标签： Asia

Fresh from an eight-hour flight from the UK to Washington, DC, Humza Yousaf, the former First Minister of Scotland, greeted a small gathering of Muslim community members with a clever twist on the Eid greeting, using the name of New York City’s mayor-elect, Zohran Mamdani. The phrase, ‘Zohran Mubarak,’ drew cheers and applause, setting the tone for a visit that was about much more than celebration. Yousaf, the first Muslim to lead a Western nation, was there to listen, offer guidance, and foster connections. ‘You are not guests of the west. You are building the west,’ he declared, emphasizing the integral role of Muslim Americans in shaping the nation. Yousaf, who has faced his share of institutionalized bullying and threats, urged the community to remain resilient against the rising tide of far-right extremism. Drawing from his own experiences, he warned that the challenges for Mamdani, the newly elected mayor, would only intensify. ‘When I was first minister, the death threats we received were so credible, we had to have additional security for our family,’ he shared with Middle East Eye. Yousaf’s US tour, spanning Washington, DC, Chicago, Phoenix, and Los Angeles, aims to build ‘support networks’ and mentor the next generation of Muslim leaders. With two decades of political experience, Yousaf hopes to use his platform to empower Muslims in public service. ‘We have the scars from that, metaphorically speaking. And therefore, I think we’re able to advise others who are thinking of going into politics,’ he said. Yousaf, who served as First Minister of Scotland during the early months of Israel’s conflict in Gaza, has been a vocal advocate for Palestinian rights. His wife, Nadia el-Nakla, is of Palestinian heritage, and her family’s ordeal in Gaza has deeply impacted him. ‘It’s incumbent on us that we build a transatlantic alliance to tackle anti-Muslim hatred,’ Yousaf asserted, highlighting the need for a united front against Islamophobia. He criticized figures like Elon Musk and far-right extremists for perpetuating anti-Muslim rhetoric and called for stronger social media regulation. Despite the challenges, Yousaf remains committed to the fight for democracy and equality. ‘If we all leave, then who’s here to fight?’ he asked, emphasizing the importance of standing firm against forces that seek to marginalize Muslims. Yousaf’s message is clear: the Muslim community must continue to lead and inspire, proving that victory is possible, as demonstrated by Mamdani’s historic election win.

In a significant development in international relations, senior military officials from North Korea and Russia convened in Pyongyang this week to discuss enhanced cooperation, as reported by North Korean state media on Friday. The talks, led by North Korea’s Pak Yong Il, vice director of the Korean People’s Army’s General Political Bureau, and Russia’s Vice Defense Minister Viktor Goremykin, focused on deepening bilateral ties under the leadership of Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin. While no specific agreements were disclosed, the discussions underscored the growing alignment between the two nations, particularly in the context of Russia’s ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This meeting follows recent intelligence from South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, which indicated potential recruitment and training activities in North Korea, possibly for additional troop deployments to Russia. South Korean officials, including Unification Ministry spokesperson Chang Yoon-jeong, have refrained from speculating on the exact nature of these discussions but are closely monitoring the situation. Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s recent visit to South Korea highlighted the strengthening of U.S.-South Korea security ties, with praise for South Korea’s plans to increase military spending in response to regional threats, including those posed by North Korea. According to South Korean assessments, North Korea has already sent approximately 15,000 troops and significant military equipment to Russia since last fall, with further deployments of military construction workers and deminers expected.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a prominent pro-Israel organization, has announced plans to closely monitor the policies and personnel decisions of New York City Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani. In a statement released on Wednesday, ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt expressed concerns over Mamdani’s alleged promotion of antisemitic narratives and associations with individuals accused of antisemitism. Greenblatt emphasized that Mamdani’s views on Israel starkly contrast with those of the majority of Jewish New Yorkers, raising fears that his administration could exacerbate the recent surge in antisemitic incidents in the city. The ADL plans to establish a dedicated tipline for reporting antisemitic acts and will create a ‘Mamdani Monitor’ to track his governance. The move has drawn sharp criticism from Muslim civil rights groups, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which accused the ADL of hypocrisy and anti-Muslim bias. Mamdani, the first Muslim mayor of New York City and a self-declared Democratic Socialist, has been vocal in his criticism of Israel’s policies, accusing the country of genocide in Gaza. His campaign faced repeated attacks from pro-Israel groups, and he has been the target of Islamophobic rhetoric on social media. Despite the controversy, Mamdani secured a decisive victory in the mayoral election, winning four out of five boroughs. He is set to take office on January 1, 2026.