No Namaz, No Animal Sacrifice On Roads: Yogi Adityanath Govt’s Tough Bakrid Guidelines
New Age Islam News Bureau
25 May 2026
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath chairs a meeting regarding the upcoming festivals and law and order, in Lucknow. (Source: PTI Photo)
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· No namaz, no animal sacrifice on roads: Yogi Adityanath govt’s tough Bakrid guidelines
· Hezbollah chief says hopes for Iran-US deal and that it includes Lebanon
· Saudi Arabia, other Muslim countries condemn far-right Israeli minister’s treatment of Gaza flotilla activists
· Large-scale Russian attack on Ukraine leaves four dead and dozens injured
· Nigerian Military Reveals Boko Haram/ISWAP’s Plan To Attack During Eid El Kabir
· Malaysia ready to take Israel to ICJ over alleged Gaza flotilla abuses, says Selangor MB
· Islamic Emirate Condemns Deadly Attack on Passenger Train in Quetta
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India
· Lakhs of tribals gather at Red Fort to demand removal of converted Muslims, Christians from ST list
· ‘Mohammad’ Deepak’s gym faces eviction, he struggles to pay house loan EMI
· From tennis coach to online videos: Maharashtra ATS concludes ‘lone wolf’ attacker self-radicalised
· BJP minority panel chief urges Muslims not to slaughter cow on Bakrid
· NIA raids banned Darul Uloom, Sirajul Uloom in J&K; ex-Jamaat chief's house also under scanner
· UP Madarsa Board Results Declared: 88.26% students pass, girls outshine boys
· Red Fort blast rocket, IED tips from AI: NIA probe reveals ChatGPT role in attack
· Mamata Banerjee slams BJP govt’s ‘bulldozer politics’, questions mandate
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Mideast
· Jordan, Venezuela sign cooperation agreements during foreign minister’s visit
· Iran's Supreme Leader cut off from direct contact amid strike fears: CBS
· Israel military says soldier killed in southern Lebanon
· Rubio accuses Hezbollah of trying to ‘drag Lebanon back into chaos’
· Turkish police storm offices of main opposition CHP party, firing tear gas and rubber bullets
· Syria wraps up pivotal elections ahead of new parliament session
· Syria pushes for academic reforms to meet needs of employment sector
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Arab World
· Muslims begin the annual Hajj in sweltering heat against a backdrop of war concerns
· Saudi program showcases Yemen rebuild drive at Global Urban Forum
· Hajj pilgrim numbers surpass 2025 arrivals despite Middle East war
· Brunei’s crown prince receives Saudi ambassador
· Saudi Arabia wins 5 awards at Asian Physics Olympiad in South Korea
· Eid Al-Adha staycations — a time to pause, travel and reconnect
· Foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, other Muslim countries condemn opening of Somaliland embassy in Jerusalem
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Europe
· Five NATO countries block plan for mandatory Ukraine funding – Telegraph
· EU leaders silent on deadly Ukrainian attack on college dorm
· Fatwa issued regarding Eid al-Adha holiday in Azerbaijan
· Muslim candidates divide right in Italian city vote
· New ‘civic landmark’ minaret installed on mosque in latest Bristol planning applications
· Russia reveals scope of upcoming international security forum
· 'Home to many UN agencies': WHO office in Ukraine damaged after multiple strikes by Russia
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North America
· Trump tells US negotiators 'not to rush' into deal with Iran
· National Muslim Leaders to Hold News Conference in Baltimore in Response to San Diego Mosque Terror Attack
· Oil prices slide on hopes of US-Iran peace deal
· Suspect killed after opening fire on Secret Service near White House
· Iran wiped out fifth of US Reaper drone fleet – Bloomberg
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Africa
· Army Warns Against Fake Facebook Accounts Impersonating Generals
· Military promises safe Sallah celebrations in North East
· Former finance minister Romuald Wadagni sworn is as Benin's new president
· Benin-Niger relations show signs of thaw as Wadagni takes office
· Ebola Outbreak: NCDC Places Emergency Centre On Alert, Warns Importation Risk High
· Tinubu Speaks On Contesting APC Presidential Ticket Against Osifo
Southeast Asia
· Malaysia maintains strong position in halal industry as Jakim seen as global benchmark, says BMI
· Malaysian Haj pilgrim dies of brain haemorrhage in Mecca, 10th fatality this season
· Malaysia deepens defence ties with Türkiye as LMS Batch 2 programme launched in Istanbul
· Malaysia’s medicine supply stable and sufficient despite Iran conflict, says economy minister
· GSF 2.0 activists return to KLIA after Israeli detention; one stable after lung surgery in Istanbul following assault injury
· Three senators sworn in at Dewan Negara, including UniMAIWP vice-chancellor and two reappointments
· MAF pledges compliance with Tengku Hassanal’s decree on military activities in Pahang
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South Asia
· How the Islamic Emirate’s Tariff Policies Sparked a Boom in Local Flour Mills
· Khurshid Alam new chairman of Islami Bank
· Country moving towards energy self-reliance: PM
· Procurement Commission Approves 15 Development Projects Worth AFN 4.2 billion
· Eid al-Adha Congratulatory Message of His Highness, The Amir al-Mu’minin Sheikh al-Qur’an Wa al-Hadith, Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada
· Security and Public Health Everyone Responsibility During Eid Days
· Baitul Mukarram to host five Eid jamaats
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
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No namaz, no animal sacrifice on roads: Yogi Adityanath govt’s tough Bakrid guidelines
Maulshree Seth
May 25, 2026
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath chairs a meeting regarding the upcoming festivals and law and order, in Lucknow. (Source: PTI Photo)
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Ahead of Bakrid, the Uttar Pradesh government has made it clear that no permission will be granted for offering namaz on roads or for animal sacrifice at public places during the festival.
In a statement at an event recently, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had warned that no namaz on the road would be allowed and told devotees to pray in shifts. In a veiled remark, he also asked devotees to control their “numbers (population)”.
Chairing a high-level law and order and administrative review meeting through video conferencing on Sunday, Adityanath directed all district administrations to ensure that Bakrid rituals are conducted strictly within legal and traditional limits.
Officials said the CM categorically stated that animal sacrifice would be permitted only at pre-designated and traditionally approved places.
Curbs on meat slaughter
Officials further said the Chief Minister instructed authorities to maintain close surveillance on illegal slaughterhouses and ensure that no unauthorised slaughtering activity takes place anywhere in the state during the festival period.
He also directed officials to stop open sale of meat and ensure that even licenced slaughterhouses do not keep animals beyond their approved capacity.
The government has also ordered district administrations to put in place proper sanitation and waste disposal systems for post-sacrifice remains to avoid any public inconvenience or communal tension. Municipal bodies and local authorities have been asked to remain on alert during the festival.
On namaz
On the issue of namaz, officials said the Chief Minister issued clear instructions that prayers should be offered only at traditional religious sites such as mosques and eidgahs.
He directed police and district administrations to ensure that roads are not blocked for offering namaz under any circumstances.
Special instructions were also issued for sensitive districts including Sambhal, Rampur, Saharanpur, Aligarh and Bijnor.
Officials said the Chief Minister directed district authorities to study previous years’ incidents, identify potential troublemakers, and take preventive action in advance. Continuous foot patrolling, flag marches and coordination with peace committees at district, tehsil and police station levels were also ordered.
Source: indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/lucknow/bakrid-guidelines-yogi-adityanath-no-namaz-animal-sacrifice-road-10706433/
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Hezbollah chief says hopes for Iran-US deal and that it includes Lebanon
May 24, 2026
BEIRUT: Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem expressed hope Sunday for an agreement between Iran and the United States and that Lebanon, where Israel and the Iran-backed group are at war, would be part of its terms.
Hezbollah and Israel have clashed since the militants drew Lebanon into the Middle East war on March 2 by firing rockets at Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iran’s supreme leader in US-Israeli strikes.
Iranian officials have said an understanding with Washington to halt the regional war will include Lebanon.
But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that US President Donald Trump had reaffirmed his support for Israel’s right “to defend itself against threats on all fronts, including in Lebanon.”
“God willing, this agreement will be finalized and there are signs of its completion, and accordingly that we too will be among those included in this agreement — an agreement of a full cessation of hostilities,” Qassem said in a televised address broadcast on Hezbollah’s Al-Manar television channel.
The speech marked the anniversary of Israel’s withdrawal from south Lebanon in 2000 after around two decades of occupation and following persistent pressure from Hezbollah.
Qassem said that Iran, which has provided Hezbollah with funding and weapons for decades, “is on top” and would emerge from the regional war “with its head high.”
Expectations of a Middle East deal come as Lebanon prepares for a fourth round of direct talks with Israel in Washington on June 2 and 3, preceded by a meeting between military delegations at the Pentagon on May 29.
‘Existential threat’
Qassem again repeated his group’s rejection of direct talks, charging that key Israel ally Washington “is not an honest broker.”
“Direct negotiations are completely unacceptable and are a pure gain for Israel,” he said, addressing Lebanese authorities who last year committed to disarming Hezbollah and then banned its military activities after the latest war erupted.
“Abandon the direct negotiations and do not give to America so that it gives to Israel... Return to the national understanding,” he added.
“Don’t be with them and stab us in the back. You won’t gain anything, and it’s better for you to stand with your country.”
Despite heavy losses in 2023-2024 hostilities with Israel and the current war, Hezbollah refuses to disarm, arguing that its weapons are an internal Lebanese matter and not up for discussion in Washington.
“Disarmament means stripping Lebanon of its defensive capability and the capability of the resistance (Hezbollah) and this people, paving the way for annihilation,” he said.
“Disarmament is annihilation and we cannot accept it.”
A state monopoly on weapons demanded by Lebanese authorities “at this stage is aimed at targeting the resistance and is an Israeli project” whose objective is to “annihilate the resistance.”
“All the facts prove that we and our people face an existential threat,” Qassem said.
“We will not bow, even if the whole world turns against us.”
Source: arabnews.com
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Trump slams ‘losers’ criticizing Iran deal
24 May, 2026
FILE PHOTO © Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
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US President Donald Trump has lashed out at critics of a still-unfinished peace deal with Iran, saying negotiations with Tehran are proceeding in an “orderly and constructive manner” but that he has instructed his representatives “not to rush” into an agreement.
Trump insisted that any deal reached by his administration would not resemble the Obama-era 2015 nuclear agreement, which he unilaterally abandoned during his first term and has described as “one of the worst deals ever made.”
“Our deal is the exact opposite, but nobody has seen it, or knows what it is. It isn’t even fully negotiated yet,” he wrote on his social media network Truth Social on Sunday. “So don’t listen to the losers, who are critical about something they know nothing about.”
Multiple hardline Republicans have criticized the rumored terms of the deal, with US Senator Lindsey Graham warning they would be a “nightmare for Israel,” Senator Ted Cruz calling them a “disastrous mistake,” and Senator Roger Wicker saying they could render the achievements of Operation Epic Fury “for naught.”
Axios reported on Sunday that the emerging deal would take the form of a 60-day memorandum of understanding, which could be extended by mutual consent. Under the draft, the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened without tolls, Iran would clear mines it had deployed in the waterway, and the US would lift its blockade on Iranian ports and issue limited sanctions waivers allowing Tehran to sell oil.
The draft also reportedly includes Iranian commitments never to pursue nuclear weapons and to negotiate over suspending uranium enrichment and removing its highly enriched uranium stockpile, though the method remained under negotiation, according to the New York Times and CBS News. Fox News reported that the deal was “95% there” as of Sunday, but negotiators were still haggling over “language.”
Trump said “time is on our side” and warned that the US blockade would remain “in full force and effect” until an agreement is reached, certified, and signed.
Iranian officials have not publicly commented on the reported terms, but previously said the focus of talks remained on ending the war, and that nuclear details were not being discussed at this stage. Fars news agency has also disputed Trump’s claim that the Strait of Hormuz would simply be “opened.”
Iran has repeatedly portrayed control over the Strait of Hormuz as its main strategic leverage and has sought to change the legal regime governing the strait. Mohammad Mokhber, a senior adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, described the waterway as “a capability equivalent to an atomic bomb.”
The proposed MOU also reportedly states that the war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon would end. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly raised concerns about that provision and other parts of the draft during his call with Trump on Saturday.
Source: rt.com
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Saudi Arabia, other Muslim countries condemn far-right Israeli minister’s treatment of Gaza flotilla activists
May 24, 2026
Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir sparked global outrage earlier this week after promoting a video of himself taunting activists from the flotilla to Gaza who were detained by his police force. (Screenshot)
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RIYADH: The foreign ministers of Arab and Muslim countries, including Saudi Arabia, strongly condemned on Sunday the “appalling, humiliating, and unacceptable” acts committed by an extremist Israeli minister against activists from a flotilla to Gaza.
Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir sparked global outrage earlier this week after promoting a video of himself taunting activists from the flotilla to Gaza who were detained by his police force.
His tactics drew a backlash this week, as foreign leaders — and even coalition partner Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — condemned his on-camera treatment of some 430 detainees from the Global Sumud Flotilla.
In one clip, Ben-Gvir is seen waving a large Israeli flag over hunched-over detainees whose hands appear to be bound.
In another, he taunts a kneeling detainee whose wrists are zip-tied, yelling “Am Yisrael Chai” at him — Hebrew for “The nation of Israel lives.”
The foreign ministers of the Kingdom, the UAE, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkiye, Pakistan, and Indonesia said that the deliberate public humiliation inflicted by Ben-Gvir on the detainees constitutes a shameful assault on human dignity and a clear violation of Israel’s obligations under international law.
The ministers also condemned in the strongest terms the unlawful and extremist incitement and violence perpetrated by Ben-Gvir and other Israeli officials against Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territory.
The ministers warned that Ben-Gvir’s provocative actions fuel hatred and extremism and undermine efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution.
They demanded that Ben-Gvir be held accountable for his actions and called for concrete measures to end his repeated provocations, incitement, and violations, to prevent him from continuing his threats and to ensure that such actions are not tolerated or repeated.
The ministers further stressed the need to protect the human rights and dignity of all detainees, ensure their humane treatment, and guarantee full respect for international law in the occupied Palestinian territory.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2644809/saudi-arabia
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Large-scale Russian attack on Ukraine leaves four dead and dozens injured
25 May 2026
Tinshui Yeung
More than 50 locations across Kyiv were reportedly attacked
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Russia carried out a deadly large-scale wave of strikes against Ukraine, firing hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles on Saturday night.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv was the main target, but other areas were also hit, with about 100 people injured.
Four people were killed in the capital and wider region, with explosions heard throughout the night. Dozens of residential buildings, a school, an opera house and a museum were damaged.
Russia's defence ministry said the Oreshnik hypersonic missile was used in the strikes, which it described as coming in response to Ukraine's "attacks on civilian infrastructure". Ukraine's military denies targeting civilians.
Early on Monday, energy infrastructure was damaged in a missile attack on Russia's Belgorod region bordering Ukraine, including the city of Belgorod, the Interfax news agency reported, citing local authorities.
There were no casualties but power and water supply were interrupted, Interfax said. It did not provide further details.
Russia's Yaroslavl region, northeast of Moscow, also came under under a drone attack, the Governor Mikhail Yevrayev said on Telegram.
Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
He accused Kyiv of hitting a student dormitory in the town of Starobilsk on Friday, in which Russian officials said 21 people were killed.
Ukraine's military said its forces did carry out an attack in Starobilsk in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine overnight on Friday, but maintained that it struck an elite Russian drone military unit.
European leaders have condemned the Russian strikes early on Sunday, which came after warnings from Zelensky that Russia was planning an attack, and that it may have been preparing to use the Oreshnik missile.
It reportedly travels at more than 10 times the speed of sound, is hard to intercept, and is known to be capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads.
Zelensky - who on Sunday visited a number of damaged buildings in Kyiv - said that Russia had launched the Oreshnik missile against the city of Bila Tserkva in the Kyiv region.
Ukraine's presidential office later said it was not confirming that, saying work was ongoing to determine exactly what had been used.
It would be the third time Russia has used the Oreshnik missile in the conflict.
Both French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemned the reported use of the weapon, while EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas described it as a "political scare-tactic and reckless nuclear-brinkmanship".
UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper lamented the "awful scenes" in Kyiv and vowed to "keep up pressure on Russia".
At the French Open tennis tournament in Paris, tearful Ukrainian player Marta Kostyuk said "all my heart and all my thoughts go to the people of Ukraine" after winning in the first round.
And Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk, who on Saturday night defended his heavyweight world titles in a fight against Dutchman Rico Verhoeven in Egypt, said: "I know right now, Ukrainian people are sitting in the bomb shelter, my daughter too, in a bomb shelter, sent me a message saying: 'Papa, I love you, you will win."
Ukraine's air force said that from 18:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Saturday, it detected 90 missiles and 600 drones.
It said that early data showed 55 ballistic and cruise missiles and 549 drones were shot down or intercepted, while 19 missiles may not have reached their targets.
It also acknowledged that there were 16 direct missile and 51 drone hits in 54 locations.
Residential buildings, shopping centres and emergency services buildings were reportedly struck.
Zelensky said 69 people had been injured in the capital alone, while a water-supply facility was also attacked and the Chornobyl Museum in Kyiv had been "effectively destroyed".
Ukraine's Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said the attack on the museum was "a deliberate attack on history, memory, and truth". Footage and pictures shared by the ministry showed broken glass windows and rubble scattered everywhere.
Russia's defence ministry said it did not carry out strikes against Ukraine's civilian infrastructure, but that command posts of Ukraine's ground forces and the defence ministry's main intelligence directorate were hit.
Ukraine has not confirmed this.
Kyiv's Mayor Vitali Klitschko earlier said two people had been killed in the city itself, with 36 others, including two children, in hospital.
A person was killed after a nine-storey residential building in the central Shevchenko district was hit and a fire broke out on the top floors.
In the same district, a strike near an air raid shelter at a school blocked its entrance with debris, trapping several people inside.
Emergency services rushed to multiple scenes of damage across the city, putting out blazes, clearing debris and treating the injured.
In the wider Kyiv region, a further two people were also killed, according to regional head Mykola Kalashnyk.
He described the attack as "deliberate terror against peaceful people", adding that "emergency services are working in all places".
Outside Kyiv, the regions of Cherkasy, Kharkiv, Odesa, Poltava, Sumy, and Zhytomyr have also come under attack, according to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.
