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Former imam of Mecca’s Grand Mosque jailed for 10 years

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A Saudi court has sentenced a prominent former imam of the Grand Mosque in Mecca to 10 years in prison, Middle East Eye reported.

The Specialised Criminal Appeals Court in Riyadh sentenced Sheikh Saleh al Talib to prison after overturning a previous acquittal, US-based rights group Democracy for the Arab World Now (Dawn) said.

Saudi authorities first detained Talib in 2018 and gave no reason for his arrest, which came after he delivered a sermon criticising the General Entertainment Authority, a government body in charge of regulating the entertainment industry, according to activists, Middle East Eye reported.

He condemned concerts and events that he said broke away from the country’s religious and cultural norms.

Talib has a global following, with thousands of people watching his sermons and recitations of the Quran on YouTube.

His arrest comes as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman continues his drive to reform Saudi society and diversify the Gulf kingdom’s oil-dependent economy.

Since MBS, as the Crown Prince is popularly know, assumed de facto power, rights groups say authorities have arrested dozens of several prominent clerics and imams who are critical of his reform agenda, Middle East Eye reported.

Among those detained are Salman al-Odah, who called for the Saudi Arabian people to reconcile their differences with Qataris after Riyadh led a region-wide blockade of the Gulf country.

Dawn, a group founded by the late journalist Jamal Khashoggi, confirmed Talib’s court sentencing on Twitter.

Abdullah Alaoudh, a spokesperson for Dawn, condemned the prison sentence and said it was part of a growing pattern of clerics and imams facing imprisonment for speaking out against reforms pursued by MBS, Middle East Eye reported.

“The sentencing of the Grand Mosque’s Imam Saleh Al Talib to 10 years for criticizing social changes and the sentencing of women activist Salma Alshehab to 34 years for calling for real social reforms is a stark irony that tells us that MBS’s oppression threatens every group,” said Alaoudh, whose father is Salman al-Odah.

“What is in common between all political prisoners including Imam Al Talib is that they peacefully expressed their opinions and got arrested for it. This repression should stop against everyone (with) no exceptions.”

Other recent critics arrested include PhD student Salma al-Shehab, who was sentenced to 34 years in prison for tweets that were critical of the Saudi government, Middle East Eye reported.

International News

US intelligence blackout hurt Ukraine: Zelensky

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the United States temporarily suspended crucial intelligence sharing with Ukraine for three days, leaving its forces without American warnings of Russian ballistic missile attacks during that period.

In an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press, Zelensky also said restrictions on satellite communications used by Ukrainian forces had not been fully lifted, raising fresh questions about Washington’s military and intelligence support for Kyiv.

The Ukrainian leader said the intelligence interruption affected information that only the United States could provide, particularly advance warnings of ballistic missile strikes.

“We didn’t see attacks of Russia using ballistic missiles,” Zelensky said.

He said Ukraine continued receiving intelligence from European governments and other international partners, but their capabilities could not fully replace American systems.

“We have dozens of countries who help. But only United States has this unique intelligence to say, to tell us, to tell our side when Russia uses ballistic missiles,” he said.

“And we didn’t get it during ballistic attacks during three days.”

Zelensky said the intelligence-sharing arrangement had since been restored.

“It was blocked for some period of time. And then it was deblocked by American side. We are very thankful for this. Now it works,” he said.

The disclosure came amid growing tensions between Washington and Kyiv over President Donald Trump’s handling of the war with Russia.

Zelensky also raised concerns about restrictions affecting Starlink, the satellite internet network operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, and its military-related services.

Asked whether the interruption had been deliberate, Zelensky said Ukrainian military officials believed the restrictions originated with the American government.

“Of course the message came from government. I don’t know from whom, what cabinet, and etc,” he said.

He added that Ukrainian officials believed SpaceX had technically implemented the restrictions following instructions from Washington.

Zelensky acknowledged that he did not know which American official might have authorised the move.

Asked whether satellite services had been fully restored, he replied: “No, not of course. We have limitation.”

The Ukrainian President’s account was challenged by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who appeared separately on the same programme.

Bessent said Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio had denied that anyone in the administration ordered restrictions on Starlink.

