‘Muslims Do Not Need Anyone’s Certificate To Prove Their Patriotism,’: Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Chief Arshad Madani Amid Vande Mataram Debate
New Age Islam News Bureau
10 December 2025
Madani argued how the meaning of Vande Mataram goes against the religious beliefs of a Muslim
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· ‘Muslims Do Not Need Anyone’s Certificate To Prove Their Patriotism,’: Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Chief Arshad Madani Amid Vande Mataram Debate
· Muslim Traders Assaulted and Accused Of Being “Bangladeshi Infiltrators” At Gita Event For Selling Non-Veg Food In Kolkata
· Red Sea Film Foundation To Support Saudi Women Filmmakers: Women Film Students Will Have Access To Funding And Industry Support
· Military Imams To Be Introduced In Germany To Cope With Emotional Strain
· Israeli Army Takes Journalists Into A Tunnel In A Gaza City It Seized And Largely Flattened
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India
· Hindu Group March In Lucknow Against Construction Of Babri Masjid In Bengal
· Udupi Court Sentences 10 Bangladeshis To Two Years’ Imprisonment
· Pro-Muslim Parties Opposing Clean-Up Of Rolls: BJP
· Amit Shah Links Vande Mataram’s Origins To Islamic Invasions, Cultural Imposition By British
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Arab World
· Saudi Arabia, Iran Affirm Commitment To Implementing Beijing Agreement
· Jeddah Book Fair Set To Showcase Rising Saudi Literary Scene
· Saudi crown prince discusses efforts to achieve economic recovery in Syria with president
· Talks held on opportunities for sustainable EU-Saudi business cooperation
· Saudi FM holds telephone call with US secretary of state
· Jeddah conference honours global innovators in water technology
· Universities team up to advance heritage studies in Riyadh
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Europe
· Pakistani Who Urged ‘Jihad’ Event At Oxford School Cancelled
· Muslim community to hold event for women and children at Banbury United Football Club
· Safe containing donations stolen from mosque
· UN condemns Israeli raid on Palestinian refugee agency
· Australia bans social media for children
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Mideast
· What do the leaked Assad videos tell us about the deposed Syrian regime?
· Shells of unknown origin land near military airport in Damascus, Syrian state TV says
· Hamas says no Gaza truce second phase while Israel ‘continues violations’
· Iran’s stand in the 12-day war undermined U.S.-Israeli strategy, says Philippine scholar
· Under police protection, settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque compound
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North America
· Pakistan And India, They Were Going At It, I Ended The War: US President Trump
· ‘Dangerous’: CAIR Responds to Florida Governor’s Terrorist Designation
· CAIR Calls for Hate Crime Probe of ‘Cross’ Vandalism Targeting Virginia Mosque
· Trump touts upbeat message on economy as Americans feel the pinch
· Congress ups pressure to release boat strike video with threat to Hegseth's travel budget
· Trump urges Zelensky to ‘start accepting’ peace proposals
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Africa
· How Covert Military Operation Weakened Boko Haram, Led To Shekau’s Death – Retired Major General
· ‘I Am Deeply Sorry’ – Bishop Kukah Denies Saying Christians Are Not Persecuted In Nigeria
· Malami Remanded In EFCC Custody Over Bail Breach, Investigated For Terrorism Financing
· Burkina Faso Official Confirms Releasing Detained Military Officers
· US Air Force Resumes Surveillance Of ISWAP/Boko Haram Fighters In Borno
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South Asia
· Unite To Restore Democracy, Protect Rights: BNP Acting Chairman
· EC not responsible for political clashes before schedule is announced: Commissioner Masud
· DGFI coerced student leaders to withdraw anti-discrimination movement: Hasnat tells ICT-2
· Afghanistan’s Saffron Exports Top $30 Million in Nine Months
· Combating Administrative Corruption IEA’s Highest Priority, Fitrat Says
· NSIA Seeks UNICEF Support for Key Surveys and Vital Data
· Afghanistan Moving Toward Stability and Growth, Haqqani Says
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Southeast Asia
· Chief Justice Warns Against Social Media Trials Undermining Courts
· Anwar calls for inclusive social protection to benefit all Malaysians
· Malaysia Condemns Israeli Raid On UN Agency Premises In East Jerusalem
· Kota Madani and Bandar Madani projects progressing well, says PM
· 312 Malaysian Indian youth complete TVET training in China
· Malaysia must industrialise rare earths, not just export raw materials, says Liew Chin Tong
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/muslims-vande-mataram-debate-anyone/d/137966
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‘Muslims Do Not Need Anyone’s Certificate To Prove Their Patriotism,’: Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Chief Arshad Madani Amid Vande Mataram Debate
December 9, 2025
Madani argued how the meaning of Vande Mataram goes against the religious beliefs of a Muslim
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Amid the ongoing debate on the 150 years of Vande Mataram in the Lok Sabha, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind chief Arshad Madani came forth saying they have no objection to anyone reciting the national song and added Muslims do not need anyone’s certificate to prove their patriotism. Madani went on to state that the contents of Vande Mataram contradict Islamic monotheism and emphasised that no one can be forced to sing any song that contradicts their faith.
In a post on X, Madani said, “We have no objection to anyone reciting or singing “Vande Mataram”. However, a Muslim worships only one Allah and cannot associate anyone else with Him in worship.”
Elaborating on the four verses in Islam, Madani said, “The contents of ‘Vande Mataram’ are based on beliefs that contradict Islamic monotheism; in its four verses, the homeland is likened to a deity and to Durga Mata, and words associated with worship are used.”
Further, Madani argued how the meaning of Vande Mataram goes against the religious beliefs of a Muslim and emphasised on the freedom of religion and freedom of expression enshrined in the Constitution of India. He said, “Furthermore, the meaning of Vande Mataram is essentially “Mother, I worship you”, which goes against the religious beliefs of a Muslim. Therefore, no one can be forced to chant or sing any slogan or song that contradicts their faith. The Constitution of India grants every citizen freedom of religion (Article 25) and freedom of expression (Article 19).”
Madani added that Muslims do not need anyone’s certificate to prove their patriotism. He remarked, “Love for one’s country is one thing; worshipping it is another. Muslims do not need anyone’s certificate to prove their patriotism—their sacrifices in the freedom struggle are a shining chapter of history.
We believe in one God; besides Allah, we accept no one as worthy of worship and bow before none. We would accept death, but never accept polytheism.”
The discussion on Vande Mataram in Lok Sabha has been witnessing fiery exchanges between the BJP and the Congress MPs. On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took aim at the expected targets: Congress, which he accused of indulging in “appeasement politics” and turning into “MMC”, or Muslim League-Maoist Congress, and Jawaharlal Nehru, whom he accused of truncating the song under pressure from the Muslim League.
Source: indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/india/vande-mataram-jamiat-ulama-i-hind-chief-arshad-madani-muslims-10411336/
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Muslim Traders Assaulted and Accused Of Being “Bangladeshi Infiltrators” At Gita Event For Selling Non-Veg Food In Kolkata
Snehamoy Chakraborty
10.12.25
Sheikh Riyazul sells patties at Kidderpore on Tuesday.
Picture by Snehamoy Chakraborty
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At least three hawkers from the minority community have alleged that they were assaulted by participants of a Gita chanting event at the Brigade on Sunday for selling non-veg items, with the attackers throwing away the foodstuff after asking them their names and accusing them of being “Bangladeshi infiltrators”.
Sheikh Riyazul, one of the hawkers who alleged that food items worth ₹3,000 were thrown to the ground, said he had never faced such an attack in the 22 years he had been in Calcutta.
A one-minute, eight-second video on social media shows Riyazul being assaulted and forced to squat in front of a group of angry youths who asked them to apologise for selling non-vegetarian food at the venue of a religious programme.
The irony was not lost on many who recalled seeing several participants at the event merrily gorging on eggs and chicken stew at club tents in the vicinity of the event venue at the Maidan.
Riyazul told this newspaper on Tuesday that the attackers asked him his name and, realising he was from the minority community, slapped him harder and kicked his box of patties, scattering the food on the dusty ground.
In the video, a person wearing a saffron turban and on crutches appears to have initiated the assault and instigated others to join him. Another man is seen grabbing Riyazul by the collar and ordering him to give his name. When he identified himself as Sheikh Riyazul, three to four youths intensified the assault and kicked the steel box containing the patties.
Riyazul, 50, a resident of Taltala, came to Calcutta 22 years ago from a village near Arambagh to sell fast food. Even as he struggled to recover from Sunday’s trauma, Riyazul was at Kidderpore Fancy Market doing business on Tuesday afternoon. When this correspondent met him and showed the viral, he confirmed that the person being attacked was indeed him.
“For the past 22 years, I have been selling vegetable and chicken patties in the Maidan area and at Brigade whenever there is any rally or programme. I felt utterly unsafe when those people attacked me. I apologised and told them I did not know selling such items was an issue. They made me squat, and I complied. Still, they threw away patties worth around ₹3,000,” Riyazul said.
The event, Panch Lokkho Konthe Gitapath (Gita recitation in five lakh voices), was officially organised by the Sanatan Sanskriti Sansad, a cluster of monks and Hindutva outfits. According to the organisers, nearly five lakh people attended the event on Sunday. Several prominent BJP leaders, including Suvendu Adhikari and Samik Bhattacharyya, were present.
Narrating the sequence of events, Riyazul said: “A bearded man with a dark complexion and another physically challenged man on crutches led the attack. They got more angry when I told them my name. They overturned my box of goodies. Somehow, I managed to escape with my empty box.”
“I am very poor, and my family is worried about our future. Why did they beat me? I never forced anyone to buy my food,” he added.
Riyazul said at least two more patty sellers were assaulted, including Sheikh Salauddin of Topsia.
Another vendor, Muntaz Mallick, 35, alleged that hawkers selling snacks containing onions were also attacked.
“I was one of the three hawkers who faced violence. They not only assaulted us for selling chicken patties but also targeted those peddling snacks like grams laced with onion. They asked us how we dared to sell non-veg items at a Hindu religious event? Onions and chicken were prohibited, they shouted,” Muntaz said.
He alleged that the youths demanded to see his Aadhaar card or other documents to prove that he was not a Bangladeshi infiltrator.
“I had a photograph of the 2002 electoral roll on my phone, which I showed them. Even then, I could not save my patties worth ₹2,500,” Muntaz said. “Two or three people tried to protest against the attackers, but they ignored them,” he added.
After the assault video went viral, several people protested the incident, saying such actions were alien to Bengal’s culture.
CPM leader Dipsita Dhar was among those who raised their voice against the incident and initiated a funds-collection drive to compensate the affected hawkers.
“What happened during the Gita event at Brigade is unprecedented and against Bengal’s cultural ethos. Our state has never witnessed such torture over selling non-vegetarian food. We cannot undo the mental trauma they faced, but we are trying to raise funds to compensate their financial losses,” Dhar said.
She also criticised the police for not acting swiftly despite the attackers being visible in the viral video.
“We question both the BJP and the TMC over whether this culture of hatred is being encouraged for electoral gains,” Dhar added.
A Kolkata Police source said that two food vendors — Riyazul and Salauddin — had lodged separate complaints at Maidan police station, alleging assault by participants of the Gita event for selling non-veg food.
“I have been asked to record my statement at Maidan police station on Tuesday evening,” Riyazul said.
CPM leader and Calcutta High Court advocate Sayan Banerjee has also submitted a complaint.
In his complaint, Riyazul has mentioned that eight to nine unknown persons, including a physically challenged man, made an unlawful assembly and wrongfully restrained him before assaulting him. He was allegedly slapped and threatened with dire consequences, he has told the police. The accused men allegedly outraged his religious feelings by uttering insults and malicious words and causing damage to food items worth ₹3,000.
Based on his complaint, the police have started a case of unlawful assembly, wrongful restraint, voluntarily causing hurt, outraging religious feelings, criminal intimidation and mischief.
The organisers of the Gita event denied supporting any violence and demanded punishment for those involved.
“We do not support any act of violence. There was no instruction from our side to prohibit the sale of non-vegetarian food items. We do not know who those attackers were, as we can’t identify everyone who attended the programme of lakhs,” said Swami Nirgunananda, one of the chief organisers.
“We only requested devotees to have Satvik Ahar (pure vegetarian food), but we never forced anyone. There was no restriction on selling any kind of food as the ground is not a temple or an ashram. Anyone violating the law should face legal action,” he added.
The BJP distanced itself from the attack, while Trinamool condemned it.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/kolkata/muslim-traders-hit-at-gita-event-for-selling-non-veg-food-in-kolkata-prnt/cid/2137022
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Red Sea Film Foundation To Support Saudi Women Filmmakers: Women Film Students Will Have Access To Funding And Industry Support
December 09, 2025
Dr. Haifa Reda Jamal Al-Lail, Effat University’s president, and Faisal Baltyuor, CEO of the Red Sea Film Foundation, signed an agreement to continue the partnership between their two organizations that helps Saudi women filmmakers. (Supplied)
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RIYADH: Saudi women film students will have access to funding and industry support after one of the Kingdom’s pioneering cinematic schools renewed its partnership with the Red Sea Film Foundation.
The agreement with Effat University’s Cinematic Arts School aims to empower Saudi women filmmakers through financial and professional support.
It was signed during the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah, which is overseen by the foundation.
The partnership offers direct financing from the foundation’s Red Sea Fund and mentoring through the stages of selected student film projects.
The foundation said the support model advances both the artistic quality of the films and the professional growth of the filmmakers.
Faisal Baltyuor, CEO of the Red Sea Film Foundation, said the partnership with Effat University “reflects our commitment to empowering emerging Saudi female filmmakers and expanding their opportunities within the industry.”
He added: “Together, we aim to cultivate a new generation of talent that will contribute meaningfully to the future of Saudi cinema, in line with Vision 2030.”
Dr. Haifa Reda Jamal Al-Lail, Effat University’s president, said the partnership aligned with the university’s mission to “empower women and provide students with the skills, resources, and industry access to excel as filmmakers and storytellers.”
The agreement comes as Saudi women play an increasing role in the Kingdom’s burgeoning film industry, which has grown rapidly under the Vision 2030 reform program.
The Effat University’s Cinematic Arts School was set up in 2013 in Jeddah through an academic partnership with the University of Southern California.
It was the first film school in Saudi Arabia providing a bachelor’s degree in film production, direction, and animation.
