The new head of Britain’s foreign intelligence service MI6 has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of deliberately dragging out negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, in an assessment that complicates President Donald Trump’s efforts to strike a deal by the end of the year. “We all continue to face the threat of an aggressive, expansionist and revisionist Russia, which seeks to subjugate Ukraine and NATO members,” Blaise Metreweli said in her first public appearance since becoming head of MI6 in September. She said of Putin: “He is delaying negotiations and shifting the costs of war onto his own population.” “Putin should be in no doubt, our support is enduring. The pressure we are putting on behalf of Ukraine will be sustained,” she added, in comments that could imply British intelligence officials think Russia sees its advantage in fighting through the winter. Metreveli’s words suggest there has been little change in Western security officials’ assessment that Putin has no intention of stopping fighting in Ukraine anytime soon, despite talks to end the war that have taken place between the Kremlin and US negotiators in recent weeks. Last month, her predecessor Richard Moore told Bloomberg that the latest intelligence he had access to before leaving his post indicated the same. The Trump administration has made a renewed push for peace in recent weeks. A US delegation led by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and European national security advisers on Sunday in an attempt to establish a framework for an agreement acceptable to both Kiev and Moscow. Earlier this month, Witkoff and Kushner met with Putin for several hours of talks in the Kremlin. Yuri Ushakov, a foreign policy aide to Putin, warned on Sunday that Russia considers some of the Ukrainian proposals for a settlement “unacceptable”, citing as an example that Russia “1 million percent” will not cede control of the Crimean peninsula, which it annexed in 2014. Metreweli, the first female MI6 head of the London speech agency, was making her first role as head of the London speech agency. She also: Much of Metreweli’s speech was devoted to her personal experience in her former post as MI6’s chief technology officer, a role known as ‘Q’ made famous worldwide in the James Bond film franchise. She argued “the defining challenge of the 21st century is not just who uses the most powerful technologies, but who guides them with the greatest wisdom.” She listed artificial intelligence, biotechnology and quantum computing as having the potential to create “science fiction-like tools” that offer both challenge and reward. “As China will be a central part of the global transformation taking place this century, it is vital that we, as MI6, continue to inform the government’s understanding of China’s rise and the implications for UK national security,” Metreweli added, as Prime Minister Keir Starmer prepares to visit Beijing next month. ©2025 Bloomberg LP This article was generated from an automated news agency feed with no text modifications.

The 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) will kick off on Thursday, March 26, with the final to be played on Sunday, May 31. BCCI interim CEO Hemang Amin announced the tournament dates to all ten franchises during a briefing ahead of Tuesday’s mini-auction in Abu Dhabi, according to a report by Cricbuzz. As per the norms, the BCCI has called a meeting with representatives of all ten IPL franchises on Monday, December 15, one day before the IPL auction. During this meeting, the teams received information about the preliminary schedule for the upcoming tournament edition. However, the detailed schedule has not been revealed yet but is expected to be released soon. RCB likely to play opening match According to the report, defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are likely to play the opening match; however, it is still unclear whether the match will be held at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Traditionally, the first match of the IPL season is hosted at the home ground of the defending champions, but the accessibility of the M Chinnaswamy Stadium is yet to be confirmed. The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has received conditional approval from the state government to host IPL matches; however, official clearance will be granted once the safety and security arrangements are fully ensured. Last year, a stampede outside the RCB home ground during the victory celebrations led to 11 deaths. Since then, the Chinnaswamy Stadium has not hosted any matches and even the Women’s World Cup matches have been moved. About IPL Auction As far as the IPL auction is concerned, franchises will be eyeing a total of 77 slots, with 31 of them allocated for overseas players. The highest reserve price remains at ₹ 2 crore, and 40 players have opted to enter the auction within this range. Cameron Green, David Miller, Devon Conway, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Gus Atkinson, Wanindu Hasaranga, Venkatesh Iyer and Liam Livingstone are among the players with the highest starting bids at the auction. Glenn Maxwell and Faf du Plessis in particular are two of the biggest players who have not signed up for the IPL 2026 auction. Around 350 players are expected to be part of the IPL 2026 auction, which will be held on Tuesday, December 16 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Of these players, 240 are Indians and 110 are foreign. The auction starts at 14:30 IST. A total of 173 cricketers were retained, including 49 overseas players.

