israel’s genocidal war on the besieged Palestinian enclave.
This Gaza City university, which reopened following October’s ceasefire, now hosts about 500 displaced families sheltering inside buildings reduced to hollow shells by Israel’s relentless assault.
Tents dot the grounds where lecture halls once stood, a stark illustration of Gaza’s dual crises of homelessness and educational collapse.
“We came here after being displaced from Jabalia because we had nowhere else to go,” said Atta Siam, one of those seeking refuge on campus. “But this place is for education. It’s not meant to be a shelter – it’s a place for our children to study.”
The partial resumption of classes has rekindled hopes for thousands of students, despite conditions that bear little resemblance to a functioning university.
UNESCO estimates more than 95 percent of higher education campuses across Gaza have been severely damaged or destroyed since the war began in October 2023.
“I need a place where I can focus, that is fully qualified in every way,” she said. “But I haven’t found what I imagined here. Still, I have hope because we are building everything from scratch.”
Recent figures paint a devastating picture – 494 schools and universities have been partially or completely destroyed, with 137 reduced to rubble. The toll includes 12,800 students killed, along with 760 teachers and educational staff, and 150 academics and researchers, Al Mezan reported in January.
Source: www.aljazeera.com
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Greece weighs sending engineers to Gaza under Phase II of Trump's ceasefire plan - N12
DECEMBER 21, 2025
Greece is considering sending engineers to the Gaza Strip as part of Phase II of the Trump administration's Gaza ceasefire deal, N12 reported on Saturday, citing several sources familiar with the details.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to discuss the issue with his Greek counterpart, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, during their Monday meeting, the report noted.
Israel is encouraging Greece to take an active role in the future of the Gaza Strip, and the two countries are tightening relations in an effort to reduce Turkey's sphere of influence in the eastern Mediterranean, the sources said.
Source: www.jpost.com
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https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-880851
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Witkoff: US working with Qatar, Turkey, Egypt to establish Gaza Board of Peace soon
DECEMBER 20, 2025
The United States, Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey are working toward the "near-term establishment and operationalization" of Gaza's Board of Peace as part of the ceasefire's transition into its second phase, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said in a joint statement released on Saturday evening.
Witkoff's comments came following a Friday meeting with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aaty. It was the first meeting between all four senior officials since the ceasefire agreement was signed in October.
"In our discussions regarding phase two, we emphasized enabling a governing body in Gaza under a unified Gazan authority to protect civilians and maintain public order," he wrote on X/Twitter.
"We expressed our support for the near-term establishment and operationalization of the Board of Peace as a transitional administration," Witkoff added.
Source: www.jpost.com
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https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-880832
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Hamas chief, Turkey's intelligence head discuss Gaza ceasefire's second phase in Istanbul
DECEMBER 20, 2025
Turkey's MIT intelligence agency chief met Hamas' negotiating team head Khalil Al-Hayya on Saturday and discussed necessary measures to be taken for proceeding to the second phase of the Gaza peace plan, Turkish security sources said.
The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said MIT chief Ibrahim Kalin met the Hamas delegation in Istanbul within the scope of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, and they discussed steps to be taken to prevent what they said were Israel's ceasefire violations.
They also discussed measures to be taken to resolve existing issues for proceeding to the second phase of the plan, the sources also said, without giving details.
Source: www.jpost.com
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https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-880826
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Human solidarity: What it really means to stand together
Princess Lamia bint Majed Al-Saud
December 20, 2025
On International Human Solidarity Day, we are often reminded that the world is interconnected, that our challenges are shared, and that solutions require cooperation. But beyond the formal language of declarations and observances, solidarity is something far more personal. It is about people. It is about moments when we choose to see one another not as distant headlines, but as human beings whose lives are deeply intertwined with our own.
Over the years, working in humanitarian and development spaces across different countries and communities, I have learned that solidarity rarely begins with policies. It begins with listening. With sitting across from someone whose life looks nothing like yours, yet whose hopes, fears, and aspirations feel instantly familiar. In those moments, the idea of “us” and “them” quietly disappears.
Solidarity is not charity. It is not a transaction where one side gives and the other receives. True solidarity is built on mutual respect and shared responsibility. It recognizes that dignity cannot be delivered from above, and that sustainable change only happens when communities are treated as partners, not beneficiaries.
This belief is at the heart of our work at Alwaleed Philanthropies. Whether we are supporting access to education, empowering women and youth, responding to humanitarian crises, or investing in long-term community development, our guiding question remains the same: What does this community truly need to stand on its own feet? The answer is never one-size-fits-all, and it always requires humility.
In the Arab world, solidarity is deeply rooted in our culture and faith. It is present in the way families support one another, in the values of generosity and compassion passed down through generations, and in the understanding that individual well-being is inseparable from the well-being of the wider community. Yet in today’s fast-moving world, these values must be consciously protected and practiced, not assumed.