Source: .bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyp6831yp5o
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Iran world's leading sponsor of terrorism, says Marco Rubio in Delhi
May 25, 2026
NEW DELHI: US secretary of state Marco Rubio, in the presence of minister of external affairs S Jaishankar, launched a scathing attack on Iran, calling it "the world's leading sponsor of terrorism".
"Look what they are doing now. They are holding hostage civilian vessels, including ships that have now been stuck in the Persian Gulf," said Rubio, adding that the Donald Trump administration would never allow Iran to have nuclear weapons."This is an Iran that has organised the assassinations and attempted assassinations of people all over the world, including civilians and dissidents and people they don't agree with. There is no nation on earth that sponsors more terrorism than Iran. And they have spent millions and millions of dollars sponsoring terrorism and targeting individuals all over the world," he added.
The Iranian embassy here rejected Rubio's remarks, saying what was currently "disrupting and threatening maritime security and the passage of vessels" in Strait of Hormuz were the "military, provocative, and adventurist actions of the US and the Zionist regime in the region". "These two regimes are the principal drivers behind the escalation of global security and energy crises and seek to advance their political and military objectives through the creation of instability and insecurity," it said.
The embassy also said that Iran, "as a committed member of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, has consistently declared that its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful and remains under the supervision of International Atomic Energy Agency".
Source: indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/iran-worlds-leading-sponsor-of-terrorism-says-marco-rubio-in-delhi/articleshowprint/131296726.cms
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Nigerian Military Reveals Boko Haram/ISWAP’s Plan To Attack During Eid El Kabir
May 25, 2026
By Enioluwa Adeniyi
The Headquarters, Joint Task Force North-East, Operation Hadin Kai, has said comprehensive security arrangements have been put in place ahead of the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations.
Naija News reports that the command said the measures were aimed at ensuring a safe and secure environment for residents across the North-East during the festive period.
This was contained in a statement by the Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force North-East, Operation Hadin Kai, Lt. Col. Sani Uba.
The command said credible intelligence indicated that remnants of Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province terrorists might attempt isolated attacks during the celebration.
It said the terrorists could target civilian locations using suicide bombers and improvised explosive devices, particularly in crowded areas.
Uba said the Theatre Command had anticipated the threats and activated measures to counter them.
The statement said troops had been deployed to critical and vulnerable locations across all sectors of the theatre.
It added that surveillance and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance assets had been activated, while patrols had been intensified.
The command said security forces were working closely with sister agencies, the Civilian Joint Task Force and community vigilance groups to prevent attacks.
“Ahead of Wednesday’s celebrations, troops have been forward-deployed to critical and vulnerable locations across all sectors of the Theatre, surveillance and ISR assets have been fully activated, patrols have been intensified, and security forces are operating in close coordination with sister agencies, the CJTF, and community vigilance groups to forestall any threat and guarantee a secure festive period for all residents,” the statement read.
Residents Advised To Stay Vigilant
The military advised residents to conduct Eid prayers and festivities close to their homes and familiar communities where possible.
It urged the public to avoid large open gatherings where practicable and remain alert in crowded places such as markets, motor parks, banking halls and prayer grounds.
The command also asked residents to report suspicious persons, unattended objects or unusual movements to the nearest military checkpoint, police station or civil-military liaison point.
It further advised the public to cooperate with security personnel during patrols and screening operations.
Operation Hadin Kai warned residents against unnecessary movement, especially at night or in areas with limited security presence.
It also cautioned against spreading unverified information capable of causing panic.
The command urged traditional rulers, religious leaders, media organisations and community stakeholders to encourage timely reporting of credible security information.
The military reassured residents of the North-East that troops were on standby and fully prepared.
The statement added, “Operation Hadin Kai reassures all residents of the North East that troops are on standby, fully prepared, and firmly in control.
“The Command remains resolute in its determination to deny terrorists any freedom of action and ensure that the Eid El Kabir celebrations proceed in an atmosphere of peace, safety, and dignity for all.”
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2026/05/25/nigerian-military-reveals-boko-haram-iswaps-plan-to-attack-during-eid-el-kabir/
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Malaysia ready to take Israel to ICJ over alleged Gaza flotilla abuses, says Selangor MB
25 May 2026
KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 — The Malaysian government is prepared to take the Zionist regime to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) once lawyers complete the collection of information and supporting evidence.
Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said the legal action follows alleged acts of brutality, including kidnapping and torture involving activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) 2.0 humanitarian mission, particularly Malaysian participants.
According to Utusan Malaysia, Amirudin said the move will be followed by continued diplomatic pressure by the government to demand the full liberation of Gaza.
“We will not remain silent, we will not stop. While the legal team gathers all documentation on violations of international law, they (GSF participants) were kidnapped more than once, they were tortured,” he said.
He added that Malaysia will pursue the matter at the international level while also continuing diplomatic efforts and nationwide outreach activities.
“We will bring this to the international court, we will continue diplomatic pressure, and we will also travel across Malaysia,” he said during the Global Sumud Flotilla 2.0 Homecoming Ceremony at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1 on Monday night.
Amirudin said that although the GSF 2.0 mission has concluded, Malaysia’s and Selangor’s commitment to the Palestinian cause will continue.
He said there are plans to bring international conferences related to Palestine to Malaysia in the future to strengthen advocacy efforts.
He also said the initiative aligns with proposals by Sumud Nusantara Chief de Mission Muhammad Nadir Al-Nuri Kamarulzaman, who has called for the continuation of efforts through a future Sumud 3.0 mission to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
“GSF 2.0 moved stronger and faster, and this time we did not only come with teams at sea, but also participants on land through the Rafah crossing, and we have completed or are close to completing 30 containers that will be finalised soon,” he said.
He added that Sumud 3.0 will continue the struggle until the blockade on Gaza is lifted and global attention is renewed on the humanitarian crisis.
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/05/25/malaysia-ready-to-take-israel-to-icj-over-alleged-gaza-flotilla-abuses-says-selangor-mb/221278
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Islamic Emirate Condemns Deadly Attack on Passenger Train in Quetta
May 25, 2026
KABUL: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan strongly condemned the recent attack on a passenger train in Quetta, the capital of Pakistan’s Balochistanprovince.
In a statement, Foreign Ministry spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi said on Sunday that the explosion resulted in the deaths and injuries of several civilians.
He stressed that the killing and harming of civilians, by any side and in any form, is condemnable.
The ministry also expressed sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims affected by the incident.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://www.thekabultimes.com/islamic-emirate-condemns-deadly-attack-on-passenger-train-in-quetta/
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India
Lakhs of tribals gather at Red Fort to demand removal of converted Muslims, Christians from ST list
May 24, 2026
Nearly 1.5 lakh people from over 500 tribal communities across India gathered at the Red Fort grounds on Sunday and called for the removal of converted Muslims and Christians from the Scheduled Tribe category.
The event, titled ‘Janajati Sanskritik Samagam’, was organised by the RSS-affiliated Janajati Suraksha Manch and allied groups. It was held against the backdrop of the 150th birth anniversary year of tribal icon Birsa Munda. Union home minister Amit Shah was also present at the event.
“This cultural programme is aimed at giving a major push to our long-pending demand for de-listing converted tribals from the Scheduled Tribe category. This issue goes back to the time of tribal leader Kartik Oraon ji, who raised it before the then prime minister Indira Gandhi in the late 1960s,” Maalaya Jigdung of the Janjati Suraksha Manch, Assam prant, said.
Jigdung said the mobilisation was aimed at building support for a constitutional amendment under Article 342.
“This has been one of our oldest demands and the core objective behind the formation of the Janjati Suraksha Manch. Through this programme, we have showcased tribal cultural identity while also strengthening our movement for de-listing,” Jigdung told PTI.
Tribal women participated in large numbers during the tribal cultural procession during the Janajati Sanskritik Samagam
The programme began with cultural processions from five points in Delhi — Rajghat Chowk, Ramlila Maidan, Ajmeri Gate Chowk, Qudsia Bagh near Kashmiri Gate and Shyamgiri Temple near Shastri Park Bus Depot — which later converged at the Red Fort grounds. Participants wore traditional attire, carried tribal flags, and performed folk dances.
Tribal members carrying flags and banners take part in a tribal cultural march at Delhi’s Red Fort during the Janajati Sanskritik Samagam
Groups from Assam, Tripura, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and other regions participated, with organisers calling it the “largest tribal cultural mobilisation of its kind”.
Kartik Oraon, former Congress MP and tribal leader from Bihar, had earlier submitted memoranda in 1967 and 1970 seeking removal of Scheduled Tribe benefits for tribals who had converted to Christianity or Islam.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai during the Janjati Sanskritik Samagam, marking the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of tribal icon Birsa Munda, at Red Fort in New Delhi. (PTI Photo
Balaram Phangcho from Assam’s Karbi Anglong district was quoted by PTI as saying that around 2,000 to 2,500 people travelled from his district.
“Those who have converted, especially to Islam or Christianity, should be removed from the Scheduled Tribe category. De-listing should be done through an amendment under Article 342,” he said.
Shanti Bikas Chakma from Tripura said the gathering would help protect tribal culture and traditions, adding that people from multiple communities had come together.
Source: indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/lakhs-of-tribals-gather-at-red-fort-to-demand-removal-of-converted-muslims-christians-from-st-list/articleshowprint/131294027.cms
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‘Mohammad’ Deepak’s gym faces eviction, he struggles to pay house loan EMI
Aiswarya Raj
May 25, 2026
Months after he was threatened by right-wing groups for taking a stand against the harassment of an elderly Muslim shopkeeper, Deepak Kumar, now popularly known as “Mohammad Deepak”, faces the prospect of losing the gym that he has been running.
On January 26, Deepak (38) stood up to a group of men who were harassing a 70-year-old Muslim shopkeeper, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease. The group were demanding that the elderly man drop the word “Baba” from his shop’s name. When Deepak intervened, people from the group asked him his name, to which he replied, “Mohammad Deepak”. A video of the incident went viral, thrusting Deepak into the limelight but also bringing unwanted attention. On January 31, several members of the Bajrang Dal gathered to confront Deepak, but were restrained by the police.
Following the incidents, reports emerged that several people had stopped showing up at Deepak’s gym — with membership falling from 150 to just 15. Subsequently, there was an effort by several people, including those from the legal fraternity, to rally behind “Mohammad Deepak”. Eventually, he said, the membership went up again to nearly 70 people a day.
However, the “economic boycott” stemming from social isolation and communal frenzy had a significant impact, leaving Kumar unable to meet the monthly rent of Rs 40,000 for the space from which he runs the gym. The instalments to be paid for a loan he took to build a house have also been affected.
Deepak told The Indian Express that the owner of the building where his gym is housed has asked him to vacate after he failed to pay rent for four months. “I have not been able to consistently pay the rent. However, things were looking up as almost 70 people had started coming in every day. He implied that he did not want to rent it out to me because I ‘stood up for Muslims’,” Deepak said.
Although a group of lawyers from the Supreme Court had lent him a hand by offering to pay annual membership fees for the gym, Deepak said, “It required more to keep the gym running”.
“When the membership drive was active, I used the amount for the EMIs and my child’s fees, and I could not pay the rent regularly. Now he has threatened me with eviction,” said Deepak.
In March, Deepak had moved the Uttarakhand High Court, seeking the quashing of the FIR against him. Observing that to cooperate with the investigation, ‘Mohammad’ Deepak should not “indulge in sending messages or videos on social media”, the Uttarakhand High Court disposed of his petition by stating that it was essential for a fair and transparent investigation.
Source: indianexpress.com
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From tennis coach to online videos: Maharashtra ATS concludes ‘lone wolf’ attacker self-radicalised
Mohamed Thaver
May 25, 2026
The Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) investigating the “lone wolf” attack in Mira Road where Zaib Ansari (31), a US returned national, allegedly attacked two security guards last month has concluded that he was had been “self radicalised” from the internet and was not in touch with any else.
The agency has found that he saw videos of some controversial preachers like Anwar Al-Awlaki, a radical American Muslim cleric of Yemeni descent linked to a series of terror globally.
The agency has also found that while in the US, he did tennis coaching for students and made money, he did not have a regular source of income in India. Apart from that he went through a divorce and staying alone and hence his landlord had asked him to leave as she did not want to give house on rent to bachelors.
It was these factors coupled with the attacks on Palestine that drove him to some extreme content on the internet which radicalised him over the past six to eight months, an officer said.
The agency has found that apart from Al-Awlaki, Ansari would go through English videos of a London-based popular YouTuber, a Saudi-based Salafist preacher and a Malaysia-based preacher in addition to literature from a Salafist website that they believe drove him to attack the two security guards.
“We were investigating if Zaib was in talks with any handlers from foreign countries. We have not found any evidence of that. Based on our probe, it appears he was self-radicalized after going through the online content,” the officer said.
“In the US, he had seen lone wolf attacks being carried out at the behest of Islamic State (IS) and planned to do the same here. Hence following up in their steps, he left behind a note assuming he would be killed. When he survived, he came home and dressed in black waiting for the police to nab him,” the officer said. He further told that he did not die by suicide as it was considered a sin.
The officer said that he had also been asked by his landlord to vacate the house as the landlady was concerned that he was staying alone. “Initially, when he got the house on rent, his mother had accompanied him from the US. Later, his wife was staying with him, but when they parted ways, he had been staying alone since the past few months and he was having difficulty getting a new house on rent as was a bachelor,” the officer said. Ansari is currently lodged in Thane prison.
Ansari had allegedly stabbed two security guards at an under-construction site in Mira Road, on April 27 after asking them their religion, as per the guard’s complaint based on which an FIR was registered in the case. The two guards sustained injuries and were eventually discharged by the hospital.
Source: indianexpress.com
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BJP minority panel chief urges Muslims not to slaughter cow on Bakrid
Jatin Anand
May 25, 2026
Issuing an appeal to ensure the peaceful observance of Eid-al-Adha this week, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s minority morcha on Sunday urged Muslims to avoid community animal sacrifices and especially that of large species, keeping religious harmony in mind.
BJP national minority morcha president Jamal Siddiqui said that as per Islam, ‘qurbani’ or sacrifice of animals on Bakrid is considered ‘wajib’ or required and not ‘fard’ or strictly mandatory. He further appealed to the community to protect cows during the festival.
“Bakrid is the festival of renunciation and sacrifice, it should be observed with mutual love and harmony. I urge all Muslim brethren not to sacrifice any prohibited animal, and to especially protect the cow which a large section of the people of the country and especially our Hindu brothers consider as a mother,” said Siddiqui, who hails from the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh’s stronghold of Nagpur in Maharashtra.
“Our Hindu brothers’ religious feelings are attached to cows, and keeping that in mind, there should be no ‘qurbani’ of cows at all…some self-proclaimed custodians of the religion try to mislead the people by terming animal sacrifice as ‘farz’ (or ‘fard’). But as per Islam, ‘qurbani’ is deemed ‘wajib’, and that too only for those with the required means and (social) standing…not for the economically weak, drowned in debt, and already struggling to make daily ends meet,” he further added.
Alleging that “fearmongering” in the name of animal sacrifice was anti-Islam, he said that such attempts could trigger communal tension, disagreement and disputes.
Siddiqui called for ‘qurbani’ at an individual level and in accordance with one’s means and capacity. “Usually, a goat, sheep or dumba (Arabic goat) are sacrificed by one person. In community sacrifices, big animals such as a camel, ox or buffalo are sacrificed by seven people and considered a ‘qurbani’ with seven parts,” he said.
“Today, some people take advantage of this tradition and create pressure on poor Muslims for community sacrifices with the intention of generating funds, which is not right; it also triggers disputes,” he added.
Appealing to the larger Muslim community, he also asked for prayers to be conducted at mosques, idgahs and locations designated by the local administration in two to three shifts, as the case may be, with an aim to ensure minimal inconvenience to the public.
“If it is essential to offer namaz in the open due to some reason, it should be done with the prior permission of the administration,” he added.
Source: indianexpress.com
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NIA raids banned Darul Uloom, Sirajul Uloom in J&K; ex-Jamaat chief's house also under scanner
25 May 2026
The National Investigation Agency on Monday carried out raids in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian and Srinagar districts, including Darul Uloom Sirajul Uloom, which was declared an illegal entity last month.
According to officials, NIA teams conducted searches at the Darul Uloom Sirajul Uloom in the Imam Sahib area during the early hours. The institution provides both religious and formal education to hundreds of students.
In a parallel operation, another NIA team searched the residence of former chief of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami, Shahzada Aurangzeb, in Molu Chitragam area of Shopian.
The central agency also conducted searches at Jamiat ul Banaat, a religious school for girls, in Srinagar's Lal Bazar area.
Authorities are yet to disclose further details about the raids.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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UP Madarsa Board Results Declared: 88.26% students pass, girls outshine boys
May 25, 2026
The Uttar Pradesh Madarsa Education Board on Saturday declared the results of the munshi/maulvi (secondary) and alim (senior secondary) examinations for 2026, with an overall pass percentage of 88.26%.
As many as 55,788 of a total of 80,933 registered students cleared the examinations, with girls outperforming boys across categories.
According to the results, 29,229 girls passed with a success rate of 94.30%, while 26,559 boys qualified with a pass percentage of 85.13%.
In the Munshi/Maulvi (Secondary) examination, 47,036 of 62,232 registered students had appeared.
A total of 41,426 candidates passed, taking the overall result to 88.07%. Girls recorded a pass percentage of 91.46% (21,407 candidates), while 84.72% boys (20,019) cleared the examination with .
Similarly, in the Alim (Senior Secondary) examination, 18,701 students had registered and 16,175 appeared. Among them, 14,362 students passed, resulting in an overall success percentage of 88.79%. Girls once again led the results, with 7,822 passing at a success rate of 90.88%, compared to 6,540 boys who passed with 86.42%.
The examinations were conducted under CCTV surveillance and monitored directly from the Madarsa Board headquarters to ensure a cheating-free process. The state government said the measures reflected its focus on transparency and quality in madarsa education.
Minority Welfare, Muslim Waqf and Haj Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar said the state government was committed to modernising madarsa education under the vision of “Quran in one hand and computer in the other”, as advocated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Students can check their results on the official Madarsa Board website.
Source: indianexpress.com
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Red Fort blast rocket, IED tips from AI: NIA probe reveals ChatGPT role in attack
Imran Ahmed Siddiqui
25.05.26
The probe into the Red Fort blast last year has revealed that the accused terror module, linked to an al Qaida offshoot, allegedly used artificial intelligence and digital platforms such as ChatGPT and YouTube to make IEDs, sources in the National Investigation Agency said on Sunday.