It has played a pioneering role in developing cinematic education in the Kingdom, nurturing creative talent and promoting women’s participation in the film industry.
Red Sea Film Foundation’s partnership with the school is part of its Women in Cinema initiative.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2625634/saudi-arabia
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Military Imams To Be Introduced In Germany To Cope With Emotional Strain
09.12.2025
There are an estimated 3,000 Muslims in the armed forces in Germany (photo: Picture Alliance / C. E. Janßen)
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The death of a comrade, time away from family, cabin fever—soldiers deployed overseas face harsh conditions. To cope with emotional strain, German troops can turn to a military pastor or rabbi, depending on their faith.
There are, however, currently no military imams for Muslim soldiers in Germany. "When I was in Afghanistan in 2011, and my father was ill, I would have liked to have had someone to encourage me," says Nariman Hammouti, a soldier in the German Bundeswehr (armed forces) and a Muslim. "My boss and my comrades were there for me, but it's different when you seek solace in faith."
The 46-year-old from Hanover, who has completed several deployments abroad, has long advocated for the needs of soldiers with a migrant background.
Now, the army has decided to introduce a military chaplaincy for Muslims. "With the 3,000 Muslim soldiers we now have, it is important for us to recognise diversity and create dedicated chaplaincy services," says Colonel Thorsten Weber, who heads the Department of Internal Leadership and Military Chaplaincy at Germany's Ministry of Defence. That total is based on an estimate; soldiers are not required to disclose their religious affiliation.
Lieutenant Commander Hammouti is not alone: calls for a military chaplaincy for Muslims have circulated in the Muslim community for over 20 years, echoed by Muslim associations and the last two parliamentary commissioners for the armed forces, Eva Högl and Hans-Peter Bartels.
The Bundeswehr currently employ around 100 Protestant and 80 Catholic chaplains. Since 2021, rabbis have also been providing pastoral care for Jewish soldiers. The nine rabbis who make up the military rabbinate are responsible for an estimated 300 Jewish soldiers in the Bundeswehr.
Currently no plans to deploy imams abroad
The planned Muslim chaplaincy will initially be a pilot project, scheduled to begin in early 2026. The first Muslim chaplains for the German Armed Forces will be recruited via public tender and employed on a service agreement basis. For the foreseeable future, pastoral care will be provided as-needed and essentially purchased by the hour. The deployment will initially be limited to Germany.
According to Weber, it is not yet unclear how many military imams will be needed. The planned pilot project is designed to run indefinitely, which means that the Muslim chaplaincy will not be institutional in character, as is the case with the Christian and Jewish military chaplaincies.
This, Weber explains, is for legal reasons: "In Germany, we face the challenge that there is no single representative of the Muslim religious community." This rules out a state treaty with a specific contact person.
Weber asserts that a treaty between Germany and a religious community—like the existing agreements with Jews, Catholics and Protestants—is the prerequisite for a fully institutionalised Muslim military chaplaincy that includes access to the barracks, a necessary component for deploying military imams abroad.
But lawyers, such as Benedikt Plesker from the Cologne law firm Lenz und Johlen, see things differently: "I think it is possible to offer permanent military chaplaincy on a contractual basis. In my opinion, this does not require a state treaty. It is more a question of political will and, above all, financing."
It is also clear, Plesker continues, "that without proper funding, all attempts will remain stuck in pilot project mode and a permanent military pastoral care for Muslim soldiers will never be established."
The British army employs Hindu chaplains
After initial joy at the Bundeswehr's about-face, Hammouti now views their tentative approach with scepticism, pointing to positive examples among NATO allies. In Germany, she says, there are "a lot of ifs."
"It can be done. The British have a military chaplaincy for Muslims; they even have one for Hindus. The Dutch, Belgians and French all have them.”
Hammouti argues that, given the increasingly proximate threat, the fact that the Bundeswehr may need more personnel in the near future should not be overlooked. "We shouldn't simply ignore the 3,000 to 5,000 Muslims in uniform who are prepared to give their lives for their country," she says.
France has had an established Muslim military chaplaincy since 2005, but military imams were present in the French army even earlier. The country's history as a colonial power in North Africa required it to address the needs of Muslim soldiers sooner than most.
"France is a secular state that is very reluctant to allow religions into the public sphere. Nevertheless, the country has managed to establish and institutionalise a military chaplaincy for Muslims in recent decades—using very pragmatic methods, because, of course, this hasn't always been a smooth process," says Benedikt Plesker.
Plesker observes that across Europe, establishing military chaplaincies for Muslims has hinged on two factors: political willingness and funding. He notes that countries like the Netherlands and Great Britain face the same problem as Germany: the state struggles to find a cooperation partner because, unlike with other faiths, there is no single, unified Muslim body or "Islamic church." "This is comparable throughout Europe," he concludes.
For Plesker, France and the United Kingdom offer the most successful examples of Muslim military chaplaincies, a result of significant investment. Beyond chaplains for Christian, Jewish, and Muslim faiths, multi-faith services have been offered in both countries for several years.
"That could be a model for Germany. But it would require existing state treaties to be amended and, above all, it would require very adequate funding. I don't currently see a political majority for that," says Plesker.
Colonel Weber says the Bundeswehr plans to take a step-by-step approach, guided by the specific needs of Muslim soldiers. Only after gaining initial experience within Germany, he notes, can the military consider the foreign deployment of imams. By then, a legal solution might be found to ensure Muslim chaplains can access military facilities during deployments abroad.
Source: qantara.de
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https://qantara.de/en/article/religion-armed-forces-military-imams-be-introduced-germany
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Israeli army takes journalists into a tunnel in a Gaza city it seized and largely flattened
December 10, 2025
Israeli soldiers stand at the entrance of a tunnel where the army says the body of soldier Hadar Goldin was held in Rafah, Gaza Strip, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. (AP)
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RAFAH, Gaza Strip: One by one, the soldiers squeezed through a narrow entrance to a tunnel in southern Gaza. Inside a dark hallway, some bowed their heads to avoid hitting the low ceiling, while watching their step as they walked over or around jagged concrete, crushed plastic bottles and tattered mattresses.
On Monday, Israel’s military took journalists into Rafah — the city at Gaza’s southernmost point that troops seized last year and largely flattened — as the 2-month-old Israel-Hamas ceasefire reaches a critical point. Israel has banned international journalists from entering Gaza since the war began more than two years ago, except for rare, brief visits supervised by the military, such as this one.
Soldiers escorted journalists inside a tunnel, which they said was one of Hamas’ most significant and complex underground routes, connecting cities in the embattled territory and used by top Hamas commanders. Israel said Hamas had kept the body of a hostage in the underground passage: Hadar Goldin, a 23-year-old soldier who was killed in Gaza more than a decade ago and whose remains had been held there.
Hamas returned Goldin’s body last month as part of a US-brokered ceasefire in the war triggered by the militants’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel in which 1,200 people were killed and hundreds taken hostage. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed more than 70,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which operates under the Hamas-run government. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants, but says roughly half the dead have been women and children.
Israel and Hamas are on the cusp of finishing the first phase of the truce, which mandated the return of all hostages, living and dead, in exchange for Palestinians held by Israel. The body of just one more hostage remains to be returned.
Mediators warn the second phase will be far more challenging since it includes thornier issues, such as disarming Hamas and Israel’s withdrawal from the strip. Israel currently controls more than half of Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to travel to Washington this month to discuss those next steps with US President Donald Trump.
Piles of rubble line Rafah’s roads
Last year, Israel launched a major operation in Rafah, where many Palestinians had sought refuge from offensives elsewhere. Heavy fighting left much of the city in ruins and displaced nearly one million Palestinians. This year, when the military largely had control of the city, it systematically demolished most of the buildings that remained standing, according to satellite photos.
Troops also took control of and shut the vital Rafah crossing, Gaza’s only gateway to the outside world that was not controlled by Israel.
Israel said Rafah was Hamas’ last major stronghold and key to dismantling the group’s military capabilities, a major war aim.
On the drive around Rafah on Monday, towers of mangled concrete, wires and twisted metal lined the roads, with few buildings still standing and none unscathed. Remnants of people’s lives were scattered the ground: a foam mattress, towels and a book explaining the Qur’an.
Last week, Israel said it was ready to reopen the Rafah crossing but only for people to leave the strip. Egypt and many Palestinians fear that once people leave, they won’t be allowed to return. They say Israel is obligated to open the crossing in both directions.
Israel has said that entry into Gaza would not be permitted until Israel receives all hostages remaining in the strip.
Inside the tunnel
The tunnel that journalists were escorted through runs beneath what was once a densely populated residential neighborhood, under a United Nations compound and mosques. Today, Rafah is a ghost town. Underground, journalists picked their way around dangling cables and uneven concrete slabs covered in sand.
The army says the tunnel is more than 7 kilometers (4 miles) long and up to 25 meters (82 feet) deep and was used for storing weapons as well as long-term stays. It said top Hamas commanders were there during the war, including Mohammed Sinwar — who was believed to have run Hamas’ armed wing and was the younger brother of Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader who helped mastermind the Oct. 7 attack. Israel has said it has killed both of them.
“What we see right here is a perfect example of what Hamas did with all the money and the equipment that was brought into Gaza throughout the years,” said Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani. “Hamas took it and built an incredible city underground for the purposes of terror and holding bodies of hostages.”
Israel has long accused Hamas of siphoning off money for military purposes. While Hamas says the Palestinians are an occupied people and have a right to resist, the group also has a civilian arm and ran a government that provided services such as health care, a police force and education.
The army hasn’t decided what to do with the tunnel. It could seal it with concrete, explode it or hold it for intelligence purposes among other options.
Since the ceasefire began, three soldiers have been killed in clashes with about 200 Hamas militants that Israeli and Egyptian officials say remain underground in Israeli-held territory.
Hamas has said communication with its remaining units in Rafah has been cut off for months and that it was not responsible for any incidents occurring in those areas.
Both Israel and Hamas have accused each other of repeated violations of the deal during the first phase. Israel has accused Hamas of dragging out the hostage returns, while Palestinian health officials say over 370 Palestinians have been killed in continued Israeli strikes since the ceasefire took effect.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2625653/middle-east
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India
Hindu Group March In Lucknow Against Construction Of Babri Masjid In Bengal
December 9, 2025
The Rashtriya Hindu Raksha Parishad (RHRP) organized a protest march in Lucknow on Tuesday to protest alleged insult to Hindu deities and foundation laying of Babri mosque in West Bengal.
Led by organization’s national president Mukesh Dubey and Mahamandaleshwar Baba Mahadev, a large number of people participated in the march from KD Singh Babu Stadium to the GPO roundabout carrying saffron and Tricolour flags, and tridents.
The Rashtriya Hindu Raksha Parishad activists announced that they would soon march to Bengal.
Parishad’s leaders said, “We will help the Muslim community build the world’s largest mosque. But we will not allow any construction in the name of Babri. No mosque will be built in India in the name of Babar. Mamata Banerjee may have expelled Humayun from the party, but TMC continues to support him. We demand that the central government cancel its membership and immediately stop the construction of the mosque”.
Mukesh Dubey said, “Hinduism is being continuously insulted, which we will not tolerate.”
Baba Mahadev said, “No mosque will be built in India in the name of Babur.”
Parishad’s president Dubey said, “There are constant comments being made on Sanatan dharma and attempts are being made to hurt our religious sentiments, and indecent comments are made on customs and festivals through social media. We demand that those making such indecent comments be prosecuted under the National Security Act. The administration should not wait for demonstrations and protests but should take cognizance and take action.”
He further said, “Strict action should also be taken against those making caste-based remarks. Furthermore, our main demand is to change the name of Lucknow to Lakhanpur. This demand has been pending for a long time.”
“We demand from CM Yogi to ban the sale of food items in the name of gods and goddesses. The construction of a mosque in the name of the Babri Masjid in Murshidabad is regrettable,” he added.
Baba Mahadev asked, “How can a man whose name is Humayun do any good? The Humayun of Murshidabad is setting this country on fire. We will not allow the Babri Masjid to be built there.”
Source: thestatesman.com
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https://www.thestatesman.com/india/hindu-group-march-in-lucknow-against-construction-of-babri-masjid-in-bengal-1503523618.html
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Udupi court sentences 10 Bangaladeshis to two years’ imprisonment
December 10, 2025
A magistrate court in Udupi on Monday sentenced 10 Bangladeshi nationals to two years imprisonment and imposed fine of ₹ 10,000 on each of them on finding them guilty of illegally entering India and staying in Udupi.
A team of policemen headed by Malpe police sub inspector R. Pravin Kumar on October 11, 2024, apprehended 10 persons in Hoode in Padu Thonse village of Udupi taluk. They were found to have illegally entered India and stayed in Hoode by securing fake Aadhaar cards.
The police arrested Hakim Ali alias Mohammed Abdul Hakim, S.K. Mohammed Sujon Hussain alias Farooq, Mohammed Ismail Haque, Mohammed Abdul Karim, Mohammed Abdus Salam, Mohammed Rajkul Islam, Mohammed Sojib alias Allam Ali, Mohammed Rimul Islam alias Abdul Rehaman, Mohammed Imam Sheikh and Mohammed Jahangir Alam. The police filed chargesheet against the 10 persons and one Kajol, who is absconding. They were charged for offences under Section 14(A) Foreigners Act and Section 4 of Passport (Entry into India) Act.
At the time of framing of charges on Monday, the accused admitted their guilt before Principal Senior Civil Judge and Chief Judicial Magistrate M. Purushottam. The Magistrate convicted and sentenced them to two years and fined ₹10,000 each for the offence under Section 14(A)(B) of Foreigners Act. The case against absconding accused Kajol will be split up, the Magistrate said.
As the convicts were in judicial custody for the last 14 months, they will undergo imprisonment for the remaining period of 10 months. After completion of conviction period, the Malpe Circle Inspector and jail authorities should immediately produce them before the Deputy Commissioner to pass suitable orders to repatriate them to their country, the Magistrate ordered.
Source: thehindu.com
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https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Mangalore/udupi-court-sentences-10-bangaladeshis-to-two-years-imprisonment/article70377041.ece
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Pro-Muslim parties opposing clean-up of rolls: BJP
Dec 10, 2025
NEW DELHI: BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on Tuesday took on Rahul Gandhi over his allegation of electoral malpractices against the govt, saying EVMs were introduced by former PM Rajiv Gandhi to curb poll irregularities, and blamed "pro-Muslim" politics of Congress and regional parties for their opposition to SIR, as he cited disproportionate rise in Muslim population in states like West Bengal to back the exercise.
