BJP leader calls Shah Rukh Khan 'traitor' after KKR gets Bangladeshi player Mustafizur Rahman for IPL: 'He has no right to live in India'
New Age Islam News Bureau
02 January 2026
Shah Rukh Khan is the co-owner of IPL's Kolkata Knight Riders team. (Credit: Facebook/@srkuniverse)
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· BJP leader calls Shah Rukh Khan ‘traitor’ after KKR gets Bangladeshi player Mustafizur Rahman for IPL: ‘He has no right to live in India’
· Syrian government foils Daesh plot to attack churches and New Year celebrations
· Saudi Arabia seizes millions of narcotic pills in 2025
· Christmas tree fire in China misrepresented as arson by 'Islamist' in Britain
· 'AI-generated Pakistani propaganda...': Hindu American Foundation responds to historian calling organisation 'far-right'
· ‘All Christians In Nigeria Are Targets’ – The Islamic State of West Africa Province Attack Christian Village In Adamawa
· ‘Art must uplift, not corrupt’: Religious affairs minister of Malaysia slams lyrics in controversial local song
· Afghan Mathematician’s Claim of Inventing AI in 1976 Disputed After Social Media Interview
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India
· 'Thinking of you': Zohran Mamdani pens note to Umar Khalid as US lawmakers urge India to ensure him fair trial
· From a birthday party in Bareilly, a question about ‘Viksit Bharat’ that should haunt us
· Farooq Abdullah likens attacks on Kashmiris to Nazism, warns against Hitler rule
· How security forces are equipping residents of remote villages with skills to defend themselves against terror
· 2 arrested for murder of 2012 Pune bomb blast accused; cops probe political angle
· Jammu police seek clarification after cricketer seen wearing Palestine flag on helmet
· Conversion racket uncovered in Madhya Pradesh, foreign funds linked, 3 arrested
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Mideast
· “Hamas”: Zionist move to strip Hebron Municipality of authority over Ibrahimi Mosque is dangerous
· 130 Settlers Desecrate Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound
· Pro-Palestine march draws over half a million people to Istanbul’s Galata Bridge on New Year’s Day
· Fresh clashes kill six in Iran cost-of-living protests
· Young Palestinian boy drowns in muddy water flooding his Gaza tent camp, UN says
· Israel confirms ban on 37 NGOs in Gaza
· Marib… Student march in Al-Abdiyah District commemorates Rajab Friday & supports Holy Qur’an
· Ministry of Finance Leadership Visits Great Mosque in Sana'a
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Arab World
· Crown prince, Qatar Emir discuss regional developments in phone call
· How 2025 became a landmark year in Saudi transformation and global leadership
· Bedouin heritage attracts visitors at Al-Sayahid market
· Foundation stone laid for Saudi govt data centre in Riyadh
· Outstanding orphans honoured in Thailand
· Saudi minister of Islamic affairs signs executive program for MOU
· Saudi leadership sends cables of condolences after passing of former Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia
· All UAE mosques shift to 12.45pm Friday prayers from today
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Europe
· Netherlands police face 'unprecedented' New Year's violence
· 'Russia brings war to New Year': Zelenskyy claims Moscow fired 200 drones; targeted energy infrastructure
· Muslim youth group thanks emergency services with New Year’s Eve food delivery
· Young Muslims collect hundreds of bags of litter in annual New Year's Day street clean
· Ukrainian nationalists commemorate WWII-era Nazi collaborator
· Five-year-old boy killed in Ukrainian drone attack – governor
· ‘People were running through the flames’: How Swiss ski resort bar tragedy unfolded; witnesses recall chaos
· Amsterdam: Fire engulfs iconic Vondelkerk church during New Year celebrations; watch
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North America
· London's Muslim mayor vows to stand up to Trump’s ‘bile’
· CAIR, CAIR-NY Call Mayor Mamdani’s Inauguration a ‘Historic Moment of Progress’ for American Muslims and Entire Nation
· 'Peace on Earth': Donald Trump shares New Year resolution; touts 'strong' administrative record
· California delays cancellation of 17,000 immigrant commercial driver’s licences; Trump administration warns state putting 'Americans at risk'
· ‘Xi Jinping wants...’: Nikki Haley jibes at Zohran Mamdani’s NYC mayor swearing-in speech
· US visa rules from January 1: Travel ban for 39 countries; hike in immigration-related fees
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Africa
· 2025: Mass abductions, killings, Trump’s rhetoric overshadow Tinubu govt’s war on terror
· Guinea: Doumbouya supporters express joy after victory in presidential election
· DRC accuses Rwanda of killing 1,500 civilians in past month
· Concerns As 533 Journalists Get Jailed, 128 Killed In 2025
· Israel To Support Persecuted Christians In Nigeria – Netanyahu
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Southeast Asia
· Anwar calls for stop to commission-taking agents in Ramadan bazaar registrations, praises PJ’s system
· Anwar shrugs off Muafakat revival talk, says it’s not a problem for unity govt
· PAS confirms it will lead Perikatan after Muhyiddin’s resignation, meeting on new chairman next week
· ‘PAS actions reflect ideology, not betrayal’
· PM Anwar pledges national harmony and economic strength for 2026
· Vice Admiral Sabri to sue over Chegu Bard’s defamatory allegations
· Structural flaws weighing on political viability of Perikatan Nasional
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South Asia
· Madrasa explosion: Fresh blast at site while clearing debris
· 268 incidents of rights violations in CHT in 2025
· Bogura-4 Jamaat candidate declares Tk 4.39 lakh annual foreign income, owns a flat in Turkey
· Food Prices Surge Over 4 Percent Amid Economic Strain in Afghanistan: Report
· Explosion Rocks Court Building in Faryab, Afghanistan
· Unidentified Drone Reportedly Crashes in Maidan Wardak, Afghanistan
· Jamaat, BNP should work together for next 5 yrs: Shafiqur
· Human rights situation in CHT worsened in 2025: PCJSS
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
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BJP leader calls Shah Rukh Khan ‘traitor’ after KKR gets Bangladeshi player Mustafizur Rahman for IPL: ‘He has no right to live in India’
January 2, 2026
Shah Rukh Khan is the co-owner of IPL's Kolkata Knight Riders team. (Credit: Facebook/@srkuniverse)
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Launching a scathing attack on Shah Rukh Khan, Uttar Pradesh BJP leader and former Sardhana MLA Sangeet Singh Som called the Bollywood superstar a “gaddar (traitor)” for getting Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman for his Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) team in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). He went one step further and even claimed that SRK had no right to continue living in India. For the unversed, the KKR franchise is owned by SRK, actor Juhi Chawla and her husband Jay Mehta.
“On one hand, Hindus are being killed in Bangladesh, and on the other hand, cricketers are being bought in the IPL auction. Shah Rukh Khan bought Rahman by spending Rs 9 crore. Today, anti-India slogans are raised in Bangladesh, the Prime Minister is abused, but traitors like Shah Rukh Khan are helping them by spending nine crores. They have no right to live in this country,” Sangeet Som said during a public event in Meerut. Threatening Mustafizur with dire consequences if he arrives in India to play in the IPL, Sangeet said he wouldn’t be allowed to even step out of the airport.
Dhurandhar Day 28 Box Office Collection Worldwide Update: Here’s why Dhurandhar team released a revised version after earning Rs 1100 crore
Speaking to news agency PTI later, he noted, “Hindus are tortured and massacred in Bangladesh. Their houses are being torn down, and they are beaten to death. Our sisters and daughters are being raped. Hindus are being killed one after another. Even after all this, if you are getting a player from that country, this is a treachery against India. And people like Shah Rukh Khan are traitors who support Pakistan and Bangladesh from time to time. They only support those countries that torture Hindus. These gaddar log (traitors) don’t keep in mind that the people of India made you the Shah Rukh Khan that you are today.” SRK is yet to respond to these comments.
‘Calling SRK ‘traitor’ an attack on India’s pluralism’
The Bollywood superstar’s move also drew sharp criticism from people like Jagadguru Swami Rambhadracharya, Devkinandan Thakur, and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anand Dubey. However, Congress MP Manickam Tagore condemned the “gaddar” remarks against the Bollywood superstar, dubbing it an “attack on India’s pluralism.” He wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “Calling Superstar Shah Rukh Khan a ‘traitor’ is an attack on India’s pluralism. Hate cannot define nationalism. RSS must stop poisoning society.”
ICYMI | Spirit poster: A wounded alpha, a compliant heroine, the familiar Vanga-sized misogyny, has he made it his trademark?
What SRK said about ban on Pakistani players in IPL
The debate over whether or not to pick players from countries with which India has tensions has been ongoing for quite some time. According to Live Mint, Pakistani players have been banned from playing in the IPL since 2009 following the Mumbai terror attacks. In 2010, SRK commented on this, opining that Pakistani players should have been chosen in the IPL auction. “I think it’s actually humiliating to me as a KKR owner that this has happened. We are known to be good, we are known to invite everyone, and we should have. And if there were any issues, they should have been put out earlier so that everything could happen respectfully,” he told NDTV.
SRK added, “There is going to be a section of people who have suddenly gotten up and have said, rightly or wrongly, ‘ Australians will not be allowed to play’. So here is a set of people who are spending up to Rs 70, 80, 90 crore on trying to win a tournament and suddenly, even if you say this much to me, I’m like ‘uh-oh, so should I take or shouldn’t I take him?'”
Source: indianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/bjp-leader-calls-shah-rukh-khan-traitor-after-kkr-gets-bangladeshi-player-mustafizur-rahman-for-ipl-10450934/
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Syrian government foils Daesh plot to attack churches and New Year celebrations
January 02, 2026
Syrian authorities have also carried out several operations against Daesh since then, saying on Dec. 25 they had killed a senior leader of the group. (AFP/File)
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ALEPPO, DAMASCUS: The Syrian Interior Ministry announced on Thursday that it had thwarted a Daesh plot to carry out suicide attacks targeting New Year celebrations and churches, particularly in Aleppo.
The ministry said in a statement that, as part of ongoing counterterrorism efforts and careful monitoring of Daesh cells in cooperation with partner agencies, it had received intelligence indicating plans for suicide attacks targeting New Year celebrations in several provinces, particularly Aleppo, with a focus on churches and civilian gathering areas.
The ministry added that it took preemptive measures, including reinforcing security around churches, deploying mobile and fixed patrols, and setting up checkpoints across the city.
During operations at a checkpoint in Aleppo’s Bab Al-Faraj district, security forces intercepted a suspected Daesh member who opened fire. One internal security soldier was killed, and the attacker detonated explosives, injuring two others.
Daesh recently increased its attacks in Syria, and was blamed for an attack last month in Palmyra that killed three Americans.
On Dec. 13, two US soldiers and an American civilian were killed in an attack Washington blamed on a lone Daesh gunman in Palmyra.
In retaliation, American forces struck scores of Daesh targets in Syria.
Syrian authorities have also carried out several operations against Daesh since then, saying on Dec. 25 they had killed a senior leader of the group.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2628056/middle-east
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Saudi Arabia seizes millions of narcotic pills in 2025
January 01, 2026
The Saudi Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority achieved remarkable security results in 2025, thwarting numerous smuggling attempts across land, air and sea customs ports. (SPA/File Photo)
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RIYADH: The Saudi Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority achieved remarkable security results in 2025, thwarting numerous smuggling attempts across land, air and sea customs ports.
These efforts form part of its crucial role in protecting society and strengthening the Kingdom’s security, carried out in close coordination with relevant security agencies.
During the year, the authority reported the seizure of 24 million narcotic and prohibited pills and 1,417 kg of other prohibited substances.
The implementation of advanced control procedures, the adoption of modern security technologies and the enhanced efficiency of customs personnel at all ports of entry drove the success.
The authority highlighted that continuous coordination and integrated operations with the General Directorate of Narcotics Control led to the arrest of individuals attempting to receive the seized substances within the Kingdom, demonstrating the effectiveness of collaborative security efforts in combating drug smuggling.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2628032/saudi-arabia
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Christmas tree fire in China misrepresented as arson by 'Islamist' in Britain
January 2, 2026
Screenshot comparison of the falsely shared image (L) and matching video posted on Weibo
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Local firefighters say an electrical fault sparked a fire that engulfed a Christmas tree in southern China in December 2024, contrary to posts sharing anti-immigrant comments alongside an image of the tree and claiming it was torched by Muslims in the United Kingdom. Similar visuals of the fire circulated in social media posts and news reports at the time, and the fire department said a short circuit -- not arson -- was to blame.
"Muslims in UK burned Christmas Tree… They will never assimilate," reads part of the caption of an image posted on December 26, 2025.
The image, posted on a Facebook page sharing news about the Pacific island nation of Tonga, shows a burning Christmas tree in what appears to be a shopping centre.
Text superimposed on the image reads, "Islamist Jihadist burned Christmas Tree in UK".
Similar posts spread in nearby Australia -- where thousands have in recent months participated in anti-immigration marches -- and a video of the tree burning was also circulated in posts from users in the Philippines, Nigeria and Britain (archived link).
"Not just the UK," read a comment on one of the posts, while another said "deport the lot".
But the circulating images neither depict an incident that occurred in the United Kingdom nor a deliberately set fire.
A reverse image search on Google led to news reports about a Christmas tree that caught fire at the Sanli Plaza in China's southwestern megacity of Chengdu on December 25, 2024 (archived here and here).
A video of the tree was posted on the mall's official Weibo page earlier in the month (archived link).
The circulating image appears to be a cropped still from a Weibo video posted the day after the fire (archived link). A similar post shows the fire from a different angle (archived link).
The local fire department announced on December 28, 2024 that the fire was caused by "a short circuit in the Christmas tree's electrical wiring", ruling out arson and other causes (archived link).
Source: factcheck.afp.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com.89DP763
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AI-generated Pakistani propaganda...': Hindu American Foundation responds to historian calling organisation 'far-right'
Jan 2, 2026
An intense digital clash is brewing as the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) finds itself at odds with historian Audrey Truschke over the issue of Hindu nationalism in the United States.
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An online clash erupted between the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) and historian Audrey Truschke on the topic of Hindu nationalism in the United States.
The dispute began after Truschke, in a social media post, said that there had been “many exposés” of the “far-right Hindu American Foundation.”
She claimed that Hindutva is “an American problem” and said far-right hate harms everyone. To support her point, she shared a link to an article from Pakistan’s Express Tribune titled “Inside Hindutva’s American headquarters.” The article accuses HAF of promoting Hindutva in the US through legal action, lobbying, and narratives.
HAF executive director Suhag Shukla responded on X and dismissed Truschke’s claim. Shukla questioned her credibility and asked how a historian could rely on what she called “AI-generated Pakistani propaganda” to attack Hindu Americans. “Let that sink in,” Shukla said. She suggested the article was not a serious or trustworthy source.
The Express Tribune piece was published on December 28, 2025, cites reports from groups such as Rutgers Law School and Political Research Associates. It argues that HAF plays a key role in shaping US discourse around India and Hindu identity.
Social media attacked Truschke, pointing to her past work on South Asia and alleging links to Pakistani or Muslim advocacy groups, including CAIR.
She is affiliated with CAIR, now designated a terrorist org by texas and florida. What else do you expect ?
HAF has long said it exists to fight anti-Hindu bias and to protect Hindu civil rights in the US. Netizens in support of Shukla said the claims unfairly target Hindu Americans and silence legitimate advocacy. The organization, on various instances, has condemned 'anti-Hindu' or 'anti-Indian' hate by groyperism & white nationalism
Source: indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/ai-generated-pakistani-propaganda-hindu-american-foundation-responds-to-historian-calling-organisation-far-right/articleshow/126293339.cms
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‘All Christians In Nigeria Are Targets’ – The Islamic State of West Africa Province Attack Christian Village In Adamawa
January 2, 2026
By George Oshogwe Ogbolu
The Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) has continued attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria’s North-East, with reports that the terror group recently razed a Christian village in Adamawa State.
A security expert, Brant Philip, disclosed the development on Thursday after a video circulated online, allegedly released by the terrorists.
According to Philip, ISWAP published footage showing a Christian settlement in Adamawa engulfed in flames, alongside a statement threatening Christians across the country.
“ISWAP released an image of one of the Christian villages in Adamawa State burning, alongside a statement saying that all Christians in Nigeria are legitimate targets, and that they have an opportunity to ‘spare their blood’ by converting to Islam or paying the jizyah tax to ISWAP,” Philip wrote on X.
The latest attack is widely seen as retaliation for recent joint airstrikes carried out by Nigerian and United States forces against terrorist hideouts in the North-West.
Recall that five days ago, Donald Trump announced that the United States military had launched airstrikes targeting terrorist elements in Sokoto State, in coordination with Nigerian authorities.
ISWAP, a breakaway faction of Boko Haram, has in recent years intensified attacks on both Christian and Muslim communities, security formations, and civilian targets across the North-East, despite sustained military offensives.
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2026/01/02/all-christians-in-nigeria-are-targets-iswap-attack-christian-village-in-adamawa/
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‘Art must uplift, not corrupt’: Religious affairs minister of Malaysia slams lyrics in controversial local song
02 Jan 2026
PUTRAJAYA, Jan 2 — The Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) views seriously the spread of song lyrics containing obscene and indecent elements that are contrary to moral values and social decorum, particularly those exerting a negative influence on the younger generation, says Minister Datuk Zulkifli Hasan.
Referring to a song by a local female artiste, he said all artistes, producers, creators and related parties were reminded to comply with the Guidelines for Entertainment in Islam (Second Edition), which were endorsed by the 107th National Fatwa Committee Muzakarah on February 10-11, 2015.
“These guidelines clearly stipulate that entertainment lyrics must be free from obscene elements, immorality, insults, manipulation of sacred Islamic terms as well as matters that contradict the syariah (Islamic jurisprudence) and humanitarian values,” he said in a statement yesterday.
He said Islam required its followers to safeguard the sanctity of speech, hearing and the heart.
He said religious teachings reminded that every word uttered should bring goodness and not undermine human dignity and morality.
“Islam celebrates artistic works and beauty, but these should serve as a means to educate, calm the soul and spread noble values, not otherwise,” said Zulkifli, who stressed the responsibility of all parties to produce content aligned with decorum, culture and the demands of the syariah.
According to him, good entertainment was entertainment that nurtured the soul and strengthened morality, not that which distracted and corrupted.