“One of the chargesheeted accused, Jasir Bilal Wani, had used YouTube and ChatGPT to research how to make rockets and IEDs. Jasir allegedly prepared rocket IEDs and tested them in the Qazigund forest along with the co-accused,” said an NIA official.
According to him, these details are part of the 7,500-page chargesheet filed earlier this month before a Delhi court against 10 accused persons, including doctors, in connection with the car bomb blast in November last year that killed 11 people and injured several others.
The high-intensity blast was allegedly carried out by a “white-collar” terror module linked to Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind — an offshoot of al Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS).
“Jasir had stayed at the Al Falah University campus in Haryana on two to three occasions during 2024-25 to provide technical support for the conspiracy. He utilised digital platforms to research various aspects of specialised equipment and chemical compositions related to the incident,” the official said.
Al Falah University had come under the scanner during the probe into the terror module following the alleged involvement of three doctors working there, including the alleged suicide bomber.
Dr Umar un Nabi, the lone occupant of the car that blew up near the Red Fort, worked at Al Falah Hospital along with his colleagues, Dr Muzammil and Dr Shaheen Sayeed.
Apart from Nabi, Muzammil and Sayeed, the others named in the chargesheet are Aamir Rashid Mir, Jasir Bilal Wani, Dr Adeel Ahmed Rather, Mufti Irfan Ahmad Wagay, Soyab, Dr Bilal Naseer Malla and Yasir Ahmad Dar.
AQIS and all its manifestations were notified as terrorist organisations by the Union home ministry in 2018.
“Jasir was introduced to the Pulwama-based Dr Nabi, who drove the explosives-laden car, by Dr Rather. Rather was instrumental in supplying IED ingredients, including powdered sugar and potassium nitrate, to Jasir. Nabi is said to have conducted research on rocket IEDs and provided guidance,” the NIA official said.
Jasir, he said, had used YouTube and ChatGPT, searching for “how to make a rocket and in what proportion should the mixture be”.
The NIA’s chargesheet said Jasir allegedly prepared rocket IEDs and tested them in the Qazigund forest along with Dr Nabi, Dr Shakeel, and the other co-accused. Remnants of the devices were recovered from deep inside the forest by NIA teams based on disclosures made by Jasir.
According to the chargesheet, Nabi, seeing the potential in Jasir, also provided him with two drones with instructions to improve their flying range and payload capacity. They had allegedly planned to weaponise the drones by fitting them with explosives to attack security installations in Kashmir and other parts of the country.
The explosive used in the blast, the NIA said, was Triacetone Triperoxide (TATP), which was manufactured clandestinely by procuring ingredients and conducting experiments to perfect the mixture.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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Mamata Banerjee slams BJP govt’s ‘bulldozer politics’, questions mandate
Sweety Kumari
May 25, 2026
In her first major public address via Facebook Live since her party lost power in West Bengal, Trinamool Congress (TMC) chairperson Mamata Banerjee on Sunday launched a scathing attack on the new BJP government, accusing it of unleashing “bulldozer politics” and altering the election outcome through “massive institutional rigging”.
“Was this truly an election, or merely a mockery in the name of democracy?” the former chief minister asked as she detailed widespread poll irregularities, claiming that nearly one crore voters’ names were deleted from the electoral roll through the Election Commission’s “logical discrepancy” model.
Alleging that Opposition agents were forcibly removed from counting halls, she said,” BJP workers entered counting centres wearing uniforms of the Central forces, and our agents’ ID cards were snatched away… We would have won over 200 seats, but the outcome was altered. If they had truly won, why is there no celebration among the people?”
She said the TMC would pursue legal remedies in constituencies where questions remained over the conduct of elections.
Condemning the ongoing anti-encroachment and eviction drives targeting street vendors and hawkers in Kolkata and nearby areas, Mamata said the administration was operating through brute force.
“Today, the protector has become the predator… Municipal councillors are being arrested every day. The (Kolkata) Mayor and the chairman are kept unaware, yet the corporation is making decisions without any hearings. Those shouting ‘chor, chor (thief, thief) are all outsiders who do not understand the culture of Bengal. That is why bulldozer politics is being used,” the TMC supremo said, referring to demolition notices sent to several party leaders.
She called the demolition of a statue near Salt Lake Stadium that was conceptualised and designed by her, and the tearing down of party offices a “personal vendetta”.
Contrasting the BJP government’s coming to power with her own, after having ended Left Front’s over two-decade rule in 2011, Mamata said, “In my administration, 30 per cent of panchayats were under the control of the Opposition parties, but we never forced them to stop working. Now, even the Kolkata Municipal Corporation is not being allowed to function properly.”
“After coming to power in 2011, we ensured Rabindra Sangeet was played. But this time, even Rabindra Jayanti was not observed properly,” she said.
Accusing the BJP of using political pressure and intimidation against opponents, she said, “The more the BJP tortures TMC in Bengal, the more problems it will face in New Delhi… Our party workers and elected representatives are being tortured and intimidated, but we are holding on.”
She also accused the BJP government of failing to deliver on key welfare schemes while repackaging old financial policies. She stated that people have stopped receiving Lakshmir Bhandar benefits, and claimed that the government’s current budgetary promises regarding Dearness Allowance (DA) and Pay Commission implementations are merely “old promises repackaged in new bottles”.
Addressing the concerns of the minority community in the state following the government’s animal slaughter and loudspeaker guidelines, she said, “I know they (BJP) don’t like the Muslim community… but sound decibel levels could have been regulated. A common rule could have been applied to everyone. No one has the right to take away people’s freedom.”
Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his call for austerity measures, she said, “Instead of gifting chocolates to Italy’s Prime Minister, he could have given them to children. They speak about saving fuel while travelling abroad, yet people are being advised not to buy gold or use cars.”
She said members of the INDIA bloc were likely to meet in the first week of June to discuss a joint strategy, while asserting that the Opposition camp was prepared for a prolonged political battle.
“We are ready to fight, and we will not give up till the end,” Banerjee said, adding that from now on she would be communicating through Facebook Live.
“Those who are watching me on Facebook Live today, I want to tell them that I will speak to you through Facebook Live only. Now, no media is of the people. It is Godi media… My weapon is my Facebook Live… Keep a watch on our party’s social media handles,” she said as she signed off.
Source: indianexpress.com
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Mideast
Jordan, Venezuela sign cooperation agreements during foreign minister’s visit
May 24, 2026
AMMAN: Jordan and Venezuela signed a series of agreements aimed at expanding cooperation during a visit by Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil to the kingdom on Sunday.
Gil met King Abdullah II in Amman, where discussions focused on ties between the two countries, opportunities for cooperation across several sectors and key regional and international developments, the Jordan News Agency reported.
Separately, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi held talks with Gil during what officials described as the first visit by a Venezuelan foreign minister to Jordan in more than 70 years of diplomatic relations.
The two ministers agreed to coordinate with relevant institutions in both countries to strengthen cooperation in agriculture, energy, investment, pharmaceuticals, tourism, information technology and culture.
Safadi and Gil also signed four agreements and memoranda of understanding covering agricultural cooperation, political consultations between the two foreign ministries, academic cooperation between diplomatic institutes and the establishment of a joint committee.
The two sides said they were also working to finalize agreements related to investment protection, double taxation and visa exemptions.
Speaking during a joint press conference, Safadi described the visit as “a new beginning” in relations between the two countries and said both governments shared the political will to deepen ties and expand economic cooperation.
Gil said Venezuela hoped to increase cooperation with Jordan in sectors including pharmaceuticals, technology, transport and agriculture, adding that Caracas viewed Jordan as an important regional partner.
He also praised Jordan’s role in the region and congratulated the kingdom on its 80th Independence Day.
The talks also addressed regional developments and efforts aimed at de-escalation and restoring stability in the Middle East, with Safadi reiterating Jordan’s support for collective efforts to reduce tensions.
Source: arabnews.com
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Iran's Supreme Leader cut off from direct contact amid strike fears: CBS
May 25, 2026
DUBAI: Iran’s supreme leader is operating from hiding in an undisclosed location with limited access to the outside world, relying on a network of couriers to relay messages as Iran’s leadership fears further targeted strikes, according to a CBS News exclusive citing US officials familiar with the intelligence.
The report said communication problems inside Iran’s leadership had become a major obstacle in negotiations with the Trump administration, with Iranian officials authorized to engage Washington struggling to communicate even within their own system.
US officials told CBS that when proposals were sent to Tehran, significant delays passed before responses were received because messages must first make their way through intermediaries to the supreme leader.
According to CBS, Iran’s leadership has adopted extreme security measures following US and Israeli strikes during Operation Epic Fury, which intelligence officials said enabled the targeting and killing of several senior Iranian figures.
Most top officials are now said to spend weeks inside heavily fortified bunkers, avoiding direct contact and limiting communications unless necessary.
The report added that even high-ranking Iranian officials do not know the supreme leader’s exact whereabouts or don’t have a direct line of communication with him.
Messages are passed through trusted couriers specifically used to obscure his location, while he reportedly provides only broad guidance on what issues can be negotiated and which remain off limits.
CBS also reported that Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his father after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s death earlier this year, has not appeared publicly since before the war began and is taking precautions aimed at avoiding the type of strikes that decimated Iran’s senior leadership.
Source: arabnews.com
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Israel military says soldier killed in southern Lebanon
May 25, 2026
JERUSALEM: Israel said on Monday a soldier was killed in southern Lebanon, taking to 23 the number of its troops killed in the war with Iran-backed Hezbollah.
A military statement named him as 19-year-old Sergeant Nehoray Leizer of the 601st Combat Engineering Battalion, who “fell in combat in southern Lebanon.”
During the incident in which Leizer was killed, “an additional soldier was severely injured,” the Israeli military said separately on Telegram.
A total of 24 Israelis have been killed in the conflict, 23 soldiers and one civilian contractor, since hostilities began on March 2.
Source: arabnews.com
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Rubio accuses Hezbollah of trying to ‘drag Lebanon back into chaos’
May 25, 2026
NEW DELHI: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Hezbollah in a statement Sunday of trying to plunge Lebanon “back into chaos.”
Rubio denounced what he called Hezbollah’s “reckless call to overthrow Lebanon’s democratically elected government” and said the pro-Iran armed group was “actively trying to drag Lebanon back into chaos and destruction.”
Naim Qassem, the leader of Hezbollah, said earlier that “the people have the right to go down onto the streets and to bring down the government” in response to Israeli strikes and US sanctions on the Al-Qard Al-Hassan financial institution.
Al-Qard Al-Hassan is affiliated with Hezbollah and provides interest-free loans to mainly Shia Muslim communities who have faced financial difficulty amid Lebanon’s economic crises.
“The aggression against Al-Qard Al-Hassan is an aggression against hundreds of thousands of poor people and those with limited income,” Qassem said.
The Lebanese government has been under US pressure to take action against the firm, as Washington ratchets up pressure on Iran-backed Hezbollah.
“Hezbollah’s threats of violence and overthrow will not be allowed to succeed,” Rubio said. “The era in which a terrorist group held an entire nation hostage is coming to an end.”
The US is negotiating a deal with Iran to end the Middle East war, with a report in Axios suggesting that a draft memorandum of understanding between two sides contains language that “makes clear the war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon would end.”
Early on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on X that Trump, in a phone call, “reaffirmed Israel’s right to defend itself against threats on every front, including Lebanon.”
Qassem expressed hope for an agreement between Iran and the US and that Lebanon would be part of its terms.
However, he again called on the Lebanese government to abandon direct negotiations with Israel. A fourth round of talks is scheduled for June 2 and 3 in Washington.
Despite a ceasefire that came into effect on April 17 and was recently extended for several weeks, Israel continues to strike what it describes as pro-Iranian Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, while Hezbollah for its part continues its attacks on Israeli targets in the south of the country.
Source: arabnews.com
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Turkish police storm offices of main opposition CHP party, firing tear gas and rubber bullets
May 24, 2026
ANKARA: Police stormed the offices of Turkiye’s main opposition CHP party on Sunday, firing tear gas and rubber bullets at party supporters and officials who had been holed up inside for three days.
It was a violent end to a standoff between members of the Republican Peoples’ Party, or CHP, and a leadership team appointed by an appeals court, escalating tensions between the opposition and the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Supporters had barricaded the courtyard entrance with buses and the building with furniture. Footage taken by local media in the courtyard and inside the building showed clouds of tear gas as riot police stormed through the premises, before journalists were removed by the police.
Once the raid began, supporters attempted to resist the police by spraying them with fire extinguishers, but were quickly stopped. Doors, furniture and the ground floor windows were destroyed in the melee.
Among those inside the building was Ozgur Ozel, elected as party chairperson in November 2023 but dismissed by the court ruling. A video from inside his office at the start of the raid shows him being served the court order removing him, which he promptly ripped up.
Leaving party headquarters to cheers from supporters outside, Ozel told journalists: “We are leaving (the building) now only to reclaim it in such a way that no one will be able to meddle again. When we return, neither this administration nor the administration’s collaborators will dare do this once more.”
Ozel asks his supporters to rebuild the party for a third time
Ozel and his supporters then marched to Parliament about 8 kilometers (5 miles) away, joined by hundreds of passersby despite heavy rain and hail. Before arriving at Parliament, he stopped at the National Sovereignty Park where he asked the crowd if they were willing to rebuild the party for a third time.
The CHP was first established in 1923 by Turkiye’s founding father, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, but was shut down in a 1980 military coup, before reemerging in 1992.
Outside the legislature, Ozel rallied a crowd of hundreds, telling them that the CHP was “de facto shuttered” but would be reestablished.
Even if ousted as the chairperson of the CHP, Ozel is still an elected lawmaker from the western province of Manisa as well as the party’s group speaker.
The appeals court on Thursday nullified Ozel’s election as CHP chairperson, suspending him and members of the party’s executive board.
The court ruling said Ozel should be replaced by Kemal Kilicdaroglu, his predecessor, who led the party for 13 years but never won any national elections.
Meanwhile, Ozel, in his first and only election as party leader, delivered a decisive blow to Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party in the 2024 municipal polls.
The opposition says the decision was politically motivated to weaken the party as it struggles under waves of legal cases targeting its members and elected officials.
Erdogan’s eye is on the next election
The next presidential election isn’t due until 2028, but Erdogan can call for an early vote. His main challenger, Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a CHP member, has been imprisoned since March last year and is on trial on corruption charges.
Many observers have said the legal cases against the CHP — mostly centered on corruption allegations — are aimed at neutralizing the party ahead of the next election. The government insists that Turkiye’s courts are impartial and act independently of political pressure.
The vast majority of the party has rallied behind Ozel. He and most of the party had been inside the CHP headquarters in Ankara since Thursday’s ruling, with the new administration unable to enter. The rival teams were supposed to meet Sunday afternoon to figure a way out of the impasse.
Early on Sunday, a crowd gathered outside the office, watched by a growing police presence. Kilicdaroglu’s lawyer, Celal Celik, sent a request to Ankara police to assist in vacating the building, a move approved by the provincial governor.
The police raid comes at the start of a nine-day holiday for the Muslim festival of Eid Al-Adha, when many people are on vacation and out of the big cities.
Erdogan has ruled Turkiye, first as prime minister and then as president, since 2003. His electoral record suffered a setback in 2019, when the CHP seized control of several major cities in local elections. In Istanbul, Imamoglu emerged as a popular and charismatic figure who many felt could successfully topple Erdogan.
Source: arabnews.com
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Syria wraps up pivotal elections ahead of new parliament session
May 24, 2026
DAMASCUS: Predominantly Kurdish areas of northeastern Syria held a ballot on Sunday to choose representatives for the country’s transitional parliament, following an agreement this year on integration under central authorities.
In a process that began last year and has been criticized as undemocratic, members of local committees across Syria have been casting ballots to elect members of the assembly, which will have a renewable 30-month mandate.
Syria’s President Ahmad Al-Sharaa is to appoint 70 representatives to the 210-member body.
Local committees — appointed by the electoral commission, which was itself also appointed by Al-Sharaa — have been selecting the other two-thirds.
State news agency SANA said Sunday’s ballot covered seven representatives for parts of Hasakah province, while another two seats in the region were appointed by acclamation after only two people stood.
A ballot was also being held for two seats in Kurdish-majority Kobane, also known as Ain Al-Arab, in Aleppo province.
In January, Damascus and the Kurds agreed to integrate Kurdish civilian and military institutions into the state.
Several Kurdish parties criticized Sunday’s ballot, saying in a statement that the mechanism for forming the legislature was “nothing but an appointment process” and does not reflect the “free Kurdish will.”
They also criticized the fact that only four of the assembly’s 210 seats have been allocated for Kurds and called for this to increase to better reflect the Kurdish population.
There are about 2 million Kurds in Syria, most of them in the northeast.
In October last year, Syria’s electoral commission announced the names of 119 members of the new assembly, out of the 140 members to be chosen through the ballot process.
At that time, seats remained vacant for parts of then Kurdish-held Raqqa and Hasakah provinces in the north and northeast, and the Druze-majority Sweida province in the south, for “security” reasons.
After Sunday’s ballot, only Sweida — which is to have three seats — will remain outside the process.
Syria’s Higher Committee for People’s Assembly Elections said the completion of voting in the districts of Hasakah, Qamishli, Al-Malikiyah and Ain Al-Arab paves the way for the first session of the new parliament.
Nawar Najmeh, spokesperson for the committee, said that the People’s Assembly would convene after the president announces the names of members appointed to the remaining one-third of the chamber.
Najmeh said voting in Hasakah province and the Ain Al-Arab district in Aleppo province concluded.
He described the vote in Hasakah as a pivotal step in shaping the new Syria and said it reflected the desire among residents to become an active part of a unified national framework.
Najmeh said the elections carried clear political and social dimensions, and represented a serious test of the willingness of all sides to ensure the success of the national project and the transitional phase.
He added that voting took place in a positive atmosphere reflecting strong turnout by members of the electoral bodies in the first genuine electoral process since the victory of the revolution.
Voter participation exceeded 95 percent across all areas by the time polling stations closed, Najmeh said.
Earlier, the committee announced the closure of polling stations in Hasakah and Qamishli, as well as in the Ain Al-Arab district.
It later announced the winners’ names and gave candidates 48 hours to file appeals.
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Syria pushes for academic reforms to meet needs of employment sector
May 24, 2026
DAMASCUS: Syria’s Education Minister has called for an urgent overhaul of the country’s academic curricula and practical training methods to better prepare people for the workforce.