On Monday, Canada announced the implementation of fairer rules regarding citizenship by descent, with Bill C-3, An Act to amend the Citizenship Act (2025) coming into force. The legislation, which received royal assent earlier this year in November, proposed modernizing laws related to citizenship by descent to “reflect how Canadian families live today, both inside and outside of Canada”. Now in effect, people born on or before December 15, 2025, who would have been Canadian citizens if not for the ‘first-generation limit’ or other outdated rules, can now apply for citizenship certificates. “For many, this moment has been long awaited. Today’s changes confirm their place in the Canadian family and strengthen the sense of belonging that citizenship represents,” Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said in a statement. What is changing for prospective Canadian citizens? The previous rule in Canada, implemented in 2009, introduced a strict, automatic ‘First Generation Limit’ that placed restrictions on citizenship on people born outside the country. Under the previous rule, if you were born outside of Canada to a Canadian parent who was also born outside of Canada, you would not automatically be eligible to be a Canadian citizen at birth. Regardless of a foreign-born Canadian parent’s ties to Canada, it was not possible to pass citizenship to children if these children were born abroad. The new rule, effective December 15, 2025, removes this First Generation limit, which allows a foreign-born Canadian parent to pass citizenship to their foreign-born child. However, the parent must meet the new ‘Substantial connection’ test. What is the ‘Substantial Connection’ Test? A foreign-born Canadian parent who wishes to grant citizenship to their foreign-born children must prove that they have substantial ties to Canada. They can do this by proving physical presence in Canada for a cumulative total of 1,095 days (three years) before their child’s birth or adoption. Retrospective restoration for ‘lost Canadians’ Children born between 2009 and 2025 to Canadian parents affected by the earlier rule were legally excluded from citizenship at birth. Under the new rule’s restorative provision, these excluded people are now automatically recognized as Canadian citizens, meaning they do not have to meet the ‘Substantial Connection’ test and can immediately apply for a Proof of Citizenship Certificate. Does anything change for adopted children? Children born abroad and adopted by Canadian parents were also previously subject to the ‘First Generation Limit’ restrictions. However, now these children are also eligible for citizenship, provided their parents can meet the ‘Substantial Connection’ criteria, that is to say that they lived in Canada for three years before adoption.

The International Criminal Court on Monday rejected a challenge from Israel, which argued that the court’s investigation into crimes committed in the Gaza Strip was invalid. In its ruling, the tribunal also upheld the ICC arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024 to face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The ICC began an investigation into the Palestinian territory in 2021, and with the ruling against Israel’s challenge, it will now be able to resume it. Israel claimed that a separate investigation would have to be launched into the Hamas attacks in Israel on October 7, which it said changed the situation and required the ICC to provide a second formal notice of investigation. Monday’s 44-page ruling upholds the decision to investigate alleged war crimes committed by Israel in the Palestinian Territory. Israel’s foreign affairs spokesman Oren Marmorstein said in an X post that Israel “rejects” the decision, accusing the ICC of “politicization”. The court is currently investigating another Israeli challenge to its jurisdiction, as well as a request to disqualify prosecutor Karim Khan over allegations of sexual abuse that he vehemently denies. In July, it denied an Israeli request to withdraw the arrest warrants, as well as an appeal against that decision in October. Established in 2002, the ICC prosecutes individuals accused of the worst atrocities, such as war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. Israel is not a signatory to the Rome Statute that created the court, but that does not prevent the country from bringing legal challenges before it. In 2021, the court ruled that its jurisdiction extends to the Palestinian territories of Gaza and the West Bank, including east Jerusalem. A fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has been in place since October 10, but Palestinian people have continued to die in Israeli attacks in Gaza since then. sh/cc/rmb This article was generated from an automated news agency feed with no text modifications.