Source: www.jpost.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2626939
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South Asia
No Evidence of Blasphemy in Mymensingh Lynching, Says Bangladesh RAB
December 21, 2025
Bangladesh’s Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has said that no clear evidence of blasphemy has so far emerged in the lynching of a Hindu youth in Mymensingh, even as it alleged that a factory floor manager handed him over to an enraged mob, instead of alerting police. The victim, 28 year old Dipu Chandra Das was a worker at the Pioneer Knitwears BD Ltd in Bhaluka upazila. He was beaten to death by a mob on Thursday night in Jamirdiya over alleged blasphemy. His body was later tied to a tree and set on fire, triggering widespread outrage.
At a press briefing yesterday, RAB-14 Director Naimul Hassan said 10 people have been arrested in connection with the killing, including factory floor manager Alamgir Hossain and quality manager Miraz Hossain Akon. According to the RAB, Alamgir forced Dipu to resign and then handed him over to the crowd. Naimul Hassan said that they are investigating why he was handed over to the mob instead of the police and whether there was any prior enmity. He added that investigators have not found any clear proof supporting the blasphemy allegation.
Source: www.newsonair.gov.in
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https://www.newsonair.gov.in/no-evidence-of-blasphemy-in-mymensingh-lynching-says-bangladesh-rab/
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"Generation After Generation...": Yunus's Vow At Anti-India Leader's Funeral
by: Manjiri Chitre
Dec 21, 2025
Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on Saturday vowed to follow the ideals of radical leader Sharif Osman Hadi - who died after he was shot in the head by masked assailants last week. Yunus, addressing thousands of mourners at Hadi's funeral, also assured to fulfil Hadi's dream and to carry it "across generations".
"O dear Osman Hadi, we have not come here to bid you farewell. You are within our hearts, and as long as Bangladesh exists, you will remain in the hearts of all Bangladeshis. No one can remove you from there. Millions of people have gathered today, coming in waves, while crores of people across Bangladesh and Bangladeshis living abroad are waiting for this moment to listen about Hadi," Yunus said as quoted by The Daily Star.
Stressing that the gathering was not a farewell, but a pledge, Yunus said, "We have come to make a promise to you - that what you told us, we will fulfil. Not only us, but generation after generation of people of Bangladesh will fulfil this promise."
The Bangladeshi leader recalled Hadi's approach to politics and how it was praised by people. "Your love for humanity, your way of living and interacting with people, and your political outlook are being praised by everyone. We are accepting them. You have given us such a mantra that this nation will never forget. It will echo in our ears forever," he said.
Source: www.ndtv.com
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Law, Control, Fear – and some Defiance: Citizens and enforcers talk about the ‘promotion of virtue and prevention of vice’
Kate Clark
21 Dec 2025
It has been more than a year since the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan introduced a new vice and virtue law. This law lays out what behaviour and actions the Islamic Emirate deems obligatory or forbidden for Afghan men and women. It gives its enforcers wide-ranging powers to both police and punish ‘wrongdoers,’ who have no recourse to a court, nor right to appeal. Male enforcers are also among the very few men legally allowed to deal with unrelated women as part of their duties. This policing of women causes great distress and anxiety among Afghans. It plays on the fear of women and their families that they will be ‘dishonoured’ if unrelated men question them on the street or, far worse, take them into detention. Yet, fear is also mixed with defiance. The ramifications of the August 2024 law have been profound, as Kate Clark and the AAN team found when they heard from those experiencing it, both as citizens and enforcers.
Young women walk home after attending a madrasa in Balkh province, wearing clothing as prescribed under the vice and virtue law. Photo: Atif Aryan/AFP, 4 February 2025
Changing Afghans’ dress and behaviour to comply with the Emirate’s vision of sharia has been an abiding mission of the Taliban since they first emerged as a movement, but it is now being enforced with far greater reach and capacity. Unlike their first period in power, the second Emirate is able to pursue this mission without the distraction of war. In full control of Afghanistan’s territory and backed by a functioning state apparatus inherited from the Islamic Republic, the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice is a powerful and well-resourced tool of the state for reshaping everyday life.
Source: www.afghanistan-analysts.org
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Dozens of Afghanistan migrants die from freezing cold at Iran border
21 Dec 2025
Kabul: Dozens of Afghan migrants have died over the past few days while attempting to cross into Iran through unofficial border routes in western Afghanistan amid freezing winter conditions, local media in both countries reported on Saturday.
Citing sources in western Afghanistan, leading news network 'Iran International' reported that as many as 40 Afghan migrants have died inside Iran after illegally crossing the border during a severe cold snap.