He said he hoped the reminder would be received with an open heart for the common good and the wellbeing of society.
Recently, a local female singer’s latest song, alleged to contain obscene and inappropriate lyrics, drew negative reactions among netizens. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/01/02/art-must-uplift-not-corrupt-religious-affairs-minister-slams-lyrics-in-controversial-local-song/203983
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Afghan Mathematician’s Claim of Inventing AI in 1976 Disputed After Social Media Interview
By Khaama Press
January 2, 2026
Muhammad Sediq Afghan, a noted mathematician from Afghanistan, recently claimed in an interview with prominent journalist Hafizullah Mohammadi that he had developed a formula for artificial intelligence as early as 1976. The interview, broadcast on Mohammadi’s widely followed digital news channel, included Sediq Afghan showing what he described as a letter from a Virginia-based research center acknowledging receipt of his documents. He asserted that the letter validated his contribution to AI.
In response to these claims, our news agency sought to verify the information using an AI application. We consulted an artificial intelligence tool to cross-check historical facts and the background of AI development. According to well-documented records, the origins of artificial intelligence are traced back to the 1950s, with the field formally being named at the Dartmouth Conference in 1956. The evolution of AI is the result of collaborative research by numerous scientists and institutions, primarily in the United States and Europe.
The AI-based fact-checking we conducted did not reveal any historical ties between Muhammad Sediq Afghan and the foundational stages of AI. The letter Sediq Afghan presented appears to be a general acknowledgment rather than evidence of any AI-related invention. In summary, while Sediq Afghan is a respected figure in his field, our inquiry—supported by AI-based verification—indicates that his claim does not align with the established history of artificial intelligence.
Looking beyond this claim, it is worth reflecting on how AI has transformed our world in recent years. Over the past four years, artificial intelligence has become deeply integrated into everyday applications, from virtual assistants like ChatGPT to advanced data analytics, automated customer service, medical diagnostics, and smart home technology. The proliferation of AI tools has made technology more accessible and has enhanced efficiencies across various industries.
As we look to the future, AI is poised to continue evolving, bringing both opportunities and challenges. With advancements in machine learning, natural language processing, and robotics, AI will likely play an even greater role in fields such as personalized education, climate modeling, and autonomous transportation.
While the historical origins of AI are well-established and do not align with the recent claim, the ongoing evolution of AI continues to shape our present and future. It remains a field built on decades of research and innovation, promising to drive forward a new era of technological advancement.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/afghan-mathematicians-claim-of-inventing-ai-in-1976-disputed-after-social-media-interview/
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India
'Thinking of you': Zohran Mamdani pens note to Umar Khalid as US lawmakers urge India to ensure him fair trial
02 Jan 2026
New York City's new mayor Zohran Mamdani wrote a note of support to jailed human rights activist Umar Khalid, as eight members of the US Congress urged New Delhi to ensure a fair trial in his case under international law.
Mamdani’s note to Khalid -- who has been held in Tihar Jail under UAPA charges linked to the 2020 Delhi riots -- was shared on social media by the former JNU student’s friends. The letter recalled Mamdani’s meeting with Khalid’s parents and expressed solidarity with the jailed activist.
In the note Mamdani wrote: "I think of your words on bitterness often, and the importance of not letting it consume one's self. It was a pleasure to meet your parents. We are all thinking of you."
Meanwhile, eight US lawmakers, including Democrat Jim McGovern -- the ranking member of the House Rules Committee and co-chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission -- who met Khalid’s parents in December 2025, wrote to India’s ambassador to the United States, Vinay Kwatra, expressing concern over his prolonged detention.
In a post on X, McGovern said, "Earlier this month, I met with the parents of Umar Khalid, who has been jailed in India for over 5 years without trial. Representative Raskin and I are leading our colleagues to urge that he be granted bail and a fair, timely trial in accordance with international law."
In the letter the lawmakers wrote: "Umar Khalid has been detained without bail for 5 years under UAPA, which independent human rights experts have warned may contravene international standards of equality before the law, due process and proportionality... India must uphold the rights of individuals to receive a trial with reasonable time or to be release and be presume innocent until proven guilty."
"We request that your government share steps taken to ensure that judicial proceedings against Khali and co-accused who remain in detention comport with international standard," it read.
Others who signed the letter are, Congressman Jamie Raskin, Senator Chris Van Hollen, Senator Peter Welch, Congresswoman Pramila Jaypal, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, Congressman Jan Schakowsky and Congressman Llyod Doggett.
Khalid is among more than a dozen activists accused in a case alleging a conspiracy behind the 2020 Delhi violence. Arrested nearly six years ago under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, he is yet to face trial, and his bail plea is pending before the Supreme Court.
Recently, a Delhi court granted Khalid provisional bail from December 16-29 to attend his sister’s wedding, after which he reported back to Tihar Jail.
Source: newindianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2026/Jan/02/thinking-of-you-zohran-mamdani-pens-note-to-umar-khalid-as-us-lawmakers-urge-india-to-ensure-him-fair-trial
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From a birthday party in Bareilly, a question about ‘Viksit Bharat’ that should haunt us
VIVEK KATJU
January 2, 2026
Two days ago, a young woman studying nursing in Bareilly publicly asked one of last year’s most troubling questions: “Do I need to choose my friends based on their religion?” She said, “I feel deeply ashamed that my friends were harassed and assaulted.” The question, and her comment, arose after her birthday party in a Bareilly restaurant was violently crashed by a group of hooligans on December 27. These were men of an extremist disposition who considered it their right to “protect” Hindu women from Muslim men. Two of the woman’s classmates at the party were Muslim. According to her, they were assaulted, and others present were asked about their faith.
The young woman’s question strikes at the core of an ideology that seeks to steer India away from its plural moorings; her sense of shame over what transpired should be felt by all right-thinking people. It should lead to introspection within the political class, especially in the ruling dispensation. Are these the social mores that will be found in Viksit Bharat? Some of the hooligans have been arrested, and a search is on for the group’s leaders. However, no senior leader of the ruling party has expressed regret over the incident. Strangely, a case has also been registered against the two Muslim men and the restaurant owner.
It is, therefore, reasonable to ask: Will the road to shedding the slavish Macaulay mentality and getting rid of the vestiges of a thousand years of “foreign” rule be littered with Bareilly-like incidents?
The young woman’s question is significant because it goes to the very essence of the social, indeed national, values that the framers of the Constitution sought to instil in India’s people. They held that faith cannot be a determinant in the making of Indian society, nor can it be the main ingredient of this country’s national identity or nationalism.
These values were not dependent on those of other countries. They were also not to be conditioned on the policies and practices of others. They formed the core of Indian constitutionalism because they were held to be good in themselves. They were also in line with India’s civilisation from the earliest times. The Constitution-makers believed that matters of faith should be kept out of the public domain. They could not have imagined that individuals or groups would be allowed, if not encouraged, to intrude on the interpersonal interaction of other Indians.
Recently, in the course of a talk, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta suggested that before someone approaches a court alleging that their fundamental rights have been violated, they should establish that they have upheld constitutional duties. Only then should a court consider the case. Mehta asserted that this would lead to social harmony. His view is novel but his reminder that a citizen has constitutional duties is timely.
The chapter on fundamental duties was put in the Constitution (Article 51A) during the Emergency but it has never been taken out. Indeed, it was amended in 2002 only to enlarge its scope. Article 51 A(e) requires citizens “to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India transcending religious, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities; to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women”. The Bareilly incident and the use of violence against the weak and vulnerable should impel the state to remind all Indians of their constitutional duties. It also follows that those who precipitate such incidents and lynchings should face the full might of the law. Perhaps this would be a good response to the young woman’s question.
At a time when the nation is confronting grave strategic challenges, it is necessary to maintain social solidarity. Social cohesion is a strategic asset. Without national unity rooted in social justice, Viksit Bharat will remain a dream. The hooligans in Bareilly, therefore, also endanger India’s security and progress. They cannot just be dismissed as extreme elements, for increasingly, the fringe is becoming mainstream.
Source: indianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/from-a-birthday-party-in-bareilly-a-question-about-viksit-bharat-that-should-haunt-us-10450579/
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Farooq Abdullah likens attacks on Kashmiris to Nazism, warns against Hitler rule
Muzaffar Raina
02.01.26
National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Thursday condemned the repeated attacks on Kashmiris in other parts of the country, saying those who wanted to establish "a Hitler’s regime" in India would meet the same fate as the Nazis.
Videos showing Rightwing activists attacking Kashmiri shawl traders are surfacing every few days, mostly from Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Haryana, provoking anger in the Valley.
The Union home ministry recently condemned an attack on a Kashmiri in Uttarakhand, saying such crimes would not be tolerated. Police later arrested a Bajrang Dal activist.
Farooq, a former chief minister, equated the attackers with Nazis.
"This (attacks) is our fate. There are some people whose aim is something else. They are treading Hitler’s path and want to create a Hitler’s regime,” he told reporters in Srinagar, replying to a question on the attacks on Kashmiris.
“Hitler vanished; he shot himself. Nazism ended there and God willing, the time will come here as well when these extremists will go away.”
The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, which has been flagging such incidents for days and criticising the central and state governments, posted a video on Thursday highlighting the alleged problems a Kashmiri woman, Munazza, faced in finding rented lodgings in Delhi.
“Half the population do not rent flats to Muslims here. The struggle becomes even tougher when they find you are a Kashmiri Muslim,” the woman purportedly says in the video.
“Are we not humans? What is happening? The same people tell us, ‘Why do you think you are different?’ You are the people who make us feel so.”
Munazza said she had visited seven or eight flats and was refused everywhere. She said one of the owners agreed initially but asked her to remove her hijab.
The students’ association said the intervention of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Himachal chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had led to the registration of an FIR over an attack on a Kashmiri in Himachal. A source said searches were under way to nab the alleged assailants.
In another instance, the association said, some people snatched shawls worth ₹20,000 from a Kashmiri trader and damaged them.
It alleged that Kashmiris were being forced to chant “Vande Mataram” and “Bharat Mata ki jai” — slogans that many Muslims consider impermissible under their faith.
Mohd Sayed Khan, a shawl vendor from Kachahama in Kupwara, has been robbed of ₹4.5 lakh in Kurukshetra, Haryana, in a communally motivated crime, the student body alleged. It said the suspects had been captured on CCTV footage.
Farooq, in his comments, also prayed for peace and friendship between India and its neighbours in the new year.
On external affairs minister S. Jaishankar’s participation in the funeral of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, Farooq said the country was an old friend of India.
"It is good. Bangladesh is our old friend; we have to take the friendship forward and make it stronger," he said.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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How security forces are equipping residents of remote villages with skills to defend themselves against terror
by Arun Sharma
January 2, 2026
“Yeh magazine ka catch hota hai. Is ko halke se dabayein aur magazine ko bahar nikaleyin (This is the lever for the magazine, press it lightly to remove the magazine),” an Army soldier tells nearly 150 Village Defence Guards (VDGs) gathered at a government school in Shingani Panchayat of Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district for arms training.
The VDGs assembled there from 17 remote villages of the hilly district to undergo training in the handling of arms, including automatic weapons.
At the three-day camp, which concluded on December 30, the VDGs were also trained in making sandbag bunkers and in how to patrol forests.
Jammu and Kashmir Village Defence Guards, Village Defence Guards, terror attacks, Terror attacks in India, Jammu and Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir security forces, Indian express news, current affairs The strategy assumes significance as the operational teams of the police, braving icy cold conditions, are already occupying mountain heights in the district to check on the movement of terrorists in the region.
Located nearly 90 km from Doda town, these villages had been some of the worst-affected areas during the peak of militancy in the mid-1990s in the Chenab Valley region, comprising present-day Kishtwar, Doda and Ramban districts.
During the training, the instructor calls two of the VDGs — one of them a woman — and asks them to disassemble and then assemble their weapons. “Jo cheez sabse last mein khula hai, us ko sab se pehley joda jata hai (The part that was removed last has to be put back first),” the instructor tells them, and then explains to them what to do when their guns get locked.
While the Army has not made any official comment about the programme, sources said this was aimed at not just training them to deal with potential terrorist attacks in their villages, but also to teach them the techniques of jungle warfare, as the villagers often pass through dense forests as part of their daily lives.
The arms training given to VDGs at Shingani panchayat is not an isolated instance. Such training programmes are being organised by police and security forces at various other locations across Jammu province as part of their multi-pronged winter strategy to take on terrorists when their movement gets restricted due to heavy snow in mountainous areas.
The idea is to flush out terrorists hiding in forests at middle heights during the winter and neutralise them. The strategy assumes significance as the operational teams of the police, braving icy cold conditions, are already occupying mountain heights in the district to check on the movement of terrorists in the region.
Intensified combing ops
Doda SSP Sandeep Mehta on Wednesday attributed the present peace in Doda district to the J&K Police establishing “operational bases on mountain tops with our jawans staying there for the past eight months without caring for the winter”. He said, “They are deployed there even today.”
In Kishtwar district, the Army and police have intensified combing and search operations to flush out terrorists.
Last month, in the Purmandal area of Samba district, the Army imparted training in weapons handling and battle drills to VDGs.
Earlier, the BSF had organised similar training programmes for VDGs in the border areas of Akhnoor and Arnia.
In June last year, nearly 100 VDGs were given comprehensive training at the Sunjwan Police Firing Range in Jammu on basic weapons handling, firing skills, tactical drills and adherence to standard security protocols. The sessions are being conducted under the close supervision of experienced Indian Army instructors, with the objective of equipping VDGs to enable them to assist security forces effectively in sensitive and vulnerable regions, sources said.
From VDCs to VDGs
The Home Ministry had in 1995 decided to set up Village Defence Committees (VDCs) following a spurt in incidents of terrorist violence in the erstwhile Doda district, including areas of present-day Kishtwar and Ramban districts during the mid-1990s.
Later, the scheme was extended to other areas of Jammu province as militants spread their activities to Udhampur, Reasi, Rajouri, Poonch, Samba and Kathua districts.
However, after the restoration of peace and subsequent allegations of intimidation and atrocities against VDCs at several places, successive governments began disbanding them.
Following the resurgence of terror again in the Jammu province, the Home Ministry in March 2022 approved a new scheme, renaming the VDCs as VDGs.
Unlike VDCs, wherein members were provided only .303 rifles, and monthly remuneration of Rs 1,500 was given only to the Special Police Officers (SPOs) among them, the VDGs have been provided with SLRs (self-loading rifles) and each one of them is paid Rs 4,000-4,500 per month.
Source: indianexpress.com
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2 arrested for murder of 2012 Pune bomb blast accused; cops probe political angle
by Chandan Haygunde +1 More
January 1, 2026
The Ahilyanagar police have arrested two youngsters for allegedly murdering Aslam Shabbir Shaikh alias Bunty Jahagirdar (52), an accused in the 2012 Jangli Maharaj (JM) Road serial bomb blast case in Pune.
A resident of ward number 2 in Shrirampur in Ahilyanagar district of Maharashtra, Jahagirdar was currently out on bail. He was shot dead by two persons in Shrirampur, around 2.50 pm on Wednesday.
Based on clues obtained from CCTV footage, the police nabbed two suspects Krushna Arun Shingare (23) and Ravindra Gautam Nikalje (23) of Shrirampur, on Wednesday night.
A press release issued on Thursday stated that the accused have confessed to Jahagirdar’s murder. Police booked the accused under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 103, 109, 3(5) and sections of the Indian Arms Act.
On Thursday, a court in Ahilyanagar remanded the two accused to police custody till January 6 for further investigation. Somnath Gharge, Superintendent of Police, Ahilyanagar, said an investigation is on to confirm the motive behind the murder, how the accused planned it, from where they procured the firearms, and whether persons are involved in the crime.
Jahagirdar’s cousin Raees Abdulgani Shaikh (43), a councillor at the Shrirampur Municipal Council, lodged the first information report (FIR) in this case at the Shrirampur city police station.
In the FIR, Raees Shaikh has alleged that a local gangster Chanya Beg from Shrirampur had Jahagirdar killed over political hostility. But police have not named Beg as an accused in this case, so far. A senior police officer said allegations made in the FIR are being investigated along with other possibilities.
As stated in the FIR, after attending a funeral at the crematorium, Jahagirdar was going home with Amin Gulab Shaikh on a two wheeler, when two men on a motorcycle opened fire at them from a gun, near a hospital in Ward number 1, Shrirampur.
It is alleged in the FIR that the assailants said “Ekach Bhai Chanya Bhai (Only Bhai is Chanya Bhai), while firing bullets. Police said Amin Shaikh was injured as a bullet brushed his back. But, the assailants fired more bullets at Jahagirdar, leaving him in a pool of blood. Jahagirdar was initially taken to the Sakhar Kamgar Hospital in Shrirampur, but later shifted to a private hospital for treatment, where he was pronounced dead. Later, his postmortem was conducted at the Ghati hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, police said.
Complainant Raeesh Shaikh stated in the FIR that his cousin Banti Jahagirdar was active in politics for the last 15 to 20 years. Jahagirdar’s mother was a councillor in Shrirampur Municipal Council from 2011 to 2019. After her death, Raees’s wife became a councillor from 2019 to 2021. Raees had been elected at the Shrirampur Municipal Council as a councillor in December 2025.
As stated by Raees in the FIR, Jahagirdar worked for MLA Hemant Ogale (Congress party) during the Vidhan Sabha elections 2024 and Council President Kiran Sasane for the Shrirampur Municipal Council elections held recently, leading both of them to victory, the FIR stated.
Raees further claimed in the FIR, Jahagirdar’s political influence was causing hurdles for the political and criminal activities of the three brothers Chanya Beg, Sonya Beg and Tipya Beg, who run an organised gang, involved in serious crimes, in Shrirampur for the last 10 to 15 years.
“Chanya Beg was angry (at Jahagirdar) as he lost the Vidhansabha elections from Shrirampur constituency in 2024….. So he allegedly got my brother (Jahagirdar) killed through his men. Chanya Beg had made provocative comments against my brother in his speeches,” Raees alleged in the FIR.
Police sources said Chanya alias Sagar Beg is a criminal on record from Shrirampur, who contested the 2024 Vidhansabha elections as an independent candidate and got over 47,000 votes. Besides, he also allegedly operates a fringe Hindutva group in Shrirampur, sources said.
