Category: Global

An Israeli woman has gone viral after a news report falsely claimed that she was executed in Iran.

As per the details, Noya Zion shared a video showing her photograph on Israel’s Channel 12 News, which identified her as one of the victims killed during recent protests in Iran.

The report, which appeared on Israel’s national television, also referred to Zion as Sanaz Javaherian, and described her as a protester arrested and beaten to death by Iranian security forces.

“Four Jews Killed in Protests in Iran,” read the headline.

Zion said she had never been to Iran and was shocked to see herself listed among the deceased.

In a video posted to Instagram, Zion asked, “Wow, can you explain how this happened? And what happened?” 

“I never thought this would happen to me in my life… I’m in my house! I’m here, I’m alive, sitting at home, and in half an hour, I’m going to training. I’ve never been to Iran in my life,” she said.

The incident sparked criticism on social media platforms, particularly X, where users discussed the report as a significant journalistic error or as an example of propaganda. One user wrote, “Wild. The lengths they go through to lie,” while another commented, “Israeli propaganda is so efficient it even kills its own settlers on TV.”

Other users were more direct in their criticism. One post stated, “This is pure propaganda. Israeli media fabricates stories, uses random faces, and lies to fuel fear. When the truth doesn’t fit the narrative, they invent it. That’s why their claims deserve scrutiny, not blind belief.”

Another said, “An Israeli woman learns from television that she has been ‘killed’ in Iran… a dull, stupid Zionist propaganda ploy.”

Additional reactions highlighted broader concerns about misinformation. “Zionists rule #1 lie and never admit the truth no matter how obvious,” while another said, “When the propaganda budget runs out, you just google ‘random girl’ and hope for the best.”

A separate post claimed, “This is how Israel and US spread lies about Iran. Caught out yet again.”

The Doomsday Clock, a symbolic representation of humanity’s proximity to catastrophe, was moved closer to midnight on Tuesday amid growing concerns over nuclear weapons, climate change, and disinformation.

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, which introduced the metaphorical clock at the start of the Cold War, adjusted its time to 85 seconds to midnight, four seconds closer than last year.

The announcement comes during US president Donald Trump’s second term, in which he has shattered global norms, and withdrawn from international organisations.

In a statement explaining the shift, the board noted that “Russia, the United States, China and other major countries have become increasingly aggressive, adversarial and nationalistic.” The decision was made after consultations with a panel that includes eight Nobel laureates.

The board added that “hard-won global understandings are collapsing, accelerating a winner-takes-all great power competition and undermining the international cooperation critical to reducing the risks of nuclear war, climate change, the misuse of biotechnology, the potential threat of artificial intelligence and other apocalyptic dangers.”

Heightened risks of a nuclear arms race were highlighted, particularly with the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty between the United States and Russia due to expire next week. The board also noted President Trump’s push for a costly “Golden Dome” missile defence system, which it said would further militarise space.

Climate change was another key factor in moving the clock forward. The board pointed to record levels of carbon dioxide emissions, describing them as the key driver of the planet’s warming temperatures. It noted that Trump had sharply reversed US climate policy, while several other countries also retreated from earlier commitments.

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists was founded by Albert Einstein, Robert Oppenheimer, and other nuclear scientists at the University of Chicago. The Doomsday Clock was first set at seven minutes to midnight in 1947 and has moved closer in subsequent years as global threats evolved.

Last year, the clock was advanced by only one second, reflecting cautious optimism regarding Trump’s newly inaugurated promises to pursue peace.

Australia has cancelled the visa of Israeli social media influencer Sammy Yahood, who runs an anti-Islam campaign, saying it will not allow visitors who spread hatred to come to the country. 

Australian Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke said on Tuesday, “Spreading hatred is not a good reason to come to Australia.” The cancellation came just hours after Yahood announced that his visa had been revoked three hours before his flight from Israel.

“People who want to visit Australia should apply for the correct visa and come for the right reasons,” Burke told a foreign media outlet.

Before his visa was cancelled, Yahood had posted on X, “Islam ACCORDING TO ISLAM does not tolerate non-believers, apostates, women’s rights, children’s rights, or gay rights.”

Yahood, originally from the UK and a recent Israeli citizen, had also advocated for the deportation of United States Representative Ilhan Omar [A Somali-American Muslim] and ridiculed the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Last week, Israel bulldozed UNRWA’s headquarters in East Jerusalem, drawing strong condemnation from Palestinian leaders and the international community.

Despite the visa cancellation, Yahood flew from Israel to Abu Dhabi but could not board his connecting flight to Melbourne. 

He wrote on X, “I have been unlawfully banned from Australia, and I will be taking action,” adding, “This is a story about tyranny, censorship and control.”