Dubey rebutted Gandhi's allegations - including over "vote chori" and govt's decisive say in appointment of election commissioners - saying Congress put its favourite bureaucrats in poll bodies and rewarded them with berths and party tickets. As member of the selection committee, the LoP is now part of the process and can file his dissent which was never the case when Congress was in office, he said.Cong involved in 'vote chori' since 1952, claim BJP netas
Intervening in the discussion on election reforms in the lower House of Parliament, law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said the special intensive revision of electoral rolls has been held multiple times since 1952 & was necessary to clean up rolls, which change due to migration and rapid urbanisation.
Meghwal accused Congress of engaging in "vote chori" since the first LS elections, including in the defeat of B R Ambedkar. He emphasised that the Modi govt did not change the law regarding appointment of the CEC and fellow election commissioners, but created a framework following a 2023 SC ruling.
Nishikant Dubey said former CEC TN Sheshan was given a Congress ticket to contest against BJP's LK Advani, while another CEC, MS Gill, became a minister in the Manmohan Singh govt after "favouring" Sonia Gandhi in the "office of profit" row. "They talk of transparency. Congress worker Batuk Singh was made UPSC chairman," he said.
He said Parliament's select committees dating back to the 60s and 70s recommended SIR and voting machines for reforming polling process, while a joint committee that included MPs from Jana Sangh, BJP's forerunner, favoured in 1972 reducing the voting age to 18 from 21. Rajiv Gandhi implemented this in 1988, and Congress is claiming it to be the biggest polls reform, he said.
Batting for SIR, he named a number of districts, including Kolkata and Murshidabad, in poll-bound West Bengal and Jharkhand, and cited 2011 Census data to flag disproportionately high rise in the Muslim population compared to their national growth since independence to claim the presence of Bangladeshi infiltrators.
BJP MP Sanjay Jaiswal said Congress did "vote chori" by picking Nehru as PM over Sardar Patel, who was favoured by most party units, while Indira Gandhi did it by imposing Emergency.
Source: indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/pro-muslim-parties-opposing-clean-up-of-rolls-bjp/articleshow/125877302.cms
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Amit Shah links Vande Mataram’s origins to Islamic invasions, cultural imposition by British
VIKAS PATHAK
December 10, 2025
In a sharp ideological statement linking the Vande Mataram with “cultural nationalism”—a key concept in the worldview of the BJP and the RSS—Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday that in its background lay both Islamic invasions and the later British attempts to impose a new culture on India.
“Vande Mataram ki rachna ki pristhabhomi hum sab ne zaroor yaad karni chahiye. Uski prishthabhumi mein sadiyon tak Islamic aakraman ko jhelkar is desh ki sanskriti and is desh ka itihas jhanjhorne ka, chhinn bhhinn karne ka kam hua tha. Uske baad angrezon ne apne shaasan ke kaal mein Bharat ke ghulami ke kaal mein ek nayi sabhyata, ek nayi sanskriti hum pe thopne ka prayaas kiya tha aur us waqt Vande Mataram ki rachna Bankim babu ne ki, aur is rachna ke andar bahut baareeki se hamari mool sabhyata thi. Hamara sanskritik rashtrawad tha (We must remember the background of Vande Mataram. The background was centuries of Islamic invasions and the devastation of the culture and history of our country. After that, the British, during their rule, tried to impose a new civilisation and culture on us, and at this time Bankim Babu composed Vande Mataram; it contained in a very detailed way our core cultural ethos. It contained our cultural nationalism),” Shah told the Upper House.
This came weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to the legacy of British lawmaker Thomas Babington Macaulay—whose objective, the PM said, was to create Indians who “are Indians by appearance but British at heart”—which he said India should transcend now.
Bankim imagined the nation as a mother, and without any channels of communication, and despite the colonial state banning it, it touched the hearts and souls of the country, Shah said. Neither the British nor those who accepted their civilisation could prevent its spread, he asserted.
“When Vande Mataram turned 50, the country was not independent. By the time turned 50, Pandit [Jawaharlal] Nehru divided it into two. That appeasement led to the Partition of the country. I believe Partition would not have happened if Vande Mataram had not been divided into two,” Shah said.
He added that when it turned 100, those who recited Vande Mataram were in jail during the Emergency. And when it was in its 150th year, he said, both members of the Gandhi family of the same Congress in whose sessions it used to be sung were absent from Parliament. He was obliquely referring to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. He also referred to Priyanka Gandhi, saying that a prominent female leader of the Congress said in the Lok Sabha that there was no need to discuss the Vande Mataram today.
Relevant in 2047 too
Seeking to counter the Opposition’s question as to why a discussion on Vande Mataram was needed, Shah said that it was necessary to remember Vande Mataram not just now but also in 2047, when India would become a “Mahaan Bharat (great India)”.
He countered Priyanka’s charge in the Lok Sabha that the discussion was aimed at the Bengal elections, asserting that while its writer Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyaya was from Bengal, the song had spread across India and the world, inspiring nationalists.
Shah said that India was a unique nation – it was the only nation whose boundaries were determined by culture and not laws. “The concept of cultural nationalism was first spread in the days of slavery by Bankim Babu,” Shah said, while underlining that the belief of the nation was “chir puratan (very old)”. He added that Lord Ram, Lord Shiva and Chanakya also referred to the motherland.
The nation, he said, was not a mere piece of land, and “we look at it like the mother”. He specifically made mention of the lines of the song, likening the motherland to goddesses Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati.
Shah underlined that nationalist Sri Aurobindo saw Vande Mataram not just as a song but as a symbol of India’s spiritual strength. He added that those freedom fighters who were executed had Vande Mataram on their lips before their execution. He asserted that the Constituent Assembly decided to give Vande Mataram a status equal to the national anthem.
Shah said that the Congress was claiming that the government was trying to distract from issues – if so, they should not disrupt Parliament.
Shah said that it was in 1992 that L K Advani had said that Vande Mataram should be sung in the Lok Sabha, and it began after that. He accused many Opposition members of walking out when Vande Mataram was recited, adding that none in the BJP ever did so.
Shah recalled that the Modi government had decided to celebrate Vande Mataram for one year from October 1, 2025–offering details of the same. He said he saw Vande Mataram as relevant for India’s future, and added that he was confident India would become the top country in the world in 2047 in every aspect.
Source: indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/india/amit-shah-vande-matarams-origins-islamic-invasions-cultural-imposition-british-10410988/
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Arab World
Saudi Arabia, Iran affirm commitment to implementing Beijing Agreement
December 09, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and Iran affirmed their commitment to implementing the Beijing Agreement during a meeting in Tehran on Tuesday.
Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khureiji attended the third meeting of the Joint Tripartite Committee between Saudi Arabia, Iran and China.
The Saudi and Iranian sides “affirmed their commitment to implementing the Beijing Agreement in its entirety, and their continued pursuit of strengthening good neighborly relations between their countries through adherence to the Charter of the United Nations, the Charter of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and international law,” the Saudi Press Agency said in a statement.
Saudi Arabia and Iran also welcomed the continued positive role China has played as well as its continued support in implementing the Beijing Agreement.
Meanwhile, China affirmed its readiness to continue supporting and encouraging the steps taken by the Kingdom and Iran toward developing their relations in various fields.
The three countries welcomed the ongoing progress in Saudi-Iranian relations and the opportunities it provides at all levels, SPA added.
The three countries also called for an immediate end to Israeli aggressions in Palestine, Lebanon and Syria.
They also condemned any acts of aggression against the territorial integrity of Iran.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2625589/saudi-arabia
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Jeddah Book Fair set to showcase rising Saudi literary scene
December 09, 2025
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission is preparing to host the Jeddah Book Fair from Dec. 11 to 20 at Jeddah Superdome, bringing together more than 1,000 local and international publishing houses and agencies from 24 countries across 400 booths.
Held under the slogan “Jeddah Reads,” the fair is part of the commission’s “Saudi Reads” campaign, which seeks to strengthen the Saudi literary landscape by encouraging reading and creating meaningful engagement between authors and audiences.
Dr. Abdullatif Al-Wasil, CEO of the commission, said the Jeddah Book Fair reflects the leadership’s continued commitment to cultural development and the rapid growth of the Kingdom’s literature, publishing and translation sector.
He highlighted the fair’s interactive programs for publishers, authors, translators and the public, which are designed to enhance content quality, support creative development and foster knowledge partnerships.
The event also reinforces Saudi Arabia’s position as a cultural hub attracting major publishers, content creators and investors.
This year’s cultural program reflects the Kingdom’s heritage, with over 170 events including lectures, panel discussions and workshops. A dedicated children’s zone will feature literary and entertainment activities tailored to young visitors, along with competitions to inspire reading and creativity.
The fair will host prominent writers, thinkers and cultural figures from Saudi Arabia and abroad, offering a 10-day schedule of literary, intellectual and scientific events.
Book-signing stations will give readers the chance to meet their favorite authors, while cultural organizations, community groups and universities will present their latest publications and initiatives.
A manga and anime zone will highlight collectibles from the genre, alongside specialized books. A discounted books section will also be available to promote wider access to reading.
The fair will continue to support emerging Saudi voices through the Saudi Authors’ Corner for self-published writers, where hundreds of titles across literary and cultural fields will be showcased, underscoring the fair’s role in nurturing local talent and enriching the Kingdom’s evolving literary scene.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2625641/saudi-arabia
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Saudi crown prince discusses efforts to achieve economic recovery in Syria with president
December 09, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received a telephone call from Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa on Tuesday, Saudi Press Agency reported.
Efforts to consolidate security and stability in Syria and achieve economic recovery in the country were also discussed, SPA added.
Prince Mohammed and Al-Sharaa also discussed Saudi-Syrian relations and opportunities to strengthen them in several areas.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2625628/saudi-arabia
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Talks held on opportunities for sustainable EU-Saudi business cooperation
HAIFA ALSHAMMARI
December 09, 2025
RIYADH: A high-level roundtable consultation on sustainable business was held on Tuesday in Riyadh to explore collaboration between the EU and Saudi Arabia’s private sectors.
Leading companies from both the EU and the Kingdom attended the event to discuss objectives and challenges.
Dubravka Suica, European commissioner in charge of EU relations with the Mediterranean and the Gulf, was in attendance. The meeting was held under the auspices of the Delegation of the European Union to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and was organized by the EU–GCC Cooperation on Green Transition Project in collaboration with the European Chamber of Commerce in Saudi Arabia.
The meeting brought together senior representatives from leading companies active in the circular economy, water technologies, clean energy, sustainable manufacturing, environmental innovation, and advanced materials, including Danfoss and ACWA Power.
Suica told Arab News that the EU is ready to seize future opportunities across various sectors, given Europe’s rich history of green development.
“All our pipelines (are) hydrogen-ready, which means gas pipelines, new modern gas pipelines, were built to be also hydrogen-ready. So, they can also be useful for the supply of hydrogen,” she said.
She added: “The only problem is that we are a market economy … We cannot guarantee anything because it is as it is, as you know.”
When asked about the EU plan to support European companies seeking to participate in sustainability-related projects, the commissioner commented that “EU Green Deal is something which we would like to make happen by 2050 to have Europe as a CO2-neutral continent.”
Presently, however, simplifying the process is a strategy that would benefit both sides of the equation, she added.
“There is a lot of burden to our companies and to your companies who want to work in Europe … We are now trying not to deregulate. We cannot do it, but we are trying a little bit to simplify,” Suica told Arab News.
During the meeting, participants discussed essential opportunities for collaboration in investment and technology deployment, reflecting serious intentions from both sides to support joint initiatives across the region.
Suica also highlighted the relevance of the Pact for the Mediterranean, launched in Barcelona last month, emphasizing its role in opening additional avenues for companies to expand further across the Middle East and North Africa region.
“Today’s consultation reaffirms our shared commitment to accelerating the green transition through meaningful partnerships between EU and Saudi companies, connecting our regions and bringing our peoples closer,” said Suica.
“The EU and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are committed to stepping up our partnership.
“Under the EU–Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Agreement and the Pact for the Mediterranean, we will have a broader regional framework to expand cooperation between EU and Saudi companies across the Middle East and North Africa.
“I am encouraged by the strong engagement we have seen today.”
Christophe Farnaud, ambassador of the EU to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman, also commented on the subject during the meeting and supported the partnership talks.
He said: “Saudi Arabia and Europe are charting a new path for global cooperation in sustainable development. By bringing together leading companies from both sides, we aim to transform strategic dialogue into tangible opportunities that support innovation, diversification, and long-term sustainable growth.”
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2625621/saudi-arabia
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Saudi FM holds telephone call with US secretary of state
December 09, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan called his US counterpart Marco Rubio on Tuesday, Saudi Press Agency reported.
During the phone call, the two ministers discussed regional and international developments and efforts made with regard to them.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2625620/saudi-arabia
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Jeddah conference honors global innovators in water technology
December 09, 2025
JEDDAH: The fourth Innovation Driven Water Sustainability Conference, organized by the Saudi Water Authority, is underway in Jeddah, drawing global attention to breakthroughs in water technology and governance.
Running until Dec. 10, the event has attracted more than 55 investors from leading companies in the US, UK, Germany, Mexico, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Jeddah Gov. Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Jalawi honored the winners of the Global Prize for Innovation in Water, as well as the 12 winners of impact medals following a global competition that drew more than 2,500 innovators from 119 countries.
The Grand Impact Prize was awarded to Han Qing Yu of China, while the Grand Discovery Prize went to Guihua Yu of the US.
The total value of the awards across all stages was $10 million, recognizing efforts to transform research ideas into technologies ready for real-world application.
The winning innovations spanned six key tracks vital to the water sector: advanced water production technologies, water quality improvement and reuse, smart treatment solutions, scaling-reduction technologies, digital models for process optimization and automation, and sustainability-focused innovations.
A roundtable at the conference provided a platform for international dialogue on the future of water governance and water-sector economics between Saudi Arabia and the US.
The session looked at advanced global models for water governance and explored opportunities for cooperation to enhance regional management of infrastructure, transportation, and treatment services, the SPA reported.
The discussion highlighted the Orange County Water District’s model for groundwater management, showing how integrated coordination among local entities can sustain water resources and ensure reliable supplies.
Additionally, 36 startups showcased scalable innovations in desalination, treatment, reuse, network management, loss reduction, and artificial-intelligence-driven smart systems.