BOGOTA, Colombia – The Colombian government’s delegation to peace talks with the National Liberation Army on Monday condemned an “armed strike” – confining civilians to their homes and restricting commercial activities – that the rebel group is waging this week in response to the US military’s naval buildup in the Caribbean. Colombia’s delegation said in a statement that a decision by the Marxist guerrilla force, which has been active since the 1960s and is known by its Spanish acronym ELN, to carry out an “armed strike” only affects rural communities in Colombia. “A protest against the actions of the US government targeting communities makes no sense at all,” the government delegation said. ELN’s “armed strikes” often involve school closures in areas under the group’s control. Shops and public transport are also ordered to close, and civilians who disobey the rebel’s orders are threatened with death. The ELN said its latest “armed strike” would last until 6am local time on Wednesday. In a statement published on Friday, the rebels justified the measure by citing the Trump administration’s “neocolonial plans” to “deplete” Latin America’s natural resources. The group’s announcement of its strike came a day after the Trump administration seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, as Washington escalates pressure on the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who the Trump administration has accused of sending drugs to the United States. The tanker was sanctioned by US authorities in 2022 for its alleged role in smuggling oil on behalf of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, and was carrying at least a million barrels of crude oil bought by Cuba. Colombia’s human rights ombudswoman said in a statement Monday that during the “armed strike,” the ELN rebels attacked an army base in Arauca province and a police station in Norte de Santander province. The human rights defender said that an ambulance driver was killed during the attack on the police station as both sides exchanged fire. Colombia suspended peace talks with ELN in January after the rebel group carried out a series of deadly attacks on towns in northeastern Colombia that forced more than 50,000 people to flee their homes. Both sides still have peace delegations that have tried unsuccessfully to resume talks. The ELN is Colombia’s second largest rebel group, with an estimated 6,000 fighters in Colombia and neighboring Venezuela. The group has been accused of running illegal gold mines and drug trafficking routes in both countries, and supports Maduro’s authoritarian government. Colombia’s government has attempted to hold peace talks with the ELN and several other rebel groups over the past three years, with President Gustavo Petro’s administration granting these groups several cease-fires as an incentive. Critics argue that the rebels have used the ceasefire to recruit more fighters and tighten their grip on rural communities. In 2016, Colombia entered into a peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, known by its Spanish acronym FARC, which led to the disarmament of more than 13,000 fighters. ELN and several other groups are now fighting for territory abandoned by FARC. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed with no text modifications.

A policeman was killed, while a terrorist was reportedly wounded in a gunfight in a village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district on Monday, December 15, PTI reported, citing officials. The gunfight has ended but the area remains under a tight security cordon with all escape routes blocked to contain the amassed terrorists, they added. The encounter happened in Soan village, Majalta area of ​​the hilly district, after security forces launched a manhunt after receiving information about three terrorists allegedly linked to the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) group, the report said. Inspector General of Police, Jammu, Bhim Sen Tuti informed that contact was made with the terrorists after the police received specific information about them in the remote village. “Joint team of Special Operations Group (SOG) of the police, along with Army and CRPF, is on the job,” the news portal quoted the officer as saying. Meanwhile, in a post on X, the IGP Jammu said, “a very small SOG team engaged the terrorists! Comb of the forest was hampered due to darkness and treacherous terrain.” The officials said that the encounter took place around 6 pm in the besieged village and lasted for some time, resulting in injuries to one SOG jawan who later succumbed to injuries, the report said. One terrorist was also reportedly injured in the initial gunfight, they said, adding that the operation was suspended for the night and would resume on Tuesday. Reinforcements were rushed to the area to strengthen the cordon and neutralize the terrorists, it added. Terrorist Arrested in Pulwama The recent search comes days after security forces arrested a suspected Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM)-linked terrorist in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district and recovered a grenade from him, PTI reported, citing police, on Friday, December 12. The Jammu and Kashmir Police in Awantipora, along with security forces, arrested Musaib Nazir, a terrorist associate involved in supporting terrorist activities, a police spokesperson told the news portal. Based on reliable information about a suspect’s movement in the Naner Midoora area, security forces have launched a search in the area, the spokesperson said. During the search, Nazir, who lives in Ladhoo Khrew in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district and is said to have links with JeM, was detained and a grenade was recovered from him, the spokesperson added. He mentioned that a case has been filed and that further investigation is underway. (With input from agencies.)