Mohammed Abdul Rahman Turko was speaking at a meeting in Damascus between his ministry and the German Agency for International Cooperation, GIZ, to discuss mechanisms for modernizing the Syrian Arab Republic’s vocational and technical education sectors.
The talks focused on restructuring training programs to align them with the needs of the labor market and national reconstruction efforts.
The meeting was attended by experts from the vocational education field and representatives from various chambers of industry, highlighting the collaborative effort to bridge the gap between education and employment.
Sawsan Harastani, director of vocational and technical education, said the ministry was working with chambers of industry and the private sector to identify in-demand specializations and tackle gaps in the current system.
She said the talks looked at ways to expand the dual education model, which combines classroom learning with company-based practical training.
Hamza Al-Youssef, vocational education adviser at GIZ, said the agency had worked with Syria’s Directorate of Vocational Education to assess the sector and identify priorities for reform and development.
Mohammed al-Khaled, vice president of the Hama Chamber of Industry, said vocational school infrastructure and teacher training required further development and that enrollment in dual education programs remained limited.
GIZ is Germany’s main development agency and operates in more than 130 countries. It provides services in international development cooperation and education.
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Arab World
Muslims begin the annual Hajj in sweltering heat against a backdrop of war concerns
May 25, 2026
MAKKAH: The annual Hajj pilgrimage, one of the Five Pillars of Islam, officially began Monday.
More than 1.5 million pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia from outside the country, Saleh bin Saad Al-Murabba, commander of the Hajj passport forces, said Friday. The faithful have been pouring into the country for the Hajj against the backdrop of a tenuous ceasefire in the Iran war and related regional tensions and uncertainty.
Egyptian pilgrim Samya Abdul Moneim said she was grateful to God that she made it to the Hajj, which is required once in a lifetime of every Muslim who can afford it and is physically able to make it.
“I am in a state of blessing and happiness,” she said in Makkah on Sunday. “It’s an indescribable feeling, truly. I mean, thank God, I am in a blessing.”
Typically on the first day, many pilgrims in Makkah converge on a vast tent camp in the nearby desert. Ahead of that, pilgrims have been circling the cube-shaped Kaaba in the Grand Mosque in sweltering temperatures. For pilgrims, Hajj can be a deeply moving spiritual experience and a chance to seek God’s forgiveness and the erasure of past sins. Pilgrims perform the Hajj rituals over several days.
Pilgrims brave intense heat
Some spend many years hoping and praying to one day perform the Hajj or saving up money and waiting for a permit to embark on the trip.
As they brave the intense heat to perform religious rituals, many pilgrims have been using umbrellas for shade and carrying handheld fans. Volunteers hand out water bottles to help them stay hydrated and large fans spray fine mists of water.
On Saturday, US President Donald Trump said a deal with Iran on the war, including opening the Strait of Hormuz, has been “largely negotiated” after calls with Israel and other allies in the region. He described it as a “Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to PEACE” that still must be finalized by the United States, Iran and the other countries that participated in the calls. That capped a week in which the US weighed a new round of attacks on Iran.
Ahead of the trip for Hajj, some have said they were leaning on their faith as they embark on the journey amid the tensions and that they were feeling immense gratitude for the opportunity to go.
Hajj brings together large numbers of Muslims of diverse races, ethnicities, languages and economic classes, creating a sense of unity for many.
Regional tensions and Hajj travel plans
With uncertainty and global concerns high, authorities in Indonesia, home to the world’s largest Muslim population, have in the run-up to the Hajj season emphasized contingency planning for the pilgrimage and issued instructions to ensure that additional travel costs not be passed on to Indonesian pilgrims.
In India, home to a large Muslim minority, pilgrimage planning has proceeded largely as normal, but high fuel prices have pushed up travel costs for pilgrims.
A reopening of the strait would begin to ease a worldwide energy crisis sparked by the US and Israeli attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, which led Tehran to effectively close the waterway. Prices have spiked for oil, gas and several related products, jolting the world economy. The US has blockaded Iranian ports for over a month, and Trump on Sunday said the blockade “will remain in full force and effect until an agreement is reached, certified, and signed.”
In response to the US-Israeli attacks, Iran has launched retaliatory strikes and the conflict widened; a fragile ceasefire was then reached in April.
In Saudi Arabia, pilgrims have been doing the ritual circuit around the Kaaba since arriving in Makkah over recent days. Pilgrims who make their way to Mina will camp in the vast tent city and pray and worship.
On Tuesday, in what is considered the pinnacle of the pilgrimage, the pilgrims will stand on the plain of Arafat, where they praise God, plead for forgiveness and make supplications. Many carry prayer requests from loved ones and raise their hands in worship with tears streaming down their faces.
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Saudi program showcases Yemen rebuild drive at Global Urban Forum
May 25, 2026
RIYADH: The Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen concluded its participation in the 13th World Urban Forum in Baku after showcasing billions of dollars in projects aimed at rebuilding infrastructure, restoring services and supporting long-term stability in Yemen.
The forum, organized by UN-Habitat, brought together governments and development agencies focused on sustainable urban development and post-conflict recovery.
During the event, SDRPY held dialogue sessions, workshops and bilateral meetings, while also signing cooperation agreements aimed at strengthening international partnerships for Yemen’s urban recovery, according to a report by the Saudi Press Agency.
A centerpiece of the participation was a new agreement signed with UN-Habitat to launch the second phase of the Adequate Housing Project in Yemen.
The new phase will rehabilitate 760 housing units for low-income families in Aden, Taiz and Lahij, benefiting around 4,560 people. It will also train 220 unemployed youths in vocational skills and qualify about 50 government technical staff in housing rehabilitation and construction.
The agreement builds on the project’s first phase, completed in September 2024, which rehabilitated 650 homes and improved living conditions for more than 4,500 beneficiaries while also creating jobs and training opportunities.
At its pavilion in Baku, SDRPY highlighted more than 287 projects and initiatives launched across Yemen since 2018 in partnership with the Yemeni government.
The projects span eight sectors, including energy, health, transport, education, water, agriculture and institutional capacity building, with total funding exceeding $1.14 billion.
Energy projects accounted for the largest share of investment at nearly $690 million, followed by health projects worth about $147 million and transport initiatives totaling more than $103 million.
The program also screened its documentary film “THEN/NOW,” which highlighted the impact of Saudi-backed projects on infrastructure rehabilitation and the restoration of basic services across Yemeni governorates.
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Hajj pilgrim numbers surpass 2025 arrivals despite Middle East war
May 24, 2026
MAKKAH: Over 1.5 million pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia from outside the kingdom for Hajj, according to a Saudi official, exceeding the number of international visitors last year despite the war in the Middle East.
The conflict triggered by the US and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February saw Tehran order waves of strikes on targets in Saudi Arabia and across the Gulf, prompting widespread air traffic disruptions and causing travel costs to surge.
Major Gulf airlines in the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain have worked to quickly restore much of their operational capacity after weeks of airspace closures and flight cancelations.
Despite the complications, pilgrims have continued to flock to Saudi Arabia to participate in this year’s Hajj.
“The total number of pilgrims arriving from abroad has reached 1,518,153,” Saleh Al-Murabba, the commander of Saudi Arabia’s Hajj Passport Forces, told a press conference late Friday.
These figures are expected to rise further over the next two days as pilgrims continue to arrive from abroad ahead of the formal rituals that mark the beginning of the Hajj on Monday.
Last year, the total number of pilgrims at the Hajj reached 1,673,320, including 1,506,576 from outside Saudi Arabia.
The Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, must be performed at least once by all Muslims with the means.
Faith over fear
For Fadel, there was never any doubt in his mind that he would attend this year’s Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia despite the war and a US government travel advisory.
“Even if the war were still ongoing, I would not have backed out,” the 49-year-old US national, who asked that only his first name be used, told AFP.
“We are undoubtedly in the safest place in the world,” he added, referring to a passage from the Qur'an.
This sentiment is common among many Muslims from Western nations who have come to Saudi Arabia for the upcoming Hajj in the wake of the devastating war in the Middle East.
This year’s rites, drawing Muslim worshippers from across the world, follow waves of Iranian strikes on targets in Saudi Arabia and its Gulf neighbors after the United States and Israel attacked the Islamic republic in late February.
An uneasy ceasefire has largely held since April, even though negotiations between the United States and Iran have failed to reach agreement.
Amid the uncertainty, the American embassy in Riyadh last month advised US citizens not to participate in the Hajj.
“Due to the ongoing security situation and intermittent travel disruptions, we advise reconsidering participation in Hajj this year,” a statement released by the embassy read.
The US State Department told AFP its diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia remain open with “adjusted staffing levels” and were “ready to support Americans who require assistance.”
“If the conflict breaks out again, there is a strong possibility of real disruptions to pilgrim travel,” said Umer Karim, an expert on Saudi Arabia at the University of Birmingham in Britain.
“They could find themselves stranded, which could create additional logistical and hosting challenges.”
‘Very anxious’
But for many, the chance to perform the sacrosanct Muslim rite has taken precedence over the fears of instability caused by the war.
Sayed, a 47-year-old Australian who will attend the Hajj for the seventh time, said there were no “second thoughts about coming here,” even as his own government issued an advisory urging citizens to reconsider travel to the region.
“When you make the intention to come, you come with a reason and a purpose. And that’s why you’re here and put your faith in God that everything will be fine,” he told AFP while standing outside Makkah’s Grand Mosque dressed in white garments.
As more than a million pilgrims poured into the holy city ahead of the Hajj, the breadth and diversity of the global Islamic community was on vivid display, with many carrying paraphernalia such as bags and umbrellas showing their country of origin.
“This is an opportunity that comes once in a life and I decided not to miss it,” said Ibrahim Diab, a 63-year-old German national, despite the “shaky situation in the Gulf.”
But even amid the euphoric atmosphere in Makkah ahead of the Hajj, some pilgrims said fears about the war had troubled them ahead of the journey.
“I was very anxious about it,” 36-year-old British accountant Imad Ahmad told AFP.
Ahmad said his trip to Saudi Arabia was briefly interrupted in Jordan on Wednesday after the military there said it had shot down an unidentified drone in the country’s airspace.
But he also said there was no doubt that he would continue on his journey to Makkah.
“I will come, whichever way I can, inshallah,” he added.
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Brunei’s crown prince receives Saudi ambassador
May 24, 2026
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Saudi Ambassador to Brunei Saleh bin Abdulkarim Al-Shiha was received by Crown Prince of Brunei Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah as part of the latter’s reception for newly appointed ambassadors.
During the meeting, the two sides reviewed bilateral relations and discussed ways to enhance them, the Saudi Embassy said on X.
Meanwhile, Minister of National Guard Prince Abdullah bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz inspected the military readiness of the Ministry of National Guard forces participating in the Hajj mission and reviewed a military parade showcasing units assigned to support pilgrim security, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
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Saudi Arabia wins 5 awards at Asian Physics Olympiad in South Korea
May 24, 2026
RIYADH: The Saudi team picked up five international awards at the 26th Asian Physics Olympiad in Busan, South Korea.
The event, which ends on Monday, saw 209 students from 27 countries taking part, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The Saudi winners were: Hussein Habib Al-Saleh and Nasser Hisham Al-Shaeaa from the General Department of Education in the Riyadh Region, Reda Salem Al-Khamis from the General Department of Education in Al-Ahsa Governorate, Mohammed Abdulrahman Al-Arfaj from the General Department of Education in the Eastern Region and Mohammed Mahmoud Al-Raml from the General Department of Education in the Eastern Region.
The Kingdom has now won 27 awards — six bronze medals and 21 certificates of appreciation — at the Olympiad since its debut in the competition in 2012.
The nation’s participation is led by the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity in partnership with the Ministry of Education.
All of the students underwent extensive preparation for the event, which included theoretical and practical training, local and international qualification camps and selection tests.
The Asian Physics Olympiad is an annual competition for gifted secondary school students in physics.
Launched in Indonesia in 1999 it serves as a regional platform for identifying outstanding scientific talent and encouraging knowledge exchange among participants, who compete through advanced theoretical and practical examinations that test their scientific reasoning, analytical ability and problem-solving skills.
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Eid Al-Adha staycations — a time to pause, travel and reconnect
NADA HAMEED
May 24, 2026
JEDDAH: As families across Saudi Arabia prepare for the Eid Al-Adha break, many are seeking an escape that balances celebration with stillness, a setting where shared meals, nature and meaningful moments take precedence overcrowded malls and busy streets.
From the untouched islands and desert dunes of The Red Sea to the cool highlands of Asir and the mountains of Taif, the country’s diverse landscapes are shaping a new kind of Eid getaway — one defined by proximity, authenticity and shared experience.
The Saudi Tourism Authority has identified domestic travel as a key growth driver under Vision 2030, with the Kingdom aiming to increase tourism’s contribution to gross domestic product to 10 percent by the end of the decade.
Eid holidays remain among the highest-demand periods in the local travel calendar as residents increasingly look inward, rediscovering a breadth of experiences ranging from coastal retreats and desert hideaways to mountain escapes and urban staycations.
Rania Asaad, from Jeddah, said: “Eid Al-Adha has always been a perfect opportunity for us to escape to Cairo. The weather is pleasant, the prices are reasonable, and there is always something new to explore. Now, with the remarkable tourism projects taking place across the Kingdom, I’m excited to discover the incredible escapes we have right here at home.”
The Red Sea — a destination-wide Eid program
At The Red Sea, a collection of resorts presents a program of dining, entertainment and cultural experiences from May 26-30. Set across desert, mountains and sea, the destination has positioned itself as a natural retreat for families and friends looking to spend the long weekend together.
It will include a five-course tasting menu by Michelin-starred chef Osman Sezener at Desert Rock, beachfront barbecues, late-night jazz and heritage music performances. Saudi retail brands will be highlighted at Shura Marina and families can also expect poolside activities, marine-themed edutainment and a dedicated kids’ DJ festival.
The destination is accessible via Red Sea International Airport, with increased domestic and regional flights over the holiday period including from Riyadh and Jeddah as well as Dubai and Doha.
Island, desert and mountain retreats
Among the resorts marking Eid is The St. Regis Red Sea Resort. Set on pristine shores and enjoying uninterrupted sea views, the center’s celebrations are shaped around signature rituals, family-style dining and children’s programming, alongside water activities such as kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding.
Further inland, Six Senses Southern Dunes, The Red Sea offers a contrasting desert experience with 15 percent off on villa stays with breakfast included. Framed by vast dunes and open skies, the resort emphasizes wellness, stillness and nature-led experiences, an option for families seeking a quieter pace.
Abdullah Shaheen, from Alkhobar, said, “I recently experienced Six Senses Southern Dunes in the Red Sea, and it truly left me in awe. As someone who makes it a point to explore a new country every holiday, I was pleasantly surprised by how exciting my staycation felt. With this new wave of tourism destinations, I discovered a whole new horizon of travel in my beloved country, one that is fun, safe, and incredibly comforting.”
Set on a private island, Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, offers privacy and rituals, with activities ranging from stargazing to Saudi coffee masterclasses.
Carved directly into dramatic mountain rock formations, Desert Rock Resort provides a striking architectural backdrop to the holiday, while SLS The Red Sea Resort offers a more design-led, energetic atmosphere for those looking to blend relaxation with social vibrancy.
For a more understated stay, InterContinental The Red Sea Resort frames its Eid offering around tranquil waters and thoughtful hospitality.
Coastal celebrations in Jeddah and KAEC
Along the shores of King Abdullah Economic City, Rixos Obhur Jeddah features a family-focused Eid program from May 20-31. The Rixy Kids Festival will feature water activities, inflatable games and interactive entertainment during the first three days of Eid, alongside a traditional breakfast at its Turquoise restaurant.
At Rixos Murjana, celebrations will center around an evening Eid Carnival from May 26-30. Families can explore a petting zoo, caricature artists and pottery workshops, while live music and fire shows animate both the carnival grounds and Solara Beach Club. Daytime activities extend to Murjana Waterpark and wellness treatments at Anjana Spa, offering a balance between festivity and relaxation.
A city break in the capital
For those remaining in Riyadh, W Riyadh – KAFD positions Eid as a vibrant urban escape within the King Abdullah Financial District. The hotel’s program revolves around culinary exploration, with breakfast at SIRA, dining credits across its venues, and interactive elements. AWAY Spa and FIT gym facilities provide space to reset, while poolside cabanas create a social yet relaxed atmosphere.
Adventure in AlUla
Beyond the resorts, some travelers are choosing active experiences. In AlUla, visitors can combine farm stays with aerial adventure through tandem skydiving and paragliding experiences. The dramatic sandstone landscapes provide a distinctive backdrop for those seeking adrenaline during the holiday break.
Highlands and heritage in Asir
In the southwest, Asir offers cooler temperatures and mountain scenery. In Soudah, visitors can hike the historic Uqbat Al-Qurun trail, one of the oldest mountain paths in the area, explore cultural landmarks such as Abo Noghta castles, and wander through Souq Al-Thulatha. Sunset views from the highlands provide a tranquil counterpoint to busier urban destinations.
Disconnecting in Taif
Meanwhile, in the mountains of Taif, Ahway offers a more intimate form of escape. The Saudi tourism project places well-equipped caravans in the Al-Shafa Mountains, encouraging guests to disconnect from digital distractions and reconnect with nature. With privacy between units and a focus on simplicity, the concept reflects a growing appetite for quiet retreats during the holiday period.
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Foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, other Muslim countries condemn opening of Somaliland embassy in Jerusalem
May 24, 2026
RIYADH: The foreign ministers of Arab and Muslim countries, including Saudi Arabia, strongly condemned on Sunday the opening of a “purported” Somaliland embassy in Jerusalem.
Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia, is opening the embassy in Jerusalem after Israel became the first, and so far only, UN member state to formally recognize the self-declared republic in December 2025.
The foreign ministers of the Kingdom, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Turkiye, Pakistan, Indonesia, Djibouti, Somalia, Palestine, Oman, Sudan, Yemen, Lebanon, Mauritania, Kuwait, Algeria, Bangladesh, and Morocco said the “illegal and unacceptable step taken by the so-called Somaliland region in opening its purported embassy in occupied Jerusalem” is a flagrant violation of international law and a direct infringement upon the legal and historical status of occupied Jerusalem.
They affirmed their complete rejection of any unilateral measures aimed at entrenching an illegal reality in occupied Jerusalem or granting legitimacy to any entities or arrangements that violate international law and relevant UN resolutions.
They reiterated that East Jerusalem is Palestinian territory that has been occupied since 1967, and that any steps aimed at altering its legal and historical status are null and void and have no legal effect.