The event is establishing itself as a key economic platform, helping to convert innovations into market value exceeding SR1 billion ($266 million) by connecting startups with investors and decision-makers locally and internationally.
Abdullah Al-Abdulkarim, Saudi Water Authority’s president, spoke of a gap between the importance of water in the global economy — in which it contributes about 60 percent of global output — and the low investment in environmental innovation, which does not exceed 1 percent.
He added that water-related patents represented only 5 percent of total environmental patents, while venture investment in the sector remained below 0.5 percent.
Al-Abdulkarim stressed that transcontinental challenges required combined efforts across disciplines — not only in technologies but also in business models, financing mechanisms, and policies — and that global innovation exchange was the true driver of the future.
Jeddah’s governor announced the launch of the Water Oasis in Rabigh at the event, one of the world’s most advanced integrated research and innovation ecosystems for water and supply-chain solutions.
He also toured the conference site, which features more than 100 exhibitors showcasing the latest in desalination, water reuse, digital transformation, regulatory governance, and emerging water technologies.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2625599/saudi-arabia
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Universities team up to advance heritage studies in Riyadh
December 09, 2025
RIYADH: The Ministry of Culture on Tuesday signed a partnership with SOAS University of London for Riyadh University of Arts’ College of Heritage and Civilization Studies to promote creative development and cultural diversity.
The signing took place during Saudi Arabia’s first Digital Heritage Conference, a national event on digital preservation and heritage innovation, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Under the partnership, the two sides will work together to develop specialized academic programs in heritage and cultural education.
Deputy Culture Minister Noha Kattan signed for Riyadh University of Arts, while SOAS was represented by Prof. Graeme Earl, dean of the College of Humanities.
SOAS, a leading institution focused on Asia, Africa and the Middle East, integrates humanities, social sciences and arts to provide a global perspective on cultural and intellectual traditions.
The agreement is part of Riyadh University of Arts’ ongoing efforts to collaborate with international institutions to enhance academic programs, research and professional development in cultural education.
Source: arabnews.com
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Europe
Pakistani who urged ‘Jihad’ event at Oxford school cancelled
By Matthew J C Evans
December 10, 2025
A Pakistani influencer who urged ‘jihad’ in Palestine has had his event at an Oxford school cancelled.
Cheney School in Headington was one of the stops for influencer Tuaha Ibn Jalil’s tour of the UK, which was set to begin this week.
Entitled ‘Muslims in West: Balancing Worldly and Islamic Education’ the free event was to be held at 6:15pm on December 15 and hosted by Nadeem Ashraf, the head of Youth Club UK.
However, it has recently been cancelled, possibly because the Home Office has revoked Mr Ibn Jalil’s visa, although that has not been confirmed.
The influencer has 1.6 million followers on Instagram and millions on other social media sites, and manages Muslim youth organisation Youth Club Pakistan.
According to GB News, the 35-year-old has complained about not being able to “do jihad right now”.
He said: "We cannot go to Palestine because Palestinians don't have an airport.
"The only airport is in Israel, and we cannot land there because they do not allow us. It is not possible for us to travel to Israel on our passports. We cannot do jihad right now."
Instead he encouraged his followers to protest peacefully in Pakistan.
In addition, GB News reported that the influencer has also shared theories such as that Israelis and Jewish people are “controlling the whole world through interest-based finance”.
Responding to this paper, the headteacher of Cheney School said they “let out our facilities to a lot of community groups, some of which are faith-based, at the weekends and in the evenings”.
Cheney School Headteacher Rob Pavey, added: “But such bookings are nothing to do with the school, and don't involve school staff or students.”
He added that they “don't allow bookings to be made by groups which have extremist or hate-based ideologies”.
In the case of the talk by Mr Ibn Jalil he said he was “not scheduled to talk at Cheney”.
Mr Pavey said: “It is possible that his group tried to make an evening community booking of our hall (Youth Club UK sounds perfectly innocent), but I don't know if he did or not.”
He added that the group’s “innocent” sounding name may have not triggered “any alarms” if they had in fact made the booking.
Other venues on the reported 10-venue tour included BPP University’s London campus.
Source: thisisoxfordshire.co.uk
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https://www.thisisoxfordshire.co.uk/news/25685481.oxford-school-hosting-influencer-urged-palestine-jihad/
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Muslim community to hold event for women and children at Banbury United Football Club
By Jack Ingham
9th Dec 2025
A community event for women and children will take place at Banbury United Football Club this month (December 21).
The event has been organised by the Banbury Madni Masjid Mosque on Merton Street and will feature food, games, henna tattoos, nasheeds and a bouncy castle.
All local women and children are invited to attend but bookings by email are required so the organisational team know how many meals to prepare.
A spokesperson for the mosque said: “It will be a joyful evening to celebrate the blessing of community, sisterhood and family.
“Bring your family, friends and neighbours, let's make this evening a moment of joy, learning and connection. Let’s share food and laughter.”
The event is being supported by Banbury United Football Club and Banbury Town Council.
Source: banburyguardian.co.uk
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https://www.banburyguardian.co.uk/community/muslim-community-to-hold-event-for-women-and-children-at-banbury-united-football-club-5435778
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Safe containing donations stolen from mosque
10 Dec 2025
Emma Stanley
A safe has been stolen from a mosque in Lancashire.
The burglary took place at the Masjid-e-Raza on Alton Street in Blackburn at about 17:30 GMT on Monday, police said.
A man was seen on CCTV taking off his shoes as he entered the mosque, before leaving with a wheelie bin.
Police said no arrests had been made and they are working to identify the suspect.
CCTV images of the incident were released by the mosque, which said the safe contained charitable donations.
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy8jrm9eny2o
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UN condemns Israeli raid on Palestinian refugee agency
10 Dec, 2025
The UN has condemned Israel’s raid on the headquarters of the organization’s agency for Palestinian refugees in East Jerusalem.
According to the Times of Israel, police and tax officials entered the UNRWA office on Monday as part of what they described as an operation to seize assets over unpaid municipal property taxes. UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said officials seized “furniture, IT equipment, and other property.”
During the raid, police removed the UN flag and raised the Israeli flag over the compound.
“Yesterday’s storming of UNRWA’s East Jerusalem compound by Israeli police and taking control – including by replacing the UN flag with the Israeli one – creates a dangerous precedent,” Lazzarini wrote on X on Tuesday. “This should be a wake-up call. What happens today to UNRWA can happen tomorrow to any other international organization or diplomatic mission, around the world,” he added.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned the operation, saying that UN offices were “inviolable and immune from any other form of interference.”
Israel banned UNRWA activities in October 2024, accusing the agency of secretly aiding and providing cover for Hamas – an allegation the UN denies.
Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Arieh King defended the raid, arguing that UNRWA was not allowed to operate in East Jerusalem, which the UN considers an occupied Palestinian territory. “If it’s against the law, the law needs to be enforced,” King told the Press Service of Israel. He added that “people need to remember that UNRWA was involved in the terror attack and massacres of October 7,” referring to the Hamas assault in 2023 that triggered the war in Gaza.
Although the UN rejects Israel’s broader claim that the agency was “infiltrated by Hamas,” its own investigation in 2024 concluded that at least nine UNRWA staffers may have been involved in the October 7 attack.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/629244-israel-raids-un-office/
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Australia bans social media for children
9 Dec, 2025
Australia is set to become the world’s first country to ban social media for children under 16, blocking them from platforms including TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.
Approved by Parliament last year, the ban is scheduled to take effect on Wednesday. Companies that fail to comply could face penalties equivalent to up to $33 million.
“From 10 December 2025, age-restricted social media platforms will have to take reasonable steps to prevent Australians under the age of 16 from creating or keeping an account,” the government said, calling the measure a way to protect children “at a critical stage of their development.”
Platforms will be required to use a mix of signals, including account activity, viewing habits and user photos, to identify underage users. They must also stop minors from circumventing age limits by using fake IDs, AI-generated images, deepfakes or VPNs.
Tech companies have criticized the ban, describing it as “vague,” “problematic,” and “rushed.” TikTok and Meta said the law would be difficult to enforce but pledged to comply. Meta already began removing under-16 accounts ahead of the December 10 deadline. Snapchat and other platforms warned the measure could push young people toward “darker corners of the internet.” Reddit has also sharply criticized the law, calling it “legally erroneous” and “arbitrary.”
Other countries are also exploring similar legislation with the expressed intent of protecting children.
The European Parliament adopted a non-binding resolution in November calling for a minimum age of 16 on social media to ensure “age-appropriate online engagement.” Denmark has proposed banning users under 15, while France, Spain, Italy, Denmark and Greece are jointly testing an age-verification app. Malaysia has announced plans to ban social-media use for under-16s starting in 2026.
Last week, Russia banned Roblox, an online gaming platform marketed largely toward children, over what it called distribution of extremist content and LGBTQ propaganda.
Concerns over child safety online have led to mounting legal pressure. Meta is facing lawsuits in the US alleging it allowed illicit content to remain on its platforms despite repeated violations, including adult strangers contacting minors, suicide, eating disorders, and child sexual abuse.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/629235-australia-children-social-media-ban/
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Mideast
What do the leaked Assad videos tell us about the deposed Syrian regime?
TAREK ALI AHMAD
December 09, 2025
LONDON: The recent leak by Al-Arabiya of a series of videos allegedly showing Bashar Assad in candid, closed-door conversations has reopened longstanding questions about how his former regime functioned — and perhaps why Syria descended into such a devastating conflict.
Assad is shown in the Al-Arabiya leaks, prior to his Dec. 8, 2024, ouster, making contemptuous remarks about Syrians, Syria itself, Eastern Ghouta and even Russian President Vladimir Putin, while speaking privately with his late adviser Luna Al-Shibl.
While the new Syrian government of Ahmad Al-Sharaa has not verified the footage, analysts say the material is consistent with the behavior patterns of Assad’s inner circle: personalized decision-making, narrative obsession and a deep-rooted siege mentality.
“These videos don’t actually tell Syrians anything new — they merely reveal, with complete clarity, what people have known and lived through for decades,” Ibrahim Hamidi, editor-in-chief of Al-Majalla, who is himself from Syria, told Arab News.
“What stands out to me is the indifference and contempt he shows toward everything: his people, his cities, his allies, and the sense that power is an inheritance, not a responsibility.”
In one clip, when Al-Shibl asks him what he feels about the state of Syria, Assad says he does not only feel ashamed but “disgusted,” adding that this is “our country,” conveying revulsion rather than responsibility.
In another segment he says that when Syrians look him in the face he “loves them” yet is also “disgusted by them,” exposing a deeply cynical view of his own population.
He is also shown mocking ordinary Syrians for their spending priorities, saying they spend money on mosques even though they “cannot afford food.”
Several clips are from a tour of Eastern Ghouta and its surroundings, during or after the area’s reconquest in 2018. Assad is heard cursing Ghouta, directed at an area that had endured years of siege and bombardment.
“It showed that Assad is a weak dictator,” said Ghassan Ibrahim, a Syria expert and founder of the Global Arab Network. “He tried to present himself as a strong personality, but all these videos showed how easy it was to be manipulated by his assistant, his media officer.”
In another clip, Assad appears to mock the Russian president’s appearance, despite Moscow having been his main war-time ally.
When Al-Shibl draws his attention to how “puffy” Putin looks, Assad responds that it is “all procedures” or “all surgeries,” suggesting extensive cosmetic work.
The tone in these exchanges is casual and derisive, portraying Assad as privately belittling Putin’s looks while publicly thanking him.
“Such remarks reflect Assad’s deep-rooted duplicity,” said Egyptian writer and political expert Hani Nasira. “The same man who publicly deferred to Putin — whose military intervention preserved Assad’s rule and offered him refuge — privately mocked him.
“These comments will likely erode whatever sympathy Putin may still have for the former Syrian leader and underscore Assad’s penchant for betrayal, even toward those who offered him sanctuary.”
Hamidi concurs: “The question now is: How will Putin respond? Especially since Bashar lives in Moscow — and Putin does not easily forgive any insult.”
The videos also capture Assad and Al-Shibl speaking dismissively about Hezbollah and pro-regime commanders.
Regional media coverage framed the Assad leaks as confirmation of long-held critiques of his contempt for Syrians and cynicism toward allies, with tone varying by outlet but broadly harsh.
Pan-Arab platforms like The New Arab and Asharq Al-Awsat foregrounded Assad’s insults toward Ghouta, Syrians and the army, highlighting his disgust at Syria, and mockery of soldiers as emblematic of an entrenched disdain for his own population.
Gulf-based media stressed his ridicule of loyalist figures and allies, using the leaks to underline his perceived disloyalty to those who fought for him and to question his past narratives of steadfastness and resistance.
Syrian opposition-aligned and exile media amplified the footage as further evidence of his moral and political bankruptcy rather than a revelation, stressing that the content matched years of lived experience under his rule.
A recurring feature in the leaked clips is Assad’s habit of issuing direct orders to intelligence chiefs, senior officers and advisers, bypassing ministries and formal structures.
The informal tone — part off-the-record briefing, part reprimand — underscores the extent to which the Syrian state under Assad revolved around personal allegiance.
Assad postured publicly as a defender of the Syrian state but has since been unmasked as someone who harbors deep disdain for all around him.
In private, he mocks his loyal fighters, sneers at those who kiss his hand, and speaks of them with derision — as if unable to feel genuine empathy for their sacrifices.
“This is a man who views Syria through the lens of masters and servants, rulers and ruled,” said Nasira.
“To Assad, those who fought for him — in Syria and abroad — are nothing more than an annoyance. Speaking casually and comfortably to Al-Shibl, he reveals a condescending view of the nation, his people, and even his inner circle.”
The leaked videos stripped away the official image and exposed the toxic culture of a ruling circle that never viewed Syrians as citizens with rights but “as subjects expected to endure anything,” Hamidi said.
“For years, they endured hardships believing Assad was steady, serious, and above chaos. What hurts them now is seeing a completely different personality: careless, mocking, and seemingly dismissive of people’s suffering.
“This shakes the narrative they built in their minds to justify their loyalty. And when that narrative cracks, everything else becomes harder to defend.”
The footage also shows Assad fixating on media coverage, urging officials to safeguard the regime’s messaging and chastising those who, in his view, allowed “contradictory signals” to emerge.
His language mirrors longstanding regime strategy: project strength, deny missteps and attribute all instability to external interference.