Jakarta – Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture (Menko PMK) Pratikno said the government is mobilizing national power to deal with flood and landslide disasters in Aceh, West Sumatra and North Sumatra. Pratikno emphasized that the satisfaction of the needs for temporary housing (shelter) for victims will be accelerated. “This disaster is being handled by all national forces. The coverage is very wide, in three provinces. The emergency response is still ongoing, and at the same time, shelters must be prepared immediately. Even if you can go straight to permanent housing, it will definitely be better,” Pratikno said while inspecting the disaster site in Padang Pariaman, West Sumatra, on Monday (2152/51). Scroll TO CONTINUE CONTENT Pratikno supports the readiness of the Padang Pariaman Regency Government which has prepared about 1.7 hectares of land for the construction of shelters. According to him, this step is a good example of accelerating post-disaster recovery. According to Pratikno, the location prepared is suitable because it is close to the residents’ hometowns, has good road access and is supported by the availability of water and electricity. “Usually people don’t want to be too far from their original place of residence and close to the place of their existence. We are obliged to find a safer and more suitable place. Here the location is very good and this is what we will try to prepare as the earliest shelter,” he explained. The Coordinator for Disaster Management in Sumatra explained that in terms of funding, the construction of shelters is supported by Disaster Ready-to-Use Funds (DSP) which are ready to be used. According to him, land readiness, which must meet various safety considerations and accessibility of supporting facilities, is the biggest challenge. “These shelters are the responsibility of BNPB during the emergency response period. After that, permanent housing will be handled by the relevant ministry. What is important now is that people move immediately from refugee camps to safe and suitable temporary housing,” he said. In addition to inspecting the shelter construction site, Pratikno also ensured improvements to road and bridge access so that logistics and aid distribution routes ran smoothly. He emphasized that the government will continue to accompany the community in the recovery process until life returns to normal. “The state is not only present in times of need, but also in the process of restoring life. We will continue to accompany the community so that they can stand up and return to planning a stronger tomorrow,” said Pratikno. (fca/moa)

Jakarta – Minister of Health (People) Budi Gunadi Sadikin said that as many as 600 general practitioners, specialist doctors and nurses will be sent to hospitals and community health centers in areas affected by floods and landslides in Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra. Medical personnel will be sent on a rotating basis every two weeks. This was conveyed by Budi when he submitted a report to President Prabowo Subianto at the Plenary Cabinet Session (SCP) at the State Palace, Jakarta on Monday (15/12/2025). Budi said 450 of the 600 doctors were ready to be deployed this week. “Our first group will send 600 people. As many as 450 of them are ready to leave this week,” Budi said. Scroll TO CONTINUE CONTENT He said that the Ministry of Health has collected data on the needs of general practitioners, specialist doctors and nurses in all places affected by the disaster. The Ministry of Health will coordinate with the TNI for technical deviations to disaster areas. “If you transport them with a Hercules, you can do it, so they can feel Hercules,” said Budi. Budi said the doctors came from various campuses and hospitals across Indonesia. The Ministry of Health opens recruitment through professional organizations and medical faculties, such as Gadjah Mada University (UGM), Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia (UI), Muhammadiyah University and Nahdlatul Ulama. “We’re opening it up wide. We have a volunteer database,” he said. Budi added that the humanitarian mission of medical personnel is analogous to military operations for TNI soldiers. “So an award will be given to you, as if you participated in a humanitarian operation,” he said. Apart from that, the Minister of Health confirmed that all hospitals affected by the disaster in the Sumatra region are now back in operation. The services that opened first were the Emergency Room (ED) and operating theatre, before gradually returning to providing full services. For your information, the latest development is that the number of identified deaths in the disaster areas in Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra has increased to 1,030 people as of today. “The death toll has increased by 14 people, from 1,016 last Sunday, to 1,030 people now,” head of the BNPB disaster data, information and communication center, Abdul Muhari, said in a press conference on Monday (15/12). Watch the video ‘Report to Prabowo, Health Minister to send 600 doctors to Sumatra disaster’: (fca/maa)