It mentioned that the bodies of at least 15 migrants were transferred to the districts of Kohsan and Adraskan after they died inside Iranian territory.
Source: www.sentinelassam.com
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UN releases report on security situation in Afghanistan under Taliban
December 20, 2025
The United Nations Security Council's (UNSC) Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team evaluated the security situation in Afghanistan in its 16th report, warning that the ISIS threat persists in Afghanistan despite improved security.
The report stated that although there is a measure of internal peace and security, as well as domestic stability, all of which benefit some parts of society more than others, there are serious threats within Afghanistan.
It noted that while the Afghan administration has “suppressed, although not eliminated” the threat from ISIS/Daesh-Khorasan Province, also known as ISIS-K or ISIL-KP in Afghanistan, the group continues to “pose serious threats within Afghanistan, regionally and beyond.”
The report said that the “Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has conducted numerous high-profile attacks in Pakistan from Afghan soil,” leading to tensions along the border, loss of life, and disruptions to trade.
Source: ifpnews.com
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https://ifpnews.com/un-releases-report-on-security-situation-in-afghanistan-under-taliban/
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The U.S. spent billions to rebuild Afghanistan. Was it successful?
Dec 20, 2025
A new report from U.S. government watchdog SIGAR gives us the fullest accounting yet of U.S. efforts to rebuild Afghanistan.
Each week, Consider This hosts interview newsmakers, experts, and artists for NPR — conversations we don’t always have time to share fully in the podcast or on the radio. So every other week we share one here, for our NPR+ supporters.
Source: ifpnews.com
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Bangladesh at a critical juncture
December 21, 2025
Ashikur Rahman
Bangladesh. A nation-state born out of the faultiness of a discriminatory political fabric woven by the Pakistani military and political establishment amid Cold War tensions never embodied real hope for political pundits closely observing its violent birth. Cramped with more than 70 million people deeply entrenched in poverty within a deltaic region vulnerable to environmental disasters, its blood-soaked political independence in 1971 raised more questions than answers. Would this war-torn polity survive and prosper? Could it evolve into the liberal democracy as many aspired? Or would it join the list of newly independent nation-states which remained perpetually drowned in political and social conflict metamorphosing into a failed state? It was a difficult academic inquiry with no solid analytical foundation to guide it.
Moreover, while one might be tempted to think that what has been collectively attained or lost over the past five decades was inevitable, it is certainly not the case. History has walked a very specific path for us to stand on the existing pedestal we occupy today, and there is nothing preordained about it. The present state that we experience is one of the many possibilities that this nation-state could have attained. Bangladesh could have easily become a contested land and a dysfunctional disputed polity between India and Pakistan if our war of independence had taken a few wrong turns. Furthermore, even if we had achieved our independence, there was no certainty that this fragile war-torn polity could emerge into a nation-state that would attain meaningful socio-economic transformation, despite many obvious political failures.
Source: www.thehindu.com
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https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/bangladesh-at-a-critical-juncture/article70422195.ece
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‘Tied to tree and set on fire’: Father of Hindu man lynched by mob in Bangladesh
Dec 21, 2025
The father of the deceased, identified as Dipu Chandra Das, has now spoken up about the incident, expressing hopelessness in the aftermath.
A Hindu man was killed in a mob lynching in Bangladesh's Mymensingh district Friday, amid widespread unrest in the country following the death of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi.
The father of the deceased, identified as 27-year-old Dipu Chandra Das, has now spoken up about the incident, expressing hopelessness in the aftermath.
Speaking to NDTV, Ravilal Das said his son's body had been tied to a tree and set on fire. He said that the family had initially heard about the incident on Facebook, adding that gradually more people started talking about it.
Source: www.hindustantimes.com
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Bangladesh holds state mourning, funeral for slain uprising activist
20 Dec 2025
Bangladesh is observing a national day of mourning as the funeral was held for Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent leader of its 2024 student-led uprising, after his death triggered two days of protests across the country.
Tens of thousands of people poured into the area surrounding Bangladesh’s parliament house in the capital, Dhaka, before Hadi was buried at the Dhaka University’s central mosque.
“You are in our hearts, and you will remain in the heart of all Bangladeshis as long as the country exists,” interim leader Muhammad Yunus told the crowd in a speech.
Dhaka University officials and high-profile political figures were also in attendance, newspaper The Daily Star reported, including the leader of Hadi’s Inqilab Moncho movement and the National Citizen Party chief.
Police wearing body cameras and security forces were deployed across Dhaka to manage traffic and control crowds during the proceedings. The Bangladeshi flag was flown at half-staff at all public and private buildings to mark the day of mourning.