The ministers emphasized their full support for the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Somalia, and their complete rejection of any unilateral measures that infringe upon Somali territorial integrity or sovereignty.
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Europe
Five NATO countries block plan for mandatory Ukraine funding – Telegraph
25 May, 2026
The UK, France, Spain, Italy, and Canda have rejected a proposal for NATO member states to spend 0.25% of their GDP on military assistance to Ukraine, The Telegraph has reported.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte was hoping that mandatory funding for Kiev would be approved at the bloc’s summit in Ankara, Türkiye on July 7-8, The Telegraph said in an article on Sunday.
A NATO insider told the paper that Britain, France, Spain, Italy, and Canada “aren’t very enthusiastic about the idea.”
Out of the 32 member-states, the proposal was only supported by seven nations, all of which already spend 0.25% or more of their GDP on assisting Ukraine, The Telegraph said.
According to data from the Kiel Institute, the Netherlands, Poland, and the Nordic and Baltic countries currently spend 0.25% of their GDP or more on arming Kiev.
Last week, Rutte conceded that the plan did not have the unanimous backing within NATO required for it to be accepted. “I don’t think this one will be proposed” in the Turkish capital, he told journalists.
Mandatory funding had been intended to serve as a show of continued commitment to Ukraine by the bloc’s European members after American assistance to the government of Vladimir Zelensky ebbed significantly under US President Donald Trump, it added.
A British foreign office spokesperson told the paper that “the UK continues to engage with NATO allies on all proposals to ensure the alliance can best support Ukraine.”
Moscow has repeatedly decried Western aid to Kiev, saying that it will not prevent it from achieving its goals in the Ukraine conflict and only prolongs the fighting, increasing the risk of a direct clash between Russia and NATO.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said last week that NATO has been using Ukraine “with the blatant goal of creating problems for the existence of our country and setting up a springboard for threats to our security right on our borders.” The idea of “decolonizing” Russia has not yet been given up by the bloc, he warned.
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EU leaders silent on deadly Ukrainian attack on college dorm
24 May, 2026
The European Union’s top brass and the leaders of several member states have issued statements on the latest exchange of strikes between Kiev and Moscow that ignore the recent deadly Ukrainian attack on a college dormitory that preceded Russian retaliatory strikes.
According to the Russian authorities, 21 people, mostly teenage girls, lost their lives and 60 more sustained injuries after three waves of Ukrainian drones targeted the main academic building and dormitory of the Starobelsk Professional College in the Lugansk People’s Republic overnight from Thursday to Friday.
The Russian military responded early on Sunday by conducting a “massive strike” against military targets in Ukraine, including in Kiev, that featured the intermediate-range hypersonic Oreshnik system, Iskander ballistic missiles, Kinzhal and Zircon hypersonic cruise missiles, among other strike capabilities. The Russian Defense Ministry has reported that Ukrainian military command and control facilities, air bases, as well as defense industry enterprises were struck.
In a post on X on Sunday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen accused Moscow of displaying “brutality and disregard for both human life and peace negotiations.” She went on to claim that the Russian military had targeted Ukrainian civilians – an allegation Moscow has rejected.
The bloc’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, has similarly spoken of a “political scare-tactic” on the part of Russia.
French President Emmanuel Macron, in turn, has vowed to double down on backing the Ukrainian leadership, with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz denouncing “this reckless escalation.”
However, none of the said EU leaders mentioned the deadly Ukrainian UAV attack on the college dormitory in Starobelsk that served as the cause of Moscow’s retaliation.
Russia’s UN envoy, Vassily Nebenzia, previously accused Western diplomats of “turning a blind eye” to the crimes of the “neo-Nazi Kiev regime.”
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Sunday that the BBC and CNN rejected Moscow’s invitation to visit the site of the attack, while Tokyo explicitly banned Japanese reporters from making the trip.
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Fatwa issued regarding Eid al-Adha holiday in Azerbaijan
25 May 2026
The Caucasus Muslims Office has issued a fatwa confirming that Eid al-Adha will be observed in Azerbaijan on May 27, 2026.
According to the Office, calculations conducted by the Shamakhi Astrophysical Observatory of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences determined that, based on the visibility of the crescent moon over Azerbaijan, the 10th day of Zul-Hijjah will coincide with May 27 on the Gregorian calendar, News.az reports.
The religious authority also noted that the holiday date was unanimously approved on May 18, 2026, through a joint fatwa adopted by the Council of Heads of Religious Administrations of the Organization of Turkic States.
Under Islamic tradition, the ritual sacrifice associated with Eid al-Adha may begin on May 27 and continue for three days. Eid prayers are scheduled to be performed in mosques across the country on the morning of May 27.
The fatwa further highlighted that the Azerbaijani government has officially designated the days of Eid al-Adha as public holidays and non-working days.
In its statement, the Caucasus Muslims Office expressed appreciation for the state’s support and attention toward believers. It also extended Eid greetings to President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva, wishing them continued success in strengthening state-religion relations and contributing to the country’s development.
Eid al-Adha, one of the most important holidays in Islam, commemorates the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son in obedience to God’s command and is traditionally marked by prayers, charitable acts, and the distribution of sacrificial meat to those in need.
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Muslim candidates divide right in Italian city vote
25/05/2026
Surrounded by factories and rice paddies, Vigevano is a city of 62,000 people where 15 percent of the population is foreign, including many people from Egypt and Romania.
Many more are naturalised Italians and second-generation immigrants.
Once a Communist Party bastion, the city is held by the League, a far-right junior partner in Italy's ruling coalition whose leader Matteo Salvini has said citizenship should be revoked for second-generation immigrants who commit crimes.
But the League's mayoral candidate, Riccardo Ghia, a jeweller, made headlines last month when he put two Muslim candidates on his list of prospective councillors -- with an eye to attracting votes from immigrant communities.
One of the two, Italian-Egyptian Hagar Haggag, 20, said she had received a slew of insults and threats since her candidacy was announced.
She attributed the virulent reaction mainly to the fact that she wears an Islamic headscarf.
She told AFP she had "never felt racism" in the local section of the party, pointing out that the former League mayor had allowed a Muslim prayer hall to open in a disused hangar in 2022.
Haggag said she was also running because she wanted to "put an end to the left-wing cliche that Muslim women are ignorant".
She is studying diplomacy and is considering a political career beyond Vigevano -- maybe even in Egypt.
The other candidate, Ibrahim Hussein, is a spokesman for the local prayer hall who presented his bid "in the name of Allah".
Hussein wrote on Facebook that he chose to be a candidate for the League because he sees himself as "a real example of integration".
On the last day of campaigning on Friday in Vigevano's majestic central square, Ghia said he "does not look at whether people are Muslim or Buddhist", adding that whoever "respects the rules is a citizen with full rights".
Divisions between parties
Italy is gearing up for national elections next year in a country that is becoming ever more multi-ethnic and where the political clout of second-generation immigrants is growing.
The national leadership of the League said it was "distancing" itself from the candidates in Vigevano, which voted on Sunday and Monday.
But Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy party is supporting the candidates.
Forza Italia, another coalition partner, is more open on immigration and integration but is supporting a different mayoral list.
The divisions could be a boon for Roberto Vannacci, a former general who quit the League to set up a more radical far-right party called Futuro Nazionale (National Future).
Vannacci was in Vigevano on May 17 for a speech laden with anti-immigrant rhetoric.
The speech came a day after a young Italian man of Moroccan heritage with mental health problems rammed his car into pedestrians in the city of Modena, injuring eight people.
The local candidate supported by National Future, lawyer Furio Suvilla, says his programme is focused on security.
He has called for the army to intervene against groups of young people who gather around the station and wants the Muslim hall closed.
He said he thinks he could "pick up quite a few League voters".
'Still a foreigner'
Candidates with foreign origins still remain relatively rare in Italian elections, where immigration has been more recent than in France or Germany, said sociologist Maurizio Ambrosini from Milan's Statale university.
Several right-wing parties "are trying to attract candidates with immigrant origins," the sociologist said, adding that "many naturalised migrants tend towards the right".
Sabrine Hamrouni, 23, a health sector worker, is also a candidate in Vigevano but for the centre-left. She said she thinks divisions on the right could help boost her campaign.
Hamrouni's father moved from Tunisia to Vigevano in the 1990s to work in construction.
"I was born here. I have always lived here but I am still a foreigner," the candidate said.
She said she wants to make Vigevano "a beautiful city -- it will take a long time but I am willing to put in that time".
Source: france24.com
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https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260525-muslim-candidates-divide-right-in-italian-city-vote
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New ‘civic landmark’ minaret installed on mosque in latest Bristol planning applications
Alex Seabrook
25 May 2026
A new “civic landmark” minaret could soon be installed on top of a mosque according to new plans recently submitted. Each week Bristol City Council receives dozens of planning applications seeking permission for a whole range of developments.
Over the past seven days, those applications also included converting a recycling plant into a data centre and building flats above a shop. Here’s this week’s round-up of notable planning applications submitted to the council.
Every week dozens are validated by the local authority and we have selected some of the more interesting proposals. All planning applications submitted to the council have to be validated and are available for inspection by the public. Anyone is also allowed to submit comments about the applications — whether in support or objection.
The majority of applications are decided by planning officers at the council under delegated powers. However, some will go before elected councillors who sit on planning committees. No dates have been set for when the planning applications below will be determined. They can be viewed by going to the planning portal on Bristol City Council’s website.
New minaret for mosque
A new minaret could soon be erected on top of a mosque in Eastville. The Shah Jalal Jame Mosque is located on Stapleton Road near the junction with Fishponds Road. The plans include changing the external appearance of the adjacent Khadiza Centre, and providing office and kitchen facilities on the ground floor.
In planning documents, architects said: “The Khadiza Centre, in its current form, lacks architectural coherence and does not reflect the language or quality of the approved mosque extension. The disconnection between the two elements weakens the overall presence of the complex within the streetscape.”
The planned minaret would just be symbolic rather than a functional tower. Unlike traditional minarets, it would not be used for the call to prayer and would not incorporate an amplified sound system. The mosque was one of the earlier purpose-built mosques in Bristol. The new minaret would be visible from the M32 motorway, becoming a “recognisable civic landmark”.
Flats above a shop
Five flats could be built above a shop on East Street in Bedminster. The first floor flat above Scrivens Opticians and East Street News would be converted into two flats, and then a four-storey building would be constructed behind the existing building, fronting onto Herbert Street, with four flats. A similar planning application was recently refused by the council.
This part of Bedminster is rapidly changing, with the shopping street turning gradually into more of a residential area. Several large shops have shut down recently on East Street, including Wilko, while an increasing number of apartments are being built in the surrounding area. No parking spaces would be provided however there would be space to lock up bicycles.
Chopping down oak tree
An oak tree in Withywood on the south-west outskirts of Bristol could soon be chopped down. The tree is located in a back garden of a house on Oaktree Gardens, on the very edge of the city, but is “completely hollow inside”. The applicant is concerned that if the tree fell, children playing in the garden could be injured.
Photos submitted as part of the application show damage to boundary walls, which have large cracks running through them. And a large hole is present in the trunk, where a branch appears to have broken off several years ago.
Recycling plant converted into data centre
A recycling plant in Avonmouth could soon be converted into a data centre. The polymers recycling facility is located on Severn Road and run by Viridor, a large recycling company. The plans are at an early stage, and the applicants have submitted a request for a screening opinion, to see if an environmental impact assessment is needed.
A new three-storey structure would be built, housing standby generators, electrical switchrooms and a cooling plant. The data centre would need staff around the clock, supporting between 10 and 15 full-time jobs. A three-metre high steel fence would be built around the data centre with guard houses at each of the two entrances.
Source: bristolpost.co.uk
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https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/new-civic-landmark-minaret-installed-10974876
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Russia reveals scope of upcoming international security forum
24 May, 2026
Scores of delegations representing the Global Majority will take part in the first international security forum, which will be held outside of Moscow over May 26-29, the Russian Security Council has announced.
The Russian Security Council is tasked with drafting policy proposals for the Russian president on countering internal or external threats, as well as defending the country’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.
In a press release on Sunday, the Security Council stated that delegations from more than 120 countries are expected to attend the event.
Of the 54 African nations, 50 will send representatives, while most Middle Eastern and Latin American countries will also participate. Furthermore, all member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), BRICS, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including such heavyweights as China, India, Iran, Indonesia, and Pakistan, will take part.
This accounts for around 70% of the world’s population, the press release notes.
Moreover, “unofficial representatives” of 12 unspecified Western nations, who “actively advocate forging constructive relations with Russia,” will also be in attendance. A number of journalists from the US, the UK, Germany, and Japan, have also expressed interest in covering the forum.
The opening event will be a conference devoted to countering neocolonialism in the context of “ensuring the security of countries of the Global Majority,” held under the auspices of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.
Other topics on the forum’s agenda include disinformation and manipulation campaigns waged by the West as part “of a hybrid war against the Global Majority, with the aim of preserving its hegemony.”
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/russia/640522-russia-first-international-security-forum/
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'Home to many UN agencies': WHO office in Ukraine damaged after multiple strikes by Russia
May 25, 2026
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Sunday renewed calls for a ceasefire after the WHO office in Kyiv was hit by debris amid ongoing Russian strikes on Ukraine.
“Last night @WHOUkraine office in Kyiv was hit by debris from one of many strikes in the city,” Tedros wrote in a post on X.
Sharing images of the damage, he said the third-floor window of the WHO office had been shattered, though no injuries were reported.
Last night @WHOUkraine office in Kyiv was hit by debris from one of many strikes in the city, damaging windows on the 3rd floor. This building is home to many UN agencies besides WHO. No one got injured.
Multiple deaths and injuries have been reported so far from the attacks on… pic.twitter.com/6NbJMBobdD
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) May 24, 2026
WHO renews ceasefire appeal
Calling attention to the dangers posed to humanitarian and civilian infrastructure, Tedros noted that the building houses several UN agencies in addition to WHO.
“Attacks on health and civilians MUST STOP,” he wrote.
He further urged all sides to agree to a ceasefire, saying, “We urge once again for a ceasefire. Peace is the best medicine.”
Multiple injuries reported in overnight strikes
Tedros also raised concern over reports of deaths and injuries caused by overnight attacks on civilian infrastructure in Kyiv.
On Sunday, Russia launched a large-scale overnight missile and drone assault on the Ukrainian capital, striking residential areas, a school and commercial buildings. At least four people were killed in the attacks.
The assault comes days after Moscow vowed retaliation for Ukrainian strikes in Russian-occupied territory, which Russian authorities claimed killed 18 people.
Source: indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/home-to-many-un-agencies-who-office-in-ukraine-damaged-after-multiple-strikes-by-russia/articleshowprint/131302424.cms
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North America
Trump tells US negotiators 'not to rush' into deal with Iran
Tom Bennett
May 25, 2026
US President Donald Trump says he has instructed negotiators "not to rush into a deal" with Iran, after earlier suggesting an agreement was close.
The deal under discussion reportedly involves a 60-day ceasefire extension, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and a plan for further negotiations over Iran's nuclear programme.
In a social media post, Trump said "constructive" talks were proceeding but "both sides must take their time and get it right".
Trump said on Saturday an agreement had been "largely negotiated", prompting speculation an announcement could be imminent.
Iranian officials gave similar signals over the weekend, with foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei saying the two sides are both "very close and very far" from reaching an agreement.
According to US media, the mooted deal is not a final settlement and instead leaves some of the thorniest issues to be negotiated later, including the scope and timing of Iranian sanctions relief, the release of frozen Iranian funds, and Washington's demands for Iran to curb its nuclear ambitions.
On Monday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking to journalists in Delhi, said there was a "pretty solid thing on the table in terms of their ability to open up the strait" and "enter into a very real, significant, time-limited negotiation on the nuclear matter."
The reported deal has split Republicans, with some publicly arguing it is too lenient on Iran.
Senator Ted Cruz said it would be "a disastrous mistake", while Roger Wicker, who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, said a 60-day ceasefire would mean "everything accomplished by Operation Epic Fury would be for naught!"
But Representative Mike Lawler, who sits on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said the administration has managed to "force the remnants of this regime into a negotiation, a real negotiation".
The US and Israel launched wide-ranging strikes on Iran on 28 February, sparking conflict across the Middle East. Iran responded by attacking Israel and US-allied states in the Gulf, and effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz, through which around 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas travels. The move sent oil prices soaring globally.
Shortly after a ceasefire was agreed in early April, the US established a blockade of Iranian ports which Trump says will remain "in full force and effect until an agreement is reached, certified, and signed".
In Sunday's post on Truth Social, Trump reiterated that Iran "must understand" it cannot develop a nuclear weapon. Tehran has repeatedly said its nuclear programme is solely for peaceful purposes.
Some reports in US media suggest the deal could see Iran agree to eventually hand over its highly-enriched uranium.
At the start of the war, Iran is thought to have had about 440kg (970 lbs) of uranium that was enriched up to 60% purity - a short process away from being enriched further to the weapons-grade 90%, which theoretically could allow it to create a nuclear bomb.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told state TV Iran was ready "to assure the world that we are not after a nuclear weapon."
Rubio earlier said that "significant" but "not final" progress had been made in the negotiations. He hinted that progress over the past 48 hours could result in a "completely open strait... without tolls".
On Saturday, Baghaei told state television that Iran was in the process of finalising a "memorandum of understanding" which would allow additional talks over a "final agreement"
Trump also described the deal as a "memorandum of understanding" in a Truth Social post on Saturday.
Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who has been mediating talks, has said that recent negotiations are "grounds for optimism" that a positive outcome is "within reach".
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyp0040x7po
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National Muslim Leaders to Hold News Conference in Baltimore in Response to San Diego Mosque Terror Attack
May 24, 2026
On Monday, May 25, national Muslim leaders with the US Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO) plan to hold a news conference at the annual Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) conference taking place in Baltimore, Maryland, to respond to last week’s deadly terror attack on a mosque in San Diego.
WHAT: USCMO News Conference in Response to San Diego Mosque Terror Attack
WHEN: Monday, May 25, 11 a.m. ET
WHERE: Baltimore Convention Center, 1 West Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21201 (Inside Pratt Street Entrance)
CONTACT: USCMO Secretary General Oussama Jammal, ojammal@uscmo.org; CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry, zchaudry@cair.com, 410-971-6062; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com
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.