Jakarta – The Ministry of Immigration and Corrections (KemenImipas) won two awards in the 2025 Public Information Award. This event was held on Monday (15/12/2025) by the Central Information Commission (CIC). The two awards in question are the Special Award for New Public Bodies and the Public Bodies with an Informative Predicate. Scroll TO CONTINUE CONTENT The award was received by the Expert Staff for Inter-Institutional Relations, Anggiat Napitupulu. KIP assesses that KemenImipas, as a new ministry, has made efforts to provide public information services that are easily accessible, responsive, and in accordance with the principles of information disclosure. On this achievement, the Minister of Immipas, Agus Andrianto, said that this achievement was the result of joint work from all levels that continue to strive to strengthen the public information management system. This includes the development of digital channels, the optimization of information and documentation management officers, as well as the improvement of the quality of information services to the public. “This award is a motivation for us to continue to improve transparency and the quality of public information services. Information disclosure is not only an obligation, but also a form of moral responsibility towards society,” Minister Agus said. Minister Agus’ commitment to realizing openness of public information was realized through the issuance of a decision of the Minister of Immigration and Corrections Number M.IP-26.OT.01.01 of 2025 on Information and Documentation Management Officers of the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections. In winning this award, Minister Agus emphasized that his party remains committed to continuing to deliver public services that are professional, have integrity and are oriented towards the needs of the community. This, he continued, is in keeping with the spirit of bureaucratic reform and good governance. (audio/audio)

Jakarta – The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) will this week recall former Minister of Religion (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas. This summons is related to the alleged corruption case in the Hajj quota for the 2024 period. “Yes, just wait. I, at that time, we sent the letter last week, possibly this week,” Acting Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the Corruption Eradication Committee, Asep Guntur Rahayu, told journalists at the KPK’s Red and White Building, South Jakarta on Monday (25/12/2025). Scroll TO CONTINUE CONTENT Asep did not say exactly which day Yaqut will be summoned for the second time. However, the summons was sent last week. “Last week the letter was sent,” he said. The alleged corruption case investigated by the KPK is related to the distribution of an additional 20 thousand pilgrims for the Hajj quota in 2024 or when Yaqut Cholil Qoumas was Minister of Religion. Indonesia obtained this additional quota after the President of the Republic of Indonesia at the time, Joko Widodo (Jokowi), lobbied Saudi Arabia. The additional quota is intended to reduce the queue or waiting period for regular Indonesian Hajj pilgrims, which can reach 20 years or even more. Before the additional quota, Indonesia received a Hajj quota of 221 thousand pilgrims in 2024. After the addition, Indonesia’s total Hajj quota in 2024 became 241 thousand. However, the additional quota is divided equally, namely 10 thousand for the regular Hajj and 10 thousand for the special Hajj. In fact, the Hajj Law regulates a special Hajj quota of only 8 percent of Indonesia’s total Hajj quota. Ultimately, Indonesia used a quota of 213,320 for regular Hajj pilgrims and 27,680 for special Hajj pilgrims in 2024. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said the Yaqut-era policy meant that 8,400 regular Hajj pilgrims who should have queued for 14 years to go there in 2024 failed to leave. The Corruption Eradication Commission also stated that there was an initial suspicion of state losses of IDR 1 trillion in this case. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) seized houses, cars and even dollars in connection with this case. Also see the video ‘Former Minister of Religion Yaqut asked 18 questions about Hajj quota corruption’: (Maa/Maa)