Another pattern evident throughout the clips is Assad’s repeated framing of Syria’s crises as part of a coordinated foreign plot. Whether discussing political dissent, economic collapse or battlefield challenges, the theme of encirclement dominates.
The leaked comments reveal that “for Bashar Assad, there was never a true cause or message — just a regime to preserve, and a throne to protect,” Nasira said.
Despite the performative confidence, the videos reveal moments of frustration, especially when Assad chastises advisers for mismanaging situations or warns of rivalries within the security services.
The timing of the leaks is notable. Regional governments have reopened channels with Damascus, diplomatic rehabilitation is creeping forward, and the question of Syria’s postwar reconstruction looms large.
“Released on the anniversary of what pro-regime media called “Liberation Day” — marking the collapse of Assad’s rule — the timing could not have been more symbolic,” said Nasira.
For Syrians, the footage is less revelation than validation — an affirmation of what many lived through: a state defined not by institutions but by coercion, suspicion and the whims of an inner circle.
“Most Syrians no longer care about Bashar himself; they care about Syria’s future. They want to look forward, not backward,” said Hamidi.
For international observers, the videos offer one of the clearest windows yet into the operating logic of a regime that has survived sanctions, war, isolation and internal collapse.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2625646/middle-east
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Shells of unknown origin land near military airport in Damascus, Syrian state TV says
December 09, 2025
DAMASCUS: Shells of unknown origin fell in the vicinity of Syria’s Mezzah military airport in the capital Damascus on Tuesday, the state-run Al Ekhbariya TV reported.
Syria’s state news agency earlier reported the sound of an explosion in the vicinity of Damascus and said the matter was under investigation.
Reuters reported in November that Washington was planning to establish a military presence at an air base in Damascus to help enable a security pact that Washington is brokering between Syria and Israel.
The air base sits at the gateway to parts of southern Syria that are expected to make up a demilitarised zone as part of a future non-aggression pact between Israel and Syria.
A Syrian foreign ministry source denied the Reuters report, saying it was “false” but without further clarification.
The US has been mediating between Syria and Israel to de-escalate tensions and reach a security pact that Damascus hopes will reverse Israel’s recent seizures of its land.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2625622/middle-east
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Hamas says no Gaza truce second phase while Israel ‘continues violations’
December 09, 2025
GAZA CITY: Hamas said on Tuesday that the Gaza ceasefire plan cannot proceed to its second phase as long as Israeli “violations” persist and called on mediators to pressure Israel to respect the agreement.
The US-sponsored ceasefire, in effect since October 10, halted the war that began after Hamas’s deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. But it remains fragile as Israel and Hamas accuse each other almost daily of breaches.
Meanwhile, an Israeli official said that authorities would allow the Allenby crossing on the Israeli-controlled border between Jordan and the occupied West Bank to reopen on Wednesday to aid trucks destined for Gaza for the first time since late September.
Hamas political bureau member Hossam Badran accused Israel of failing to respect the Gaza ceasefire deal, noting that under its terms, Israel should have reopened the Rafah crossing with Egypt and increased the volume of aid entering the territory.
He urged the mediators, who include Egypt, Qatar and the United States, to pressure Israel “to complete the implementation of the first phase of the ceasefire agreement.”
Under the terms of the deal, Palestinian militants committed to releasing the remaining 48 living and dead captives held in the territory. All of the hostages have so far been released except for one body.
In exchange, Israel has released nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in its custody and returned the bodies of hundreds of dead Palestinians.
The first phase of the truce also stipulates that significantly more aid enter Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he expects the second phase of the deal to begin soon but Badran said it could not start “as long as the occupation (Israel) continues its violations.”
Dispute over withdrawal line
In the announcement of the opening of Allenby crossing, the Israeli official said in a statement that “aid trucks destined for the Gaza Strip will proceed under escort and security, following a thorough security inspection.”
Israel closed the crossing in the Jordan Valley, also known as the King Hussein Bridge, after a Jordanian truck driver shot dead an Israeli soldier and a reserve officer at the border in September.
Israel mostly reopened the crossing to travelers a few days later, but not to humanitarian aid destined for the Gaza Strip, which has been left devastated by more than two years of war.
Under the initial steps of the ceasefire plan, Israeli troops withdrew to positions behind a so-called “Yellow Line” in Gaza, though they remain in control of more than half of the territory.
Israel’s military chief, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, was quoted as saying on Sunday that the demarcation line was the “new border line.”
Badran on Tuesday slammed Zamir’s comments. “The statements... clearly reveal the criminal occupation’s lack of commitment to the ceasefire agreement,” he said.
The second stage of the truce plan concerns disarming Hamas, the further withdrawal of Israeli forces as a transitional authority is established, and the deployment of an international stabilization force.
Israel has said the next phase cannot begin until the body of the last Gaza captive, the Israeli Ran Gvili, is handed over.
A final goal of the agreement is the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza in phases if certain conditions are met.
Hamas has said it is ready to hand over its weapons to the government of a future Palestinian state on the condition that the Israeli occupation ends.
The Gaza war was sparked by Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,221 people.
Israel’s retaliatory assault on Gaza has killed at least 70,366 people, according to figures from the territory’s health ministry that the United Nations considers reliable.
The ministry says since the ceasefire came into effect, 377 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire. Israel’s military has reported three soldiers killed during the same period.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2625582/middle-east
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Iran’s stand in the 12-day war undermined U.S.-Israeli strategy, says Philippine scholar
By Sahar Dadjoo
December 9, 2025
As a distinguished scholar of political Islam in Southeast Asia, Professor Wadi provides a measured analysis of the limitations of Western human rights frameworks, the urgency of advancing an Islamic paradigm of rights and freedoms, and the broader implications of Iran’s resilience during the recent 12-day confrontation with Israel. In this interview, he underscores the growing need for principled, coherent approaches to justice, governance, and human dignity across the Muslim world and beyond.
The following is the text of the interview:
How can Southeast Asian countries contribute to raising awareness about the Palestine issue globally?
In fact, my university—the University of the Philippines—was one of the earliest institutions whose Faculty Council issued a statement declaring that what was happening in Gaza amounted to genocide, even before the International Criminal Court formally made such a declaration. This sentiment has been widely shared among students and faculty.
I also teach a course on Palestine, which the Center for International Studies established precisely to raise awareness among students. What is particularly interesting is that at the end of each term, when students submit their papers, I am often surprised by the depth of their understanding of the Palestinian struggle and the perspectives they develop.
So yes, the visibility of protests and demonstrations varies across Southeast Asia, but in my country, for instance, we can clearly feel a rising consciousness—especially among students and progressive groups—in support of the Palestinian cause.
Given your research on political Islam in Southeast Asia, how can Islamic political thought contribute to governance, social justice, and lawmaking in countries facing political instability?
Political Islam in Southeast Asia has many shades. In the region, we have Muslim-majority countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei, but we also have Muslim minorities, such as in the Philippines and southern Thailand. These differences produce varied expressions of Political Islam.
In Malaysia and Indonesia, Political Islam is mostly expressed through parliamentary democracy—through political parties and legislative processes—although it is not identical to the forms found in the Middle East. In Muslim-minority areas like the Philippines and southern Thailand, however, Political Islam has historically been expressed through secessionist movements or armed rebellion.
At one point, these movements created significant challenges for both countries, as they demanded either independence or a separate political system. The Philippine government, aware of the consequences of ignoring these grievances, launched a peace process. As a result, rhetoric surrounding Political Islam shifted, and movements like the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) entered into negotiations with the government. They eventually achieved autonomy and a new regional government, which helped bring Political Islam into the mainstream of Philippine politics. A similar dynamic can be observed in southern Thailand, although the situation there remains more delicate.
Malaysia facilitated the peace process in the Philippines, and because both countries are ASEAN members, neither could afford instability that would strain bilateral relations. Over time, radical groups, including Abu Sayyaf, weakened considerably. Their leaders were killed, many followers reintegrated into society, and the group withered away. What remain today are the two major liberation movements that now govern autonomous regions.
Despite this progress, small armed groups still exist, which creates a sense of uncertainty, especially when I travel to southern Philippines and hear news of various militant factions. Nevertheless, we hope that peace can be sustained in these parts of Southeast Asia.
Rrom your perspective, what is the most urgent challenge to people’s rights and legitimate freedom in South Asia and the Middle East? How does the Islamic framework presented at this conference offer a better response than Western human rights models?
This conference is extremely timely. It addresses issues that are acutely felt today, particularly amid the genocide in Gaza and the failure to enforce international law—including the fundamental principles of human rights. We are witnessing, in real time, barbarity, apartheid, and genocide in Palestine without meaningful intervention. Human rights laws are being violated daily.
The conference emphasizes the need to reflect on and review our current understanding of people’s rights, freedom, and humanity. The Islamic tradition is very rich in this regard, and one of the conference’s main arguments is that we have not been proactive enough in presenting an Islamic conception of human rights and freedoms as an alternative to the Western model, which is clearly failing.
This conference therefore addresses a crucial issue that must be promoted, including in regions like Southeast Asia, which have substantial Muslim populations. Although ASEAN has served as a stabilizing regional organization, internal and external pressures are growing. The South China Sea dispute— involving major powers such as China, the United States, and Japan, as well as regional states like the Philippines—has created dangerous tensions. Even ASEAN is now divided along geopolitical lines: China on one side, the U.S. on the other, with Japan increasingly involved.
In this context, it becomes even more important to articulate a vision rooted in Islamic principles—one that raises awareness about legitimate rights, freedoms, and a renewed understanding of humanity—especially at a time when international law and humanitarian principles have failed in the face of the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
How do you interpret the global reaction to Israel’s war on Gaza and Israel’s aggression against Iran in the 12-day war, especially the gap between Western public opinion and Western governments?
It is quite sad to see the passive reactions from many neighboring countries—countries that surround Palestine. Their lukewarm response to the war in Gaza is largely due to U.S. influence. These states are, in many ways, hostage to American-imposed geopolitics and remain deeply dependent on U.S. military and intelligence structures.
Meanwhile, we have witnessed Israel’s continued aggressions not only in Gaza but also in the West Bank, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Yemen, and even, to some extent, Tunisia, Iraq, and others. The contradiction is stark: it is clear to the world that Israel is the aggressor, backed by the United States and several EU countries.
At the same time, we must acknowledge Iran’s resilience. Iran was able to stand its ground during the 12-day war. We followed the news closely, and frankly, I initially thought Iran would not be able to endure such an intense confrontation—especially with the United States directly involved in strikes, including on strategic nuclear sites. Yet Iran resisted and withstood the pressure. This deserves recognition.
This sends a message to the world: despite the global arrogance of Israel and the United States, Iran is gaining greater momentum as a regional actor, supported by countries like China and Russia.
However, there remains a sense of uncertainty, because both sides appear to be preparing for another round of confrontation. We hope that the international community will play its role in convincing major powers and regional actors of the futility of war—because civilians are the ones who suffer the most, whether in Israel, Iran, Lebanon, or elsewhere.
It may be a long shot, but we hope that all parties will regain their sense of reason and choose a path toward lasting peace in the region.
Source: tehrantimes.com
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http://www.tehrantimes.com/news/521450/Iran-s-stand-in-the-12-day-war-undermined-U-S-Israeli-strategy
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Under police protection, settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque compound
09 Dec 2025
This morning, Tuesday, Zionist settlers renewed their incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound through the Mughrabi Gate, under heavy protection from the Israeli enemy police.
According to the Palestinian news agency SAFA, the Islamic Waqf Department in occupied Quds reported that dozens of settlers stormed Al-Aqsa, conducted provocative tours of its courtyards, and performed Talmudic rituals in the eastern area of the mosque.
The enemy forces continued to impose strict measures on the entry of worshippers and Qudsis to the mosque, confiscating their identity cards at its outer gates.
The so-called "Temple Mount groups" are preparing to carry out large-scale incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, which begins on December 14. Calls have been issued from Quds and across Palestine to intensify the mobilization and widespread presence at Al-Aqsa Mosque and in Quds to confront settler plans and their ongoing attacks on the mosque, despite the restrictions imposed by the Israeli occupation on Palestinians.
Al-Aqsa Mosque is witnessing continuous attacks and incursions by settlers and Israeli police in an attempt to alter the existing status quo and impose a Judaizing reality upon it.
Source: saba.ye
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https://www.saba.ye/en/news3604482.htm
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North America
Pakistan and India, they were going at it, I ended the war: US President Trump
10 Dec 2025
US President Donald Trump has once again asserted that he intervened to halt the brief conflict between India and Pakistan earlier this year, reiterating a claim that he has now repeated nearly 70 times.
Speaking at a campaign rally focused on the economy in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, Trump listed several international disputes he claimed to have ended. “In 10 months, I ended eight wars, including Kosovo and Serbia, Pakistan and India, they were going at it. Israel and Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia, Armenia and Azerbaijan,” he told supporters.
India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir following the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians.
The two countries agreed on May 10 to end hostilities after intense drone and missile strikes. New Delhi has repeatedly denied any third-party role in the de-escalation.
Trump also claimed that Cambodia and Thailand had “started fighting again” and said he would “make a phone call” to stop the alleged hostilities. “Who else could say I’m going to make a phone call and stop a war of two very powerful countries?” he said.
On immigration, Trump said that for the first time in 50 years,"we now have reverse migration, which means more jobs, better wages and higher income for American citizens, not for illegal aliens.
He said that he has announced a permanent pause on "Third World migration", including from "hellholes" like Afghanistan, Haiti, Somalia and many other countries."
"Why can't we have some people from Norway, Sweden, just a few. Let's have a few from Denmark. Do you mind sending us a few people? Send us some nice people. Do you mind? But we always take people from Somalia, places that are a disaster, right? Filthy, dirty, disgusting, ridden with crime.
The only thing they're good at is going after ships."
Last month, Trump had said he would "permanently pause" migration from "all Third World Countries" and deport foreign nationals who are a "security risk" as his administration intensified its crackdown on immigration in the wake of the killing of a National Guard member by Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal.
US Citizenship and Immigration Services issued new guidance allowing for "negative, country-specific factors" to be considered when vetting aliens from 19 high-risk countries.
These countries are Afghanistan, Burma, Burundi, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela and Yemen.
These are the same countries that were subject to a travel ban announced by Trump in a proclamation issued in June this year.