Source: cair.com
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/breaking-national-muslim-leaders-to-hold-news-conference-in-baltimore-in-response-to-san-diego-mosque-terror-attack/
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Oil prices slide on hopes of US-Iran peace deal
May 25, 2026
Peter Hoskins
Oil prices have fallen sharply and Asian stock markets have risen on hopes of a deal that could bring an end to the US-Israel war with Iran.
On Saturday, US President Donald Trump said an agreement with Tehran had been "largely negotiated" and details would be announced soon but the following day urged his negotiating team not to rush a deal.
On Monday in Asia, global oil benchmark Brent was down by 5.5% at $97.90 (£72.64), while US-traded crude was 5.9% lower at $90.93.
Trump had previously said the deal would include the reopening of the key Strait of Hormuz shipping route, without giving further details.
The narrow waterway, through which around a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) usually passes, has been effectively closed since the conflict started on 28 February.
The Nikkei 225 stock index in Japan rose above 65,000 for the first time after gaining 3% on hopes that the strait would soon reopen.
Japan, like nearby South Korea, has been particularly impacted by the conflict as they are heavily reliant on energy from the Gulf.
UK and US energy and financial markets are closed on Monday for public holidays.
Trump said on social media on Saturday that he had a "very good call" with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and others about a "Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to PEACE".
"An agreement has been largely negotiated, subject to finalization between the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the various other Countries, as listed," Trump said.
"Final aspects and details of the deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly."
He also said he had a call on Saturday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which "went very well".
The president did not give any further details on the deal, but has insisted any agreement would "absolutely" prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
But on Sunday, he said on Truth Social: "Both sides must take their time and get it right. There can be no mistakes!"
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei earlier told state television that US and Iranian positions had been converging in the last week, but warned that did not mean agreements would be reached on key issues and accused the Americans of "contradictory statements".
Global energy markets have seen big price swings since early March after Iran threatened to attack ships trying to use the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for US and Israeli attacks on the country.
While crude oil prices have fallen sharply today they remain significantly higher than before the war.
In the lead up to the conflict Brent was trading at around $70 a barrel.
Tehran also attacked Israel and US-allied states in the Gulf, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.
A ceasefire was agreed in early April, and since then Washington and Tehran have engaged in talks over a long-term peace deal.
"There is now some light at the end of the tunnel, which will bring some near term oil price relief," Saul Kavonic, head of energy research at MST Financial.
"But even in the most optimistic scenario from here, oil markets will remain tight through 2027 given the time required to normalise oil flows through the Strait, repair damaged oil facilities, and rebuild global oil stocks that have seen record depletion since the war began," he added.
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c809m7g29r7o
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Suspect killed after opening fire on Secret Service near White House
Helen Sullivan
May 25, 2026
A gunman who shot at a White House security checkpoint was killed in an exchange of fire with Secret Service agents on Saturday evening, officials have confirmed.
The BBC's US media partner CBS named the suspect as Nasire Best, a 21-year-old man who was known to the agency and had a documented history of mental health conditions.
Gunfire rang out just after 18:00 local time (23:00 GMT) - reporters filming outside ducked and ran for cover inside the White House.
US President Donald Trump was at the White House but was unharmed. He thanked officers for their "swift and professional action". The shooting comes a month after a gunman opened fire at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
The incident began when a man pulled a gun from his bag and "began firing" outside the White House at the intersection of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington DC, near the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.
Secret Service officers posted on the corner returned fire, striking the gunman. He was then taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
A bystander was also wounded in the shooting, but the Secret Service did not give further details on their condition. No officers were injured in the attack.
Trump was at the White House at the time, but officials said no "protectees" or operations were impacted.
The suspect was later identified in US media as Nasire Best, who had been known to both the Secret Service and the Metropolitan Police Department, law enforcement sources told CBS.
He used a revolver during the shooting, the sources said.
A source familiar with the investigation told CBS that Best had attempted to gain entry to the White House in July 2025 and had been arrested by officers nearby, after which he spent time at a psychiatric facility. He had been living in Washington DC for 18 months.
"Thank you to our great Secret Service and Law Enforcement for the swift and professional action taken this evening against a gunman near the White House," Trump wrote on social media.
Noting that the shooting had occurred since the White House Correspondents' Dinner was disrupted by a different shooter, he said it showed how important it was "for all future Presidents, to get, what will be, the most safe and secure space of its kind ever built in Washington" - a reference to his planned White House ballroom.
On Sunday morning, US House Speaker Mike Johnson said: "We live in a heightened threat environment, it's a very serious issue."
Johnson said he spoke to Trump after the shooting but the president did not mention it, adding he "accepts it" as a "risk of the job".
Writing on X, Senate Majority Leader John Thune praised the Secret Service's "decisive actions" to protect the president and others.
After shots were heard, reporters at the White House were rushed into a briefing room. Some had been filming when the incident occurred and shots could be heard in the distance as they spoke to camera.
Footage shared by ABC's senior White House correspondent Selina Wang showed her taking cover as a volley of shots could be heard from across the North Lawn.
"We were told to sprint to the press briefing room where we are holding now," Wang wrote on X.
Aaron Navarro, a CBS News reporter, told the BBC he had been on the North Lawn when he heard gunshots, "at points sounding like they were coming from different guns, just outside the grounds".
"As soon as we heard it, we ducked down and I started to see other reporters starting to run, and you shortly heard Secret Service officers saying 'get inside, get inside'," he said.
Once inside, he said reporters were locked down in the press briefing room for around 30 minutes. Outside, they saw Secret Service officers and then, just beyond the grounds, they eventually saw ambulances.
Navarro said it was unclear exactly where Trump was inside the White House when the shooting took place and "whether he even heard it, as it was a good distance [away]".
He said the shooting took place in a busy area with a cafe and restaurants, but that it was not as busy as it could have been since the shooting occurred on a weekend evening.
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjwp82ye4y3o
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Iran wiped out fifth of US Reaper drone fleet – Bloomberg
24 May, 2026
The US military has lost up to 30 MQ-9 Reaper drones since the start of the conflict with Iran, which accounts for nearly a fifth of Washington’s entire pre-war fleet and is valued at close to $1 billion, Bloomberg has reported. The bulk of them were destroyed or seriously damaged by Iranian fire, according to the outlet.
The MQ-9 Reaper is capable of conducting both reconnaissance and strike missions. A single drone is estimated to cost more than $30 million. General Atomics halted production of the model last year, although variants are still being manufactured for foreign customers.
In an article on Thursday, Bloomberg, citing an anonymous source, reported that “Iran has destroyed more than two dozen MQ-9 Reaper drones operated by US forces since the war began” in late February.
While many of the drones were downed by Iranian air defenses, others were lost on the ground as a result of missile strikes, as well as in accidents, according to Bloomberg.
The US fleet of Reapers has now fallen to roughly 135 aircraft, considerably below the Air Force’s long-standing minimum floor of 189, according to Lt. Gen. David Tabor, the Pentagon deputy chief of staff for plans and programs.
Earlier this month, the Congressional Research Service – the nonpartisan research arm of the Library of Congress that works with open-source materials – issued a report named ‘U.S. Aircraft Combat Losses in Operation Epic Fury.’ The document, citing an unspecified “news article,” similarly estimates that the US military had lost 24 MQ-9 Reapers, plus one MQ-4C.
The tally features a total of 42 US aircraft, including four F-15E fighter jets, an F-35A fighter jet, an A-10 Thunderbolt II ground-attack aircraft, seven KC-135 Stratotanker refueling planes, as well as a helicopter.
Appearing before the House Appropriations defense subcommittee last Tuesday, Acting Pentagon Comptroller Jules Hurst said that the cost of the military operation against Iran had swollen from the previously projected $25 billion to $29 billion due to “updated repair and replacement of equipment costs,” among other factors.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/640513-iran-destroyed-fifth-us-reaper-drone-fleet-bloomberg/
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Africa
Army Warns Against Fake Facebook Accounts Impersonating Generals
May 25, 2026
By Enioluwa Adeniyi
The Nigerian Army has warned members of the public against fraudulent social media accounts impersonating senior military officers.
Naija News reports that the army said the fake accounts were created on online platforms, particularly Facebook, to deceive and defraud unsuspecting Nigerians.
The warning was contained in a statement issued on Sunday via the army’s official X handle.
According to the statement, fraudsters created fake accounts impersonating the Deputy Chief of Standards and Evaluation, Army, Maj. Gen. Raymond Utsaha.
The army said the impersonators also used the photograph of the Chief of Policy and Plans, Army, Maj. Gen. Bamidele Alabi.
“The Nigerian Army wishes to categorically state that the said Facebook accounts are fake and were created with malicious intent to defraud individuals through false representations and unauthorised online engagements,” the statement read.
The army advised the public to disregard any communication, friend requests, financial solicitations or unofficial engagements from the fake accounts.
It also said senior military officers do not conduct official transactions or sensitive matters through personal social media accounts.
The statement added that senior officers do not award contracts, request financial assistance or handle official matters through unofficial online channels.
The army urged Nigerians to be vigilant and report suspicious accounts or activities to the appropriate security agencies.
“The general public is urged to remain vigilant and report suspicious accounts or activities to the appropriate security agencies,” the statement added.
The army said it would continue to monitor and take necessary action against individuals or groups involved in cyber impersonation and related fraudulent activities.
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2026/05/25/army-fake-facebook-impersonating-generals/
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Military promises safe Sallah celebrations in North East
May 25, 2026
Olugbenga Ige
The Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, has assured residents of the North-East of adequate security ahead of the Eid El Kabir celebrations scheduled for Wednesday, May 28, 2026.
In a statement issued on Monday by the Media Information Officer of OPHK, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, the military said comprehensive security measures had already been activated across the theatre to ensure peaceful celebrations despite threats posed by remnants of Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province.
The command also extended warm felicitations to all Muslim faithful ahead of the Eid El Kabir celebrations and wished residents of the region a peaceful and joyful festivity.
According to the statement, credible intelligence suggested that insurgents might attempt to exploit the festive period to launch isolated attacks on civilian targets using suicide bombers and improvised explosive devices.
The command said, “Credible intelligence available to the command indicates the possibility of isolated attempts by remnant Boko Haram Terrorist and Islamic State West Africa Province elements to exploit the festive period to carry out attacks against civilian targets using suicide bombers and IEDs, particularly in areas of high population concentration.”
OPHK, however, assured residents that the threats had been anticipated and necessary countermeasures put in place.
“The Theatre Command wishes to assure the public that these threats have been thoroughly anticipated,” the statement said.
It added that troops had been forward-deployed to critical and vulnerable locations across all sectors of the Theatre, while surveillance and intelligence assets had been fully activated.
The military further stated that patrols had been intensified and security forces were working in close coordination with sister agencies, the Civilian Joint Task Force, and community vigilance groups to forestall any threat and guarantee a secure festive period for all residents.
The command urged residents to remain vigilant throughout the celebrations by avoiding crowded gatherings where possible and promptly reporting suspicious movements or objects to security agencies.
It advised residents to conduct Eid prayers and festivities as close to their homes and familiar localities as possible, while also urging the public to “exercise heightened vigilance in crowded public spaces such as markets, motor parks, banking halls, and prayer grounds.”
The statement also called on citizens to cooperate with security personnel during patrols and screening operations and to avoid spreading unverified information capable of causing panic.
The military appealed to traditional rulers, religious leaders, media organisations, and community stakeholders to support ongoing security efforts by encouraging the timely sharing of credible information.
“Your cooperation with security forces remains invaluable to the success of ongoing operations,” the command stated.
Reassuring residents of the military’s preparedness, OPHK declared that troops were on standby, fully prepared, and firmly in control.
“The command remains resolute in its determination to deny terrorists any freedom of action and ensure that the Eid El Kabir celebrations proceed in an atmosphere of peace, safety, and dignity for all,” the statement added.
Source: punchng.com
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https://punchng.com/military-promises-safe-sallah-celebrations-in-north-east/
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Former finance minister Romuald Wadagni sworn is as Benin's new president
May 25, 2026
Romuald Wadagni took the oath of office of Sunday to become Benin's new president.
The former finance minister of Benin, Romuald Wadagni, officially became the country's president on Sunday, taking over from his former-boss Patrice Talon.
Wadagni, an economist with a reputation as a technocrat who embodies continuity with Talon's two mandates, was elected April 12 with 94 percent of the ballots.
His sole token opponent, Paul Hounkpe, was easily beaten, and Hounkpe's party quickly joined forces with Wadagni's party in the parliament.
The main opposition party, the Democrats, was not able to participate in the elections because insufficient endorsements and internal rifts.
"I will serve Benin with integrity, courage and commitment," Wadagni said at his inauguration.
"I will serve with the constant knowledge that power is never a personal privilege," he said.
Wadagni takes up the reins of a west African country that has enjoyed a decade of robust economic growth, but where a huge wealth gap persists -- and there is insecurity in its north due to attacks blamed on jihadist groups.
The 49-year-old has a seven-year term before him, after a constitutional reform last year extended the presidential mandate from a previous five years.
A president can serve only a maximum of two terms.
Under Wadagni's 10-year stint as finance minister, Benin's public finances were cleaned up and the deficit cut by a third to reach three percent of GDP.
Wadagni emphasised that, on top of his economic skills, he would tackle the violence in the north, attributed mainly to Al-Qaeda's Sahel branch, the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM).
"Benin will not give in to fear nor complacency. The government will be firm against all those who threaten our unity and security," Wadagni said.
One of his tasks will be to try to stabilise previously fraught ties with its two junta-ruled neighbours, Niger and Burkina Faso, which are battling Islamist militant groups seeking to expand in the region.
On Sunday, Niger's prime minister, Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, attended Wadagni's inauguration to applause, in a sign of detente.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.africanews.com/2026/05/24/former-finance-minister-romuald-wadagni-sworn-is-as-benins-new-president/
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Benin-Niger relations show signs of thaw as Wadagni takes office
May 25, 2026
Niger PM’s appearance at inauguration signals possible reopening of dialogue after months of regional tensions
Benin’s new president, Romuald Wadagni, officially took office on Sunday with promises of stability, security and regional cooperation — but it was the presence of Nigerien Prime Minister Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine at the ceremony that drew particular attention across West Africa.
After months of strained relations between Benin and the junta-led Alliance of Sahel States (AES), Zeine’s visit to Cotonou appeared to signal a tentative diplomatic thaw and a willingness by both sides to reopen dialogue.
The inauguration came at a delicate moment for the region, where security threats, economic pressures and political divisions following a series of Sahel coups have reshaped alliances among neighbouring states.
A symbolic visit after months of tension
Relations between Benin and Niger deteriorated sharply after the July 2023 coup in Niamey.
Border closures, political disagreements and diverging regional alignments deepened mistrust between the two neighbours.
Against that backdrop, Zeine’s attendance at Wadagni’s inauguration was widely interpreted as a significant gesture of détente.
Speaking after the ceremony, the Nigerien prime minister suggested that both countries were entering a new phase.
“I believe this is a new path opening up,” Zeine said. “The most important thing is to strengthen our ties and ensure that we can work together.”
He also praised Wadagni’s emphasis on African-led solutions and regional self-determination, themes increasingly echoed by Sahel governments distancing themselves from traditional Western partners.
Wadagni signals pragmatic regional approach
Wadagni, a former finance minister and economist, is widely viewed as a continuity candidate following two terms under outgoing president Patrice Talon.
But analysts say his technocratic and pragmatic profile may also make him more inclined toward a conciliatory regional approach.
During his inauguration speech, Wadagni stressed the importance of rebuilding cooperation with neighbouring countries.
“With our neighbouring countries, we will place particular emphasis on deepening regional cooperation,” he said. “Benin will continue to act in favour of stability, dialogue and respect.”
The 49-year-old also sought to frame his presidency around responsibility and public service.
“I will serve Benin with integrity, with courage and with constancy,” Wadagni declared. “I will serve with the constant awareness that power is never a personal privilege.”
Security and economic pressures driving engagement
Wadagni assumes office at a time when Benin faces growing jihadist violence in its northern regions, blamed largely on the Al-Qaeda-linked Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM).
At the same time, Niger and Burkina Faso continue to battle expanding Islamist insurgencies while navigating diplomatic isolation from parts of the West African bloc ECOWAS.
For all sides, security and economic realities are increasingly pushing neighbouring countries toward renewed engagement despite recent political fractures.
Under Wadagni’s decade-long tenure as finance minister, Benin recorded strong economic growth and improved public finances, though inequality remains high.
His immediate challenge will be balancing domestic stability with regional diplomacy — particularly with Sahel neighbours whose relations with Cotonou have been deeply strained.
Sunday’s inauguration may not resolve those tensions overnight. But the symbolism of Niger’s presence in Cotonou suggested that channels of communication, at least, are beginning to reopen.
Source: africanews.com
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Ebola Outbreak: NCDC Places Emergency Centre On Alert, Warns Importation Risk High
May 25, 2026
By Richard Ogunsile
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has intensified nationwide surveillance and emergency preparedness measures following the growing outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The agency said Nigeria had not recorded any confirmed case linked to the ongoing regional outbreak but warned that the risk of importation remained high due to international travel, population movement and the scale of transmission in affected East African countries.
Naija News reports that the alert was contained in a fresh public health advisory issued by the Director-General of the NCDC, Jide Idris, on Sunday, May 24, 2026.
According to the advisory, the latest risk assessment by the agency identified border communities, major transport hubs and international points of entry as areas requiring closer monitoring.
The NCDC said the risk of Ebola importation into Nigeria was considered high because of ongoing transmission in Uganda and the DRC, as well as the movement of people across borders.
The advisory stated, “This assessment estimated the risk of Ebola importation into Nigeria as high due to the ongoing transmission in the DRC and Uganda, international travel and population movement, uncertainty regarding the full magnitude of the outbreak, and the potential for delayed recognition because symptoms may overlap with endemic diseases such as malaria and Lassa fever.”
The agency noted that the similarity between early Ebola symptoms and other common diseases in Nigeria could delay detection if health workers and members of the public were not alert.
Emergency Centre Placed On Alert
The NCDC said the National Emergency Operations Centre had been placed on alert mode as part of measures to strengthen national readiness.
It also disclosed that the National Incident Management System had been activated with clear reporting and escalation pathways to coordinate response activities across the country.
According to the agency, epidemiologists and Rapid Response Teams have also been placed on standby for possible deployment to any state where suspected cases may be reported.
The NCDC said it was working closely with state Ministries of Health, Port Health Services and other relevant government agencies to strengthen preparedness and response capacity.
The public health agency said surveillance and epidemic intelligence activities had been intensified nationwide.