Yahood’s visa was cancelled under legislation previously used to block visitors who promote hatred. Minister Burke has revoked visas in the past for Israeli-American activist Hillel Fuld and Israeli lawmaker Simcha Rothman over Islamophobic rhetoric and concerns that their visits would spread division.

The conservative Australian Jewish Association, which had invited Yahood to speak in Sydney and Melbourne, strongly condemned the decision by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government.

The deputy chief minister of India’s Maharashtra state, Ajit Pawar, died on Wednesday after the charter aircraft he was travelling in crashed, the country’s aviation regulator said. Four other people on board the aircraft were also killed.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said two members of Pawar’s staff and two crew members were on board. “No person on board has survived,” the regulator said in an initial statement.

Media reports said Pawar was travelling to his home region to canvass in local body elections when the aircraft went down. The plane had departed from Mumbai and was headed to Baramati, around 250 kilometres away. Reports added that the aircraft attempted an emergency landing before the crash.

Video footage showed smoke rising from parts of the wreckage, which was scattered across an open field.

Pawar was part of the Maharashtra state government and backed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He led a faction that split from the opposition Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in 2023. He belonged to a prominent political family in the state.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed sympathy with the families of those killed in the crash. In a post on X, he said: “Saddened by the tragic air crash in Baramati, Maharashtra. My thoughts are with all those who lost their loved ones in the crash.”

“Praying for strength and courage for the bereaved families in this moment of profound grief,” he added.

Indonesia has received its first three Rafale fighter jets from France, marking a significant step in modernising the country’s ageing air force, a defence ministry official said.

As per the details, the jets are part of a multi-billion-dollar defence deal between the two countries.

Jakarta, France’s top arms client in Southeast Asia, has purchased up to 42 Rafale jets and French-built frigates and submarines as President Prabowo Subianto increases defence spending.

“The aircraft have been handed over and are ready for use by the Indonesian Air Force,” Defence Ministry spokesperson Rico Ricardo Sirait told Reuters.

He confirmed that Indonesia has officially taken possession of the jets following an $8 billion agreement signed in 2022 and expanded last year.

The three Rafales arrived on Friday and are now stationed at Roesmin Nurjadin Air Base in Pekanbaru, on Sumatra’s western coast. Sirait said more jets are expected later this year, though he did not specify the number.

Alongside the Rafales, the country has evaluated other options, including China’s J-10 and the US-made F-15EX.

For the longer term, Jakarta has also signed a contract to acquire 48 KAAN fighter jets from Turkiye. These fifth-generation jets are powered by General Electric F110 engines, the same type used in Lockheed Martin’s fourth-generation F-16 fighters.

Separately, Reuters reported this month that Indonesia and Pakistan have discussed a potential deal for Jakarta to purchase combat jets and armed drones.

The mayor of Shariff Aguak, a municipality in the province of Maguindanao del Sur, Philippines, has narrowly escaped an assassination attempt after gunmen fired a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) at his convoy in broad daylight.

As per the details, the attack took place at around 6:20 am on Sunday, with CCTV footage showing suspects firing a rocket launcher at Mayor Akmad Mitra Ampatuan’s bulletproof black SUV near a petrol station. The mayor was inside the armoured vehicle at the time of the ambush.

According to Anwar Kuit Emblawa, the mayor’s executive secretary, the SUV absorbed the impact of the blast, preventing the mayor from getting hurt. “Had the vehicle not been armoured, the mayor would be dead,” Emblawa said in an interview. “By God’s grace, he’s unscathed, not a scratch.”

The mayor’s backup vehicle, a pickup truck, was also hit by bullets during the attack. Two security escorts travelling with the convoy sustained injuries. Emblawa said the wounds were non-life-threatening and confirmed that both guards were being treated at the Bangsamoro Regional and Medical Center in Datu Hoffer.

Initial reports said the assailants carried out the attack from a white minivan before fleeing the area. The incident occurred in a populated area during daylight hours, with vendors and bystanders present near the highway.

“It happened in full view… parked right by the highway with vendors around,” Emblawa said, adding that investigators were expected to identify suspects quickly due to the presence of CCTV footage and witnesses. When asked about a possible motive, he said: “That’s one of the risks politicians face.”

The broad daylight attack prompted a pursuit operation by a joint police and military team. According to the Philippine News Agency, three alleged ambushers were later killed during the chase. Authorities said high-powered firearms were recovered from the suspects’ vehicle.

Ampatuan has survived multiple attempts on his life, with reported attacks in 2010, 2014 and 2019. He sustained injuries in two of the earlier incidents, after which his vehicle was upgraded with armour.