Although protests had largely cooled off by Saturday, the interim government announced the arrests of seven people suspected in the death of Dipu Chandra Das, a 27-year-old Hindu man, in what the government has called a “lynching” in Mymensingh on Thursday.
Media also continued to report previously unknown incidents of violence as cultural institutions, newspapers and political buildings reeled from arson attacks and mob rushes earlier in the week, in the latest turbulent chapter in the nation’s recent history.
Daily newspaper Prothom Alo reported that the home of Anisul Islam Mahmud, president of the National Democratic Front party and chairman of a faction of the Jatiya Party, was vandalised and set on fire at about midnight on Friday in Chattogram, Bangladesh’s second-largest city.
Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, the country’s main state-sponsored cultural centre, announced it would suspend all programming and exhibitions, The Daily Star said. The group cited security risks following arson attacks on Thursday on two of its organisations’ buildings.
Both Prothom Alo and The Daily Star were also targets of ambushes that trapped dozens of employees inside and forced them onto the roof as flames engulfed the building of the latter. The publications pledged to keep publishing online, however.
Hadi, the 32-year-old spokesperson for Inquilab Moncho, or Platform for Revolution, died in hospital in Singapore on Thursday after being shot in the head more than a week ago by masked attackers.
Inqilab Moncho urged people on Facebook to participate in the leader’s funeral, after earlier calling on its followers to refrain from carrying out acts of violence.
Aside from being Inqilab Moncho’s spokesperson, Hadi was planning to stand as a member of parliament for the Dhaka-8 constituency in the Bijoynagar area of the city in the upcoming elections, slated for February 2026.
Source: www.aljazeera.com
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Southeast Asia
‘Most handsome tomb in Penang’: Sheikh Omar’s mausoleum, a hidden gem in Air Itam’s historic Malay village
By Opalyn Mok
21 Dec 2025
GEORGE TOWN, Dec 21 — A centuries-old Malay village in Air Itam, home to one of Penang’s earliest Islamic scholars, may soon be gazetted as a heritage village — preserving a key piece of the state’s cultural history.
At the heart of the 'Kampung Melayu', stands the white-walled Makam Sheikh Omar, a grand mausoleum with a square tower rising 35 feet (10.7 metres) high, long described as the largest and ‘most handsome’ Muslim tomb in Penang.
The mausoleum is the resting place of Sheikh Omar Basheer Al-Khalidy, one of the early imams of Masjid Jamek in Acheen Street — also known as the LebuhAcheh Mosque — in George Town in the 1800s.
According to an article in the Penang Heritage Trust’s November 1988 newsletter, Sheikh Omar introduced his own form of mysticism — a special meditation practice known as sulok.
Bacon, who was the secretary of Captain Francis Light, bequeathed the house and land to his friend Syed Hassan Baharom. The latter, a disciple of Sheikh Omar, presented the house to his mentor in 1870.
It is believed that Sheikh Omar lived there and held religious classes in one of the wooden houses in the village until his death in 1881.
His son, Sheikh Zachariah, later hired Muslim builders from India to construct the mausoleum where his father was laid to rest.
The structure features a square tower with Moorish architectural influences, including intricate arabesque plasterwork on the dome topping the tower.
Source: www.malaymail.com
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No penalties in first year of self-assessment stamp duty system, says LHDN
21 Dec 2025
PUTRAJAYA, Dec 21 — The Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) will not impose penalties during the first year of the Self-Assessment Stamp Duty System (STSDS) for applications submitted from January 1 to December 31, 2026, in efforts to ease duty payers into the new regime.
In a statement today, LHDN said the concession covers errors in Stamp Duty Return Form (BNDS) submissions, inaccurate information affecting stamp duty assessment, and offences identified under subsection 72D(2) of the Stamp Act 1949.
MERSING, Dec 19 — An Orang Asli family is often among the earliest to evacuate whenever floods hit Kampung Orang Asli Labong here, as their house is located in a low-lying...
“The measure is intended to ease duty payers into the new system, encourage voluntary compliance and allow time to familiarise themselves with electronic self-stamping,” it added.
Assistance is available via the HASiL Contact Centre at 03-8911 1000 or +603-8911 1000 (overseas), HASiL Live Chat, or the feedback form at maklumbalaspelanggan.hasil.gov.my/Public/ on LHDN’s official portal.
Source: www.malaymail.com
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‘Once loyal, always loyal’: Zahid says BN unwavering ally to Anwar’s unity govt
21 Dec 2025
BUTTERWORTH, Dec 21 — Barisan Nasional (BN) remains steadfast and unwavering as a partner in the Unity Government until the end of the current term, its chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today, firmly dismissing claims that the coalition intends to pressure or undermine the existing administration.
He said that since the formation of the Unity Government, BN has consistently supported the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and has acted as a strategic partner, complementing the national administration’s agenda.