Police inspector Nitin Deshmukh of the Shrirampur city police station said of the two arrested accused, one was booked in an offence in the past, while the other has no previous criminal record. “As of now, it is not known whether the accused are linked to any group. But, further investigation is on,” said Deshmukh.
Thousands turned up for Jahagirdar’s funeral in Shrirampur town on Thursday. His murder created a tense situation in Shrirampur. Along with local police, two companies of state reserve police force were deployed for maintaining law and order. Police warned action against anybody spreading rumours or false content on social media.
Police said Jahagirdar too was a notorious criminal on record, booked in multiple offences allegedly linked to illegal sand business, extortion, murder and terrorism. He also faced externment orders from the Ahilyanagar police due to his alleged involvement in criminal activities.
Jahagirdar was arrested by the Maharashtra ATS in January 2013 for his alleged links with low intensity bomb blasts on J M road in Pune on August 1, 2012, in which one person was left injured.
ATS probe had revealed that bomb blasts were carried out on the instructions of fugitive Indian Mujahideen (IM) terrorist Riyaz Bhatkal for taking revenge of alleged IM operative Qateel Siddiqui’s murder by gangster Sharad Mohol in Pune’s Yerwada jail on June 6, 2012.
The ATS had alleged that the other accused in the J M road serial bomb blast case had procured three pistols and ammunition from Jahagirdar, allegedly for avenging Qateel’s murder and assassination of political and religious leaders.
The Bombay HC granted him bail in this case in January 2023. Earlier, he was also arrested under the Officials Secret Act in Nashik in 2006 for his alleged role in leaking Army information, police said.
Source: indianexpress.com
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Jammu police seek clarification after cricketer seen wearing Palestine flag on helmet
01.01.26
Police in Jammu have sought a clarification from a cricketer after videos and photographs surfaced online showing him purportedly sporting the Palestine flag on his helmet during a private cricket tournament, sources said on Thursday.
The incident took place during a match in the Jammu and Kashmir Champions League in Jammu. The visuals circulated on social media, drawing attention to the symbol displayed during the game and prompting questions around its intent and context.
Police have taken cognisance of the reports and have sought clarification from the cricketer, Furqan Bhat, as well as the tournament’s organiser, the sources said.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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Conversion racket uncovered in Madhya Pradesh, foreign funds linked, 3 arrested
Jan 1, 2026
Three men have been arrested in Madhya Pradesh’s Satna for allegedly carrying out illegal religious conversions and running an unlawful conversion centre.
The arrests were made from Jhakhaura village, where an allegedly illegal mosque was found to be operating. According to police, the accused were misleading people and attempting to influence them to change their religion. The accused have been booked under relevant provisions of the Madhya Pradesh Religious Freedom Act and other sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The arrested persons have been identified as Lalman Chaudhary alias Abdul Rehman (68), his son Vijay Bharti alias Mohammad Umar (32), and his nephew Deenanath Chaudhary alias Abdullah (42).
Police said that Lalman Chaudhary had converted to Islam in 2010 and took the name Abdul Rehman. He later allegedly converted his son Vijay Bharti, renaming him Mohammad Umar, and also persuaded his nephew Deenanath Chaudhary to accept Islam and take the name Abdullah. Officials said attempts were also being made to influence other villagers.
The matter came to light when construction work for a mosque began in Jhakhaura village, prompting objections from local residents. Following this, Pankaj Pathak, a local, lodged a police complaint. During the investigation, police uncovered details related to alleged religious conversions and suspicious financial transactions.
Police officials said preliminary findings point to funding worth several lakhs of rupees being sent to the alleged conversion centre from outside. Investigators have also found information suggesting transactions of around Rs 9 lakh from Mumbai through suspicious bank accounts linked to the main accused.
Additional Superintendent of Police Premlal Kurve said that based on the complaint filed by Pankaj Pathak, a case has been registered against the three accused under Sections 3 and 5 of the Madhya Pradesh Religious Freedom Act and Section 299 of the BNS. “All three accused have been sent to jail under judicial custody. Religious books and banners have also been seized from the spot,” he said.
On the funding angle, ASP Kurve added, “So far, information regarding transactions of up to Rs 9 lakh has come to light. Further details about the bank accounts are being verified, and the investigation is ongoing.”
Responding to questions about the structure in the village, the police officer said the accused had earlier tried to give their house the form of a mosque. “There was a dispute related to the mosque recently. After that, they repaired the roof and removed the dome,” he said.
Police said the investigation into the alleged funding network and the full extent of the activities is continuing.
Source: indiatoday.in
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Mideast
“Hamas”: Zionist move to strip Hebron Municipality of authority over Ibrahimi Mosque is dangerous
01 Jan 2026
Hamas said on Thursday that the Zionist authorities’ decision to withdraw administrative powers over the Ibrahimi Mosque from the Hebron Municipality and transfer them to the so-called occupation “Civil Administration” is a dangerous Judaization step targeting the mosque , the Arab and Islamic identity of Hebron.
In a statement to the Yemeni News Agency (Saba), Hamas said the move extends ongoing efforts to impose control over land and holy sites in the occupied West Bank and Al-Quds, and constitutes a clear challenge to UNESCO decisions that list the Ibrahimi Mosque and Hebron’s Old City as World Heritage sites in danger.
Hamas called on the international community, the OIC, the Arab League, and UNESCO to act to stop these violations, stressing that the Ibrahimi Mosque is an Islamic site and that Hebron will remain a Palestinian Arab city.
Source: saba.ye
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130 Settlers Desecrate Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound
01 Jan 2026
Dozens of Zionist settlers stormed the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound this morning, Thursday, under the protection of Israeli occupation forces who secured the incursion.
According to the Palestinian news agency Sanad, sources in Quds reported that 130 settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound through the Mughrabi Gate in the morning and began singing in front of the Dome of the Rock under the protection of the occupation forces.
The settlers conducted provocative tours of the mosque's courtyards, during which they performed public Talmudic rituals, amidst a heavy deployment of Israeli occupation forces.
Settler groups continue their daily incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, except on Fridays and Saturdays, during two periods, morning and afternoon, as part of ongoing attempts to impose a temporal and spatial division of the mosque.
Source: saba.ye
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Pro-Palestine march draws over half a million people to Istanbul’s Galata Bridge on New Year’s Day
01.01.2026
Over half a million people gathered early Thursday at Istanbul’s Galata Bridge for a massive march in support of Palestine, organized under the umbrella of the Humanity Alliance and the National Will Platform.
The New Year’s Day demonstration, held with the participation of more than 400 civil society organizations and led by the Turkish Youth Foundation (TUGVA), was carried out under the slogan “We won’t cower, we won’t keep quiet, we won’t forget Palestine.”
At the event, around 520,000 participants called for an end to the genocide in Gaza.
Ahead of the event, members of the public convened before dawn prayers at major mosques across Istanbul, including the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, Sultanahmet Mosque (the Blue Mosque), Fatih, Suleymaniye, and Eminonu New Mosque. Many carried Turkish and Palestinian flags as they gathered in mosque courtyards to show solidarity with Palestine.
Despite freezing temperatures, turnout was high. Extensive security measures were taken, particularly around Sultanahmet Square, where participants were also offered hot beverages.
Following morning prayers, demonstrators walked on foot toward Galata Bridge, joined by Turkish Cabinet ministers, senior officials, and other top figures. The program officially began at 8.30 am local time (0530 GMT).
As roads leading to the bridge were closed to traffic, participants reached the area on foot from designated points or by boat.
Those arriving by boat joined the demonstration by lighting flares and waving Turkish and Palestinian flags as they approached Galata Bridge.
A large banner depicting “Hanzala,” the iconic figure closely associated with the Palestinian cause created by late Palestinian cartoonist Naji al-Ali, was hung on a building behind the main press platform.
The event also featured performances by internationally known artists and musicians, including Lebanese-Swedish singer Maher Zain, Turkish vocalist/musician Esat Kabakli, and the band Grup Yuruyus.
Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz also shared a message to the event on Turkish social media platform NSosyal, saying: “The Humanity Alliance extends hundreds of thousands of greetings from Istanbul to the Palestinian people, to Gaza, and to all the oppressed across the world. We sincerely thank all individuals and institutions who contributed to this effort.”
‘Began the new year by praying for Palestine’
Speaking to members of the press during the march, Bilal Erdogan, chair of the Board of Trustees of the Ilim Yayma Foundation – a group promoting education and research – and a member of TUGVA’s High Advisory Board, said the new year had begun with prayers for Palestine and that gathering at mosques on the first morning of the year carried strong spiritual meaning.
Erdogan said it was important to recognize the moral and spiritual strength of meeting in mosques at dawn and offering collective prayers for the new year, adding that the nation believes deeply in this unity.
“While we are praying for the oppressed in Palestine, of course we are also commemorating our martyrs. At the same time, we are praying together that 2026 will bring goodness for our entire nation and for the oppressed Palestinians,” he said.
“I would like to sincerely thank everyone who participated, everyone who raised their hands in prayer, and everyone who supported these prayers,” Erdogan added.
On the huge turnout at the annual event, Erdogan said participation had grown every year, demonstrating the strength of shared values across society.
“Every year, compared to the previous one, we feel that this morning is marked by broader participation and that, as a nation, we sense how strong our shared common ground truly is. This makes us very happy,” he said.
Voicing hope for the year ahead, Erdogan added: “God willing, may the Almighty grant this nation the joy of seeing this stance as a source of pride this year, grant freedom to our Palestinian brothers and sisters, and grant us the freedom of Jerusalem.”
‘Nation standing upright against this genocide’
Speaking at the demonstration, TUGVA Chair Ibrahim Besinci said the scale of the turnout reflected a collective moral stance against the ongoing violence in Palestine.
Addressing the crowd on Galata Bridge, Besinci said: “Today, there are hundreds of thousands here. There is an honorable nation standing upright against this genocide. There are the prayers of the oppressed and the legacy of our martyrs.”
Describing the bridge as a “tribune of conscience,” Besinci said it had been transformed into a moral platform for people from different cities, languages, and walks of life.
“From this noble tribune, I salute with all my heart the innocent and courageous Palestinian people, the noble sons of Gaza, the steadfast hearts of the West Bank, and the true owners of East Jerusalem,” he said.
Besinci also commemorated three police officers — Ilker Pehlivan, Turgut Kulunk and Yasin Kocyigit — who were killed this Monday during an operation against the terrorist group ISIS (Daesh) in the northwestern province of Yalova.
Citing figures on the devastation in Gaza, Besinci said that over the past 27 months, 210,000 tons of bombs had been dropped on Gaza, 70,000 civilians had been killed, 2,600 families had been completely wiped from the population registry, and 5,000 families had only a single surviving member.
He added that 45,000 Palestinians had undergone amputations and 12,000 Palestinians had been detained.
“In other words, before the eyes of the entire world, a people has been erased not just from the map, but from life,” Besinci said.
Sports figures voice support
On Wednesday, a joint platform of civil society groups held a news conference at the headquarters of the Turkish Youth Foundation. During the briefing, the chairs of top sports clubs Besiktas, Galatasaray and Trabzonspor, along with Fenerbahce board member Ertan Torunogulları, publicly voiced support for the march. Several other clubs also issued calls encouraging public participation.
At the same briefing, Bilal Erdogan said that “more than 70,000 civilians and at least 20,000 children have been killed in the Gaza genocide since October 2023.”
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, at least 414 people have been killed and more than 1,100 injured since the Oct. 10 ceasefire deal that halted Israel’s two-year war.
Art highlights cultural resistance
As part of the program, prayers for Palestinians continued from a stage set up on Galata Bridge.
In addition, an art installation titled “Roots” was unveiled on the bridge to draw attention to what organizers described as the targeting of culture and art in Gaza.
According to a statement from TUGVA, the installation symbolizes memory and resistance in the face of cultural destruction. An olive tree rising from rubble represented deeply rooted resistance and an attempt to erase collective memory, while overturned chairs, scattered musical instruments, books, and a camera symbolized efforts to silence cultural production.
The phrase “We Will Stay Here,” written in three languages, underscored the determination of cultural and human resistance.
Source: aa.com.tr
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Fresh clashes kill six in Iran cost-of-living protests
January 01, 2026
TEHRAN: Protesters and security forces clashed in several Iranian cities on Thursday, with six reported killed, the first deaths since the cost-of-living demonstrations broke out.
The protests began on Sunday in Tehran, where shopkeepers went on strike over high prices and economic stagnation, and have since spread to other parts of the country.
On Thursday, Iran’s Fars news agency reported two people killed in clashes between security forces and protesters in the city of Lordegan, in the province of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, and three in Azna, in neighboring Lorestan province.
“Some protesters began throwing stones at the city’s administrative buildings, including the provincial governor’s office, the mosque, the Martyrs’ Foundation, the town hall and banks,” Fars said of Lordegan, adding that police responded with tear gas.
Fars reported that the buildings were “severely damaged” and that police arrested several people described as “ringleaders.”
In Azna, Fars said “rioters took advantage of a protest gathering... to attack a police commissariat.”
During previous protest movements, state media has labelled demonstrators “rioters.”
Earlier Thursday, state television reported that a member of Iran’s security forces was killed overnight during protests in the western city of Kouhdasht.
“A 21-year-old member of the Basij from the city of Kouhdasht was killed last night by rioters while defending public order,” the channel said, citing Said Pourali, the deputy governor of Lorestan Province.
The Basij are a volunteer paramilitary force linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, the ideological branch of the Islamic republic’s army.
Pourali said that “during the demonstrations in Kouhdasht, 13 police officers and Basij members were injured by stone throwing.”
In the western city of Hamedan, protesters torched a motorbike in what the Tasnim news agency described as an unsuccessful attempt to burn down a mosque.
The same agency reported on Thursday that 30 people in a district of Tehran had been arrested the night before for alleged public order offenses in a “coordinated operation by the security and intelligence services.”
- ‘End up in hell’ -
The demonstrations are smaller than the last major outbreak of unrest in 2022, triggered by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, who was arrested for allegedly violating Iran’s strict dress code for women.
Her death sparked a nationwide wave of anger that left several hundred people dead, including dozens of members of the security forces.
The latest protests began in the capital and spread after students from at least 10 universities joined in on Tuesday.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has sought to calm tensions, acknowledging protesters’ “legitimate demands,” and he urged the government Thursday to take action to improve the economic situation.
“From an Islamic perspective... if we do not resolve the issue of people’s livelihoods, we will end up in Hell,” Pezeshkian said at an event broadcast on state television.
Authorities, however, have also promised to take a “firm” stance, and have warned against exploiting the situation to sow chaos.
Local media coverage of the demonstrations has varied, with some outlets focusing on economic difficulties, and others on incidents caused by “troublemakers.”
Iran is in the middle of an extended weekend, with the authorities declaring Wednesday a bank holiday at the last minute, citing the need to save energy during the cold weather.
They made no official link to the protests.
The weekend in Iran begins on Thursday, and Saturday is a long-standing national holiday.
Iran’s prosecutor general said on Wednesday that peaceful economic protests were legitimate, but any attempt to create insecurity would be met with a “decisive response.”
“Any attempt to turn economic protests into a tool of insecurity, destruction of public property, or implementation of externally designed scenarios will inevitably be met with a legal, proportionate and decisive response.”
- Viral video -
Earlier this week, a video showing a person sitting in the middle of a Tehran street facing down motorcycle police went viral on social media, with some seeing it as a “Tiananmen moment” — a reference to the famous image of a Chinese protester defying a column of tanks during 1989 anti-government protests in Beijing.
On Thursday, state television alleged the footage had been staged to “create a symbol” and aired another video purportedly shot from another angle by a police officer’s camera.
Sitting cross-legged, the protester remains impassive, head bowed, before covering his head with his jacket as behind him a crowd flees clouds of tear gas.
On Wednesday evening, Tasnim reported the arrest of seven people it described as being affiliated with “groups hostile to the Islamic Republic based in the United States and Europe.”
It said they had been “tasked with turning the demonstrations into violence.” Tasnim did not say when they were arrested.
The national currency, the rial, has lost more than a third of its value against the US dollar over the past year, while double-digit hyperinflation has been undermining Iranians’ purchasing power for years.
The inflation rate in December was 52 percent year-on-year, according to the Statistical Center of Iran, an official body.
Source: arabnews.com
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Young Palestinian boy drowns in muddy water flooding his Gaza tent camp, UN says
January 01, 2026
JERUSALEM: The UN said Thursday that a Palestinian boy in the Gaza Strip drowned in floods that engulfed his tent camp, with videos showing rescuers trying to pry his body out of muddy waters by pulling him by the ankle.
It was the latest sign of the miseries that winter is inflicting on the territory’s population, with many left homeless by the devastation from two years of war.
Health officials also reported the death of another 9 year-old boy in Gaza Thursday, but the circumstances were not clear.
Meanwhile, in the West Bank, Israeli forces carried out a sweep of arrests, seizing around 50 Palestinians, many from their homes, a Palestinian group representing prisoners said.
As 2026 begins, the shaky 12-week-old ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has largely ended large-scale Israeli bombardment of Gaza. But Palestinians are still being killed almost daily by Israeli fire, and the humanitarian crisis shows no signs of abating. At least three Israeli soldiers have died in Gaza since the ceasefire came down, killed by militant attacks or explosive detonations.
Young boy drowned from flooding
UNICEF said Thursday that 7-year-old Ata Mai had drowned Saturday in severe flooding that engulfed his tent camp in Gaza City. Mai’s was the latest child death reported in Gaza as storms, cold weather and flooding worsen already brutal living conditions. Almost the entire population of more than 2 million people have lost their homes, and most are living in squalid tent camps with little protection from the weather.
UNICEF said Mai had been living with his younger siblings and family in a camp of around 40 tents. They lost their mother earlier in the war.
Video from Civil Defense teams, shown on Al Jazeera, showed rescue workers trying to get Mai’s body out of what appeared to be a pit filled with muddy water surrounded by wreckage of bombed buildings. The men waded into the water, pulling at the boy’s ankle, the only part of his body visible. Later, the body is shown wrapped in a muddy cloth being loaded into an ambulance.