The proclamation 'Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats' restricted and limited the entry of nationals of these countries into the US and applied to both immigrants and nonimmigrants.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2025/Dec/10/pakistan-and-india-they-were-going-at-it-i-ended-the-war-us-president-trump
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‘Dangerous’: CAIR Responds to Florida Governor’s Terrorist Designation
December 9, 2025
Florida has announced plans to designate the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the country’s largest Muslim civil rights group, a foreign terrorist organization.
On Monday night, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that the state would be taking this step — a move that closely follows a similar order issued in November by Texas Gov. (and fellow Republican) Greg Abbott. In a statement on X (formerly known as Twitter), DeSantis wrote that “Florida agencies are hereby directed to undertake all lawful measures to prevent unlawful activities” by CAIR, “including denying privileges or resources to anyone providing material support.”
CAIR responded by announcing plans to file a lawsuit against DeSantis, calling his actions “defamatory and unconstitutional” and accusing the governor of “baselessly smearing” the organization. (Only the federal government can officially designate terrorist organizations, and CAIR is not on the U.S. government’s list of designated foreign terrorist organizations.)
“Trying to declare one of the most prominent Muslim rights groups in America a terrorist organization is not only unlawful, it is also dangerous,” Edward Mitchell, CAIR’s national deputy director, tells New Times. “It sets a target on our backs and encourages extremists to target us.”
Founded in 1994 as a leading civil rights and advocacy group for Muslims in the United States, CAIR’s mission is to “enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims,” according to the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization’s website.
DeSantis’ statement claims that CAIR was “founded by persons connected to the Muslim Brotherhood,” which it connects to Hamas and the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. CAIR denies ties to Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood.
Complaints of anti-Muslim discrimination have reached their highest level since CAIR began reporting the data in 1996. In 2024, CAIR received 8,658 complaints nationwide, a 7.4 percent increase from the previous year.
Just last month at the University of South Florida (USF) campus in Tampa, members of the Muslim Student Association were harassed by three men who shouted at them during their early morning prayers atop a campus parking garage, telling them they were “going to hell.” In a livestreamed video, the men insulted the Islamic prophet Muhammad and waved pieces of bacon at them (pork is forbidden in Islam). The men are now facing hate crime charges.
Mitchell worries that DeSantis’ announcement will lead to more hate crimes against Muslims in Florida.
“He is giving permission for extremists to act on their fantasies, to act on their conspiracy theories,” Mitchell says. “Ron DeSantis knows what he’s doing. He is endangering the Florida Muslim community to protect a foreign government, the Israeli government, from legitimate criticism. That’s what all this is about.”
Mitchell emphasizes that this won’t impact CAIR’s work, which works to challenge stereotypes of Islam and Muslims.
“The most important thing to note is that these publicity stunts, whether in Texas or Florida, do not stop the work of our civil rights organization,” Mitchell says. “We are still doing our work without any change. The only difference now is we’re having to fight back against this proclamation and make sure that it doesn’t actually have any impact on our ability to continue protecting the people of Florida.”
He continues: “Right now, it’s just a publicity stunt. We need to make sure it does not actually become a policy.”
Source: miaminewtimes.com
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https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/dangerous-cair-responds-to-florida-governors-terrorist-designation-40507849/
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CAIR Calls for Hate Crime Probe of ‘Cross’ Vandalism Targeting Virginia Mosque
December 9, 2025
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today called on local, state and national law enforcement authorities to investigate vandalism targeting a Norfolk, Virginia, mosque as a hate crime.
Norfolk police are investigating the vandalism, which included crosses spray-painted on the exterior of the house of worship, which occurred Sunday night at the Masjid Ash-Shura Mosque.
“Such acts of apparently bias-motivated vandalism targeting a place of worship are meant to intimidate and instill fear, not just in the local Muslim community but in all communities that value religious freedom,” said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper. “We urge law enforcement at every level to treat this incident with the seriousness it deserves and to investigate it as a possible hate crime.”
Hooper noted that earlier this week, CAIR’s Minnesota chapter responded to a fire that heavily damaged the Masjid Hamza AI-Mahmood Foundation and Baitul Hikmah Academy in Prior Lake. [NOTE: “Masjid” is “mosque” in Arabic.]
He urged Muslim community leaders to use CAIR’s “Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety” booklet, which offers advice on how to help keep religious facilities safe. The advice in the booklet is applicable to houses of worship of all faiths.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
Do you like reading CAIR press releases and taking part in our action alerts? You can help contribute to CAIR’s work of defending civil rights and empowering American Muslims across the country by making a one-time contribution or becoming a monthly donor. Supporters like you make CAIR’s advocacy work possible and defeating Islamophobia an achievable goal. Click here to donate to CAIR.
You are receiving this email due to your interest selection from commercial media databases. If you would like to join CAIR’s media list, please sign up here
Source: cair.com
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-calls-for-hate-crime-probe-of-cross-vandalism-targeting-virginia-mosque/
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Trump touts upbeat message on economy as Americans feel the pinch
December 10, 2025
Danielle Kaye
President Donald Trump told a campaign-style rally that consumer prices are falling "tremendously" as he sought to allay voter anxiety about the US cost of living.
In a speech at a casino in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, the president told supporters he had "no higher priority than making America affordable again".
But while gas and egg prices have fallen, other food is more expensive and Americans remain unhappy about the cost of housing, childcare and healthcare.
Democrats have capitalised on Trump's vulnerability on the economy in recent state and city votes, leaving many Republicans uneasy about next year's midterm elections.
Tuesday's event in a swing district of Pennsylvania was the first of what the White House says will be a series of campaign-like rallies aimed at bringing its economic message to voters.
But at one point in his remarks, the Republican president again portrayed concerns about affordability as a Democratic "hoax".
In recent weeks, his administration has removed tariffs from dozens of food products and touted its rollback of fuel efficiency standards and Trump-branded retirement accounts for children as cost-of-living fixes.
In an excerpt from an interview with Politico released on Tuesday, Trump was asked what grade he would give the economy.
"A plus-plus-plus-plus-plus," he said.
In a sign the policy pivot might be cutting through, Trump's approval rating rose three points to 41% in a new Reuters/Ipsos poll.
But many Americans remain downbeat on the economy.
Alaina Hunt, 37, told the BBC she lost her job in April as a designer at a construction company in Oklahoma City, partly because of Trump's tariffs on steel and aluminium.
The construction sector "really took a hard hit very early on", she said. Ms Hunt says she has applied for at least 75 jobs to no avail.
She says rising grocery bills - about $25 extra per week - have added to the strain.
"I was able to scrape by a lot easier in years before," said Ms Hunt, who voted for Democrat Kamala Harris in 2024. "I don't think that the federal government is listening at all."
Economic data paints a mixed picture.
US consumer confidence fell in November to its lowest level since the spring.
But the stock market continues to hover near record highs. And forecasters expect the economy to expand by 1.9% this year, slower than last year's 2.8% but still better than expected.
Some recent data also indicate the job market may be picking up, after a significant hiring slowdown earlier this year.
As of September, inflation stood at 3%, the same rate as in January when the president took office and stubbornly above the Federal Reserve's 2% target.
It is still way below a peak of 9.1% under former President Joe Biden when the US faced its worst inflation in four decades.
Overall prices have surged 25% over the last five years, generating widespread frustration, despite wage growth over that period.
Beth Richardson, a 45-year-old from Kansas, said she had been floored by some of the prices at the grocery store near her, recalling a pack of Mentos gum she picked up recently that rang up to almost $5 with tax.
"I'm like, I'm just going to go die now because this cannot be," she said.
Ms Richardson was laid off from her job in sales support at a tech-related company in late 2023, after the firm shifted jobs overseas. She voted for Kamala Harris last year.
She said while she knew presidents were often blamed for economic forces over which they had little control, she felt in this case Trump and his policies, like tariffs, were "shooting ourselves in the foot".
On Tuesday night, Trump called tariffs his "favourite word", pointing to hundreds of billions of dollars of US revenue from the import taxes.
The White House blames Biden and Fed interest rates for the lingering economic pain.
The US central bank has twice reduced rates to about 3.9% and may cut them again on Wednesday.
Many Trump supporters have said they still support the president, despite feeling the pinch themselves.
John Mohring, 60, a widower and construction worker from Kenosha, Wisconsin, has backed Trump since 2016.
He said grocery prices started rising before Trump returned to the White House "and it doesn't seem like it's going down".
He now typically spends $100 on groceries just for himself, even when avoiding buying meat and sticking with cheaper items.
Still, Mr Mohring said he backed the Trump administration's sweeping tariffs on imported goods and his border policies.
"I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt," Mr Mohring added.
Brad Smith, a corn and soybean farmer in north-western Illinois, was hurt earlier this year when China, previously a major buyer of US soybeans, froze its purchases amid a trade war with Washington.
But the market, he said, had been gradually recovering since late October, when the two countries reached a deal and China resumed some purchases.
Trump on Monday also announced a $12bn aid package for US farmers.
Mr Smith said he still believed in Trump's plans for the economy, despite being getting caught in the crossfire.
"There's probably bigger things at play other than just the soybean and corn market," Mr Smith said.
"The whole America First idea is good."
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgl63lrpkmo
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Congress ups pressure to release boat strike video with threat to Hegseth's travel budget
December 10, 2025
James FitzGerald
US lawmakers are trying to pressure the Trump administration to release video of a controversial "double-tap" military strike by limiting Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth's travel budget.
The incident on 2 September, in which the US carried out a second deadly strike on a boat in the Caribbean, has raised fresh questions about the legality of Trump's campaign targeting alleged drug-carrying vessels.
A provision buried in a lengthy defence spending policy would restrict travel funds for Hegseth's office until the Pentagon hands over unedited footage. The bill is expected to pass with support from both parties.
US President Donald Trump says release of the video is something for Hegseth to decide.
Trump denied that he had previously said he would have "no problem" with the footage being made public - despite that comment being made on camera as recently as Wednesday.
The threat from Congress to withhold money from Hegseth's travel budget has emerged amid a clamour for information from lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle.
It is buried within a 3,000-page draft bill that is focused on approving next year's defence spending. The annual bill authorises nearly $901bn in funding (£687m).
The bill's final wording, which was first reported by Politico, states that Hegseth's office may spend no more than three-quarters of the funds made available for travel for the year 2026 until it meets certain requirements.
These include an obligation to give the House and Senate armed service committees all "unedited video of strikes conducted against designated terrorist organizations in the area of responsibility of the United States Southern Command".
The wording nods to the way Trump has characterised his strikes on boats in the Caribbean and Pacific. He says they are a matter of targeting designated terrorist organisations.
In his comments to reporters on Monday, Trump said each of the alleged drugs boats that had been sunk had saved 25,000 American lives, and claimed that drugs trafficking to the US by sea had all but stopped.
His administration has sought to justify its actions by saying it is in a non-international armed conflict with the alleged traffickers. Dozens of people have been killed in the months-long campaign, but the administration has not publicly provided evidence for its assertions of criminality in each case.
Experts have raised questions about the legality of the strikes, prompting concern from Republicans and Democrats alike.
Regarding the "double-tap" attack on 2 September specifically, the experts point out that the so-called laws of war decree that the parties in an armed conflict are obliged to pick up wounded survivors of a strike rather than attack them again.
Nine people died in the first strike on the vessel and two survivors were left clinging to the burning wreckage when it was struck again, killing them, according to the Washington Post.
The White House has repeatedly said it is working within the laws of armed conflict.
It says the second strike was ordered by a navy admiral, and not by Hegseth, who has become a focal point for scrutiny of both the strike and the White House narrative surrounding it.
Senior members of Congress who were shown the video in a briefing last week by that admiral, Frank Bradley, emerged with differing views.
Jim Himes of Connecticut, the senior Democrat on the House intelligence committee, said he found the video of the second attack "deeply, deeply troubling".
But Republican Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas disagreed, calling the strikes "entirely lawful and needful".
Trump has previously posted video of the first strike from 2 September, and continues to be asked whether he will release video of the second.
Last Wednesday, the president responded to an on-camera question about the video from an ABC News reporter by saying: "I don't know what they have, but whatever they have, we'd certainly release, no problem."
Five days later, he responded to a question from the same network by saying: "I didn't say that. That's - you said that, I didn't say that."
He went on to clarify: "Whatever Pete Hegseth wants to do is OK with me."
In his most recent remarks on the subject, Hegseth was noncommittal on the subject, saying: "We're reviewing the process, and we'll see."
Hegseth, along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Dan Caine, the chairman of the Join Chiefs of Staff, is due to brief top congressional lawmakers on Tuesday afternoon, two sources told CBS.
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c773de38p2go
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Trump urges Zelensky to ‘start accepting’ peace proposals
9 Dec, 2025
US President Donald Trump has called on Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky to start accepting peace proposals, noting that Russia has a much stronger negotiating position and will likely overwhelm Kiev’s forces in the long run.
In an interview with Politico on Monday, Trump pointed out that Russia is “a much bigger country” and currently has the “upper hand” in the conflict.
“At some point, size will win. And this is a massive size,” Trump said, insisting that Zelensky should start reading the latest draft of the US peace proposal.
Trump said that to his knowledge, the Ukrainian leader still hasn’t examined the latest US peace plan even though Zelensky’s top officials “loved the proposal.” “A lot of people are dying. So it would be really good if he’d read it,” Trump said, suggesting that the Ukrainian leader was responsible for stalling the settlement process.
“He’s gonna have to get on the ball and start accepting things,” Trump stated, adding that Zelensky is currently “losing.”
Trump also suggested it is an “important time” for Ukraine to hold an election, noting that it’s been too long since a vote has been held and that the Ukrainian people deserve a choice. “They haven’t had an election in a long time. You know, they talk about a democracy, but it gets to a point where it’s not a democracy anymore,” he said.
Trump’s initial 28-point peace plan was leaked to the media last month. It involved requirements for Kiev to withdraw its forces from Russia’s Donbass region, pledge not to join NATO, and limit the size of its armed forces. Kiev vehemently rejected the proposal.
Since then, the US plan has undergone several changes with input from Russia and Ukraine. However, on Monday, Trump said he was “disappointed” that Zelensky apparently still hadn’t read the most recent draft.
Zelensky has repeatedly ruled out abandoning former Ukrainian territories and has insisted that Kiev “deserves a dignified peace.”