Malay Mail, Malaymail, Malaysia, Malaysian, News, Politics, Sports, Elections, World, Business, Sports, Showbiz, Entertainment, Tech, Technology, Drive, Cars, Property, Features, Life, Opinion, Food, Columnist, Computer, Bank, Travel, Directory, Education, Eat, Drink, Dining
“BN has never issued threats, has never wavered, and remains loyal as a faithful partner in the Unity Government. There should be no doubt about BN’s loyalty to the Unity Government.
“If people want to meet us, we will meet them. That does not mean we are making decisions to defect or bring down the government. BN remains loyal. Once loyal, always loyal,” he said when officiating Makkal Sakti’s annual general assembly here.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Zahid, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, stressed that loyalty is a fundamental pillar of any political organisation, particularly within a large coalition such as BN that has faced numerous challenges over the years.
Source: www.malaymail.com
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Six witness statements recorded in Kampung Pandan religious school assault probe, say police
By Malay Mail
21 Dec 2025
Kuala Lumpur, Dec 21 — Police have so far recorded statements from six witnesses to assist investigations into a case involving a pupil who is alleged to have been sexually assaulted at a religious school in Kampung Pandan here.
In a statement, Kuala Lumpur police chief Commissioner Datuk Fadil Marsus said further investigations are ongoing, including the possibility that other pupils may also have been victims, according to Sinar Harian.
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 18 — Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil today defended several of the new Cabinet appointments against public criticism, stressing that the new...
Source: www.malaymail.com
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Sabah by-elections: GRS might sit out Lamag and Kinabatangan in show of cooperation with BN
21 Dec 2025
KOTA KINABALU, Dec 21 — Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) senior leader Datuk John Ambrose has praised Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Haji Noor for what he described as a wise and mature decision in indicating that GRS is likely to give way to Barisan Nasional (BN) in the coming Lamag and Kinabatangan by-elections.
John, who is also GRS supreme council member, said Hajiji’s stance reflected political maturity and a strong commitment to maintaining unity and stability within the Sabah government.
SINGAPORE, Dec 18 — A 68-year-old man who repeatedly attacked fellow residents and staff at a nursing home in Singapore, and later set a mattress on fire, has been jailed after a...
“This is a wise decision by Hajiji. It shows respect for past electoral outcomes and prioritises unity and camaraderie among parties that form the state government,” he said in a statement.
He added that GRS’ inclination to not field candidates in Lamag and Kinabatangan demonstrated sincerity in strengthening cooperation with Barisan Nasional, which had previously won both seats.
According to John, Hajiji’s leadership approach was focused on long-term political stability rather than short-term political gains.
“He is the kind of leader that Sabah needs, someone who can see far into the future yet make wise and decisive decisions in the present. He knows that when Sabah is politically stable, everything else will fall into place. Economically, it allows room for Sabah to prosper. Investors will have confidence to invest.
Source: www.malaymail.com
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Arab world
Iraq's Political Future in Limbo as Factions Vie for Power
21 December 2025
Political factions in Iraq have been maneuvering since the parliamentary election more than a month ago to form alliances that will shape the next government.
The November election didn't produce a bloc with a decisive majority, opening the door to a prolonged period of negotiations, said The Associated Press.
The government that eventually emerges will be inheriting a security situation that has stabilized in recent years, but it will also face a fragmented parliament, growing political influence by armed factions, a fragile economy, and often conflicting international and regional pressures, including the future of Iran-backed armed groups.
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's party took the largest number of seats in the election. Al-Sudani positioned himself in his first term as a pragmatist focused on improving public services and managed to keep Iraq on the sidelines of regional conflicts.
While his party is nominally part of the Coordination Framework, a coalition of Iran-backed Shiite parties that became the largest parliamentary bloc, observers say it’s unlikely that the Coordination Framework will support al-Sudani’s reelection bid.
“The choice for prime minister has to be someone the Framework believes they can control and doesn't have his own political ambitions,” said Sajad Jiyad, an Iraqi political analyst and fellow at The Century Foundation think tank.
Source: English.aawsat.com
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https://english.aawsat.com/features/5221358-what-egypt%E2%80%99s-red-lines-mean-sudan%E2%80%99s-war
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Baghdad’s top court moves to prevent post-election deadlock
2025-12-21
Iraq’s top judicial authority on Saturday said the newly elected parliament must complete its first session on December 29 by electing a speaker and two deputies, warning that any delay would ''breach'' the constitution.
In a statement, Faiq Zidan, head of Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council, noted that lawmakers must act within the constitutionally mandated 30-day period to nominate a presidential candidate following the session.
Adherence to deadlines for selecting the parliamentary speaker, president, and prime minister is “essential” to completing the formation of both the legislative and executive branches, he added.