Over past weeks, cold winter rains have repeatedly lashed the sprawling tent cities, causing flooding, turning Gaza’s dirt roads into mud and causing buildings damaged in Israeli bombardment to collapse. UNICEF says at least six children, including Mai, have now died of weather-related causes, including a 4-year-old who died in a building collapse.
The Gaza Ministry of Health says three children have died of hypothermia.
“Teams visiting displacement camps reported appalling conditions that no child should endure, with many tents blown away or collapsing entirely,” said Edouard Beigbeder, regional director for UNICEF’s Middle East and North Africa division.
West Bank arrest raid
The Palestinian Prisoner’s Society said Israeli troops had arrested at least 50 Palestinians across the West Bank and interrogated many of them overnight. Most of the arrests occurred in the Ramallah area, said the group, which is an official body within the Palestinian Authority.
“These operations were accompanied by widespread raids, abuse and assault against detainees and their families, in addition to extensive acts of vandalism and destruction inside citizens’ homes,” the group alleged.
Israel’s military did not immediately comment on the raid.
The society says that Israel has arrested 7,000 Palestinians in the West Bank and Jerusalem this year, and 21,000 since the war began Oct. 7, 2023. The number arrested from Gaza is not made public by Israel.
Violence in the West Bank has surged during the war in Gaza, with the Israeli military carrying out large-scale operations targeting militants that have killed hundreds of Palestinians and displaced tens of thousands. There has also been a rise in Israeli settler violence and Palestinian attacks on Israelis.
Boy in Gaza dies
A nine-year-old boy, Youssef Shandaghi, died in Jabaliya in northern Gaza, not far from the so-called “Yellow Line,” the ceasefire demarcation between the more than half of the Gaza Strip still held by the Israeli military and the rest of the territory, where most of the population lives.
Two officials from Gaza’s Shifa Hospital, Director Mohammed Abu Selmiya and Managing Director Rami Mhanna, said the boy was killed by Israeli gunfire coming from across the Yellow Line. Abu Selmiya cited the report from the doctor who received Shandaghi’s body. Israel’s military said it had no knowledge of the incident.
But an uncle of the boy said he was killed by unexploded ordnance he had come across while playing. It was not immediately possible to reconcile the conflicting accounts.
Israeli troops almost daily open fire on Palestinians who come too close to the Yellow Line, often killing or wounding some, according to medical personnel and witnesses. The Israeli military says it fires warning shots if someone crosses the line and fires at anyone judged to be posing a threat to troops. It has acknowledged some civilians have been killed, including young children.
Since the ceasefire began, 416 Palestinians have been killed and 1,142 wounded in Gaza, according to the Health Ministry. The overall Palestinian death toll from the war is at least 71,271. The ministry, which does not distinguish between militants and civilians in its count, is staffed by medical professionals and maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by the international community.
Source: arabnews.com
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Israel confirms ban on 37 NGOs in Gaza
January 01, 2026
JERUSALEM: Israel on Thursday said 37 humanitarian agencies supplying aid in Gaza had not met a deadline to meet “security and transparency standards,” and would be banned from the territory, despite an international outcry.
The international NGOs, which had been ordered to disclose detailed information on their Palestinian staff, will now be required to cease operations by March 1.
The United Nations has warned that this will exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory.
“Organizations that have failed to meet required security and transparency standards will have their licenses suspended,” Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism said in a statement.
Several NGOS have said the requirements contravene international humanitarian law or endanger their independence.
Israel says the new regulation aims to prevent bodies it accuses of supporting terrorism from operating in the Palestinian territories.
Prominent humanitarian organizations hit by the ban include Doctors Without Borders (MSF), the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), World Vision International and Oxfam, according to a ministry list.
In MSF’s case, Israel accused it of having two employees who were members of Palestinian militant groups Islamic Jihad and Hamas.
MSF said this week the request to share a list of its staff “may be in violation of Israel’s obligations under international humanitarian law” and said it “would never knowingly employ people engaging in military activity.”
‘Critical requirement’
NRC spokesperson Shaina Low told AFP its local staff are “exhausted” and international staff “bring them an extra layer of help and security. Their presence is a protection.”
Submitting the names of local staff is “not negotiable,” she said. “We offered alternatives, they refused,” hse said, of the Israeli regulators.
The ministry said Thursday: “The primary failure identified was the refusal to provide complete and verifiable information regarding their employees, a critical requirement designed to prevent the infiltration of terrorist operatives into humanitarian structures.”
In March, Israel gave NGOs 10 months to comply with the new rules, which demand the “full disclosure of personnel, funding sources, and operational structures.”
The deadline expired on Wednesday.
The 37 NGOs “were formally notified that their licenses would be revoked as of January 1, 2026, and that they must complete the cessation of their activities by March 1, 2026,” the ministry said Thursday.
A ministry spokesperson told AFP that following the revocation of their licenses, aid groups could no longer bring assistance into Gaza from Thursday.
However, they could have their licenses reinstated if they submitted the required documents before March 1.
Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Amichai Chikli said “the message is clear: humanitarian assistance is welcome — the exploitation of humanitarian frameworks for terrorism is not.”
‘Weaponization of bureaucracy’
On Thursday, 18 Israel-based left-wing NGOs denounced the decision to ban their international peers, saying “the new registration framework violates core humanitarian principles of independence and neutrality.”
“This weaponization of bureaucracy institutionalizes barriers to aid and forces vital organizations to suspend operations,” they said.
UN Palestinian refugee agency chief Philippe Lazzarini had said the move sets a “dangerous precedent.”
“Failing to push back against attempts to control the work of aid organizations will further undermine the basic humanitarian principles of neutrality, independence, impartiality and humanity underpinning aid work across the world,” he said on X.
On Tuesday, the foreign ministers of 10 countries, including France and Britain, urged Israel to “guarantee access” to aid in the Gaza Strip, where they said the humanitarian situation remains “catastrophic.”
A fragile ceasefire has been in place since October, following a deadly war waged by Israel in response to Hamas’s unprecedented October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
Nearly 80 percent of buildings in Gaza have been destroyed or damaged by the war, according to UN data.
About 1.5 million of Gaza’s more than two million residents have lost their homes, said Amjad Al-Shawa, director of the Palestinian NGO Network in Gaza.
Source: arabnews.com
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Marib… Student march in Al-Abdiyah District commemorates Rajab Friday & supports Holy Qur’an
01 Jan 2026
The educational sector in Al-Abdiyah District, Marib Governorate, organized a student march on Thursday to commemorate the Rajab Friday celebration, support the Holy Qur’an, and condemn the American insults.
Participants in the march chanted slogans affirming their commitment to the Qur’an and denouncing the American-Zionist insults against the Qur’an and Islamic sanctities.
They also reaffirmed their steadfast support for the Palestinian brothers and their firm rejection of repeated insults to the Qur’an by the enemies of the nation.
The marchers extended their congratulations to Leader Sayyid Abdul Malik Badr al-Din al-Houthi and the Yemeni people on the occasion of Rajab Friday, emphasizing their commitment to their faith identity and pride in the greatest and most sacred honor and testimony from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) when he said, “Faith is Yemeni, and wisdom is Yemeni.”
Source: saba.ye
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Ministry of Finance Leadership Visits Great Mosque in Sana'a
01 Jan 2026
Sana'a (Saba) – The leadership of the Ministry of Finance visited the Great Mosque in the Old City of Sana'a as part of the celebrations of the Friday of Rajab, commemorating the Yemenis' entry into Islam.
Deputy Minister of Finance Nasser al-Hamdani toured the historical landmarks of the Great Mosque, which is considered one of the most prominent religious sites, an Islamic monument, and a center of learning built by order of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family).
Source: saba.ye
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Arab World
Crown prince, Qatar Emir discuss regional developments in phone call
January 01, 2026
RIYADH: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke on the phone on Thursday with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Emir of Qatar.
During the call, the two leaders reviewed the fraternal relations between Saudi Arabia and Qatar and discussed ways to strengthen and develop cooperation, in addition to exchanging views on regional and international developments, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Source: arabnews.com
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How 2025 became a landmark year in Saudi transformation and global leadership
LAMA ALHAMAWI
January 01, 2026
RIYADH: From major announcements placing the Kingdom at the forefront of global sports to forums setting a precedent for regional investment and the heroic actions of citizens that stand as a testament to Saudi traditions, 2025 marked a historic benchmark in the nation’s transformation.
With fewer than five years remaining until the Vision 2030 deadline, Arab News looks back at the pivotal moments this year that helped shape the Kingdom’s future.
It was in 2012 that the Council of Ministers approved the implementation of the King Abdulaziz Project for Riyadh Public Transport, which included the Riyadh Metro. At the time, the $22.5 billion project was seen as a massive undertaking to transform Riyadh’s infrastructure.
Fast forward to January 2025, and that vision became a reality with the inauguration of the Orange Line. This marked the completion of the capital’s six-line metro project — a significant step in modernizing urban transport and advancing Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals.
In just nine months, the Riyadh Metro reached another major milestone, carrying more than 100 million passengers since its launch.
On the world stage, 2025 marked a major step forward in Saudi-US ties, specifically regarding diplomatic, technological, and economic relations.
In May, US President Donald Trump made his first international visit of his second administration to Saudi Arabia. Saudi Ambassador to the US, Princess Reema bint Bandar, described the visit in The Washington Times on May 12 as a pivotal step for “global peace, security, and prosperity.”
During this visit, the Kingdom hosted the Saudi-US Investment Forum, which confirmed a $600 billion Saudi investment commitment to the US. The US Embassy noted that this was the largest set of commercial agreements on record between the two nations.
The forum broadened its scope to include technology, artificial intelligence, energy, and critical minerals. In the field of AI, the two countries signed a Strategic Artificial Intelligence Partnership to cooperate on the supply of advanced semiconductors for the PIF-backed Humain.
In the energy sector, Saudi Aramco announced agreements with US companies valued at over $30 billion. Additionally, in the sector of critical minerals, Saudi’s Ma’aden and the US Department of Defense signed an agreement to build a rare earths refinery.
Another highlight of the year came in February when Saudi Arabia emerged as a key international mediator. By hosting US-Russia talks on the Ukraine crisis, the Kingdom helped foster dialogue and promote international stability.
Over the course of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Saudi Arabia has facilitated multiple discussions to find a diplomatic solution, positioning itself as a vital bridge in the current geopolitical environment.
The Saudi-brokered talks successfully established a direct negotiation channel. Following the dialogue, Russian President Vladimir Putin signaled a readiness to de-escalate, marking the first time the foundations for a formal peace plan began to emerge.
It was not all positive news in 2025, however. The Kingdom mourned the tragic loss of a citizen following an attack in the UK university town of Cambridge in August. Mohammed Al-Qasim, 20, was stabbed near Cambridge’s main railway station on Aug. 1 and died in the early hours of the following morning.
In a tribute following his death, Al-Qasim’s family described him as “a dutiful son, a loving brother, and the leader of the family in spirit, not in appearance. Over time, he became the family’s charisma, leaving behind an unforgettable legacy in every gathering.”
A trial date for the 21-year-old suspect, Chas Corrigan, has been set for Feb. 2, 2026.
In November, justice was served in a separate case when 42-year-old Ian Hudson was convicted and sentenced to nine years in prison for attempted rape.
The attack was stopped by heroic 24-year-old Saudi student Hamzah Al-Bar, who rushed to a woman’s defense on Dec. 30, 2024. The student, nicknamed “Hero Hamzah” by UK police, later recalled: “I had the chance to step in and help somebody that needed help.”
He spotted Hudson at a bus stop and pursued him, noting: “Hudson knew that what he had done was despicable and he was trying to run away from the consequences as urgently as he could. Ultimately, I wasn’t going to let that happen.”
The judge, Recorder David Gordon, formally commended Al-Bar for his “extraordinary courage and public-spiritedness,” adding: “Mr. Al-Bar intervened without hesitation to prevent the rape of the complainant who was in clear and immediate danger.”
September marked a pivotal step in defense diplomacy during the state visit of Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif to Riyadh.
Building on a partnership spanning nearly eight decades, the Saudi crown prince and Prime Minister Sharif signed a Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement. This formalized defense cooperation and strengthened joint deterrence, stipulating that an attack against one country shall be considered an attack against both.
In early October, chemist Omar M. Yaghi, a professor at UC Berkeley, was awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, becoming the first Saudi citizen to receive the honor. Yaghi, granted Saudi citizenship in 2021, was recognized for his breakthrough development of metal-organic frameworks — sponge-like structures that can store CO2 or harvest water from the air.
The year also saw a transition in religious leadership. Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan bin Abdullah Al-Fawzan was appointed Grand Mufti and Chairman of the Council of Senior Scholars following the passing of Sheikh Abdulaziz Al-Asheikh on Sept. 23. This role carries the heavy responsibility of advising the leadership and providing religious guidance for the nation.
Closing a historic year was the Saudi crown prince’s state visit to the US in mid-November. President Trump received the crown prince at the White House, where both participated in a summit reaffirming the strategic partnership.
During the visit, numerous agreements and memoranda of understanding valued at approximately $270 billion were announced across defense, AI, education, and energy.
President Trump concluded the visit by conveying his best wishes to King Salman and the crown prince, wishing the Saudi people continued progress and prosperity.
The year concluded on a high note for regional stability as Saudi Arabia successfully navigated a complex shift in the Yemeni landscape. In December, the Kingdom played a key role when the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen underwent a realignment.
The UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council launched an offensive that seized the oil-rich Hadhramaut and Al-Mahrah provinces, effectively bringing nearly half of Yemen’s territory under separatist control.
In late December, Saudi Arabia, which backs the Presidential Leadership Council, the executive body of Yemen’s internationally recognized government, conducted airstrikes against STC positions in Mukalla, prompting the UAE to agree to withdraw its remaining forces from the country.
Source: arabnews.com
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Bedouin heritage attracts visitors at Al-Sayahid market
January 01, 2026
AL-SAYAHID: The Al-Sayahid heritage market is a top attraction for visitors at the 10th King Abdulaziz Camel Festival on the outskirts of Riyadh.
The market, also called Basatat Al-Sayahid, is an open space featuring elements of traditional Bedouin life, offering a rich blend of heritage, hospitality, and modern services, the Saudi Press Agency reported recently.
It features traditional souqs showcasing products from families working in cottage industries, as well as handmade and traditional crafts reflecting the cultural diversity of the Kingdom.
The market supports artisans and contributes to their economic empowerment.
The location has well-known international restaurants and cafes, with extensive seating areas for guests to relax in an atmosphere combining comfort with tradition.
Source: arabnews.com
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Foundation stone laid for Saudi govt data center in Riyadh
January 01, 2026
RIYADH: The foundation stone for the building of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority’s Hexagon data center was laid on Thursday, Saudi Press Agency reported.
The facility will be the largest tier IV-rated government data center — the highest level among such installations — in the world, and will have the highest classification level, according to the Uptime Institute, a global advisory organization.
The center will be built on a 30 million sq. ft site in Riyadh and will have a total capacity of 480 MW. It has been designed to provide the highest levels of availability, security, and operational readiness for government data centers amid a growing reliance on electronic services, SPA said.
A ceremony to mark the occasion was attended by officials who were hosted by the President of SDAIA, Abdullah bin Sharaf Al-Ghamdi.
Al-Ghamdi said the project will help the Kingdom become a global leader in data and AI.
“The Hexagon data center will be followed by the establishment of other centers. This center is a qualitative strategic boost toward making the Kingdom a global center for data, ensuring data sovereignty and security, and enabling innovation and a digital economy,” he said.
The landmark project is environmentally friendly, with innovative solutions in energy efficiency and smart cooling, and modern technologies for low energy consumption computing, Al-Ghamdi said.
Source: arabnews.com
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Outstanding orphans honored in Thailand
January 01, 2026
BANGKOK: The office of the World Assembly of Muslim Youth has honored outstanding orphans at an event attended by several officials, heads of associations, as well as students, graduates, and families of orphans.
During the ceremony, speakers highlighted the growing humanitarian and pioneering role played by the Kingdom in supporting Islamic, humanitarian, and developmental initiatives, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
They emphasized that the mission of the Saudi-based organization has become a leading model in orphan care, youth empowerment, and outreach to diverse segments of society — efforts that directly contribute to strengthening social cohesion and stability.
Attendees expressed appreciation and gratitude to the Saudi government for its continued support of development and education initiatives in the Islamic world. They noted that these efforts have had a tangible and positive effect on beneficiaries and played a significant role in fostering bonds of brotherhood, solidarity, and cooperation among communities.
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi minister of Islamic affairs signs executive program for MOU
January 01, 2026
Sheikh Dr. Abdul Latif bin Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh, the minister of Islamic affairs, dawah and guidance, on Wednesday in Jeddah signed the executive program for a memorandum of understanding between the ministry and the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Chad.
The signing ceremony was attended by the council’s chairman, Dr. Mohamed Khater Issa, and officials from the ministry and the council.
Both sides affirmed that the signing of the executive program strengthens the frameworks of joint cooperation and contributes to unifying efforts to serve Islam and Muslims, promote moderation and tolerance, and reject extremism and terrorism.
The executive program includes several areas of cooperation, most notably to hold foundational training courses to qualify preachers, imams, and orators in Chad, with the timing and location to be determined by the two parties, and providing the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Chad with copies of the Holy Qur’an, translations of its meanings, and scholarly and dawah publications from the ministry.
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi leadership sends cables of condolences after passing of former Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia
January 01, 2026
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman on Thursday sent a cable of condolences to the President of Bangladesh Mohammed Shahabuddin after the passing of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia on Tuesday.
The king prayed that God have mercy on Zia, forgive her sins, and admit her into paradise. He extended his condolences to the family of the deceased.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sent a similar cable.
On Wednesday, huge crowds had flocked to the area outside Bangladesh’s national parliament building in the capital to attend the funeral prayers for Zia, who died at the age of 80 after a prolonged illness.
Zia was buried in late afternoon with state honors beside the grave of her husband, a former president who was assassinated in a military coup in 1981, in a park outside the parliament building later Wednesday.
Source: arabnews.com
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All UAE mosques shift to 12.45pm Friday prayers from today
January 02, 2026
Dubai: Friday sermons and prayers across the UAE will be held at 12.45pm from tomorrow, under a nationwide schedule announced last month by religious authorities.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs, Endowments and Zakat said the change, effective from tomorrow—the first Friday of the new year—establishes a unified prayer time across all emirates and mosques. Worshippers have been urged to arrive early to ensure they do not miss the sermon.