Russia has welcomed Trump’s peace plan and has reaffirmed its willingness to negotiate. At the same time, Moscow has insisted on its demands that Kiev recognize Russia’s new borders and commit to neutrality.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/629213-us-ukraine-playing-ball/
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Africa
How Covert Military Operation Weakened Boko Haram, Led To Shekau’s Death – Retired Major General
December 9, 2025
By George Oshogwe
Retired Major General Danjuma Ali-Keffi, the former General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division and head of the covert Operation Service Wide (OSW), has provided a detailed insider account alleging how political interference and internal sabotage nearly derailed a military and intelligence operation that successfully led to the death of Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau.
Ali-Keffi’s account credits the elimination of Shekau largely to the intelligence work of the late Brig. Gen. Abdulrahman Kuliya, the Chief of Military Intelligence (CMI), who died alongside Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru in a May 2021 plane crash.
Ali-Keffi revealed that Gen. Kuliya masterminded a brilliant intelligence strategy that weakened the Boko Haram JAS faction and led to the demise of its notorious leader, Shekau, who killed himself in May 2021 during a confrontation with rival terror group, ISWAP.
Ali-keffi said Kuliya, using intelligence and funds provided by OSW, infiltrated the Boko Haram network.
According to him, the late Brigadier General “came up with the smart idea of playing the Boko Haram and ISWAP against one another by ‘planting’ information and misleading narratives of intentions of the Boko Haram to the ISWAP.”
He said this highly effective tactic led to the fierce infighting between the two terrorist factions, culminating in the weakening and eventual death of Shekau.
The retired general also alleged that operational successes were continuously hampered by sabotage from high levels.
He claimed that in late July 2021, a direct order came from the Muhammadu Buhari Presidency mandating a two-week halt to all ongoing military operations. This followed assurances from Fulani leaders that they would persuade bandit groups to disarm.
Ali-Keffi said he complied with the order, but before the two-week period ended, he and the GOC 8 Division were both removed from their posts.
Ali-Keffi also recalled a longstanding tension with former COAS Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai and alleged that sensitive information about the covert unit, OSW, was being leaked.
He claimed to have learned that confidential information was being leaked through individuals close to the then–Director of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), Modibbo Hamman-Tukur, due to a relationship between Hamman-Tukur’s elder brother and Buratai.
Ali-Keffi lamented that the May 21, 2021, air crash that killed Gen. Attahiru and Brig. Gen. Kuliya severely damaged the anti-terror effort.
He said the loss of Attahiru, the COAS, weakened operational cover and stalled ongoing offensives, including the joint plan developed with the 8 Division to clear bandit and terrorist enclaves across the North West.
He noted that troops’ morale collapsed, contributing to the release of several high-ranking Boko Haram commanders, financiers, and collaborators.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/12/09/how-covert-military-operation-weakened-boko-haram-led-to-shekaus-death-retired-major-general/
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‘I Am Deeply Sorry’ – Bishop Kukah Denies Saying Christians Are Not Persecuted In Nigeria
December 10, 2025
By George Oshogwe
The Catholic Bishop of the Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, has firmly dismissed media reports claiming he argued that Christians in Nigeria are not facing persecution, describing the attribution as “false” and “baffling.”
In a statement titled “Of the persecution of Christians in Nigeria: My response,” the renowned cleric expressed his sincere apology for the “great pain and mental anguish” the misrepresentation caused his “brothers and sisters within the body of Christ.”
Kukah addressed earlier reports that quoted him questioning the narrative of persecution by citing figures on educated Christians and their control of the economy.
The alleged quotes included: “If you are a Christian in Nigeria and you say you are persecuted, my question is: how? At least 80 per cent of educated Nigerians are Christians, and up to 85 per cent of the Nigerian economy is controlled by Christians. With such figures, how can anyone say Christians are being persecuted?”
However, Kukah clarified the original intent of his speech, delivered to the Catholic Knights of St. Mulumba in Kaduna on November 28th.
“For the record, I did not say that Christians are not persecuted in Nigeria! …I concluded that the greatest challenge for Christians was unity and solidarity. Given the huge human and material resources that we have as Christians in Nigeria, if only we stood together, I argued, we would have no reason to be victims of persecution. Nothing here implied a denial of the fate of Christians,” the Bishop stated.
He stressed that his message was a call for unity and solidarity, not a denial of the persecution faced by the community.
Kukah reiterated his longstanding position that the bloodshed affecting Nigerian citizens needs to end immediately.
He affirmed that the government and its security agencies bear an urgent responsibility to bring the perpetrators to account.
“The outpouring of emotions is understandable especially against the backdrop of the inviolability of life, the extermination of which must not be undermined by any debates on numbers or intent,” he said.
The Bishop urged Nigerians to focus on reclaiming the nation’s soul, saying: “As a people, I believe we owe ourselves the collective duty to regain our humanity not as perpetual victims but as equal citizens of our land… Too many innocent souls have been lost, too much blood shed and our children and citizens are in captivity.”
He assured his audience that his commitment to the struggle for peace, justice, and reconciliation remains steadfast, urging Christians not to be distracted.
“I am deeply sorry for the unnecessary distraction. These moments are too serious for us to equivocate. This is not the time for us to retreat or be distracted. This is a contest that we must win. The journey may be painful. We may falter along the way but we will only reach our destination by learning our lessons, standing up even when we stumble, and always keeping our eyes on the ultimate prize, peace for our country, justice for those injured, and reconciliation for our people.
“This is a struggle that I have committed most of my pastoral and intellectual life to. It is a struggle in which I pray that, by clinging to the old rugged cross, we can one day exchange it for a crown. So, let us all get back on the road especially as the spirit of Bethlehem beckons” he added.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/12/10/i-am-deeply-sorry-bishop-kukah-denies-saying-christians-are-not-persecuted-in-nigeria/
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Malami Remanded In EFCC Custody Over Bail Breach, Investigated For Terrorism Financing
December 10, 2025
By Enioluwa Adeniyi
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has detained a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), following his failure to meet bail conditions earlier granted to him.
A senior official at the anti-graft agency confirmed on Tuesday that the ex-minister, who is facing multiple allegations, will remain in custody until he fully complies with the terms of his release.
“We arrested him for not meeting his bail conditions and he will remain in our custody until he meets those conditions,” the official told Punch.
Another source within the EFCC disclosed that Malami is currently being investigated for no fewer than 18 separate offences, ranging from money laundering to abuse of office and terrorism financing.
The source said, “He is presently in our custody. He was initially granted bail but did not meet the conditions.
“The offences against him are many. Presently, we are investigating him for 18 different offences. Some of them are money laundering, abuse of office and terrorism financing. We cannot put a figure to the amount involved now because we keep uncovering some of the deals as we investigate.”
Malami had earlier acknowledged his ongoing interrogation by the EFCC in a post shared on his official 𝕏 handle on November 29. He described the session as productive and suggested that the allegations were unfounded.
“The engagement was successful and I am eventually released while on an appointment for further engagement as the truth relating to the fabricated allegations against me continue to unfold,” he stated.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/12/10/malami-remanded-in-efcc-custody-over-bail-breach-investigated-for-terrorism-financing/
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Burkina Faso Official Confirms Releasing Detained Military Officers
December 10, 2025
By Enioluwa Adeniyi
The Government of Burkina Faso has released 11 Nigerian Air Force officers detained after their aircraft made an emergency landing in the West African country, following days of diplomatic tension and accusations of airspace violation.
Territorial Administration Minister, Emile Zerbo, confirmed the development late Tuesday night, stating that the officers were allowed to return to Nigeria after being questioned by Burkinabè security officials.
In a joint statement, the military-led governments of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, under the umbrella of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), said their investigations confirmed a breach of their collective airspace.
“The plane entered Burkina Faso without authorisation, constituting a violation of national procedures,” Zerbo said, echoing the AES position.
Describing the move as an “unfriendly act,” the alliance declared its air forces were on “maximum alert” and ordered to “neutralise any aircraft” that entered its airspace without permission.
In response, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) clarified that the C-130 Hercules aircraft made a precautionary landing due to technical concerns while en route to Portugal.
“The aircraft was on a ferry mission when it experienced a technical issue mid-flight and had to make a safety landing,” NAF spokesperson, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said in a statement issued Tuesday.
He confirmed that all crew members were safe and that the aircraft followed standard international aviation protocols.
According to BBC reports, Burkinabè officials said the detained Nigerian personnel were released after initial questioning and permitted to leave the country.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/12/10/burkina-faso-official-confirms-releasing-detained-military-officers/
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US Air Force Resumes Surveillance Of ISWAP/Boko Haram Fighters In Borno
December 9, 2025
By George Oshogwe
The US Air Force has reportedly resumed Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions in Nigeria.
According to Brant Philip, a security expert for West and East Africa, the US Air Force ISR mission is targeting ISWAP zones of influence in Borno State, northeast Nigeria, on the fringes of Lake Chad.
The security expert disclosed that US aircraft took off from Accra, Ghana “as usual, still not using a Nigerian airport.”
Earlier in the day, he had stated: “For the first time in twelve consecutive days of daily ISR flights by the US Air Force over Nigeria from Accra, Ghana, today the aircraft did not take off.
“In twelve days the USAF aircraft covered the states of Borno, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kwara, Niger and small parts of Ekiti and Kaduna, a large majority of these missions targeted ISWAP and IS-Sahel strongholds.
“This coincides with the visit by Rep. Riley Moore to Nigeria where he announced incoming “next steps”.”
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Senate has approved the request by President Bola Tinubu to deploy the country’s military forces to Benin Republic
Naija News reports that the decision of the lawmakers was approved during plenary on Tuesday by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The approval follows the earlier consideration of the request by the Senate Committee of the Whole, in which the lawmakers unanimously backed the decision of the federal government to deploy troops to the Benin Republic to restore peace and stability following last weekend’s attempted coup in the West African nation.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced this on Tuesday during plenary after lawmakers considered the request in the Committee of the Whole in line with section 5, Part 11.
“An injury to one is an injury to all,” Akpabio declared while announcing the decision of the Senate.
The Senate’s consent letter will be transmitted to President Tinubu immediately.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/12/09/us-air-force-resumes-surveillance-of-iswap-boko-haram-fighters-in-borno/
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South Asia
Unite To Restore Democracy, Protect Rights: BNP Acting Chairman
Dec 10, 2025
BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman yesterday called upon everyone to come forward in the journey to establish true democracy while protecting human rights.
He made the call in a message posted on his verified Facebook page on the eve of Human Rights Day, which will be observed today.
Tarique Rahman said the theme of Human Rights Day 2025 is "Human Rights, Our Everyday Essentials."
With this year's theme in focus, he expressed deep solidarity with the oppressed people around the world who have lost their fundamental rights.
"At the same time, I affirm that -- whether in Bangladesh or anywhere else on earth --no one should ever again be deprived of basic human rights. For that, the protection of human rights must be an essential part of our everyday practice," he said.
He further said the country has endured a dark chapter of fascist misrule for more than a decade and a half, during which human rights were buried.
Democracy was obliterated, and the state apparatus was gripped firmly in the hands of an authoritarian clique, he said.
"Today, we stand on a new journey -- a journey to restore democracy and safeguard human rights. Our future state must be one where human rights remain protected. Poverty is now viewed globally as one of the most serious human rights challenges. Eradicating poverty is an attainable goal in establishing human rights," he added.
"At this moment, people of the country are united in their commitment to protecting human rights. Everyone must come forward in this journey of establishing true democracy while protecting human rights. This should be our firm commitment on the universal Human Rights Day," he said.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/unite-restore-democracy-protect-rights-4054706
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EC not responsible for political clashes before schedule is announced: Commissioner Masud
Dec 9, 2025
The Election Commission (EC) today said it has completed all preparations to hold the 13th national election and the referendum on the same day -- to be held in February next year.
"As far as I know, nothing is left to be done. The arrangements for the election will come in due course, and that will be completed," EC Abdur Rahmanel Masud told The Daily Star at the EC headquarters in Dhaka's Agargaon this afternoon.
"If political parties engage in clashes before the schedule is announced, the EC is not responsible for that," he added.
The commissioner also said ensuring a level-playing field will formally come under the EC's jurisdiction only after the announcement of the election schedule. Until then, it is not responsible for any clashes or violence involving political parties, he said.
Asked whether all registered political parties will be able to contest the polls, Masud said, "Those who are entitled under the law will be able to do. The returning officer will scrutinise their eligibility."
The EC is not preventing any political party from taking part in the two votes, he added.
When asked what challenges are ahead for the February polls, he said, "If you ask about challenges, the particular issue is law and order."
About the alleged attack on a leader of the AB Party in Barishal, Masud said, "We have made it clear to them (political parties) that the entire matter of the level-playing field will come under our authority only after the schedule is announced. If political parties engage in clashes before that, it is not our responsibility."
Asked whether the "boat" symbol will remain on the ballot, Masud said, "It is still suspended. That symbol will not appear on ballots."
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/elections/news/ec-not-responsible-political-clashes-schedule-announced-commissioner-masud-4054351
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DGFI coerced student leaders to withdraw anti-discrimination movement: Hasnat tells ICT-2
Dec 9, 2025
Hasnat Abdullah, a key witness in the case filed over the killing of BRU student Abu Sayed, today testified before the International Crimes Tribunal-2, saying that officials of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) had coerced and tortured him and two other student leaders to force them to withdraw the anti-discrimination student movement.
Hasnat, NCP's chief organiser (South), also alleged that intimidation and pressure were used to silence them.
The first part of his deposition concluded today, with the remainder scheduled after lunch recess.
Hasnat said that on July 17 last year, he and Sarjis Alam, NCP's chief organiser (North), were picked up from a relative's home and taken to State Guest House Padma, where three then-ministers -- Anisul Huq, Mohammad A Arafat, and Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel -- later arrived. DGFI officials allegedly insisted they meet the then-ministers for negotiations.
"When we refused to comply without consulting other student coordinators, they threatened to harm our families," he told the tribunal.
Hasnat further testified that the officials, angered by their refusal, took them to a secret detention facility near Matshya Bhaban and interrogated them overnight.
"At one stage, a DGFI officer threatened that just as they dispersed BNP's October 28 rally in 10 minutes, they could wipe out our movement the same way," he said.
The tribunal recorded his deposition.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/dgfi-coerced-student-leaders-withdraw-anti-discrimination-movement-hasnat-tells-ict-2-4054296
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Afghanistan’s Saffron Exports Top $30 Million in Nine Months
By Fidel Rahmati
December 10, 2025
Afghanistan exported more than $30 million worth of saffron over the past nine months, Herat officials said, highlighting rising production and strong demand in global markets.