Source: shafaq.com
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https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq/Baghdad-s-top-court-moves-to-prevent-post-election-deadlock
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Yarim Local Water Corporation holds protest condemning insult to Holy Qur’an
20 Dec 2025
Ibb - Saba:The Local Water and Sanitation Corporation in Ibb Governorate – Yarim Branch organized a protest rally on Saturday to condemn the American insult to the Holy Qur’an.
Participants in the rally, which was attended by the Director of the Yarim branch, Zaid Al-Qashar, along with department heads and employees, chanted slogans denouncing the repeated American insults to the Book of Allah, the most sacred of Islamic sanctities.
They affirmed that their participation in the angry protest reflects a clear faith-based stance and a religious responsibility that does not tolerate complacency toward this heinous crime committed by an American infidel candidate against the Holy Qur’an.
They considered the insult not an isolated incident or individual act, but part of a comprehensive and systematic war targeting the Holy Qur’an, seeking to undermine its sanctity in the hearts of Muslims, strike at the identity of the Ummah, and sever it from the source of its honor and strength.
Source: www.saba.ye
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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3611568.htm
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Sana'a: Student rallies & marches denounce American insult to Holy Qur’an
20 Dec 2025
Sana'a - Saba:Schools in Sana'a Governorate witnessed on Saturday angry student rallies and marches denouncing the crime of insulting the Holy Qur’an by the United States.
Participants, including district directors and educational leaders, condemned the insult to the Holy Qur’an, stressing that it is part of an American-Zionist war against Islamic sanctities.
Male and female students chanted angry slogans condemning the heinous act committed by a blasphemous American candidate, describing it as a blatant aggression against all members of the Islamic nation.
Source: www.saba.ye
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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3611557.htm
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Iraqi Judiciary hails state command over armed factions
2025-12-20
Iraq’s armed factions have agreed to hand over their weapons to the state, the Supreme Judicial Council confirmed on Saturday.
In a statement, Council President Faiq Zidan commended the factions for “enforcing the rule of law” and transitioning from military activity to political engagement, noting that the “national need for armed action has now passed.”
The push has recently begun with a statement by Shibl Al-Zaidi, Secretary-General of the Imam Ali Brigades (Kataib al-Imam Ali). He was followed by Asaib Ahl al-Haq, the Sayyid Al-Shuhada Brigades, and Ansar Allah al-Awfiya (HAAA)—groups aligned with Iran and key components of the legally recognized Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).
For months, the United States has urged Baghdad to reduce the influence of armed factions, dissolve them, and bring all weapons under state control. Washington has also insisted that these groups should not participate in the new government, particularly after winning an estimated 80 of 329 seats in the Iraqi Parliament.
Source: shafaq.com
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https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq/Iraqi-Judiciary-hails-state-command-over-armed-factions
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King Abdulaziz Foundation reveals rare images from king’s 1916 Basra visit
December 20, 2025
RIYADH: The King Abdulaziz Foundation has revealed archival photographs documenting King Abdulaziz’s tour of the outskirts of Basra in 1916, a visit that came at an early stage of his efforts to build regional relationships.
One of the photographs, taken by British photographer Gertrude Bell, shows King Abdulaziz standing with his men in the Basra desert, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The image reflects his early political and diplomatic engagement in the region, as he sought to strengthen ties with neighboring areas and engage with the wider Arab and international community, SPA added.
Source: www.arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2626968/saudi-arabia
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Muslim World League secretary-general meets UN trade chief in Riyadh
December 20, 2025
RIYADHL The Secretary-General of the Muslim World League Sheikh Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa met with the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Rebeca Grynspan at his office in the Saudi capital on Saturday.
The meeting focused on a range of issues of mutual interest, including areas of cooperation related to global development, economic challenges, and international engagement.
Source: www.arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2626950/saudi-arabia
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Healthcare must be ‘proactive’ says Hevolution exec
Lama Alhamawi
December 20, 2025
RIYADH: Healthcare needs to shift to a global model that targets preventing disease rather than treating it, a senior executive from the Saudi-funded Hevolution Foundation told Arab News.
The senior vice president of research of Hevolution, Princess Dr. Haya bint Khaled bin Bandar Al-Saud, spoke to Arab News at a presentation of its second Global Healthspan Report at the nonprofit’s headquarters in Riyadh’s KAFD on Wednesday.
“People have to be aware, healthcare has to change its way of thinking, because it’s a must,” she said. “We cannot be reactive anymore, we have to be proactive.
“And this has to start earlier in the education of health professionals, and third, someone needs to take this to the global agenda. The general public needs to know that this is a reality.”
Launching its report, Hevolution called for urgent global action to treat healthy aging as an economic imperative, where prevention, not disease, drives prosperity.