Officials said the move aims to standardise Friday worship nationwide, ensuring congregations attend the full sermon and receive consistent religious guidance. A fixed sermon time, the authority said, supports orderly congregational worship and the unified delivery of religious messages.
Beyond religious considerations, the adjustment is intended to ease coordination across communities. With a single national schedule, families, workers and students are expected to find it easier to organise their Fridays, particularly in a country with multiple emirates and thousands of mosques. The measure aligns with broader government efforts to simplify daily life through unified national policies.
The timing change also coincides with the designation of 2026 as the UAE’s “Year of the Family”, with officials saying the adjusted schedule supports shared family time, balanced routines and greater flexibility on Fridays.
Islamic scholars agree that the Friday prayer is performed during the time of Dhuhr, after the sun passes its zenith and before the Asr prayer. Holding the prayer at 12.45pm falls well within this established window and meets the required jurisprudential conditions, according to the majority of scholars.
Source: gulfnews.com
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Europe
Netherlands police face 'unprecedented' New Year's violence
January 2, 2026
Suzanne Leigh
Police in the Netherlands were pelted with fireworks and faced an "unprecedented amount of violence" on New Year's Eve, officers have said.
A 19th century church in Amsterdam was engulfed by fire in the early hours of New Year's Day, although the cause of the blaze is not yet known.
The Vondelkerk, which overlooks the largest park in the city, the Vondelpark, has been a tourist attraction since it was built in 1872.
Elsewhere in the Netherlands, a 17-year-old boy and 38-year-old man were killed in fireworks incidents. In Bielefeld, Germany, local police said two 18-year-olds died after setting off homemade fireworks.
The head of the Dutch Police Union, Nine Kooiman, said she had been pelted by fireworks and other explosives on her shift in Amsterdam.
The amount of violence was "unprecedented" she said.
Reports of attacks against police and firefighters were widespread across the country.
Petrol bombs were thrown at police in the southern city of Breda. In Rotterdam, the city's eye hospital said it had treated 14 patients, including 10 minors, for eye injuries. Two received surgery.
A 17-year-old boy from Nijmegen and a 38-year-old man from Aalsmeer were killed in fireworks incidents, local media reported.
In Amsterdam the 50-metre high tower of the historic Vondelkerk church collapsed. Authorities said the roof was badly damaged but the structure was expected to remain intact.
The neo-Gothic basilica was designed by architect Pierre Cuypers whose works also include the Rijksmuseum.
A ban on unofficial fireworks is due to come into force in 2026. According to the Dutch Pyrotechnics Association, a record €129m (£112m) had been spent on them this year.
Source: bbc.com
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'Russia brings war to New Year': Zelenskyy claims Moscow fired 200 drones; targeted energy infrastructure
Jan 1, 2026
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday alleged that Russia was carrying the near four-year war "into the New Year" with more than 200 drones fired at Ukraine, mainly targeting energy infrastructure."Russia deliberately brings war into the New Year -– launching more than two hundred attack drones against Ukraine overnight," Zelenskyy said on social media, adding that the "targets were our energy infrastructure."
Russia on Wednesday claimed fresh gains in northeastern Ukraine, saying President Vladimir Putin has ordered the expansion of a so-called “buffer zone” along the border in 2026, according to Russian state media.
Russia’s Chief of the General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, said Putin has directed forces to widen this buffer zone in Ukraine’s Sumy and Kharkiv regions, which lie close to the Russian border. Russian news agency RIA reported that Gerasimov inspected the “North” troop grouping and held meetings at a command post during his visit.
The “North” group, formed in early 2024, has been operating in northeastern Ukraine with the stated aim of pushing Ukrainian troops away from the border and establishing a security belt. Russian officials say the force is trying to gain ground in Sumy and Kharkiv while positioning itself for further advances.
Putin has repeatedly argued that the buffer zone is needed to push Ukrainian troops and weapons farther from Russia’s territory, citing shelling and drone attacks on border regions such as Belgorod and Kursk.
Gerasimov’s remarks came days after Moscow vowed retaliation over what it claimed, without offering evidence, was an attempt to attack Putin’s residence. Ukraine denied the allegation, saying it was meant to undermine peace efforts as the war nears its fourth year.
There was no immediate response from Ukrainian officials to Gerasimov’s latest comments, Reuters reported.
Kyiv has firmly rejected Moscow’s buffer zone plan, accusing Russia of using it as a pretext for deeper incursions into Ukrainian territory. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described Russia’s plans for Sumy and Kharkiv as “mad,” saying Ukraine will continue to resist and defend the regions.
Source: indiatimes.com
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Muslim youth group thanks emergency services with New Year’s Eve food delivery
1st January 2026
Members of a local Muslim youth group spent New Year’s Eve supporting emergency services by delivering food to police officers and firefighters working through the night.
The Tilford-based Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association marked the final hours of the year by visiting Waverley Borough Police and Farnham fire stations to thank officers and firefighters on duty as celebrations took place elsewhere.
While many residents welcomed the New Year with family and friends, emergency service staff continued to work across the borough to keep communities safe.
“As the year comes to a close, we wanted to thank the police officers serving Waverley Borough and the firefighters in Farnham who continue to protect our communities in Farnham and the surrounding areas, often sacrificing time with their own families.”
The visits formed part of the association’s wider commitment to community service and strengthening local relationships.
“At the heart of our faith is service to others,” the spokesperson added. “As we enter the New Year, we pray for the safety, well-being, and success of all those working on the frontlines to keep our communities safe.”
The New Year’s Eve initiative reflects the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association’s ongoing efforts to promote compassion, unity and mutual respect through practical acts of support within the community.
Source: altonherald.com
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Young Muslims collect hundreds of bags of litter in annual New Year's Day street clean
1 January 2026
Thousands of volunteers have gathered in towns and cities across the UK for an annual street clean on New Year's Day.
Organised by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association (AMYA) volunteers were up early for morning prayers, before heading to their local street to pick up litter.
People from all communities joined in the efforts in Bordon in Hampshire, and Crawley in West Sussex as well as other places across the country.
The annual event started in 1995, and this year nearly 3,000 volunteers took part.
More than 600 bags of litter was collected in a single morning, making it one of the country's largest faith-led environmental initiatives of the New Year.
Speaking to ITV Meridian, organiser Adeel Shah said: "We were joined by local residents, community members and collected bin bags full of litter.
"Then we had a warm breakfast at around 8 o'clock all across the UK, and that's how we started our New Year's Day by contributing to the communities that we live in."
This year's initiative marks thirty years of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association's New Year Street Clean-up, with Friday's event the largest to date.
The annual clean-up is deeply rooted in Islamic teachings that emphasise cleanliness and serving one's nation.
These young Muslims were keen to give up their new year's morning to help out in their local communities.
Farhad Ahmad, the National President of AMYA UK, said: "For many years, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association has been running projects like this to serve the communities and country we are so proud to call home!
"At a time when some have incorrectly claimed that Islam is at odds with British values, initiatives like these clearly show the opposite.
"In the last two years alone, our volunteers have contributed over 60,000 hours of service across the UK. We have raised over £84 million for British charities and have helped to provide more than four million meals to those in need.
"We continue to do this because this is what our religion teaches us!"
Imam Ehtesham Arif, 24, is one of the youngest Imams in the whole country, and took part this morning.
"Over the past 30 years, tens of thousands of volunteers have collectively dedicated roughly thirty thousand hours to keeping our streets clean," he said.
"I am now 24 years old and can vividly remember taking part in these clean-ups from the age of five!
"What continues to inspire me is seeing children as young as seven waking up as early as six in the morning on new year's day to pray at the mosque and then take part in these clean-ups across the country.
"These young people celebrate the new year by first praying to God, and then collectively serving His people. It is all part of our faith."
Source: itv.com
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Ukrainian nationalists commemorate WWII-era Nazi collaborator
1 Jan, 2026
Ukrainian far-right activists have marked the 117th birthday of WWII-era nationalist leader and Nazi collaborator Stepan Bandera in the city of Lviv in Western Ukraine.
In footage published by Ukrainian media on Thursday, a line of people holding red flares is seen, meant to honor one of the leaders of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) during WWII. The group allied with the invading Nazi Germans in 1941 and carried out massacres of Poles, Jews, Russians, and Ukrainians they accused of collaborating with the Soviets.
Former Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko declared Bandera and the UPA national heroes shortly before leaving office in 2010. While the decision was rescinded under his successor, Viktor Yanukovych, it was later reaffirmed by the leadership installed following the Western-backed 2014 Euromaidan coup.
Ukrainian nationalist groups, especially in the West of the country, regularly commemorate dates connected to other infamous Nazi collaborators, such as Roman Shukhevich, another prominent figure in the UPA.
The Ukrainian authorities’ tacit support for the rehabilitation of such controversial figures has recently strained relations with Poland, one of Kiev’s key backers in the conflict with Moscow.
Officials in Warsaw, including President Karol Nawrocki, have repeatedly called out Ukrainian authorities for glossing over the atrocities committed by the UPA during WWII.
Between 1943 and 1945, Ukrainian nationalists slaughtered up to 100,000 ethnic Poles in Volhynia and Eastern Galicia, regions which were later incorporated into Ukraine.
The Russian government has consistently accused the current Ukrainian leadership of embracing Nazism and whitewashing known WWII-era collaborators.
When the conflict between Moscow and Kiev escalated into open hostilities in February 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin made the “denazification” of the neighboring country one of the key objectives of his military campaign.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/russia/630326-ukrainian-nationalists-commemorate-nazi-collaborator/
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Five-year-old boy killed in Ukrainian drone attack – governor
1 Jan, 2026
A five-year-old boy has been killed in a Ukrainian drone strike on his family’s car in Russia’s Kherson Region, Governor Vladimir Saldo has said.
The boy, his mother and her parents were traveling in their car when it was hit by a kamikaze UAV outside the village of Tarasovka, Saldo relayed. The child was killed on the spot, while the adults sustained multiple shrapnel wounds, the governor stated.
“The Kiev bastards have committed yet another bloody crime,” Saldo wrote on his Telegram channel.
The incident comes less than a day after the New Year’s Eve attack on a crowded café and hotel in the Black Sea coastal village of Khorly in the south of the region. The strike caused a major fire which left at least 24 people dead and over 50 others wounded. It involved several kamikaze drones, one of which carried incendiary weaponry.
The café attack occurred shortly before midnight; a reconnaissance drone was seen observing the area shortly ahead of the strike, according to Saldo.
Extremely graphic footage from the scene shows the location littered with the charred bodies of the victims. At least one child was among the dead, according to Saldo.
Kherson Region, together with Zaporozhye Region and the People’s Republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, joined Russia in the fall of 2022 as a result of local referendums.
The region has become a prime target for indiscriminate Ukrainian attacks. Kiev’s forces have been routinely targeting civilian sites with artillery and missile fire, as well as launching kamikaze drone strikes, hunting down civilian vehicles and first responders.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/russia/630325-ukrainian-attack-boy-killed/
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‘People were running through the flames’: How Swiss ski resort bar tragedy unfolded; witnesses recall chaos
Jan 2, 2026
‘People were running through the flames’: How Swiss ski resort bar tragedy unfolded; witnesses recall chaos‘People were running through the flames’: How Swiss ski resort bar tragedy unfolded; witnesses recall chaos
At least 40 people were charred to death and over 100 others were injured after a deadly fire ripped a crowded bar in the ski resort town of Crans-Montana in Switzerland during a New Year's party.
According to the Swiss police, the blaze broke out in the early morning hours at Le Constellation where young partygoers who gathered at the bar to celebrate the new year.
Officials added that they are still investigating the cause of the fire and the explosion that followed. However, they ruled out the possibility of the terrorist attack.
Emergency services sent 10 helicopters and 40 ambulances to transport the injured to hospitals, officials said at a news briefing Thursday morning. The emergency ward and operating rooms at the nearest major medical center ran out of space to treat the victims.
Three specialized jets took burn victims to Zurich, the country's largest city, about 90 miles away. In an interview with the Swiss news site 24 heures, Claire Charmet, the head of a hospital in Lausanne, where 22 severely burned patients were taken, said most of the survivors were between 16 and 26.
How it happened?
According to police commander Frederic Gisler, the smoke was spotted around 1.30am. Few seconds later a witness contacted the police.
"Immediately, the red alarm, which mobilises the fire department, was triggered," Gisler said, adding that firefighters "quickly contained the blaze" while the injured were being treated.
Authorities, however, declined to speculate on what caused the tragedy.
Meanwhile, several news channels seemed to point to sparklers that were apparently mounted on top of champagne bottles and held aloft by restaurant staff as part of a regular "show" put on for patrons who made special orders to their tables.
"I think there were some ladies, waitresses, with champagne bottles and little sparklers. They got too close to the ceiling, and suddenly it all caught fire," Axel, who was present at the time of the incident, told the Italian media outlet Local Team.
A tourist from New York, who filmed bright orange flames pouring from the bar, told AFP he saw people running and screaming.
Alexis Lagger, an 18-year-old, had been walking with a group of friends past Le Constellation bar, a spot popular with young people and tourists, when they noticed smoke and flames emerging from the venue and called the police.
"People were running through the flames. People were using chairs to try to break the windows," he told Swiss public broadcaster RTS.
Were safety standards met?
According to Crans-Montana website, Le Constellation has a capacity of 300 people, plus another 40 people on its terrace.
However, several witnesses said that the event space in the basement of the establishment, where the fire began, was connected with the ground floor by only a staircase, which some described as "narrow".
Meanwhile, Wallis's chief prosecutor Beatrice Pilloud contested the allegations and stressed that the cause of the tragedy was still being investigated.
Responding to questions from reporters, she said she had seen the site herself.
"What exactly constitutes a narrow staircase?" she asked, stressing that the probe would "determine whether all safety standards were met".
Pilloud also said it was "too early" to comment on whether emergency exits met the required standards, or whether the necessary procedures had been followed before organising the New Year's event.
Multiple sources told news agency AFP that the bar owners are French nationals: a couple originally from Corsica who, according to a relative, are safe and sound, but who have been unreachable since the tragedy.
Given the bar's usually youthful clientele, questions were also being raised about the possible presence of minors at the time of the tragedy.
Who are the victims?
The bar was a popular spot among the tourists and drew a young crowd. Authorities are yet to release any information on the victims, but said that foreign nationals are also expected among the victims.
"Given the international nature of the Crans resort, we can expect foreign nationals to be among the victims," Gisler said.
He said Swiss authorities were "in close contact with the victims' families, whom we are informing in real time, as well as with the various embassies involved".
Stephane Ganzer, head of Wallis's security department, did not confirm that.
But, he told reporters, "you can imagine that on New Year's Eve, in a ski resort, the population is undoubtedly quite young".
We have someone close to us who is still missing
Meanwhile, hundreds gathered in silence in the freezing night, laying flowers and lighting candles to remember the victims.
"There are dead and injured, and we have someone close to us who is still missing. We have no news of them," said one woman who did not want to be identified.
After laying flowers with her friend, they walked away, arm in arm.
Source: indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/people-were-running-through-the-flames-how-swiss-ski-resort-bar-tragedy-unfolded-witnesses-recall-chaos/articleshow/126297788.cms
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Amsterdam: Fire engulfs iconic Vondelkerk church during New Year celebrations; watch
Jan 1, 2026
An iconic church in Amsterdam was partially destroyed after a fire tore through its spire in the early hours of New Year’s Day.
The Vondelkerk, located next to the city’s well-known Vondelpark, collapsed in on itself as 2026 celebrations were underway. The fire is believed to have broken out shortly after midnight and was quickly declared a major blaze and a regional emergency.
The cause of the fire was not immediately known.
The Netherlands saw a turbulent New Year’s Eve marked by two deaths linked to fireworks and what police described as “unprecedented” violence against law enforcement.
Nine Kooiman, head of the Dutch Police Union, said there was an “unprecedented amount of violence against police and emergency services” during the night. She said she herself was pelted three times with fireworks and other explosives while working a shift in Amsterdam, as cited by AFP.
Shortly after midnight, authorities issued a rare nationwide mobile phone alert urging people not to contact emergency services unless their lives were at risk, as call centres were overwhelmed.
Reports of attacks on police officers and firefighters emerged from across the country, including in the southern city of Breda, where petrol bombs were thrown at police.
An eye hospital in Rotterdam said it treated 14 patients for eye injuries, including 10 minors, with two requiring surgery.
With an expected ban on unofficial fireworks set to take effect next year, fireworks were purchased in large quantities. The Dutch Pyrotechnics Association said revellers spent a record 129 million euros ($151 million) on fireworks.
Although some areas had been designated as firework-free zones, the measures appeared to have had little impact.
Source: indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/amsterdam-fire-engulfs-iconic-vondelkerk-church-during-new-year-celebrations-watch/articleshow/126286370.cms
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North America
London's Muslim mayor vows to stand up to Trump’s ‘bile’
Jan 1, 2026
Sadiq Khan condemned Trump on Thursday for a long-running campaign of personal attack, after the US president recently called him “horrible, vicious, disgusting.”
According to Press TV, the London mayor added that Trump had repeatedly hurled “bile” not only at him but at Britain more broadly, particularly through inflammatory claims that Khan’s electoral success was due to immigration.
Khan further stressed that such rhetoric reflects deep hostility toward what he called the UK’s social fabric and democratic values.
Recalling lessons learned early in life, Khan said he would not be intimidated by attacks from Washington.
“The best way to deal with a bully, whether it’s in the playground or in the White House, is to stand up to them. You don’t get more respect from a bully by cowering,” he stressed.
Khan added that silence is not an option when Trump targets London and its people, saying, “when somebody attacks my city, our citizens, our values, our way of life — when somebody makes certain generalizations about the followers of one faith — I think it’s incumbent to stand up to them.”
The London mayor also mocked Trump’s shifting targets, suggesting the American president might redirect his hostility toward New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who is a Muslim.
“When you look at the animus, hatred and bile coming from President Trump towards me. I sort of assumed when Zohran was elected, President Trump would be two-timing me and spending time targeting Zohran.”
Khan, whose parents came from Pakistan, also downplayed a reportedly cordial Oval Office meeting between Trump and Mamdani, characterizing it as mere “tactical diplomacy,” not a genuine reconciliation, particularly after Trump had labeled Mamdani a “communist” during the campaign.