Herat’s Chamber of Commerce and Investment says Afghanistan has exported more than 30 million dollars’ worth of saffron to international markets over the past nine months, with the total shipment volume recorded at 22.13 tonnes.
According to the Afghanistan Saffron Producers Union, last year’s output stood at 35 tonnes, with around 9,000 hectares of land dedicated to the crop, reflecting a notable year-on-year growth despite ongoing economic and political constraints.
Officials say Europe, the United States, Arab countries, and markets across East and South Asia were the main destinations for the spice. Afghanistan saffron has long enjoyed a strong reputation abroad for its distinctive aroma and high quality.
Mohammad Yousuf Amin, the chamber’s executive director, told the state-run Bakhtar agency that Herat alone is estimated to have produced around 40 tonnes of saffron this year, and processing and packaging work is still under way.
Herat remains the heart of Afghanistan’s saffron industry, producing about 95 percent of the national output. The province has earned global recognition for its premium-grade saffron, winning several international quality awards in recent years.
The Taliban’s Ministry of Agriculture said earlier this month that saffron was cultivated on 12,000 hectares nationwide this year, resulting in an estimated 41 tonnes of production.
Sadr Azam Osmani, the ministry’s deputy, noted at the 10th Herat Saffron Flower Festival that this represents an increase compared with recent years, pointing to improved farming techniques and expanded cultivation areas.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/afghanistans-saffron-exports-top-30-million-in-nine-months/
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Combating Administrative Corruption IEA’s Highest Priority, Fitrat Says
December 10, 2025
KABUL: The Islamic Emirate has placed anti-corruption efforts at the top of its agenda and has reduced administrative corruption to its lowest level in four years, the IEA’s Deputy Spokesman, Mullah Hamdullah Fitrat, said in a statement the other day.
Fitrat said the government has taken strong actions against bribery, embezzlement and land grabbing, adding that many individuals involved in such practices have been arrested and referred to judicial authorities.
“Lower-level challenges may still exist, but the Islamic Emirate is determined to root out corruption entirely,” he emphasized.
“No one will be allowed to engage in administrative corruption, bribery or the illegal seizure of public or private land,” Fitrat said.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://thekabultimes.com/combating-administrative-corruption-ieas-highest-priority-fitrat-says/
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NSIA Seeks UNICEF Support for Key Surveys and Vital Data
December 10, 2025
KABUL: The President of the National Statistics and Information Authority (NSIA), Mullah Abdul Qaher Haji Idrees, met with UNICEF officials for South Asia and Afghanistan to discuss ongoing statistical surveys and areas of future cooperation.
Idrees reaffirmed NSIA’s commitment to collecting, standardizing and analyzing accurate national data, according to a statement from the authority on Tuesday.
He discussed progress on the Income, Expenditure and Labor Force Surveys and requested UNICEF’s assistance in repeating the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), training statistical staff and printing birth registration cards.
UNICEF’s regional representatives assured NSIA of their continued support within available resources.
NSIA serves as Afghanistan’s central authority for population registration, statistical coordination and geographic data, providing daily public services across the country.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://thekabultimes.com/nsia-seeks-unicef-support-for-key-surveys-and-vital-data/
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Afghanistan Moving Toward Stability and Growth, Haqqani Says
December 10, 2025
KABUL: Interior Minister Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani said Afghanistan is moving steadily toward improved security, stronger economic activity and broader national development.
Haqqani made the remarks during a meeting with Perkin Tokumov, the Special Envoy of the President of Kazakhstan, here in Kabul, where both sides discussed expanding bilateral cooperation, the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
He noted that Afghanistan’s security environment has strengthened significantly, enabling greater trade activity and creating space for major development initiatives.
Haqqani welcomed Kazakhstan’s engagement and said the Islamic Emirate is committed to building an environment that promotes stability, commerce and long-term growth.
He added that Afghanistan values regional goodwill and expects constructive partnerships that can strengthen connectivity and mutual economic benefits.
Meanwhile, Tokumov reiterated Kazakhstan’s support for deepening economic and political ties with Afghanistan, particularly through enhanced trade and key regional projects, including proposed railway connections.
He also reaffirmed Kazakhstan’s readiness to cooperate on border security, counter-narcotics operations and infrastructure development.
The meeting underscored growing momentum behind regional cooperation efforts, with both sides expressing commitment to advancing practical projects that can boost trade and link Afghanistan more closely with Central Asia.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://thekabultimes.com/afghanistan-moving-toward-stability-and-growth-haqqani-says/
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Southeast Asia
Chief justice warns against social media trials undermining courts
9 Dec 2025
Malaysia’s top judge says “cyber courts” on social media threaten judicial integrity, urging the public to let legal processes run their course.
SHAH ALAM: The Chief Justice has warned that social media is increasingly challenging judicial institutions as the public rushes to judge cases online.
Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh said the rise of “cyber courts” sees netizens making assumptions and effectively sentencing accused individuals before a trial begins.
He described this behaviour as dangerous, stating it threatens the integrity of the entire justice system.
“We must allow the judicial process to take its course,” he said during a lecture at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM).
“Let the prosecution present its case, the defence challenge it, and the judge decide based on the law and facts.”
Wan Ahmad Farid cautioned that delivering verdicts ahead of the courts may expose individuals to contempt of court proceedings.
He advised that anyone dissatisfied with a court ruling should exercise their legal right to appeal.
The Chief Justice urged the public to refrain from making comments that insult judges or parties involved in a case.
“If you wish to understand or criticise responsibly, study the law and understand the process,” he said.
“Do not rush to pass judgment in cyberspace.”
His lecture, titled “Judges as Nation Builders”, was attended by 444 law students.
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/news/malaysia-news/chief-justice-warns-against-social-media-trials-undermining-courts/
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Anwar calls for inclusive social protection to benefit all Malaysians
9 Dec 2025
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stresses the need for inclusive social protection programmes covering all segments of society and essential services.
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has emphasised that social protection programmes must be implemented inclusively to cover the entire nation and all segments of society.
He said an inclusive approach must encompass essential services like rehabilitation centres and a review of related laws to accelerate implementation.
Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, stated this after chairing the 9th Meeting of the Malaysia Social Protection Council.
The meeting aimed to strengthen policy coordination for the national social protection agenda.
It also noted improvements to the PADU system driven by the Economy Ministry.
Presentations were made by SOCSO, the World Bank and the Economy Ministry to enhance the social protection ecosystem.
Anwar congratulated SOCSO on its reappointment as President of the International Social Security Association for the 2026–2028 term.
He described the reappointment as significant global recognition for Malaysia.
The Prime Minister also welcomed the publication of the Malaysia Social Protection Statistics 2024.
He said it is an important reference for improving policy delivery effectiveness nationwide.
In a separate engagement, Anwar attended a briefing on the Malaysia Higher Education Plan (2026–2035).
He said the long-term framework will strengthen the direction of the nation’s higher education sector.
As a living document, the plan will evolve with the rapid emergence of new technologies.
Anwar stated it will drive societal transformation through an interdisciplinary and mission-oriented research approach.
The goal is a harmonious, prosperous, technologically advanced and sustainable nation.
“This blueprint is a crucial foundation to ensure that our higher education system becomes more inclusive, of higher quality and competitive,” he said.
It aims to produce future generations prepared to face continuous challenges.
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/news/malaysia-news/anwar-calls-for-inclusive-social-protection-to-benefit-all-malaysians/
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Malaysia condemns Israeli raid on UN agency premises in East Jerusalem
9 Dec 2025
Malaysia strongly condemns Israel’s forcible entry into UNRWA’s East Jerusalem headquarters, calling it a blatant violation of international law.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has strongly condemned the forcible entry by Israeli forces into the premises of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in Occupied East Jerusalem.
The Foreign Ministry, Wisma Putra, said this included the unlawful seizure of United Nations property and the removal of the UN flag.
“Israel’s action is a blatant violation of international law, including the UN Charter, the 1946 UN Convention on Privileges and Immunities, and relevant UN resolutions,” the ministry stated.
It reaffirmed that the action contravenes the protection of UN personnel and humanitarian operations as outlined in an International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion.
Wisma Putra said UNRWA remains an indispensable lifeline for millions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and for Palestinian refugees.
Malaysia considers any attempt to obstruct, delegitimise, or dismantle its operations as legally indefensible and morally unacceptable.
Since its establishment, UNRWA has served over 5.9 million Palestinian refugees across the Middle East.
It provides critical services in education, healthcare, and humanitarian aid, particularly amid escalating hostilities.
“Malaysia calls on the international community to hold Israel accountable for its persistent violations of international law,” the ministry added.
Reports stated that Israeli police stormed the sealed UNRWA headquarters in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood.
The Jerusalem Governorate said police forces raided the headquarters, detained security guards, and confiscated their phones.
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/news/malaysia-news/malaysia-condemns-israeli-raid-on-un-agency-premises-in-east-jerusalem/
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Kota Madani and Bandar Madani projects progressing well, says PM
9 Dec 2025
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim confirms the Kota Madani and Bandar Madani development projects are on track, featuring vertical schools and smart facilities.
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the Kota MADANI Putrajaya and Bandar MADANI Bukit Jalil projects are progressing as planned.
He stated the projects fully incorporate MADANI elements, including the concept of vertical schools and integrated community facilities.
Anwar shared this update following a briefing on key development projects in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya via a Facebook post.
Kota MADANI in Precinct 19 is planned to include 10,000 residential units, accommodating over 30,000 residents.
The development will also feature a secondary school and various public amenities.
Meanwhile, Bandar MADANI Bukit Jalil will offer smart homes, vertical schools, smart mobility, and renewable energy technology.
Anwar said redevelopment projects in several other strategic locations are also receiving close attention.
“I also looked into issues related to the construction of the MADANI Mosque and instructed that the construction process be expedited,” he said.
The MADANI Mosque on Jalan Masjid India, based on a Malaysian identity concept, can accommodate approximately 2,900 worshippers.
Its main prayer hall alone can hold 592 worshippers at one time.
The Prime Minister said the government remains focused on ensuring urban development directly benefits the people.
This covers infrastructure upgrades, modern facilities, and the preservation of urban identity and heritage.
“Insya-Allah, this integrated effort is part of our endeavour to build sustainable, inclusive, and progressive cities,” he said.
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/news/malaysia-news/kota-madani-and-bandar-madani-projects-progressing-well-says-pm/
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312 Malaysian Indian youth complete TVET training in China
9 Dec 2025
A total of 312 Malaysian Indian youth have graduated from technical training programmes in China, gaining skills in AI, EVs and other key industries.
KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 312 Malaysian Indian youth have completed Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes at 16 leading institutions in China.
The graduates were honoured at the Malaysia–China Youth TVET Training (MCYTT) Appreciation Ceremony organised by the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (MITRA).
National Organisation of Skilled Workers (Belia Mahir) president Mohammad Rizan Hassan said the programme shows how government policy creates opportunities in a technology-driven era.
“The MCYTT-MITRA participants are among the fortunate, gaining early exposure and real-world experience in how technology drives the new world,” he said at the International Youth Centre.
A Memorandum of Understanding was also signed between Belia Mahir and the Malaysian Indian Youth Council to structure talent development for Indian youth.
Mohammad Rizan thanked Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for his direction in developing a skilled workforce.
He noted Ahmad Zahid initiated youth deployment to China with a quota of 5,125 participants, including 500 Malaysian Indians.
An additional 500 spots were announced for the MCYTT-MITRA 2.0 programme for the 2025/2026 session.
Malaysian Youth Council deputy president Mohamed Khairul Azman Abdul Azeez said the programme translates policy into benefits for High Growth High Value industries.
“These include artificial intelligence (AI), cyber security, electric vehicle (EV) and automotive technology, mechatronics and industrial automation, semiconductors and electronics, digital commerce, as well as other critical industrial technologies,” he said.
He added these sectors will drive Malaysia’s economic growth over the next decade.
The programme aligns with Malaysia’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, ensuring no one is left behind.
Graduate G. S. Thinesswaran Periasamy, 23, joined the AI stream due to its broad applications and career potential.
“During university, I studied chemistry, but many projects and research involved AI. I felt it was an advantage to gain skills in this field,” he said.
He has already received a job offer from an industry company.
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/news/malaysia-news/312-malaysian-indian-youth-complete-tvet-training-in-china/
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Malaysia must industrialise rare earths, not just export raw materials, says Liew Chin Tong
10 Dec 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 10 — The federal and state governments must find new ways to work together to develop a coherent rare earth elements (REE) industry, said Deputy Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Liew Chin Tong today.
He said better federal–state coordination is needed under the 1957/1963 Constitutional Framework, which assigns natural resources to the states.
Liew said states should be encouraged to support industrialisation rather than focus solely on extraction, and that government-linked investment companies and government-linked companies must be ready to invest.
“It is important to note that China emerged as the largest refiner of REEs while US companies folded in the last several decades because REEs on their own are not exactly a very lucrative business. Therefore, building a comprehensive supply chain is the key,” he said in his keynote address at the launch of a policy brief “From Mine to Magnet” by the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia today.
Also present were Australian High Commissioner in Malaysia Danielle Heinecke and ISIS Malaysia chairman Datuk Prof Dr Mohd Faiz Abdullah.
Liew added that Malaysia is determined to develop the industry from upstream to downstream, and the government needs to take the lead through industrial policy and international cooperation.
He noted that several initiatives are needed if the government were to intervene effectively. This includes building the institutional capacity and capability to harness the sector, and regulatory capacity to ensure the sector is developed sustainably and fulfils all safety requirements.
“Malaysia is the world’s second largest exporter of refined rare earths. But we should also acknowledge that leaving REEs to market forces alone without institutional coordination is not going to work,” he said.
While the government has made the right decision to ban raw REEs exports, Malaysia needs to be very clear and determined that it does not sell raw cakes, but wants to develop the industry from upstream to downstream.
Liew said the government would make available the right set of incentives and capital for the industrialisation of the sector.
“Always keep in mind the geopolitical and geoeconomic challenges of this sector and build international cooperation strategically. However, we have to remember that doing more of the same won’t yield different results.
“A robust Malaysian REE industry will have global consequences, and it may even make Malaysia a more important middle power, but we need to be more organised,” he added. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/12/10/malaysia-must-industrialise-rare-earths-not-just-export-raw-materials-says-liew-chin-tong/201399
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