Source: www.arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2626951/saudi-arabia
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Africa
Stakeholders Brainstorm On New Tax Reforms In Kano
by LEADERSHIP
21-12-2025
The Islamic Forum of Nigeria, in collaboration with the Almubarak WAQF Foundation and the Financial Literacy Ambassadors of Nigeria, has organised a sensitisationprogramme to the new tax reforms.
The News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) reports that the event, held at the Islamic Forum, Farm Centre, Kano,on Saturday, attracted participants from the business community, financial institutions and government agencies.
The Executive Secretary Islamic Furum of Nigeria , Alhaji Dalhatu Gwarzo, explained that the programme aimed to inform the citizens, especially business owners, about the policy direction of government.
Source: leadership.ng
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https://leadership.ng/stakeholders-brainstorm-on-new-tax-reforms-in-kano/
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Primate Ayodele’s 1,000 trumpets fail to blow N150m
Ikeddy Isiguzo
December 21, 2025
THE prominent people in the N150m demand to import Chinese trumpets is not even a member of Primate Ayodele Babatunde’s INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church located in Oke-Afa, Lagos. Please note this moot point on the expansive reaches of the religion enterprise.
In fact, the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, who is the complainant in the matter, before the Department of State Service, DSS, is a devout Muslim who incidentally was in a mosque while on pilgrimage in Mecca, when Ayodele allegedly pestered him with calls and text messages last April.
Though Adelabu told the Primate that he was in a mosque in Mecca, Ayodele advised the complainant on what Muslim prayer to say and how to render the supplications to the Almighty, “recite almunasira 200 times”.
In messages that are in the public space, the Primate told Adelabu that he had been a person of interest to him since his days as Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, a position Adelabu held from 2014-2018.
The Primate’s proposal was clear and direct. He would help Adelabu to victory in the 2027 Oyo State governorship election. Adelabu’s two previous efforts failed.
Source: businessday.ng
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https://businessday.ng/life/article/primate-ayodeles-1000-trumpets-fail-to-blow-n150m/
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Tinubu renames Fed Varsity Azare after late Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi
By Chimezie Godfrey
December 21, 2025
President Bola Tinubu has renamed the Federal University of Medical Sciences, Azare as Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi University.
He announced this on Saturday during a condolence visit to the state government and members of the family of the late scholar.
Tinubu described the late Sheikh as a man who loved humanity, brought impactful knowledge to the people and worked hard on the path of the Almighty Allah.
“From today onward, I will announce change of name to immortalise him from the Federal University of Medical Sciences, Azare, to be known as Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi University.
Source: newsdiaryonline.com
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https://newsdiaryonline.com/tinubu-renames-fed-varsity-azare-after-late-sheikh-dahiru-bauchi/
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Banditry, extremism and family culpability
December 21, 2025
by Palladium
Former Executive Secretary, National Health Insurance Scheme, Usman Yusuf, an oncologist, has as usual been talking up a storm over the Bola Tinubu administration’s plan to fight banditry and insecurity in general with every determination the government can summon. Tragically, some northerners, to whom he has directed his inciting rhetoric, appear convinced that he is the genuine article. On the one hand, the fight against insurgency in the Northeast has reached a crushing and intense level. It may be plagued by half measures, such as deradicalisation and rehabilitation of insurgents after capture or after surrender, especially ahead of their victims still marooned in refugee camps, but any indication that the counterinsurgency efforts were directed against the Kanuri has since subsided. On the other hand, however, the campaign against banditry in the Northwest appears bogged down in ethnic and religious rhetoric incomparable with any zealotry the country has seen since independence in 1960.
The press, which today is largely against the Tinubu administration, loves to get the opinion of the eminent Prof. Yusuf. Last week he regaled the media again with his careless summation of the fight against banditry. His previous staple of deconstructing Boko Haram within the ambit of his zealous ratiocinations is no longer as marketable as it once was. He is not Kanuri. His new pastime is banditry, an affinity he shares with Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, a notable northern Islamic cleric famous for his sympathies for bandits. Reacting to a question on the Nigerian Defence minister’s logic about fighting banditry to its logical conclusion, the oncologist argued that such a fight would unfairly target the Fulani and indicate prejudice against that race. He was more worried about the atrocities he claimed security agencies and Hausa vigilantes were meting out to the Fulani than respond to the cruelty and economic sabotage occasioned by the bandits.
Never known to mince words on the painful subject of insecurity, Prof. Yusuf had said: “We strongly reject any plan by Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, to wage war against Fulani bandits. He must understand that he is now a political office holder, not a battlefield soldier, and therefore has a duty to listen to the people. We do not support a full-scale military campaign against Fulani bandits. What we demand is dialogue and non-violent solutions, not endless warfare. Any insistence on military confrontation will ultimately fail. We have firsthand experience. We have entered forests where bandit leaders are located, engaged directly, and witnessed the devastation caused by military operations and vigilante groups (Yan Banga). In reality, these bandits see themselves as freedom fighters.”