Responding to Trump’s obsession, Khan said, “I genuinely think he’s obsessed. And there have been many periods where he’s said horrible things and I’ve not responded because I’m just too busy to get involved in tittle-tattle, and this pathetic name-calling.”
Last month, Trump reignited the long-running feud with Khan, saying that he “gets elected because so many people have come in [to the UK]. They vote for him now”.
Back in September, Khan branded Trump “racist, sexist, misogynistic” and “Islamophobic” after the US president called him a “terrible mayor” who had “changed” London.
Source: mehrnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://en.mehrnews.com/news/240360/London-s-Muslim-mayor-vows-to-stand-up-to-Trump-s-bile
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CAIR, CAIR-NY Call Mayor Mamdani’s Inauguration a ‘Historic Moment of Progress’ for American Muslims and Entire Nation
January 1, 2026
Muslim civil rights and advocacy group says Mamdani’s victory marks a major defeat for anti-Muslim bigotry and the Israel First lobby
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 1/1/2026) – The New York chapter and national headquarters of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called Zohran Mamdani’s swearing-in as New York City’s first Muslim mayor is a “historic moment of progress” for the entire nation, American Muslim public service and all advocates for justice.
In a statement, National Executive Director Nihad Awad said:
“We congratulate Mayor Zohran Mamdani on his historic achievement as the first American Muslim to serve as the leader of New York City.
“Mayor Mamdani’s inauguration marks a historic turning point and a historic moment of progress for not only the people of New York City, but also American Muslim political progress and all advocates for justice. Mayor Mamdani won despite the massive amount of time and money invested in hateful attacks on his faith and dishonest attacks on his support for Palestinian human rights. His victory delivered a clear message: the Israel First lobby is losing political power and anti-Muslim bigotry is losing its power as a political weapon.
“We also recognize the meaningful symbolism of Zohran taking his oath of office on the Quran like other Muslim elected officials before him. This act underscores the constitutional promise that people of all faiths can serve their country. It is a testament to the strength of religious freedom in America and a moment of pride for countless Muslim families to see their faith reflected in public life.”
In a statement, CAIR-NY Executive Director Afaf Nasher, Esq. who also served on one of Mayor Mamdani’s transition committees, said:
“We congratulate Mayor Mamdani and the people of New York City for this historic moment of progress for our city. Mayor Mamdani’s inauguration represents a historic turning point for New York City voters who seek an affordable city where all people can live up to their full potential and who expect a city leadership that embraces and reflects all New Yorkers, including New York Muslims.
“It is important to note that Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s inauguration is a historic milestone that carries deep significance for American Muslims and for our nation as a whole. His swearing‑in reflects not only the growing diversity of American public life, but also the continued affirmation that people of all backgrounds have a place in shaping our nation.
“For American Muslims, this moment reflects the progress our communities have made in civic engagement, public service and leadership, often in the face of extreme anti-Muslim bigotry and opposition to our calls for an end to U.S. support for Israel’s abuses of Palestinians. Zohran’s inauguration is a reminder that our stories, our voices and our contributions are an integral part of the American fabric.
“We celebrate this milestone and reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that every American, regardless of their faith or background, has the opportunity to participate fully and equally in our democracy. Moments like this remind us of how far we have come and inspire us to continue the work ahead.”
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
Do you like reading CAIR press releases and taking part in our action alerts? You can help contribute to CAIR’s work of defending civil rights and empowering American Muslims across the country by making a one-time contribution or becoming a monthly donor. Supporters like you make CAIR’s advocacy work possible and defeating Islamophobia an achievable goal. Click here to donate to CAIR.
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Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-cair-ny-call-mayor-mamdanis-inauguration-a-historic-moment-of-progress-for-american-muslims-and-entire-nation/
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'Peace on Earth': Donald Trump shares New Year resolution; touts 'strong' administrative record
Jan 1, 2026
US President Donald Trump rang in the New Year at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Wednesday, where he said his wish for 2026 was “peace on Earth.”
Speaking briefly to reporters before heading into a New Year’s Eve celebration with First Lady Melania Trump, the president offered the remark in response to a question about his resolution for the year ahead.
In his address at the gala, the US President lauded his administration’s record and said that the country was once again strong and resurgent."We're taking in hundreds of millions of dollars in tariffs," Trump said. "We're doing great as a country. We're back. We're strong. I didn't think it could happen this fast. It's happening faster than anybody thought possible."
Among those attending the gala were Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara.
Several senior administration officials and political allies of Trump were also present, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Washington, DC, US Attorney Jeanine Pirro, Representative Tom Emmer of Minnesota, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino, and Ambassador Sergio Gor.
The black-tie event was also attended by Emirati billionaire Hussain Sajwani, who earlier this year announced plans to invest $20 billion in US data centre projects, as cited by the New York Post.
Trump also took on the role of auctioneer at the event for a painting of Jesus Christ’s face by artist Vanessa Horabuena. He said the proceeds would be donated to St. Jude Children’s Hospital and a sheriff’s department. The artwork was sold for USD 2.75 million.
Earlier, in what he described as a positive development at the start of the New Year, Trump announced the withdrawal of National Guard forces from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland, asserting that their deployment had contributed to a reduction in crime in those cities.
He added, however, that federal forces could be redeployed in the future if crime levels were to rise again.
"We are removing the National Guard from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland, despite the fact that CRIME has been greatly reduced by having these great Patriots in those cities, and ONLY by that fact. Portland, Los Angeles, and Chicago were GONE if it weren't for the Federal Government stepping in. We will come back, perhaps in a much different and stronger form, when crime begins to soar again - Only a question of time," Trump said through a post on Truth Social.
Source: indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/peace-on-earth-donald-trump-shares-new-year-resolution-touts-strong-administrative-record/articleshow/126286066.cms
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California delays cancellation of 17,000 immigrant commercial driver’s licences; Trump administration warns state putting 'Americans at risk'
Jan 2, 2026
California will delay the cancellation of around 17,000 commercial driver’s licences until March to allow more time for truckers and bus drivers who legally qualify to keep them, the Blue state announced on Tuesday.
The move comes a week after immigrant advocacy groups filed a lawsuit challenging the revocations.
The US department of transportation warned California that failing to meet a January 5 deadline could cost the state $160 million in federal funds. Secretary Sean Duffy has already held back $40 million because he claims the state is not making sure commercial drivers meet English language requirements.
California only began sending notices to revoke the licences after Duffy pressured the state to ensure that immigrants who are in the country illegally are not granted commercial driving privileges. An audit found licences that remained valid long after an immigrant’s legal authorisation expired and also cases where the state could not confirm it had checked a driver’s immigration status properly.
“California does NOT have an ‘extension’ to keep breaking the law and putting Americans at risk on the roads,” Duffy said in a post on X.
In August, a truck driver who was not authorised to be in the US made an illegal U-turn in Florida, causing a crash that killed three people. In October, a similar incident in California involved an unauthorised driver in a crash that also resulted in fatalities.
Gavin Newsom is lying. The deadline to revoke illegally issued, unvetted foreign trucker licenses is still January 5.
California does NOT have an “extension” to keep breaking the law and putting Americans at risk on the roads.
Are Sikh drivers being targeted?
The Sikh Coalition and the Asian Law Caucus filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of the affected drivers, saying that immigrant truckers were being unfairly targeted. Mumeeth Kaur, legal director of the Sikh Coalition, said the delay “is an important step towards alleviating the immediate threat that these drivers are facing to their lives and livelihoods.”
Immigrants are around 20 per cent of all truck drivers, but the special non-domiciled licences they can get make up only 5 per cent of California’s commercial licences. A court has paused federal efforts to make stricter rules on who among noncitizens can qualify.
California officials said they are working to ensure the federal Transportation Department is satisfied with the reforms implemented.
Department of Motor Vehicles (DMC) director Steve Gordon said, “Commercial drivers are an important part of our economy — our supply chains don’t move, and our communities don’t stay connected without them.”
Source: indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/california-delays-cancellation-of-17000-immigrant-commercial-drivers-licences-trump-administration-warns-state-putting-americans-at-risk/articleshow/126296551.cms
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‘Xi Jinping wants...’: Nikki Haley jibes at Zohran Mamdani’s NYC mayor swearing-in speech
Jan 2, 2026
Former US ambassador and Indian-origin Nikki Haley took a swipe at New York City’s new mayor Zohran Mamdani on the day of his swearing-in, mocking his inaugural speech as sounding more like Chinese Communist Party rhetoric than American politics.
Reacting to the speech on X, Haley wrote, “Xi Jinping wants his speech back,” a comment that went among conservative users and added fuel to an already heated debate over Mamdani’s socialist views.
Zohran Mamdani was sworn in on January 1, 2026, becoming New York City’s 112th mayor and its first Muslim mayor. The 34-year-old is a democratic socialist and won the 2025 mayoral election held in November. He built his campaign around affordable housing, higher taxes on the wealthy, expanded public services, defunding police, and a stronger role for government in daily life.
In his inaugural address outside City Hall, Mamdani doubled down on his Left ideological stance. “I was elected as a democratic socialist and I will govern as a democratic socialist,” he told the Blue crowd.
Although one line from the speech was criticised by the right: “We will replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism.”
Haley’s comment appeared to be aimed directly at that line. Social media users said the comment is similar to that of Communist leaders like Joseph Stalin or Mao Zedong.
The ceremony was attended by huge progressive figures, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders, who similarly aligned with Mamdani’s position among the left wing of the Democratic Party.
“If you are a New Yorker, I am your mayor,” Mamdani said.
Zohran Mamdani won the NYC elections in November last year against independent candidate Andrew Cuomo. The odds were against the socialist leader as he was a newbie in America's wealthiest city and was facing veterans endorsed by MAGA chief Trump himself. However, Mamdani successfully united the diverse NYC crowd through his inclusive and approachable campaign.
Another conservative bigwig Megyan Kelly weighed in on Mamdani's speech in a post on X: 'No, actually, we are Americans and we don’t believe in that sh**'
Source: indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/xi-jinping-wants-nikki-haley-jibes-at-zohran-mamdanis-nyc-mayor-swearing-in-speech/articleshow/126296341.cms
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US visa rules from January 1: Travel ban for 39 countries; hike in immigration-related fees
Jan 1, 2026
The new travel ban that the Donald Trump administration announced in December as part of its ongoing crackdown on immigration comes into effect on January 1, 2026. Apart from the travel ban, new immigration-related fees, as announced earlier, also come into effect from today.
Travel ban from January 1, 2026
The administration expanded the travel ban list in mid-December and now nationals from 39 countries face a full or partial travel ban to the US. People from Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burkina Faso, Laos (previously “partially restricted”), Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone (previously “partially restricted”), South Sudan, and Syria - as well as individuals holding travel documents issued by the Palestinian Authority are under the full travel ban list. These people can't get a visa to the US from today.
Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe are under a partial travel ban.
Travel ban does not apply to
Nationals from other countries
Nationals from these 39 countries who are already in the US on January 1
Nationals from these countries who hold a valid visa as of January 1.
Exempt categories like athletes, certain diplomats, dual nationals etc.
African countries impose counter-travel ban on US
Several African countries announced a travel ban for US citizens in retaliation. Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger have banned entry for US citizens. Burkina Faso's foreign affairs minister Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré said his government was acting on the "principle of reciprocity", while Mali's foreign ministry called for "mutual respect and sovereign equality".
Hike in immigration-related fees
Fees for annual asylum application, Form I-765 etc will increase from today if the benefit request is postmarked on or after January 1.
Annual Asylum Application Fee: $102 (old fee $100) (currently stayed via court order)
Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization - Initial Asylum Applicant Employment Authorization Document (EAD) : $560 ($550)
Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization - Initial Parole EAD : $560 ($550)
Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization - Renewal or Extension of Parole EAD: $280 ($275)
Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization - Initial Temporary Protected Status (TPS) EAD : $560 ($550)
Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization - Renewal or Extension of TPS EAD: $280 ($275)
Form I-131, Part 9 - EAD requested upon authorization of a new period of Parole (Re-parole) : $280 ($275)
Form I-821, Application for TPS: $510 ($500)
Not applicable to:
I-589 Asylum Fee (Initial fee for aliens filing an application for asylum) : Fee remains unchanged ar $100
I-765 Renewal or Extension of Asylum Applicant EAD: Fee remains unchanged at $275
I-360 Special Immigrant Juvenile Fee: Unchanged at $250
Source: indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/us-visa-rules-from-january-1-ban-on-travel-for-39-countries-hike-in-immigration-related-fees/articleshow/126287650.cms
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Africa
2025: Mass abductions, killings, Trump’s rhetoric overshadow Tinubu govt’s war on terror
ByYakubu Mohammed
January 2, 2026
By mid-2025, Nigeria’s security situation had drifted far from the early wins of President Bola Tinubu’s administration. What unfolded instead was a year defined by jihadists’ infiltration from the Sahel, the re-emergence of mass abductions, and a controversial international episode involving US President Donald Trump that exposed the fragility of Nigeria’s counter-terrorism diplomacy.
Taken together, these developments tanked the gains the Bola Tinubu government had achieved since it came into power in 2023. The developments also show that insecurity remains Nigeria’s number one governance challenge.
Jihadists without borders
Perhaps the most alarming security trend of 2025 was the growing sense that Nigeria’s northern frontiers were more porous and could not be protected from the spillover of violence in the Sahel, where jihadists in the folds of Islamic States and al-Qaeda are expanding their horizons.
The arrests of key Ansaru figures signalled concerns about al-Qaeda–aligned networks with transnational reach. Unlike the other jihadi groups—Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP)—largely contained in the North-east and the Lake Chad region, Ansaru’s historical footprint spans north-central and north-western Nigeria, with deep links to cross-border logistics, arms trafficking and illicit trade.
While Ansaru struggles to fill the leadership gap created by the arrests, the group’s Sahelian allies fighting under the banner of al-Qaeda-linked Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) announced their presence in Nigeria, further blurring Nigeria’s counterterrorism war.
At the same time, security agencies intensified monitoring of Lakurawa fighters and the Sadiku-led Boko Haram faction around Nigeria’s borders with Benin and Niger.
The implication was clear: Nigeria’s security challenge in 2025 was no longer purely domestic and was increasingly shaped by regional jihadi terror campaigns.
President Tinubu acknowledged the transnational nature of Nigeria’s security crisis in his New Year message and said his administration would work with partners to address the threat. “In 2026, our security and intelligence agencies will deepen cooperation with regional and global partners to eliminate all threats to national security,” he said.
The cost of command losses
This security crisis was compounded by the killing of Musa Uba, a brigadier general, one of the most senior military officers lost in combat in recent years.
Beyond the immediate operational shock, the incident carried symbolic weight. Analysts believe that high-ranking officer casualties erode troop morale.
Mr Uba’s death raised difficult questions about intelligence penetration, battlefield exposure, and the adaptability of armed groups that Nigeria continues to fight.
Still in the military, President Bola Tinubu sacked some military chiefs. Only the Chief of Army Staff, Olufemi Oluyede, was retained and promoted to the position of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).
However, about a month later, the former CDS, Christopher Musa, was appointed the defence minister, following the resignation of Mohammed Abubakar.
Security gains
Despite the challenges, 2025 was not without security gains for the Tinubu administration. These included the killing and arrests of several terrorists in the North.
The Defence Headquarters, in its 2025 report, said 1,323 suspects were arrested while 1,616 others surrendered in the North-east. Military spokesperson Micheal Onoja told journalists in Abuja on Wednesday that 498 kidnapped victims were rescued as troops recovered arms, vehicles and equipment, alongside N32 million in cash during various operations.
This, he said, was in addition to the destruction of terrorist camps in the region.
In the North-West, Mr Onoja said troops under Operation Fansan Yamma killed scores of terrorists, arrested 669 suspects, and rescued 966 abducted persons. He added that precision airstrikes on ISIS enclaves in the Bauni Forest, Sokoto State, destroyed key terrorist assembly points without recording civilian casualties.
In the North-central region, the defence spokesperson said troops of Operation Enduring Peace killed many terrorists, arrested 822 suspects, rescued 217 abducted victims, and recovered sophisticated weapons.
He added that troops of Operation Whirl Stroke also killed many extremists, arrested 459 suspects, and rescued 538 hostages, alongside the recovery of additional arms and ammunition.
Killings that defined the year
While arrests and battlefield gains defined the government’s successes, mass killings defined the year’s failures.
In April 2025, terrorists attacked communities in Benue State, killing over 100 residents in coordinated assaults that overwhelmed local defences and security response.
Similar attacks were recorded in parts of Plateau, Zamfara, and Kaduna states, often framed along ethnic or religious lines.
In January 2025, suspected ISWAP fighters stormed Dumba, a village on the shores of Lake Chad, killing at least 40 farmers.
Trump’s ‘evangelism’
Nigeria’s security narrative took an unexpected international turn following a dramatic episode involving President Trump, whose public remarks and engagements with American evangelical constituencies framed Nigeria’s violence primarily through a Christian persecution lens.
Calling Nigeria a “now-disgraced” country, Mr Trump threatened military action in Nigeria if the West African country failed to stop what he described as “Christian genocide.”
However, the Nigerian government disputed his claim, explaining that Nigerians of all backgrounds and faiths are being targeted by armed groups.
While not immediately accompanied by direct military action, the episode unsettled Nigerian officials. It risked oversimplifying Nigeria’s complex security crises into a single religious conflict, potentially inflaming domestic tensions.
For the Nigerian government, the concern was not just optics. It was the danger that Nigeria’s security challenges could be externally instrumentalised for ideological messaging abroad, complicating cooperation and inflaming internal fault lines.
What followed Mr Trump’s outburst was a series of diplomatic actions by both parties. Then, there was a resurgence of mass abductions that seemed tactical and strategic on the terrorists’ side.
US airstrikes and civilian Impact
Weeks after threatening military action in Nigeria, the United States launched airstrikes that targeted “Islamic State–affiliated terrorists” in Sokoto. The operation was publicly confirmed by President Trump and acknowledged by Nigerian authorities.
The Nigerian government said President Bola Tinubu approved the strikes and that Nigerian security agencies also provided intelligence used by the US for the strikes.
Mr Trump described the targets of the airstrikes as terrorists who have continued to kill Christians in Nigeria.