Shariff Aguak, formerly known as Maganoy, is a municipality in the province of Maguindanao del Sur and forms part of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. It was renamed in 1996 and has a population of 33,982, according to the 2020 census.

Former US Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton have joined growing criticism of the Donald Trump administration following the fatal shooting of US citizen Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis.

Obama, in a rare political statement posted on X, described Pretti’s killing as “a heartbreaking tragedy” and said it should serve as “a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party,” warning that core national values were increasingly under threat.

Clinton also condemned what he called “horrible scenes” unfolding in Minneapolis and across the country, saying such events “never should have taken place in America.” He urged people to “stand up” and “speak out,” adding that the moment would shape the country’s future and warning against the erosion of freedoms.

The comments come after federal agents shot Pretti, a 37-year-old Minneapolis resident and intensive care unit nurse, during an immigration enforcement operation on Saturday. Authorities said Pretti was taken to hospital and later died from multiple gunshot wounds. Federal officials claimed he was armed and resisted attempts to be disarmed, a version of events disputed by bystander videos that appear to show him holding a phone before the shooting.

The incident is the second fatal shooting linked to federal immigration enforcement in Minneapolis this month and has triggered daily protests in the city.

President Donald Trump, responding in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, said his administration is “reviewing everything” related to the shooting. He declined to say whether the agent acted appropriately but claimed Pretti was carrying “a very dangerous gun” and criticised him for bringing a weapon to a protest. Trump said federal immigration officers would eventually leave the area but did not provide a timeline.

Political pressure has intensified in Washington DC, with eight more Democrats signing on to a resolution seeking the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, bringing the total number of co-sponsors to 120. The Democratic Party posted “IMPEACH KRISTI NOEM” on X on Sunday.

Legal action has also begun in Minnesota, where state and county authorities have moved to preserve evidence related to the shooting, amid concerns over federal handling of the investigation.

Protests have continued in Minneapolis and other US cities, with demonstrators calling for the removal of federal immigration agents and accountability for the killings. Labor groups and local officials have warned that the lack of coordination between federal, state and local authorities has worsened tensions and put both civilians and officers at risk.

Despite receiving an invitation from US President Donald Trump to join the proposed ‘Board of Peace’, India has not formally associated itself with the initiative so far.

India was absent from the ceremony held in Davos where 20 world leaders, including President Trump and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, signed the board’s charter. The absence has triggered discussion in Indian diplomatic and media circles, with some linking New Delhi’s hesitation to concerns surrounding the Kashmir dispute.

President Trump has said the board’s primary objective is to make the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza permanent and to supervise an interim administrative setup in the Palestinian territory.

“This is not just for America, but for the whole world. I think we can spread it to other places. Like we did successfully in Gaza,” Trump said while outlining the initiative.

However, some observers in India believe joining the board could expose the disputed region of held Kashmir to increased international or US involvement. Trump has on several occasions offered to mediate between India and Pakistan on Kashmir, particularly following the May 2025 escalation between the two countries. India has consistently rejected third-party mediation on the issue.

According to a BBC Hindi report, the Board of Peace is being formed at a time when the US is withdrawing from several United Nations bodies, raising questions about whether the initiative is intended to undermine the UN’s role.

Concerns have also been raised that the board could reinforce a unipolar global order led by the US.

In an editorial, The Hindu described Pakistan’s decision to join the board as “a warning signal to India”. The paper pointed to Trump’s tendency to project himself as a global peacemaker, citing his claims of resolving several international disputes during his first year in office.

“If Trump decides to include the Kashmir dispute in his peace plans, the Peace Board will try to resolve it. Once it joins the board, it will also be difficult for India to object to the deployment of its troops in the international peacekeeping force,” the editorial said.

Former Indian ambassador to the United Nations Syed Akbaruddin wrote in the Times of India that a Security Council resolution limits the board’s mandate until December 31, 2027, and requires it to submit reports every six months.

He noted that these provisions were included to prevent the arrangement from becoming permanent. In contrast, Akbaruddin wrote that Trump’s peace initiative has no defined timeline and “could be used outside Gaza as well”.

He added that some UN officials have indicated the framework could be applied to other conflict zones.

Former Indian ambassador to Nepal and Vietnam Ranjit Roy said the decision presents difficulties for New Delhi.

“India’s dilemma has increased. Whether India accepts it or rejects it, it will have an impact. I think the risks of joining the Peace Board are high. First of all, Trump is its chairman and it seems pointless to expect justice from his transactional approach,” BBC Hindi quoted him as saying.

“It is not clear whether each country will have the same status in this,” Roy said.

The Hindu also noted that tensions in US-India relations and ongoing trade negotiations may be factors behind India’s decision not to reject the invitation outright, warning that doing so could provoke a response similar to Trump’s past disagreements with the French president.