It explained that unusual public health events, rumours and alerts were being monitored to ensure early detection of suspected cases.
The advisory added, “Enhanced surveillance activities are also ongoing at points of entry and border communities.”
The agency said particular attention was being paid to international points of entry and communities close to borders because of the risk posed by cross-border movement.
As part of infection prevention efforts, the NCDC said Ebola preparedness tools and checklists had been distributed to healthcare facilities across the country.
The agency added that refresher trainings were ongoing for health workers on triage systems, infection prevention protocols and early identification of suspected viral haemorrhagic fever cases.
States have also been advised to designate isolation and treatment centres, assess bed capacity, strengthen logistics systems and ensure the availability of emergency medical supplies.
The NCDC said plans were underway to preposition critical response materials in strategic locations across the country.
The items include personal protective equipment, body bags, laboratory consumables and other emergency supplies.
On laboratory preparedness, the NCDC said Nigeria currently has Ebola testing capability in states with international ports of entry and within the national public health laboratory network.
It added that surge capacity for Ebola testing would be available if required.
The agency also said it had intensified public awareness campaigns to counter misinformation and false claims about the disease.
According to the NCDC, “Ebola Myths and Facts” materials had been developed to help members of the public understand the disease and avoid panic.
Ebola Virus Disease is a severe and often fatal illness transmitted through direct contact with infected blood, bodily fluids, secretions or contaminated materials.
Symptoms may include fever, weakness, headache and muscle pain.
Health experts have repeatedly said the disease does not spread through the air.
The NCDC urged members of the public to rely on verified information from health authorities and avoid spreading rumours that could undermine response efforts.
Nigeria’s latest alert has revived memories of the country’s successful containment of Ebola in 2014 after an infected Liberian-American diplomat, Patrick Sawyer, arrived in Lagos from Liberia.
The outbreak resulted in 20 confirmed cases and eight deaths before health authorities halted further transmission through aggressive contact tracing, isolation measures and public awareness campaigns.
Nigeria’s response at the time was widely praised by the World Health Organisation and has since been regarded as one of Africa’s most effective epidemic containment efforts.
Naija News reports that the current concern follows renewed Ebola outbreaks in parts of Central and East Africa, particularly Uganda and the DRC, where health authorities continue to battle recurring viral haemorrhagic fever outbreaks.
Public health experts have warned that increased global travel and porous borders continue to pose risks to countries across Africa, including Nigeria, despite improved disease surveillance systems established after previous outbreaks of Ebola, COVID-19, monkeypox and Lassa fever.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2026/05/25/ebola-outbreak-ncdc/
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Tinubu Speaks On Contesting APC Presidential Ticket Against Osifo
By Enioluwa Adeniyi
May 24, 2026
President Bola Tinubu on Sunday extended an olive branch to his sole challenger in the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary, Stanley Osifo, saying he bore no grudge against him.
Naija News reports that Tinubu spoke at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja after he was declared the APC presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
The President polled 10.9 million votes to defeat Osifo, a businessman from Edo State, who scored 16,503 votes nationwide.
Addressing party leaders and supporters after his victory, Tinubu said democracy should accommodate different views and political disagreements.
He said his administration remained open to dialogue with critics and political opponents.
“To those who despise our philosophy, we offer dialogue and engagement, not anger, confident that the sincerity of our purpose and the result of our work will speak for themselves,” Tinubu said.
Tinubu also addressed Osifo directly, saying he did not hold his decision to contest against him personally.
“I owe you no grudge, including Osifo, who spent his money,” he stated.
Osifo had paid N100m for the APC presidential nomination form and refused to step down after a planned consensus arrangement for the primary collapsed.
The President said disagreement within a democracy should not be seen as a threat.
According to him, democracy is sustained by diversity of ideas and a shared belief in the nation.
“You may be angry with our party, we don’t have to agree. Democracy is sustained not by uniformity but by diversity, by a shared belief in the nation, and the blending of ideas,” Tinubu said.
Source: naijanews.com
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Southeast Asia
Malaysia maintains strong position in halal industry as Jakim seen as global benchmark, says BMI
25 May 2026
KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 — Malaysia’s institutional credibility remains a key competitive advantage in the global halal certification landscape, underpinned by the internationally recognised halal certification system developed by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim), according to BMI, a unit of Fitch Solutions.
In a statement, BMI said Jakim is widely treated as a halal benchmark for rigour, consistency and operational maturity, adding that Malaysia’s influence stems from the perception that its certification system is technically credible, professionally administered and internationally legible.
It said Malaysia also benefits from a relatively affluent consumer base, with 47.6 per cent of households projected to earn above US$25,000 in 2026, higher than in Muslim-majority developing markets such as Türkiye (25.9 per cent) and Indonesia (9.6 per cent).
“Additionally, Malaysia has a broader halal ecosystem that extends into Islamic finance, tourism, pharmaceuticals and export-oriented manufacturing,” it said.
Malaysia moved early to formalise halal governance, with state-recognised halal certification introduced at the national level in 1994 under the then Food and Islamic Consumer Products Division of Jakim.
In comparison, several other Muslim-majority countries developed strong halal frameworks later or adopted more decentralised approaches.
For example, Indonesia had a long-established halal ecosystem through the Council of Indonesian Ulama (MUI), but the shift to a more formal state-led framework under the Halal Product Assurance Organising Agency (BPJPH) came later, after the body was formally established in 2017.
In a fragmented global market, countries and companies often look for a certifier that is already widely trusted, and Malaysia has succeeded in making its certification system commercially valuable beyond its own borders.
“Malaysia’s disadvantage is that it lacks the coercive power of a very large domestic market. Its certification may be widely respected, but it cannot compel international firms to align in the same way Indonesia potentially can through sheer demand size.
“Malaysia also operates in a system where even highly regarded certification bodies do not enjoy universal recognition,” it said.
Globally, BMI said the halal economy has expanded from a niche religious compliance issue into a major international trade and regulatory system, with halal food and drink remaining its largest and most developed segment.
Halal food and drink spending is expected to grow from US$1.3 trillion in 2026 to US$1.8 trillion by 2030, representing an annual growth rate of 6.9 per cent over the forecast period (2026-2030), driven largely by strong economic expansion in Muslim-majority markets.
However, certification systems remain fragmented across countries and certifying bodies, creating complexity for retailers, manufacturers and exporters, raising costs and slowing market entry. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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Malaysian Haj pilgrim dies of brain haemorrhage in Mecca, 10th fatality this season
25 May 2026
MECCA, May 25 — A 52-year-old female Haj pilgrim from Parit Jawa, Johor, became the 10th Malaysian pilgrim to die in the Holy Land during this year’s haj season after suffering a brain haemorrhage yesterday.
Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH), in a statement, said the deceased, who had travelled alone to perform the haj, was a pilgrim from the KT08 group and was staying at the Rehab Al-Janadriyah Hotel.
“She was pronounced dead at Shefaa Hospital at 5am due to a brain haemorrhage.
“Her remains were taken to Masjidil Haram for funeral prayers after the Zohor prayer before being laid to rest at the Sharai’ Cemetery in Makkah,” it said.
TH also extended its condolences to the deceased’s family and prayed that her soul would be blessed and placed among the righteous. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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Malaysia deepens defence ties with Türkiye as LMS Batch 2 programme launched in Istanbul
25 May 2026
ISTANBUL, May 25 — Malaysia has strengthened its defence-industrial cooperation with Türkiye through a series of engagements during the defence minister’s official working visit, which culminated in the naming and launching of the Royal Malaysian Navy’s Littoral Mission Ship (LMS) Batch 2.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the visit reflects growing trust and strategic cooperation between both countries, particularly in defence technology and industrial development.
“This is a significant milestone in Malaysia-Turkiye defence relations, built on trust and long-term cooperation,” he said during the ceremony at Istanbul Shipyard.
As part of the working visit, Khaled held meetings with Turkish defence industry players, including Otokar Otomotiv ve Savunma Sanayi A.Ş. and HAVELSAN, focusing on potential cooperation in defence systems, technology development and industrial collaboration.
In a separate engagement with HAVELSAN, Khaled was briefed on the company’s products, technologies and innovations, particularly in Combat Management Systems (CMS), simulation systems, artificial intelligence and decision-support tools for modern military operations.
HAVELSAN currently supplies the CMS for the Royal Malaysian Navy’s LMS Batch 2 programme.
The discussions also touched on potential strategic defence cooperation involving Boustead Holdings Berhad, aimed at strengthening Malaysia’s Defence Industry Policy and further deepening Malaysia-Turkiye defence relations.
The cooperation is aligned with Malaysia’s efforts to enhance local defence solutions, reduce reliance on foreign systems, and open opportunities for Malaysian companies to participate in global supply chains.
Malaysia also noted Turkiye’s experience in building a self-reliant defence industrial base, which the minister described as a strong example of long-term strategic planning and national commitment.
He added that Malaysia sees strong potential to expand defence cooperation with Turkiye beyond the current programme, particularly in knowledge exchange and technology transfer.
The working visit culminated in the naming and launching ceremony of the first Royal Malaysian Navy Littoral Mission Ship (LMS) Batch 2 at Istanbul Shipyard, attended by Queen of Malaysia Raja Zarith Sofiah, who served as Royal Sponsor for the vessel.
The first vessel in the series was named KD Tunku Abdul Jalil, in honour of the late Tunku Abdul Jalil, whose courage and resilience during his battle with cancer continues to be remembered nationally.
Khaled said the naming carries values that align closely with the ethos of the Royal Malaysian Navy, describing the ceremony as a significant naval tradition marking the formal transition of a ship from land to water and its official naming.
“This ceremony marks a significant naval tradition — the formal transition of a ship from land to water for the first time, and the official naming of the ship,” he said.
Built on Turkiye’s MILGEM ADA-class design, the LMS Batch 2 programme represents Malaysia’s first government-to-government warship procurement collaboration with Turkiye.
Khaled said the project forms part of the Royal Malaysian Navy’s 15-to-5 Transformation Plan, aimed at modernising its fleet structure and strengthening operational readiness.
He expressed confidence that the programme remains on track, with all three vessels expected to be delivered by the end of 2027.
“I am confident that with the dedication shown by the Royal Malaysian Navy Project Team, STM, and Istanbul Shipyard, all three vessels will be delivered successfully by the end of 2027,” he said.
Beyond the ship programme, Khaled said Malaysia and Turkiye share space for broader cooperation, particularly in knowledge exchange and technology transfer, which could help strengthen Malaysia’s local defence industry.
He added that the partnership reflects not only progress for both countries, but also contributes to wider maritime security and global peace.
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/05/25/malaysia-deepens-defence-ties-with-turkiye-as-lms-batch-2-programme-launched-in-istanbul/221344
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Malaysia’s medicine supply stable and sufficient despite Iran conflict, says economy minister
By Muhammad Yusry
25 May 2026
KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 — Malaysia’s supply of medicines and medical devices remains stable and sufficient despite ongoing global supply disruptions linked to the Iran conflict, with only 16.8 per cent of medicine items currently classified as high risk, Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said today.
Speaking during a Global Supply Crisis briefing livestreamed on Facebook, Akmal said the government’s latest assessment up to May 8 showed that most pharmaceutical supplies in the country remain at low risk levels.
“From the overall recorded medicine items, 72 per cent are at low risk, 11.3 per cent at medium risk, and 16.8 per cent at high risk requiring continuous monitoring and mitigation measures,” he said.
For medical devices, he said 81.7 per cent were categorised as low risk, 13.5 per cent as medium risk, while only 4.8 per cent were considered high risk.
Akmal said the higher-risk categories mainly involved raw materials and key components heavily dependent on imports, amid continuing geopolitical tensions and supply chain pressures arising from the Middle East conflict.
Nevertheless, he assured patients and healthcare providers that supplies remained “stable and under control”.
Since the crisis began, the government through the Health Ministry has implemented several mitigation measures, including regular supply monitoring through a special task force, strengthening national buffer stocks for high-risk medicines, and diversifying supply sources through strategic cooperation with countries such as China, Japan and Uzbekistan.
Akmal also said Putrajaya had activated a “special access pathway” to expedite approval processes for importing critical medicines.
In addition, the government is seeking to strengthen domestic pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing to reduce reliance on imported products.
“MTEN agreed that the Health Ministry will continue mitigation efforts on an ongoing basis to ensure sufficient stocks of medicines and medical devices, especially critical and high-risk items,” he said, referring to the National Economic Action Council.
He added that any cost adjustments would be implemented in a targeted manner based on actual risk levels and needs.
Akmal also said the government wanted greater transparency in medicine pricing at private pharmacies to ensure consumers are not burdened by unreasonable price increases.
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/05/25/malaysias-medicine-supply-stable-and-sufficient-despite-iran-conflict-says-economy-minister/221322
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GSF 2.0 activists return to KLIA after Israeli detention; one stable after lung surgery in Istanbul following assault injury
25 May 2026
SEPANG, May 25 — A total of 28 Malaysians who were detained by the Israeli army in the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) 2.0 humanitarian mission to Gaza arrived home safely last night.
All of them, together with Sumud Nusantara Command Center (SNCC) director-general Datuk Sani Araby Abdul Alim Araby, departed from Istanbul International Airport, Turkiye at 2.21 am (local time) yesterday and then transited in Dubai, United Arab Emirates before continuing their journey back home on Emirates flight EK342 which landed at 9.30pm last night at KLIA Terminal 1.
Their arrival was greeted by Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, Sik Member of Parliament Ahmad Tarmizi Sulaiman and more than 100 family members of activists and supporters of Palestine with chants of “Free Free Palestine” and Allahuakbar while waving the Palestinian flag.
Tears of joy, tears of gratitude and tight hugs between family members and comrades accompanied the moments of the meeting.
All 28 volunteers involved were Norazman Ishak; Muhammad Hareez Adzrami; Nor Liyana Farhan Daud; Zainal Rashid Ahmad; Ahmad Musa Al-Nuwayri Kamaruzaman; Hazwan Hazim Dermawan; Norhelmi Ab Ghani; Mohd Hanafi Mohd Salim; and Mohd Shamsir Mohd Isa.
Also joining the mission were Mohd Redzal Amzah; Muhammad Zaid Abdul Karim; Al-Ahmad Shah Abdul Kadir; Mohammad Farizzal Rostam; Chin Shiau Weai; Abdul Samad Selamat; Mohammad Shazly Mohammad Shees; Tengku Ahmad Taufik Tengku Noor Zahari; Syed Aminul Syafiq Syed Iskandar and Osman Zulkifli.
Other participants included Jihan Alya Mohd Nordin; Muhammad Amirul Afif Mohd Azhar; S. Patmanathan; Syakirin Muhamad Senin; Muhammad Muhsin Zaidi; Abdul Rahim Abdul Razak; Eddy Noor Mat Amin; Noor Thanisah Mohamad Tajudin and Naufa Azhar.
Another activist, Razman Mat Ali, is still in Istanbul, Turkey, for treatment of a “traumatic pneumothorax” or a punctured lung after being punched by Israeli soldiers.
Previously, SNCC confirmed that all 50 GSF 2.0 mission ships carrying 430 humanitarian activists, including 29 Malaysians, had been kidnapped by Israel.
The ship carrying GSF 2.0 humanitarian mission volunteers was intercepted by Israeli forces near the waters of Cyprus on May 18.
Meanwhile, Sani Arabi in a press conference said Razman had successfully undergone surgery and was in stable condition.
He said Razman was expected to be allowed to return home and fly to Malaysia within 21 days.
According to him, the Sumud group had visited Razman and two representatives from the legal team from the Center for Human Rights Research and Advocacy (CENTHRA) had taken recordings and statements from him to be used as evidence in international legal action against Israel.
“The Turkish government has informed us that they will take care of him and we also have representatives from Sumud Nusantara who are accompanying him and I think what Razman is facing is not an isolated story,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sani Arabi stressed that the injuries suffered by Razman were not an isolated case because all the delegations also faced rough treatment and physical abuse throughout their detention.
Regarding GSF 2.0, Sani Arabi described the mission, which recorded 960 hours or 40 days of sailing across the Mediterranean Sea, is now inscribed in the history of humanity as a collective global effort with a concrete and clear objective to break the siege and deliver emergency aid to Gaza.
“This mission has not only been recognised, but has also succeeded in sparking global outrage as the colonial regime acts like pirates and bandits in an internationally owned zone.
“SNCC affirms that GSF 2.0 has created an extraordinary wave of international solidarity in the history of modern humanitarian struggle when it brought together activists, parliamentarians, media practitioners, doctors, lawyers and 422 activists from 40 countries (to gather) to express solidarity with the Palestinian people and oppose the barbaric blockade on Gaza,” he said.
Amirudin in his speech said the Malaysian government and state government expressed their commitment to bringing international conferences and meetings on Palestine to Malaysia, in the future.
“We want every aspect of this struggle to be developed, strengthened, and lead to the liberation of Gaza that has been dreamed of for so long,” he said. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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Three senators sworn in at Dewan Negara, including UniMAIWP vice-chancellor and two reappointments
25 May 2026
KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 — Three senators, including a new appointee, took the oath of office before Senate President Datuk Awang Bemee Awang Ali Basah today.
Among them was the chief executive officer and vice-chancellor of International University of the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council (UniMAIWP), Datuk Seri Profesor Dr Noor Inayah Ya’akub, who was appointed as a new Senator.
The other two Senators sworn in were Hussin Ismail and Dr RA Lingeshwaran, who were reappointed after being re-elected by the Terengganu and Penang State Legislative Assemblies, respectively.
In his speech, Awang Bemee said Noor Inayah, who was elected by the Penang State Legislative Assembly, would serve a three-year term from May 14, 2026, until May 13, 2029.
He said Lingeshwaran would also serve for the same period, while Hussin’s reappointment, which took effect on April 23, will end on April 22, 2029.
“On behalf of the Senate, I extend my heartfelt congratulations and welcome the appointment and re-election of all Honourable Senators sworn in today,” he said after the oath-taking ceremony.
Awang Bemee expressed hope that all appointed senators would utilise their experience, expertise and wisdom through active participation in debates, raising quality questions and contributing effectively in Senate Select Committees for the well-being of the people and the nation’s progress.
“In this challenging environment, the people have high expectations for Parliament to continue playing an effective role in scrutinising government policies, presenting thoughtful views and proposing practical, balanced and constructive solutions,” he said.
He also reminded Senators that the Senate functions not only as a body to examine and approve bills, but also as a platform for mature, prudent and constructive debates in the interest of the people.