“President Trump and Secretary Rubio have categorically said that no one in the Trump administration did that,” Bessent said.

He called Zelensky’s allegation reckless and said he had no information about the reported intelligence interruption.

“Again, I don’t know anything about that, but we’ve been very clear,” Bessent said.

The conflicting accounts left unresolved who was responsible for the communications disruption and why American intelligence sharing had been temporarily interrupted.

Zelensky said Ukraine remained dependent on American military assistance despite its growing network of European partners.

“If it’s without United States’ support, it’s very difficult,” he said.

Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Since then, American intelligence, weapons and satellite communications have played an important role in Ukraine’s defence against Russian military operations, including missile and drone attacks.

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India-EFTA trade pact opens new opportunities for Norwegian investment across key sectors

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India’s strong economic growth trajectory and the implementation of the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) are creating significant opportunities for Norwegian investors, particularly in manufacturing, renewable energy, infrastructure, financial services and the digital economy, according to industry insights.

With GDP growth projected to remain around 6.5 per cent annually through 2030, India is widely expected to become the world’s third-largest economy by the end of the decade, according to EY India report.

Analysts attribute this outlook to strong domestic consumption, rising investments, ongoing infrastructure development and reforms aimed at improving the ease of doing business.

The India-EFTA TEPA, which came into effect in October 2025, is being viewed as a major milestone in India-Norway economic relations.

The agreement seeks to promote trade liberalisation, facilitate investment flows and deepen cooperation in areas such as innovation, sustainability and advanced technologies.

The pact includes investment commitments of $100 billion over 15 years and is expected to support the creation of one million direct jobs in India, aligning with the country’s broader goals of expanding manufacturing capacity and strengthening its position in global value chains.

Industry experts believe the agreement creates a strong framework for Norwegian companies to expand their presence in India by combining Norway’s expertise in technology, sustainability and capital-intensive industries with India’s large market and growth ambitions.

Several sectors have been identified as priority areas for collaboration, including manufacturing, renewable energy, oil and gas, maritime services, seafood processing, information and communication technology (ICT), fintech and financial services. These industries are expected to benefit from increasing bilateral cooperation under the TEPA framework.

The rapid expansion of India’s digital economy and digital payments ecosystem is also creating opportunities for Norwegian companies seeking exposure to one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing consumer markets.

At the same time, India’s policy measures aimed at attracting foreign investment are expected to provide a supportive environment for long-term investors, as per the report.

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International News

Tanker attacked northeast of Saudi Arabia: UKMTO

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London, Oct 17: A tanker has reportedly been attacked 78 nautical miles northeast of Al Jubail, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Saturday.

The master of the tanker reported being attacked by a rocket-propelled grenade from a small boat, resulting in damage to the aft port quarter, according to the UKMTO.

Crew are accounted for and reported safe, and a complete damage assessment and environmental impact are unknown, said the UKMTO.

Earlier this week, Yemen’s Houthi group said that it had launched a large-scale missile and drone attack targeting an airport and oil facilities in Saudi Arabia. It also vowed to continue strikes against Saudi targets in the coming days.

In a statement broadcast by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV, Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said the group targeted Saudi energy giant Aramco in Dhahran in the Eastern Province, as well as King Khalid International Airport and an Aramco refinery in Riyadh.

According to Sarea, the operation involved “a large number of ballistic and cruise missiles and drones,” which accurately hit their targets, causing damage and fires.

The Houthi spokesperson said the operation was carried out in retaliation for Saudi Arabia-led strikes on the Houthi-held capital of Sanaa and other areas under the group’s control. He said Saudi-led forces had carried out 2,281 air and missile strikes since the latest escalation began, Xinhua news agency reported.

Sarea vowed that the group’s attacks “deep inside Saudi Arabia” would continue in the coming days, targeting airports and oil facilities. He also renewed a warning to international airlines, civilians and employees to stay away from airports and oil facilities in Saudi Arabia that the group had designated as targets.

The Houthi claim came after the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said it intercepted six Houthi missiles and three drones heading towards Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. An Aramco administrative building in Dhahran was targeted Tuesday evening, sparking a limited fire, while debris from two cruise missiles intercepted over Riyadh injured four people and damaged 15 homes, Saudi authorities said Wednesday.

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