It is true that sometimes dialogue resolves a number of sore issues in a society, but that would depend on what the causes of those sore issues are. There have been suggestions that socio-economic factors are to blame for banditry, amidst a number of other causes, including farmers-herdsmen clashes mostly instigated by shrinking grazing reserves. However, it is not clear what kind of dialogue Prof. Yusuf wants. Most Northwest states had at one time or the other entered into dialogue with the bandits, as a former Katsina State governor Aminu Masari once exasperatedly noted, but each time a truce was reached, and handsome money paid out, it was followed by only very brief spells of peace. After those spells, vicious campaigns of pillage and abductions often and constantly resumed, each campaign signposted by extreme cruelty disproportionate to the alleged cause of the disagreement between the bandits and locals.
The governors who dialogued with the bandits and later resigned to fate are themselves Fulani. So what kind of dialogue do Prof. Yusuf and Sheikh Gumi want? While the beginnings of banditry so-called might be reasonably attributed to farmers-herdsmen clashes, they have in recent years, especially in light of the rampant and lawless artisanal mining ravaging the Northwest and parts of North Central, morphed into very lucrative kidnapping business. In turn, the kidnapping business is morphing into jihadist fantasies as the Mamuda, Lakurawa, and Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (Arabic for “Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims”), an expanding Salafi-jihadist organisation and al-Qaeda affiliate in the Sahel region of West Africa, take firm root in the Northwest. Some northern political leaders, particularly the progressive ones, are painfully aware of the dangers constituted by these groups, and the fact that banditry, not to talk of the short-sighted political rhetoric of some northern governors, open
Source: thenationonlineng.net
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https://thenationonlineng.net/banditry-extremism-and-family-culpability/
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PMOI Resistance Units in Zahedan defy regime and reject both Shah and Mullahs amid record executions
By Matin Karim
December 20, 2025
On December 19, PMOI Resistance Units in Zahedan, southeast Iran, launched a new wave of political activities and street protests, turning the city into a scene of confrontation against all forms of dictatorship. In a bold display of defiance, these activists reiterated their commitment to establishing a free and democratic republic, explicitly rejecting both the current clerical regime and the remnants of the past monarchical dictatorship.
These actions occur as the regime intensifies psychological warfare and executions to suppress public anger. The Resistance Units emphasized that the only path forward is an organized uprising to overthrow the regime. Their placards carried a clear message to political opportunists: “Anyone who thinks they can hijack the new democratic revolution of Iran like the constitutional and anti-monarchic revolution is badly mistaken.”
The activities in Zahedan highlighted three core principles of the resistance’s strategy: overthrowing the rule of the mullahs, drawing a clear red line against both the Shah and the mullahs, and enforcing the separation of religion from the state. Slogans such as “No Turban, No Crown” and “A dictator is a dictator, whether with a turban or a crown” resonated through the protests, signaling that Iranian society is looking forward, not backward.
Source: english.mojahedin.org
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Tinubu renames Bauchi varsity after late Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi
December 20, 2025
By Umar Sani
President Bola Tinubu has renamed the Federal University of Medical Sciences, Azare, Bauchi State, after the late renowned Islamic scholar, Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi.
The President announced the decision on Saturday during a condolence visit to the family of the cleric at his country home in Bauchi.
According to Tinubu, the renaming is to immortalise the late Islamic scholar and his contributions to humanity and religious scholarship.
Source: punchng.com
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https://punchng.com/tinubu-renames-bauchi-varsity-after-late-sheikh-dahiru-bauchi/
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Stakeholders sensitise Nigerians on new tax reforms in Kano
December 20, 2025
The Islamic Forum of Nigeria, in collaboration with the Almubarak WAQF Foundation and the Financial Literacy Ambassadors of Nigeria, has organised a sensitisationprogramme to the new tax reforms.
The event, held at the Islamic Forum, Farm Centre, Kano,on Saturday, attracted participants from the business community, financial institutions and government agencies.
The executive secretary, Islamic Forum of Nigeria, Dalhatu Gwarzo, explained that the programme aimed to inform the citizens, especially business owners, about the policy direction of government.
According to Mr Gwarzo, enhancing revenue generation is vital to national development, and proper understanding and compliance with tax policies would contribute significantly to economic stability.
Source: gazettengr.com
Please click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://gazettengr.com/stakeholders-sensitise-nigerians-on-new-tax-reforms-in-kano/
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/hindu-man-bangladesh-mob-anti-islam/d/138093