According to the Parliamentary calendar, the Senate sitting for the Second Meeting of the Fifth Session of the 15th Parliament will be held for 10 days beginning July 20. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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MAF pledges compliance with Tengku Hassanal’s decree on military activities in Pahang
25 May 2026
KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 — The Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) has expressed its gratitude and pledged compliance with the decree issued by the Tengku Mahkota of Pahang, Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, regarding the conduct of military activities in the state.
The MAF headquarters, in a statement yesterday, said that as the nation’s defence institution, it remains committed to ensuring all training, exercises, and operations are executed in a planned, professional, and responsible manner.
It said the MAF fully adheres to all regulatory guidelines, standing operating procedures (SOPs), and environmental impact assessments stipulated by the relevant authorities.
“The MAF also recognises the importance of strategic cooperation with the state government, enforcement agencies, relevant experts, and local communities in every training deployment.
“In view of this, the MAF will continue to strengthen coordination mechanisms and engagement with all stakeholders to ensure military training is carried out in a more organised, safe, orderly, and prudent manner, while taking local sensitivities into account,” the statement read.
The MAF added that continuous mitigation, monitoring, and evaluation measures are consistently implemented by the MAF to minimise any adverse impact on the natural ecosystem in the affected operational areas.
Media reports recently highlighted that Tengku Hassanal had expressed concern over military training activities conducted across Pahang’s island zones, which risk disrupting the maritime environment and fragile ecosystems.
His Royal Highness decreed that the MAF must obtain the prior consent of the Sultan of Pahang before executing any training exercises within the state. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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South Asia
How the Islamic Emirate’s Tariff Policies Sparked a Boom in Local Flour Mills
May 24, 2026
By: Ghulam Reza Omidi
In accordance with the foundational economic principles of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), which prioritize national self-reliance, food security, and the revitalization of domestic industries, recent agricultural trade data reveals a transformative shift in the nation’s supply chain. Reports from the Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan confirm that grain exports to Afghanistan between September 2025 and May 2026 have escalated by a staggering 2.3 times compared to the corresponding period of the previous year. This massive influx, totaling approximately 3 million tons of premium grain, stands in stark contrast to the 1.3 million tons recorded prior. Concurrently, data released by the Ministry of Finance of Afghanistan aligns seamlessly with this upward trajectory, showing a profound 345 percent explosion in wheat import volumes during the first two months of the current fiscal year 1405. This strategic realignment of import dynamics directly reflects the deliberate fiscal and customs interventions instituted by the central government to insulate the population from global shocks while laying the groundwork for sustainable internal growth.
The core catalyst behind this unprecedented growth in wheat velocity is the calculated reduction of customs tariffs enacted by the Ministry of Finance. Under the guidance of the Islamic Emirate’s economic council, the reduction of import barriers on vital raw materials serves a dual religious and socioeconomic objective: ensuring the affordability of basic sustenance for the Muslim Ummah and lowering input costs for local production facilities. By systematically adjusting the customs tariff grid, the Ministry has successfully lowered the operational barriers for international trade merchants, resulting in the importation of nearly 198,000 tons of raw wheat during the initial two-month cycle of fiscal year 1405, whereas the previous baseline for the same duration lingered at a modest 44,000 tons. This aggressive policy pivot underscores a departure from over-reliance on international aid toward managed, trade-based food security models that emphasize bilateral cooperation with regional partners like Kazakhstan
Beyond the primary objective of securing immediate food supplies, the strategic prioritization of raw grain over processed flour demonstrates a sophisticated appreciation for industrial value chains. The Ministry of Finance has explicitly noted that these fiscal adjustments were engineered specifically to stimulate and expand the operational capacity of domestic flour milling factories. Prior to these measures, foreign processed goods often undercut local enterprises, leaving state-of-the-art infrastructure underutilized and capital stagnant. By facilitating an abundant, cost-effective flow of raw grain across the northern borders, the Islamic Emirate has effectively revitalized these critical domestic facilities. Local mills are now operating at optimal capacity, transforming raw Kazakh wheat into high-quality Afghan flour, thereby retaining the economic surplus within our borders and reducing the flight of hard currency to foreign processors.
The macroeconomic ramifications of this localized industrial revival are deeply felt across the labor market. The revitalization of milling operations has generated extensive direct and indirect employment opportunities for citizens, fully aligning with the Islamic Emirate’s mandate to alleviate poverty and foster dignified livelihood options. From transport and logistics networks spanning from the northern ports of entry to the technical operators inside the milling plants, the expansion of the agricultural value chain has created a resilient economic ecosystem. Furthermore, by substituting finished imports with domestically milled products, Afghanistan reinforces its economic sovereignty, ensuring that the wealth generated through consumption benefits the local working class and contributes to the national treasury through localized corporate and wage revenues.
The multi-fold increase in grain commerce between Kazakhstan and Afghanistan serves as a prime testament to the Islamic Emirate’s successful diplomacy and economic integration within the regional matrix. By positioning the nation as a reliable, secure, and business-friendly environment, the government has forged robust logistics corridors that guarantee long-term food security. Moving forward, the synergy between targeted fiscal policies and private industrial enterprise will continue to serve as the bedrock of Afghanistan’s economic reconstruction. The transformation of a potential food scarcity challenge into an opportunity for industrial growth and job creation highlights the foresight of current policies, ensuring a stable, self-sufficient, and prosperous future for the nation under Islamic governance.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://www.thekabultimes.com/how-the-islamic-emirates-tariff-policies-sparked-a-boom-in-local-flour-mills/
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Khurshid Alam new chairman of Islami Bank
25 MAY 2026
Bangladesh Bank has appointed Md Khurshid Alam, a former deputy governor, as chairman of Islami Bank PLC, hours after the previous chairman resigned.
Khurshid was one of the top BB officials who were forced to leave the central bank by over a hundred protesting officials of BB on August 6, 2024, a day after the fall of the previous Sheikh Hasina government following the July uprising.
Late yesterday evening, the day before the country entered a nearly week-long Eid holiday, the BB issued a letter to the managing director of Islami Bank appointing Alam as an independent director and chairman of the largest Shariah-based bank.
The appointment of Khurshid has sparked widespread discussion in the banking sector.
Before the appointment, M Zubaidur Rahman, independent director and chairman of Islami Bank, resigned, citing personal reasons.
He submitted his resignation letter to the BB governor, according to Arief Hossain Khan, executive director and spokesperson for the central bank.
However, several officials of both BB and Islami Bank, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that he was forced to resign.
Officials said the board of Islami Bank was scheduled to hold a meeting yesterday. Zubaidur was supposed to attend the meeting.
However, at around 4:00pm, he met the BB governor and resigned, they added.
Insiders said that after the BNP-led government assumed power, differences emerged between top officials of BB and senior executives of Islami Bank over various decisions concerning the bank.
A few days ago, a group of people staged a demonstration demanding the resignation of Zubaidur.
Earlier last month, Islami Bank sent its managing director, Md Omar Faruk Khan, on leave for more than one and a half months.
Md Altaf Hossain, an additional managing director, was made acting managing director during Faruk’s absence.
Faruk came to the bank yesterday, but an organisation with the banner ‘Conscious Consumers Forum’ did not allow him to enter. They said that if he joined the board meeting, he would be forced to resign.
The Daily Star tried to reach Faruk and Zubaidur over the phone, but they did not respond.
Source: thedailystar.net
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Country moving towards energy self-reliance: PM
25 MAY 2026
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman yesterday said Bangladesh is steadily moving towards clean energy, a green economy and a self-reliant energy system.
He said this while addressing the inaugural ceremony of the “Renewable Solar Power On-Grid Rooftop” initiative at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.
“Today we are inaugurating an initiative that is not only a power generation project but also a symbol of Bangladesh’s sustainable future,” he said.
“Through the inauguration of the one-megawatt rooftop solar power system at the Sangsad Bhaban, we will be able to give a clear message about the country’s commitment to clean energy and sustainable development.”
At the PM’s request, JS Speaker Maj (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmad formally inaugurated the initiative.
Noting that Bangladesh is trying to achieve self-reliance in the energy sector, the premier said, “Our economy is expanding, industrialisation is increasing and electricity demand is also rising rapidly. But at the same time, we must acknowledge that Bangladesh is one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries due to climate change impacts.”
“That’s why moving toward sustainable energy is no longer just an environmental responsibility; it has become an essential part of our economy and national security. Solar energy is the brightest aspect of that potential,” he added.
Mentioning that Bangladesh receives, on average, between 4.5 and 5 kilowatt-hours of solar radiation per square kilometre daily, PM Tarique said, “Our countless rooftops, industrial areas, open lands and coastal regions hold enormous potential for renewable energy.”
“Over the past decade, the global cost of solar power generation has significantly declined. As a result, solar energy is now not only environmentally friendly but also economically viable,” he added.
Source: thedailystar.net
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Procurement Commission Approves 15 Development Projects Worth AFN 4.2 billion
May 25, 2026
KABUL: The meeting of the National Procurement Commission has been held at the Marmarin Palace under the chairmanship of Mullah Abdul Ghani Beradar Akhund, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs of the Islamic Emirate, on the chair, approving 15 development projects worth 4.2 billion Afghanis.
According to the agenda, a total of 31 projects have been presented for approval during the session, and 15 projects have been approved, while amendments have been introduced to seven other projects, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs said in a statement the other day.
The commission also assigned designated committees to negotiate project prices with winning companies for four projects and submit their reports to the leadership of the Procurement Commission, the statement said.
In addition, it was decided that two other projects would be offered through restricted bidding.
The approved and amended projects include the completion of geotechnical studies for the Zardalu Dam in Ghazni province, construction of a 14-kilometer road at Hairatan Port in Balkh province, and construction of a road from the end of the first section of the Kabul–Logar highway to Sang Naweshta, the statement said.
Construction of public hospitals in Lolash district of Faryab, Andar district of Ghazni, Kajran district of Daikundi, Bala Murghab district of Badghis, Kahmard district of Bamyan, and Musa Khail district of Khost, as well as the remaining work on electricity supply and distribution projects in various provinces, were among the approved and amended projects, the statement added.
It is to be noted that all projects will be funded by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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Eid al-Adha Congratulatory Message of His Highness, The Amir al-Mu’minin Sheikh al-Qur’an Wa al-Hadith, Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada
May 25, 2026
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest; there is no deity except Allah, and Allah is the Greatest. Allah is the Greatest, and to Allah belongs all praise. All praise is due to Allah. We praise Him, seek His help and forgiveness, and seek refuge in Allah from the evil within ourselves and from the consequences of our deeds. Whomever Allah guides, none can misguide; and whomever He leaves astray, none can guide. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. (Surah Al-An’am, Ayah 162) Translation: Say (O Muhammad), indeed my prayer, my sacrifice, my life and my death are solely for Allah, the Lord and Sustainer of all worlds. Allah Almighty also says: Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayah 196: Allah Almighty further says: “So pray to your Lord and sacrifice [to Him alone].” (Surah Al-Kawthar: 2) It is narrated from Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah sacrificed two horned, white-and-black rams with his own blessed hands, reciting “Bismillah, Allahu Akbar.” He placed his foot upon their sides while slaughtering them. (Mishkat al-Masabih) In another hadith, Narrated by Aisha bint Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with her), the Messenger of Allah said: “No deed performed by the son of Adam on the Day of Sacrifice is more beloved to Allah than the shedding of blood (sacrifice). The sacrificed animal will come on the Day of Resurrection with its horns, hair, and hooves, and its blood is accepted by Allah before it reaches the ground.” To the Faithful and Mujahid People of Afghanistan and to Muslims Throughout the World Peace and blessings of Allah be upon you. First and foremost, I extend my sincere congratulations to all of you on the occasion of Eid al-Adha. May Allah Almighty accept your worship, sacrifices, pilgrimage, charity, and all righteous deeds. Respected Afghan brothers, It is a matter of gratitude and praise to Allah Almighty that we celebrate Eid al-Adha while living under the shade of an Islamic government founded upon the sacred principles of Sharia, and while enjoying peace and security. The fundamental purpose of human life is to worship Allah Almighty, strive in obedience to Him, practice religion in daily life, firmly adhere to Islamic injunctions, and live fully in accordance with His divine religion. We must pay serious attention to this noble objective, for it is the path to true success. Under the governance of the Islamic Emirate, the Sharia-based rights of all citizens are safeguarded. No one is permitted to oppress another; injustice is prevented, and the rights of the oppressed are pursued. Through the functioning of Sharia courts, the sacred Islamic Sharia is being implemented. Likewise, the great duty of the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice is actively carried out. In this regard, efforts continue to reform society in accordance with Islamic principles. However, scholars, officials of the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, and those responsible for guidance and preaching must intensify their efforts in educating and advising the people on essential religious matters, particularly concerning prayer and those obligations that are incumbent upon believers. The Islamic Emirate remains committed to ensuring the rights and welfare of orphans, widows, persons with disabilities, and the needy. Wealthy Afghans are also urged not to forget these individuals and to devote proper care and assistance to them. The Islamic Emirate seeks political and economic relations with the entire world, especially with Islamic countries, within the framework of Sharia-based principles, and has fulfilled its responsibilities in this regard. I call upon the officials of the Islamic Emirate to pay close attention to the commands and prohibitions of Allah Almighty within the scope of their responsibilities, to fully discharge their duties in serving the people, ensuring security, and providing public welfare in accordance with Sharia, to keep their doors open to the needs of the people, and to carry out affairs properly and promptly. Likewise, they must refrain from oppressing the people. History shows that whoever commits oppression, regardless of power, is ultimately humiliated by Allah and brought to defeat. I direct the security officials, especially during the days of Eid, to pay full attention to the comfort, service, and safety of the people, and to take all necessary measures for their happiness and tranquility. Similarly, all relevant authorities must pay greater attention to returnees, ensuring further facilitation in land allocation, transportation, and resettlement. Respected Afghan brothers, Itis our shared responsibility to protect and preserve our Islamic government founded upon Sharia, for it has been established through the sacred blood of many martyrs and through the immense sacrifices and hardships endured by the mujahideen and sincere Muslims. Let us all unite in sincerity and continue striving for its preservation, standing beside one another as brothers, so that we may thwart the malicious intentions of enemies, appreciate the blessings of security, prosperity, and reconstruction, and strengthen and protect this Sharia-based order with steadfastness.
I request all honorable pilgrims who have traveled to the Two Holy Sanctuaries from Afghanistan and around the world to pray for the Islamic Ummah, especially for the oppressed Muslims across the world, so that Allah Almighty may grant them victory over the enemies of Islam and bless them with success in this world and the Hereafter. I also urge all wealthy Afghans, as well as the officials of the Islamic Emirate, to care for returnees and poor families during these blessed days of Eid and to include them in the joy of the celebration. In conclusion, once again, I extend my Eid greetings to all faithful and honorable people. May Allah Almighty grant that you always celebrate your Eids in peace, happiness, and security. Peace and mercy of Allah be upon you.
His Highness, The Amir al-Mu’minin, Sheikh al-Qur’an wa al-Hadith Hibatullah Akhundzada
Source: thekabultimes.com
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Security and Public Health Everyone Responsibility During Eid Days
May 25, 2026
Eid is a time of joy, prayer, and family gatherings. It is also a moment when responsibility must be shared among citizens, authorities, and security forces to ensure that celebrations remain peaceful, healthy, and dignified.
The role of security forces during Eid is indispensable. Their vigilance guarantees that families can gather safely, mosques can welcome worshippers, and markets can thrive without fear. According to the policy of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, nationwide security is administered and maintained. Yet during festive days, the visibility and responsibility of security personnel must be heightened. Their service ensures that Eid remains a celebration of joy rather than anxiety.
The cooperation of the people is also important. Security is not the duty of the forces alone; it is a shared mission. Citizens strengthen peace when they act responsibly, respect public guidelines, and support the enforcement of rules that protect society.
One such rule is the prohibition of firecrackers during and before Eid. This ban is essential to prevent disturbance of sleep, protect patients and children from distress, and preserve the calm of neighborhoods. Community elders, parents, and youth leaders must take responsibility to enforce this ban, ensuring that celebration does not come at the expense of others’ well-being.
Another critical issue is the practice of animal sacrifice. Eid al-Adha is marked by Qurbani, a sacred tradition that carries deep spiritual meaning. Yet, if performed in unsuitable places, it can cause pollution, foul odors, and health risks in residential areas. To prevent contamination, sacrifices must be conducted in designated areas that are prepared for hygiene and waste management. Municipal authorities have a duty to cooperate in this matter, providing proper facilities and ensuring that waste is collected and disposed of responsibly. Citizens, too, must respect these guidelines, understanding that public health is a collective responsibility.
Religious scholars and community leaders can play a decisive role by guiding citizens to respect these rules. Their voices carry influence, and their encouragement can inspire people to act responsibly. By reinforcing the message that Eid is a time for peace, compassion, and cleanliness, they help ensure that joy is shared equally across society.
As Afghanistan celebrates Eid, let it also celebrate the strength of its unity. Let the dedication of security forces be matched by the cooperation of the people. Let communities stand firm against practices that disturb peace, such as firecrackers, and embrace traditions that uphold health, such as performing sacrifices in proper places.
The message is clear as Eid is not only a festival of joy but also a test of responsibility. When forces act responsibly, citizens cooperate wholeheartedly, and municipalities provide support, Afghanistan demonstrates that peace and health are not only maintained, they are lived. Eid then becomes a symbol of a secure, compassionate, and united nation.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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Baitul Mukarram to host five Eid jamaats
24 May 2026
DHAKA, May 24, 2026 (BSS) - The National Mosque Baitul Mukarram will host five separate Eid-ul-Azha jamaats on May 28, according to the Islamic Foundation.
The first jamaat will begin at 7:00 am and will be led by Senior Pesh Imam Hafez Maulana Mufti Md Mizanur Rahman.
The second jamaat will be held at 8:00 am, conducted by Dr Maulana Waliur Rahman Khan, followed by the third at 9:00 am, to be led by Mufti Md Abdullah.
The fourth jamaat is scheduled for 10:00 am and will be led by Maulana Mohammad Nur Uddin, while the fifth and final congregation will take place at 10:45 am, conducted by Jubair Ahamaad Al-Azhari.
In case any designated imam is unable to attend, Md Shahidul Islam will lead the respective prayer, the Islamic Foundation added.
Islamic Foundation Bangladesh said the arrangements have been made to accommodate large numbers of worshippers during Eid-ul-Azha.
Source: bssnews.net
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https://www.bssnews.net/news/390059
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