While official statements framed the strikes as precise and coordinated with Nigerian forces, reports emerged of munitions debris landing in civilian areas, including Jabo, a rural community in Sokoto. The incident led to panic.
Resurgence of mass abductions
If there was one security issue that most visibly undercut the Tinubu government’s achievements in 2025, it was the resurgence of mass abductions, particularly school kidnappings and attacks on worship centres.
After years of policy declarations and military deployments, armed groups once again demonstrated their ability to seize dozens of civilians.
In November alone, there were three mass abductions: two at schools in Kebbi and Niger, and the other at a Church in Kwara State.
The political damage was significant. Such abductions are not just crimes; they are symbols of state failure, instantly undoing claims of improved security. Most of the kidnapped victims were later freed, although the government declined to state the conditions that led to their release, with President Tinubu saying, “The end justifies the means.”
Policy Responses and Structural Reforms
In response to mounting insecurity, the Tinubu administration pushed several policy and legislative measures in 2025. Some of these include renewed momentum on the state police bill, aimed at decentralising security and empowering sub-national governments.
Among other measures, the government also deployed newly trained 7,000 forest guards to reclaim ungoverned forests used by bandits and insurgents. From the North-east to the North-central, terrorists have continued to use forest reserves as hideouts.
While these initiatives signalled intent, PREMIUM TIMES will monitor their implementation in 2026
A year that flattened achievements
By the close of 2025, Nigeria’s security landscape told a sobering story. The marginal gains the Tinubu administration cited—arrests, killings and dislodging of terrorists—were overshadowed by trends it could not easily reverse.
Rather than a year of consolidation, 2025 became a reminder that security gains in Nigeria are fragile, reversible, and easily eclipsed by a single mass kidnapping or killings.
In that sense, the year, arguably, did not merely challenge the government’s wins—it flattened them.
Source: premiumtimesng.com
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Guinea: Doumbouya supporters express joy after victory in presidential election
January 1, 2026
In Conakry, supporters of junta leader Mamadi Doumbouya expressed their joy after he was declared the winner of Guinea’s latest presidential election.
The poll held on 28 December was the country’s first election since a 2021 coup.
“My feelings are that I am happy. I know that Doumbouya won. He is our president. And the victory belongs to him," said Conakry resident Zahra Cherif.
Doumbouya won 86.72% of the votes counted so far, according to incomplete results from the General Directorate of Elections.
“He did not win simply because he is loved by the people, but because he works,” said Ibrahima Doumbouya, who belongs to the president-elect's political movement. “He is doing a good job and today, all Guineans are satisfied with this man's work.”
Lesser-known Yéro Baldé, a former education minister in Alpha Condé’s government, came a distant second with 6.51% of the votes.
The directorate said that 80.95% of the registered 6.7 million voters had voted in the election.
Baldé disputes these results and made this known during a press briefing on Wednesday.
“Where citizens can vote freely, without pressure or intimidation, where the vote count reports were drawn up normally, the popular verdict was clear: the people put us in the lead. We will use all legal means to demand that the truth be restored,” said Baldé, the candidate of the Democratic Front of Guinea.
Ahead of the vote on Sunday, analysts had predicted that a weakened opposition would result in Doumbouya’s win.
The election was widely seen as a means to legitimise his stay in power.It was also the culmination of a transition process that began four years ago after Doumbouya ousted President Alpha Condé.
Source: africanews.com
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https://www.africanews.com/2026/01/01/guinea-doumbouya-supporters-express-joy-after-victory-in-presidential-election/
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DRC accuses Rwanda of killing 1,500 civilians in past month
January 1, 2026
The Democratic Republic of Congo has accused Rwanda of killing more than 1,500 civilians in the Congolese east since early December, when the Kigali-backed M23 militia launched a fresh offensive.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Congolese government attributed this figure to civil society, confirmed by humanitarian sources and state services.
Congolese authorities described the new wave of attacks as “a clear act of aggression against national sovereignty” and a “serious and repeated violation of international law.”
M23 rebels took the key eastern city of Uvira in South Kivu early last month, causing tens of thousands of people to flee across the border into Burundi.
M23 launched this new offensive ust days after the Congolese and Rwandan governments signed a US-brokered peace deal on 4 December.
The Congolese government has also accused Kigali of sending “three new Rwandan battalions” into South Kivu, with an eye to advancing towards the mining province of Tanganyika.
About 500,000 people have been displaced by the recent surge in fighting in South Kivu, according to the United Nations.
Source: africanews.com
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Concerns As 533 Journalists Get Jailed, 128 Killed In 2025
January 2, 2026
By Richard Ogunsile
No fewer than 128 journalists were reportedly killed across the world in 2025, with more than half of the fatalities recorded in the Middle East, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has said.
Naija News reports that the figure, which represents an increase compared to 2024, was described by the global press body as a disturbing signal of the growing dangers faced by media professionals.
Speaking on Thursday, January 1, 2026, the IFJ General Secretary, Anthony Bellanger, said the rising death toll should be seen as a wake-up call for governments and the international community.
“This grim toll is not just a statistic, it’s a global red alert for our colleagues,” Bellanger told AFP.
The IFJ expressed particular concern over the situation in the Palestinian territories, where it documented the killing of 56 journalists in 2025 amid Israel’s ongoing war with Hamas in Gaza.
According to the federation, the scale and speed of the deaths in the territory were unprecedented.
“We’ve never seen anything like this: so many deaths in such a short time, in such a small area,” Bellanger said.
The group noted that the intensity of the conflict and the conditions under which journalists operate in Gaza have made reporting exceptionally dangerous.
While the Middle East accounted for the largest share of deaths, the IFJ said journalists were also killed in other parts of the world, including Yemen, Ukraine, Sudan, Peru and India.
The federation said the figures underscore that threats to press freedom and journalists’ safety are not limited to conflict zones alone but are part of a wider global crisis.
Bellanger condemned what he described as a culture of impunity surrounding attacks on journalists.
“Without justice, it allows the killers of journalists to thrive,” he warned.
Beyond killings, the IFJ also raised alarm over the growing number of journalists imprisoned globally.
According to the organisation, at least 533 journalists are currently in detention worldwide, a figure that has more than doubled over the past five years.
China once again topped the list of countries jailing journalists, with 143 reporters behind bars, including those detained in Hong Kong.
Authorities in the territory have faced sustained criticism from Western nations over national security laws accused of stifling dissent and press freedom.
The IFJ noted that its count of journalists killed is usually higher than that of other press freedom organisations due to differences in methodology.
The 2025 tally, the group said, included nine journalists who died in accidents.
By comparison, Reporters Without Borders said 67 journalists were killed in the line of duty in 2025, while the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation put the figure at 93.
Despite the varying numbers, press freedom advocates agree that 2025 ranks among the deadliest years for journalists in recent history, reinforcing calls for stronger protections, accountability and an end to impunity for crimes against media professionals.
Source: naijanews.com
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Israel To Support Persecuted Christians In Nigeria – Netanyahu
January 2, 2026
By Enioluwa Adeniyi
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has said that Israel is working on an agenda to support persecuted Christian communities in Nigeria and other parts of the world, describing the country as the only one capable of defending Christians globally.
Netanyahu made the remarks on Friday during a meeting with evangelical community leaders in Florida, where he pledged support for Christian minorities facing persecution, particularly in Africa and the Middle East.
“I see the battle against us and the battle against our Judeo-Christian tradition, basically being waged around the globe. And it’s waged primarily by two forces, radical Shiite Islam and radical Sunni Islam.
“That means the axis that is led by Iran, much battered, admittedly, but still there, and the Sunni axis led by the Muslim Brotherhood, which permeates everything.
“They go to Europe, they go to the United States, they go to Africa, Nigeria. And we are conscious of the fact that Christians are being persecuted, across the Middle East, in Syria, in Lebanon, in Nigeria, in Turkey and beyond,” he said.
Netanyahu declared that Israel remains the only country committed to protecting and promoting the growth of Christian communities around the world.
He said, “We’re also aware of the fact, as you are, that one country protects the Christian community, enables it to grow, defends it, and makes sure that it thrives, and that country is Israel. There is no other. None.”
He said Israel would join international efforts aimed at assisting Christian communities under threat.
Netanyahu further stated, “We are joining an effort to have basically a united nations or countries that support Christian communities around the world, beleaguered communities who deserve our help.
“Just as you are helping us, we want to help back; and we’re capable of doing this. In Africa, with intel, in the Middle East, with a lot of means that I won’t itemize each one.
“This is what our agenda is; it’s a main part of our agenda.”
Netanyahu’s comments came a day after his meeting with US President, Donald Trump, who announced U.S. airstrikes in Nigeria on Christmas Day in response to alleged attacks on Christian communities.
Israel becomes the only country to openly support the U.S. stance on what it describes as Christian persecution in Nigeria.
Both Israel and the United States maintain a long-standing alliance and share common positions on global security and religious freedom.
Source: naijanews.com
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Southeast Asia
Anwar calls for stop to commission-taking agents in Ramadan bazaar registrations, praises PJ’s system
By Anis Zalani
02 Jan 2026
PETALING JAYA, Dec 2 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today urged all parties involved in the registration of Ramadan bazaar traders to cooperate to ensure the system runs smoothly and to prevent exploitation.
He cited Petaling Jaya as a model for more transparent bazaar management, saying its online registration system helps curb the role of middlemen and commission-taking agents.
“This is a problem we are facing. Ramadan bazaars provide an opportunity for the public, especially lower-income groups, to run businesses and earn additional income,” he told reporters after Friday prayers at Jumhuriah Mosque here.
“Those involved in the registration process should cooperate to ensure the system runs more smoothly and to prevent people from taking commissions,” he added.
Anwar said that while policy-level efforts are being made to curb commission-taking, conditions on the ground remain disorganised.
He said that based on previous policy reviews, Petaling Jaya’s experience and revenue model could serve as an example, with online registration allowing wider trader participation while ensuring clean and well-maintained facilities.
He added that if local councils and state governments were willing to cooperate, he would raise the matter with Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming to improve Ramadan bazaar facilities, including water supply arrangements and cleanliness.
“As we know, waste management enforcement began yesterday, and anyone who disposes of rubbish improperly will face action, including prosecution and fines for traders,” he said.
Yesterday, the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp) began enforcement under the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Act 2007 (Act 672), issuing offence notices to 42 individuals for littering in public places.
Source: malaymail.com
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Anwar shrugs off Muafakat revival talk, says it’s not a problem for unity govt
By Anis Zalani
02 Jan 2026
PETALING JAYA, Dec 2 — Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said discussions on the possible revival of Muafakat Nasional (MN) have not reached a serious stage, adding that he has not received further information on the matter.
He said any decision on MN rests with the parties involved and does not fall within the purview of the unity government.
“What is important now is that the unity government remains intact, and all parties have committed to focusing on economic growth and the well-being of the people until the next general election,” he told reporters after Friday prayers at Jumhuriah Mosque here today.
Anwar said party splits or separations were not an issue for the unity government.
“Matters of individual ambitions or internal divisions within parties are not my concern. Any conflicts that arise are the responsibility of the parties involved, and the government will not intervene,” he added.
On Monday, PAS central election director Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor encouraged Umno members and supporters to revisit MN ahead of the 16th general election, citing its role in maintaining grassroots stability.
Sanusi, who is also the Kedah menteri besar, said PAS is open to support from Umno members who share its political vision, even if they remain within Umno’s party structure.
Source: malaymail.com
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PAS confirms it will lead Perikatan after Muhyiddin’s resignation, meeting on new chairman next week
02 Jan 2026
MARANG, Jan 2 — PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang has confirmed that the party will take the helm of Perikatan Nasional (PN) following the resignation of Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as chairman of the coalition, which took effect yesterday.
He said a meeting to discuss a new PN chairman candidate would be held next week and is expected to be attended by Bersatu leaders as well.
“That meeting will involve Bersatu. The one who resigned, that is up to him, whether he wants to attend (the meeting) or not,” he told reporters after delivering a lecture at Masjid Rusila here today.
Abdul Hadi said PAS has many potential candidates, either from among religious scholars or technocrats remained tight-lipped on who would be put forward.
Asked about the possibility of him leading PN as suggested by some quarters, the Member of Parliament for Marang said he is in poor health. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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‘PAS actions reflect ideology, not betrayal’
2 Jan 2026
Analysts say coalition tensions stem from party safeguarding principles, power-sharing disputes and fragile trust
PETALING JAYA: Analysts have cautioned that portraying PAS as a party that “backstabs” its allies oversimplifies Malaysian coalition politics and overlooks the deeper dynamics shaping its decisions.
Universiti Malaya socio-political analyst Datuk Prof Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi observed that perceptions of betrayal often arise from isolated political episodes rather than the party’s long-term trajectory.
“PAS is frequently accused of betraying its allies because certain decisions appear to prioritise its own interests over coalition consensus. However, PAS is fundamentally an ideologically driven party with strong internal discipline,” he told theSun.
He explained that tensions tend to surface when an ideologically rigid party operates within coalitions that require compromise.
“What outsiders describe as ‘backstabbing’ is often PAS safeguarding its principles. This ideological consistency, while admired by supporters, can create friction with partners who expect pragmatism,” he added.
Commenting on Bersatu, Awang Azman added that its “power-hungry” image reflects its relatively recent formation and post-election strategies.
“Bersatu is a young party that depends on political survival. Its focus on parliamentary numbers makes it appear opportunistic,” he said, adding that such behaviour is common in parliamentary systems that reward strategic manoeuvering.
Awang Azman stressed that Perikatan Nasional (PN) faces a deeper crisis rooted not in PAS or Bersatu individually, but in the coalition’s failure to cultivate long-term trust.
“PN was largely united by a common enemy and protest sentiment. It has yet to mature into a coalition with a shared vision, clear decision-making structures and collective leadership,” he said.
International Islamic University Malaysia associate professor Dr Syaza Shukri said PAS’s ideological strength partly explains its negative perception.
“PAS is ideologically consistent. When partners obstruct its long-term objectives, as seen with DAP during the Pakatan Rakyat (period), it does not hesitate to sever ties,” she said.
She added that PAS has also experienced betrayal, including by Umno in 1977 and arguably by Bersatu today, yet remained ideologically consistent.
According to Syaza, Bersatu’s image is shaped by its origins.
“Bersatu was formed by elites who broke away from Umno rather than through grassroots mobilisation.
“As a result, it is often seen as prioritising power and positions,” she explained.
Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research senior fellow Dr Azmi Hassan said PAS’s actions should be viewed within the context of shifting alliances rather than moral betrayal.
“PAS cooperated with Umno under Muafakat Nasional 1.0, but later clashed with DAP during Pakatan Rakyat and eventually parted ways.
“Each decision was driven by specific circumstances,” he said, adding that PAS consistently frames its moves through ideological and religious reasoning.
He acknowledged that PAS frequently turns former allies into rivals.
“The reality is that PAS often begins as a partner but later becomes an opponent,” he said.
Azmi described Bersatu as a relatively small and structurally weak party formed to rival Umno and attract dissatisfied supporters.
“Bersatu was never a large mass-based party,” he said, rejecting claims that PAS had betrayed it.
Instead, he pointed to unresolved PN disputes over power and leadership.
“The real friction centred on who should become prime minister if PN took power. Perlis became the breaking point that escalated the conflict,” he said, adding that this eventually led to Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin stepping down and PAS in Perlis disengaging from state-level cooperation.
He concluded that the PAS–Bersatu dispute reflects leadership rivalry and coalition instability rather than ideological betrayal.
“In Malaysian coalition politics, unclear power-sharing arrangements inevitably create fractures, regardless of ideology.”
Source: thesun.my
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PM Anwar pledges national harmony and economic strength for 2026
1 Jan 2026
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim reaffirms the MADANI government’s commitment to national harmony and economic strength as Visit Malaysia Year 2026 kicks off.
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has pledged the MADANI government’s commitment to national harmony and economic strength.
He stated that ensuring harmony in diversity remains the core of the nation’s progress.
The government will also focus on strengthening the economy for the people’s wellbeing.
“This is the MADANI Government’s commitment to Malaysia,” Anwar said in a Facebook post.
He added the government will move forward with full confidence alongside the people.
The post included a video of Anwar celebrating the New Year with Malaysians.
The celebration also served as the launch catalyst for Visit Malaysia Year 2026.
The campaign officially kicked off with the Visit Malaysia 2026 Countdown Festival.
The large-scale New Year’s Eve event was held at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.
It marks the start of efforts to drive momentum for the tourism sector.
The target is 43 million visitor arrivals by 2026.
This aligns with aspirations to make Malaysia a top global destination.
Source: thesun.my
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Vice Admiral Sabri to sue over Chegu Bard’s defamatory allegations
2 Jan 2026
Puspahanas president Vice Admiral Datk Sabri Zali will take legal action over defamatory claims, filing police reports against the allegations.
PUTRAJAYA: National Defence Education Centre (Puspahanas) president Vice Admiral Datuk Sabri Zali will take legal action against any party publishing defamatory statements about him.
His legal advisor, Muhammad Firdaus Jumaludin, stated the action includes Port Dickson Bersatu division chief Badrul Hisham Shaharin, known as Chegu Bard.
Muhammad Firdaus said Chegu Bard made untrue, misleading and seriously defamatory allegations against Sabri.
He added that all allegations, including shared photos and documents on social media, remain unverified.
“Since the source cannot be ascertained, we are handing over this matter to the proper legal process,” he said at a press conference.
Muhammad Firdaus confirmed Sabri has filed a police report regarding the allegations.
He stated several more follow-up reports will be submitted later.
“A police report has indeed been filed and several more follow-up reports will be filed by Datuk Sabri,” he said.
He explained the matter dates back to August 2024, not just recent weeks.
Commenting on the impact, Muhammad Firdaus said the damage requires legal intervention.
He noted the allegations are widely spread on various social media platforms.
“The seriousness of this damage is not only at the institutional level, but has also involved family and friends,” he said.
On December 31, Chegu Bard questioned a senior military officer’s retention despite alleged corruption case links. – Bernama
Source: thesun.my
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Structural flaws weighing on political viability of Perikatan Nasional
2 Jan 2026
PETALING JAYA: Once seen as a formidable force in politics, Perikatan Nasional (PN) is now facing a crisis of its own making, weakened not by voters but by internal rivalries, leadership disputes and an inability to forge a long-term coalition strategy.
Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research senior fellow Dr Azmi Hassan said the coalition is no longer as formidable as it was during its peak as a rival to Pakatan Harapan (PH).
“At one point, it could seriously challenge PH. But if an election were to be held within the next 60 days, there is a strong possibility that PN would be wiped out by cooperation between Pakatan Harapan and Barisan Nasional,” he told theSun via WhatsApp.
Azmi described the situation as unfortunate, adding that PAS and Bersatu originally came together with distinct objectives that could have strengthened the Opposition.
“What is sad is that both parties appear to be pursuing their own agendas, prioritising party interests and ideological considerations without looking at the bigger picture of building an effective opposition,” he said.
He added that PN’s current weakness stems from the erosion of unity that once attracted voters to its image as a cohesive alternative to the ruling coalition.
International Islamic University Malaysia associate professor Dr Syaza Shukri echoed this view, adding that PN is increasingly perceived as disorganised and divided.
“At the moment, PN is clearly weakening because it is seen as chaotic. This undermines its narrative as a united Malay-Muslim coalition,” she said, adding that its earlier appeal rested on a perception of solidarity.
“Previously, it was viewed as a formidable opposition because it projected unity. I do not think PN will disappear entirely, but if leadership issues remain unresolved, gradual decay would not be surprising,” she said.
Syaza added that prolonged instability, compounded by the inability to name a single prime ministerial candidate and the Perlis menteri besar episode, could eventually lead to the emergence of a new opposition alignment.
Meanwhile, Universiti Malaya socio-political analyst Datuk Prof Dr Awang Azman Awang Pawi said PN’s future remains open, but only if the coalition undertakes serious reforms and adopts a long-term strategy.
“PN was once strong because it channelled voter anger towards the government and positioned itself as a national alternative,” he said, adding that its strength was largely reactive rather than rooted in trust, shared policies or stable leadership.
Awang Azman said unless PN resolves leadership contests, internal rivalry between PAS and Bersatu and the question of the coalition’s dominant force, it will remain a short-term alliance.
“In such a scenario, PN will be strong during crises but fragile when tested by governance.”
He added that rebuilding would require major corrections, including transparent leadership restructuring, the articulation of an inclusive ideological and policy direction beyond rhetoric, and an end to the culture of mutual suspicion between PAS and Bersatu.
He also said failure to implement such reforms risks repeating a familiar pattern in Malaysian opposition politics – being powerful on the campaign stage but weak in nation-building.
Awang Azman stressed that negative narratives surrounding PAS and Bersatu persist because PN has failed to manage public perception through consistent and principled action.
“PN’s future is not guaranteed. It would depend entirely on whether it matures into a resilient coalition or remains a temporary episode in Malaysia’s political history.”
All three analysts agreed that as long as PN is held together by short-term calculations rather than institutional trust and shared policy goals, perceptions of conflict and opportunism would persist.
“Without a shared vision and clear rules of engagement, ideological parties such as PAS and pragmatic parties like Bersatu will clash, and the public would continue to interpret these conflicts through narrow and often misleading labels,” said Awang Azman.
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/news/malaysia-news/politics/structural-flaws-weighing-on-political-viability-of-perikatan-nasional/
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South Asia
Madrasa explosion: Fresh blast at site while clearing debris
Jan 2, 2026
Three women arrested in connection with the explosion at Ummal Qura International Madrasa in Keraniganj were sent to jail yesterday after the completion of their remand.
Dhaka Senior Judicial Magistrate Tajul Islam Sohag passed the order.
The women -- Asiya Begum, 28, wife of prime accused Sheikh Al Amin; Yasmin Akter, 30, wife of his elder brother Harun Or Rashid; and Asmani Khatun, 34 -- were each on a three-day remand.
The explosion occurred at the madrasa in Hasnabad Housing around 10:25am on December 26, severely damaging the building and nearby structures.
Police recovered a large cache of chemicals, bomb-making materials, and explosives from the site and later filed a case under the Anti-Terrorism Act against seven named and several unidentified suspects.
Though a week has passed, law enforcers have yet to arrest the prime accused -- Sheikh Al Amin, 32, a director of the madrasa.
Police have so far arrested seven people, including Shahin alias Abu Bakar alias Musa alias Diba Sultan, 32.
The case statement said the suspects are supporters of the banned militant outfit Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh.
Shahidur Rahman, an inspector of the Anti-Terrorism Unit investigating the case, told The Daily Star that they had learned the seven arrestees have links to Neo-Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh.
The case statement said accused Al Amin and Shahin have been arrested multiple times for their involvement in militant and terrorist activities.
Al Amin was previously arrested in 2017 and 2020. Seven cases are registered against him in Dhaka and surrounding areas, police said.
According to investigators, Shahin was earlier arrested in 2013 and 2017. He was radicalised and engaged with militants while in jail and has mastered triacetone triperoxide (TATP) bombs, a powerful and highly unstable primary explosive.
FRESH EXPLOSION AT SITE
Meanwhile, a worker was injured in a fresh explosion at the madrasa on Wednesday while cleaning the site, police said.
The injured labourer, Raju, 30, received primary treatment at a local hospital for leg injuries, South Keraniganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge Saiful Alam told The Daily Star yesterday.
Police said the explosion occurred around noon when the madrasa's owner, Parvin Begum, entered the premises with Raju and began cleaning the site.
Parvin's daughter, Sohana Akter Munia, told this correspondent they had taken permission from the local police station to remove broken bricks from the pathway to allow access to a neighbouring house.
She said unexploded explosives or chemicals, possibly scattered during the initial blast and hidden under debris, might have caused the explosion.
OC Saiful said a large quantity of chemical substances had been recovered from the madrasa, and public access to the building had been barred in the interest of public safety until further notice.
"The site is still a crime scene and forensic experts are still working there," he added.
Source: thedailystar.net
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268 incidents of rights violations in CHT in 2025
Jan 2, 2026
The rights situation in the Chattogram Hill Tracts deteriorated last year as the government failed to implement the 1997 CHT Peace Accord, according to the Annual Human Rights Report 2025 released yesterday by the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti.
The report said under the interim government no meaningful progress was made in implementing the accord. Nearly two-thirds of the accord, including its core provisions, remain unimplemented even after 28 years, resulting in increased militarisation, communal violence, land grabbing and widespread abuses against the indigenous Jumma people.
PCJSS recorded 268 incidents of human rights violations in the CHT during 2025, affecting 606 Jumma people. It said security forces, police, Bangalee settlers, extremist groups, land grabbers and Rohingya armed groups were identified as perpetrators.
The report documented eight extrajudicial killings, 117 arbitrary arrests, 193 search operations in villages and 26 incidents of violence against women and children.
At least 43 homes and two Buddhist temples were searched and vandalised, it said. The report also alleged that more than 300 acres of land were illegally occupied in 2025.
Among the most serious incidents was the killing of three Marma youths in September in Guimara of Khagrachhari, who were shot while protesting the rape of a Marma schoolgirl, the report said.
In another incident, a 19-year-old Chakma youth died after being beaten in Rangamati. No criminal cases or prosecutions followed these deaths, it added.
It also said that in Bandarban, the entire Bawm community faced collective restrictions, requiring permission for travel, farming and even buying daily necessities.
In September, coordinated attacks on Jumma neighbourhoods in Khagrachhari and Guimara left three people dead, injured more than 20 others and burned dozens of homes and shops, causing losses estimated at Tk 250 million, it added.
Police later filed cases against indigenous victims instead of the attackers, naming hundreds of unnamed Jumma people as accused, the report alleged.
PCJSS also documented continued land grabbing in Bandarban by companies and influential individuals in the name of rubber plantations, tourism and development projects.
PCJSS urged the government to fully and immediately implement the 1997 CHT Peace Accord, end extrajudicial killings and arbitrary arrests, resolve land disputes and ensure justice for victims of communal and sexual violence.
The organisation also called on national and international rights bodies to closely monitor the situation, warning that continued inaction would further deepen instability and human suffering in the CHT.
[Our Rangamati correspondent contributed to this report]
Source: thedailystar.net
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Bogura-4 Jamaat candidate declares Tk 4.39 lakh annual foreign income, owns a flat in Turkey
Jan 1, 2026
Md Mostafa Faisal, the Jamaat-e-Islami candidate for Bogura-4, has submitted his affidavit for the upcoming parliamentary elections, declaring an annual income of Tk 4.39 lakh and total assets worth Tk 1.10 crore.
Faisal, 38, is contesting the election from the seat (Kahalu-Nandigram) for the first time.
According to the affidavit submitted on December, 28, 2025, Faisal stated that he has no source of income in Bangladesh. However, he disclosed an annual foreign income of Tk 4.39 lakh from professions categorised as teaching, medical, legal, or consultancy.
Faisal's immovable assets include a flat on one decimal of land in his name and a gifted flat in Turkey valued at Tk 65 lakh. The total current value of his immovable assets is Tk 95 lakh.
Additionally, Faisal holds joint ownership of 0.37 decimal of non-agricultural land, valued at Tk 4 lakh.
Besides, his wife, Taslima Jahan Suraiya, owns two flats in Seujgari area of Bogura town, valued at Tk 50 lakh, which were also gifted, he mentioned.
Regarding movable assets, Faisal has Tk 7.50 lakh in cash, Tk 3 lakh worth of electronic devices, and Tk one lakh worth of furniture. His wife owns 50 bhori of gold received as wedding gifts, with an estimated current market value of Tk 95 lakh.
However, his total immovable and movable assets are worth over Tk 1.10 crore, while his wife's assets are worth Tk 1.45 crore.
He has obtained a master's degree and a PhD in Political Science.
The affidavit further notes that a case filed against him in 2012 at the Dhaka Metropolitan Court was resolved with his acquittal in 2025.
In his tax filings for the 2025-26 assessment year, Faisal reported a total wealth of Tk 87.69 lakh in his income tax return. He declared an annual income of Tk 4.39 lakh.
Talking to this correspondent, Faisal said, "I lived in Turkey for about 10 years and returned to the country recently. After completing my PhD in Turkey, I taught at a university there. That was the source of my income."
Regarding the flat in Turkey, Faisal explained: "During the Covid-19 pandemic, my father-in-law and wife provided the money to purchase a flat in Turkey."
Source: thedailystar.net
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Food Prices Surge Over 4 Percent Amid Economic Strain in Afghanistan: Report
By Fidel Rahmati
January 2, 2026
Food prices in Afghanistan surged over four percent in December 2025, driven by rising costs of grains, vegetables, oil, and ongoing trade disruptions with Pakistan.
Afghanistan’s Taliban-run Central Statistics and Information Authority reported that food prices increased by 4.2 percent in the month of December 2025, reflecting rising costs across the country’s markets.
Grain prices rose by 3.5 percent, cooking oil by 13.9 percent, and vegetables by 29 percent. Non-food items also saw increases, including clothing by 3.1 percent and healthcare and treatment costs by 17.2 percent.
The authority said that monthly inflation in December reached 2.8 percent, primarily driven by the rising prices of both food and non-food items. Year-on-year inflation for the same month rose 9.6 percent compared to last year.
Afghanistan faces deep economic challenges, with a recent UN report showing that nearly 75 percent of the population is unemployed and around 90 percent live below the poverty line. Economic hardship continues to drive inflation and scarcity across the country.
Analysts say the high unemployment rate and widespread poverty exacerbate the impact of rising prices, leaving millions of families struggling to afford basic necessities.
Border closures with Pakistan, which have lasted more than three months, have blocked trade routes, restricting imports and pushing up domestic prices. Afghan traders report that goods worth $6–6.5 billion are currently stranded at ports and border crossings.
Officials warn that over 11,500 shipping containers of Afghanistan imports are stuck in Pakistan, with many at risk of spoilage or expiration, costing Afghan and Pakistani traders approximately $2 million daily.
Economists note that unless trade routes reopen and economic reforms are implemented, inflation and shortages will likely worsen, further straining households already facing extreme poverty.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/food-prices-surge-over-4-percent-amid-economic-strain-in-afghanistan-report/
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Explosion Rocks Court Building in Faryab, Afghanistan
By Fidel Rahmati
January 2, 2026
An explosion shook the court building in Faryab, Afghanistan, causing panic and prompting emergency responders to rush to the scene.
Local sources reported a powerful explosion at the Court of Appeal building in Faryab province, raising fresh security concerns in northern Afghanistan.
According to the report, the blast occurred in the afternoon hours of Thursday, January 1, causing panic in the surrounding area.
According to the same sources, Taliban officials were holding a security meeting inside the building at the time of the explosion, suggesting the gathering may have been targeted.
Conflicting accounts have emerged about the cause of the blast, with some sources claiming it was triggered by a rocket strike, while others say a planted mine exploded.
Analysts note that Taliban judicial and security facilities have increasingly been targeted, highlighting ongoing internal security challenges and resistance to urrent administration.
Health officials confirmed that a number of dead and wounded were transported to local hospitals, though exact casualty figures have not yet been released.
No group has so far claimed responsibility for the explosion, and Taliban authorities have yet to issue an official statement clarifying the incident or its aftermath.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/explosion-rocks-court-building-in-faryab-afghanistan/
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Unidentified Drone Reportedly Crashes in Maidan Wardak, Afghanistan
By Fidel Rahmati
January 2, 2026
Sources reported that an unidentified drone crashed Thursday in central Maidan Wardak, Afghanistan, while local authorities have yet to comment on the incident.
Taliban-linked sources in Afghanistan reported on Thursday afternoon, 2 January, that an unidentified aircraft crashed in the central area of Maidan Wardak province.
The reports said the drone went down early in the morning in the mountainous area around Maidan Shahr, the provincial capital, with footage showing debris scattered across rugged terrain.
Images circulating online appear to show several individuals, believed to be Taliban members, inspecting the wreckage and collecting fragments from the crash site, though the authenticity of the images could not be independently verified.
Taliban local authorities in Maidan Wardak have not issued any official statement so far, and no information has been released regarding casualties or damage linked to the incident.
It remains unclear which country operated the drone or what caused it to crash, with no immediate confirmation from regional or international military sources.
Unmanned aerial vehicles have frequently been reported flying over various Afghanistan provinces since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, often fueling speculation about foreign surveillance operations.
In the past, Taliban officials have accused foreign intelligence services of conducting drone flights over Afghanistan territory, while some Western officials have acknowledged using aerial surveillance to monitor militant activity.
The latest incident is likely to renew questions about airspace monitoring over Afghanistan and the extent of foreign intelligence operations in the country.
Observers say continued drone activity highlights lingering regional security concerns and the absence of clear mechanisms to manage or publicly explain such incidents under the current authorities.
Source: khaama.com
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Jamaat, BNP should work together for next 5 yrs: Shafiqur
Jan 2, 2026
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman yesterday said his party and the BNP should work together over the next five years for the sake of national stability.
"We have said that for the sake of our much-loved country, we worked together in the past and, InshaAllah, we will work together in the future as well. Mr Tarique Rahman and the BNP leadership have expressed the same aspiration," he told reporters after a meeting with the BNP acting chairman at the BNP Chairperson's Gulshan office.
Shafiqur said the two parties also discussed the possibility of working together to restore a stable and favourable environment for the nation over the next five years.
He added that the two parties will sit together after the election slated for February 12.
"Immediately after the election and before the formation of the government, we will sit together with an open mind to discuss national interests, think for the nation, and take decisions accordingly," the Jamaat chief said.
Source: thedailystar.net
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Human rights situation in CHT worsened in 2025: PCJSS
Jan 1, 2026
The human rights situation in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) sharply deteriorated in 2025 as the government failed to implement the 1997 CHT Peace Accord, according to the annual human rights report 2025 released today by the Parbatya Chattogram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS).
The report says that under the interim government, no meaningful progress was made in implementing the peace accord.
Nearly two-thirds of the accord, including its core provisions, remain unimplemented even after 28 years, resulting in increased militarisation, communal violence, land grabbing, and widespread abuses against the indigenous Jumma people, the report says.
PCJSS recorded 268 incidents of human rights violations in the CHT during 2025, affecting 606 indigenous Jumma people. It said security forces, police, armed groups, Bangalee settlers, extremist groups, land grabbers, and armed Rohingya groups were identified as perpetrators.
The report included eight extrajudicial killings, 117 arbitrary arrests, 193 military search operations in indigenous villages, and 26 incidents of violence against indigenous women and children.
At least 43 homes and two Buddhist temples were searched and vandalised, while 30 indigenous Mro children were forcibly converted to Islam, the report said. It also alleged that over 300 acres of land belonging to members of the indigenous community were illegally occupied in 2025.
Among the most serious incidents was the killing of three Marma youths in September in Khagrachhari's Guimara, who were shot by security forces while protesting the gang rape of a Marma schoolgirl, the report said.
In another case, a 19-year-old Chakma youth died after being beaten by Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members in Rangamati, it said, adding that no criminal cases or prosecutions followed these deaths.
The report said that security forces also carried out widespread arrests, often on false charges.
Many detainees were reportedly tortured before being released or sent to jail without due process, the report said, adding that in Bandarban, the entire Bawm community faced collective restrictions, requiring permission for travel, farming, and even buying daily necessities.
The report highlighted two major communal attacks in 2025. In January, indigenous students were assaulted in Dhaka by extremist groups, leaving at least 18 seriously injured.
In September, coordinated attacks on Jumma neighbourhoods in Khagrachhari and Guimara resulted in three deaths, over 20 injuries, and the burning of dozens of homes and shops, causing losses estimated at Tk 250 million.
Police later filed cases against indigenous victims instead of the attackers, naming hundreds of unnamed Jumma people as accused, the report alleges.
PCJSS also documented continued land grabbing in Bandarban by companies and influential individuals in the name of rubber plantations, tourism, and development projects.
It said that forced religious conversion of indigenous children continued, with poor families targeted using promises of education and healthcare.
The organisation urged the government to fully and immediately implement the peace accord, withdraw temporary military camps, end extrajudicial killings and arbitrary arrests, resolve land disputes, and ensure justice for victims of communal and sexual violence.
It also called on national and international human rights bodies to closely monitor the situation, warning that continued inaction will further deepen instability and human suffering in the CHT.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/human-rights-situation-cht-worsened-2025-pcjss-4070901
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